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= PARIS 2024 =
From Lane One
“Following a meeting on water quality held on 30 July at 3.30am attended by Paris 2024, representatives of World Triathlon and their technical and medical delegates, the International Olympic Committee, Météo France, the City of Paris and the prefecture of the Ile-de-France region involved in carrying out water quality tests, the decision has been made to postpone the men’s triathlon event which was due to be held on 30 July at 8am.”
World Triathlon posted that announcement just after 4 a.m. Paris time on Tuesday, moving the men’s triathlon to Tuesday at 10:45 a.m., following the women’s race at 8 a.m. During the morning news conference, Aurelie Merle, the Paris 2024 Sports Director explained the results and the process going forward:
● “The tests that were carried out on the Seine revealed that the water quality were not sufficient on the entirety of the course. That’s why we immediately informed the athletes and the coaches as soon as the decision was taken at 4 o’clock in the morning.”
● She noted that testing was done at four points on the course. With reference to the E. Coli levels (in units per 100 ml), “it was between 980 and 1,553, which means there was one that we below the threshold [1,000], two that were just slightly above, and one which I mentioned, which was a bit more above.”
● “We know that the sun and the heat have a very strong impact on the quality of the water and that’s why we feel – because we were so close this morning that we can, hopefully, deliver tomorrow morning, the water quality will be better.”
● “Both triathlons are subject, as well, to the same forthcoming water test, so they have to comply with the established World Triathlon threshold for swimming. So, that will take place tomorrow at 3:30.”
● “We still have a contingency day in place for the 2nd of August and we are working hand-in-hand with World Triathlon and the different stakeholders to make sure that all the opportunities are looked into, depending on the weather forecast, that the triathlon will take place.”
The decision will be made based on readings taking up to 21 hours prior, combined with weather forecasting and river flow measurements. The very heavy rains on the 26th and 27th – reported to be equal to the normal total for all of July in Paris – really impacted the water quality and were a direct cause of the postponement.
World Triathlon President Marisol Casado (ESP) noted that issues with swimming are not uncommon in the sport, not only concerning pollution, but wave strength and electrical storms as well. She added:
“At this point, we are quire confident that it will happen tomorrow and then we will be very happy, all of us.”
The postponement is an embarrassment for the Paris Games, but if the races can get going on Tuesday, it’s not such a big deal.
~ Rich Perelman
¶
The Champions Park in the Trocadero opened on Monday and was a massive success, with 26,000 people passing through, with multiple medal winners – especially from France – soaking up the atmosphere and the interaction with fans.
● Les Temps ● The updated forecast shows continued cooling, with more rain possible, further complicating the triathlon and open-water swimming situation:
● 31 July (Wed.): High of 88 (F) ~ low of 71, possible storms
● 01 Aug. (Thu.): 84 ~ 66, cloudy
● 02 Aug. (Fri.): 84 ~ 63, sunny
● 03 Aug. (Sat.): 81 ~ 65, cloudy
● 04 Aug. (Sun.): 80 ~ 63 cloudy
● 05 Aug. (Mon.): 85 ~ 66, cloudy
● 06 Aug. (Tue.): 85 ~ 65, cloudy
● 07 Aug. (Wed.): 76 ~ 60, morning rain
● 08 Aug. (Thu.): 78 ~ 61, cloudy
● 09 Aug. (Fri.): 80 ~ 62, cloudy
● 10 Aug. (Sat.): 79 ~ 61, cloudy
● 11 Aug. (Sun.): 79 ~ 60, cloudy
If the triathlons cannot be held on Tuesday, the make-up date is 2 August, and the mixed relay for 5 August; the open-water swimming is slated for 4-5 August.
