Iranian star weightlifter Kianoush Rostami wins a gold medal consolation prize ahead of a Tokyo 2020 competition in which he would have been a strong favorite.

Will the famous Barry family of basketball legend make it to the Olympics through 3x3 star Canyon?

Also in basketball...French teammates Diandra Tchatchouang and Valeriane Ayayi-Vukosavljevic are looking not just for Tokyo 2020 success but to represent women as well.

New Zealand's champion rower Jackie Kiddle hit with an Olympic withdrawal out of her control.

Russia keeps on churning gymnastics stars out. Newly eligible senior gymnast Viktoriia Listunova is the new star to watch for women's gymnastics as she wins the European title.

More gymnastics: Hear from Great Britain's star Max Whitlock on his start in the sport, the impact of London 2012, and more, in a quick video from FIG.

And more: Does Simone Biles' new sponsorship represent a shot across the bow to USA Gymnastics?

The two Svetlanas - Romashina and Kolesnichenko - talk with Fina.org on their Olympic goals as the leading artistic swimming duet for Russia after their strong 2021 start.

Julio Cesar La Cruz has designs on carrying the Cuban boxing standard for Tokyo 2020 (and through Paris 2024), if he can make it there despite a weight class change.

Water polo stars Maggie Steffens and Ashleigh Johnson share with People their experiences on the Team USA: "It's one of the most empowering spaces for women".

Hear BMX racing gold medalist Connor Fields' thoughts on Tokyo 2020's course, and more on Keep the Flame Alive's latest podcast.

Tennis player Carla Suarez Navarro announces a recovery from Hodgkin's Lymphona. Will we see her in Tokyo this summer?

But count Team France's 'enfant terrible' of tennis out of an Olympic appearance...

Canadian ice hockey legend Hayley Wickenheiser weighs in on whether an Olympics during the current pandemic is still viable.

But more from ice hockey...the women's ice hockey worlds are postponed (?) with short notice and U.S. star Kendall Coyne Schofield has some thoughts.

It's all good will amongst Mexico's men's beach volleyball teams as they compete to earn their nation a spot at Tokyo 2020.

From last month, a great piece in The New York Times not only profiling Tokyo 2020's sport climbing favorite Adam Ondra, but also a good sense of the Olympic event itself.

Panagiotis Gionis will appear at his fifth  Olympic Games this summer, as the table tennis stalwart made it through European qualification this weekend.

U.S. runner Nikki Hiltz opens up to NBC Sports' On Her Turf re: transgender identity while an athlete.

Irish hurdler Thomas Barr articulates the risk of lessening youth interest in track & field due to the pandemic.

Can Switzerland's women sprinters challenge for a medal in the relay? The team has confidence.

Learn about Spiridon Louis, inaugural modern Olympic marathon winner at Athens 1896. It's the 125th anniversary of the event on April 10th.

Tegla Loroupe was a fighter as a long-distance runner - and one of my favorites to cheer - and she continues to fight in retirement, as a champion for using sport for peace and education.

Swimmer Aliaksandra Hersimenia: Belarus' repression against its own athletes continues.

Former German bobsledder Christoph Langen gets a new role with the IBSF.

Best wishes to Koji Murofushi, Athens 2004 and London 2012 hammer throw medalist, who is reportedly battling brain lymphona.

Vanessa Chala becomes the 16th Ecuadorian to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, and the sixth Ecuadorian judoka ever. (in Spanish)

And, Rckaela Aquino is the first female from Guam to qualify - on merit, rather than continental allocation - to an Olympics, with her second-place finish at the African & Oceania Wrestling Olympic Qualification.

Equality: A U.S. Olympic soccer star takes a U.S. Olympic basketball star to school...

Cyclist Kasper Asgreen may not really be a surprise Tour de Flanders winner, but it sure sets hims up for increased attention.

Snowboarder Chloe Kim shares her experience and concerns with recent anti-Asian American sentiment in the United States.

