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A Little Roundup 08.12.21

8/12/2021

 

Need a Little Flashback to Tokyo 2020?

Relive the Olympic Games from Tokyo with a bunch of quality overviews, summaries, and roundups from some of the Olympic sports federations around the worldwide web...

Let's start with Olympics.com and "A Celebration of Hope", along with Tokyo 2020​'s top moments.
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Track & Field (Athletics)
World Athletics looks at the global diversity that Tokyo 2020 offered.

Aquatics
FINA offers a catalog of all the swimming, artistic swimming, diving, and water polo news.

Gymnastics
​FIG has a report on artistic gymnastics, trampoline, and rhythmic gymnastics.
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Archery
Here are seven things from Tokyo 2020 that World Archery loved.

Badminton
Badminton World Federation has their Tokyo 2020 competition by the numbers. 3,014 shuttles used!

Baseball & Softball
Baseball and softball participants argue for their sports' Olympic inclusion.

Basketball
​Check out five unforgettable moments of (men's) basketball, and 10 lessons learned from 3x3. France, Belgium, Japan, and the United States make up the women's all-star team.

Fencing
International Fencing Federation proclaims Tokyo 2020 a "resounding success".

Field Hockey
The Tokyo 2020 tournament created some jostling on both of the men's and women's world rankings.

Handball
The International Handball Federation has six conclusions about Tokyo 2020, led by France's domination.
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Karate
The World Karate Federation ​reflects on a historic Olympic debut.

Rugby Sevens
World Rugby has six breakout stars and seven moments to remember.

Surfing
ISA recaps the competition for both men and women. "I truly believe the Olympics will change our lives."
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Table Tennis
The International Table Tennis Federation recounts "history made, records broken" at the 2020 Olympics.

Taekwondo
World Taekwondo saw an "exceptional Olympic competition".

Tennis
The International Tennis Federation offers its memorable moments from Tokyo 2020.

Tokyo Olympics Quick Hits 08.08.21

8/8/2021

 

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games Set to Close

You can relive some of the best moments of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games with a collection of photos from USA TODAY and The New York Times.
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The Summer Olympics close tonight after 19 days of competition

A Little Roundup

Team Netherlands' Sifan Hassan completes her ambitious medal podium treble with gold in the 10,000 meters, after 1,500 bronze and 5,000 gold.
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Nicola McDermott fulfills a childhood dream with a surprising podium finish in the high jump for Team Australia.

Allyson Felix officially becomes Team USA's most decorated track & field Olympian, amongst other accolades, with the 4x400 relay win.

Team India's Neeraj Chopra wins a landmark gold in a remarkable javelin competition in which heavy favorite Johannes Vetter fails to medal.

"You made me cry." The celebrated bromance of high jumpers Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi reverberates to the streets.

Team USA's Molly Seidel, in only her third-ever marathon, (almost) fulfills a fourth-grade wish.

Don't count out Team USA's Paul Chelimo, making the 5,000 meter podium for the second Games in a row. And he looks to Los Angeles 2028, too.

Eliud Kipchoge of Team Kenya is just the third man to repeat as Olympic marathon champion.

Team Japan gets its 'national mission' done with a gold medal victory in baseball.

And, Team Brazil successfully defends its Olympic title in men's soccer, matching Team Argentina's run from 2004/08.

The 'dream season' continues for world number one Nelly Korda as she adds an Olympic women's golf gold medal for Team USA.

Team Hungary's Danuta Kozak goes one better than Team New Zealand Lisa Carrington with a sixth career canoeing gold medal.

Galal Yafai's "arduous journey" ends with an Olympic boxing title for Team Great Britain.

33 years after his father Hugo won bronze at Seoul 1988 for Team Argentina over Brazil in volleyball, Facundo Conte does the same at Tokyo 2020.

Equestrian: Team USA's Jessica Springsteen - of Bruce fame - does get onto the podium with a silver in team jumping.

