HEARD AT HALFTIME: Tokyo Paralympics open Tuesday; was Thompson-Herah’s 10.54 the WR? Is Eugene good or bad for U.S. track?

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Information, views and noise from the continuous, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

● XVI Paralympic Video games: Tokyo 2020 ● As with the now-completed Olympic Video games, all of the discuss is concerning the coronavirus in Tokyo, with the Paralympic Opening Ceremony on for Tuesday the twenty fourth.

“The primary precept to arrange this video games is the protection and wellbeing of everybody,” stated Worldwide Paralympic Committee chair Andrew Parsons (BRA), including “We don’t really feel the presence of the Paralympics right here could have a direct affect on elevating the variety of circumstances and even lowering the variety of circumstances.”

About 4,400 athletes are anticipated to attend the Paralympics, with many of the similar restrictions as for the Olympic Video games: primarily no spectators and a much-reduced variety of officers, sponsors and assist employees. Tokyo’s state of emergency has continued, however Parsons famous:

“We’d not be right here if we didn’t imagine that we might ship a secure video games.”

Tokyo 2020 chief Seiko Hashimoto underscored the commitment: “We’ll defend the video games that can open tomorrow till the very finish and information them to success.”

¶

The IPC reported that 161 nations/areas, plus a Refugee Crew, will compete in Tokyo, thought of a significant success on condition that – regardless of the pandemic – that is three greater than in Rio 2016 and simply wanting the all-time file of 164 from London 2012. There are 21 nations not competing; 4 had journey issued associated to the pandemic, two had its athletes decline to take part and 4 didn’t come as a consequence of a governmental determination or lack of funding.

Parsons defined that Afghanistan won’t have a delegation in Tokyo on account of the Taliban takeover of the nation, however that the nation’s flag will “be included” within the Opening Ceremony as a “signal of solidarity.” The flagbearer shall be from the Workplace of the United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Refugees.

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee announced that its flagbearers on the Opening Ceremony shall be wheelchair rugby participant Chuck Aoki, a two-time Paralympic medalist, and paratriathlete Melissa Stockwell, a Paralympic bronze medalist. They had been voted in by their fellow athletes; the U.S. has a staff of 242 competing in Tokyo and expects to have about 115 athletes marching within the opening.

● Video games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● One of many enduring tales of the Tokyo Video games was how a volunteer on the rowing venue supplied Jamaican hurdler Hansle Parchment taxi fare so he might get to his semifinal race on the Olympic Stadium on time.

Parchment had absent-mindedly taken the improper bus, however because of Tijana Kawashima Stojkovic, 25, he not solely acquired again to the monitor in good time, he later received the ultimate in an upset of American star Grant Holloway, all on 4 August.

It was Jamaica’s solely males’s gold in your entire Video games. Parchment returned to the rowing venue the subsequent day to repay the taxi fare and reward her a Jamaican staff polo shirt, and now the Jamaican Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, has invited her to come to Jamaica as a present of thanks.

She was invited throughout a particular ceremony on the Jamaican Embassy in Tokyo; she informed reporters, “I simply did what I can do.”

¶

The Worldwide Truthful Play Committee revealed 13 nominations for its Tokyo Fair Play Award, together with moments from Athletics (6), Badminton, Biking (BMX), Gymnastics, Judo, Swimming, Skateboarding and Triathlon.

The nominees included the U.S. girls’s Inventive Gymnastics staff supporting teammate Simone Biles in her second of want after withdrawing from the Crew Finals; Dutch star Sifan Hassan, who fell whereas beginning the ultimate lap of her warmth within the girls’s 1,500 m, then getting up and profitable the race; American 800 m runner Isaiah Jewett and Botswana’s Nijel Amos, who fell of their warmth, however acquired up and walked collectively to the end line, and the “Can we’ve two golds?” second within the males’s excessive soar between Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi.

The winner is predicted to be introduced quickly.

● Video games of the XXXIV Olympiad: Los Angeles 2028 ● A number of worldwide federations are mounting all-out rushes on the LA28 organizers to get their sports activities added to this system.

One sport with direct Los Angeles connections is the World Flying Disc Federation which was primarily born in Southern California. At its annual Congress held final Saturday (twenty first), it added nationwide federations in Ghana, Nigeria, Madagascar, Serbia, and Kyrgyzstan to deliver its membership whole to 100. It expects to have 120 nations formally concerned by 2024.

The WFDF is ensuring that the L.A. of us know they’re round: the World Seaside Final Championships shall be held within the Los Angeles space subsequent April, and the game shall be showcased on the World Video games in Birmingham, Alabama in early July.

The added sports activities for the 2028 Video games are anticipated to be finalized in 2025.

● Athletics ● There’s a lot to unpack from Saturday’s Prefontaine Basic, held on the new Hayward Discipline in entrance of an introduced crowd of 8,937.

Primary was whether or not Jamaica’s Olympic dash star Elaine Thompson-Herah’s 10.54 win within the girls’s 100 m is definitely the world file.