● Medals & Teams ● After day four of competitions, the U.S. and France continue with the most medals:
● 1. 26, United States (4-11)
● 2. 18, France (5-9-4)
● 3. 14, China (6-6-2)
● 4. 13, Japan (7-2-4)
● 5. 12, Great Britain (4-5-3)
● 6. 11, Australia (6-4-1)
● 6. 11, South Korea (5-3-3)
● 8. 11, Italy (3-4-4)
● 9. 6, Canada (2-2-2)
● 10. 4, Brazil (0-1-3)
● 11. 3, four tied
In our TSX team rankings, using a 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 points system and a much better representation of team achievement, the U.S. continues to lead:
● 1. 227 1/2, United States
● 2. 184 1/2, France
● 3. 179, China
● 4. 156 1/2 Italy
● 5. 151, Great Britain
● 6. 140 1/2, Japan
● 7. 139, Australia
● 8. 123 1/2, Korea
● 9. 87 1/2, Germany
● 10. 85 1/2, Canada
● 11. 43, Brazil
● 12. 37, New Zealand
A total of 58 countries have scored points so far, up by four from Monday.
● Television ● No new numbers at posting time on Tuesday, but the first three days of NBC’s total audiences – broadcast, cable and streaming – for Paris 2024 have been excellent:
● 26 Jul. (Fri.): 29.3 million (with Telemundo)
● 27 Jul. (Sat.): 32.4 million
● 28 Jul. (Sun.): 41.5 million
This is way up on Covid-impacted Tokyo and running ahead of audiences for Rio 2016 through the first three days.
● Games of the Xth Olympiad: Los Angeles 1932 ● Tuesday marked the 92nd anniversary of the opening of the first Olympic Games to be held in Los Angeles, in 1932, before 101,022 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was a turning point for the Olympic Movement in many ways, including, but not limited to:
● First Olympic Games held over the now-familiar 16-day schedule – now 17 – where prior events had been staged over weeks or months.
● First Games presenting awards using the three-tier victory stand, an innovation borrow from the first British Empire Games, in 1930.
● First Olympic Village for all male competitors, a temporary installation in Baldwin Hills, with the women also accommodated in one location, in the luxury Chapman Park Hotel.
The Games, with real estate developer William May Garland as head of the organizing committee, was also the first to turn a financial surplus. The Xth Olympiad Committee, as it was known, received $1 million from a public bond issue in 1929 to begin the organizing of the Games and finished – thanks to strong ticket sales – with a cash surplus of $1.25 million. It paid back – with interest – the bond at $1,053,733, and finished with a surplus of $196,267 in 1933, which was given to the City and County of Los Angeles.
The Official Report of the Games stated that 1,503 athletes were entered from 37 countries and 1,427 competed, in 117 events in 14 sports.
● Fencing: Women’s Team Epee
After placing three in the top 16 in the individual epee, France was the favorite in the women’s Team Epee, against Italy, the Tokyo bronze winners and 2023 Worlds runners-up. The final was a classic, with France up 19-15, but Italy got wins from Giulia Rizzi and Mara Navarria to take a 24-23 lead and with a 6-6 tie in the final bout, it ended 30-29 for the Italians.
It’s Italy’s first Olympic win in this event, after a silver in 1996 and bronze in Tokyo. Poland, the 2023 World Champions, defeated China, 32-31, for the bronze in Paris.
● Gymnastics: Women’s Team
No doubt whatsoever. Playing it safe with some routines that de-emphasized the risky, the United States women dominated the women’s Team final, winning their third gold medal in the last four Games at 171.296, with Italy a solid second at 165.494 and Brazil third at 164.497.
The U.S. won on all four apparatus, taking the Vault at 44.100 – its best score of the day – then on Uneven Bars (43.332), Beam (41.699) and Floor (42.165). Superstar Simone Biles had the top U.S. score on Vault at 14.900, defending Olympic All-Around champ Suni Lee was best on Uneven Bars (14.566) and Beam (14.600) and Biles was best on Floor (14.666). Jordan Chiles (all four events) and Jade Carey (14.800 on vault) also competed for the Americans.
The fight for second was wild, with the Italians ranking 5th-3rd-3rd-5th on the four apparatus to get the silver, while Brazil was 2nd-5th-6th-2nd.
The U.S. has won a medal in this event in nine straight Olympic Games. Next up for the individual stars is the women’s All-Around with Biles and Lee leading the charge, on Thursday.
