Josh

as a proverb says: today's only raining down your back!
 
we're in the bright sunny 35°C range today in the planes in the north of Italy  
 
p.s. starting at 8 p.m., the game's likely over before we have a true night sky...I guess it would have been better to start at 9/9.15 p.m.
 
by the way, it's always a nice and prestigious landscape when you play at the Arena Scaligera in Verona, even if it's not an Opera

https://x.com/ricardoten_/status/1689914684239912960?s=46&t=eeNhSzi4Rylqjvpt-IBinQ

Africa B Day 1
 
 104-74
 
Table
 1-0 (+30)
 0-0
 0-1 (-30)

it was the reverse order of the result of the semifinal round (and it was the same also for the women), that's the rule
 
it was just a case* that in the women's event the climax was built slowly because the lead specialists also proved to be the best combined specialists
 
*actually, it happened because the values are way more established than in the men's division
 
in the men's event, instead, things were so balanced that in the final they went in a quite different way compared to the semis

Yes, seeing three separate medal events would definitely be a lot better. If that actually happens, I am glad with the short-lived existence of the combined though, since it definitely would have helped putting climbing on the map (considering without the combined it wouldn't have been Olympic). And climbing is one of the super rare additions which I personally find to actually add something different in a good way, so if the combined helped with that, I can tolerate it for two Olympic cycles (as long as from 2028 on we have separate events)  

I don't remember it was the case for the women neither. I guess the logic behind it is that the boulder event by itself is not a great predicator of the future medallists, and that the results of the combined SF is a better one. 

Anyway, who cares. Hopefully, post-2024, we won't see it anymore

What was up with the order of the lead in the men's combined final? I swear the women started in opposite order of the boulder result, as one would expect: this way, the tension is built up. However, in the men's final, the order seemed entirely random, resulting in possible situations of having climbers start their lead in such a position they already can't mathematically win the gold anymore....that's just odd and makes for a rather mediocre viewing experience...
 
I feel like there was some reason why it was mixed up...?

Water Polo draw (which is also the Olympic qualifier)
 
Men
Group A) 
Group B) 
 
Women

Sweden's semifinal curse continues... 

Huh, this is in the Netherlands? Someone tell Dutch media please  

Draw
 
 

The Euro opens tonight with  Italia against  Romania under the night sky. Has someone checked the weather forecast for any potential rain? 

however, also the mixed Dinghy (470) preliminary races have been completed and now the crews have been divided into Gold (33 boats) and Silver fleet
 
mixed Dinghy (470), 8 Olympic Quota Places available, 5 races completed, 5 more to go before the Medal race
 
1.
(2. )
3.
4.
5.
6.
(7. )
8.
(9. ) 
10.
...
14.
 
in total, there are only 16 Nations represented in the Gold Fleet
 
 #8 looks comfortably in the lead so far, meanwhile there's small group (2nd to 6th) following the leaders with some margin ahead and behind of them
 
from 7th place on, it's a real mess, with many boats within very few points one from each other (and many ties, too)
 
it looks that a place in the medal race (and then for the OQPs) will be up for grabs until the last leg of the last race, making this class very exciting to follow

3 semifinals in the last 4 world cups and 2 of the 3 lates euros. And we will need to beat Spain later this year to even get the chance to repeat our olympic final losing streak too  But Spain was the better team in this match so congratulations Spain 

Salma Paralluelo can't be benched , she's definitely the best Spanish Offensive asset 

Gol Gol Gol Gol ! Salma with the winner again 

Finally. Paralluelo should be in the starting XI.

I think that's a strategic decision to play her off the bench here. The knockout stage of this World Cup has been highly tactical.

and Sweden Scores ! 1-1 

Gooooooooooool  , OMG Spain for the lead again 

Raining goals like skittles all of the sudden

Spain gets rewarded for their 3-4 minutes of stalling during the extra time, with the referee only turning the 7 added minutes into barely 8  
 
Alright, they deserved the win anyway since they were better, but referees should let play go on a bit longer after injury time, especially when the leading team has been stalling.

wins 2-1 and advances to the final

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