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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
1. Paris Preview I: Simone and the Duel in the Pool
2. Five world leads in London, but Lyles sends the message
3. Lyles stirs the pot with 4×4 chatter
4. Seine river readings continue good, but what about rain?
5. St. Louis 1904 gold stars as RR Auction concludes
● Paris Preview I: A look at the first four days of the Paris Games, which will be highlighted by the duel between the U.S. and Australia in the pool, and the artistic gymnastics team competitions for men and women. Can the Japanese Abe brother-and-sister combo pull off back-to-back double golds on the same day in judo?
● Another fab Diamond League meet, this time in London with 60,000 fans in attendance, and three world-leading performances by British athletes: Matthew Hudson-Smith in the men’s 400 m and Keely Hodgkinson in the women’s 800 m and the women’s 4×100 m. But the loudest statement might have been Noah Lyles with a lifetime best win in the men’s 100 m.
● Lyles stirred the pot during a podcast appearance last week, suggesting his preferred U.S. 4×400 m line-up for Paris would be Chris Bailey, him, Michael Norman and Rai Benjamin, and leaving off Trials winner Quincy Hall! Lyles doesn’t make the decisions, but Hall was livid, and said so on X.
● Water-quality readings from the Seine River continued to be generally good, sufficient to meet the World Aquatics and World Triathlon standards for competitions during the Paris Games. The real question is rain, and the forecast is promising.
● A 1904 Olympic gold medal for rope climbing – by a man with a wooden leg! – was the top seller at the just-concluded RR Auction, bringing a final price of $80,163 Olympic gold medals from 1964-2000-2012 all sold for $50,000-plus and a total of 18 items brought final prices of $20,000 or more.
● Panorama: Paris 2024 (5: 17th Belarusian “neutral” added; Darmanin says no known threat against Games; two years in prison for teen threatening torch relay; Parisians unprepared for Seine closings; U.S. cybersquatter trying to livestream Paris Games) = Los Angeles 2028 (Inglewood “people mover” project assailed by U.S. Rep. Waters) = International Olympic Committee (2: Olympic Solidarity budget increased to $650 million; former member Kevan Gosper passes at 90) = Basketball (2: U.S. men survive South Sudan on James layup; U.S. women fall to WNBA All-Stars) = Cycling (2: Pogacar wins third Tour de France; Riley and Urban sweep U.S. Mountain Bike titles) = Softball (Japan beats U.S. in WSBC World Cup) = Sport Climbing (2: Japan dominated IFSC Lead World Cup; U.S. officials fail to confirm entries so American climbers disqualified) ●
1.
Paris Preview I: Simone and the Duel in the Pool
The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad actually start on Wednesday (24th) with men’s group-stage games in football and men’s rugby sevens matches, with archery ranking rounds and handball matches on Thursday prior to the “opening ceremony” on Friday. The U.S. women’s football squad plays its opener against Zambia on the 25th.
With everything on live in the U.S., either on NBC, its cable channels or on the Peacock streaming service, there’s too much to watch as the 32 sports and 329-event program gets started.
So, to help whet the appetite, some highlights to look for in the first few days of the Games:
● Saturday, 27 July ● The Paris schedule continues the first-week line-up with swimming and artistic gymnastics which has been in use since Munich 1972. Swimming will move to the second week in 2028, but for now, look for the Australians and American to claw and scratch at each other right away.
The first day of swimming will feature an all-out brawl in the women’s 400 m Freestyle between defending Olympic champion – and world-record holder – Ariarne Titmus of Australia, Rio 2016 Olympic champ Katie Ledecky of the U.S. and Canada’s 17-year-old sensation, Summer McIntosh. They are 1-2-3 on the 2024 world list at 3:55.44, 3:58.35 and 3:59.06 and figure to be the medal winners. Titmus’ world mark of 3:55.38 from 2023 is expected to be demolished.
Later in the program will be the women’s 4×100 m Freestyle relay, an Australian strong-suit with three Olympic wins in a row; the U.S. hasn’t won this since 2000. The Oz quad of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Meg Harris and Bronte Campbell are sure favorites, but the U.S. is not far behind with Kate Douglass, Torri Huske, Gretchen Walsh and Rio 2016 100 m Free co-champ Simone Manuel.
On the men’s side, the U.S. has won the last two 4×100 m Free Relays and has another strong team with Chris Guiliano and Jack Alexy pushing Tokyo 100 m Free winner Caeleb Dressel to relay duty in his event. But Australia won the 2023 World Championship with the U.S. third and Rio 2016 100 m Free champ Kyle Chalmers will be a dangerous anchor for Oz.
American Chloe Dygert is the reigning World Champion in the women’s Individual Time Trial in cycling and is favored for a medal. Triathlete Taylor Knibb also qualified and will be trying for a medal in her “second” sport.
Gymnastics has the men’s team qualifying, with Japan and China favored; they went 1-2 at the 2023 Worlds, but the U.S. won the bronze in 2023 and will be looking for its first Olympic medal since 2008. Worlds All-Around bronze winner Fred Richard and three-time U.S. champ Brody Malone are the team leaders.
The U.S. also has a great shot at a medal in fencing in the men’s Sabre, with Colin Heathcock, 2023 World Champion Eli Dershwitz and Mitchell Saron. They won bronze at the 2023 Worlds behind Hungary and South Korea.
● Sunday, 28 July ● The women’s team qualifying in artistic gymnastics will be on, meaning the return of Simone Biles and the American team which won gold in 2016, but was second to Russia in 2020. No Russia this time, but with so many injuries, will Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera live up to their roles as team favorites and also qualify for individual apparatus finals?
In the pool, Britain’s Adam Peaty will be trying for an unprecedented third straight Olympic gold in the men’s 100 m Breaststroke. He’s the world leader at 57.94, but will have to deal with China’s 2023 World Champion Haiyang Qin and American Nic Fink, the 2024 World Champion.
