phelps

so, only our top 2 guys Crescenzo and Busà (and the obvious women's Kata specialist Viviana Bottaro) could make it through to the gold medal match... and a couple of guys reaching the "small final"... definitely, not the brightest performance at the European Champs for our team...basically, just an ordinary day at the office... however, only Turkey have more finalists than Italy after day #1...4 against 3, with France and Spain also stuck at 3 gold medal contenders each... no Countries have 2, meanwhile there are 11 with 1...

men's Individual Kumite, -67kg Gold Medal Match: Mario Hodzic vs Steven Dacosta Bronze Medal Match #1: Stefan Jokic vs Yves Martial Tadissi Bronze Medal Match #2: Jordan Thomas vs Stefan Pokorny men's Individual Kumite, -60kg Gold Medal Match: Angelo Crescenzo vs Evgeny Plakhutin Bronze Medal Match #1: Eray Samdan vs David Tkebuchava Bronze Medal Match #2: Emil Pavlov vs Bogdan Marian Florin Gogolosi

women's Individual Kumite, -61kg Gold Medal Match: Merve Coban vs Tjasa Ristic Bronze Medal Match #1: Anita Serogina vs Gwendoline Philippe Bronze Medal Match #2: Ingrida Suchankova vs Bettina Alstadsaether women's Individual Kumite, -55kg Gold Medal Match: Jennifer Warling vs Tuba Yakan Bronze Medal Match #1: Amy Connell vs Jelena Maksimovic Bronze Medal Match #2: Anzhelika Terliuga vs Ivet Goranova women's Individual Kumite, -50kg Gold Medal Match: Bettina Plank vs Sophia Bouderbane Bronze Medal Match #1: Nurane Aliyeva vs Jelena Milivojcevic Bronze Medal Match #2: Serap Ozcelik Arapoglu vs Shara Hubrich

finally a good result for Italy also in Kumite...because so far we only had a disappointig outing by Semeraro (she lost against her nemesis Agier in the semis of the women's -68kg) and some shameful outings by all the other athletes (especially Ferracuti in the women's +68kg, who couldn't even get to round #2)...

men's Individual Kumite, -75kg Gold Medal Match: Luigi Busà vs Rafael Aghayev Bronze Medal Match #1: Erman Eltemur vs Joe Kellaway Bronze Medal Match #2: Stanislav Horuna vs Jusuf Suljic

get rid of those cheaters of Boxing and you have 300 more quota available... not to mention that not having Baseball/Softball returning, it also increases the amount of spots that could be used to make the current sports more enjoyable... p.s. and in any case...breakdance...c'mon, guys! let's be serious...

women's Individual Kumite, +68kg Gold Medal Match: Eleni Chatziliadou vs Laura Palacio Gonzalez Bronze Medal Match #1: Anastasiya Stepashko vs Meltem Hocaoglu Bronze Medal Match #2: Titta Keinanen vs Fortesa Orana women's Individual Kumite, -68kg Gold Medal Match: Alizèe Agier vs Elena Quirici Bronze Medal Match #1: Silvia Semeraro vs Alisa Buchinger Bronze Medal Match #2: Sherilyn Wold vs Katrine Pedersen

I don't think that's the problem...I mean, Karate is already in the 2020 schedule, so they don't need to cut more quota than this time (actually, they should, because karate deserves at least 16 -if not 32, considered that world champs always have more than 100- starters in each class and all 5 kumite classes in the olympic program, but that's another question)...

the entire Karate world is not givin'up... to be honest, there must be something hidden we don't know behind the Paris organizers and karate... otherwise it's just inexplicable why decided not to include that discipline among those in the schedule...I mean, they will make their dubut at the Games in the 2020 edition, it's one of the sports with the most participants (both athletes and Countries) at the international events, it's one of the most well spread around the world in terms of competitive teams, it's one of the most successful sports in France (both in terms of participation and actual success) and it doesn't require a new venue (it can be played at the same venue of Taekwondo rather than Judo or Wrestling...normally they have 2 venues covering those 4 disciplines...and it would be the same with only 3, so, it doesn't change anything)... meh...

men's Individual Kumite, +84kg Gold Medal Match: Slobodan Bitevic vs Jonathan Horne Bronze Medal Match #1: Gogita Arkania vs Andjelo Kvesic Bronze Medal Match #2: Asiman Gurbanli vs Ryzvan Talibov men's Individual Kumite, -84kg Gold Medal Match: Anton Isakau vs Ugur Aktas Bronze Medal Match #1: Ivan Kvesic vs Farouk Abdesselem Bronze Medal Match #2: Nikola Malovic vs Adrian Federico Lopez Salas

today's action so far... women's Individual Kata Gold Medal Match: Sandra Sanchez Jaime vs Viviana Bottaro Bronze Medal Match #1: Alexandra feracci vs Puleksenija Jovanovska Bronze Medal Match #2: Dilara Eltemur vs Veronika Miskova men's Individual Kata Gold Medal Match: Damian Hugo Quintero Capdevila vs Alì Sofuoglu Bronze Medal Match #1: Mattia Busato vs Enzo Montarello Bronze Medal Match #2: Roman Heydarov vs Ilja Smorguner

here we go...qualificatio rounds well underway...

