Boxing

Two More US Women Reach Quarterfinals at AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships

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Six of the US boxers who headed to Astana will be competing in the quarterfinals of the 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships on Tuesday after two more advanced in the final day of preliminaries on Monday. Marlen Esparza in the 45-48kg division and Shadasia Green in the +81kg division had yet to compete until Monday and needed only one win to reach the quarterfinals. Both did so easily with 3-0 sweeps, Esparza over Korea’s Chorong Bak and Green over Romania’s Elena Turcin. Things didn’t go as well for 19-year-old Jajaira Gonzalez in the 64kg division as she lost 3-0 to China’s Wenlu Yang with each judge scoring it 39-37 to the Chinese boxer. Finally the Olympic hopes came to an end for Virginia Fuchs as Canada’s Mandy Bujold was eliminated and will use her Olympic qualifying spot from the Americas qualifier.

Joining Green and Esparza in the quarterfinals are 2012 gold medalist Claressa Shields in the 75kg division, 2015 Golden Gloves champion Christina Cruz in the 54kg division, Naomi Graham in the 69k division, and Franchon Crews in the 81kg division.

For reference the US won three medals, two gold and a bronze, at the last world championships in 2014. All of the weight classes will have quarterfinals on Tuesday with a day off Wednesday before Thursday’s semifinals.

Previous 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships Coverage:
Preview
Thursday Update
Friday Update
Saturday Update
Sunday Update

Modern Pentathlon

Seven Americans to Compete at UIPM World Championship in Moscow

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Seven US athletes will compete in the UIPM World Championship starting Tuesday in Moscow. Four women and three men will compete in the individual events later in the week but things get started for the US with Justin Torrellas and Sam Ruddock competing in the men’s relay on Tuesday. They will be joined by Lucas Schrimsher for the men’s individual event.

The UIPM World Championships continue through Sunday.

Previous Modern Pentathlon Coverage:
UIPM World Cup Final Recap

Cycling, UCI Men's World Tour

Stage 15 of Giro d’Italia a Great Time Trial for Americans, Joe Dombrowski Eighth and Ian Boswell in 15th

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Joe Dombrowski continues to push up the standings of the Giro d’Italia after finishing eighth in the mountain time trial 15th stage. Dombrowski was 52 seconds back of the winner and 33 seconds ahead of fellow American Ian Boswell who finished 15th. Nathan Brown made it three Americans in the top 60 with a 59th place finish and Joey Rosskopf in 68th gave the US four finishers in the top 70 for the first time in the competition.

Dombrowski moved up one spot overall to 34th, now 54:45 back. Brown moved up a spot as well to 53rd and Chad Haga remained 83rd. Boswell moved into the top 100 at 100th.

After Monday’s rest day the competition resumes with a 82 mile medium-mountain stage on Tuesday.

Previous UCI World Tour Coverage:
Giro d’Italia Preview
Stage 1 Update
Stage 2 Update
Stage 3 Update
Stage 4 Update
Stage 5 Update
Stage 6 Update
Stage 7 Update
Stage 8 Update
Stage 9 Update
Stage 10 Update
Stage 11 Update
Stage 12 Update
Stage 13 Update
Stage 14 Update

Diamond League, Track and Field

LaShawn Merritt and David Oliver Win Events and Set Records at Diamond League in Rabat

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With only nine Americans competing in Rabat, Morocco on Sunday we knew there wouldn’t be too many opportunities for the US to win events. The top contenders showed up strong though and managed to win two events. LaShawn Merritt made it two for two in the 400m defending his win earlier in the year from Doha and setting a new meet record in the process at 44.66. David Oliver stepped up in the 110m hurdles and won the event after finishing fourth in Doha. The margin was just 0.01 seconds and Oliver also set a meet record. Jason Richardson joined Oliver with a sixth place finish in the event giving the US two in the top six in both of the runnings so far this year.

Erik Kynard was unable to win the high jump for the second time this year but did manage to take second place. That was the same spot where Cassandra Tate found herself in the 400m hurdles after a season best performance. Also finishing top three with third place finishes were Buffalo Bills’ WR Marquise Goodwin in the long jump and Brittany Smith in the shot put.

