phelps

if we strictly look at the rules, we can say that the penalty that decided the match was "generously" given, but still there's a little contact beteween Benatia and the Real's player (I don't remember who was him)... If I were the ref, I'd never give a penalty like that...not to Real Madrid as any other team, not in the 1st nor in 50th mnute of a game, but even more not in the last 5/10 minutes, when such a decisive whistle must be done if and only the infraction is so big to be beyond any reasonable doubt for any really neutral spectator... but luckily I'm not a ref... but for sure, especially in that particular moment of the game, that penalty was against the spirit of the Sport, against all the unwritten rules of every discipline and competition (it's not completely true -and it's emotionally not acceptable- that the same accident must be sanctioned in the same way in the first and in the last minute)... the first of these rules is: "let the players decide their game"...and yesterday night it didn't happen for sure... p.s. and not because I'm a little biased, but I'm fully convinced that the other way round, the ref's decision would have been completely different (just look at how many yellow cards the Juventus players got, meanwhile the only guy in white to be sanctioned is Marcelo -and he got his yellow card at his 10th foul, just a few minutes before the end of regulation)... but we all know that when it comes down to UEFA football, those white jackets play with different rules...with their rules...

e già che ci siamo, riassumiamo anche la seconda giornata di ieri... 50m Dorso donne: vince Silvia Scalia con 28.30, tempo discreto e nulla più, ma che, come campionessa Nazionale, le vale il pass per Glasgow sulla distanza. "Solo" quarta Federica Pellegrini, che si conferma anche nel dorso decisamente poco incline alle gare di velocità pura sulla singola vasca. 50m Farfalla uomini: si impone a sorpresa Andrea Vergani, di nuovo al titolo dopo l'exploit del giorno precedente nella gara sprint dello stile libero. Il tempo, però, questa volta non è neanche lontanamente competitivo come quello segnato a stile...per lui un 23.63 che non dice nulla a livello internazionale. In questa gara si segnala la grande delusione di Piero Codia (secondo su tempi per lui irrisori) e Matteo Rivolta (6. e addirittura sopra i 24 secondi). 100m Farfalla donne: grandissima battaglia tra Ilaria Bianchi ed Elena Di Liddo, con la prima che la spunta per un "nonnulla", solo 5 centesimi. I tempi delle 2 (57.70 vs 57.75), peraltro, sono abbastanza competitivi anche a livello Europeo (non da medaglia, ma da finale sì) e valgono per entrambe la qualificazione per Glasgow 2018. 100m Dorso uomini: esplode finalmente il talento di Thomas Ceccon, che guadagna titolo, pass per Glasgow e record Italiano juniores con un eccellente (vista l'età) 53.94. Secondo Simone Sabbioni, che "strappa" eccessivamente nella prima vasca e non "tiene" a sufficienza nella seconda, quando Ceccon cambia ritmo e vola al successo. Per lui, comunque, la qualificazione ai campionati Continentali era già arrivata ieri sui 50, quindi la seppur deludente prestazione odierna non compromette nulla. Interessanti, in prospettiva 200m, anche la terza e quarta piazza di Ciccarese e Restivo, con tempi che migliorano abbondantemente i personali di entrambi. 200m Rana donne: vince, come da pronostico, Francesca Fangio, che migliora (di poco) il personale (2.26.72), ma che rimane assai lontana dai tempi che contano a livello internazionale. Seconda una sorprendente Martina Carraro, che tutti conosciamo come velocista, ma che ieri ha condotto una gara equilibrata che l'ha portata a scendere fino a 2.27 anche sui 200m. Pass per Glasgow in questa gara, comunque, solo per Fangio in qualità di Campionessa Italiana. 100m Rana uomini: squillo di tromba da parte di Fabio Scozzoli, che, in assenza del giovane rivale Martinenghi, segna un entusiasmante 59.33 e migliora addirittura il personale vecchio di 7 anni (quando in 59.42 conquistò un incredibile argento mondiale a Shanghai 2011). Anche per lui, ovviamente, pass per la Scozia assicurato...e con ambizioni che non si limiteranno a una presenza "Decoubertiana". Deprimente, invece, il livello deglia altri partecipanti...in una gara che una volta aveva nel nostro Paese una densità elevatissima. 200m Stle Libero donne: in contumacia della Regina, il titolo va Stefania Pirozzi, che si impone in un indecente 1.59.71 davanti a Linda Caponi, unica altra atleta scesa sotto quello che una volta era il "muro" dei 2 minuti, ma che oggi rappresenta un tempo insignificante persino a livello giovanile al di fuori dei nostri confini. Risultato complessivo che sconforta in prospettiva staffetta 4*200m, che non sarebbe competitiva neanche con l'aggiunta di una Pellegrini da record del mondo. 4*200m Stle Libero maschile: vince la squadra dell'Esercito con 7.16.31 davanti ai Carabinieri. Primo club "civile", il solito Aniene, terzo assoluto. Sul fronte dei tempi individuali, niente di particolarmente significativo da segnalare (solo modesti 1.47 al via -uno, 1.47.29, del veterano Pizzetti- e 1.46 lanciati -anche qui, solo uno, Matteo Ciampi, con 1.46.92). Però è bene aspettare la gara individuale prima di fare discorsi sulla staffetta (e ricordiamo anche dell'assenza di Detti, pedina ormai fondamentale anche della 4*200m SL)... oggi sono in programma: tra gli uomini, gli 800m Stile Libero (con la sfida tra Acerenza e Paltrinieri), i 200 Misti (con l'attesissimo Ceccon) e i 100m Stile Libero (la gara regina del programma, con una possibile battaglia tra diversi protagonisti, dal veterano Dotto, ai Giovani Miressi, Vendrame e Vergani, che vedremo se sarà in grado di "allungare" anche sulla doppia vasca le sue grandi doti di velocista); tra le donne, i 1500m Stile Libero (con la cavalcata solitaria di Simona Quadarella), i 200m Misti (vediamo se Cusinato "esploderà" in quella che dovrebbe essere la sua gara migliore) e i 100m Stile Libero (con Federica Pellegrini). A fine giornata, si disputeranno anche le 2 staffette 4*100m Miste.

