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    • Olympian1010

      Women’s Softball Added To The Sports Program For Cali-Valle 2021

      Olympian1010

      Panam Sports and the Cali-Valle 2021 Organizing Committee have announced the final sport to be added to the official sports program for the 2021 Junior Pan American Games.
       
      Women’s Softball has been announced as the final addition to the sports program for the Games. The sport will feature eight teams with a maximum of 16 players each, adding 128 more athletes to the continental event.
       
      The participating players must be in the Under-20 age category (athletes born between 2002 - 2005) between 16 and 19 years old. Therefore, the 2019 U-17 Pan American Championship held in Barranquilla will act as the qualification tournament for the Games. The qualified countries include the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, and the host country Colombia.

      Panam Sports reached an agreement with WBSC Americas Softball for the Qualification System and with the National Olympic Committees for the financing of the airfare. 
       
      Women’s Softball will be held in Barranquilla along with Men's Baseball. The city has agreed to take care of all of the accommodations and food expenses for the participating delegations of these sports.

      “This is great news. Softball, like baseball, is a sport that has achieved significant development in the region, that is why we are very happy with the agreement reached with the city of Barranquilla, with the Pan American Confederation and with the National Olympic Committees,” said Panam Sports Secretary General, Ivar Sisniega.
       
      “We’ll have more than 3,800 athletes for the first edition of these Games, and I’m sure that they will transform them into the most important and massive sporting event for young people in the world this year, which leaves us very proud and motivated to continue working hard from now until September to make this party an unforgettable experience for everyone,” added the former Mexican Olympic pentathlete.

      “We are very pleased to host Softball in Barranquilla, especially the women's tournament. The capital of the Atlantic has so much passion for this sport and baseball, disciplines that are in their blood. This is a magnificent opportunity for 'la arenosa' to be seen as a venue for the I Junior Pan American Games Cali-Valle 2021. This union of efforts between cities shows that Colombia is a country that works as a team, knows about camaraderie and is ready for great things,” said Cali 2021 Executive Director, Jose Luis Echeverry.

      The sports program of the First Junior Pan American Games of Cali-Valle 2021 is now composed of the following 28 sports: Aquatics (Artistic Swimming, Diving, Swimming), Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Bowling, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling (BMX, Mountain, Road, Track) Fencing, Gymnastics (Artistic, Rhythmic, Trampoline), Handball, Judo, Karate, Modern Pentathlon, Roller Sports (Artistic, Skateboarding, Speed), Rowing, Shooting Sport (Pistol, Rifle), Squash, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Sailing, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling (Freestyle, Greco-Roman) and now Baseball/Softball.
      Read more...

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    • Olympian1010

      Thomas Bach Unanimously Re-elected IOC President

      Olympian1010

      Olympic champion Thomas Bach has been re-elected for an additional four-year term as President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the 137th IOC Session held virtually today. 
      Thomas Bach, who won gold with the German foil fencing team at the Olympic Games Montreal 1976, was elected as IOC President at the IOC Session in 2013 in Buenos Aires for a first eight-year term. This term will finish on the closing day of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on 8 August this year. His second term as IOC President will start immediately after, and will conclude in 2025. Bach received 93 votes in his favor of his re-election, and 1 vote against.
       
      Reacting to his re-election, Bach said, “Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for this overwhelming vote of confidence and trust. For me, this is even more overwhelming considering the many reforms and the many difficult decisions we had to take, which affected all of us. You know that this touches me deeply. It also makes me humble. When you elected me for the first time as your President in 2013 in Buenos Aires, I said that I wanted to lead the IOC according to my campaign motto ‘Unity in diversity’ and be a President for all of you and for all our stakeholders. This commitment is also true for my second and last term. My door, my ears and my heart remain open for each and every one of you. I hope that I can count on your continued dedication, support and friendship also during these four more years.”
       
      In his acceptance speech addressing the IOC Members, Bach said, “In the meantime, you know me well enough that I would also like to look forward and continue to achieve ambitious goals with you also in the post-coronavirus world. We learned during this coronavirus crisis, the hard way, that we can live up to our Olympic slogan ‘faster, higher, stronger’, in sport and in life, only if we are working together in solidarity. Therefore, I would today like to inspire a discussion – a discussion with you and everybody interested in the Olympic community – on whether we should not complement this slogan by adding, after a hyphen, the word ‘together’: ‘Faster, higher, stronger – together’. This could be – from my point of view – a strong commitment to our core value of solidarity, and an appropriate and a humble adaptation to the challenges of this new world.”
       
