Olympics

More: Olympics April Ross, Alix Klineman get early Olympic beach volleyball qualifying boost Kip Keino among Kenyan Olympic facing corruption charges Patrick Baumann, rising star in Olympic circles, dies at 51 The U.S. women’s volleyball team didn’t get to play for a medal of any color in its world championship title defense. The Americans were bounced in the penultimate, six-team round with five-set losses to China and the Netherlands. China, the Netherlands, Italy and Serbia will play for the medals later this week. The U.S., which won its first major tournament title of any kind at the last worlds in 2014, squandered a two-set lead 30-32, 15-25, 25-22, 25-15, 15-9 to the Dutch on Monday in Nagoya. “Ultimately the result is very disappointing,” U.S. coach Karch Kiraly said, according to USA Volleyball. “They made some changes and we wasted chances in the third set. You have to be good at converting those chances against a team like the … [Read more...] about U.S. women’s volleyball team exits world champs before medal round

By The Canadian Press Thu., Oct. 11, 2018 Pierce LePage has lived through that athlete in-between stage, where the medal podium is so close, but there’s little financial support to get there. So the 22-year-old decathlete from Whitby, Ont., knows how a program such as the Canadian Olympic Foundation’s 5to8, launched Thursday, can provide that financial leg up. The David and Ruth Asper family donated $2.5 million to the 5to8 campaign, representing the largest donation to Olympic sport in Canadian history by a factor of 10. The 5to8 campaign was created to help the generation of Canadian athletes who are believed to be five to eight years from the podium. LePage is the Canadian junior record-holder in the decathlon, and his big breakthrough came when he won silver at the Commonwealth Games last spring. But he’s seen numerous athletes who weren’t so lucky. “A lot of athletes drop out after their school career, because it’s hard to find … [Read more...] about Asper family donates $2.5 million to Canadian sport’s Next Generation

More: Olympics Naomi Osaka’s popularity in Japan ahead of Tokyo Olympics Russia doping cases nearly double in 2018 LeBron James takes in Berlin track meet, his latest Olympic sports mix Viktor Ahn, the most decorated short track speed skater in Olympic history, has retired after eight medals with six golds competing for South Korea and then Russia, according to Russian media. Ahn, 32, earned four medals and three golds each at the 2006 Olympics for South Korea (as Ahn Hyun-Soo, a top rival to Apolo Ohno) and the 2014 Olympics for Russia. He missed South Korea’s team for the 2010 Olympics after undergoing four knee surgeries in the 15 months leading up to the Olympic Trials. Ahn’s club team dissolved, and his father contacted Russia’s federation. He became a citizen in 2011. The International Olympic Committee did not invite Ahn to compete in the PyeongChang Olympics, the only way he could have competed in his birth nation due to sanctions … [Read more...] about Viktor Ahn retires as greatest Olympic short track speed skater

Shaun White failed to qualify for the 15-man semifinals in his first skateboard contest in years and his first ever in the bowl format. The three-time Olympic halfpipe champion is considering a Tokyo 2020 run in the new Summer Olympic sport. White competed at a Red Bull event in Marseille on Saturday. Highlights are here. “I did pretty terrible but was slightly expecting that for my first bowl contest ever,” was posted on White’s social media. “Gotta start somewhere, and I’m excited for the next comp.” White, who turned 32 on Monday, has said for years he was intrigued by Olympic skateboarding, which was added to the Games program two years ago. White earned five X Games skateboard medals between 2005 and 2011, but all of those came in vert, which is not on the Olympic program. If White makes a 2020 Olympic run, it will likely come in park (similar to bowl) rather than street, the other Olympic event. “Honestly, I am here to see how … [Read more...] about Shaun White ‘pretty terrible’ in first skateboard bowl contest

Kayla Harrison now has as many MMA wins as she does Olympic gold medals. She’s looked just as dominant in her first two Professional Fighters League bouts as she did at times during the peak of her judo career. Harrison pummeled a floored Jozette Cotton (8-2) from a standing position, forcing a TKO with three minutes left of a three-round, 15-minute fight in Atlantic City, N.J., on Thursday night. “I’m still trying to get all the issues out of the game plan, but overall I’m happy,” Harrison said on NBCSN. “I never want it to go three rounds, but it’s good to know that I can go three or five or 10 or however long it takes to put somebody away.” Harrison routed Cotton in total strikes landed — 79-12 — many coming with Cotton lying on the bottom of the cage in each of the three rounds. The 28-year-old Harrison switched from judo to MMA after repeating as Olympic champion in Rio. She debuted June 21, … [Read more...] about Kayla Harrison pummels another MMA opponent in PFL fight