phelps

Italy out in the quarterfinals of the women's Sabre after losing to Hungary...

more from the last few hours... Patrick Laine inks a new 4-year, 34.8 million deal with Columbus... then, the Blue Jackets send Oliver Bjorkstrand to Seattle for some future draft picks and the Winnipeg Jets sign Pierre Luc Dobois to a 1-year, 6 million deal...

US Players don't want to stay in Canada because of higher taxes and all the covid protocol's restrictions... Social media are full of trash about this conspiracy theory (which imho has something true behind it, not as crazy as they write, but still...) and especially the Flames have some financial problems and they're still trying to get the authorization to build a new, modern arena... not going to be easy for them in the immediate future... p.s. Huberdeau next Summer is going to be an unrestricted free agent...I'm pretty sure he won't stay long in Calgary, too... p.p.s. waiting for the next free agency, with Auston Matthews on the market (if he doesn't extend his contract in Toronto, which is not to be taken for granted)...

Men's Team Epee Gold: France Silver: Italy Bronze: Japan Semifinals France b. Hungary 45-37 Italy b. Japan 41-31 Bronze Medal match Japan b. Hungary 45-30 Gold Medal match France b. Italy 45-42 Full Ranking & Results https://fie.org/competitions/2022/248?tab=results

Women's Team Foil Gold: Italy Silver: USA Bronze: France Semifinals USA b. France 45-35 Italy b. Japan 45-37 Bronze Medal match France b. Japan 40-34 Gold Medal match Italy b. USA 45-27 Full Ranking & Results https://fie.org/competitions/2022/249?tab=results

4 long, depressing and frustrating years have ended... I'm a happy man, now...

great match by the Italians against the Olympic champions, Japan... our win was never in doubt, thanks especially to Vismara and Di Veroli... so, Today we have 2 teams in the Gold Medal matches...let's see if we're capable to lose 2 more times in the final act...

men's Team Epee Bronze Medal match: Hungary vs Japan Gold Medal match: Italy vs France

men's Team Epee, semifinals (starting in a few minutes): Japan vs Italy France vs Hungary

men's Team Foil, quarterfinals (Tomorrow): Italy vs South Korea Japan vs Egypt USA vs Hong Kong France vs Canada

women's Team Foil Bronze Medal match: France vs Japan Gold Medal match: Italy vs USA

I hope and I wish it's "only" magic shoes...and not just "another kind of magic"...

as the track is the same for all athletes, there's nothing bad with that (if all the top tier events are held on the same kind of track)... but magic shoes are pure tech doping, like the good old rubbish...ehm...rubber suits in swimming... and since not all the athletes have the same suit/shoes, it's unfair to those who can't have the top tech dress (because they're from poor Countries and can't affor them, but also because their federation has a contract with a less performing brand -look at Beijing 2008...those with suit different from Speedo were heavily penalized, even if they were from powerhouses of that sport)... therefore, I'm totally against this kind of "selective" technology...

men's Team Epee, quarterfinals (starting in a few minutes): Japan vs China Ukraine vs Italy France vs Switzerland South Korea vs Hungary

women's Team Foil, semifinals (Today @ 12.30 CET): Italy vs Japan France vs USA

women's Team Sabre, quarterfinals (Tomorrow): France vs Azerbaijan Japan vs USA Italy vs Hungary Germany (they destroyed no.2 seed South Korea ) vs Spain

while the Matt Tkachuk saga continues goalie Vitek Vanecek goes to New Jersey and forward Nino Niederreiter signs a 2-year 8-million deal with Nashville... more Nordic players finding their home for the next season(s)... Kasperi Kapanen re-signs with Pittsburgh (2 years, 6.4 millions), Calle Jarnkrok goes to Edmonton (4 years, 8.4 millions), goalie Kaapo Kahkonen goes to San Josè (2 years, money undisclosed) and finally Mattias Janmark joins the Oilers (1 year, 1.25 million)...

Men's Team Sabre Gold: South Korea Silver: Hungary Bronze: Italy Semifinals South Korea b. Germany 45-39 Hungary b. Italy 45-42 Bronze Medal match Italy b. Germany 45-42 Gold Medal match South Korea b. Hungary 45-37 Full Ranking & Results https://fie.org/competitions/2022/252?tab=results

Women's Team Epee Gold: South Korea Silver: Italy Bronze: Poland Semifinals South Korea b. Poland 45-28 Italy b. France 30-29 Bronze Medal match Poland b. France 34-33 Gold Medal match South Korea b. Italy 45-37 Full Ranking & Results https://fie.org/competitions/2022/247?tab=results

in the team events, it's basically sure... maybe they'll get a chance of a few individual spots as neutral athletes, if the war ends and the global sanctions are stopped...

men's 200m...this is so obvious... Usain Bolt men's 400m Hurdles...the unbelievable winning streak by Edwin Moses can't be denied... men's Triple Jump...this is not so obvious...but I'm going with Jonathan Edwards, the man who changed this event forever... women's 1500m...this is a no brainer... Faith Kipyegon is just on another planet... women's Javelin Throw...not a very easy choice...I pick Barbora Spotakova because she won 2 Olympic gold medals and because the 2008 final was probably the most exciting ever...

women's Team Foil, quarterfinals (Tomorrow): Italy vs Poland Japan vs Canada USA vs Spain France vs China

disgraceful performance by the Italian youngsters...

men's Team Sabre Bronze Medal match: Italy vs Germany Gold Medal match: South Korea vs Hungary

women's Team Epee Bronze Medal match: Poland vs France Gold Medal match: South Korea vs Italy Korea destroyed Poland in the semis, meanwhile Italy won against France at the OT (and, as it happened in the Individual event, it was Rossella Fiamingo edging out Auriane Mallo in the decisive minute)...