      As an athlete, Thomas Bach was a world-class fencer, winning an Olympic gold medal. He also won two gold medals with the German foil fencing team at the World Championships in 1976 and 1977. He was a founding member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission in 1981, on which he remained until 1988. In 1991, he became an IOC Member and sat on the IOC Executive Board between 1996 and 2013. He served as IOC Vice-President from 2000 to 2004, 2006 to 2010, and from 2010 until his election as IOC President in September 2013.
       
      During his presidency, Thomas Bach received the prestigious Seoul Peace Prize and was awarded the Cem - Papandreou Peace Award. He was also the main driving force behind Olympic Agenda 2020.
       
      Bach has proven to be a polarizing figure outside of the International Olympic Committee. His reforms of the Olympic Movement have found both avid supporters and vocal critics. With his re-election, the International Olympic Committee has reaffirmed their commitment to Bach’s agenda, and his reforms for governance, gender equality, and sustainability.
       
      Read more...

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    • JoshMartini007

      Rowing: Pan American Qualification Regatta Concludes Olympic Quotas Awarded

      JoshMartini007

      Update March 18th 2021
      The second of four rowing continental qualifiers has been completed with the conclusion of the 2021 Americas Olympic Qualification Regatta. In terms of Olympic qualification, five single sculls boats and three lightweight double sculls boats were set to be awarded. An additional rule was implemented for the continental regattas where nations can only qualify one boat (the highest ranked boat) or two if both boats finished first. The Americas Olympic Qualification Regatta was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from March 4th to March 6th 2021.
       
      The men’s single sculls were won by the host nation’s Lucas Ferreira whom won all three races he participated in including a time of 7:24.86 in the final. This was one second ahead of Chile’s Felipe Cardenas (7:25.90) while the bronze was won by Argentina’s Axel Haack.
       
      The Olympic quotas were awarded to Brazil, Peru, Bermuda, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.
       
      2019 Pan American Games women’s lightweight single sculls gold medalist Kenia Lechuga of Mexico showed she is just as talented on the regular weight boats by winning the women’s single sculls event with a time of 8:04.62. Lechuga is no stranger at this boat class as she has competed at the 2019 World Championships and at the 2016 Olympics. She finished ahead of Paraguay’s Alejandra Alonso (8:09.82) and 2019 Pan American Games silver medalist Felice Chow of Trinidad and Tobago (8:13.91).
       
      The Olympic quotas for this event were awarded to Mexico, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba and Puerto Rico.
       
      The largest upset occurred in the men’s lightweight double sculls where Uruguay’s Bruno Cetraro and Felipe Kluver came back from a defeat by Chile’s Cesar Abaroa and Eber Sanhueza during the heats to win in the final by 0.32 seconds with a time of 6:37.97. The bronze medal was won by Brazil’s Evaldo Morais and Emanuel Borges (6:40.36).
       
      The Olympic quotas were awarded to Uruguay, Chile and Venezuela.
       
      The women’s lightweight double sculls were won by Argentina’s Milka Kraljev and Evelyn Silvestro whom finished with a time of 7:30.21, more than four seconds ahead of Brazil’s Isabelle Camargos and Vanessa Cozzi (7:34.62). 2019 Pan American Games silver medalists Yoselyn Carcamo and Isidora Niemeyer of Chile won the bronze medal with a time of 7:43.27.
       
      The Olympic quotas were awarded to Argentina and Guatemala. However, due to no other eligible nations taking part in this event the quota will be reallocated to the next highest ranked boat at the final qualification regatta.
       
      Two more continental qualification regattas remain. Unqualified Pan American nations will have one more opportunity to qualify to the Olympics via the final qualification regatta to be held in the coming months.
       
      Qualified Nations
       
      Men's Single Sculls
      Bermuda
      Brazil
      Dominican Republic
      Nicaragua
      Peru
       
      Women's Single Sculls
      Cuba
      Mexico
      Paraguay
      Puerto Rico
      Trinidad and Tobago
       
      Men's Lightweight Double Sculls
      Chile
      Uruguay
      Venezuela
       
      Women's Lightweight Double Sculls
      Argentina
      Guatemala
      Reallocated
       
       
      Read more...

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    • JoshMartini007

      Sailing: Yang and Hu Win Nacra 17 Asian Championships

      JoshMartini007

      China’s Yang and Hu finished ahead of their compatriots to win the 2021 Nacra 17 Asian Championships. By winning they have also qualified a quota for China to compete at the Olympics in this event. The Nacra 17 Asian Championships was held in Shanghai, China from March 1st to March 6th 2021.
       