the master of doping addicted, his majesty the king of cheaters, Sun Yang, despite all the controversy on his name, did shine at the Chinese Nationals, which are running this week in Quingdao... he swam 1.45.73 over the 200m free, 3.43.73 over the 400m free and 7.48.03 over the 800m free... among others: Wang Jianjiahe swam 4.03.77 and 15.49.85 over the women's 400m and 1500m free, respectively; meanwhile Yan Zibei went below 59 secs (58.96) over the men's 100m breastroke and below 27 secs (26.96, NR) over the 50m breastroke... finally, Xu Jiayu swam 52.27 in the men's 100m backstroke...

Wisconsin win women's Frozen Four Co-captains Annie Pankowski and Sophia Shaver scored the only two goals of the game and goalie Kristen Campbell recorded her second shutout of the weekend to lead the Wisconsin Badgers to a 2-0 win over Minnesota to claim the NCAA championship in women’s hockey. The Frozen Four finals weekend was played at the People’s United Center in Hamden, Connecticut, home of Quinnipiac University. It was the Badgers’ fifth title, having previously won in 2011, 2009, 2007, and 2006. All wins have come under legendary head coach Mark Johnson, the same Mark Johnson who led the U.S. to a Miracle On Ice gold medal at the 1980 Olympics. For the Golden Gophers, it was a disappointing ending to a great season as they also were looking for their fifth championship (2004, 2005, 2012, 2013). The Badgers started the season winning 19 of their first 20 games and ended with only four losses in 41 games. Minnesota was just as impressive, posting a record of 32-6-1 and advancing to the finals after beating Cornell, 2-0, in the other semi-finals last Friday. In the playoffs, Wisconsin beat Syracuse, 4-0, Clarkson, 5-0, and then the Gophers, 2-0. The win against Clarkson was particularly special because the Golden Knights had won the last three championships. Wisconsin opened the scoring midway through the first period. Presley Norby came out of the corner and made a move to go behind the Minnesota goal, but before she did, she sent a sneaky pass out front to Shaver, whose quick shot squeaked past Alex Gulstene in the Gophers’ goal. Pankowski made it 2-0 midway through the second on a sensational individual effort. Campbell made a great save on a Minnesota power play, and as the puck went out to centre Pankowski got it. Surrounded by opponents, she skated into the offensive end on her backhand side and lifted a high shot from a bad angle over Gulstene, who was going down on the play. It was Pankowski’s fifth goal of the playoffs (i.e., of her team’s eleven goals) and third of the finals weekend. For fans of international hockey, Wisconsin claims several notable players including Pankowski and Grace Bowlby for the U.S. national women’s team and Canada’s Sophie Shirley and Emily Clark. Those four will celebrate as teammates for a few days and then will face each other as rivals at the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship, which begins in Espoo, Finland on 4th April. NOTE: Canadian Loren Gabel of Clarkson University was named 2019 winner of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as the NCAA’s best women’s player. The native of Kitchener, Ontario, beat out Pankowski and Boston College defender Megan Keller to win the prestigious honour.