It was a nice improvement after a fifth in Doha. The US had two in the top six in the 100m after Carmelita Jeter and Alexandria Anderson went back-to-back in fifth and sixth with Jeter notching a season best time.

The next Diamond League event is in the US as the world descends on the track and field hotbed of Eugene, Oregon on Saturday.

Previous Diamond League Coverage:
Rabat Preview

Cycling, Mountain Bike, UCI Mountain Bike World Cup

Lea Davison Finishes Eighth at World Cup Cross-Country Event

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While the US still doesn’t have a medalist in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup cross-country events this year Lea Davison was able to post the best American finish of the year. Davison was 16th after the first lap but steadily improved on that position throughout the race eventually reaching eighth and finishing 3:15 behind the winner. Davison was the only top 20 finisher from the US. Chloe Woodruff wasn’t higher than 20 after any laps and finished 22nd while Erin Huck finished 24th. On the men’s side Howard Grotts was the top finisher in 31st, 5:55 behind the winner, which was actually pretty impressive after he found himself 64th after the second lap. He posted top 12 times in each of the final three laps.

The next chance for the US to go after a medal in the cross-country event is in La Bresse, France on May 28th and 29th.

Previous Mountain Bike World Cup Cross-Country Coverage:
Albstadt Preview

Cycling, UCI Women's WorldTour

Megan Guarnier Wins Amgen Tour of California

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Megan Guarnier finished with most of the Americans in the field as part of an 83-woman peloton and won the Amgen Tour of California on Sunday. It was the first win on the Women’s WorldTour for Guarnier who had finished in the top six four times previously. She won by 17 seconds over Kristin Armstrong and Evelyn Stevens who made it three Americans in the top three finishing 28 seconds back. After skipping fourth place the US also had finishers in fifth, sixth, and seventh (Leah Thomas 56 seconds back, Chloe Dygert 59 seconds back, Katie Hall 1:01 back). Cory Rivera 1:07 back in ninth, Lauren Stephens 1:25 back in tenth, and Brianna Walle 1:38 back in 13th. Five other Americans finished in the top 25, Mara Abbott in 17th, Tayler Wiles in 20th, Kathryn Donovan in 22nd, Amber Neben in 24th, and Ruth Winder in 25th.

The next UCI Women’s WorldTour event is the single day Philadelphia International Cycling Classic on June 5th.

Previous Amgen Tour of California Coverage:
Preview
Thursday Update
Friday Update
Saturday Update

Fencing, Fencing World Cup

USA Finishes Fourth in Women’s Team Foil

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Just like on Saturday the best result of the day for the US came in Tauberbischofsheim. Unfortunately this time it didn’t result in a medal. Lee Kiefer, Nicole Ross, Nicole Prescod, and Madison Zeiss cruised by Sweden in their opener and held off Germany 45-38 before running into problems in the semifinals. Italy defeated them 45-36 after leading after eight of the nine matches. In the bronze medal match against France the US lost 45-40 and led after every match but one.

In Legnano, Italy the US team of Courtney Hurley, Katharine Holmes, Katarzyna Trzopek, and Kelley Hurley lost their opening match 37-28 to Hungary before winning their next two to advance to the ninth place match against Poland. Poland got the better of the US there 35-29.

Finally in Paris the US team of Jason Pryor, Alen Hadzic, Alex House, and Yeisser Ramirez saw 45-27 scores in both of their opening matches. They beat Finland in the opener but lost to #1 France in the second. The US beat Estonia 45-26 but lost to the Czech Republic 45-34 to end up in the 11th place match. The US beat Poland there 42-31.

With the final epee grand prix event having been in Rio last month the next main even for them will be the Pan American Championships in Panama City, Panama starting June 20th. The foil athletes will compete in the grand prix in Shanghai next on June 3rd.