The man who may be France’s face of the Games will be in the men’s 400 m Individual Medley: Leon Marchand. He won the 2023 world title in world-record time (4:02.50) and comes in as the favorite. He’ll be chased by 2024 world leader Carson Foster of the U.S., Japan’s three-time World Champion Daiya Seto and 2024 World Champion Lewis Clareburt (NZL).
The women’s 100 m Butterfly has American world-record setter Gretchen Walsh being chased by Tokyo bronze winner Emma McKeon (AUS), as well as American teammate Torri Huske and 2024 World Champion Angelina Kohler (GER).
Defending Olympic champion Lee Kiefer will try for a second straight gold in the women’s Foil fencing tournament. She’s won bronze at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, but also two Grand Prix titles in 2024. Italy’s two-time World Champions, Alice Volpi and Arianna Errigo, figure to be in her way, as will home favorite Ysoara Thibus (FRA), the 2022 World Champion.
The U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team opens with Serbia and NBA superstar center Nikola Jokic in Lille, while the U.S. women’s football squad has its second match in pool play against Germany – the 2022 European runners-up – in Marseille.
The biggest star in women’s slalom canoeing, Australia’s Jessica Fox, will be the focus of the women’s K-1 final, where she has won silver-bronze-bronze in the last three Games, but is a four-time World Champion in the event. Start of a sweep for her in all of the women’s slalom events?
In Judo, one of the best memories of Tokyo 2020 was the same-day gold medals for brother and sister Hifumi Abe and Uta Abe in the men’s 66 kg and women’s 52 kg class. They are back to try for the double-double!
● Monday, 29 July ● Summer McIntosh will be in the pool again, facing off again with American Katie Grimes in the women’s 400 Medley, where they went 1-2 in the 2023 World Championships. Britain’s Freya Colbert and Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko were 1-2 at the 2024 Worlds in February and are contenders.
Lilly King, the Rio 2016 Olympic champ and Tokyo bronze winner, will try for a third straight medal in the women’s 100 m Breaststroke final. But she is only third on the 2024 world list behind 2024 Worlds winner Gianting Tang (CHN) and South Africa’s Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Tatyana Schoenmaker.
The U.S. won six straight men’s Olympic 100 m Backstroke titles in a row from 1996-2016, but Ryan Murphy – the Rio winner – finished third in Tokyo. He’s back and at 29 is the world leader in the event at 52.22. But he will have to contend with teammate Hunter Armstrong, the 2024 World Champion, Italy’s 2023 Worlds runner-up Thomas Ceccon (ITA) and China’s Jiayu Xu.
There are clear favorites in the 200 m Freestyles, with Romania’s David Popovici the one to beat in the men’s race and Titmus and teammate Mollie O’Callaghan expected to go 1-2 in the women’s final.
The men’s gymnastics team final will continue the U.S. quest for a medal, with Japan and China favored to contend for gold.
The U.S. women’s basketball team will open pool play against Japan in Lille.
The U.S.’s men’s Foil team will contend for a medal, with 2023 Worlds runner-up Nick Itkin, 2016 Olympic silver winner Alex Massialas, and Gerek Meinhardt, a member of the Rio and Tokyo bronze-medal squads. Japan, China, Italy and France are all contenders.
Remember the fracas with Ukraine’s four-time World Champion Olha Kharlan in the women’s World Championships in Sabre, where she was disqualified for not shaking hands with a Russian she defeated in an early round? Well, she qualified and could be contending for her fifth career Olympic medal. Japan’s Misaki Emura is probably the favorite, winning the last two world titles.
● Tuesday, 30 July ● All eyes on Simone Biles as the U.S. women compete in the team final, trying for their third gold medal in the last four Olympic Games. The American women have won this event in the last seven Worlds and are favored again. Brazil, France, China, Britain and Canada should all be medal contenders, but if the U.S. executes its plan, it should be another gold, after silver in Tokyo.
The women’s 100 m Backstroke final should be between Olympic champ Kaylee McKeown of Australia and new world-record holder Regan Smith of the U.S. Between them, they own the top seven performances of the year, followed by American Katharine Berkoff and Australia’s O’Callaghan. Another classic in the making and a likely world record.
Defending Olympic men’s 800 m Freestyle champ Bobby Finke is ready to defend his title, made somewhat easier by the withdrawal – due to injury – of 2023 World Champion Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia. However, Finke is only no. 6 on the 2024 year list, with 2024 World Champion Daniel Whiffen (IRL), Australia’s Elijah Winnington and Sam Short, Italy’s Tokyo silver winner Gregorio Paltrinieri and others ahead of him. Will he have that famous kick he showed in Tokyo?
Great Britain, the U.S. and Australia went 1-2-3 in the men’s 4×200 m Free relay at the 2023 Worlds, and China will also challenge in 2024. The British have four of the top nine performers on the world list; the U.S. have four of the top 13.
In shooting, the men’s Trap final is on, with the U.S. having the 2022 World Champion in Derrick Mein. Croatia’s Giovanni Cernograz is the reigning World Champion and was the 2012 Olympic champ.
The men’s triathlon will be held – weather and bacteria levels in the Seine permitting – with French hopes on 2022 World Champion Leo Bergere and Pierre LeCorre, Britain looking to 2020 Olympic silver winner Alex Yee, New Zealand’s Tokyo bronze winner Hayden Wilde and 2020 Olympic winner Kristian Blummenfeldt (NOR) all contenders. The U.S. has an outside shot for a medal with Morgan Pearson.
In Tahiti, the surfing finals will be on, with Brazil’s Italo Ferreira and 2024 World Champion Gabriel Medina, American John John Florence and Australia’s Jack Robinson all stars on this year’s World Surfing League tour.
The U.S. has defending champ Carissa Moore back in the women’s competition, who will be challenged by 2023 World Champion Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), France’s two-time Worlds medalist Joanne Defray and Americans Caroline Marks and Caitlin Simmers.
Tomorrow, more previews of next week’s biggest events!
2.
