HIGHLIGHTS: Kriechmayr sweeps Alpine speed events; three American Records at the New Balance Grand Prix; Worlds golds for Humphries, Mantia and Bowe!

(★ Mates: Sure! With our forty fourth donor towards our December invoice for server and assist prices, we’re somewhat over 100% of our aim! If you want to assist us prep for June’s bill, please donate here. Your enthusiasm is the explanation this web site retains going. ★)

Headline outcomes of noteworthy competitions all over the world:

● Alpine Snowboarding ● The FIS Alpine World Championship are persevering with in Cortina d’Ampezzo (ITA), with the Downhills being held this weekend.

Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr made a serious assertion with a win within the Downhill on Sunday, successful his second Worlds gold in 4 days in 1:37.79 on the Vertigine course. He began first within the order and nobody might catch him.

In reality, the gold and silver medals had been determined within the first two runs, as German Andreas Sander – beginning second – clocked 1:37.80 and needed to accept second, simply 0.01 behind! Swiss Beat Feuz, the 2017 World Champion, completed third in 1:37.97.

Kriechmayr, 29, had eight wins in 11 World Cup seasons coming into the 2021 Worlds, however has been at his finest when medals are at stake. He gained a Tremendous-G silver and Downhill bronze on the 2019 Worlds, however turned the primary to win each World titles for the primary time since 2005, when American Bode Miller took the Downhill and Tremendous-G, additionally in Italy (at Bormio).

The highest American finishers within the Downhill had been Bruce Bennett (tie for tenth) and Travis Ganong in twelfth.

Earlier within the week, the delayed Tremendous-G races noticed Kriechmayr declare his third profession World Championships medal – however first victory, in 1:19.41 – forward of former Austrian star Romed Baumann (now GER: 1:19.48) and France’s Alexis Pinturault (1:19.79 for his fifth profession Worlds medal).

Saturday’s girls’s Downhill was a triumph for Switzerland, which logged its second winner in a single girls’s Worlds since 1991 with Corinne Suter successful her fourth Worlds medal total and first title.

Suter, 26, was the silver medalist within the 2019 Worlds Downhill and was second within the Tremendous-G earlier within the week, 0.34 behind winner and fellow Swiss Lara Intestine-Behrami. Beginning seventh, Suter steamed down the Olympia delle Tofane course in 1:34.27 and nobody might match her. Germany’s Kira Weidle, beginning Eleventh, was the closest at 1:34.47 and Intestine-Behrami was third for her seventh profession Worlds medal in 1:34.64, forward of Czech star Ester Ledecka (1:34.71). American Breezy Johnson completed ninth in a really creditable 1:35.17.

Within the Tremendous-G earlier within the week, Intestine-Behrami gained her seventh Worlds medal within the girls’s Tremendous-G, however first title, in 1:25.51, forward of Suter (1:23.85) and American Mikaela Shiffrin (1:25.98). For Shiffrin, it was her eighth Worlds medal (5-1-2) and second within the Tremendous-G, which she gained in 2019.

The Worlds proceed this week, with the Mixed, adopted by the Parallel races, Large Slalom and Slalom.

¶

American star Ted Ligety, who had introduced his retirement, to take impact after the World Championships Large Slalom, withdrew from the race resulting from sciatic nerve ache and issues over harm. He leaves the game at 36, having gained Olympic golds in 2006 and 2014, 5 World Championships golds (and 7 complete medals) and 5 seasonal titles within the Large Slalom. One of many most interesting American skiers ever.

● Athletics ● Huge marks had been anticipated on the New Stability Grand Prix meet, relocated to the Ocean Breeze Observe & Discipline Athletic Advanced on Staten Island, New York after the Reggie Lewis Heart within the Boston space was unavailable resulting from its use as a Covid-19 vaccination web site.

An excellent area of athletes on the lookout for a approach to begin the season was assembled and resulted in eight world leaders and a batch of American-record performances:

● Males/800 m: 1:44.21, Donovan Brazier (USA) ~ American Document
● Males/1,000 m: 2:16.27, Bryce Hoppel (USA) ~ American Document
● Males/2-mile: 8:13.92, Justyn Knight (CAN)
● Males/Excessive Soar: 2.33 m, Trey Culver (USA: 7-7 3/4)
● Ladies/300 m: 35.73, Gabby Thomas (USA)
● Ladies/400 m: 50.21, Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH)
● Ladies/2-Mile: 9:10.28, Elle Purrier (USA) ~ American Document
● Ladies/60 m hurdles: 7.82, Keni Harrison (USA)

Trayvon Bromell confirmed he’s actually prepared for outside, successful the 60 m in 6.50, simply 0.02 behind his world-leading mark of 6.48 in late January. His acceleration within the again half was spectacular and bodes effectively for his spring at 100 m.