      The first two days saw China’s Shi Junjie and Zhang Yingying with the lead thanks to winning five of the first seven races. Behind them by three points were Yang Xuezhe and Hu Xiaoxiao. However, by winning all three races held on the third day Yang and Hu took the overall lead by a single point. The pair continued their strong performance by winning four out of the five final races to win with a net total of 19 points. Shi and Zhang won silver (24 points) while their compatriots Mao Hui and Zhou Qianqian won bronze (38 points).
       
      This was the final opportunity for Asian nations to qualify in the Mixed Nacra 17 Foiling event. Two more quotas remain set to be awarded to an African and European nation. Asian nations still have opportunities to qualify in 6/10 sailing events set to be held in the coming weeks.
       
      Qualified Nations
       
      Mixed Nacra 17 Foiling
      China
      Read more...

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    • Games and Rings

      Serena Williams...The G.O.A.T.?

      Games and Rings

      Four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Serena Williams as the Greatest Of All Time?
       
      Olympic tennis great Serena Williams' Australian Open run earlier this month certainly inspired talk on her status as a Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.) contender. While I generally don't pay much attention to such discussions - too many variables in such different eras to be fair - the chatter inspired me to revisit the HBO Sports documentary mini-series Being Serena from 2018.
       
      Produced in part with Williams' business partner IMG Entertainment, Being Serena was never going to be an in-depth, impartial look at one of history's greatest athletes. But it is a revealing reminder of her unique position today and drive. Too often, we see a star athlete or celebrity as one dimensional, as just the person on the court or on stage. Williams has surely been subject to this - having seen her win 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 14 Grand Slam doubles titles (out of 14 finals!), 7 WTA Tour Championship titles, and 4 Olympic gold medals, we had been lulled into a sense of her invincibility. But Being Serena shows that Williams is human, after all, perhaps even setting us up to temper expectations going forward.

      Being Serena shows us Williams facing real world, outside of tennis, moments from a roughly 15-month period starting with her early 2017 pregnancy announcement to child birth, to subsequent grave medical concerns, and her wedding. There is a refreshing quality seeing her face these life events. She has legitimate concerns aside from the playing court, and she faces them with as any of us would - at times emotional and vulnerable. No matter that the documentary comes across as too polished for some critics. What we do see is earnest and sincere.

      Seeing her in this human light actually does support Williams as the G.O.A.T. Coming back to elite competition, in serious contention to build upon her 23 Grand Slam titles...who else has been that strong to come back from such a complicated birth and perilous recovery so well? It's a unique, daunting challenge fit for a fierce competitor. Note when her husband Alexis jokingly suggests their daughter's potential as a Grand Slam winner years in the future, Williams is whip-quick with a "not if I'm still playing" retort. Brash, sure...but it should not be unexpected from someone as career-determined as she is.

      Between her return in May 2018 and today, she's made four Grand Slam finals. Four! Never mind that she hasn't won one of them, just having the tenacity to make it through to four finals - and this last Australian semifinals - would be a beyond outstanding record for anyone. And she's largely done it on her terms, juggling motherhood and marriage while on the road. It's a unique challenge, it should noted, to female athletes.

      She doesn't need a 24th title to justify her legacy (though I am rooting for it). The fact that she's still sharing her tennis with us should a joy. In retrospective, Being Serena helps us to appreciate just how special a competitor Williams is. Here's hoping she provides us more highlights still.
       
      A version of this opinion piece appears on gamnesandrings.com. Follow GamesandRings.com for more on Olympic sports athletes.
      Read more...

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    • JoshMartini007

      Water Polo: Final Men’s Teams Decided Upon Conclusion of Olympic Qualification Tournament

      JoshMartini007

      The roster for the men’s water polo tournament at the 2020 Olympics has been decided with the results of the Men’s Water Polo Olympic Qualification Tournament. The top three teams of the 12-team tournament qualified to the games. The format included a round robin group stage where the top four teams advanced to the quarterfinals. The event was held in Rotterdam, Netherlands from February 14th to February 21st 2021.
       
      Group A was reduced to five teams due to Turkey having too many positive COVID-19 cases and were thus disqualified. The two favourites for this group, Greece and Montenegro were undefeated until meeting up on the fourth day of matches. Greece did get a scare on the first day of matches where a third quarter comeback by Georgia and a very defensive fourth quarter meant Greece narrowly won 11-10. In the match between the two top teams, Montenegro jumped up to a 4-1 lead in the first quarter and was able to maintain a lead on route to an 8-4 victory to top the group. Georgia finished third thanks to victories over Canada (14-11) and Brazil (12-8) while Canada also advanced to the quarterfinals as they won 11-7 over Brazil on the first day.
       