Five world leads in London, but Lyles sends the message
Another excellent Diamond League meet, this time in London (GBR) with perhaps 60,000 in attendance at the Olympic Stadium, for the final major meet prior to Paris. And the competition was hot, with world leads in five events:
● Men/400 m: 43.74, Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR)
● Men/3,000 m: 7:27.68, Dominic Lobalu (SUI)
● Women/400 m: 48.57, Nickisha Pryce (JAM)
● Women/800 m: 1:54.61, Keely Hodgkinson (GBR)
● Women/4×100 m: 41.55, Great Britain
To say that the home crowd was happy is the understatement of the year!
World leader Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) stamped herself as the Olympic favorite with a stand-out victory in the women’s 800 m, taking control of the race from the start and breakaway with countrywoman Jeema Reekie going into the bell (behind the pacesetter). Hodgkinson maintained the lead and extended through the final 200 m to win going away in a world-leading 1:54.61, a lifetime best and breaking her own national record. Reekie was an impressive second in a lifetime best of 1:55.61 and Georgia Bell came up for a British sweep in a lifetime best of 1:56.28, passing Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin (1:56.83 season best) on the straight. American Allie Wilson was seven in a lifetime best of 1:57.52 and Tokyo Olympic 1,500 m runner-up Laura Muir finished eighth in 1:57.63.
Hodgkinson is now no. 6 all-time in the event, with the no. 7 performance ever; it’s the fastest time in the 800 m since 2018.
The British fans were sent into dreamland again a few minutes later, as 2023 Worlds runner-up Matthew Hudson-Smith making up the staggers Jareem Richards (TTO) and 2012 Olympic champion Kirani James (GRN) by 250 m of the men’s 400 m. Hudson-Smith was clear of the field off the turn, with Vernon Norwood of the U.S. moving up for second on the straight. Hudson-Smith surged to the line and was a clear winner in a world-leading 43.74 – now no. 12 all-time – with Norwood getting a lifetime best of 44.10 in second. Richards (44.18) and Britain’s Charles Dobson (44.23) both got PRs in third and fourth, with James fifth in a seasonal best of 44.38.
Canada’s Christopher Morales Williams, the NCAA champ for Georgia, had another disappointing performance in sixth at 44.90.
The men’s 3,000 m was fast, with American Record holder Grant Fisher taking the lead with 500 m to go and moving smartly through the bell, ahead of Ethiopia’s Telahun Bekele and Edwin Kurgat (KEN). Coming up quickly, however, was Swiss European 10,000 m champ Dominic Lobalu, who moved into second by the 2,800 m mark and then set his sights on Fisher.
The American led into the straight, but Lobalu had the most speed and got to the line first in a world-leading 7:27.68, a national record. Fisher was just behind with a seasonal best of 7:27.99 – the no. 2 performance in U.S. history – and Kurgat was third in 7:28.53, with Bekele fourth (7:30.80) and Sean McGorty of the U.S. fifth with a lifetime best of 7:32.79. Lobalu will compete as a refugee in Paris as he is not yet a Swiss citizen.
The women’s 400 m had NCAA champion Nickisha Pryce of Jamaica, running her first race in three weeks, but European bronze winner Lieke Klaver had the lead on the backstraight and into the turn. Pryce moved strongly into the lead and stormed away for a world-leading 48.57 victory and a Jamaican national record! Meanwhile, European champ Natalia Kaczmarek passed Klaver and moved up on Pryce in the straight for second in 48.90, also a national record, with Klaver third in 49.58, a lifetime best! Americans Lynna Irby-Jackson (50.71) and Talitha Diggs (52.47) were sixth and eighth.
Britain’s 4×100 m team of Dina Asher-Smith, Imani Lansiquot, Amy Hunt and Daryll Neita was looking for a hot time and they got it, winning in 41.55 for the world lead and equaling the national record. France, anchored by Chloe Galet, was a distant second in 42.10.
There was an opportunity for a statement to be made in the men’s 100 m, and World Champion Noah Lyles made it. Britain’s Jeremiah Azu and Jamaican Ackeem Blake were out best, but Lyles had the lead against a good field by 60 m and was not going to be passed, winning in a lifetime best of 9.81 into a slight headwind of 0.3 m/s. South Africa’s Akani Simbine came up in the last 5 m with a seasonal best of 9.86 for second and Letsile Tebogo (BOT) was third in 9.88, equaling his lifetime best. NCAA champ Louis Hinchliffe was fourth in 9.97.
Lyles moved up to third on the 2024 world list and has run faster in each of his five 100 m finals this season: 10.01, 9.96w, 9.85, 9.83 and now 9.81. He’s trending the right way for Paris.
The men’s mile was marred by a bad fall on the first turn, with British stars Neil Gourley and George Mills unable to continue. The race went on and had Tokyo Olympian Stewart McSweyn (AUS) in the lead through 1,200 m, but countryman Ollie Hoare, the 2022 Commonwealth Games 1,500 m champ, took over with a little more than 200 m to go. He was holding off Norway’s 2023 Worlds 1,500 m bronze winner Narve Nordas and two dueled all the way to the finish, with Hoare finally getting the win with a lunge in 3:49.03 and Nordas at 3:49.06. McSweyn was passed on the straight by Adel Mechaal (ESP) for third, 3:49.21 to 3:49.45. American Vince Ciattei got a lifetime best in 12th at 3:52.54.
Brazil’s 2022 World Champion Alison dos Santos had control of the men’s 400 m hurdles on the backstraight, but he was getting a significant challenge from Ismail Abakar (QAT), with Jamaica’s 20-year-old Roshawn Clarke moving up. Dos Santos maintained the lead, with Abakar chasing, until Clarke passed the Qatari on the straight to grab second. Dos Santos won in 47.18, with Clarke getting a seasonal best of 47.63 and Abakar a lifetime best of 47.72. CJ Allen of the U.S. was sixth at 48.49.
Japan won the men’s 4×100 m in 38.07, ahead of Australia (38.31).
