Search the Community

Feel really said about these ways. Especially cause my wife is chinese and I know that ppl from her country keep doing that. As US and USSR, Germany were hungry before Velvet revolution and did everything for Olympic success, China has not stopped. And Russia or course. Will see what about following years. About Beijing 2022, I think it will be much better. They changed ways in some sort and instead of illegal practicing they push loads of money for athletes training for the home Olympics. Building places, hiring foreigners for crazy money..... Will see in 2,5 years. I believe they have potential but they must stop with the "old" ways ... Maybe like Russia.... I do everything for success..... Literally...

but equestrian sports are different, in the sense that this is the only sport where you see our riders competing with their Military Uniform also when they represent the National Team... and this is NOT a good thing... moreover, you underlined the positive side of our sport system...but there's also the opposite side of that medal...most of those athletes who have their financial situation made safe by the enrollment into the Military Corpse, are just not hungry enough to succeed... I'd really like to see what happens if winning global medals would be the only way to earn their daily bread, instead of not experiencing any difference between a gold and and a 10th place (Olympics apart, where some significant money is at stake for all of our athletes)...

Doubting about the first one, but those three last ones, daaaaaamn I'm hungry (although they can take that green stuff off of the last photo, whatever it is, it looks way too suspicious for me )

Masse, MacNeil, Pickrem and Oleksiak in the relay for Canada. Hopefully Pickrem isn't too tired, and hungry for a medal after that IM.

Uruguay is dominating helpless Ecuador , 3-0 after 1st half and it looks like Cavani and Suarez are still hungry for more

love the names - hungry shark Chavaughn “Hungry” Walsh - Men’s 4x100M Relay Jared “Shark” Jarvis - Men’s 4x100M Relay

Agger was indeed power hungry, even in the old committee days If things don't go his way, he might invent a new country, just like he tried to reinstate a new committee under his rule.

it was a long season...as usual, it took 82 games... but here we are...the RS is over and the most exciting event in the world is ready to start... here they come...the NHL playoffs!!! but first, a quick recap of the Regular Season... as expected, the Eastern Conference was an open book...the usual suspects are at the top of the table and the usual bunch of losers are at the bottom of the rankings... the only real surprise is the excellent season played by the New York Islanders, that were not expected to have such a good RS after losing their superstar of the past 10 years... Tampa Bay dominating the Conference (and the entire league) was the most obvious fact of the year...let's see if this time it's the good one to confirm their superiority also when it matters the most... the Washington Capitals were also under the spotlight, after winning their first Cup ever and at the same time losing their mastermind, coach Barry Trotz...and they showed that the talent is there and they're still hungry by winning the Metropolitan Division... meanwhile, when I wrote "the usual bunch of losers", I obviously thought mainly about the New York Rangers, once again out of the playoffs despite tradition, money and good players... the Western conference, on the other side, was a lot more balanced and "deep" in good teams... here some surprising results have been recorded, compared to the East... first of all, the Conference Champions are totally unexpected...raise his hand who thought at the beginning of the season that the Calgary Flames could get the best record out West! but despite all the not so friendly previews, they did it...and quite in style, with a 6-point margin over the highly expected San Josè Sharks... meanwhile the Central Division came down to an amazing 3-way race, which ended only in the last day of the RS...and finally the Nashville Predators (100 points) just edged out by a single point after 82 games the Winnipeg Jets and the St.Louis Blues, who both ended up 1 point shy of the 100 mark... Last year's sensation, Vagas, confirmed themselves as high caliber team and did reach the playoffs also in their second season in the league, meanwhile Chicago, the L.A. area teams and Connor McDavid & Leon Draisaitl's Edmonton were definitely the big losers of 2019, especially Edmonton, that couldn't make the playoffs for the second year in a row, despite having 2 of the most amazing (and productive) forwards of the entire NHL... here are the Final Standings of the 2018/2019 Regular Season of the NHL in full: https://www.nhl.com/standings/2018/division

38 elephants, I'm hungry

Chengdu is hungry for events.. After securing Universiade 2021, they are now bidding for World Games 2025 and ITTF World Team championships 2022

Someone felt hungry for power

The french star Antoine "Suarez" Roussel was fined 5000 USD for ...well, apparently being too much hungry dude, next time just try some snickers, you do not have to eat meat every day !