​Rio 2016 Olympic medalist Lydia Ko: the greatest final round ever in women's golf?

Congrats to Japanese athletic stars assisting the torch relay this week, including Takuya Haneda (canoeing), Mizuki Noguchi (marathon), Saori Yoshida and Sara Dosho (wrestling), Yuji Nishida and Emiko Miyamoto (volleyball), Tadahiro Nomura (judo), and Ayaka Tadahashi (badminton).

Can Mathea Olin secure a spot in women's surfing at Tokyo 2020, and represent Canada in a somewhat 'non-Canadian' sport?

Star Swedish curler Niklas Edin has won three world championships in Canada, and now he's trying for a fourth in Calgary this week.

U..S. wrestler Kyle Dake will make his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 after denying one of the sport's most visible stars a return trip to the Games.

Taekwondo star athlete Bianca Walkden is aiming to complete an "unprecedented" treble of World Championship, European Championship, and Olympic Championship this summer.

Despite the Netherlands' overall dominance, Swede Nils van der Poel is the breakout star of the World Single Distance Championships, leaving with two individual golds and a world record in the 10,000 meters.

Meanwhile, Joey Mantia's mass start win is his third in the event, all coming in odd-numbered years. Brittany Bowe's 1000 meter win was also a third win in the event for her.

Vincent Kriechmayr, the new 'King of Speed' joins elite alpine skiing company as he is now only the third man to win both the downhill and the super G races at a FIS Alpine Ski World Championships.

With his fourth round victory over Milos Raonic at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic is just the second man in history with 300 career Grand Slam match wins. He chases Roger Federer, who is not playing in Melbourne, and carries 362.

Rio 2016 champion Simone Biles gets the documentary treatment in the upcoming Simone vs Herself.

More gymnastics: Brazilian Arthur Nory has a bit of good news after a robbery scare.

Five Canadian Olympic champions, including Patrick Chan and Catriona Le May Doan, recap what they've been up to over the last year as they worked to "stay grounded when everything went off the rails last March".

Can badminton player Sai Praneeth overcome injury to reach Olympic qualification for India?

Beatrice Chepkoech has a second world record, after her 5K road victory in Monaco this weekend.
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Kimia Alizadeh, Iran's only female Olympic medalist, on track to attempt Tokyo 2020 taekwondo qualification as a Refugee Team athlete.

Francesco Friedrich became the first pilot to win four consecutive four-man bobsled world championships, cementing his status as the sport's best this season and powering Germany to the top of the overall medal table at this weekend's bobsled and skeleton championships.

Tiril Eickhoff dominates the World Biathlon Championships, with three gold medals in three women's events...and three more events yet to go.

Congrats to Alex Fiva for representing the 'veterans'...as he, at 35, is the "oldest FIS World Ski Cross Champion ever". 

Welsh swimmers Georgia Davies, Dan Jervis, and Alys Thomas are grateful for the unique training opportunities as they prepare to represent Team Great Britain at Tokyo 2020.

Congrats to Olympic champion swimmer Nathan Adrian as he enters fatherhood!

Tasmania, bonsai, and more on the road to Tokyo 2020...triathlete Jake Birthwhistle is World Triathlete's latest podcast feature subject interview.

Ski jumper Juliane Seyfarth aims to "raise awareness for the sport", and probably some eyebrows, with an appearance in Playboy magazine. 

​Champion canoeist Lisa Carrington is "the most influential Maori sports personality of the last 30 years". Congratulations!

Team USA's Kallie Humphries makes history as she wins a fourth women's world bobsled championship this weekend. Her brakewoman was Lolo Jones, who also has previous world titles of her own - as a track athlete, in indoor hurdling. And on the next day, Germany continued its dominance, sweeping the men's two-man event, after taking the silver and bronze in the women's. The German sweep was led by Francesco Friedrich's tenth world title, a new championship record.