New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr, the World Indoor champ, took four attempts in the men’s high jump and cleared them all, reaching 2.30 m (7-6 1/2) for the win over JuVaughn Harrison of the U.S. (2.26 m/7-5).
The men’s shot foretells a fabulous Olympic competition, with world-record holder Ryan Crouser getting out to the early lead at 22.23 m (72-11 1/4) and holding it through four rounds. But then Italy’s European Champion, Leonardo Fabbri – having a career year – grabbed the lead at 22.52 m (73-10 3/4), and while Crouser improved to 22.37 m (73-4 3/4) in the fifth, he could not catch him and had to settle for second, his first loss of the season, in his fourth meet. Americans Payton Otterdahl and Joe Kovacs went 3-4 at 22.13 m (72-7 1/4) and 22.03 m (72-3 1/2).
The women’s 200 m had three Americans, three British and St. Lucia star Julien Alfred and it was hot starter Asher-Smith who got out brilliantly and had a 2m lead, ahead of teammate Neita, into the straight. But Alfred pushed into the lead on the straight in lane seven, only to be passed by a flying Gabby Thomas of the U.S. in lane six, who won on the lean in 21.81 (-0.9), with Alfred second in a lifetime best of 21.86, now no. 3 in 2024. Asher-Smith and Neita got seasonal bests of 22.07 and 22.20, while Tamara Clark and Jenna Prandini of the U.S. were 6-7 in 22.69 and 22.93.
Thomas simply outran the field in the final 60 m and equaled her winning time from the U.S. Trials. She now has the three fastest performances of the year.
Dutch star Femke Bol won as expected in the women’s 400 m hurdles, blasting out to the lead immediately in lane six and racing to the win in 51.30, the no. 4 performance in history and a time only she and world-record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) have ever run.
Behind Bol, Jamaica’s two-time Worlds bronze medalist Rushell Clayton held second for most of the race, but was overtaken on the run-in by two-time Worlds runner-up Shamier Little, who got a seasonal best of 52.78 to 53.24 for Clayton.
Worlds co-champ Nina Kennedy (AUS) was the only one to clear 4.85 m (15-11) in the women’s vault, with Canada’s Alysha Newman the only other to make 4.75 m (15-7). World leader Molly Caudery (GBR) and Sandi Morris of the U.S. tied for third at 4.65 m (15-3).
Olympic champ Katie Moon of the U.S., had trouble, clearing 4.50 m (14-9) on her third and then missing all three tries at 4.65 to finish eighth.
Olympic and European champ Malaika Mihambo (GER) put the women’s long jump away early with her first-round jump of 6/.98 m (22-6 1/2), ahead of European bronze winner Agate de Souza (POR), who reached 6.75 m (22-1 3/4) on her final try to pass Larissa Iapichno (ITA: 6.70 m/21-11 3/4). American Tiffany Flynn was sixth at 6.50 m (21-4).
Australia’s Mackenzie Little, the 2023 Worlds bronze medalist, bombed her first throw in the women’s javelin out to a lifetime best of 66.27 m (217-5) and no one could catch her. She moved up to no. 2 in the world for 2024.
Serbia’s Adriana Vilagos also got a personal best of 65.58 m (215-2) – in the fifth round, a national record and no. 4 this year – for second, with American Maggie Malone-Hardin third at 62.99 m (206-8). World Champion Haruka Kitaguchi (JPN) was fourth at 62.69 m (205-8).
That’s it for the Diamond League until after Paris, with the circuit to return in Lausanne (SUI) on 22 August.
¶
London wasn’t the only important action, with the Holloway Pro Classic in Gainesville, Florida and a shocker from teen sensation Quincy Wilson.
Still just 16, Wilson took down an impressive field, including 2023 U.S. champ Bryce Deadmon in a sensational 44.20 – now no. 8 in the world for 2024 – with Deadmon at 44.23 and Matthew Boling getting a lifetime best of 44.84. Remember, he was sixth at the U.S. Trials and a minimum, will be on the Mixed 4×400 m!
Worlds 200 m silver winner Erriyon Knighton won the 200 m in 19.92 (+0.3) and Emmanuel Matadi (LBR) took the 100 m in a speedy 9.91 (+1.2), a national record. Josh Hoey of the U.S., fourth at the Trials, won the 800 m over Rio 2016 bronze medalist Clayton Murphy, 1:44.22 to 1:45.01.
U.S. Trials runner-up Russell Robinson won the triple jump at 16.91 m (55-5 3/4), with Christian Taylor in fifth at 16.14 m (52-11 1/2), closing out his magnificent career. Taylor, 34, finally succumbed to injuries after Olympic golds in 2012 and 2016 and World Championships wins in 2011-15-17-19. He finishes as no. 2 all-time in the TJ at 18.21 m (59-9) from 2015 and will be remembered as not only a ferocious competitor, but dignified, pleasant and with a winning smile. He was one of the sport’s true ambassadors.
Kenya’s Dorcus Ewoi won the women’s 800 m, taking over from Olympic champ Athing Mu entering the final straight and won in a lifetime best of 1:58.19, ahead of Addy Wiley of the U.S. (1:58.71). Mu had no strength on the straight and faded to fifth in 2:00.29.
NCAA champ Grace Stark, third at the U.S. Trials, won her heat in 12.42 and then defeated world-record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR) and Trials winner Masai Russell in the final, 12.58-12.60-12.66 into a 1.7 m/s headwind!
3.
Lyles stirs the pot with 4×4 chatter
World sprint champion Noah Lyles loves to talk and he filled up more than 83 minutes on the Track World News podcast last week (15th) with Colin Waitzman and Noah Williams talking about the sport, promotion, fashion and the 4×400 m relay in Paris.
Asked what he would like to see the U.S. men’s 4×4 relay final line-up look like, he suggested U.S. Trials third-placer Chris Bailey as the starter, then:
“I would want the second leg, but I also know that Rai wants second leg, but I feel that Rai is our best finisher because – I don’t know why – he just has it in him. He’s our best finisher.