Noah Lyles gained the 200 m in 20.80, forward of Deon Lendore (TTO: 20.92), however was unimpressed with the time. “It’s indoors,” he mentioned afterwards. The 400 m was an at-the-tape lean for Michael Norman over roommate Rai Benjamin, 45.34-45.39.

Within the 800 m, Brazier was on the lookout for a quick time, and separated from the sector instantly, passing the 400 m mark in 51.16 behind solely pacesetter James Bias. He was by no means challenged, and got here dwelling in 53.05 for 1:44.21, shaving 0.01 from his personal American Document, shifting to equal-fourth on the all-time world record.

Hoppel ran away from the sector over the ultimate half-lap within the 1,000 m, taking with him the American Document of two:16.76 of the late David Torrence from 2014. The mark strikes Hoppel to no. 8 on the all-time world record.

Australia’s Oliver Hoare steamed previous Britain’s Jake Wightman within the final half-lap to win the 1,500 m in 3:32.35, his finest ever – indoors or out – and the no. 2 mark on the earth for 2021, with Wightman in 3:34.48 (no. 3) and Sam Tanner (AUS) in 3:34.72 (no. 6). Hoare’s mark strikes him to no. 7 on the all-time world record as effectively.

Culver equaled his best-ever leap, indoors or out, including one cm to the world-leading mark, regardless that he hit the bar exhausting on the way in which over on his second strive. He missed 3 times at 2.36 m (7-8 3/4).

Thomas got here from behind on the ultimate straight to edge Lynna Irby, 35.73-35.99, bettering her personal world-leading time, and shifting to no. 5 on the all-time record and no. 2 on the all-time U.S. record, simply 0.02 behind Quanera Hayes’s American Document from 2017. Irby strikes to no. 9 on the all-time world record.

Famous person Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) went to the entrance early and cruised to a world-leading 50.21 within the 400 m, a nationwide indoor report and equal-Eighth on the all-time world record. American Wadeline Jonathas was effectively behind in second at 51.95.

U.S. 800 m star Ajee Wilson took management over the ultimate flip and gained the 800 m in 2:01.79 from Kaela Edwards (USA: 2:02.17). Wilson mentioned afterwards that she had scratched from the race resulting from a minor harm, however felt higher on Saturday morning and regarded comfy all through, emphasizing successful relatively than a quick mark.

Within the two-mile, Purrier lastly broke former World Steeple champ Emma Coburn with 2 1/2 laps to go and ran away with the win in 9:10.28, an American Document (previous: 9:18.35, Jenny Simpson in 2015) and the no. 3 mark of all-time within the occasion. Coburn completed in 9:15.71, additionally under Simpson’s mark, and no. 8 on the all-time world record.

Sandi Morris of the U.S. claimed the vault at 4.60 m (15-1).

¶

Again on the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Oregon senior Cooper Teare led teammate, soph Cole Hocker – each People – to a world-leading 3:50.39 males’s mile win, with Hocker at 3:50.55! That’s a collegiate indoor report for Teare, and he claimed the 1,500 m mark too at 3:35.46, with Hocker at 3:36.63.

The marks transfer Teare and Hocker to nos. 3-4 on the all-time U.S. indoor mile record, and positions 6 and seven on the all-time U.S. 1,500 m record.

Florida State senior Isaac Grimes (USA) was second heading into the ultimate spherical of the lads’s lengthy leap, however then he produced a lifetime better of 8.33 m (27-4) to win, a world-leading mark for 2021. He’d jumped 8.00 m (26-3) indoors coming into this season, however improved to eight.18 m (26-10) on 29 January and now this!

On the Orlen Cup in Lodz (POL), the ageless Mike Rodgers (USA) gained the lads’s 60 m over Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs, 6.52-6.53 for the no. 2 and equal-Third positions on the 12 months record, behind Bromell. Sam Kendricks of the U.S. gained the vault over Ernest John Obiena (PHI), as each cleared 5.86 m (19-2 3/4).

On Sunday, Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay gained the ladies’s 800 m in a sensational 1:57.52, shifting to ninth on the all-time world indoor record, on the Assembly de L’Eure at Val-de-Reuil (FRA). Countryman Getnet Wale gained the lads’s 1,500 m 3:35.54 to three:35.60 for fellow Ethiopian Lamecha Girma. American winners included Grant Holloway within the males’s 60 m hurdles in 7.41 and Javianne Oliver within the girls’s 60 m in 7.14.