Two days after his wife won a record fifth Olympic gold, track cyclist Jason Kenny of Team Great Britain won a record seventh title.

Women's water polo: Team USA's most dominant team?

Is Kevin Durant Team USA's greatest men's basketball Olympian ever?

Meanwhile, Team USA's Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi cement their own legacies as the first players to win five career basketball Olympic titles.

​Team China's Cao Yuan cemented his status as one of the greats as he wins diving's 10 meter platform becoming the first man to win both Olympic platform and springboard titles since Seoul 1988 (although coming in separate Games).

Linoy Ashram wins Team Israel's third-ever Olympic gold, its first of any kind in rhythmic gymnastics, and an upset victory over the heavily favored Averina sisters.
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What to Watch

The Closing Ceremony for Tokyo 2020 is scheduled for 8pm Japan time (7am EST / 4am PST)** on August 8, at the Olympic (National) Stadium.
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The Olympic flame will be extinguished at the Closing Ceremony
"Worlds We Share" is the planned theme, representing the multiple 'worlds' we share across the globe and the opportunity to come together in spite of cultural and geographic differences.

Typically, the ceremony reflects on the past weeks and the moment of Olympism, with an opportunity for the next Summer Games host - Paris 2024 - to offer a thematic preview. In this case, it's a nod to Paris' modernity and tradition.

Athlete attendance will be minimal even compared to 'normal' Games, due to Covid-19 precautions having most athletes leaving Tokyo soon after their events. A tradition, however, is the entrance of the (remaining) athletes entering together - rather than segregated by nation as in the Opening Ceremony - and brought in by representative flag bearers.

**Television coverage in the U.S. is at 8 pm - 10:30 pm EST / 5pm - 7:30pm PST)

Let's Get Social Fab Five (or more...)

Ashleigh Johnson is happy.
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Allyson Felix celebrates 10.
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Kevin Mayer is full of heart.
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Jacob Schopf shares a moment with Max Hoff.
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Valerie Adams' excited to represent at the Closing Ceremony.
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Luka Doncic gives thanks.
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Milena Baldassari is a proud Olympian.
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And, finally...all the feels, Johannes. Rooting for you for Paris 2024.
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The Tokyo SkyTree celebrates the Olympics.
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A Requiem for Baseball, Softball and Karate

8/7/2021

 

It's a Shame Some Sports Get Only One Shot...For Now?

As Tokyo 2020 winds down in its final weekend, I'm struck by the impact of the new Olympic sports. Debuts of karate, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing came, along with the return of baseball & softball. All of them offered intense and diverse competition.

Unfortunately, only some of these new sports are set to appear at Paris 2024. Karate, baseball & softball are saying goodbye to the Olympic program. Or, rather, are being told goodbye.
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Team Japan celebrates a national goal with baseball gold in Tokyo
The background: in the interest of keeping a lid on the sporting largess of the Olympic Games schedule, the International Olympic Committee has capped the number of sports at each Summer Games. While some sports - track & field, swimming, basketball, gymnastics, etc. - make up the 'core sports', each host city has the opportunity to add an additional sport or two to their own Games. Hence, Tokyo 2020 added national favorites baseball/softball and karate, along with sport climbing, surfing, and skateboarding.

But Paris 2024 has no interest in baseball/softball nor karate, so out they go after Tokyo, and in comes breaking(!) as a new sport.

Used to be, these 'one-off' sports were called demonstration sports. With that moniker, it was easily understood that a host was, well, demonstrating, a non-Olympic sport - Barcelona 1992 had basque pelota, for example - without any immediate implication that the sport, and its results, were 'officially Olympic'. But the IOC dropped the official 'demonstration' allowance after 1992.

Japanâ–Ħâ–Ħ has won #gold in #Softball at #Toyko2020

A rematch 1⃣3⃣ years in the making and Japan have retained their #Olympics #gold medal. #UnitedByEmotion | #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/SgqCwfBFzm

— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) July 27, 2021
But today, sports on the program are all 'official'. And, in deference to the Olympic movement's importance and heritage, the opportunity for these new sports' athletes to fulfill Olympic dreams is there and real.