“So I put me [second] and then Michael Norman and I put Rai Benjamin. And that would be my 4×4.
“And the only reason I wouldn’t use the current U.S. champion [Quincy Hall] is because I don’t think he’d be a starter. I feel using him on the first leg would just be almost like a waste of his talent. That’s the only reason; I don’t see him getting his full capability out of first leg.”
He did have praise for Hall, however, following his Monaco Diamond League win in a lifetime best 43.80, then the world leader (now no. 2):
“I was very shocked … He’s looking primed and ready, and he’s a dog. That’s his mentality, it’s ‘I’m going to go out there and die, or I’m going to go out there and win.’ That’s the way he thinks, and that’s the way you’re going to have to think. It’s very hard to break that mentality against your other competitors, because if someone tries to go off of you, they don’t know what they’re going to get, they don’t know if they can hang.”
Well, the fire was started. Hall replied a few days later, on X (ex-Twitter; shown as posted):
● “@LylesNoah I don’t bother nobody but my blocks ready anytime you feel like you can beat me in the 400 you was talking to much on my name on yo little podcast @TrackWorldNews1 I don’t do the little slick comments and remarks I line up”
● “To the people thinking I’m a bad person cause my last post you just gotta know me to know I’m a competitor always have been so don’t take nun personal I’m just ready for anybody and everybody i won and lost before but always been a dog while doing it
“For the folk who mad saying he didn’t diss me or I’m overthinking yall can miss me with all that im rapped out about the situation my blocks still ready but if we ain’t doing it that’s coo to but let me get ready for the Olympics”
And Benjamin, always the voice of reason and one of the most thoughtful stars in the track & field world, and who anchored the victorious U.S. 4×400 team in Tokyo, got the last word for now (shown as posted):
“Yall gotta stop this 4×4 talk. And you ‘blogs’ have to be better. Noah is an outspoken individual. We know that, yall know that. He voiced an OPINION. It isn’t FACT. And subconsciously and consciously a lot of you are using him for clicks. We’re a few days away from competing
“Let the athletes focus on the job they are TASKED with ahead and stop sewing deceit and resentment in OUR camp ahead of the games. We’re a great team with PHENOMENAL talent and athletes. Let us just do us please”
This isn’t over. In fact, it hasn’t started. And that makes it fun, at least for those not in the running to be on the men’s 4×400 team in Paris.
And what about 16-year-old Quincy – 44.20 – Wilson?
Lyles was thrilled with his 9.81 lifetime best in London on Saturday and is already thinking about the men’s 4×100 m relay as well:
“A PB and getting faster before Paris. I wanted to dip under the 9.80; I thought I was going to get a wind like everyone else. I know exactly where I am ahead of Paris. I knew we’d be getting more eyes on us, I’ve been waiting for this for six years!
“I live for the biggest moments, the more eyes the better I perform. As soon as I get on the stage when the TV is on and people are watching, I perform. I’m very excited for the relay, we’ve all been together talking about the world record but we’ve got to get those sticks around and we’ve got to get them around cleanly and that’s what we’ve been doing the most: communicating.”
4.
Seine river readings continue good, but what about rain?
It’s really about the rain. The water quality in the Seine River near the Pont Alexandre III, where the triathlon and open-water swimming events are scheduled, continues to be good except when there are heavy rains.
Strong rains on 9 July caused a significant increase in river pollution at the Pont Alexandre III, which came back down again quickly with moderate rain the following two days. So, for the first 16 days of July, 14 had acceptable water quality for competitions.
As for the readings, first the International Federation requirements:
World Aquatics requirements for inland waterways:
● Enterococci score: <200 is Excellent; <400 is Good; >400 is Unacceptable
● E. Coli score: <500 is Excellent; <1,000 is Good; >1,000 is Unacceptable
World Triathlon requirements for inland waterways:
● Enterococci score: <200 is Excellent; <400 is Good; <330 is Sufficient
● E. Coli score: <500 is Excellent; <1,000 is Good; <900 is Sufficient
The City of Paris publicly posts its testing results of the Seine for contamination at four locations, showing high scores during period of heavy rain and less during dry weather. At the “Site Olympique” – the Pont Alexandre III, where the Olympic events will be held (numbers estimated from a visual graph):
● 30 June (rainy): Enterococci ~ 400 — E. Coli ~ 2,000 (unacceptable)
● 01 July (sunny): Enterococci ~ 100 — E. Coli ~ 950 (good)
● 02 July (rainy): Enterococci ~ 62 — E. Coli ~ 580 (good)
● 03 July (rainy): Enterococci ~ 190 — E. Coli ~ 1,100 (unacceptable)
● 04 July (sunny): Enterococci ~ 160 — E. Coli ~ 900 (good)
● 05 July (clouds): Enterococci ~ 75 — E. Coli ~ 900 (good)
● 06 July (rainy): Enterococci ~ 135 — E. Coli ~ 800 (good)
● 07 July (sunny): Enterococci ~ 45 — E. Coli ~ 500 (good)
● 08 July (clouds): Enterococci ~ 95 — E. Coli ~ 600 (good)
● 09 July (rainy): Enterococci ~ 105 — E. Coli ~ 850 (good)
● 10 July (clouds): Enterococci ~ 1,500 — E. Coli ~ 2,800 (unacceptable)
● 11 July (rainy): Enterococci ~ 100 — E. Coli ~ 1,000 (good)
● 12 July (rainy): Enterococci ~ 300 — E. Coli ~ 1,000 (good)
● 13 July (clouds): Enterococci ~ 400 — E. Coli ~ 950 (good)
● 14 July (sunny): Enterococci ~ 175 — E. Coli ~ 975 (good)
● 15 July (clouds): Enterococci ~ 110 — E. Coli ~ 950 (good)
● 16 July (clouds) : Enterococci ~ 180 — E. Coli ~ 750 (good)
The forecast for the first nine days of the Games is now available, with cloudy conditions expected every day, and no day with a chance of rain of more than 24%. If this proves right, the triathlon and swim events should go off as scheduled.