● Judo: Men’s 81 kg; Women’s 63 kg
Two Olympic golds for Takanori Nagase (JPN), who defended his Tokyo title by defeating three-time World Champion Tato Grigalashvili (GEO) in the 81 kg final. It’s Japan’s fifth Olympic gold in this category – more than anyone else – and the first time someone has won twice.
Korea’s two-time Worlds bronzer Joon-hwan Lee defeated Belgium’s 2021 World Champion Matthias Casse, 1-0, for one bronze and Somon Makhmadbekov (TJK) won the other, over Antonio Esposito (ITA).
The women’s 63 kg gold was won by 2023 Worlds runner-up Andreja Leski (SLO), who dominated surprise finalist (and silver medalist) Prisca Awiti Alcaraz (MEX), the 2023 Pan American Games bronze winner. It’s Mexico’s first-ever Olympic medal in judo.
Six-time World Champion, and defending Olympic champ Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA) had to settle for one bronze, and Laura Fazliu (KOS) won the other.
● Rugby Sevens: Women
In the semifinals, defending champ New Zealand cruised by the U.S., 24-12, and Canada defeated Australia, 21-12. In the final, Canada had a 12-7 lead at half, but could not hold it as Michaela Blyde and Stacy Waaka both got a try and the Kiwis prevailed, 19-12.
It’s two Olympic golds in a row for New Zealand, which has been in the final all three times the women’s tournament has been played in the Games (2-1-0). Canada won bronze in Rio and now a silver in Paris.
In the bronze-medal match, the U.S. won a thriller from Australia, 14-12, as Alex Sedrick scored a try and conversion as time ran out to overcome a 12-7 deficit. It’s the U.S.’s first-ever medal in Rugby Sevens.
● Shooting: Men’s Trap; Mixed Team 10 m Air Pistol
Britain’s Nathan Hales, the 2022 Worlds silver winner and world-record holder at 49/50, shot an Olympic Record 48/50, including his last 18 in a row, to win the men’s Trap title, 48-44 over China’s 2022 Asian Games winner Ying Qi. Jean Brol Cardenas (GUA) won the bronze at 35 and American Derrick Mein, the 2022 World Champion, finished fifth (26).
It was Britain’s first win in this event since 1968!
In the Mixed Team 10 m Air Pistol, Serbia – Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec – moved up from fourth in Tokyo and won the gold in a tight, 16-14 match over Turkey’s 2023 Worlds runners-up, Sevval Tarhan and Yusuf Dikec. The Serbs had to win the last two shots to come from behind and win.
India, the 2023 World Champions, took bronze as Manu Bhaker got her second bronze of the Games, this time with Sarabjot Singh, 16-10 over South Korea.
● Swimming: Men’s 800 m Free-4×200 m Free Relay;
Women’s 100 m Back
First up was the women’s 100 m Back final was a showdown between defending champ Kaylee McKeown of Australia and Americans Regan Smith – the world-record holder – and Katharine Berkoff. Canada’s Kylie Masse actually led at the turn and Smith had the lead with 25 m to go, but McKeown’s finish was the best and she won in an Olympic Record of 57.33, the equal-second performance ever. Smith was a clear second in 57.66, ahead of Berkoff in 57.98. Masse was fourth in 58.29.
McKeown is only the second to win back-to-back Olympic titles, equaling Natalie Coughlin’s feat in 2004-08.
The men’s 800 m Freestyle had defending champ Bobby Finke of the U.S., with Australia’s Elijah Winnington – the 2024 Worlds silver winner – leading through the first 350 m, ahead of 2024 World Champion Daniel Whiffen (IRL). Whiffen took over at 400 m, with Finke and Italy’s Tokyo silver winner Gregorio Paltrinieri closest.
Whiffen and Paltrinieri had a half-second edge at 600 m, and Paltrinieri was the clear leader at 700 m. Whiffen got the lead at the final turn and while Finke chased down the Italian, it was Whiffen who got to the touch to win in an Olympic Record of 7:38.19, now the no. 5 performer and no. 5 performance of all time. Finke got the silver in 7:38.75, his no. 2 time ever, and Paltrinieri got the bronze in 7:39.38.
