Men's World League, Water Polo

USA Men Finish Second in World League Super Final Group Stage After 10-8 Loss to Serbia

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The USA men lost their first match of the FINA Men’s Water Polo World League Super Final on Thursday as three-time defending champions Serbia pulled out to a 7-4 halftime lead en route to a 10-8 win. The USA still finished second in their group and will be facing Australia in the quarterfinals on Friday. Alex Bowen and Ben Hallock each had two goals for the US but their leading scorer through two games, Tony Azevedo, was only able to grab one. Merrill Moses had six saves while McQuin Baron had just two. Brazil beat China 4-2 in a penalty shootout after an 11-11 tie in the other Group B match.

Australia went 1-2 in Group A and lost to Greece 10-5 and Italy 14-7. The US and Australia met in the final of the Intercontinental Qualifying Tournament last month with the US winning 10-9. They met in the group stage of that event as well and the US narrowly won 8-6. The possible semifinal opponents for the US are Greece and China. The knockout round trickles all the way down to a 7th/8th place game so the US will have games each of the six days in the tournament.

USA Schedule:
Tuesday – Group B – USA 12-6 China
Wednesday – Group B – USA 10-7 Brazil
Thursday – Group B – USA 8-10 Serbia
Friday – Quarterfinals – USA vs. Australia
Saturday – Semifinals – USA vs. TBD
Sunday – Final – USA vs. TBD

Previous FINA Men’s Water Polo World League Super Final Coverage:
Preview
China Recap
Brazil Recap

ISSF World Cup, Shooting

Ashley Carroll Finishes 11th in Trap at ISSF World Cup Event in Baku

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Ashley Carroll got off to a strong start in the women’s trap event in Baku opening with a 24 in her first round and following it up with a 23 before falling a bit short of finals qualification in round three. Carroll would have needed a 24 to automatically reach the final and a 23 to get into a shoot-off but her 22 left her just short in 11th place. It was the second top-15 finish of the year for Carroll.

In the men’s trap competition Seth Inman and Ryne Baxter Barfield were both off the pace of qualification. Both shot a 68 and sit outside the top 40. 20 competitors shot a 70 or better so even with perfect 50s tomorrow it is a long shot either could reach the final held later in the day.

The ISSF World Cup in Baku will continue through Tuesday.

Previous ISSF World Cup Baku Coverage:
Preview

Men's World League, Water Polo

USA Men go to 2-0 in World League Super Final With 10-7 Win over Brazil

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The USA men won their second match at the FINA Men’s Water Polo World League Super Final on Wednesday as they defeated Brazil 10-7. Brazil played the US tough in the first half and this one was tied at five all going to the break. The US took the lead for good in the third quarter taking a 8-6 advantage to the fourth quarter. Tony Azevedo was the leading scorer again with five goals while Alex Bowen added a pair. McQuin Baron had seven saves while Merrill Moses had three.

Serbia beat China 20-5 in the other Group B match so they will meet the US for the top spot in Group B. Serbia beat the USA 13-7 in the group stage last year. Japan is 0-2 in Group A while Australia and Italy are 1-1. Japan takes on Italy while Australia faces 2-0 Greece on Thursday. All eight teams will compete in the quarterfinals so only seeding is at stake in the group stage. The knockout round trickles all the way down to a 7th/8th place game so the US will have games each of the six days in the tournament.

Group B Schedule:
Tuesday – USA 12-6 China, Serbia 14-10. Brazil
Wednesday – USA 10-7 Brazil, Serbia 20-5 China
Thursday – USA vs. Serbia, Brazil vs. China

Previous FINA Men’s Water Polo World League Super Final Coverage:
Preview
China Recap

Shooting

USA Shooting National Championships Begin Thursday in Ft. Benning

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The 2016 USA Shooting National Championships begin Thursday in Ft. Benning, Georgia with a busy schedule for the next week of competition. Things begin with the first of two days of qualifying in the women’s 10m air rifle. Both 2016 Olympians, Virginia Thrasher and Sarah Scherer, will be competing. Thrasher was second in the event last year. In the first day of the 25m standard pistol competition it will be defending champion Emil Milev and defending runner-up Greg Markowski headlining the field. In the first of two days of the 25m center fire pistol competition Markowski is the defending champion. The final event beginning is the men’s 50m 3 position rifle, headlined by 2016 Olympian Lucas Kozeniesky and defending runner-up George Norton. Kozeniesky was 26th last year.

Competition continues in Ft. Benning until Wednesday.

Boxing

Antonio Vargas, Gary Russell, and Marlo Moore Advance at Olympic Boxing World Qualification Event

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Antonio Vargas (52kg) and Gary Russell (64kg) moved one win away from a spot in Rio after winning round of 16 matches on Tuesday while Marlo Moore (+91kg) is into the semifinals and now needs just two wins to grab an Olympic spot. In the busiest day of fighting in Baku with 60 bouts between two rings Olympic dreams were not fulfilled for Cam F. Awesome (91kg) who had advanced on Monday but lost to Ecuador’s Julio Cesar Castillo Torres 3-0, with two judges scoring it 29-28 and one 30-27. Awesome came up a few wins short here in Baku and will have to try at the last qualifier for an Olympic spot.

The bright performances for the US began in the afternoon session with both Vargas and Russell putting up strong wins. Russell dominated Australia’s David Biddle winning all three rounds according to all three judges. Vargas did the same in his win over Guatemala’s Eddie Valenzuela Barillas. Moore wrapped up the evening with a tight 2-1 win over Bulgaria’s Petar Rumenov Belberov. Each man won the bout according to one judge 29-27 but the third judge scored it a draw and preferred Moore as the winner to send him through.

Vargas and Moore will be competing for Olympic spots on Thursday afternoon in the quarterfinals while Moore has two days off until Friday’s semifinals.