The triathlons are slated for 30-31 July (cloudy), with the mixed relay for 5 August and the open-water 10 km events for 8-9 August.
5.
St. Louis 1904 gold stars as RR Auction concludes
A gold medal in rope climbing from the 1904 St. Louis Olympic Games – one of the most controversial ever held – was the star of the latest RR Auction of Olympic memorabilia that finished last Thursday evening.
Some 183 lots sold, led by a gymnastics gold won by George Eyser, born in Germany, but who became a U.S. citizen in 1894. He competed in the 12-event men’s Individual All-Around and placed 71st and 118th in the All-Around for field sports. But he won a silver for the four-event All-Around and later took individual golds for the Vault, Parallel Bars and Rope Climb, plus another silver in the Side Horse and a bronze in the Horizontal Bar. That’s six medals in all.
Not bad for a guy with a wooden leg! Really. The gold at auction was for rope climbing and brought the most of any item in the sale. There were 30 items which brought $10,000 or more (prices shown include the buyer’s premium):
● $80,163: 1904 St. Louis gold medal (rope climbing)
● $58,855: 2012 London gold medal (track & field)
● $52,363: 1964 Tokyo gold medal (fencing)
● $51,620: 2000 Sydney gold medal (taekwondo)
● $44,688: 1980 Lake Placid Winter torch
● $44,549: 2024 Paris torch
● $43,036: 1920 Antwerp gold medal
● $26,121: 2016 Rio silver medal (wrestling)
● $25,944: 1936 Berlin gold medal (equestrian)
● $25,469: 1956 Stockholm silver (equestrian)
● $25,280: 1976 Innsbruck Winter silver medal (ice hockey)
● $25,078: 1948 London gold medal
● $22,390: 1968 Grenoble Winter gold medal (ice hockey)
● $21,588: 1924 Paris gold medal (boxing)
● $21,588: 2004 Athens gold medal (baseball)
● $21,171: 1956 Melbourne torch
● $20,735: 1988 Calgary Winter torch
● $20,000: 1976 Innsbruck Winter torch
● $19,244: 1968 Mexico City gold medal (gymnastics)
● $18,779: 1936 Garmisch Winter bronze medal
● $16,079: 1988 Calgary Winter silver medal (alpine skiing)
● $15,813: 1976 Montreal gold medal (rowing)
● $12,685: 1952 Oslo Winter bronze medal
● $12,490: 1972 Sapporo Winter torch
● $12,426: 1980 Lake Placid Winter bronze medal (speed skating)
● $12,183: 1984 Los Angeles gold medal
● $12,079: 1992 Barcelona gold medal
● $10,666: 1906 Athens gold medal
● $10,321: 1912 Stockholm gold medal
● $10,208: 1928 Amsterdam gold medal
There were some other, less expensive items that sold, such as the 1972 Munich Olympic Games torch – in reduced size – that was also a lighter! It went for $250.
A ticket for the 1908 London Games at the main stadium for 24 July – the day Johnny Hayes of the U.S. won the marathon – went for a surprising $4,125. The 1984 Olympic winner’s diplomas for springboard and platform diving awarded to U.S. star Greg Louganis – and autographed by Louganis – sold for $3,785.
A 1996 souvenir Wilkinson dagger of 10 1/2 inches, in its original box, sold for $1,411.
Not all of the items sold as some did not meet the reserve price. The super-rare 1960 Olympic Winter Games torch – one of 23 – was one that did not reach the required minimum.
≡ PANORAMA ≡
● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● At a Saturday news conference following the first day of the International Olympic Committee Executive Board meetings, it was noted that more than 8.8 million tickets have now been sold for the Paris, the most ever for a single Olympic Games.
Further, the re-allocation of final places in wrestling have added one “neutral” from Belarus: Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedeau, the 2020 Olympic silver winner in the men’s Freestyle 74 kg class, and the 2024 European silver winner at 79 kg.
He will be in the 74 kg class in Paris and brings the total number of “neutrals” to 32: 15 from Russia and 17 from Belarus.
¶
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said in an interview published on Sunday that close to one million security checks related to the 2024 Games have been made on individuals associated in any way with the event, and 4,340 have been rejected, “some over radical Islamist connections or suspicion of being foreign spies.”
He told the Journal du Dimanche:
“They are probably not there to carry out attacks. But in addition to intelligence and traditional espionage, there is the possibility of accessing entry points into computer networks to carry out a cyberattack.
“For example, we refused a large number of ‘journalists’ who claimed to cover the Games. On the other hand, we accepted the presence of Russians who work for the International Olympic Committee. We apply the precautionary principle.”
He added, however, “To our knowledge, we have no known threat to the security of the Olympic Games.”
As for the opening on the Seine River:
“In the past days I did a new reconnaissance by boat on the Seine with the police. I confirm that the ceremony will take place in the format announced by the President of the Republic.
“Apart from the flow of the river and the low risk of bad weather, there is – to date – no identified threat to the Games. Neither our intelligence services nor the foreign services with which we coordinate have detected any foreign threat. But you have to stay very humble and focused.”
¶
A teen arrested Wednesday after online threats and possibly attacking the Olympic torch relay, was sentenced to two years in prison. The Associated Press reported:
“The Paris public prosecutor’s office said in a statement the 19-year-old man was convicted after a swift trial overnight Friday on charges of sharing bomb-making instructions on social media, posts inciting hate and death threats as well as posts with personal information that put people at risk.”
¶
Friday’s opening of the security perimeter around the River Seine and the closure of most of the bridge crossings within the footprint of the Olympic opening ceremony were met with considerable confusion by Parisians and visitors who did not know about them.
The City of Paris had engaged in a heavy social-media and e-mail campaign to notify residents about the closures along the Seine and elsewhere, but when the security measures took effect, many were not ready.
