NaBUru38

The 2021 Uruguayan Basketball League started this week. Nacional and Peñarol, the traditional football rivals, played each other for the first time since 1993. (Peñarol was absent from basketball for 21 years.) The tricolores defeated the carboneros 85-67. The game was played behind closed doors in Florida rather than Montevideo, to prevent hooliganism.

At the South American Swimming Championship, multiple Uruguayans broke national records. Enzo Martínez (a Florida Gators alumni club member) tied for gold at 50 m freestyle with 22.44 s, which is a B mark for the Tokyo Olympics. https://www.futbol.com.uy/Deportes/Natacion-La-historia-detras-del-oro-de-Enzo-Martinez-en-el-Sudamericano-de-Buenos-Aires-uc781286 Nicole Frank (a 17-year-old) repeated 2'20.56 in 200 m medley, then broke the 200 m backstroke record with 2'23.03, and crushed the 400 m medley record with 5'02.55. https://www.futbol.com.uy/Deportes/Natacion-Nicole-Frank-destrozo-el-record-nacional-de-los-400-metros-combinados-uc781059

The Olympic qualifiers should have 1-2 teams from each continent.

Estrada-Chololatito had a very tight fight, but one judge scored 117-111...

The qualifying format favours European teams. So the 12 teams that qualified are: The Olympic host. The previous world champion. The four continental champions. 6 teams from the Olympic qualifiers. 7 of the 12 qualified teams are European. And in the qualifiers, 6 of the 12 teams were European. I think that each continent should have two teams minimum.

https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/bauza-lanzo-en-paysandu-el-programa-sueno-olimpico--2021312164735 https://www.futbol.com.uy/Deportes/Paysandu-realizo-el-lanzamiento-del-programa-Sueno-Olimpico-de-apoyo-al-deporte-uc780530

Meanwhile, former tennist David Nalbandian crashed yet again in a rally race.

In tennis, Ariel Behar reach his second ATP 250 doubles final in Buenos Aires, however he didn't win the tournament this time. He's 56th in the world rankings.

In rowing, Bruno Cetraro and Felipe Klüver won the Panamerican Olympic qualifier in lightweight double sculls.

In swimming, 16-year-old Micaela Sierra set new national records, with 1'12.73 at 100 m breaststroke, and 2'35.06 at 200 m breaststroke. Back in February, Nicole Frank also set national records, with 2'20.56 in 200 m medley, and 5'08.67 in 400 m medley. Inés Remersaro announced she will retire after this season.

Petr Yan was clearly dominating a kneeling Sterling, when his Russian corner shouted "Come one!", he replied "Knee?", he was replied "Yes!". Yan disqualified, Sterling got the belt and left it on the ground, saying "I don't want to earn it like this". Nunes crushed Anderson in just 2 minutes. She's that good. Blachowicz got the points over Adesanya, who looked a bit undersized.

Shields won all rounds and is the undisputed welterweight champion.

Probably not, I'm afraid.

Thread bump! This weekend it's UFC 259, an unusually stacked card. Jan Błachowicz vs. Israel Adesanya (for the light heavyweight championship). Amanda Nunes vs. Megan Anderson (for the featherweight championship). Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling (for the bantamweight championship). Thiago Santos vs. Aleksandar Rakić (#2 vs #4 contenders in the light heavyweight division). Joseph Benavidez vs. Askar Askarov (#2 vs #3 contenders in the flyweight division).

Canelo Álvarez claimed an almost effortless Avni Yildirim last weekend. The Mexican is scheduled to face Billy Joel Saunders on May 8, and the winner would face Caleb Plant to unify the super welterweight division. Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are negotiating a mega fight. This Friday there's a major women's card, headlined by Claressa Shields vs Marie-Eve Dicaire to unify the super welterweight division.

Uruguay defeated Paraguay by winning just one quarter. Brazil wasn't authorised to enter Colombia, so the matches were psotponed. Cuba didn't travel to Puerto Rico. More matches today and tomorrow.

Peñarol signed athletes Nicolás and Martín Cuestas for the 2021 season.

Julio César Sánchez Padilla died at age 88. He was an international basketball referee, appearing at the 1960 and 1964 Olympics. Then he produced and led the sports talk show Estadio Uno on the state TV broadcaster... for 47 years!!! And it was filmed in his own house. He also owned a national bus company and was deputy member of parliament. https://www.futbol.com.uy/Deportes/Fallecio-Julio-Cesar-Sanchez-Padilla-a-los-88-anos-uc773647

I would seriously prefer the Olympics to be a team event, with two fourball rounds and two foursomes rounds.

Premios Charrúa 2020, by the sports journalists association: Gold: Giorgian de Arrascaeta (football) Best competitor abroad: Federico Valverde (football) Best performance abroad: Nicolás Landauer (yachting) Revelación (youth I guess): Esperanza Pizarro (football) Hazaña (milestone?): Henry Borges (blind judo) http://www.cpdu.org.uy/destacados/premios-charrua-2020/

Uruguay's National Sport Secretary has an annual budget of about US$ 15-20 million.

The Uruguayan government has shut down all indoor sports activities. There's currently 1,500 active cases in the country.

The Uruguayan government has shut down all indoor sports activities. There's currently 1,500 active cases in the country.

The Pittsburg Steelers (boo!) are 9-0, and the Kansas City Chiefs are 8-3. Seven AFC teams have 3 losses. The New England Patriots are 4-5. The Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints are 7-2. Three NFC teams have 3 losses. The Philadelphia Eagles lead the NFC East with a pathetic 3-5-1 record. The Dallas Cowboys are 2-7.

Santi Urrutia won the final race of the 2020 FIA WTCR. - o - The Defense Ministry has updated its selection of 15 sports competitors it supports: Sailing: Dolores Moreira. Rowing: Bruno Cetraro, Martín Zócalo. Gymnastics: Víctor Rostagno. Swimming: Martín Melconian, Enzo Martínez. Athletics: María Pía Fernández, Emiliano Lasa, Lorena Aires. Beach volley: Marco Cairús, Hans Hannibal. Judo: David Prestes. Taekwondo: Federico González. Karate: Maximiliano Larrosa. Table tennis: María Pía Lorenzotti.