Natalie Geisenberger, with her eighth overall title, is the star of the show at the Luge World Cup's final stop in St. Moritz.

"My last two Olympics have been horrible experiences and I would like this one to be joyful". Short track speed skaterElise Christie shares with The Times her view on her career struggles as Beijing 2022 nears. (paid access)

Surfer Sally Fitzgibbons is the covergirl feature subject for Australia's Women's Health. 

​Here's a look at five athletes looking to complete unique doubles, competing at both the Tokyo Summer Games and the Beijing Winter Games coming up, including taekwondo star Pita Taufatofua who's already contested cross-country at Pyeongchang 2018. Other combinations include across cycling & speed skating and track and field & bobsled.

Sarah Davies: the chairwoman of the IWF's Athletes Commission details more governance problems for weightlifting. TL;DR: It's not good.

Cat Osterman: a softball legend plans for Tokyo 2020 to be a key part of her swan song season in 2021.

Tokyo 2020 also looks at Callum Hawkins, Team GB marathoner eager to upgrade his two fourth-place finishes at the world championships and put past race disappointment behind at the Tokyo Games.

Meet the Gerken Schofield sibling trio that can make history for Team Great Britain as freestyle skiing teammates at Beijing 2022.

Can middle-distance stars Wesley Vazquez and Ryan Sanchez bring milestone glory for Puerto Rico in the 800 meters at Tokyo 2020?

​Could U.S. football star Tyreek Hill make it to the Olympics as a sprinter?
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The Olympic Channel gets to know Italian Dominik Paris...herdsman, father, heavy metal singer...and world-class alpine skier.

Take a peek inside Serena Williams' Florida home.

R.I.P. to boxing champion, and Team USA's Montreal 1976 light heavyweight gold medalist, Leon Spinks. The champ was 67.

And more mourning for USA gymnastics great Dianne Durham who passed at 52 last week. Durham had made history in 1983 as the first African-American gymnastics national all-around champion.

Defending champions Denmark should be the heavy favorite for the upcoming Olympic men's handball tournament, after their second straight World Championship title this weekend. Mikkel Hansen once again was tournament MVP. Congrats!

Mondo Duplantis and Renaud Lavillenie are setting up 2021 to be a highlight year in pole vaulting...

Tennis fans will appreciate Olympians Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal taking rare time last week for interviews amidst Australian Open preparations. Serena is a Lord of the Rings fan!

Meanwhile, can Carolina Suarez Navarro make a comeback from cancer for a Tokyo 2020 swan song?

Even more tennis: The leading stars still have eyes on Tokyo 2020 despite Covid-19 concerns.

Congrats to Swiss snowboarder Mathilde Gremaud, who became the first to have "stomped the first-ever 1440 in women's competition", to win Friday's big air event at the X Games.

Better late than never: Mexico City 1968 track legend Tommie Smith finally gets his own Wheaties cover.

Helen Glover: A British rowing hero looks to make a unique Olympic comeback.

​Host Germany is the big winner from the 50th FIL World Luge Championships in Konigssee, with twelve senior medals overall. Julia Taubitz led the way with two  German sweeps in the women's events.

Tokyo 2020 features New Zealand field hockey star Frances Davies, who is balancing criminal justice work as she looks ahead to the Olympics.

Can Australia find a bobsled star from the ranks of Paralympics?

​​USA Boxing's medal chances at Tokyo 2020 take a hit with the "disqualification" of top contender Keyshawn Davis.

Prospective Olympic mountain biker Haley Smith offers perspective and advice on mental health, a challenge exacerbated by the current pandemic's uncertainties.

Double Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee has big goals for 2020, including a third title.

CBC: Gymnast Ellie Black looks to cement her return from injury with participation at Tokyo 2020.

Two-time Olympic gymnast Tomas Gonzalez is the latest interview in Chile's Ego Ego magazine.