All these Italian dishes makes me really hungry. I will probably have Fusilli al pesto rosso with some vegetables on the side later.

this thread made me really hungry

Seriously, I am so hungry I could actually eat an elephant

Arpinder won Gold in Triple Jump Now we have equalled last time Gold medal... We are hungry...need more

day #4 and final no. 4 (5th medal overall)...just an ordinary day at the office for Italy... no, today it wasn't an ordinary day...with all the pressure on their shoulders, our sabre guys did something really remarkable...first, they literally destroyed Russia (and just that wasn't expected, and especially not by this margin), then they took care of the hungry and angry Hungarians, so far the most disappointing fencing powerhouse at these world champs... so, our guys made up for both the disappointing performance in their own individual competition and also for the shameful absence of the epee girls from the top 8 tableau (they ended up in 9th place at the end)... now it's gonna need a miracle to beat the mighty Koreans, who seem to be in the shape of their life (as the whole team, since also the epee girls from Korea surprisingly reached the Gold Medal match earlier today), but still we can say this was a positive day for us, in any case...

Seriously? Just reported this post to get someone to look at it, because that is just disgusting.... Edit: I'm hoping that was a post that disappeared because of the forum being out (again) a few days ago, and not by some power-hungry moderator..

I'm going against the pack on this one. Feeling a bit hungry, a bagel might do the trick