time to celebrate women's Hockey, too... Calgary wins Clarkson Cup Three years after winning their first Clarkson Cup, the Calgary Inferno have done it again. They defeated Les Canadiennes de Montreal 5-2 Sunday afternoon at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto to win the 11th edition of Canada’s premier women’s hockey championship. Zoe Hickel scored twice for Calgary while Montreal’s captain, Marie-Philip Poulin, watched from the bench, unable to play because of an injury. Calgary’s win in 2016 also came at Montreal’s expense, while a year later it was the reverse. "I've been on other end of this," said Calgary forward Brianne Jenner, one of six players from the 2016 team to win again today. "This is my third time playing in the Clarkson Cup, third time against Montreal, so there's definitely a rivalry there. In a couple of days a few of them will be teammates and it'll all be smiles, but it feels pretty good Calgary got this one." Jenner is referring to Canada’s national team that will leave shortly for Espoo, Finland for the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship. Indeed, more than 15 players in today’s game will represent North America (as well, the Inferno’s Venla Hovi will be there for the hometown Finns and Aina Mizumaki for Japan). Les Canadiennes weren’t the same without Poulin, the CWHL’s leading scorer. "She was heartbroken," said Montreal head coach Caroline Ouellette about Poulin’s inability to play. "She's the type of player that craves those big moments. Those moments where everything is on the line. She's our captain. She's our leader. She's the best player in the league, in my opinion." "We didn’t play 60 minutes and I think we just ran out of time," she Ann-Sophie Bettez, the 31-year-old Canadiennes forward who scored twice today and who will be playing in her first Women’s Worlds next month. "By the end of the second and in the third, we got momentum, but unfortunately we didn’t play 60 minutes." The Inferno dominated the opening period. Rebecca Johnston got a great chance early, ringing a shot off the post, and a short time later they connected. Defenceman Kacey Bellamy wound up for a slap shot from the point, but noticing Hickel in front fired a beautiful slap pass to her. Hickel re-directed the shot perfectly past Emerance Maschmeyer at 7:59. Five minutes later, Calgary made it 2-0 when Halli Krzyzaniak’s long shot went off the post and in past a surprised Maschmeyer. It was clearly a more determined Montreal team that came out for the second period, and they scored early to get back in the game. Sarah Lefort got the puck in the Calgary corner and got the puck back to Bettez. Back to the goal, she whipped a quick backhand along the ice that went between the pads of Alex Rigsby. The Inferno weathered the storm, though, and restored their two-goal lead later in the period. Brianna Decker, on the power play, wired a shot between the legs of Maschmeyer at 12:42 to make it a 3-1 game. Les Canadiennes struck for their second goal at 17:37 on a two-man advantage. The play was keyed by a great pass by the side of the goal from Hilary Knight. Erin Ambrose at the point got the puck to Knight, who turned and made a back pass between her legs to Bettez on the other side of the crease. Bettez had an open net and made no mistake. Montreal thought it had tied the game in the first minute of the third, but the referees ruled that Knight had interfered with Rigsby and nullified the score. And sure enough, Calgary got another goal a short time later on a beautiful series of passes between Johnston and Hickel, Hickel finishing the play off at 6:24 to make it a 4-2 game. Johnston added an empty netter with 22.9 seconds remaining to close out the scoring. The road to the finals for the two teams was equally difficult as both had to go the distance in the best-of-three semi-finals. Last Friday night, the CWHL handed out its hardware. Here are the winners: 2019 Awards Angela James Bowl, Jayna Hefford Trophy, League MVP: Marie-Philip Poulin (Montreal) Goaltender of the Year: Alex Rigsby (Calgary) Defenceman of the Year: Erin Ambrose (Montreal) Rookie of the Year: Victoria Bach (Markham) Chairman’s Trophy: Calgary Inferno Coach of the Year: Jim Jackson (Markham) Humanitarian Award: Mike Bartlett Two Americans on Calgary can add their names to an exclusive group of players to have won both the Clarkson Cup (CWHL) and Isobel Cup (NWHL): Kacey Bellamy won the former in 2013 and 2015, and the latter in 2016. Brianna Decker won in 2015 and then 2016. Previous Clarkson Cup Champions 2008-09 Montreal Stars 2009-10 Minnesota Whitecaps 2010-11 Montreal Stars 2011-12 Montreal Stars 2012-13 Boston Blades 2013-14 Toronto Furies 2014-15 Boston Blades 2015-16 Calgary Inferno 2016-17 Canadiennes de Montreal 2017-18 Markham Thunder

obviously... and the same will happen with boxing...bets are open...

this is a video of Kristian Ghedina coming down the new Vertigo Piste in Cortina, which will be the 2021 course for the men's speed events (even if I think that in 2021 they will start from a slightly higherr point than what they did in this video and at the recent Italian championships, otherwise we can already say that's too short for a world cup/world championship event...the Italian title was won in 1.26.x if I remember correctly)...

Nadia Fanchini surprisigly thrashed out Sofia Goggia (actually, she finished 3rd, beaten also by Nicol Delago) in the women's Downhill at the Italian Championships...

Vuelta a San Juan king of the mountains Zamora suspended for EPO Argentinian could be handed four-year ban Vuelta a San Juan king of the mountains winner Daniel Zamora has been provisionally suspended by the UCI after returning an adverse analytical finding for EPO. Finishing 12th overall, Zamora was also the best-placed Argentinian in the general classification. As of Tuesday morning, the UCI has not released a statement regarding Zamora, but the Agrupacion Virgen De Fatima rider was added to the governing body’s list of suspended riders. The sample date is listed as January 30, which would be following the fourth stage from San José de Jáchal to Villa San Agustín. Zamora finished in the top five on stages 2 and 6 of the seven-day race and eventually finished 1:39 down on overall victor Winner Aracona of Movistar. Zamora has the right to have his B sample tested, but if the initial finding is upheld he could face as much as a four-year ban. Zamora returned a ‘non-negative’ test during the 2014 Vuelta a San Juan but escaped sanction on that occasion as it was not a UCI-registered event at the time. The 2018 Vuelta a San Juan winner, Gonzalo Najar, was given a four-year ban after he tested positive for the blood booster CERA. His teammate Gaston Javier also tested positive for anabolic steroids during the same event. Javier has not received a ban and is still on the UCI’s provisional suspension list.