¶

Outdoor, New Zealand’s Jacko Gill scored one other win over star putter Tomas Walsh (NZL) in Hamilton on Saturday, as soon as once more reaching 21.52 m (70-7 1/4) to Walsh’s 21.45 m (70-4 1/2). Two-time Olympic champ Valerie Adams (NZL) had two world-leading throws to win the ladies’s shot at 18.68 m (61-3 1/2).

On the roads, Kenyan star Beatrice Chepkoech, the world-record holder within the Steeplechase, grabbed the 5 km highway report by successful the Monaco Run in 14:43. That’s one second sooner than the 14:44 mark by Sifan Hassan (NED) in the identical race in 2019.

● Biathlon ● The 2021 World Championships are underway in Pokljuka (SLO), with competitions by subsequent weekend and firstly, it’s the Tiril Eckhoff present.

The 30-year-old from Baerum, Norway had gained 9 Worlds medals coming into 2021, together with two golds every in 2016 (Dash and Relay), 2019 (each relays) and 2020 (each relays), however has gained three golds in simply the primary 5 days of the 2021 championships.

She began with the third leg of Norway’s 4×7.5 km Combined Relay on the tenth, handing a giant result in teammate Marte Olsbu Roeiseland, who completed off a 27.0-second win. Then she dominated the ladies’s 7.5 km Dash, capturing clear and successful by 12.0 seconds over France’s Anais Chevalier-Bouchet, 21:18.7-21:30.7. Hanna Sola (BLR) was third, some 14.4 seconds behind. Susan Dunklee was the highest American in 18th place, 1:17.9 behind the winner.

It was Eckhoff’s second world dash title after her 2016 win. She then added a 3rd gold in Sunday’s 10 km Pursuit, an occasion she the place she gained the silver medal in 2019. She had two capturing penalties, however nonetheless gained by a formidable 17.3 seconds in 30:38.1 over Austria’s Lisa Theresa Hauser and by 33.0 over Chevalier-Bouchet. It was the primary Dash-Pursuit double on the girls’s Worlds since 2008, when German Andrea Henkel managed the feat.

Dunklee was the highest American within the Pursuit, 3:01.4 behind Eckhoff.

The boys’s 10 km Dash was gained unexpectedly first-time World Champion Martin Ponsiluoma, who mixed an ideal capturing efficiency with robust snowboarding to win in 24:41.1, 11.2 seconds forward of France’s Simon Desthieux, with teammate Emilien Jacquelin (FRA: +12.9). Ponsiluoma, 25, wasn’t a complete shock, having gained two World Cup medals this season, however his finest prior end in a Worlds was twenty third in final 12 months’s Pursuit!

Desthieux and Jacquelin had been additionally first-time World Championships medal winners. The highest American was Jake Brown in twelfth, 44.8 seconds again of Ponsiluoma.

The boys’s 12.5 km Pursuit remained in French palms, as Jacquelin defended his 2020 title in fashion, with no capturing penalties and a 7.3-second margin over Swede Sebastian Samuelsson in 31:22.1, with Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Boe third, 8.1 seconds again. France has now gained this race in 4 of the final 5 Worlds and 6 of the final 9. Boe gained his fourth Worlds medal on this race, having completed second 3 times in a row in 2017-19-20.

Brown was once more the highest American, ending twenty fifth, some 3:17.2 behind the victor. The Worlds continues this week, with all eyes on Eckhoff in Tuesday’s 15 km Particular person race.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● The IBSF Worlds wrapped up in Altenberg (GER) this week, with extra golds for superstars Kaillie Humphries of the U.S. and Germany’s Francesco Friedrich.

Humphries gained the two-women race with Lolo Jones final week, however collected the first-ever girls’s Monobob title on Sunday. After putting fourth within the first run, Humphries zipped to the quickest time in every of the final three races, compiling a complete time of three:59.62, forward of Germans Stephanie Schneider (+0.50) and Laura Nolte (+0.80). American Elana Meyers Taylor had a tricky competitors, rating 22-9-10-15 and ending fifteenth total (4:05.44).

Humphries now owns 5 Worlds golds from 2012-21 and is clearly one of many sizzling tales of the forthcoming 2022 Winter Video games.

Friedrich continued his dominance within the four-man sled, successful his fourth title in a row and a medal in his fifth straight Worlds. There was little doubt in regards to the consequence, as Friedrich’s sled posted the quickest time on all 4 runs and gained in 3:35.02. That was 0.79 seconds sooner than Benjamin Maier (AUT) and 1.51 seconds up on German teammate Johannes Lochner.

Friedrich has now piloted the successful two-man and four-man sleds in 4 World Championships in a row.