James Guy led off the men’s 4×200 m Freestyle relay for Great Britain, with Luke Hobson third for the U.S. and Tom Dean (GBR) Carson Foster were 1-2 after 400 m. Matthew Richards, the 200 m Free silver winner, continued the lead over American Drew Kibler and handed to Duncan Scott a 0.50-second lead on the anchor. Scott expanded the lead into the final turn, with Kibler fighting for second against Australia’s Thomas Neill.
Britain completed an Olympic back-to-back and won in 6:59.43 with the same quartet who won in Tokyo, with the no. 6 performance in history. The U.S. was second – after missing the medals in Tokyo – in 7:00.78, the no. 7 performance in American history, with Australia third in 7:01.98.
● Table Tennis: Mixed Doubles
No doubt about this one, even though it took six games, as China’s 2022 and 2023 World Champions Chuqin Wang and Yingsha Sun defeated surprise finalists Jong Sik Ri and Kum Yong Kim – seeded 16th! – by 4-2 (11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-8).
In the bronze-medal match, South Korea’s Jonghoon Lim and Yubin Shin swept aside the veteran Hong Kong pair of Chun Ting Wong and Hoi Kem Doo, the 2023 Worlds bronze medalists, by 4-0 (11-5, 11-7, 11-7, 14-12).
Elsewhere:
● Beach Volleyball ● Still in men’s Pool D play, Americans Miles Partian and Andrew Benesh evened their record at 1-1 with a 21-12, 2826 win over Mohamed Abicha and Zouheir El Graoui (MAR).
In Pool F, Americans Chase Budinger and Miles Evans (1-1) were defeated by Dutch stars Stefan Boermans and Yorick De Groot (2-0), 21-13, 21-15.
● Basketball ● The 3×3 tournaments have begun, with the U.S. women – the reigning World Champions – losing to Germany, 17-13, in their opener. Hailey van Lith led all scorers with six points, while Marie Reichert and Sonja Greinacher each had five for the Germans. An early 8-7 lead evaporated for the U.S. as Germany scored four straight and took control, 11-7 and held on.
In the 3×3 opener for World Champion Serbia and the U.S. – runners-up in 2023 – Serbia won, 22-14, with a stifling defense; Marko Brankovic had eight points for Serbia. Kareem Maddox led the U.S. with 6.
The U.S. men’s 5×5 team will next play against South Sudan on Wednesday; it took a LeBron James drive and layin to get a 101-100 win in their exhibition game on 20 July in London.
● Football ● The U.S. men (1-1) got off to a good start against Guinea (0-2) in Saint-Etienne in their final Group A game, as Djordje Mihailovic curled in a free kick from the left side of the box straight into the top left corner of the goal in the 14th for a 1-0 lead.
Forward Kevin Paredes doubled the lead in the 31st, running onto a lead pass from striker Paxten Aaronsen on the right side and then moving to the middle and slotting a left-footed shot past Guinea keeper Soumaila Sylia. Guinea had 59% possession in the half, but the U.S. led on shots, 10-7.
Paredes got a second goal in the 75th on a left-footed shot from inside the box off a feed from substitute forward Jack McGlynn for a 3-0 lead and that’s the way it finished. Guinea had 62% possession and had some chances, with 16 shots to 14 for the U.S., but no goals.
So the U.S. (2-1) is on to the quarterfinals in Paris, behind France (3-0), and will face Morocco.
● Swimming ● In the men’s 100 m semis, Australia’s Rio 2016 champ Kyle Chalmers won in 47.58, coming on in the final 20 m to touch first ahead of Nandor Nemeth (HUN: 47.61), France’s Maxime Grousset (FRA: 47.63) and Chris Guiliano of the U.S. (47.72). Semi two had Jack Alexy of the U.S. leading at the turn, but China’s Zhanle Pan – the world-record holder – came on in the final 25 m to touch first in 47.21, ahead of the 200 m Free winner, David Popovici (ROU: 47.66) and Alexy (47.68). Both Alexy and Guiliano advanced to tomorrow’s final.