It’s the second-fastest time ever run, behind Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 10.49 within the quarterfinals on the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials. However that mark has been questioned for many years because it had a wind studying of 0.0 m/s despite the fact that the triple soar – occurring on the similar time – had over-the-allowable wind on virtually each soar. Most statisticians imagine Flojo’s mark was wind-aided, however the one group that counts – World Athletics – acknowledges it because the world file.

American Sha’Carri Richardson had a foul day on the workplace, ending final in 11.14. She was hardly contrite afterwards, telling NBC’s Lewis Johnson on dwell nationwide tv:

“Popping out right this moment, it was an amazing return again to the game. I needed to have the ability to come and carry out after having a month off and coping with all I used to be coping with.

“I’m not upset with myself in any respect. That is one race. I’m not executed. You realize what I’m able to. Rely me out if you wish to. Discuss all of the [s—] you need, as a result of I’m right here to remain. I’m not executed. I’m the sixth quickest girl on this sport, ever. And no person can ever take that from me. Congratulations to the winners, however they don’t seem to be executed seeing me but. Interval.”

A lot happier was American Noah Lyles, who received the lads’s 200 m in a world-leading 19.52 after profitable the bronze medal in Tokyo:

“It’s a decent little bow on the top of the season. I wasn’t actually feeling that my mindset was proper for right this moment however I really feel like 5 periods of remedy I used to be capable of let go of what occurred in Tokyo and persuade myself that I do know I’m upset [about Tokyo] and I do know I’m in nice form to run and are available out right here and be capable to put it on the monitor.

“I don’t assume you perceive how lifeless it was in Tokyo to don’t have any crowd there. It was useless silent. To come back right here and see a complete lot of people that love monitor, it was simply wonderful to see. I’m actually excited to come back again [in 2022] particularly coming off an amazing yr like this, solely shifting it ahead. Shoot, the sky’s the restrict.”

¶

The World Athletics U-20 Championships had been held in Nairobi (KEN) from 18-22 August, with the U.S. and plenty of different main monitor & subject nations absent as a consequence of Covid issues. The headline win was by France’s Sasha Zhoya, who received the lads’s 110 m hurdles in a sensational 12.72!

These had been 99 cm-high hurdles – 39 inches – the identical as used within the U.S. for highschool races. For comparability, the U.S. highschool greatest is 13.08 by Wayne Davis (Raleigh Southeast in North Carolina) in 2009!

¶

Typically Twitter will be entertaining. Take the thrust-and-parry all day Saturday between ex-Los Angeles Occasions and NBC Sports activities Olympic columnist Alan Abrahamson and others about whether or not Eugene is a worthwhile middle of monitor & subject within the U.S. Highlights:

● Abrahamson on Friday night’s distance program: “There’s nobody there, as you’ll be able to see from the image. This for a much-hyped WR try [by Sifan Hassan]. When will folks begin to perceive that Eugene is in the course of nowhere?”

● Former Oregonian monitor author Ken Goe: “Ummm, 3,541 folks confirmed up throughout a extreme Covid outbreak for 4 races. These had been scanned tickets, not a crowd estimate. Undecided that might occur in Los Angeles, based mostly on the LA meets I’ve coated.”

● Abrahamson: “I reiterate. 3541 folks. At a brand-new $270m stadium. The place a triple medalist was hyped for a world file. That isn’t excellent. Farthest factor from

“As for extreme covid – LA County is arguably worst within the nation and there have been 48,117 on the Dodger sport … we each love t/f, Ken, however that is what it’s, as I’ve noticed repeatedly about Eugene”

● Abrahamson, replying to @tracksuperfan Jesse Squire: “I’m attempting to say that Eugene shouldn’t be the place to develop monitor and subject in the US. Which you understand full nicely is what I’m saying”

● Goe: “Appears to me, Los Angeles as soon as had an elite-level monitor meet. What occurred to that?”

● Abrahamson: “Right here’s the actual q. What do you assume Sha’Carri would draw right this moment in LA? Or NY? Chicago? Houston? Any High-10 metropolis? An actual metropolis? She is the primary crossover star in ages. And this meet is in Eugene”

● Goe: “Possibly a kind of cities ought to stage a Diamond League meet.”

● Abrahamson: “Possibly we should always all cease pretending that we’re ‘rising’ monitor and subject in the US of America out of distant Eugene, Oregon”

● Veteran coach and monitor author Steve Ritchie: “Eugene has hosted the Trials seven instances. Six of these instances the attendance was wonderful. Given the reluctance of many to journey to the Trials this yr and the pretty restrictive Covid measures applied, I’d not choose Eugene too harshly for low attendance this yr”

● Abrahamson: “Steve, you and I are buddies. And your love for all issues Oregon is completely wonderful. However your argument is strictly why the game is the place it’s. Six instances already. And monitor as a sport within the US panorama – wanting up at fb, baseball, hoops and extra. My level!”