      Group B was a much more competitive group which saw two draws and six one-goal victories across the 15 matches. The largest upset occurred on the fourth day of matches where 2016 Olympic silver medalist Croatia lost to Russia 14-13. Russia was able to prevent Croatia from scoring during the fourth quarter as they successfully completed their comeback to win by a single point. This victory allowed Russia to win the group with 4 victories and a 9-9 draw against Romania. Croatia finished second while France required a final day victory over Romania (16-7) to finish third. This allowed France to finish equal on points with the Netherlands, but with a better goal differential the former finished ahead while the latter finished fourth. Romania finished fifth thanks to a 12-7 win over Germany.
       
      The quarterfinals saw the favourites secure victories. Montenegro began the day against the Netherlands by jumping up to a 4-0 lead after the first quarter on route to winning 13-7. The Greece and France matched turned out to be the most exciting match of the round. Despite starting with the lead, Greece was slowly overtaken by France who held a 12-10 lead going into the final quarter. Greece won the fourth quarter 3-1 to tie the game, forcing it to go to penalties. Greece won the shoot-out 4-1 to advance to the semi-finals. Croatia and Georgia began as a close match, but a strong second quarter by Croatia removed doubt within the match, allowing them to win 15-6. The final nation to advance to the semi-finals was Russia whose lead was never threatened as they went on to win 17-9 over Canada.
       
      In the first opportunity to qualify for the Olympics the semi-final match between Montenegro and Croatia had both nations trading leads, finishing with a goal by Montenegro’s Miroslav Perkovic to end the game 10-10 and forcing a penalty shoot-out. Montenegro won the shoot-out 4-2 to become the first nation to qualify. Joining them was Greece who played a close game with Russia, but never gave up the lead to win 13-10.
       
      The tournament was won by Montenegro who pulled off a successful fourth quarter comeback after being down 8-6 to win 10-9 over Greece. The third-place match and final Olympic quota was played between Croatia and Russia. In a repeat of Croatia’s semi-final match, Russia tied the game 11-11 with 16 seconds remaining thanks to Dmitrii Kholod. The ensuing penalty shoot-out turned into a marathon as 15 rounds were required before Croatia prevailed 14-13.
       
      All three teams are considered mainstays in the men’s water polo tournament. Montenegro continues its streak of qualifying to this event as an independent nation where it will be looking to win their first medal after three consecutive fourth place finishes. Greece will also be looking to win their first medal after finishing sixth in Rio while Croatia will be hoping to win their fourth medal in the event as an independent nation.
       
      Qualified Nations
       
      Men's Tournament
      Croatia
      Greece
      Montenegro
       
      Read more...

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    • John Foyne

      Diving Headfirst into Skeleton

      John Foyne

      With the start of IBSF Skeleton World Championships this weekend, I thought now would be an appropriate time to tell you about my little venture into the sport of skeleton. Enjoy!  
       
      Growing up I was solely focused on one thing, to make the NFL. That was it. That was the goal, and I dedicated ten years of every waking moment working towards it. Like most aspiring to make "the league" the dream eventually dies. For me it was at the 2015 NFL Specialist Combine, when after a decent performance my phone didn't ring. However, I was not ready to give up the sport I grew up playing and somewhat loving. I decided to focus on trying out for the Canadian Football League (CFL) and teams in Europe. With some success, this effort ultimately led to an opportunity to represent the United States at the 2017 World Games.
       

      (A field goal attempt vs. Poland at the 2017 World Games - photo credit Dawid Szulc)
       
      After I returned home from Poland, the emails from American Football coaches began to dry up, I guess no one wanted a bronze medalist punter. I saw the writing on the wall, "this American Football ride was over", but at age twenty-seven I was not ready to stop playing sports. One of the things that my experience at the World Games gave me was a newfound interest in multi-sport games. Something else I learned in Wroclaw was that there was a whole world of other sports out there! I fired up the computer and began to do some research, "what sports could an athlete start later in life?" After a few minutes of research, I stumbled across a website promoting a program called "The Next Olympic Hopeful". This program aimed at finding athletic talent that could be translated into the sports of Weightlifting, Rowing, Track Cycling, and Bobsled. I have perhaps the worst lifting body in the world, so I did not even read about Weightlifting, and I have horrible cardio therefore Rowing and Track Cycling were also out. Now, I've seen Cool Runnings, so I figured that was a good start. I started reading about other American Football athletes who made the seamless transition from American Football to Bobsledding. "Bingo, this was it!" I signed up for the USABS combine in Lake Placid, NY that summer and continued my training. 
       

