copravolley

I hope Fontana will start competing in the mixed relay, because there Italy has a real chance of winning a medal with her great start.

I'm afraid that at such a high level Fontana will have a hard time individually winning any medal in 2026. She has a great start in the 500 meters, but she loses over the distance and it's hard for her to stay on the podium. In the 500 meters, with this form, Velzeboer is out of reach, because she leads from start to finish. However, over longer distances the competition is even greater, even though there is no dominant competitor. I don't have the impression that Fontana is capable of rising to such a level as to fight for medals individually, although of course one can always count on falls and dsq in the top.

Out of curiosity, I listened to a few podcasts about Turkmenistan today. This country has very large deposits of natural gas. In the 1990s, a simple a ordinary people lived quite well there. In the early 21st century, Turkmenistan signed several unfavorable gas deals with China and has practically gone bankrupt since then. 1/3 of the population (about 2 million out of 6 million- mostly young people) emigrated, mainly to Turkey, India, etc. The future of this country is blacka and uncertain. I don't know what other options they have? Russia, Turkey, the EU? Of course, in terms of selling gas. Perhaps sanctions of Russia's and isolation due to the war in Ukraine would be a chance for Turkmenistan to establish economic relations with the EU, but the new president would probably have to loosen and a little liberate up his country's domestic politics.

In the USSR, when Stalin died, there was de-Stalinization but some of his monuments remained, although, for example, the names of cities were changed. I feel sorry for the people living in Turkmenistan or smiliar countries but what can be done? The USA could to introduce some civilized life in Afghanistan but this government was so weak that it fell a few weeks after the Americans left. It would probably be similar here.

I wonder if there are any monuments to their first leader, who died in 2006, or has the latter taken over everything?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saparmurat_Niyazov

https://www.news18.com/news/auto/turkmenistan-president-bans-all-colored-cars-from-capital-only-white-cars-allowed-1632963.html It`s crazy. In my opinion, there was better there when they were under the USSR, because there were no such absurdities.

A few years ago I read a crazy story about this president-dictator from Turkmenistan, who banning white or dark cars from being imported to Turkmenistan (I don't remember which ones). This is a country of absurdities. After the fall of the USSR, a dictator- Turkmenbascha, who ruled there for many years and died about 15 years ago and his health minister replaced him and has ruled ever since. Both are madmen. Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan are more civilized and don't have such weirdos in power. It's probably only the Taliban that are more radical.

Baku is a large resort. There is a modern track in cycling in Ashgabat. The World Championships were supposed to be held some years ago.

I don't see any photos from the Caspian Sea? I wonder if there are swimming conditions there?

This Czech is making incredible progress.

Her old sister: Lucrezia also is alpine skier.

In the worst case scenario for us, the conditions will be equal for everyone - something like in Beijing 2022. If the competition were held in Igls, Austria would have a huge advantage.

The track in Cortina has a future but it needs to be used well: apply for a place in the World Cup calendar, to organize World Championships, etc. Encourage other countries to train there. Maybe open the track to tourists for recreational ride during some time: some tracks in Germany do this or La Plagne in France. Cortina has a good location: it`s a well-known resort with a large accommodation and restaurant base. Cesana was a much worse place - the venue for the 2006 Olympic Games in luge and bob sports. There was no infrastructure around there + the area had no tradition in these sports.

Some people explained it as Covid, but the work should start in 2021 at the latest. Paradoxically, the Meloni-Salvini government finally led to the construction of this track, and the previous technical government - Draghi did nothing in this direction. Although Draghi very often took pictures with athletes with medals. Salvini did at least 1 good thing in his political life If it wasn't for his last-minute about-face, the competition would probably be in Switzerland or Austria. I didn't believe in options with Cesana + Cortina is a better place for this track to continue operating in the future (better location + tradition in luge and bobsleigh sports).

https://www.fondoitalia.it/2024/10/27/notizie/argomenti/olimpiadi/articolo/olimpiadi-milano-cortina-2026-pista-da-bob-lavori-in-linea-con-i-tempi-ce-soddisfazioni-tra-le.html The question is, couldn't this have been done 2-3 years ago, without all this drama and fuss?

She was at her peak in February at the World Championships in Doha. If she had swim like that in Paris, she would have won bronze. She's a good swimmer but to win medals at the Olympics, as you can see, you need something more - like peak form at a key moment. Because let's not kid ourselves, but swimming in a short pool in the winter is more fun.

3x 4th place today. Men's relay crash. Our entire team is based only on Sighel. If he's not in shape, we have to count on others crashing, like yesterday in the women's relay.

The Netherlands without Schulting can field 2-3 more strong and young skaters and we have been relying solely on one Fontana for a dozen or so years, who is 34 and still the best of us. Although I doubt she will ever win anything on an individual level again. Unfortunately, we miss generational change and 1-2 skaters at the level of, for example, Desmet or one of the Americans. I`m not talking about Fontana, because we will haven`t someone like that again for the next 100 years.

Sighel is unfortunately in poor shape. He doesn't shine and lets himself be overtaken in a childish way. Those 2x4 places are still beyond his actual level. The women's team, despite winning yesterday in the relay, unfortunately doesn't have a single athlete capable of fighting for an individual medal under normal conditions and that won't change. This was already visible at the last World Championships, when Arianna Fontana was the best Italian in every competition after 2 years without starts. It doesn't look good. Maybe Valcepina will come back in the 500 meters but unfortunately none of the youngsters are able to make visible progress.

This country dominates in boxing on summer games, for example Paris. I remember that we were cheated of an Italian in a fight with an opponent from this country in the heaviest weight class.

In any case, without Fontana in top form we will have to continue to count on such lucky coincidences.

Men`s team also in final, even though Sighel isn`t in top form.

https://fisi.org/brignone-stellare-a-soelden-conquista-la-vittoria-numero-28-della-carriera/ Brignone ha vinto a Sölden 9 anni dopo aver vinto nel 2015. Grande. La scarsa forma di Bassino è preoccupante: questa è già la seconda stagione in cui non andare bene nei giganti. La cosa ancora più preoccupante è che, a parte queste 2 e qualche volta Goggia, le altre nostre ragazze sono max. tra le prime 20 dei Gigante. Se non riusciamo a riportare Colturi dall'Albania, dopo il 2026, stiamo affrontando un momento davero difficile.