And C Ronaldo too, because I'm hungry

DAY 05 SUMMARY UNITED STATES 3-0 NETHERLANDS Toyota, Japan, May 23, 2018 - Jordan Larson provided a sublime demonstration of her immense skill and inspiring leadership as she spearheaded the United States to a hugely impressive 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-23) romp against the Netherlands in the inaugural women's FIVB Volleyball Nations League on Wednesday. The American captain dominated the highly-anticipated Pool 5 clash against the previously undefeated Dutch as she racked up a game-high 18 points, including 14 spikes from 37 attempts, as well as two blocks. Larson's fellow outside hitter Kimberley Hill was also in irresistible form, scoring the first point in each of the three sets, giving her world no. 2 ranked team the vital early lead, as she finished with 12 kills. The Dutch had been the only unbeaten team in the new competition, winning all three of their matches in Russia last week, then saving a match point before beating Belgium in a five-set thriller in Toyota on Tuesday, but found the Americans too strong on the night. The Dutch captain Maret Balkestein-Grothues was the driving force for her team, finishing with 14 points, while opposite spiker Lonneke Sloetjes was the next best with 12. The US had won their last eight matches at world level major tournaments against the Netherlands dating back to 2009 and immediately signalled their intentions to make it nine on the trot. With Lauren Gibbemeyer missing the match and Michelle Bartsch-Hackley playing only as a substitute after the pair played the starring roles in USA's 3-0 win over Japan on Tuesday, Kelly Murphy (10), Foluke Akinradewo (8) and Tetori Dixon (6) filled the void with a combined tally of 24 points. USA raced out to a 10-5 lead and sealed the opening set after just 22 minutes with a cleverly disguised dink from Larson after she combined with American setter Carli Lloyd, who played a key role in her team's victory. The Dutch, who got six points each from the athletic trio of Anne Buijs, Yvon Belien and Nicole Kool, played better the longer the match went but were unable to close out a set. The Netherlands led 15-14 in the second before the Americans went on a run of five points to regain control, then the Dutch rallied back from 19-12 to 19-19 before Akinradewo sealed the USA's win with a devastating block. The USA's next match is against Belgium on Thursday while the Netherlands faces the pool hosts Japan. ITALY 3-0 GERMANY Suwon, South Korea, May 23, 2018 - An energetic all-round performance from Miryam Fatime Sylla inspired Italy to their first triumph of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-20) victory over Germany on Wednesday. Inserted into the starting line-up after a lively showing off the bench against Russia on Tuesday, Sylla showcased powerful offence juxtaposed by resilient defence to help end Italy's four-match drought at the VNL. Sylla provided a slew of highlight reels through unwavering passion and hustle to thrill the sparse crowd at the Suwon Indoor Gymnasium. She finished with 15 points, including 11 spikes and 3 kill blocks, but her influence could not be totally reflected on the scorecard due to the wing spiker's fanatical hustle. She was the clear standout but Italy had numerous tireless contributors, including Serena Ortolani (13 points) and Marina Lubian (12 points). Germany competed hard but were outplayed by their buoyant opponents to lose their second match in the second phase of the VNL. They were led by star Louisa Lippmann (15 points) but dynamic captain Maren Fromm was well held with just 8 points. It was an important victory for Italy, who had started the VNL disastrously with four straight losses to sit second last on the overall standings behind Argentina heading into this fixture. Conversely, after a momentous upset of powerhouse Brazil in the opening match of the VNL, Germany have now lost four straight and their campaign is spiralling out of control. Italy's dominance of their European foes continued with their 11th victory from the past 12 matches at the world level, including an unbeaten run stretching six years. In a clash of two desperate teams, a hungry Italy started strong with Rossella Olivotto and Sylla proving tough to pass at the net as they built an early four-point buffer. However, an aggressive Germany were not rattled and continued to throw haymakers, including most memorably winning a 33-second rally to get within a point midway through the opening set. There wasn't much separating the teams with players exuding vigour marked by Lippmann diving in desperation to engineer a German point to level the scores. Lippmann was seemingly everywhere and she showed off her aerial prowess to hammer home a spike to give her team the early edge. However, Italy hit back but were erratic at times none more so than the mercurial Sylla, who followed a