French star Leon Marchand was the focus of the 200 m Butterfly semis, leading semi one from the start, winning in 1:53.50 in his third race of the day, after two morning heats in the 200 Fly and 200 Breast. Canada’s Ilya Kharun was second in 1:54.01. World-record holder Kristof Milak (HUN) won the second semi in 1:52.72, ahead of Noe Ponti (SUI: 1:54.14); Thomas Heilman of the U.S. (17) was sixth in 1:54.87 and did not advance.
The men’s 200 m Breast semis had Tokyo winner Zac Stubblety-Cook coming on during the final 50 m to win in 2:08.57, ahead of Zhihao Dong (CHN: 2:08.99), with Josh Matheny of the U.S. in fourth (2:09.70) and advancing to the final. Marchand came back 85 minutes later for the second semi, and he led from the start and won convincingly in 2:08.11, with Ippei Watanabe (JPN) second in 2:09.62. Matt Fallon of the U.S., who was the world leader coming in, was fifth in 2:09.96 and did not advance.
Before Marchand’s last swim was the women’s 100 m Free semifinals, with Gretchen Walsh of the U.S. leading the first semi at the turn, but Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey won in 52.64, followed by Shayna Jack (AUS: 52.72), with Walsh fourth (53.18). Australia’s 200 m Free winner Mollie O’Callaghan came on in the final 10 m to win semi two in 52.75, with Junxuan Yang (CHN: 52.81) and world-record holder Sarah Sjostrom (SWE: 52.87) ahead of 100 m Fly winner Torri Huske of the U.S. (52.99). Both Americans made the final.
● Volleyball ● The defending champion U.S. women got a rude welcome to Paris with a 20-25, 19-25, 25-17, 25-20, 13-15 loss to China, the Rio 2016 Olympic champs, in their opening match on Monday.
At 0-1, the U.S. has matches remaining against Serbia (1-0) and France (0-1) with two pr three teams in the group qualifying for the semifinals.
In the men’s Group C, the U.S. defeated Germany by 25-21, 25-17, 17-25, 20-25, 15-11) on Tuesday to go to 2-0 and qualify for the quarters. It has one pool-play match left vs. Japan on 2 August.
● Water Polo ● The U.S. men got back to 1-1 in Group A pool play, beating Romania by 14-8 with a combined 7-1 edge in the second and third quarters. Hannes Daube and Alex Bowen each had three scores for the Americans, now sitting third in the group (four advance) with three more pool-play games.
The American women (1-1) suffered a rare loss in pool play on Monday, with Spain (2-0) winning, 13-11, in a rematch of the Tokyo 2020 gold-medal game. This time, the Spain had a 6-5 lead at the half, and 11-9 after three quarters and held on to win. Beatriz Ortiz had five scores for the Spanish, while Jordan Raney had two for the U.S. The U.S. is second in its group of 5, with four to qualify for the playoffs and two more games to go in Group B.
= PREVIEWS: WEDNESDAY, 31 JULY =
(18 finals across 11 sports)
● Canoe: W Slalom C-1
What will Jess Fox do? The Australian star won the K-1 and is the defending champion in the C-1, in an event in which she is a four-time World Champion. She will be challenged by 2023 World Champion Mallory Franklin (GBR), Brazil’s Ana Satila, Austrian Victoria Wolffhardt, German Elena Lilik and K-1 runner-up Klaudia Zwolinska (POL).
● Cycling: Men’s BMX Freestyle; Women’s BMX Freestyle
The cycling women’s BMX Freestyle finals has Tokyo Olympic silver winner – and five-time World Champion – Hannah Roberts looking to move up to the top of the podium. Britain’s Tokyo winner, Charlotte Worthington, is back as is Swiss Nikita Ducarroz, the Tokyo bronze medalist, and do not forget about fellow American Perris Benegas, the 2018 World Champion.
In the men’s final, France’s Anthony Jeanjean, who won the 2024 qualifying series, 2023 World Champion Kieran Reilly (GBR), Tokyo Olympic champ Logan Martin (AUS), Japan’s 2022 World Champion, Rim Nakamura and 2018 Worlds winner Justin Dowell of the U.S. are all contenders.
● Diving: Women 10 m Synchro
In diving, the U.S. won one medal at the 2023 World Championships, a bronze by Jessica Parratto and Delaney Schnell and they are up again. The pair won the Tokyo Olympic silver in 2021 and will be looking for a repeat medal performance, with China’s World Champions, Yuxi Chen and Hongchan Quan strongly favored.