      (Once you enter the town of Lake Placid, they won't let you forget they hosted not one by TWO Olympic Winter Games!)
       
      Entering the tiny mountain town of Lake Placid, NY is a surreal feeling, especially if you are a multi-sport games nerd like myself. You cannot escape the five rings that are plastered all over the town. When I arrived at the track for testing, I quickly realized that being a bobsledder would not be in my future. The USABS was not looking for drivers, most bobsled drivers are locals who have grown up piloting a sled. They were looking for push athletes, and the ideal push athlete is built like an American Football linebacker with the speed of a 100m sprinter. I do not come close in either category, so I moved over to the skeleton part of the track, totally unaware of what I was about to get into. The USABS combine test is very basic. Three tests, a 60m sprint, a standing broad jump, and a shot toss. After, you can try pushing a sled at their push track located at the Olympic Training Center. My training as a kicker and punter really helped me with these tests and I finished near the top of my group. At the end of the day, I was pulled aside by then USABS development coach Don Hass, who invited me to a "Skeleton School" later that winter.
       

      (Did I ask a fellow athlete to take a picture of me pushing a push track sled? Obviously. Did I post it on Instagram? Of course!) 
       
      I came home from Lake Placid and continued life like normal, teaching high school, coaching, and tending bar, almost forgetting about skeleton. It was not until February that I received an email from Don inviting me to come back out to Lake Placid for a weeklong skeleton school. I then did what anyone with a work commitment would do - I drove to a Patient First and got a doctor’s note saying that I had the flu, thus a week off from school. With my school thinking I was sick, I packed my car and headed back up to Lake Placid.
       
      The aura that Lake Placid had in August was not there when I arrived in a snowstorm. Lake Placid winters are cold, snowy, cold, cold, snowy, and COLD. There were mornings when I woke up and the temperature was -12 F! The veteran sliders just shrugged off the shrill chill and said, "makes for fast ice." When I arrived most of the national team members were over in Europe competing on the World Cup tour. The members that did not make the World Cup or were competing on lower-level tours were all in Lake Placid for training. Being around those other sliders was a great experience, some of these athletes had competed in Europe before and were very knowledgeable, helpful, and kind. 
       

      (This is the map of the Lake Placid track I was given my first day. Your only job is to study it. I still don't know what turn comes up next!)
       
      While most of the athletes were at the top of the track, me and the other "newbies" had to start at the Junior Start which is around turn seven. Lake Placid has nineteen turns, so we started a little above the middle of the track. To be honest, before your first run there is not much instruction. You are taught which end of the sled is up, how to lie on the sled, and where to hold the handles. Nothing about steering, where to position your head, or how to not hit a wall. Once all the senior athletes completed their runs from the top, it was our turn. We would lay down on the sled, lift our feet up, and the coach would just shove us down the track. There are two reactions after your first run. A) That was awesome! Let's do that again! B) That hurt and was scary. To be honest, I had reaction B. On my first run I bounced my way down the track like a pinball. Every time I hit a wall it felt like sharp ice digging into your skin. However, unlike a few other newbies who also had reaction B, I did not call it a day, I went back up for my second run, and even did a third run that night, as the sliding experience began to grow on me. 
       

      (Some "cool" bruises after Day 1)
       
      I arrived at the track the next morning to a much smaller "newbie" group. Seemed like a few who had reaction B decided that this was not for them. (By the way, there is nothing wrong with that!) We grabbed our sleds from the sled shed and hopped in the back of the sled truck. We stopped at the Junior Start, and I was on my way out of the truck when Don stopped me and another athlete. "Were going to the Doubles Start with you two", he said in the most casual tone. The other kid and I just looked at each other a little confused and a little scared. The "Doubles Start" is used by the Doubles Luge team and it is as close as you can get to the top without going off from the top. "It's the same as yesterday, but you go faster." Don said as he shoved me off from turn three. My first run from the Doubles Start was a blur... and painful. The biggest difference from the Junior Start to the Doubles Start was the speed and G Forces. I was going about twenty miles per hour faster than I had the day before. The G Forces would force your head down, making it impossible to see anything. However, just like the day before I went back up to the Doubles Start and slowly learned my way down the track, each time it got a little easier. 
       