thunderous spike with a service error. Sylla, who was clearly enjoying her starting role, had undoubtedly helped energise her team through her power at the net as Italy won four points in succession to claim the first set in 29 minutes. Italy's momentum carried over into the second set to build an early four-point lead marked by a booming spike from high-flying Ortolani. Sylla continued to inspire her team through hustle and continual brilliant saves made amends for the occasional error as Italy eyed an invaluable two-set lead. In trademark fashion, Germany kept fighting hard but Italy had all the answers as Ortolani produced a kill block to once again stretch her team's lead to four points. Sylla's thundering spike, her sixth point of the stanza, fuelled Italy to a two-set lead as they sensed an end to their VNL drought. Full of belief, Italy continued their dominance and overcame the gritty Germans, who never stopped trying in the third set but lacked the precision of their opponents - particularly on serve. In a mirror image of the previous two sets, Italy held the edge and they celebrated with gusto when Lippmann served long on match point. The teams will round out the second phase on Thursday with Germany taking on Russia and Italy playing hosts Korea. SERBIA 3-1 POLAND Macao, China, May 23, 2018 - Serbia dug deep and had star Brankica Mihajlovic's magic to thank as they overcame Poland 3-1 (20-25, 27-25, 26-24, 25-15) on the 2018 FIVB Women's Volleyball Nations League's second night of action in Macao. There were assorted problems with Mihajlovic's ball toss throughout the match but - apart from maybe weighing on her mind overnight - they were of little matter in the end as she contributed 17 points to the total. The 27-year-old's reach helps makes the world number-three ranked Serbia a potent force. Mihajlovic was more than ably supported by Ana Bjelica (15 points) and a spirited effort from middle blocker Jovana Stevanovic (14 points) and a record so far of 4-1 will have coach Zoran Terzic happy enough with his team's progression. They face world number one China in their final Pool 7 game in Macao on Thursday and it promises plenty as it's a rematch of the Rio Olympics final, won by the Chinese. For the Poles there was the disappointment of knowing they served for the set in each of the first three stanzas despite falling behind 1-2. Malwina Smarzek (17 points) was again the star despite the defeat and an overall record of 2-3 so far in the VNL perhaps doesn't reflect how much potential is in this squad. The big question coming in was what version of Poland fans would see on the second day of play in Macao, the world-beaters who topped the number-one ranked Chinese or the team that in normal circumstances is ranked 22nd in the world. The Poles came out flying in the first set, using the placement and accuracy that had brought the Chinese undone the night before. But the Serbs, who have looked out of sorts despite only losing one match so far in the VNL, gradually found their rhythm. When she finds her groove Mihajlovic is one of the premier players on the planet and on Wednesday she was responsible for some breathtaking displays of power, something no doubt noted by position coaches whose teams look set to draw the Serbs as the tournament progresses. SOUTH KOREA 3-0 RUSSIA Suwon, South Korea, May 23, 2018 - Another standout performance from Kim Yeon Koung guided Korea to a rare triumph over Russia as the hosts notched their fourth straight victory of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League on Wednesday. The inspirational captain was at her brilliant best throughout the Pool 6 encounter, particularly during the tense third set, as she led Korea to a convincing 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-17) win to provide plenty of cheer for the local fans. Kim scored 10 of her 21 points in the third stanza meaning she has mustered 50 points in the second phase. She was well supported by Kim Su Ji (4 blocks) and Jaeyeong Lee (9 spikes) as Korea overpowered their world number 5 opponents. Russia were paced by Irina Fetisova's 12 points but they had a number of players struggle, including star Irina Voronkova and captain Kseniia Parubets who combined for just 12 points. In the 50th match between the teams, the contest loomed as a blockbuster with home strong Korea coming in with a trio of victories, while Russia's sole defeat was to in-form Netherlands in the first phase. Russia had long been a hoodoo team for Korea winning 43 of the previous 49 encounters, including three straight over the past four years, but were outclassed by the 2014 Asian Games champions who have now stretched their unbeaten run at the Suwon Indoor Gymnasium to eight matches. Russia made a spectacular start with the powerful Voronkova continuing on from her starring role against Italy on Tuesday with an emphatic spike to immediately