Previous Fencing World Cup Coverage:
Preview
Day 1 Update
Day 2 Update

ISSF World Cup, Shooting

Will Brown Finishes 16th in 50m Pistol at ISSF World Cup in Munich

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No Americans advanced to the finals on Sunday but the best finish of the day for the US came in the men’s 50m pistol where 2016 Olympian Will Brown came close to qualifying for the final posting a 559, one off the final qualifier. Brown also would not have won the center 10’s tiebreaker even if had scored one point higher and finished 16th. It’s the third straight top 16 finish this year for Brown who will certainly be in contention to medal in Rio if he has a strong event. 2016 Olympian Jay Shi was 31st with a 554. His middle four series were very strong but he started with an 89 and ended with an 88 which doomed his chances. Nickolaus Mowrer finished 42nd with a 547.

In the 25m women’s pistol 2016 Olympian Enkelejda Shehu shot a 286 in the rapid fire portion to finish with a combined 570, 12 behind the last final qualifier and in 47th place. Shehu was 45th in Rio and would need to improve a lot on those performances to contend in the Olympics.

In the 25m rapid fire pistol event 2016 Olympian Emil Milev was the top American on Sunday in the first half of the qualification round but his 288 was only good enough for 22nd and he faces a four point deficit on the top eight going into the second day. Alexander Chichkov is in 38th after shooting a 285. Qualification warps up tomorrow with the finals later in the day.

Beginning on Monday will be the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions Virginia Thrasher is a 2016 Olympian in the event and finished tenth in Rio when she competed in the event earlier in the year. There will only be an elimination round on Sunday to narrow the field to 70 shooters for Monday’s qualifying round.

Previous ISSF World Cup Munich Coverage:
Preview
Saturday Update

Olympic Trials, Rio 2016 Olympic Trials, Shooting

Janessa Beaman Maintains Trap Lead at Shotgun Olympic Trials

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With three days left in the women’s trap competition Janessa Beaman continues to maintain a two point lead over 2012 Olympian Corey Cogdell with Beaman sitting on 303 points. Ashley Carroll is still in contention but after scoring only a 69 on Sunday she now trails by seven points. Beaman and Cogdell will have a lot on the line tomorrow when there is a final after two rounds of shooting that could be a big difference maker in who eventually claims the Olympic spot.

In the non-Olympic qualifying men’s trap competition Dustin McGowen saw his five point lead over Christopher Haire disappear after he shot a 67 and Haire shot a 72. Collin Wietfeldt was just one point back but after shooting a 64 he is now four points back.

Previous US Shotgun Olympic Trials Coverage:
Event II Preview
Tuesday Update
Wednesday Update
Thursday Update
Friday Update

Boxing

Good 4-1 Day for US at AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships

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Five US boxers entered the ring to continue their preliminary round competition on Sunday and all but one earned berths in the quarterfinals. 2012 gold medalist Claressa Shields won her second bout in the 75kg division, this time dispatching Uzbekistan’s Nafisakhon Askarova 3-0 with all the judges scoring it a sweep for Shields. 2015 Golden Gloves champion Christina Cruz in the 54kg division also swept her bout, though each judge had it 39-37 over Helina Bruyevich of Belarus. Naomi Graham and Ukraine’s Mariia Bova Badulina had a bout where ever judge saw it 39-37, but not all in the same direction. Graham moved on in the 69k division with two of the judges seeing it her way. Franchon Crews swept Italy’s Flavia Severin in the 81kg division to become the fourth American to reach the quarterfinals. The only loser on the day was Stalacia Leggett in the 57kg division as she came out on the wrong end of a bout with Italy’s Alessia Mesiano where all three judges scored it 38-38 but preferred Mesiano as the winner.

On Monday 19-year-old Jajaira Gonzalez in the 64kg division returns to the ring while Marlen Esparza in the 45-48kg division and Shadasia Green in the +81kg division have their first bouts. We will also be keeping an eye on Canada’s Mandy Bujold who must win twice more to grab an Olympic berth for Virginia Fuchs

Monday will end the preliminaries and narrow the field in those weight classes to eight for Tuesday’s quarterfinals.

Previous 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships Coverage:
Preview
Thursday Update
Friday Update
Saturday Update

Covering America's Athletes