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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡
● Swimming ● Fireworks at the 67th Trofeo Sette Colli meet in Rome (ITA), starting with a world record on Saturday for Dutch two-time World Champion Marrit Steenbergen in the women’s 100 m Freestyle, winning in 51.68 and breaking Swede Sarah Sjostrom’s 2017 mark of 21.71.
Steenbergen had set a lifetime best of 51.68 last month to move to no. 2 all-time and now she is no. 1. She swam all alone, as Hong Kong star – and two-time Olympic 100 m Free medalist – Siobhan Haughey was a distant second in 52.52. Haughey won the 200 m Free in 1:55.00.
Earlier, 2025 World Champion Gretchen Walsh of the U.S. won the 50 m Butterfly in 24.51, the second-fastest time in history, an American Record and just short of Sjostrom’s 24.43 in 2014. Sjostrom was second in the race – 10 months after maternity – in 25.05! Walsh had the U.S. record at 24.66 from the 2025 USA Swimming national championships.
Walsh followed up with a dominant win in the 100 m Fly in 54.82, the no. 5 performance in history … of which she owns all five and is the world-record holder.
On Sunday, Walsh was at it again, this time winning the 50 m Free in another world record, at 24.55, breaking fellow American Kate Douglass’ mark of 23.59 from the Tyr Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis in 19 June. Sjostrom, the former world-record holder, was second at 23.86; it’s Walsh’s first long-course world record.
Gretchen’s sister Alex Walsh – the 2022 World Champion in the 200 m Medley – was also a double winner, taking the women’s 200 m and 400 m Medleys.
Romania’s World Champion David Popovici moved to no. 2 on the world list for 2026 in the men’s 100 m Free in 47.26. He also won the 200 m Free in a speedy 1:44.48,, again moving to no. 2 in the world.
≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Athletics ● Fleet Feet posted that its Chief Running Officer, Jenny Simpson, 39, the 2011 World women’s 1,500 m gold medalist, was released from Duke University Hospital on Friday (26th), after collapsing during a running event on 16 June:
“During the event, Jenny suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and received immediate lifesaving care, including CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), before being transported to UNC Rex Hospital in Raleigh. She was later transferred to Duke University Hospital.
“For the time being, Jenny will remain in North Carolina with her husband, Jason, and their two pups, where her focus will be on rest and healing.”
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This is unique: a standard-distance marathon is being planned to be run inside an IKEA store in Croydon, England in December 2027. The route, through the store and warehouse, is expected to be about 1.5 km per loop, requiring about 28 loops.
The field will be limited to 80 entrants. The idea came from Sussex Trail Events, which has held events in parking structures and other unique settings.
● Gymnastics ● Following a decision by former Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc, now the mayor of the city of Cluj-Napoca not to allow the Russian and Belarusian flags to be displayed during the World Gymnastics Rhythmic World Challenge Cup, the Russian team withdrew on Friday. According to Russian federation press attache Linar Ginatullin:
“The organizers verbally notified us that the Russian national flag will not be displayed in the arena and the national anthem will not be played if the Russian gymnasts win.
“This is a direct violation of the May decision of the World Gymnastics Executive Committee, according to which the Russian gymnasts were fully reinstated. It also violates the World Gymnastics Charter and the updated provisions of the Olympic Charter, which are aimed at protecting sport and athletes from any external political, governmental, social, and economic pressure. Our national team is always ready to compete in tournaments that comply with World Gymnastics’ requirements.”
World Gymnastics told the Russian news agency TASS: “We have taken note of the information and are evaluating it. If new information emerges, we will report it in due course. At this stage, we are refraining from further comment.”
At the 2025 World Artistic Championships in Jakarta, the Indonesian government did not allow Israeli athletes to enter the country, and they were not able to compete. World Gymnastics did nothing.
● Weightlifting ● The International Weightlifting Federation became the seventh Olympic-program International Federation to reinstate Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competition.
The IWF statement noted, “The decision follows the recent recommendations of the IOC regarding the principles of neutrality in sport and the importance of providing athletes with fair opportunities to compete at the highest international level.”
≡ RESULTS ≡
● Athletics ● A world-leading women’s triple jump for Olympic champion Thea LaFond (DMA) at the 76th Hanzekovic Memorial in Zagreb (CRO) on Friday, winning at 15.25 m (50-1 1/2) and moving to equal-ninth on the all-time list!
Excepting world-record holder Yulimar Rojas (VEN), it’s the furthest jump by anyone else since 2014! Cuba’s Leyanis Perez was a distant second at 14.76 m (48-5 1/4).