silence the energetic crowd. Perhaps due to the swirl of anticipation in the stadium, both teams started nervously with the play marred by a slew of errors in the early going. Soon enough, the vaunted teams started to find their range with a deft touch from Voronkova juxtaposed by a thunderous spike from the high-flying Jeongah Park as the hosts rattled off a quick five points to open up a handy buffer much to the delight of their ardent fans. Middle blocker Su Ji was impregnable at the net with a couple of early kill blocks as Korea started to take control of the contest but Russia remained in touch due to the efforts of Parubets, who showcased a masterclass in precision with one notable spike. Undoubtedly fuelled by the support in the stands, an attacking Korea rattled their opponents through a lethal combination of power and dogged defence. Kim stretched the margin to a sizeable six points with a perfect put away down the line and, soon enough, Korea - despite the best efforts of the explosive Voronkova - closed out the first set in 31 minutes. After a quiet start, middle blocker Ekaterina Efimova tried to rally her team with a couple of spikes to open the second set but Korea regained control with starring efforts from the leaping Lee and Kim, whose jump serve menaced as the hosts enjoyed a commanding 12-3 lead. Just when Russia appeared to be struggling, Fetisova lifted her output and helped trim the deficit as the match tightened but several errors from the visitors proved costly. Threatened by a Russian charge, Korea rediscovered their blistering best capped off by a sizzling 86 kph ace from Sohwi Kang, whose mesmerising serve was proving a handful, as the hosts powered to an invaluable two-set lead. Ensuring they maintained a stranglehold of the contest, Kim dominated through a slew of decisive blocks to deny the visitors. Russia gamely tried to engineer a comeback but were unable to pierce a gutsy Korea, who were hustling and diving with great vigour. The rallies intensified with Kim's deft touch capping off a pulsating 26-second rally to give Korea a 13-9 lead as the spectators jumped to their feet. Korea had all the answers and eventually wrapped up the comprehensive victory through a stellar serve from Lee Hyo Hee to spark a wave of euphoria from the capacity crowd. The teams will round out the second phase on Thursday with Russia taking on a slumping Germany and Korea playing a rejuvenated Italy. JAPAN 3-0 BELGIUM Toyota, Japan, May 23, 2018 - Propelled by sensational performances from Risa Shinnabe and Sarina Koga, Japan posted their first win at home in the inaugural women's FIVB Volleyball Nations League with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-19) victory over Belgium on Wednesday. The two Japanese wing spikers combined for 28 points, with Shinnabe leading the way with 16, highlighted by 15 kills. Koga finished with 12 kills despite being substituted in the second set as the Pool 5 hosts bounced back after Tuesday's loss to the United States to beat the Yellow Tigers in straight sets. Her replacement Yuki Ishii made an immediate impact, racking up eight points in quick time, while Mai Okumura was a constant threat at the net, finishing with nine. Teenager Britt Herbots was once again at the heart of Belgium's challenge, picking up a game-high 17 points to overtake Kaja Grobelna as her team's leading overall pointscorer in the tournament. The 18-year-old, showing no signs of fatigue as she leapt, ran and dived all over the court, also scoring off two blocks, was well supported by Celine Van Gestel, who finished with nine points, and Grobelna, who tallied six. The Belgians suffered a gut-wrenching loss to the Netherlands on Tuesday when they were beaten 3-2 after failing to convert a match point in the fourth set and were unable to raise their game against a Japanese side that enjoyed the bulk of support from the enthusiastic crowd at the Sky Hall. The Japanese captain Nana Iwasaka clinched the first set with a perfectly executed spike that found a way past the Belgian blockers then Okumura made it 2-0 with an unstoppable angled hit from the net. With Marlies Janssens leading the defence and the acrobatic Herbots starting to find some gaps at the back of the opponents' court, the Yellow Tigers took the lead in the third set but were overhauled by the hosts who picked up maximum points. Japan's next match is against the Netherlands on Thursday while Belgium faces the daunting challenge of playing the in-form US, who beat the previously unbeaten Dutch 3-0 earlier on Wednesday and are yet to drop a set in Toyota. BRAZIL 3-0 ARGENTINA Ankara, Turkey, May 23, 2018 - Monique Marinho Pavao was the star of the show as Brazil continued their hot streak in the women's FIVB Volleyball Nations League after battering South American rivals Argentina in straight sets 3-0 (25-9, 25-21, 25-14) in Ankara. It was a classy