Chen also won in Tokyo, but with Jiaqi Zhang as her partner.
● Fencing: Men’s Team Sabre
The U.S. has a powerful entry in the men’s fencing Sabre team final, having won the 2023 Worlds bronze with Eli Dershwitz, Colin Heathcock and Mitchell Saron. Hungary, the reigning World Champion, defending Olympic champ South Korea and Italy are all contenders.
● Gymnastics: Men’s All-Around
Japan’s Daiki Hashimoto will be defending his 2023 Worlds gold as well as his victory at Tokyo 2020. American Fred Richard stunned with a bronze at the 2023 Worlds and is looking for the first U.S. medal in the A-A since Danell Leyva’s bronze at London 2012. Japan has won this event in three straight Games.
China’s Boheng Zhang led the qualifying A-A scores at 88.597, with Shinnosuke Oka (JPN: 86.865) second and Hashimoto (85.064). Richard qualified 10th at 83.498 and Paul Juda also qualified, in 13th at 82.865.
● Rowing: Men’s Quadruple Sculls; Women’s Quadruple Sculls
The Netherlands is the defending Olympic men’s champion, but Great Britain, the U.S. and New Zealand went 1-2-3 at the 2023 Worlds and Great Britain and Australia were 1-2 over the Dutch at the 2022 Worlds.
In the women’s race, China, Poland and Australia won the Tokyo medals, and China won over the Netherlands at the 2022 Worlds. But at the 2023 Worlds, it was the Dutch who were best, followed by Romania and Great Britain.
● Shooting: Women’s Trap
Slovakia’s Zuzana Rehak-Stefecekova is back to defend her Tokyo 2020 gold, but Rio 2016 winner Catherine Skinner (AUS) and London 2012 winner Jessica Rossi (ITA) are also back!
Rossi won the silver medal at the 2023 Worlds, and gold medalist Yi-chun Lin (TPE). Spain’s Fatima Galvez, the 2019 Worlds bronze winner and 2023 Worlds bronzer Kathrin Murche (GER) is also a contender. The U.S. has two quality entrants who can challenge in Rachel Tozier and Ryann Phillips.
● Surfing: Men’s and Women’s Shortboard
The great experiment In Tahiti will conclude, with Brazil’s 2024 World Champion Gabriel Medina and two-time World Champion Filipe Toledo, American John John Florence and Australia’s Jack Robinson all stars on this year’s World Surfing League tour. Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi is back and won the Tokyo silver and Morocco’s Ramzi Boukhiam won the World Surfing Games silver in 2023.
The U.S. has defending champ Carissa Moore back in the women’s competition, who will be challenged by 2023 World Champion Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), France’s two-time Worlds medalist Joanne Defray and Americans Caroline Marks and Caitlin Simmers.
● Swimming: Men’s 100 m Free-200 m Breast-200 m Fly;
Women’s 100 m Free-1,500 m Free
French star Leon Marchand – who swam at Arizona State and is transferring to Texas – is the favorite in the men’s 200 m Butterfly, where he was the 2023 World Champion in a national-record time of 1:52.43. He will be challenged by Hungarian world-record holder Kristof Milak, the world no. 2 in 2024 and Swoss Noe Ponti That race is at 8:36 p.m.
Some 99 minutes later, Marchand expects to be back in the water to try – potentially – for a third gold in the men’s 200 m Breaststroke final, at 10:15 p.m. He’s going to have to deal with defending champion Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS), Zhihao Dong (CHN) and Japan’s former world-record holder Ippei Watanabe.
In between will be the women’s 1,500 m Freestyle final, with American star Ledecky defending her Tokyo 2020 gold in this event, which was held for the first time three years ago. She’s an overwhelming favorite, owning the top four times of the year and eight seconds faster than Italy’s Simona Quadarella, the 2024 World Champion.