It's awkward, though, isn't it? Listening to NBC's softball commentator Beth Mowins talk about Team USA's 13-year-long revenge goal in softball against Team Japan after the last title game at Beijing 2008 made me think...what about the next generation? Will the current stars of today's Games, or kids maybe inspired, have to wait that long - or longer - for another Olympic shot?

At Tokyo 2020, baseball & softball each featured the desired marquee gold medal matchups of Team Japan vs Team USA, after quality play from other teams like Dominican Republic and Israel (baseball), and  Australia and Mexico (softball). Both sports, linked together for Olympic bid efficiency, will actually probably have a good shot at returning to the Olympic stage for Los Angeles 2028...seven years away.

What about karate?
The show in Tokyo has been great. For the uninitiated, the kata discipline has been a revelation. And, the kumite discipline certainly fits right along as an Olympic combat sport alongside boxing, taekwondo, judo, and wrestling.

​
What's more, it's proven to be a global sport. 37 National Olympic Committees participated across eight events, with 20 earning at least one medal out the 32 available. That diversity matches taekwondo's, and outpaces in percentage judo's.

Wouldn't it feel right if new Olympic champions like France's Steven Da Costa, Bulgaria's Ivet Goranova, or Spain's Sandra Sanchez had the opportunity to defend their titles? Or if Turkey's Eray Samdan, Azerbaijan's Rafael Aghayev, or Egypt's Giana Farouk can move up to champion? Sure, there are world championships and World Games medals to conquer...but they seem a bit lesser now, no?

So here's a call...let's make the Games bigger. Open the umbrella to include more, deserving sports. Size of the Olympics' infrastructure and impact on a host is certainly a concern, but there may be solutions - reduce entries in other sports, or increase the competition window (the Tokyo Games already actually started before the Opening Ceremony)...or...something. It just isn't right pull an Olympic rug out from, well, Olympians.
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France's Steven da Costa and Latvia's Kalvis Kalnins battle in kumite (New York Times)

Tokyo Olympics Quick Hits 08.07.21

8/7/2021

 

A Little Roundup

With a third place in the 400 meters, Allyson Felix now has 10 Olympic medals - the most in athletics for a woman.
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The on-track success by Team Jamaica's women has showcased their potential to inspire. "I'm just excited for all of us and what it means for young girls back home".

And, Team Italy's surprising medal haul - particularly in track & field - continues with a victory in the track 4x100 relay.

After eight Olympics and at age 51, Team Spain's race walker Jesus Angel Garcia calls it a career.

Is decathlon bronze medalist Ash Moloney destined to become the "greatest all-around athlete on the planet"?

Taliqua Clancy is the 10th Australian Indigenous woman with an Olympic medal, after securing beach volleyball silver.

And, Quinn becomes the first "openly transgender and nonbinary athlete" to win an Olympic medal, with Team Canada's gold in soccer.

Lucky underwear helped drive Ariel Torres to the first Olympic karate podium for Team USA.

Julio Cesar La Cruz caps off a rare trifecta in boxing for Team Cuba, as three of its boxers win as repeat Olympic champions at Tokyo 2020.

A stubborn horse draws the unfortunate focus of the women's modern pentathlon final.

Team Australia's field hockey men continue a tradition of sorts at Tokyo 2020 for breaking decorum post-competition.

Is the decisive win in women's madison cycling by Team Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald one of the Games' best moments?

Team Australia's Bernadette Wallace may not have won a medal in canoeing, but making it to the Games after a cancer scare knocked her out of Rio 2016 consideration is a win.

With Team USA's win in men's basketball, JaVale McGee joins his mother Pam (Los Angeles 1984) as an Olympic basketball gold medalist. Teammates Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton join only four others to hold NBA and Olympic titles at the same time.