so, in the men's tornament, for instance, we could well have a group with SRB (or HUN), CRO, ITA and another team and at the same time another group with GER, BRA, NZL and a 4th tier team, with the 1st ranked of such group already sure to make at least the quarterfinals (= top 8 finish mathematically safe)... what the hell were they thinking when they adopted these pots?????

the 2019 World Championships Group Stage draw will be held in Zagreb on April, 7th... FINA has just released the 4 pots where the teams will be drawn from for both the men and women's tournaments... and they are completely crazy!!! men's tournament Pot #1: Serbia, Australia, Hungary, Germany Pot #2: Montenegro, Spain, Croatia, Brazil Pot #3: Greece, USA, Italy, New Zealand Pot #4: South Africa, Kazakhstan, Japan, South Korea women's tournament Pot #1: USA, Russia, Spain, Australia Pot #2: Netherlands, China, Greece, Canada Pot #3: Cuba, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand Pot #4: Kazakhstan, South Korea, Japan, South Africa

time for the Opening Day in many of the most important leagues around the World... here we are in South Korea, where the local KBO didn't leave anything unattempted to promote the show... in this case, that's what happened at the Opening game of the reigning champions, the SK Wyverns of Incheon... https://www.mlb.com/cut4/korean-team-uses-dragons-on-opening-day Idols! they're absolutely my new idols!!!

Karate shows unity in official presentation of European Championships The official presentation of the 2019 EKF Karate Championships was held on Monday, March 25th in Guadalajara (Spain). As the local authorities showed their support to the tournament, Karate representatives demonstrated their unity ahead of the many challenges that the sport is facing. WKF and EKF President Antonio Espinós headed the official presentation of the 54th edition of the continental tournament which took place in the town hall of Guadalajara. The Spanish Karate Federation president Antonio Moreno and the mayor of the host city Antonio Roman attended the event. The complete Spanish delegation also participated in the presentation. “The best European karatekas will be in Guadalajara this week. Also, 51 out of the 53 European national federations will be represented at the event which means that the whole European Karate will take part in the tournament. There are not so many sports that can showcase this level of engagement at every level. Wherever we go, we demonstrate our strength,” said WKF and EKF President Antonio Espinós. “Our federation is going through never-seen progress, which unfortunately goes together with one of our biggest dramas. The exclusion of our sport from the list of Paris 2024 was highly unexpected and it was very unfair. We will never stop fighting, and we will do everything in our hands to revert this decision. When you fall, you must get back up. We have done this many times over in the past, and we will do it again because we are proud of our sport,” added the head of Karate’s international governing body, who also recognised the great support of the Spanish Karate Federation in these momentous times. “I sincerely hope that Karate will continue being an Olympic sport in Paris 2024. We are really looking forward to making our debut in Tokyo, and I am sure that we will demonstrate there how great our sport is. But we don’t want to see our Olympic dreams dying in Tokyo,” said the Spanish Karate Federation President Antonio Moreno after thanking the local authorities for their contribution to the organisation of the event. “I am convinced that this tournament will be highly successful. In Guadalajara, we work very hard to make all the events that are being organised here a huge success, and I am sure that all the athletes coming to our city will find the best conditions to show the greatness of this sport,” stated the mayor of Guadalajara Antonio Roman. The 2019 EKF Karate Championships will be held in Guadalajara from March 28 to 31. Over 500 athletes from 51 countries are registered to participate in the event where the new continental champions will be crowned. The final bouts of the anticipated tournament will be streamed live on karateworld.tv. p.s. @MHSN (and all the other users who normally take advantage of it) I don't know if this time the usual Italian streaming service (PMG Sport, also on their Youtube page) will be available (and frankly, I fear it won't), since for the first time ever, our main pay-tv (Sky Italia) bought the TV rights and will show the Finals' sessions Live...

good day for Italy...another great comeback from hell (only 47/50 after 2 series in the qualification round) by Gabriele Rossetti and now we have filled the 2 spots also in the men's skeet... what's worrying is the fact that in the men's trap (very important because it's "our traditional cradle of success" and also because we need it to make the mixed trap teams) and the women's skeet (where we got Gold & Silver in Rio) we haven't got a single quota yet... and the events where those quota places are up for grab are always less... hopefully in a couple of weeks in Arab Emirates we get something, that shooting range has always been quite favourable to our shooters (more than Acapulco's and those in the Far East for sure)...

2019 World Cup, Stage #2 (Acapulco, MEX) Men's Individual Skeet Gold: Vincent Hancock Silver: Gabriele Rossetti Bronze: Jakub Tomecek Olympic Quota: Italy, Czech Republic