Also on the schedule are the finals in the men’s and women’s 100 m Freestyles. Tokyo Olympic men’s champion, Caeleb Dressel of the U.S., didn’t make the team in this event, beaten out by emerging stars Chris Guiliano (47.25) and Jack Alexy (47.08). China’s Zhanle Pan won the 2024 Worlds gold and owns the world record at 46.80, with Romanian co-favorite David Popovici at 46.88 and Rio 2016 winner Kyle Chalmers (AUS) a definite threat. Alexy and Guiliano both made it to the finals, as the final qualifiers.
The women’s 100 m Free features world-record holder Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan and Shayna Jack, China’s Junxuan Yang and Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, who might end up winning! Americans Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske are both in the field and are contenders for medals.
● Triathlon: Women and Men
Defending champion Flora Duffy (BER) is back, as is silver winner Georgia Taylor-Brown. But the hottest athlete right now might be France’s Cassandre Beaugrand, second in the 2023 Worlds to Beth Potter (GBR) last year, but already a winner on the 2024 World Triathlon Championship Series.
French teammate Emma Lombardi is a threat, as is American Taylor Knibb, third in the 2023 Worlds. Fellow Americans Taylor Spivey and Kirsten Kasper could also be serious medal contenders.
In the men’s race to follow, French hopes are on 2022 World Champion Leo Bergere and Pierre LeCorre, Britain looking to 2020 Olympic silver winner Alex Yee, plus New Zealand’s Tokyo bronze winner Hayden Wilde and 2020 Olympic winner Kristian Blummenfeldt (NOR) all contenders. The U.S. has an outside shot for a medal with Morgan Pearson.
= INTEL REPORT =
● Anti-Doping ● The International Testing Agency announced a provisional suspension of Nigerian boxer Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilore in the women’s 60 kg category, returning a positive test for the masking agent Furosemide. A bronze medalist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, she can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but lost her opening bout on Monday by forfeit.
It’s the third doping positive reported at Paris 2024 by the ITA.
● Fair Play ● The International Fair Play Committee, in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee, is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the first Olympic Fair Play award, given at the 1964 Olympic Winter Games to Italian bobsled star Eugenio Monti:
“Nominations for the Paris 2024 Fair Play Award are now open, and open to everyone. National Olympic Committees, International Federations, athletes, coaches and the public can submit nominations through a dedicated CIFP email, [email protected], as well as the social media channels listed below.
“After the nominations have been received from the public, a jury composed of representatives from the CIFP, the IOC, athletes and the media will shortlist the nominees. The public will then have the opportunity to vote for the winners, who will be revealed shortly after the conclusion of the Paris Games.”
The CIFP was founded by Frenchman Jean Borotra in 1963 and has showcased this important element of sport at the Olympic Games and many other events. Moreover, in Paris, a new work by 1980 Venezuelan football Olympian Cheche Vidal – Fair Competition – will be launched on 1 August.
On 2 August, Vidal – a key executive at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the U.S., responsible for technology – will join an important, four-way conference with the Fair Play Committee, the International Society of Olympic Historians, Panathlon International, and the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee, with the objective of finding shared projects that can further illuminate the spirit of the Games and of fair play.
In addition, the CIFP will present a Tokyo Olympic Fair Play award to Japan’s Sakura Yosozumi, the Tokyo women’s Park Skateboard gold medalist, for her role in giving support an an injured competitor. The trophy will be presented by International Olympic Committee member Prince Albert (MON), himself a previous winner of the Fair Play award during his bobsled career.
● Sports Medicine ● The issue of transgender athletes is not top-of-mind at the Paris Games, but the advocacy has not stopped.
A comprehensive, study-based approach is being taken by The International Consortium on Female Sports (ICFS) and the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), which released a compact guide to nine frequently-asked-questions about male-to-female conversions in elite sport:
● It outlines the biological and competitive disparities that exist between male and female athletes, backed by scientific research and data.
● It explains that testosterone suppression in male athletes does not eliminate their inherent physiological advantages, which include but are not limited to, increased muscle mass, bone density, and oxygen-carrying capacity. These advantages provide male athletes with an unfair competitive edge in female categories.
Said Dr. Mary O’Connor, a 1980 U.S. Olympic Team member in rowing and the ICONS Rowing Chair:
“The International Olympic Committee has instructed journalists not to accurately report the sex of athletes even when males are competing against women.