ti chiedo scusa, ma devo fare un paio di rettifiche... nei 50 dorso, Sabbioni non è più junior da un pezzo, per cui, niente record (che peraltro gli appartiene con 25.22, in attesa che Ceccon lo distrugga nei prossimi mesi)... mentre il campione Italiano dei 50m stile libero è Andrea Vergani, non Vegani... e contesterei anche il "livello altissimo" dei 400 misti donne...è vero che è stata una gara affollata al vertice, ma i tempi registrati sono assai modesti a livello internazionale (specie in questa gara in cui l'Europa, Hosszu, Britanniche e Belmonte a parte, non esprime praticamente nulla di interessante)... p.s. comunque di pass in questa gara ce n'è ancora uno a disposizione...in ogni gara dell'Europeo, infatti, si possono schierare fino a 4 nuotatori...

World Youth Championships 2018 - Final Overall Medal Table RUS, 5 / 1 / 3 USA, 3 / 5 / 6 ITA, 3 / 4 / 6 HUN, 2 / 0 / 5 JPN, 2 / 0 / 1 FRA, 1 / 3 / 2 ROU, 1 / 1 / 0 HKG, 1 / 0 / 0 MEX, 0 / 2 / 1 POL, 0 / 1 / 1 SGP, 0 / 1 / 0 GER, 0 / 0 / 2 KOR, 0 / 0 / 1 KAZ, 0 / 0 / 1 ESP, 0 / 0 / 1 Cadets Only Final Medal Table USA, 1 / 4 / 2 ITA, 1 / 1 / 2 HUN, 1 / 0 / 1 JPN, 1 / 0 / 1 HKG, 1 / 0 / 0 ROU, 1 / 0 / 0 MEX, 0 / 1 / 1 KOR, 0 / 0 / 1 KAZ, 0 / 0 / 1 POL, 0 / 0 / 1 RUS, 0 / 0 / 1 ESP, 0 / 0 / 1

yeah, I just forgot that...but for personal reason, the entire Spring and Summer 2017 basically don't even exist for me...it's like they've been cancelled from history books (my personal history books, of course)...

and the 2018 Youtth Worlds are over... final day proving one of the worst debacles since a very long time for Italy...no medals in both the Foil team events...I just can't remember the last time that happened something comparable...