Previous 2016 AIBA World Olympic Qualifying Event Coverage:
Preview
Thursday Update
Friday Update
Saturday Update
Sunday Update
Monday Update

ISSF World Cup, Shooting

ISSF World Cup Event in Baku Begins with Trap Events on Wednesday

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The fourth ISSF World Cup event will be this week in Baku, Azerbaijan as the shotgun, rifle, and pistol athletes will all be competing together. For the US this is not the best timing as the national championships in rifle and pistol are in Ft. Benning, Georgia starting Wednesday. That won’t affect the shotgun athletes though, their national championship is in July, so expect a good showing in Baku. Things begin on Wednesday with the women’s trap competition and the beginning of the men’s trap competition.

The only American competing in the women’s trap competition is Ashley Carroll. Carroll wasn’t competing in San Marino but finished ninth in her last ISSF World Cup event in Rio. In the men’s trap competition Seth Inman and Ryne Baxter Barfield will be competing. Inman was 57th in Rio and Barfield 70th in Nicosia in their only World Cup events so far this year.

The ISSF World Cup in Baku will continue through Tuesday.

Previous ISSF World Cup Coverage:
San Marino Recap

Men's World League, Water Polo

USA Men Open Water Polo World League Super Final With 12-6 Win Over China

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The USA men opened the FINA Men’s Water Polo World League Super Final with a solid win over China 12-6 on Tuesday as they moved to 1-0 in the group stage. The USA wasn’t as dominant as they were in a 19-2 win over China last month but still were ahead 6-2 at the half. Tony Azevedo scored four goals in the win as did Josh Samuels. Ben Hallock had a pair with Merrill Moses saving six shots while McQuin Baron had five.

Serbia beat Brazil 14-10 in the other Group B match. The US faces Brazil next on Wednesday and owns a 16-11 win over them from the qualifying tournament in May. These two sides met in the third place match last year with Brazil defeating the US on penalties 14-13 to claim their first ever medal.

All eight teams will compete in the quarterfinals so only seeding is at stake in the group stage. The knockout round trickles all the way down to a 7th/8th place game so the US will have games each of the next six days.

Group B Schedule:
Tuesday – USA 12-6 China, Serbia 14-10. Brazil
Wednesday – USA vs. Brazil, Serbia vs. China
Thursday – USA vs. Serbia, Brazil vs. China

Previous FINA Men’s Water Polo World League Super Final Coverage:
Preview

Boxing

Cam Awesome Into Quarterfinals at Olympic Boxing World Qualification Event

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Cam F. Awesome (91kg) put on a strong performance Monday in the round of 16 dispatching Kosovo’s Armend Xhoxhaj 30-27 according to all three judges to move one step closer to reach the Olympics. Awesome is one of just eight boxers remaining in his weight class but needs three more wins to advance to Rio. Awesome will fight again in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. Paul Kroll (69kg) will not qualify for the Olympics in Baku after he lost a split decision to Hungary’s Imre Balazs Bacskai. All three judges saw it as a 29-28 right but two of the three gave it to the Bacskai.

Tuesday will also feature Antonio Vargas (52kg) and Gary Russell (64kg) in round of 16 matches, and Marlo Moore (+91kg) in his quarterfinal match.

Preliminaries for the weight classes with more than 16 fighters in contention wrap up Tuesday to narrow fields down to eight in each weight class for quarterfinals that will take place on Thursday. The weight classes already down to eight will have quarterfinals Tuesday before having Wednesday and Thursday off in advance of Friday’s semifinals.

Previous 2016 AIBA World Olympic Qualifying Event Coverage:
Preview
Thursday Update
Friday Update
Saturday Update
Sunday Update

Cycling, UCI Women's WorldTour

Katie Hall Finishes 22nd in Aviva Women’s Tour

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Katie Hall finished in the peloton in 43rd on Sunday at the Aviva Women’s Tour and that was enough to keep Hall in the top 25, finishing 22nd and 3:45 back. It wasn’t her best finish of the year, she had been better at both the races on American soil, but it did make three straight top 25 finishes.

Tayler Wiles ended up finishing 72nd on Sunday and was the only other American to finish the event. She finished 46th overall, 17:06 back.

The next UCI Women’s WorldTour event is the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile. It’s the longest race of the season, contested from July 1st through the 10th.

Previous Aviva Women’s Tour Coverage:
Preview
Wednesday Update
Thursday Update
Friday Update
Saturday Update

Men's World League, Water Polo

USA Men Set for Water Polo World League Super Final

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The US men will look to match the women’s world title from earlier this month when they compete in the FINA Men’s Water Polo World League Super Final starting Tuesday in Huizhou, China. The US men are competing in Group B with Serbia, Brazil, and China in the opening stage of the tournament. While the US women have been the dominant nation in the women’s event the US men have only medaled twice and have finished fourth or fifth in the last seven years.

Serbia has been the dominant country on the men’s side winning seven titles in nine years since becoming an independent nation including the last five times they have entered the tournament (they did not enter in 2012). Brazil is making their fifth straight Super Final appearance but a bronze last year was their first medal. China is appearing in the Super Final for the seventh straight year but has never finished higher than fourth.

All eight teams will compete in the quarterfinals so only seeding is at stake in the group stage. The knockout round trickles all the way down to a 7th/8th place game so the US will have games each of the next six days. The US opens with China who they defeated in the qualifying tournament 19-2 in May.

Group B Schedule:
Tuesday – USA vs. China, Serbia vs. Brazil
Wednesday – USA vs. Brazil, Serbia vs. China
Thursday – USA vs. Serbia, Brazil vs. China

 

Previous FINA Men’s Water Polo World League Coverage:
FINA Intercontinental Qualification Tournament

Covering America's Athletes