and ruthless performance from the 2017 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix winners who are starting to motor after claiming their 4th straight win in the inaugural competition, and few would bet against them from matching their Grand Prix gold from last year if they continue in this rich vein of form. Argentina, ranked 11th in the world, are still awaiting their first point after 5 successive losses in what's been a chastening campaign for Guillermo Orduna's women thus far. Brazil rested a few of their star players, but the likes of Monique, Ana Beatriz and captain Roberta Silva were instrumental as they had far too much attacking verve for a beleaguered Argentina side. Monique's attacking prowess yielded 16 points, while Amanda Francisco weighed in with 12; Carol and Beatriz were pivotal blockers with three and two respectively. Elina Rodriguez led Argentina's scoring charts with eight points, but the dangerous Anahi Tosi (four points) was kept relatively quiet with Argentina suffering a torrid afternoon inside the Baskent Volleyball Hall in the Turkish capital. Brazil were pushed hard by Pool 8 hosts Turkey on Tuesday in an enthralling four-set victory that lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes, but they looked fresh from the off against Argentina and scored 8 straight points to power into a 10-2 lead. With Drussyla Costa and Tandara Caixeta starting on the sidelines, it was up to Monique to provide the firepower and she didn't disappoint. Aided by the tireless setter Roberta and ably supported by Beatriz and Amanda Francisco, Monique was superb at the net and powered home eight points in the first set alone as Brazil took the opener 25-9 after only 20 minutes. Argentina - error-strewn and lacking confidence - were unable to even reach double figures. Brazil coach Jose Roberto Guimaraes, who has led his country to three Olympic gold medals - two for the women's team and one for the men's - would've had an easy team talk at the end of the first set, but Argentina came out with much more urgency in the second and put their rivals under considerable pressure. With the scores locked at 9-9, Carol's superb block put the Brazilians back in front and they managed to eek out a 14-11 lead before Argentina coach Orduna called a time out. But very little changed with Brazil - marshalled by impressive libero Suelen Pinto - able to keep the Volleyball Nations League's bottom side at arm's length with Monique the reliable scoring outlet, and Beatriz contributing with some superb blocks. Brazil duly wrapped up the second set 25-20 to move to the brink of victory. Argentina had never taken a set off Brazil at world level in six competitive meetings and they never looked likely to change that unwanted stat. Monique's powerful spike, which connected with Argentine setter Helena Vidal's face, just about summed up Argentina's afternoon as Brazil opened up a 3-1 lead in the 3rd, and that lead was out to 8-4 by the first technical time out after another Monique spike. Brazil kept up their ruthless mix of silky attacking and tenacious defending and a wonderful 39.3-second rally was finished off brilliantly by Amanda to bring up match point. And Guimaraes' women finished off the third set 25-14 to wrap up an emphatic three-set victory - their 7th successive straight-sets win over their South American rivals at world level. Brazil's win - achieved in only 1 hour and 20 minutes - means they've now lost just two of 32 world-level fixtures played in Europe. CHINA 3-1 THAILAND Macao, China, May 23, 2018 - China looked to captain Liu Xiaotong and she duly delivered with 17 points and, just as important, a calming presence as the world's number one ranked team downed a spirited Thailand 3-1 (25-23, 26-24, 22-25, 25-17) at the 2018 FIVB Women's Volleyball Nations League in Macao.Liu came up big when it mattered as the world 16th-ranked Thais had the Chinese second-guessing each other as they worked some acute angles. The captain was ably supported by wing spiker Fang Duan (15 points) and middle blocker Hu Mingyuan (15 points) but time and again the Chinese just couldn't seem to put the ball away, when opportunities were there for the taking. Put that down to pressure and the passion with which the Thais play. They kept coming back at their more illustrious opponents and had Chatchu-On Moksri (13 points) and Ajcharaporn Kongyot (12 points) in particular working their socks off all night as they flew in from the wings.A huge rally to end the fourth set, finished with a killer's instinct by Ajcharaporn, provided arguably the highlight of the tournament so far. But the Chinese squad is deep with talent - Tuesday night's star Li Yingying was basically given a night off - and the likes of Liu have seen and done it all before.The 28-year-old captain and wing spiker could be seen rallying her charges as the game played out in the fourth