World Junior Championships - Men's Team Foil Final Results: Gold: Russia Silver: France Bronze: United States Semifinals: Russia b. United States 45-44 France b. Japan 45-35 Bronze Medal Match: United States b. Japan 45-34 Gold Medal Match: Russia b. France 45-26 Here is the Full Final Ranking (and Results) from Today's competition: http://fie.org/competitions/2018/232/results/rank

World Junior Championships - Women's Team Foil Final Results: Gold: United States Silver: Singapore Bronze: Germany Semifinals: Singapore b. Germany 45-43 United States b. Italy 45-36 Bronze Medal Match: Germany b. Italy 45-42 Gold Medal Match: United States b. Singapore 45-30 Here is the Full Final Ranking (and Results) from Today's competition: http://fie.org/competitions/2018/231/results/rank

and finally we got what we asked for... after another heartbreaker (SKA once again dominated the game, with CSKA still 1-2 down until 3 minutes before the end of regulation...then came the OT, when Sorokin made a couple of miracles and eventually Grigorenko scored the game and series winner), CSKA sent SKA home with their tails between their legs... and let me enjoy the day also thanks to the Foxes, aka HC Bolzano, who won game#1 of the EBEL final series in Salzburg, already turning the home ice advantage around... just a little satisfaction for all the poor Italian hockey fans...

in addition to the first 10 athletes per weapon (max 1 per NOC), 3 more men and 3 more women will get their spot at the YOG 2018 based on a very controversial (and subject to different interpretations) ranking... those places should go to: Veronika Bieleszova (CZE), Europe (Women's Epee) Katina Proestakis (CHI), Pan-America (Women's Foil) Chen Yi-Tung (TPE), Asia (Men's Foil) Christiaan Bester (RSA), Africa (Men's Epee) meanwhile I have absolutely no idea of how to spread the 2 spots reserved to Oceania: according to the World Champs and the Asia & Oceania Continental Champs results, Australia should get a place in the Women's Foil (their best event in Verona) and the same should happen to New Zealand, who only participated in that competition... but this would break the "max 1 per weapon" rule... so, there's a chance that AUS would be forced to select someone in the men or women's Sabre, meanwhile, if they want to give the second spot to Oceania at any cost, they can only let them participate in the only event they entered in both the World and Continental Champs (which is the Women's Foil)... therefore, I guess it's better to wait for some official comunication before taking this list for granted...

according to my quick calculations, these should be the fencers qualified for the Foil events at the YOG 2018... Women's Foil: Martina Favaretto (ITA), Europe #1 Rebeca Candescu (ROU), Europe #2 Christelle Joy Ko (HKG), Asia & Oceania #1 Yuka Ueno (JPN), Asia & Oceania #2 May Tieu (USA) Pan-America #1 Magdalena Lawska (POL), Europe #3 Karolina Zsoldosi (HUN), Europe #4 Anabella Acurero Gonzalez (VEN), Pan-America #2 Fu Yingying (CHN), Asia & Oceania #3 Noah Hany (EGY), Africa Men's Foil: Diego Cervantes (MEX), Pan-America #1 Kenji Bravo (USA), Pan-America #2 Maciej Bem (POL), Europe #1 Chan Pak Hei (HKG), Asia & Oceania #1 Armand Spichiger (FRA), Europe #2 Filippo Macchi (ITA), Europe #3 Xu Jie (CHN), Asia & Oceania #2 Jonas Winterberg-Poulsen (DEN), Europe #4 Kwon Jung Sung (KOR), Asia & Oceania #3 Loaay Marouf (EGY), Africa