Within the Skeleton races, there have been few surprises, with one other German sweep of the golds. Defending champion Christopher Grotheer solely gained one medal on the World Cup circuit this season – a bronze – however he was prepared when it counted. After working third after the primary race, he clocked the quickest time in every of the ultimate three to win in 3:46.31, a decent 0.28 seconds forward of Russian Alexander Tretiakov (3:46.59) after which German teammate Alexander Gassner (3:47.51).

Seasonal winner Martins Dukurs (LAT) completed Eleventh after the primary run and was by no means in competition, ending in sixteenth (3:50.69) The highest American was Austin Florian in fifteenth (3:50.67).

It was the second straight Worlds win for Grotheer and second bronze in a row for Gassner.

The ladies’s title was as soon as once more the property of Tina Hermann (GER), who gained her fourth World Championships gold within the occasion and third in a row. It wasn’t straightforward, nonetheless, as Hermann logged solely the Eleventh-fastest journey within the first spherical, however then gained the final three runs to complete simply 0.11 forward of teammate Jacqueline Loelling, 3:52.97-3:53.08. For Loelling, it was her third silver medal. Within the final six years, to go together with her 2017 Worlds gold. Russian Elena Nikitina was third (3:54.65).

American Katie Uhlaender, the 2012 Worlds winner, was the highest American in sixth (3:54.88).

For good measure, Grotheer and Hermann teamed as much as win the Combined Group occasion, forward of Loelling and Gassner, 1:55.41-1:55.55, with Russia’s Nikitina and Tretiakov third.

● Freestyle Snowboarding ● The FIS World Freestyle Championships have been cut up into three elements with the cancellation of the deliberate program in China; the primary part noticed the Ski Cross title determined in Idre Fjall (SWE).

Swiss Alex Fiva, a constant contender on the World Cup circuit, took his first Worlds medal with a win within the remaining on Saturday (thirteenth), edging defending champ Francois Place (FRA), and forward of Erik Mobaerg (SWE) and Oliver Davies (GBR). For Place, it was his third straight Worlds medal, after a bronze in 2017 and the gold in 2019.

The ladies’s remaining noticed acquainted stars on the rostrum, with Swede Sandra Naeslund successful her second world title – additionally in 2017 – over Swiss Fanny Smith, who took her third straight Worlds silver within the occasion! France’s Alizee Baron gained her second straight bronze medal, with Talina Gantenbein (SUI) fourth.

The 2021 Worlds in Huge Air, Halfpipe and Slopestyle shall be held in Aspen, Colorado (USA) from 7-17 March, and the Aerials and Moguls Worlds shall be in Almaty (KAZ) from 8-11 March.

● Ski Leaping ● The boys’s World Cup tour was in Zakopane (POL), leaping off of the 140 m hill, with 2019 World Cup champ Ryoyu Kobayashi claiming his first World Cup medal of this season together with his seventeenth profession gold. Poland’s Andrej Stekala who gained his first profession particular person World Cup medal in second, 268.9-268.6, with Marius Lindvik (NOR) taking third (267.8) for his fifth World Cup medal of the season.

Seasonal chief Halvor Egner Granerud took his Eleventh win of the season on Sunday, out-pointing Slovenia’s Anze Lanisek, 298.1-295.2. Norway’s Robert Johansson – the person with the large moustache – was third at 293.8.

Granerud leads the seasonal standings, 1,542-1,017, over Germany’s Markus Eisenbichler.

● Snowboard ● The Ski Cross Worlds had been in Idre Fjall (SWE), together with the Freestylers, with skilled former medal winners shifting as much as take their first Worlds golds.

Spain’s Lucas Eguibar gained the Worlds silver in 2017, however was first to the road within the remaining, edging Austrian star Alessandro Hammerle, who gained his first Worlds medal in second. Canadian Eliot Grondin was a shock in third, forward of Austria’s Jakob Dusek.

The ladies on the victory stand in 2021 had been the identical as 2019 … however in a unique order. Britain’s Charlotte Bankes was runner-up two years in the past, however was the winner this time, forward of with three-time bronze medalist Michela Moioli (ITA) ending second this time and defending champ Eva Samkova (CZE) third. Australia’s Belle Brockhoff was fourth.

Nonetheless, Brockhoff and Jarryd Hughes got here again to win the SnowCross Group title, forward of Italy and France. People Hagen Kearney and Faye Gulini completed fourth.

● Pace Skating ● The ISU World Single Distance Pace Skating Championships, just like the World Cups earlier than them, was held in Heerenveen (NED) to guarantee the well being and security of the skaters, and was one of the vital aggressive Worlds ever.