      (A VERY bumpy run from the Doubles start)
       
      I slowly began to enjoy my week and time at the track. Everyone in the sliding community from the athletes, to the track workers, to the truck drivers were kind and just good people. I also began to understand just how hard this sport really is. There were athletes who had been sliding for ten plus years who were still trying to break into the World Cup team. Even Don said that it takes on average eight years to become a good slider. By the end of the week, I made it to the top of track, although I was not allowed a running start just yet - but I've been told that takes around a year to master. I left Lake Placid with an invitation to come back the following winter.
       

      (Those starts could use some work!)
       
      On the drive home I thought about the reality of being a skeleton athlete. I did enjoy sliding, the community, and I was getting decent times compared to the other "newbies" there. However, I thought about the bigger picture of it all. Was I ready to give up my teaching career for this? Move to Lake Placid or Park City and leave my family and friends for this? Was I willing to embrace the struggles of learning a new sport, and understand that there was a good chance no matter how long or hard I tried, I might never make it? By the time I pulled up to my home in Baltimore I decided that those sacrifices were not in the cards for me. Nevertheless, it did give me a greater appreciation for all the sacrifices those Olympic hopefuls do make. It is one of the ugly sides of being an Olympic Hopeful that the public is unaware of. They do not see the athlete standing at the top of the track in -12 F weather, hoping to get this last run in before their shift at Delta Blue, which starts in thirty minutes. Oh, and they have not seen their significant other in six months. 
       
      Since my skeleton school experience, I have made trips to both Lake Placid and Park City to watch races and further explore my interest in the sport. I continue to follow both bobsled and skeleton extensively and have even stayed in touch with some of the athletes from my week there. (Sara Roderick, who was a first-year slider with me that week, will make her World Championship debut this weekend in Altenberg!) Participating in the skeleton school was one of the best athletic experiences I have had. Even if you are not an athlete, I know that both Lake Placid and Park City offer tourist rides, so if you are ever in those distant parts of the United States go take a slide down that icy hill - you will not regret it!     
      Read more...

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    • JoshMartini007

      Gymnastics: Artistic All-Around World Cup Series Cancelled, Olympic Quotas Reallocated

      JoshMartini007

      The FIG has announced the cancellation of the Artistic Gymnastics All-Around World Cup Series. Originally, four events were scheduled in 2020, but only the Milwaukee, United States event was held as the others were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with travel restrictions remaining in place it has become increasingly difficult to schedule at least two more events to validate the results.
       
      This has implications for qualification to the 2020 Olympics as the top three nations in the men’s and women’s individual rankings were expected to qualify a quota to compete. Following the reallocation procedure set by the FIG, the quotas have been reallocated to the top three nations during the team all-around qualification round at the 2019 World Championships.
       
      Thus, the quotas were awarded to China, Japan and Russia in the men’s individual events while China, Russia and the United States qualified an individual female athlete. This athlete will be allowed to compete in the individual events, but can not participate in the team event.
       
      Currently the remaining quotas are set to be decided at the apparatus World Cup Series and the continental qualifiers.
       
      Qualified Nations
       
      Men’s Artistic Individual Events
      China
      Japan
      Russia
       
      Women’s Artistic Individual Events
      China
      Russia
      United States
      Read more...

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    • Olympian1010

      2021 Para Ice Hockey World Championships Postponed to June

      Olympian1010

      The 2021 World Para Ice Hockey A-Pool Championships, originally scheduled for early May in Ostrava, Czech Republic, have been postponed to 19-26 June due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
       
      The extra preparation time will be used to implement comprehensive health and safety protocols throughout the event in compliance with local and national guidelines, according World Para Ice Hockey and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC).

      World Para Ice Hockey Manager Michelle Laflamme stated, “World Para Ice Hockey is looking forward to bringing the World Championships back to Ostrava, and doing so in accordance with all health and safety procedures to ensure a safe event for all athletes, teams and staff involved. The World Championships will provide an exciting opportunity for people around the world to tune-in and witness the first Para ice hockey international event since the COVID-19 pandemic began.”  

      Ostravar Arena will host the event for the second consecutive time and third time overall after staging the tournament in 2009 and 2019. Head of the Ostrava 2021 LOC, Jiri Sindler, said “The tournament will take place according to strict health and safety measures. We are already receiving great interest from fans in purchasing tickets, and we thank all of our fans for their support, however we will not be launching ticket sales at this time. We are working intensively to ensure that our fans will be able to watch the entire World Championships online.”
       
      In Ostrava, eight teams, ranked highest internationally, will compete for the world title and qualification slots for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. The top five teams at the World Championships will automatically qualify for the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics. The last three finishers will take part in a qualification tournament to be held at a later date to try to earn their spots in Beijing.