in addition to the first 10 athletes per weapon (max 1 per NOC), 3 more men and 3 more women will get their spot at the YOG 2018 based on a very controversial (and subject to different interpretations) ranking... those places should go to: Veronika Bieleszova (CZE), Europe (Women's Epee) Katina Proestakis (CHI), Pan-America (Women's Foil) Chen Yi-Tung (TPE), Asia (Men's Foil) Christiaan Bester (RSA), Africa (Men's Epee) meanwhile I have absolutely no idea of how to spread the 2 spots reserved to Oceania: according to the World Champs and the Asia & Oceania Continental Champs results, Australia should get a place in the Women's Foil (their best event in Verona) and the same should happen to New Zealand, who only participated in that competition... but this would break the "max 1 per weapon" rule... so, there's a chance that AUS would be forced to select someone in the men or women's Sabre, meanwhile, if they want to give the second spot to Oceania at any cost, they can only let them participate in the only event they entered in both the World and Continental Champs (which is the Women's Foil)... therefore, I guess it's better to wait for some official comunication before taking this list for granted...

and according to my quick calculations, these should be the fencers qualified for the Foil events at the YOG 2018... Women's Foil: Martina Favaretto (ITA), Europe #1 Rebeca Candescu (ROU), Europe #2 Christelle Joy Ko (HKG), Asia & Oceania #1 Yuka Ueno (JPN), Asia & Oceania #2 May Tieu (USA) Pan-America #1 Magdalena Lawska (POL), Europe #3 Karolina Zsoldosi (HUN), Europe #4 Anabella Acurero Gonzalez (VEN), Pan-America #2 Fu Yingying (CHN), Asia & Oceania #3 Noah Hany (EGY), Africa Men's Foil: Diego Cervantes (MEX), Pan-America #1 Kenji Bravo (USA), Pan-America #2 Maciej Bem (POL), Europe #1 Chan Pak Hei (HKG), Asia & Oceania #1 Armand Spichiger (FRA), Europe #2 Filippo Macchi (ITA), Europe #3 Xu Jie (CHN), Asia & Oceania #2 Jonas Winterberg-Poulsen (DEN), Europe #4 Kwon Jung Sung (KOR), Asia & Oceania #3 Loaay Marouf (EGY), Africa

World Cadet Championships - Men's Individual Foil Final Results: Gold: Kenji Bravo (USA) Silver: Marcello Olivares (USA) Bronze: Diego Cervantes (MEX) & Maciej Bem (POL) Semifinals: Bravo b. Cervantes 15-9 Olivares b. Bem 15-8 Gold Medal Match: Bravo b. Olivares 15-11 Here is the Full Final Ranking (and Results) from Today's competition: http://fie.org/competitions/2018/238/results/rank

World Cadet Championships - Women's Individual Foil Final Results: Gold: Yuka Ueno (JPN) Silver: May Tieu (USA) Bronze: Martina Favaretto (ITA) & Delphine Devore (USA) Semifinals: Ueno b. Favaretto WD (Injury) Tieu b. Devore 15-8 Gold Medal Match: Ueno b. Tieu 14-7 Here is the Full Final Ranking (and Results) from Today's competition: http://fie.org/competitions/2018/237/results/rank

Karate1 Premier League, Stage #4 (Rabat, MAR) first, we have to say that many of the usual main contenders were't there... but, since it's always the absents' fault, we have to honor those who were in Rabat... overall, Egypt and France were the only Nations to get multiple Gold medals (2 each), if we don't count the Moroccan double in the senseless Team Kata events... all the remaining Gold medals, in fact, were spread between a bunch of Nations with just a single Gold each one (HKG, TUR, JPN, BRA, DEN, FIN, UZB and AZE)... looking at the Olympic classes, the 2 Kata events have been won by Turkey (men) and Hong Kong (women)... in the Kumite disciplines, instead, JPN & BRA shared the honors in the lower female division (by winning respectively the -50kg & -55kg), with FRA taking once again the -61kg and DEN & FIN sharing the heavier class (by winning respectively the -68kg and +68kg)... on the men's side, UZB & EGY shared the lower weight division (they took the -60kg and -67kg classes, respectively), with the geat Rafael Aghayev of AZE topping the middle weights (-75kg) and EGY, once again, & FRA sharing the heavy & super-heavyweights (-84kg and +84kg, respectively)... Full Results of the entire stage #4 of the K1PL can be found here: https://www.sportdata.org/wkf/set-online/popup_main.php?popup_action=results&vernr=166&active_menu=calendar