set and they rose to the occasion.The victory snapped a 0-2 streak for the world number one ranked Chinese, who had lost to South Korea (3-0) last week in Ningbo and then to unfancied Poland (3-2) the previous night in Macao.Chinese coach Lang has mixed and matched her squad, opting to give China' new generation of players plenty of court time. But it is a move that has impacted on their normal free-flowing game.Ahead of the Chinese in Macao now waits Serbia, the team they beat for gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and another team who have been slow to reach top form as the VNL has played out into its second week. TURKEY 3-1 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Ankara, Turkey, May 23, 2018 - Gamze Alikaya's wonderful individual performance inspired Turkey to a rare home victory as they saw off the Dominican Republic in 4 sets (25-20, 17-25, 25-20, 25-19) in the FIVB women's Nations League at the Baskent Volleyball Hall in Ankara. Turkey were good value for their victory and showed real tenacity and courage to recover from Tuesday's defeat to Brazil in the same arena as they posted a 4th victory in 5 Nations League matches. Dominican Republic were a threat from spike range, but their form from Tuesday's impressive 3-0 victory over Argentina largely deserted them as they were outgunned by the hosts, whose victory sparked jubilant scenes at the final whistle. Seyma Ercan was Turkey's top scorer with 17 points, including 16 spikes, but it was setter Alikaya's display which provided the creative spark to propel the hosts to an impressive victory. Libero Hatice Orge Guner was a pivotal figure defensively, while Zehra Gunes (15 points) and Hande Baladin (14 points) were excellent attacking outlets as Giovanni Guidetti's girls added attacking flair to their renowned defensive strength and blocking capabilities. Dominican Republic were indebted to their Nations League top scorer Brayelin Martinez, who chipped in with a game-high 26 points. Yonkaira Pena Isabel weighed in with 15 points, but their attacking verve wasn't enough as they were too often carved open - with their serving particularly erratic. The first set was a slow burner with neither side able to get a stranglehold. Pena Isabel was a menace for the Dominican Republic and she tied it up at 8-8, but 5 straight points for the Turks, including 3 successive spikes from Ercan, put the host nation 13-8 in front and in control. Alikaya's creativity and the sound defensive work of Orge Guner were providing the bedrock while Meryem Boz was the early attacking force, but the visitors were always a threat with Martinez firing home a few powerful spikes. Turkey though weathered the storm and took the first set 25-20. The Caribbean nation, who came into this match having won only once in their opening 4 Nations League encounters, came out all guns blazing in the 2nd set with Martinez - who's 6ft 7inches tall - increasingly prolific with her spikes as the visitors reached the first technical time out 8-3 in front. That lead increased further with the Dominican Republic utilising their power as Lisvel Eve crashed home a spike to make it 16-10. The visitors' Brazilian coach Marcos Kwiek was enjoying what he was seeing. Martinez showed her subtle side with a wonderful finish to push her team onto the 20-point mark, and they went from strength to strength to finish off the set at a canter (25-17) and level the match at one set apiece. Turkey, who had won just 1 of their last 10 home matches at world level, looked jittery at the start of the 3rd set, but a couple of points from captain Erdem Dundar had them 8-7 in front at the first technical time out. But the Caribbean nation, who had won 9 of their previous 12 matches in Europe prior to this contest, levelled the set at 12-12, only for Turkey to score 3 successive points to regain control. With visiting libero Ana Binet struggling under intense Turkish serving, the hosts managed to forge a lead with Gunes providing 2 crucial blocks. Guidetti's players wrapped up the set 25-20 to move to within touching distance of victory. Turkey had a 5-1 winning record against Dominican Republic prior to this match and they sensed victory again with a ferocious start to the 4th set. With Baladin increasingly influential, the hosts built up a sizeable 4-point lead at the first technical time out. The Caribbeans were continuing to make service errors, but their aerial scoring power always made them a threat and it took real Turkish resilience to put them away. Alikaya's majestic touch made it 16-11 as Dominican Republic heads began to drop, and Turkey moved through the gears to wrap up the set 25-19 in relatively serene fashion to seal just a 2nd home win in 11 attempts. The hosts move up to 4th place in the Nations League table, while it's back to the drawing board for the Dominican Republic who have just 1 win from 5 outings.