● Ritchie: “Like @tracksuperfan I agree it will be a great factor to produce other, bigger cities step as much as host main occasions. In my lifetime I haven’t seen LA, NYC, or another group do wherever near what Eugene has executed.”

● Abrahamson: “It’s not per se Eugene. It’s one particular person [with] a love for the college. Which is completely high quality. He’s allowed to spend his cash as he sees match”

Basic. Sport on. Value noting: Mt. San Antonio Faculty in Southern California – house of the Mt. SAC Relays – was awarded the 2020 Trials, then had it revoked over issues over ending its renovation on time. It was prepared earlier than Hayward Discipline; will it get one other probability?

● Biking ● The 76th Vuelta a Espana completed its first relaxation day on Monday, with two-time defending champion Primoz Roglic (SLO) again within the chief’s pink jersey after 9 of 21 phases.

Roglic returned to the lead after stage 6, during which he dueled with Denmark’s Magnus Cort to the end and was out-leaned on the line. Friday’s far more demanding stage – with six climbs and an uphill end – was received by Australia’s Michael Storer with a breakaway within the closing 3 km over Spain’s Carlos Verona, with Roglic ending sixteenth, with the opposite race contenders. The flat, sprinter’s stage 8 on Saturday was the second stage win for Fabio Jakobsen (NED), forward of Alberto Dainese (ITA) and 110 others who acquired the identical time.

Sunday was a tough, four-climb mountain stage with an uphill end to the Alto de Velefique in southern Spain, received by Italy’s Damiano Caruso, however with Roglic second, gaining main time on all of his opponents besides Spain’s Enric Mas. After 9 phases, Roglic is +0:28 vs. Mas and +1:21 over Miguel Angel Lopez (COL). Roglic is attempting to be the primary three-peat winner since 2005 and is nicely on his means.

¶

The UCI World BMX Racing World Championships had been held in Papendal (NED) over the weekend, with Olympic gold medalists Niek Kimmann (NED) and Bethany Shriever (GBR) repeating their victories.

Kimmann received his second BMX Racing world title in a decent, 34.337-34.500 duel over France’s Sylvain Andre, the 2018 World Champion. Shriever was a transparent winner by 35.110-36.375-36.468 over Dutch stars Judy Baauw and 2018 winner Laura Smulders.

● Soccer ● CONCACAF introduced an expanded program of ladies’s championship soccer for 2021-24, with play starting in November for the brand new “W Championship.”

This event will embody eight groups – the U.S., Canada and 6 qualifiers – and end in 2022 with the 4 semifinalists all qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Girls’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The three-place finishers within the two teams will advance to a intercontinental play-in event. The winner of the W Championship will qualify for the 2024 Olympic event in Paris.

The primary-ever CONCACAF W Gold Cup shall be held in 2024 with eight groups from the area and 4 visitor groups.

● Ice Hockey ● The IIHF Women’s World Championship started final Friday in Calgary, Canada, with the U.S. girls in search of their sixth title in a row and ninth within the final 10.

In Group A, seeded with the strongest groups, Canada and the U.S. are each 2-0. Canada defeated Finland, 5-3, in its opener and the Russians, 5-1. The U.S. has shut out Switzerland (3-0; Alex Cavallini in purpose) and Finland (3-0; Nicole Hensley) to date.

The Czech Republic and Germany are each 2-0 in Group B; The quarterfinals start on the twenty eighth.

● Triathlon ● The World Triathlon Championship finals in Edmonton (CAN) on Saturday noticed Olympic Champions Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) and Flora Duffy (BER) add the 2021 world titles to their trophy circumstances.

Blummenfelt received the lads’s closing in 1:44:14, simply forward of Marten Van Riel (BEL, additionally 1:44:14) and Leo Bergere (FRA: 1:44.15) and completed the season with 3,927 factors towards 3,594 for Van Riel and three,289 for Olympic silver winner Alex Yee (GBR). American Taylor Knibb received the ladies’s race in Edmonton in 1:54:47, beating Leonie Periault (FRA: 1:55:43) and Duffy (1:56:11). Individuals Katie Zaferes (1:56:14) and Taylor Spivey (1:56:16) went 4-5. Duffy took the seasonal title with 3,861 factors to three,486 for Knibb and three,239 for Spivey.

Blummenfelt is a two-time champion (additionally in 2019), whereas Duffy received her third (additionally 2016 and 2017).

● On the BuZZer ● Extra from Twitter, this time with advice from three-time Olympic gold medalist Tianna Bartoletta.

Former USC star Kendall Ellis, who received an Olympic gold in Tokyo on the ladies’s 4×400 m as a member of the U.S. staff within the heats, tweeted with concern after the Pre Basic:

“y’all all the time wanna argue about attraction, advertising, and storytelling however how’re followers purported to know anyone’s story when you preserve interviewing the identical 4 folks win or lose?”

Replied Bartoletta:

“That is the half the place athletes should do the heavy lifting first. Begin telling your story YOURSELF even when it appears nobody is listening. Don’t wait to be your individual storyteller. Inform it your self. Belief me on this one.”

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