      The United States of America will enter the tournament as the defending Paralympic and world champions, and will be joined by Paralympic and world silver medallists Canada, Paralympic and world bronze medallists South Korea, host nation Czech Republic, and Norway and Italy. Russia and Slovakia, which finished in the top two spots at last year’s B-Pool World Championships in Berlin, complete the line-up. 

      With more than 300,000 inhabitants, Ostrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the capital of the Moravian-Silesian region. Ostravar Arena, formerly known as the Culture and Sports Palace, was first opened in 1986 and has hosted many national, European and World Championships, as well as concerts and other popular events. The Arena was modernized in 2003 and is home to the HC Vitkovice Steel ice hockey team.
       
      Read more...

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    • Olympian1010

      Nory To Have Medals Replaced By Panam Sports

      Olympian1010

      World Championships, Olympic Games, and Pan American Games medalist Arthur Nory (BRA) will have his Pan American Games medals replaced by Panam Sports, after original medals were stolen from his home. 
       
      Nory published his plight on social media a few days ago. He claimed that “thugs” had broken into his house and taken all of his medals. The story quickly gained attention on traditional and social media, which brought the unfortunate event to the attention of Panam Sports President, Nevin Ilic. 
       
      A press release from Panam Sports stated, “upon learning of the robbery in the Brazilian gymnast’s home, the President of Panam Sports, Neven Ilic, did not hesitate for a second to give his full support, immediately asking his staff to replace the medals Arthur Nory earned at Lima 2019, including the gold medal in the Team event and two silvers in the All-Around and Horizontal Bar.”

      The plan to replace the medals was confirmed by Panam Sports President, Neven Ilic, this morning. Ilic stated, “We found out through social media, and we were very sorry that all of his medals were stolen. For this reason, I asked my team to send him the three medals he won at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games as soon as possible.”

      Speaking about Nory, Ilic said, “Arthur is an extraordinary athlete, who has brought a lot of happiness to Brazil and our continent. He is a World Champion, a Rio 2016 bronze medalist, and he had an outstanding performance at our Lima 2019 Games. We know that he is very sad about this theft, and that is why we are going to support him and send him the medals he won in Peru as soon as possible.”
       
      He concluded, saying, “We hope he does not lose focus in his work to achieve his great goal of reaching Tokyo and that he can have an outstanding performance at the Olympic Games. Although they are a material asset, we know all the effort that’s needed and what the medals represent for him. But nothing is going to cloud all of his achievements and everything that we hope he will achieve in the future.”
       
      As noted by Ilic, the main value of medals is often what they mean to athletes. This sentiment was echoed by Nory in his post on social media. The retail value of medals from multi-sports games is generally only a few hundred dollars at most. The price of a medal can also fluctuate based on the athlete that won the medal.

      The medals stolen from Nory’s home are still missing.
       
       
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    • Olympian1010

      Humphries/Jones Take Early Lead At World Championships

      Olympian1010

      Defending champion Humphries leads in two-woman bobsleigh at World Championships after the second run of four.

      Kaillie Humphries/Lolo Jones (USA) are the half-time leaders in two-woman bobsleigh at the 2021 BMW IBSF World Championships in Altenberg (GER). The defending World Champion, and two-time Olympic Champion, set the best time in both runs to finish the first day of the World Championships ahead of Kim Kalicki/Ann-Christin Strack (GER). 

      Kim Kalicki, the 2020 World Cup silver medallist and Junior World Champion, finished the day in second, along with her brakewoman, Ann-Christin Strack. The pair sits 0.34 seconds behind the leading US duo.
       
      Reigning European and Junior World Champion Laura Nolte (GER) and brakewoman Deborah Levi (GER) finished the day in third. They find themselves 0.42 seconds behind the Americans.

      Fourth in the ranking after two of the four runs is the 2015 and 2017 World Champion Elana Meyers Taylor (USA) with brakewoman Sylvia Hoffman (USA). Meyers Taylor/Hoffman finished the day four tenths of a second off a medal position. 
       
      Fifth before the final two runs is overall World Cup winner Katrin Beierl (AUT) with Jennifer Onasanya (AUT). Andreea Grecu/Katharina Wick (ROU), who were twelfth after the first race run, moved up to sixth place with the third-best time in the second run.

      The final two runs in the two-woman bobsleigh will take place tomorrow at 2:30 and 4:00 PM local time. To view the full intermediate results from today’s competition, click here.
       
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    • Olympian1010

      IOC, IPC, and Tokyo 2020 Publish First Pandemic Playbook

      Olympian1010

      The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee (Tokyo 2020) today published the first Playbook for Tokyo 2020.
       
