phelps

the usual suspects... maybe (playing at home and being the new FIFA's darling...you know )

I'd wait to know who the Asian team is...Japan and/or Australia might not be easy opponents

no, but this is what the IOC stated... however, they won't be part of the Parade of Nations, but they will be present at the Ceremony (I have no idea in which role...will they enter somehow "hidden" to the audience? will they be just spectators? I don't know)

the new MLB season is officially underway!!! LA Dodgers and San Diego Padres are opening this year's campaign with a couple of games in Seoul, Today (the game started at 11 a.m. CET) and Tomorrow the full program, instead, will start next Thursday, March 28th

there's no way Capobianchi or Selva would be selected for Paris if they have to keep those 2 speed spots, most likely they would use one of them to select another endurance girl (so to enlarge the roster of the pursuit quartet/omnium/madison group) I think we could also use one of the road racing spots for that, as Balsamo could well have a shot at the road race (so to open up some space for Barbieri, Fidanza, Alzini and be able to choose at the last minute who to place in the team pursuit next to Balsamo, Paternoster and Guazzini, who basically are a lock) however, I still hope they can get one of our male sprinters a chance in both sprint and keirin races

they will be decided later, when all the teams will be known daily start times are: 11 a.m. 1.30 p.m. 5.15 p.m. and 9 p.m. local

sorry, but there's no way they will ever get an invitation for any team event their athletes won't even take part in the Opening Ceremony yesterday's new updated document is well clear: https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ain-eligibility-review-panel-established-by-ioc-eb-paris-games-time-protocol-elements-agreed-on in particular, point #2 "Teams of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport will not be considered."

yes, they are! the problem is that here in Italy there are a lot of them...and they're also very noticeable in our society, our media, all around p.s. being anti-EU is a good thing it's everything else that's a disaster

https://www.fiba.basketball/olympics/men/2024/games

there's a chance we might have Drew Eubanks ready for the tournament in San Juan more difficult to fill the documents so to have Dante Di Vincenzo (AKA Big Ragù) but tbh, we need more a player like Eubanks, even if Di Vincenzo is on another level, generally speaking

when you can make money out of something, our politicians are always ready

typical Russian/Belarussian disease, I guess but I though it was hitting people only when they were in their Home Country...we all know that out there the windows are always open (despite the cold Winter temperature) and don't have proper balustrades

Liiga Playoffs Quarterfinals Pairings (Best-of-7 Series) Tappara Tampere (1) vs TPS Turku (9) Ilves Tampere (2) vs KalPa Kuopio (7) Lahti Pelicans (3) vs HIFK Helsinki (6) Kärpät Oulu (4) vs Jukurit Mikkeli (5)

Liiga Playoffs 1st Round Results (Best-of-3 Series) KalPa Kuopio (7) b. Sport Vaasa (10) 2-0 (4-1; 4-2) TPS Turku (9) b. Lukko Rauma (8) 2-1 (2-3 OT; 2-1; 5-3)

SHL Playoffs Quarterfinals Pairings (Best-of-7 Series) Färjestad BK (1) vs Rögle BK (9) Frölunda HC (4) vs Leksands IF (5) Skellefteå AIK (3) vs Linköping HC (6) Växjö Lakers HC (2) vs Luleå HF (7)

SHL Playoffs 1st Round Results (Best-of-3 Series) Luleå HF (7) b. Örebro HK (10) 2-1 (1-2; 3-0; 1-0 OT) Rögle BK (9) b. Timrå IK (8) 2-0 (4-1; 3-2)

() ICE Hockey League Playoffs Semifinals Pairings (Best-of-7 Series) EC KAC Klagenfurt (1) vs HC Pustertal Wölfe (8) EC Red Bull Salzburg (3) vs HC Bolzano/Bozen Südtirol Alperia (4)

by the way, I hope the IOC takes its time if "that" happens...if 2026 Games are successful, a Milan/Rome 2032 combo might become reality (and in any case, I see this kind of government we have right now trying to get the Summer Games sooner rather than later...the power of dirty affairs is just unstoppable to them )

the mistake is going to Brisbane...another Sydney run would have no problem

I wonder if a Country could switch 1 or 2 quota places from the women to the men's division: namely, at least 1 of those 2 women's sprint/keirin places being recycled to 1 or 2 men's sprint/keirin riders?

Italy is the place in Europe with most Putin's fans that hope to see him destroy EU and invade our Country to rule it like it's Russia but except for a few fanatics, I think that most people doesn't even know what's really happening out East our media are full of propaganda in favor of both sides (depending on the political orientation), but in all cases there's the feeling that's not a thing really close to us should something truly happen, we would show the world that we're totally imprepared for anything serious (we can't even manage those few illegal immigrants coming here on the ferry boats from North Africa...how could we cope with a true war? )

tbh, Keirin was unpredictable when it was in its prime when UCI started to change the rules and made it just another performance event where tactics and "madness" count for only a very small percentage, it became quite predictable...nowadays it's only about the most powerful sprinter with the quickest recovery skills

men's Individual Foil Grand Prix ( Washington D.C.) Gold: Nick Itkin Silver: Enzo Lefort Bronze: Filippo Macchi & Kyosuke Matsuyama Semifinals Itkin b. Macchi 15-6 Lefort b. Matsuyama 15-8 Final Itkin b. Lefort 15-12 Full Ranking & Results https://fie.org/competitions/2024/140?tab=results

women's Individual Foil Grand Prix ( Washington D.C.) Gold: Lee Kiefer Silver: Arianna Errigo Bronze: Lauren Scruggs & Anne Sauer Semifinals Kiefer b. Sauer 15-6 Errigo b. Scruggs 15-5 Final Kiefer b. Errigo 15-4 Full Ranking & Results https://fie.org/competitions/2024/121?tab=results

men's semis: Macchi vs Itkin & Lefort vs Matsuyama both women and men's Final session set to start @ 6 p.m. local time (11 p.m. CET) all Live for free on Youtube, as usual p.s. I won't post the results until tomorrow, so enjoy the action and have a good night (especially if you're in Europe, as it might finish very late)