“The injustice of allowing men in women’s sport is unfair, unsafe and dehumanizing to women. Asking the media to hide it from the public is inexcusable.”
The FAQ also specifically addresses the case of American women’s 1,500 m star Nikki Hiltz, who identifies as non-binary and has been described as transgender. Nope: “This athlete is female and has always competed in the women’s category.”
● Athletics ● It isn’t always easy being Noah Lyles. He spoke to reporters on Monday about his Paris experience so far:
“I’ve become kind of popular in the Village, and unfortunately, that has come with its own set of challenges in being able to find my own space within the Village, whether that’s eating or training in the gym.
“I know some athletes like to leave the Village and stay in hotels, but I like to enjoy the whole Olympic experience, being with other athletes and stuff like that. But it has come with its own challenge of finding my own safe place, and it’s been kind of hard for me to find that place within the Village, and I don’t want to leave.”
“I’m not even the most popular person in the Village, so I know I’m not the only one who’s had to deal with situations like this, and I just wanted to bring that to people’s attention, that even though we might be superstars in your eyes, we still are human beings, and we do want to be able to have our space and our time. And, I want to enjoy the Olympics, just like you guys.
“I’ve now been finding myself eating at very random times in the back of the cafeteria, just to kind of have my space with just my girlfriend as we’re just trying to enjoy a meal. I’m just being vocal and being very honest with myself.”
Nevertheless, he is oozing confidence, looking forward to starting the men’s 100 m on Saturday (3rd):
“As I go into this biggest stage in the world, I’m now saying, Hey, I’ve been through the hardest parts. I’ve been at the bottom. I’ve fought my way back up. I’ve fixed the weaknesses. Now here I am stronger than before. If I lose this time, it’s not going to be because I beat myself, it’s just going to be that they had to be that much better. But to be honest, with Noah Lyles being Noah Lyles, there’s nobody.”
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U.S. shot star Ryan Crouser, trying for a third straight Olympic gold, said the event is tougher than ever before:
“In particular, men’s shot is has been consistently good for eight years now, and it’s been the same usual suspects. And now we add in [Italy’s Leonardo] Fabbri as well, so it will be, I believe, quite the competition, and a lot of guys are in good shape right now. …
“None of us really wanted to take a back seat. All of us have been fighting to be at the top. And for me, it’s knowing that Tom Walsh, Joe Kovacs, Darlan Romani, all of the guys, if I’m not training hard every single day, they’re catching me, they’re passing me. And so they have the same attitude. That level of competition and special group of guys have pushed shot put to, I think, levels that no one thought it could reach.”
Crouser admitted, that at 31, it’s not the same as when he was in Rio eight years ago:
“There were some challenges this spring. As a self-coached athlete, I have had a bit of difficulty recognizing that I am getting older. This is a difficult pill to swallow. So I did a bit of overtraining and had the injuries that accompany that. Now I realize I cannot do exactly what I did daily in the days when I was younger.
“But I still believe at the top end I am as good as I ever was, if not better. It makes me cherish this Olympic experience even more because I can see that I cannot do this forever. I know I have a limited time in the sport. Once you realize that, it makes you appreciate it even more.”
● Fencing ● Four-time World Champion Olha Kharlan won the women’s Sabre bronze on Monday, especially meaningful since it was the first medal of the Games for Ukraine. She said afterwards:
“Of course it’s been a really difficult moment to compete the past two and a half years when in my country there’s war.
“Since I have five [Olympic] medals already, this one is definitely a special one because with all the conditions that we were preparing and all the news, all what happened in Ukraine with the war, it’s tough and all the Ukrainian athletes here are suffering.
“All of us we have our own story, but I hope this medal will bring to my country some joy, some hope, and if you see the last bout … never give up. It shows that Ukraine will never give up.
“I saw a lot of Ukrainian flags today and in the end the French people here were cheering for me and were supporting me. And it gives a lot of hope and a lot of joy and support. Really, it was amazing.”
Kharlan was trailing by 11-5, but came back to win the bronze over South Korea’s Se-bin Choi, 15-14.
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