MEN´S UNDER 18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Finland wins it all! Nordgren's shorthanded beauty gives Finns gold Niklas Nordgren's shorthanded goal with 9:19 left gave the Finns a thrilling 3-2 final victory over the Americans. It's Finland's fourth U18 gold medal ever. The defending champion U.S. came back from a 2-0 first-period deficit, but the Finns pulled it out in the third -- in unforgettable style. It was sweet revenge after losing last year's final 4-2 to the Americans. Nordgren blocked defenceman Cameron York's shot at the blue line and exploded down on a 2-on-1 with Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Kotkaniemi slipped it over and Nordgren hammered it into the open short side for his tournament-leading eighth goal. "It was the most amazing thing that ever happened to me," said Nordgren. "I got a good pass from Kotkaniemi. I had lots of good chances to score but, you know, one is enough." But not when it comes to championships. The Finnish program is on fire. This nation of 5.5 million people has now appeared in four consecutive U18 finals, winning twice. Suomi triumphed on American ice in Grand Forks, North Dakota in 2016, trouncing Nordic rival Sweden 6-1 with Jesse Puljujarvi's hat trick. In this game, Rasmus Kupari and Kaapo Kakko also scored power play goals for Finland, and Anttoni Honka had two assists. "It's something you can't describe," said ecstatic Finnish coach Tommi Niemela. "The players are having an amazing time. They believed in themselves. They understood that if we are 'we,' we are going to win against a group of 'me's.' Youngsters are amazing! When you look at them, the joy is real. The sorrow is real, too. There is no pretending." Despite the loss, the Americans played a tremendous tournament en route to their fourth silver medal ever. In the big picture, the U.S. has won seven of the last 10 U18 World Championships. This was a testament to the potency of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, which furnished the talent for coach Seth Appert's roster. Even though their reign is over, they have nothing to be ashamed of. "I told them to wear the silver medal with pride," said Appert. "As much as it hurts right now, wear it with pride. It was earned. It’s hard to get. It wasn’t what we came for, but still, you have to respect the game, the tournament and your opponents, and put that medal around your neck with pride." Patrick Giles and Trevor Janicke scored for the Americans, while Tyler Weiss added two helpers. "This group is special for sure," said Joel Farabee, who in last year's final scored twice, including the winner. "From where we came from...we had five guys quit our team and two coaches leave. The world didn’t want us to win, but we persevered. We came two years all the way to a gold medal game and we were just one goal short. It’s just really tough right now." It was a great goaltending showdown between the U.S.'s Spencer Knight and Finland's Justus Annunen. Shots were even at 28 apiece. The Finns won seven straight games in regulation and are deserving champions. This final had everything you could ask for: a high tempo, intensity, adrenaline, and an off-the-charts Chelyabinsk crowd of 7,499 banging thundersticks and brandishing U.S. and Finnish flags. The quality of play was right up there with recent classic World Junior finals. Niemela's charges came out of the gate looking fast and hungry. Even if they weren’t quite “gorillas coming out of a cage,” to borrow Ilya Bryzgalov’s famous quote about Canada’s 7-3 win over Russia in the 2010 Olympic quarter-final, they got in on the forecheck and fired shots from everywhere. When Hughes, the tournament scoring leader and MVP, took the first penalty for interference at 8:45, it proved costly. Just 28 seconds later, Kotkaniemi fed the puck from the corner to Honka at the left point, and the younger brother of Dallas Stars defenceman Julius Honka unleashed a rising drive that Kupari tipped past Knight. At 12:33, Finland struck again with the man advantage. Honka sent it cross-ice to Kakko and he stepped into the right faceoff circle before lining up a perfect wrister high to the stick side. Rarely tested in the early going, Annunen was ready when Oliver Wahlstrom, who entered this game tied with Nordgren for the tournament goals lead, was left unguarded to the goalie’s right. Moments later on a U.S. man advantage, Hughes zipped one off the crossbar. At 16:53, the U.S. broke through with a delayed penalty coming up to the Finns, and their two assistant captains got it done. Inside the offensive blue line, Ty Emberson swept the puck left past a cluster of Finnish defenders to Giles, and he hammered it past Annunen. Knight came up huge to stop the blindingly fast Kupari on a breakaway with under two minutes left in the first period. "Knight was amazing," said Niemela. Despite being denied on a power play to kick off the second period, the Americans really picked it up. Hughes found Farabee coming with speed, and he rang it off Annunen's right point. At 8:24, the relentless Americans tied it up. Weiss sent a Wayne Gretzky-style centering pass from behind the net to Pivonka in the slot, and Annunen blocked his release, but couldn't stop Janicke on the rebound for his second of the tournament. Even play prevailed and both teams had their chances as the middle frame wore on. If it wasn't Kim Nousiainen coming late on the rush and ringing one off the crossbar, it was Janicke catching the Finns on a bad line change but whiffing on his shot as Annunen stared him down. Nordgren also waltzed into the slot off a Finnish faceoff win in the American end but couldn't find a chink in Knight's armor. And Annunen barely stopped Hughes on the doorstep with just over a minute till the second buzzer. It was one wild rush after another. "After the second period, when we were in the locker room, you could hear from the guys that we are not done here," said Niemela. "They believed." During an early third-period power play with Wahlstrom off for tripping in the offensive zone, Knight made a mind-blowing stick save on Nordgren, who couldn't convert Anton Lundell's crafty backhand pass. Still, the Finns were driving the play. Of Knight, Farabee said: "He was the backbone of our team. When we were struggling, he came out to save us. That really helped us, and that got us to the gold medal game. He’s a very special player." The U.S. got a chance to turn the tide when Ville Petman was sent off for interference with just over 10 minutes left in regulation and Wahlstrom sent a laser off the goal post. After Nordgren's shortie, the Americans failed to capitalize with Kotkaniemi off for tripping four minutes later. Desperate for the equalizer, they pulled Knight for the extra attacker with 1:07 left. But the U.S. struggled to coordinate its attack, although the Finns missed the empty net multiple times, and this game would not go to overtime. "Knight played well, but they didn't get that many chances to score on us," said Kotkaniemi. "We got a few chances and we scored. We skate well, we battle well." At the final horn, the Finns celebrated with explosive teenage enthusiasm, while the Americans were left crumpled and kneeling in dismay. "The level of hockey, the level of competitiveness on both sides, is very unique and special to be part of," said Appert. "We had our looks, even at the end. It just wasn’t meant to be tonight." This was the fourth time the U.S. and Finland have squared off for U18 gold, with the Americans winning all three previous confrontations (2006, 2015, 2017). For Finland, the 2015 and 2017 heartbreaks were particularly fresh. In 2015, Veini Vehvilainen’s incredible 60-save performance in Switzerland wasn’t enough to stop the Auston Matthews-led Americas from winning 2-1 in overtime on Colin White’s goal. Last year, Joel Farrabee tallied twice, including the eventual winner, in a 4-2 decision in Slovakia. But now, that storyline has finally changed. The result improved Finland's all-time U18 record versus the Americans to six wins and 11 losses. Asked about being the world's top U18 hockey nation, Niemela responded in typically Finnish fashion: "At the moment! But we have to improve, still lots to improve." Gold Medal Match Highlights Results Thread

It's almost midnight... but i'm hungry now

Someone else told me to wait for a menu when I was hungry five years ago....they were never heard from again. Just saying..

Sure, why not Although I'm rather hungry but after I ate something...