Before that, Nicolas Batum lead Team France past Luka Doncic's Team Slovenia in basketball, and showed serious respect for his competition.
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Ones to Watch

Pre-Games favorite Johannes Vetter of Team Germany is ready to give his all in the javelin competition.

This one goal goes under the skin, I will give everything I have on Saturday! □ #VetterWurf #training #athlete #throwing #javelin #speerwurf #trackandfield #gym #javelinthrow #leichtathletik #spitzensportbundeswehr #fit #athletics #fitnes #boom #rock… https://t.co/mJ2ocpzDs6 pic.twitter.com/QLQnRiE9rt

— Johannes Vetter (@jojo_javelin) August 5, 2021
Defender Eric Garcia shares the key to Team Spain's success so far at Tokyo 2020 ahead of the gold medal match in soccer: defense.

Stylianos Argyropoulos took Team Greece to its first men's Olympic water polo medal; can it be gold?

Fitting that the gold for baseball comes down to the two heavyweights, Team USA and Team Japan.

Team USA's basketball is on the cusp of a seventh straight Olympic title by its women...

But what will Rui Machida - fresh off an Olympic record 18 assists - do for Team Japan?

Star player Mikkel Hansen leads Team Denmark into handball's gold medal game after a 12-goal semifinal performance.

Could Team USA's Galen Rupp really win the men's marathon Sunday? His coach thinks so.

Richard Torrez Jr. has a chance to earn Team USA's first super heavyweight boxing gold since 1984.

And, boxing teammate Keyshawn Davis is riding high on confidence ahead of his own gold medal bout.
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Let's Get Social Fab Five

Jordi Xammar shows what an Olympic medal can mean.
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Ana Peleteiro sums it up.
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Anders Mol and Christian Sorum are gold medalists.
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Frank Staebler is an Olympic medalist.
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Katarina Johnson-Thompson gave it all.
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Tokyo Olympics Quick Hits 07.31.21

7/31/2021

 

A Little Roundup

Maggie Steffens cements her all-time goal-scoring prowess in Team USA's latest water polo win.
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Estonia's surprise gold in fencing was its first Olympic title since 2008.

Anastasiia Logunova: Team Russia's 3x3 basketball star also has an Olympic engagement story...

Steffi Graf remains the only 'Golden Slam' champion in tennis.

Meanwhile,  Michael Venus' family sacrifices have paid off with a medal in doubles.

Team Australia's Cate Campbell found musical inspiration as she swam to another Olympic medal.

New Team South Africa champion Tatjana Schoenmaker prefers to let her swimming do the talking.

Will Abraham Kibiwott be able to back up his Team Kenya steeplechase victory promise?

Get to know Lovlina Borgohain, Team India's newest women's boxing medalist.

Two medals not enough for gold-expectant Team Great Britain in rowing.

An San defended her top seed - and her hairstyle - with her gold medal archery win.
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Ones to Watch

With All-Star Game and World Series experience, Edwin Jackson sees a gold medal for Team USA baseball as "icing in the cake".
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Team India's Fouaad Mirza has made a mark in early equestrian eventing competition at Tokyo 2020.

Track sprint favorite Trayvon Brommell takes a different approach to the role than his predecessor.

Beach volleyballer Brandie Wilkerson is relishing her Olympic experience after serving as alternate for Team Canada five years ago.

Get to know Team USA skateboarder Mariah Duran, through her clothes.

Team Slovenia's Janja Garnbret is a legitimate favorite in women's sport climbing.

Gymnast Alexa Moreno, of Toyota commercial fame, is headed to her second Olympic vault final.

Team Ireland makes a surprise booking into the landmark mixed 4x400 track relay.
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Let's Get Social Fab Five

Jessica Fox is a champion (again).
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Gwen Berry takes a stand.
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Portrait of a triathlete...
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Marcos Grimalt is pumped with a win.
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Aidan Walsh jumps for medal joy.
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