      According to the IOC, IPC, and Tokyo 2020, the playbook is, “a resource which outlines the personal responsibilities key stakeholders must take to play their role in ensuring safe and successful Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer.”

      The series of Playbooks will provide a framework of basic principles that each key stakeholder group will follow before they travel to Japan, when they enter Japan, during their time at the Games, and when they leave the Games. Athletes received a preview of their yet to be published playbook during a call with the Global Network of Athletes’ Commissions on Monday.
       
      The Playbooks have been developed jointly by Tokyo 2020, the IOC, and the IPC. According to those organizations, the Playbooks, “are based on the extensive work of the All Partners Task Force, which also includes the World Health Organization, the Government of Japan, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, independent experts and organisations from across the world, and the interim report published by the Three-Party Council in December 2020. In addition, the Playbooks also draw upon the lessons learned from the successful measures being implemented in other sectors, including the successful resumption of thousands of international sports events across the world.”
       
      The Playbooks also outline the typical journey for each stakeholder group, beginning with measures starting 14 days before arriving in Japan, testing before departure and upon arrival in the country, and the use of smartphone applications to report health and support contact tracing during Games time. Measures will also be in place to identify, isolate, and treat any potential positive cases.
       
      The first of the Playbooks was revealed on Monday. According to the IOC, IPC, and Tokyo 2020 the Playbook for International Federations and Technical Officials was released first, “for logistical reasons.” Playbooks for the athletes, media and broadcasters will be published within the coming days. The publication of each Playbook will be accompanied by a series of briefings from the IOC, IPC, and Tokyo 2020 with the stakeholders in question. The Playbooks will also receive updates in the lead up to the Games. 
       
      Speaking about the publication of the Playbooks, IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi said, “the health and safety of everyone at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 are our top priority. We each have our part to play. That’s why these Playbooks have been created – with the rules that will make each and every one of us a sound, safe and active contributor to the Games. We know these Olympic Games will be different in a number of ways.”

      Dubi continued, "for all Games participants, there will be some conditions and constraints that will require flexibility and understanding. We are providing the main directions at this stage, but naturally don’t have all the final details yet; an update will be published in the spring and may change as necessary even closer to the Games. We will make sure all the information needed is shared as quickly as possible to ensure we are fully prepared to protect all those coming to and residing in Japan during the Tokyo 2020 Games.” 

      He further continued, saying, “by committing to following the Playbooks we will be stronger together. In return, the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be remembered as a historic moment for humanity, the Olympic Movement and all those contributing to their success.”

      Craig Spence, the IPC’s Chief Brand and Communications Officer, said, “to ensure safe and successful Games this summer, every single stakeholder involved in, or attending the Games has a key role to play. Central to this are the Playbooks that form an integral part of a new and robust masterplan developed over the last 12 months to protect every Games stakeholder and, importantly, the people of Japan during Tokyo 2020.”

      He continued, “since March 2020’s postponement we know much more about COVID-19, while the thousands of international sports events that have taken place safely over the last year have given us valuable learning experiences. Combining this new knowledge with existing know-how has enabled us to develop these Playbooks, which will be updated with greater detail ahead of the Games.”
       
      Tokyo 2020 Games Delivery Officer Nakamura Hidemasa commented, “the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the daily lives of people around the world, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games need to adapt accordingly. Safety and security have become everyone’s top priority, and this summer's Games will be no different. Accordingly, Tokyo 2020, the IOC and the IPC have jointly published individual Playbooks for each stakeholder outlining the rules that need to be followed by all Games participants.”

      He further explained, "the Playbooks were created from the perspective of the participants themselves, based on the interim summary that was published at the Coordination Meeting for COVID-19 countermeasures last December. They include not only the specific measures that need to be taken, but also details of the rules that need to be observed and the appointment of a single person to oversee COVID-19 countermeasures in each stakeholder group to ensure effectiveness. The purpose of this first edition is to communicate ‘what we know at this time’ to a large number of people in an easy-to-understand manner. The Playbooks will be updated to the second edition this spring as the situation changes.”

      He continued, “through careful communication we would like to ensure that everyone involved in the Games around the world is aware of our plans. We hope thereby to assure them that, if each and every one of them follows the rules when participating in the Games, they can be held in a safe and secure manner. We hope that daily life can return to normal as soon as possible, and we would like to express our gratitude to the medical professionals, essential workers and everyone else who is working hard to ensure this. In the meantime, we will continue our preparations for ensuring safe and secure Games in the spirit of safety will be the number-one priority for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

      The first Playbook, published for International Federations, can be viewed and downloaded here.
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