There were plenty of other highlights, including American Jamal Britt lowering his lifetime best in the 110 m hurdles to 12.98 (+1.2), just ahead of Japan’s Rachid Muratake, who got a national record of 13.00.
Americans Alaysha Johnson and Rayniah Jones were 1-2 in the women’s 100 m hurdles, both timed in 12.43 (-0.2) to stand equal-fifth in the world this year.
Nathan Green of the U.S. won the men’s 1,500 m in 3:32.46, a seasonal best, with Sam Prakel fifth in 3:32.90; in the women’s javelin, Madison Wiltrout was second at 60.17 m (197-5).
Olympic bronze winner Rajindra Campbell (JAM) moved to no. 3 on the world list in the men’s shot with a lifetime best of 22.44 m (73-7 1/2), ahead of Italy’s 2023 Worlds silver winner Leonardo Fabbri (22.21 m/72-10 1/2). American Roger Steen was fourth at 21.42 m (70-3 1/2). Poland’s five-time World Champion Pawel Fajdek moved to world no. 4 with a men’s hammer win at 81.89 m (268-8).
Legendary Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who turned 34 on 28 June, continued her comeback with a women’s 100 m win in 10.91 (+0.9), now no. 10 in the world this year. Teammate Stacey-Ann Williams moved to no. 5 in the world in the women’s 400 m in 49.48.
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The 28th Stadtwerke Ratingen multi-events meet in Germany was a good one for home favorite Leo Neugebauer, the 2025 World Champion, who scored 8,537 to win. The 2024 European bronze medalist, Makenson Gletty (FRA) was second at 8,458; Americans Devon Williams (8,402) and Harrison Williams (8,345) finished 3-4.
World heptathlon leader Annik Kalin (SUI) won the women’s competition with a new leading mark of 6,816, well ahead of American Erin Marsh (6,305 lifetime best) and German Sandrina Sprengel (6,218). American Lexie Keller was 10th (6,017).
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The headline from the Pan American Championships in Medellin (COL) was the men’s 100 m, where Colombia’s Ronal Longa steamed to a 9.85 win with +1.5 m/s wind, moving to no. 3 on the world list for 2026. His prior best was 9.96 from 2025.
● Gymnastics ● At the USA Gymnastics National Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Rin Keys won the Rhythmic All-Around title for the third straight year, scoring 117.800 points, over Megan Chu (113.000) and Natalie de la Rosa (111.400). Keys is now one of six who have won three consecutive U.S. championships.
Chu won the Hoop final (29.200); Keys won on Ball (27.950) and Ribbon (29.900), and de la Rosa took the Clubs final (29.150).
In Trampoline, Leah Garofalo took the women’s title at 54.040 over Ava DeHanes (52.260), and Aliaksei Shostak won the men’s gold (his second, also in ’23), scoring 58.940, with Isaac Rowley at 58.160 for second and Ruben Padilla third (57.610).
In the synchronized finals, Isaac Rowley and Elijah Vogel took the men’s title at 52.410; Maia Amano and Kennedi Roberts won the women’s gold (48.790) and Garofalo and Nate Erkert won the mixed competition at 48.860.
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Paris Olympic champ Darya Varfolomeev (GER) took the All-Around title at the World Gymnastics Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Cluj-Napoca (ROU), winning all four events and scoring 116.950 to edge Ukraine’s Taisiia Onofriichuk (112.000).
In the apparatus finals, Varfolomeev won on Clubs (30.250); Onofriichuk took the Hoop gold (28.850) and the Ribbon title (28.000). Liliana Lewinska (POL) won on Ball (28.250).
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At the World Gymnastics Trampoline World Cup in Arosa (SUI), China’s 2025 World Champion Zihai Wang won the men’s final at 66.58 and Russian Anzhela Bladtseva was the women’s individual winner, scoring 58.81.
● Hockey ● The Netherlands won their fourth FIH women’s Pro League title in a row as the season ended on Sunday, storming through the season with a 14-1 record and 46 points, earning a berth in the 2028 Olympic tournament as a result.
Argentina (11-4: 31) was second and Belgium (10-6: 30) finished third.
The men’s tournament finished with Belgium as champions, at 14-2 (39), ahead of England (13-3: 35) and Australia (10-6: 30). Belgium won their second title – also in 2021 – and also qualifies for LA28.
● Judo ● Japan was busy again at the IJF World Tour Qingdao Grand Prix in China, taking five titles, in the men’s 60 kg (Hayato Kondo), 66 kg (Olympic champ Hifumi Abe), 73 kg (Worlds bronzer Tatsuki Ishihara), plus in the women’s women’s 52 kg (Kokoro Fujishiro) and 63 kg (Narumi Tanioka).
