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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Games 1936: Berlin ● The International Olympic Committee posted on X on Wednesday a statement from President Thomas Bach (GER):
“We are saddened about the loss of Iris Cummings Critchell, who has passed away at the age of 104. She was the last living Olympian from the Olympic Games Berlin 1936, where she had competed as a swimmer. My thoughts are with her family and her friends.”
Cummings was an American swimmer, born in Los Angeles, and was a three-time national Breaststroke champion from 1936-38. She was eliminated in the heats of the 200 m Breast in Berlin, then went on to an important career as a flight instructor during World War II, later founding the Bates Aeronautics Program at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California.
● Alpine Skiing ● Wednesday’s men’s Slalom at Schladming (AUT) had more than 45,000 fans in attendance for the nighttime skiing, hoping for a home victory.
German Linus Strasser had the best first run, but the home crowd was surprised when Austria’s Fabio Gstrein, 27, who had never won an individual World Cup medal, zoomed into the lead from the no. 7 spot at 1:48.72. Three skiers later, it was Austrian star Manuel Feller – a six-time World Cup winner – took the lead at 1:48.25.
That left only three more, and while Swiss Loic Meillard faded on his second run, Norway’s Timon Haugen – no. 2 on the first run – was up to the challenge and moved into the lead at 1:48.05. Strasser had only the 21st-fastest second run and ended up fourth (1:48.82). For Haugen, it was his second win of the season and third World Cup gold of his career.
● Archery ● American Paris Paralympic gold medalist Matt Stutzman – “The Armless Archer” – was named as the 2024 World Archery Athlete of the Year in a vote of fans, media and World Archery members.
Stutzman was, of course, also the Paralympic men’s archer of the year, with Compound champ Oznur Cure Girdi (TUR) the women’s awardee. The Recurve (Olympic) archers of 2024 were triple gold medalist Woo-jin Kim (KOR) for the men and teammate (and triple gold winner) Si-hyeon Lim in the women’s division.
Said Stutzman, 43, “I’ve dreamt of being the best in the world at something since I was a kid. To be recognized among the greats of archery, like Mike [Schloesser/NED], Brady [Ellison/USA], is just incredible. I’m honored and so thankful.”
● Athletics ● A couple of U.S. wins at the World Athletics World Indoor Tour Gold meet in Belgrade (SRB), with Tokyo Olympian Ronnie Baker winning the men’s 60 m final in 6.53 and Roger Steen taking the men’s shot with a world-leading 20.94 m (68-8 1/2).
Swede Tobias Montler got the other world-leading mark, taking the men’s long jump at 8.23 m (27-0), beating American Isaac Grimes, who got a seasonal best of 8.13 m (26-8 1/4). Olympic champ Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) opened his 2025 season in fourth at 8.05 m (26-5).
● Basketball ● USA Basketball named Stephen Curry, the hero of the U.S. men’s wins in the Olympic semifinal win over Serbia and final against France, as its 2024 men’s 5×5 Athlete of the Year.
He scored a tournament-high 36 points in the semi against Serbia and then 24 more in the final, making the most of his only Olympic appearance. At 36, it might be his only one, but it was memorable.
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FIBA noted that of the 10 players named to the 2025 NBA All-Star Team as starters, seven played in the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. The U.S. had Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Jayson Tatum, while Nikola Jokic (SRB), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (CAN) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (GRE) all played for their national teams.
● Handball ● The semifinals are set for the IHF men’s World Championship, as three-time defending champ Denmark (6-0) stormed past Brazil, 33-21, in their quarterfinal and Portugal managed a 31-30, extra-time win over Germany.
The Danes had a 15-12 halftime lead in their game in Baerum (NOR), but extended it in the second half thanks to Emil Jakobsen, Rasmus Lauge Schmidt and Mathias Gidsel, who each scored six times. Brazil was led by Vinicios Lima de Carvalho, with seven.
Portugal had a 13-9 lead at the half, also in Baerum, but the match was tied at 26 at the end of regulation. Francisco Costa led the winners with eight goals, while Germany’s Lukas Zerbe had nine. Martim Costa got three scores in the 10-minute overtime, including the game-winner, with three seconds left.
Semifinal one will be in Zagreb (CRO) on Thursday between France and homestanding Croatia, with Denmark and Portugal set for Friday in Baerum. The medal matches will be in Baerum on Sunday.
● Nordic Combined ● Norway’s Jarl Magnus Riiber, 27, announced that he will retire at the end of the current season, after five World Cup seasonal titles and a possible sixth as he leads the men’s standings after nine of 19 events held this season.
Riiber said he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in December and explained to The Associated Press, “It’s not just the disease making this decision for me. It’s the total package.
“Even when results come, I don’t find the joy in it anymore. The sport consumes my entire day, every day, and it feels like I am a prisoner to my own goals.”
Riiber has won a record 76 World Cup events, beginning in 2016 and owns overall World Cup crowns from 2019-20-21-22-24. He owns only one Olympic medal, a silver in the 2018 PyeongChang Team Large Hill event, finishing fourth in both individual events that year. He has eight World Championship medals, from 2019-2023, including four individual-event golds.
He will miss the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy, but said, “My Olympic career hasn’t been what I expected, but it’s not going to be what defines my career for me. “When I was a child, I dreamed of being like [Germany’s five-time World Cup winner] Eric Frenzel and dominating the sport. I have lived my dream.”
● Shooting ● At the USA Shooting Shotgun Spring Selections for Trap in West Palm Beach, Florida, Beijing 2008 Double Trap gold medalist Glenn Eller III and two-time Worlds Team medal winner Rachel Tozier topped the three-phase tournaments in the open divisions for men and women.
Eller, 43, also the 2013 World Champion in Double Trap, led the 10-round qualifying at 232 points, then third in the Selection Match 1 and finally second in the finals to pile up 469 points for first place. Paris Olympian Will Hinton was second overall at 467 and 2019 Pan American Games Trap silver winner Derek Haldeman was third at 456.
Tozier, 32, a two-time Pan American Games Trap medal winner, won the qualifying at 221, won the Hillsdale Match at 228 and was third in the final for a winning total of 452 points. She was well ahead of Hillsdale College sophomore Ava Downs (433) and Carey Garrison (426).
The Skeet selection matches are on now, through Sunday.
● Triathlon ● World Triathlon announced a series of confirmed rule changes, including for the Mixed Relay, through the 2028 Olympic Games. While the required order for Paris 2024 was male-female-male-female, the prior – Tokyo 2020 – order of female-male-female-male will return.
Following on to the controversy over water quality in the Seine River for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the relevant rule has been relaxed:
“By still ensuring the athletes’ safety, the acceptable levels of Enterococci and E. coli in swim courses have been relaxed from ‘excellent’ to ‘good.’ Importantly, the decision to cancel the swim due to water quality will now involve a collaborative assessment by a group that includes a Medical Committee representative, the Medical Delegate, and the [local organizing committee] Medical Director, rather than a single individual.”
Also, safety issues have been addressed:
“To avoid injuries, finger and toenails will need to be short in order for the athlete to be authorized to start. Jewelry is forbidden, as are watches, in principle, but the Head Referee may authorize the wearing of watches.”
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