Grant Marek of SFGate.com wrote:
“Thousands of people trying to cross the Seine – on bikes, in cars and on foot – were flummoxed by a blockade of security checkpoints along the river restricting access for Parisians and tourists alike unless they had a preapproved QR code that justified the need for travel within the perimeter. …
“The expectation, clearly, was that hundreds of thousands of locals and visitors were supposed to do extensive online research on security perimeter dates and interactive maps.”
¶
GamesBids.com reported that a U.S.-based company, CityPure LLC, is setting up a livestream operation from the Paris Games to show live competitions online.
The company says it will file for a declaratory judgment in its favor in Houston on Monday, saying its agreements over domain-name registrations with the IOC and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee in 2009 and 2017 allow it to do so. The story noted that the IOC is aware of the project and is following up with its own response.
● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● A proposed $2 billion elevated train extension called the “Inglewood Transit Connector” would move spectators from the existing Metro K Line to major venues such as SoFi Stadium, the Kia Forum and the new Intuit Dome and although planned to open in 2030, might be available for the 2028 Olympic Games.
But Rep. Maxime Waters (D-CA District 43), a power player in Washington, D.C., has asked that the project – which has received $1 billion in Federal support – be scrapped. She said in a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation:
“It will not provide convenient connectivity to employment or public services for local residents.
“The ITC is designed primarily to allow public transit users to connect the extra 1.6 miles from Metro’s K Line to sports and entertainment venues. Shuttle buses could most likely accomplish the same goal at a fraction of the cost, but have not been seriously considered as an alternative.”
Inglewood Mayor James Butts disagrees and said “You can’t come in at the 11th hour with a little fairy tale story about how something is so terrible. … “Who would lobby against a project that will go on for five to six years and provide prevailing wage jobs for 17,000 people? …
“It’s a catalyst for Metro. It’s going to reduce greenhouse gases. It’s going to remove cars from the roadway. It’s going to remove the impact on the residents of Inglewood on game days and concert days.”
● International Olympic Committee ● The IOC Executive Board approved a budget of $650 million for the 2025-28 Olympic Solidarity program, the most ever, and a 10% increase over the $590 million approved for 2021-24.
Athlete support programs are being increased to $66 million, increased investment in youth programs and refugee athletes, and an 11% increase for all National Olympic Committees (to $119 million) for management programs and administrative support.
An increase is expected from the current 1,331 Olympic scholarship athletes and 215 teams supported for Paris 2024.
¶
One of the key IOC members as the organization transitioned to a more professional structure, Australian Kevan Gosper, passed away at age 90 on 19 July after a short illness.
He was a world-class 400 m runner, winning an Olympic silver in the men’s 4×400 m at Melbourne in 1956, with a personal best of 46.3 from 1960. He became an IOC member in 1977 and served to 2013 until he became an Honorary Member. He served three terms on the IOC Executive Board from 1986-94 and from 1995-2002.
Gosper was Chair and chief executive of Shell Australia in Melbourne, and later head of Shell Asia Pacific operations out of London, between 1980-93.
● Basketball ● The U.S. men’s Olympic Team escaped with a 101-100 win over South Sudan in London (GBR) on Saturday, and the two will meet again in Olympic group play.
The U.S. got 25 points from LeBron James, 15 from Lakers teammate Anthony Davis (and 11 rebounds) and 14 from center Joel Embiid, but had no answer for guard Marial Shayok (born in Ottawa), who scored 24, plus 15 from guard Carlik Jones (born in Cincinnati) and 14 from forward J.T. Thor (born in Omaha).
The Americans were terrible from three-point range at 7-28, while the South Sudanese made 14-33. South Sudan came from down 2-12 to take a 26-24 lead at the quarter and led 58-44 at the half, on 61% shooting. A huge third quarter – 37-18, including a 16-0 run – gave the U.S. an 81-76 lead after three and then it was tight through the fourth.
It was 85-84 with 7:48 to play, then the U.S. ran out 90-84 on five straight from James. But it was 91-90 with 5:24 to go, then Davis and Jayson Tatum scored six for the U.S. to move ahead again, by 97-92. Thor’s pull-up three-pointer gave the Sudanese the lead, 100-99 with 20 seconds left, but James drove for a layin with eight seconds left and South Sudan missed three shots for the win at the end.
The U.S. has one more exhibition game left, also in London vs. FIBA World Cup champions Germany on the 22nd.
¶
The U.S. women’s Olympic team faced the WNBA All-Stars in Phoenix in their next-to-last tune-up for Paris, and got plastered, 117-109, in a game that was not that close.
The teams went back and forth in the first half, with the WNBA ending the first quarter up by 24-23, and the Olympic squad up by 54-52. Then Arike Ogunbowale happened.
After scoring no points in the half, the Dallas guard put on a show in the third quarter, scoring 21 points – including five three-pointers – for the WNBA to out-score the U.S., 36-25 and lead by 88-79.
The fourth quarter saw the WNBA continue on fire, extending with a 13-0 run to take a 106-86 lead with 4:45 to play on another Ogunbowale three-pointer. The U.S. made a 23-11 run to close up the score, but there was no question about the victory.
Ogunbowale scored an All-Star Game record 34 points on 10-20 shooting with 8-13 from three-point land and 6-7 free throws. She turned the game around, but guard Allisha Gray had 16 points, forward Nneka Ogwumike had 14, guard Kelsey Mitchell had 13 and forward Angel Reese had 12 (and 11 rebounds). Guard Caitlin Clark had 10 assists.
The U.S. frontcourt of Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson had 31 and 22 points, respectively, star guard Diana Taurasi had 14 and center Brittney Griner had 10 for the U.S. But the American defense was too porous and could not stop Ogunbowale, who got free again and again and shot 10-18 from the floor and 8-13 from three. And 14 turnovers – compared to eight for the WNBA stars – did not help.
The American women will play Germany in London on Tuesday for their final exhibition match.