The U.S. obtained robust performances that included large Saturday wins by Joey Mantia within the 16-lap males’s Mass Begin race and Brittany Bowe within the girls’s 1,000 m.

Mantia was in acquainted territory because the World Champion in 2017 and 2019, however wasn’t certain of himself after have recovered from the coronavirus. “After having Covid in December I didn’t actually know what to anticipate.

“I used to be skating fairly effectively in follow however I used to be actually, actually drained on a regular basis. The final two World Cups had been actually tough. The races weren’t overly quick however I simply felt I couldn’t sustain. I had no legs.

“I mentioned to my coach, ‘Man, if I get on to the ice and my physique offers me what I need it to provide me, I’m going to win.’ I used to be extraordinarily assured. I felt like I might do no matter I needed and coming down to 5 laps, I used to be simply licking my chops as a result of I knew, given the chance and a transparent line, I ought to have the ability to win.”

He labored his approach right into a putting place after which surged to the entrance to win in 7:32.470, forward of Arjan Stroetinga (NED: 7:32.770) and Belgian star Bart Swings (7:32.830).

Bowe was the clear favourite within the girls’s 1,000 m, a race through which she was the 2015 and 2019 World Champion and bronze medalist in 2013 and 2016, however she didn’t let it hassle her.

“Stress is unquestionably a privilege as a result of not many individuals get to really feel it. It’s whether or not or not you possibly can embrace it. It doesn’t all the time go the way in which you need it to go. Typically you’re capable of take care of it and typically you’re not. We’re not machines, we’re solely people.”

Bowe was within the next-to-last pairing with one other of the favorites, defending champion Jutta Leerdam (NED). High quality for her: “The draw was good. You all the time need to be paired with one of the best competitor and ranging from the internal lane is all the time good within the 1000m as a result of you possibly can chase in that final internal [corner].

“The race went precisely how I replayed it time and time once more in my head, and I used to be actually joyful to cross the road and see that inexperienced quantity subsequent to my identify.”

Bowe completed in 1:14.128 to finest Leerdam (1:14.672) for a 3rd world title within the occasion and her fourth profession Worlds gold. Russian Elizaveta Golubeva was third (1:14.848).

In Sunday’s 1,500 m, Bowe was once more the favourite, however needed to accept silver as 20-year-old Norwegian Ragne Wiklund, skating within the seventh pair, put up a shocking time of 1:54.613 that held up towards the remainder of the sector. Bowe gained her pairing at 1:55.034, and Russian Evgeniia Lalenkova was third (1:55.099). Bowe now owns a profession complete of 11 Worlds medals.

General, nonetheless, it was the skaters from the Netherlands who dominated the ladies’s racing. Russian Angelika Golikova gained the five hundred m in a modest upset over Dutch sprinter Femke Kok, 37.141-37.281, however then the Dutch took over. Antoinette de Jong gained the three,000 m in 3:58.470 over six-time winner Marina Sablikova (CZE), Irene Schouten took the 5,000 m in 6:48.537, Marijke Groenewoud gained the Mass Begin over Canada’s Ivanie Blondin with Schouten third, and the Dutch squad of de Jong, Schouten and legend Ireen Wust gained the Group Pursuit over Canada and Russia. The Dutch gained 9 of the 21 medals within the girls’s competitions, with Russia subsequent finest at six.

The boys’s honors began with the Dutch once more, who took three occasions: Kai Verbij gained the 1,000 m (his second) in 1:08.052 over Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS: 1:08.313); Thomas Krol gained his second 1,500 m world title, main a Dutch sweep forward of Kjeld Nuis and Patrick Roest, 1:43.752-1:44.110-1:45.493, and Roest teamed with Marcel Bosker and Beau Snellink to take the Group Pursuit over Canada and Russia.

Canada’s Laurent Dubreuil gained the five hundred m dash in tight duel with Kulizhnikov and Dai Dai Ntab (NED), however the largest surprises got here within the 5,000 m and 10,000 m races. Sweden’s Nils van der Poel gained each – the first-ever Worlds wins in these occasions for Sweden – defeating Dutch stars Roest within the 5 and Jorrit Bergsma within the 10, setting a world report of 12:32.952 within the 10,0000 m and a nationwide report in of 6:08.395 within the 5,000 m.

General, the Dutch gained 18 medals (7-6-5), with Russia at 11 (1-3-7). The Netherlands gained seven golds, to 2 every for the U.S. and Sweden.

You possibly can obtain our unique TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can too refer a pal by clicking here, and may donate here to maintain this web site going.

For our 649-event Worldwide Sports activities Calendar for 2021 and past, by date and by sport, click here!