● Modern Pentathlon ● Germany’s Marvin Dogue emerged as the men’s winner at the UIPM World Cup Final in Budapest (HUN), winning the fencing segment, but starting 26 seconds behind leader Giorgio Malan (ITA) in the Laser Run. But Dogue was almost 16 seconds faster in the final event and compiled a total of 1,597 points to edge Matej Lukes (CZE: 1,589) and Poland’s Lukasz Gutkowski (1,581).
The women’s champion was Swiss Anna Jurt, who was fifth in fencing, second in Obstacle, only 16th in the swimming, but won the Laser Run to move from fifth to first to score 1,493 points. That overtook the prior leader, Viyaleta Hureyeva (BLR: 1,488). Spain’s Laura Heredia (1,481) was third.
● Rowing ● The U.S, had another strong showing at the World Rowing World Cup III in Lucerne (SUI), winning seven medals in Olympic-program events and taking its first World Rowing Cup Trophy with 114 total points.
Germany’s Olympic champ Oliver Zeidler won the men’s Single Sculls in 6:46.49, with American Sam Melvin third in 6:49.44. Belgians Aaron Adries and Tibo Byvey won the Double Sculls in 6:19.50, with Jacob Plihal and Cedar Cunningham of the U.S. in third (6:20.82). In the Pairs final, Angus Dawson and Alexander Hill (AUS: 6:33.35) were the winners, ahead of the U.S.’s Madison Molitor and Pieter Quinton (6:35.97).
Great Britain won the Quadruple Sculls and the Fours, with U.S. boats fourth and sixth in the Fours final. The Netherlands won the men’s Eights.
In the women’s events, Britain’s Lauren Henry, the 2025 Worlds runner-up, took the Single Sculls in 7:33.18 and British entries won the Quadruple Sculls (6:30.98) and the Eights (6:08.54), with the U.S. third in the Eights final at 6:11.26.
The U.S. Pairs team of Regina Salmons and Mia Levy won their final in 7:09.39 and the Americans won the Quadruple Sculls in 6:30.198. In the Double Sculls, Roos De Jong and Benthe Boonstra (NED) won in 7:03.02, with the U.S. 2-3 with Sophia Vitas and Emily Kallfelz (7:03.50) and Isabela Darvin and Evan Park (7:05.74).
In the 12 Olympic-program events, the U.S. won three men’s medals (0-1-2) and four women’s podiums (2-1-1).
● Sailing ● At the annual Kieler Woche in Kiel (GER), regattas in six Olympic Classes were held, with winners from six different countries!
The men’s 49er winners were Joshua Richner and Nilo Scharerat just 17.0 total points, while Canada’s 2025 Worlds bronzers Georgia Lewin-Lafrance and Antonia Lewin-Lafrance won the women’s 49erFX title, winning five races and finishing with 28.0 points.
The women’s ILCA6 gold was won by Helena Wolff (DEN), with three wins and just 20.0 points. The ILCA7 men’s title was for Attilio Borio (ITA), with just 16.0 net points.
The Nacra 17 win went to three-time World Champions John Gimson and Anna Burnet, with five wins and just 23.0 points. The mixed-crew 470 winners were 2025 Worlds silver winners Simon Diesch and Anna Markfort (GER), who won three races and totaled 27.0 points.
● Weightlifting ● There were familiar faces on top of the podium at the U.S. nationals in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as three men and three women who won titles in 2025 won again.
The men’s repeaters included Paris Olympic 61 kg bronze winner Hampton Morris, who defended his 2025 nationals win at the heavier 71 kg class, lifting a combined 316 kg in 2026. Also repeating were Ryan Grimsland in the 79 kg class (322 kg) and Xavier Borde at 110 kg (327 kg total).
New champions included Kaiden Mima at 60 kg (245 kg combined), Bryson Brown at 65 kg (265 kg), Ryan McDonald at 88 kg (325 kg), moving up from second in 2025; Daniel Wiitanen at 94 kg (353 kg) and Keiser Witte at 110+ kg, lifting a combined total of 391 kg.
The women’s champions from 2025 who won in 2026 starts with Diana “D” Irizarry at 53 kg (189 kg total), who won at 48 kg last year; Miranda Ulrey who repeated at 58 kg (210 kg), and Estelle Rohr, who won at 77 kg (220 kg) after a win at 69 kg in 2025.
Virginie Beljour was the new champion at 48 kg (148 kg); Sophia Shaft won at 63 kg with a combined 244 kg; Meredith Alwine took the 69 kg title at 217 kg; Ella Nicholson won in the 86 kg division at 254 kg, and Caitlin Thilges, second in 2025, moved up to gold in 2026 in the 86+ kg class at 256 kg total.
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