and it's 2 silver medals for Italy... not bad, but it could (should) have gone a lot better...

talking about inexperience and lack of personality...that's Martina Favaretto...she literally threw away the World Junior title (being herself still a Cadet) because of that...

World Junior Championships - Men's Individual Foil Final Results: Gold: Nick Itkin (USA) Silver: Tommaso Marini (ITA) Bronze: Grigoriy Semenyuk (RUS) & Sidarth Kumbla (USA) Semifinals: Marini b. Semenyuk 15-10 Itkin b. Kumbla 14-13 Gold Medal Match: Itkin b. Marini 15-11 Here is the Full Final Ranking (and Results) from Today's competition: http://fie.org/competitions/2018/226/results/rank

World Junior Championships - Women's Individual Foil Final Results: Gold: Yuka Ueno (JPN) Silver: Martina Favaretto (ITA) Bronze: Eva Lacheray (FRA) & Lauren Scruggs (USA) Semifinals: Favaretto b. Scruggs 15-11 Ueno b. Lacheray 15-12 Gold Medal Match: Ueno b. Favaretto 15-14 Here is the Full Final Ranking (and Results) from Today's competition: http://fie.org/competitions/2018/225/results/rank

yeah, but let's wait for the doping tests before we celebrate them...

wow! great tactical effort by CSKA Moscow (goalie Sorokin just heroic), leading them to win game #5 of the KHL Western Conference Final in Saint Petersburg by the score of 1-0...now they lead the series 3-2 and in 2 days they will have the chance to close the series at home and reach AK Bars Kazan (they swept Traktor Chelyabinsk 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Final series) in the Gagarin Cup Final...

unbelievable success by the Italian guys... they've been able to beat a real super-team from Russia with people like Lokhanov, Pozdniakov and Kostenko, all of them multiple European and World title holders and already well established specialists among the senior ranks... that's what we can call "a big upset"... and the US girls almost did the same against the mighty Russians...they've just been unlucky with the final hit... so, the Sabre events are also over...and in this discipline it's been mostly a Russian fest...in fact, they won 3 out of 6 titles, meanwhile Italy, Hungary and Romania won 1 Gold medal each... therefore, after 2 weapons, Russia are leading the medal table with 4 Gold medals followed by Italy with 3 and Hungary with 2, while France, Hong Kong and Romania have 1 Gold medal each. USA, POL, KOR, KAZ, JPN, MEX, ESP, GER are also in the medal table, but with no Gold... starting tomorrow, it's time for the Foil competitions, which will lead this year's Worlds to an end... First on the stage, the women and men's Junior Individual events...

World Junior Championships - Men's Team Sabre Final Results: Gold: Italy Silver: Russia Bronze: United States Semifinals: Russia b. Great Britain 45-23 Italy b. United States 45-39 Bronze Medal Match: United States b. Great Britain 45-21 Gold Medal Match: Italy b. Russia 45-44 Here is the Full Final Ranking (and Results) from Today's competition: http://fie.org/competitions/2018/234/results/rank

World Junior Championships - Women's Team Sabre Final Results: Gold: Russia Silver: United States Bronze: Italy Semifinals: Russia b. South Korea 45-33 United States b. Italy 45-41 Bronze Medal Match: Italy b. South Korea 45-34 Gold Medal Match: Russia b. United States 45-44 Here is the Full Final Ranking (and Results) from Today's competition: http://fie.org/competitions/2018/233/results/rank