● Cycling ● Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar romped to victory at the 111th Tour de France, leaving no doubt whatsoever of his superiority, winning the final climbing stages of the race on Friday and Saturday and finishing with a brilliant 6:17 margin of victory after the Individual Time Trial into Nice on Sunday.
Going into Friday’s 144.6 km triple climb from Embrun to Isola 2000, Pogacar had a 3:11 lead on two-time defending champion Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) and 5:09 on Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel.
On the final, 16 km climb – from 865 m to 2022 m – six riders formed the lead group and then American Matteo Jorgenson attacked, followed by Stage 17 winner Richard Carapaz (ECU). Jorgenson maintained the lead, as Simon Yates (GBR) closes on Carapaz. But Pogacar whips by both and finally overtakes Jorgenson with 2 km left and won in 4:04:03, up 21 seconds on the American. Yates (+0:40), Carapaz (+1:11), Evenepoel (+1:42) and Vingegaard (+1:42) all follow.
On Saturday, the 132.8 km route included four major climbs, starting in Nice and finishing uphill on the 1,676 m Col de la Couillole. A group of ten riders charges up the final climb, but five more – including Pogacar and Vingegaard – move up to challenge and pass everyone except Carapaz and Enric Mas (ESP) at the front.
Vingegaard takes the lead and Pogacar follows and they race to the line, with Pogacar attacking in the final 150 m for a seven-second win in 4:04:22. Carapaz and Evenepoel are 3-4 at 23 and 53 seconds behind, and Pogacar entered the final day with a lead of 5:14 on Vingegaard and 8:04 on Evenepoel.
Sunday’s Individual Time Trial from Monaco to Nice was a hilly, 33.7 km course with a flat finish, and Pogacar finished with his third straight stage win in 45:25, up 1:03 on Vingegaard, 1:14 on Evenepoel and 1:14 on Jorgenson in fourth.
That gave Pogacar a 6:17 margin in Vingegaard, the biggest of his three Tour wins, 9:18 on Evenepoel and 19:03 on Joao Almeida (POR) in fourth. Jorgenson was the top American, in eighth, 26:34 behind the winner.
Pogacar was the favorite and looked like it from start to finish. He’s the first rider since 1998 to win the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in the same year and has targeted the World Road Championships in Switzerland in September as his final major of the year.
He has specifically rejected the idea of trying for an unprecedented sweep of the Grand Tours, with the Vuelta a Espana coming in mid-August. Too much.
¶
Bjorn Riley and Kelsey Urban were the big winners at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships in Macungie, Pennsylvania.
Both won the Cross-Country Olympic national title, with Riley – a star on the UCI Mountain Bike U-23 circuit with five medals this season – storming to a 32-second lead after the first lap and winning in 1:22:02. Robbie Day and Devon Feehan were well back in 2-3 in 1:25:19 and 1:25:46.
The results were the same in Sunday’s Short Track race, but a lot closer, as Riley won in 21:22, with Day second in 21:33 and Feehan in 21:47.
Urban, who has been moving up on the UCI World Cup circuit, got her first senior-level national XCO title with an impressive win on Saturday, riding away from 2018 World Champion Kate Courtney, 1:15:23 to 1:16:17, with Gwen Gibson in third (1:16:30).
Courtney and Gibson got a lot closer in the Sunday’s Short Track race, but Urban won again, 19:58 to 19:59, with Gibson in third at 20:00.
● Softball ● Japan won its fourth WBSC World Cup title by defeating the U.S. in the championship final, 6-1, in in Castions di Strada (ITA).
The U.S. grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first, but RBI singles by third baseman Yui Sakamoto and center fielder Ayana Karoji gave Japan the lead in the top of the second. Meanwhile the American bats were silenced by Miu Goto in innings 2-5 and then 42-year-old Yukiko Ueno finished in relief.
Japan exploded for four runs in the top of the fourth, on a bloop single by catcher Yume Kuriishi, a single by left fielder Ayane Nakagawa and a two-run single by shortstop Kyoko Ishikawa to finish the scoring. Japan ended with 11 hits to five for the U.S.
The U.S. and Japan have – between them – won the last 13 titles in this tournament, with the Americans taking 10, but Japan winning three of the last six.
The U.S. and Japan were both 3-0 in group play in the finals, and the U.S. won the Super Round at 3-0, beating Japan, 2-0, as both advanced to the finals. Canada won the bronze, 11-7 over the Netherlands in 11 innings.
Softball will be back on the program for 2028 in Los Angeles, but with the tournament to be played in Oklahoma City, site of the annual Women’s College World Series.
● Sport Climbing ● Japan dominated the Lead finals at the IFSC World Cup in Briancon (FRA), sweeping the men’s medals with 20-year-old Zento Murashita (47+) winning his first World Cup podium, 20-year-old Satone Yoshida in second (45, first World Cup medal) and 18-year-old Shion Omata (42+) taking the honors.
Mei Kotake followed up on her first World Cup women’s medal in Chamonix with her first World Cup gold at 49+, followed by 2021 Worlds bronze winner Laura Rogora (ITA: 45) and Mattea Potzi (AUT: 42+).
¶
No U.S. climbers competed in Lead since all of them were disqualified. Per USA Climbing:
“We deeply regret to announce that USA Climbing failed to confirm the attendance of our Lead athletes registered to compete at the IFSC World Cup Briançon 2024. Despite their registration, the rules require a confirmation of attendance in person by a Team Official at the competition venue. Unfortunately, the Jury President of the event, following the rules, informed our onsite staff that our Lead athletes would not be eligible to participate.
“We can only imagine the immense disappointment our athletes and fans must be feeling right now, and we want to express our sincerest apologies for this inexcusable oversight. Our staff are actively working on ways to prevent this from happening again in the future by putting additional safeguards in place to mitigate such issues moving forward.
“In light of these circumstances, USA Climbing will reimburse travel expenses for the athletes and their family members who traveled to support them.”
The U.S. Speed climbers did compete; there were 10 U.S. entries listed for Lead, although at least two had said they did not plan to compete in Briancon.
¶
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