Category Archives: Olympics

Worries about water quality forced the cancellation of another Paris Olympics test event in the Seine River on Sunday, as organisers called off a triathlon mixed relay.

While triathlon swimmers took to the Seine in competition on Thursday and Friday, water quality tests showed higher than authorised levels of bacteria ahead of a paratriathlon test event Saturday, so it was cancelled. Further tests ahead of Sunday's mixed relay remained inconsistent, according to a joint statement from organisers and local officials.

As a precautionary measure and to protect the health of the athletes, the decision has once again been taken to cancel all the swimming races scheduled for today, it said. Authorities are investigating the reason for the problematic tests.

Rainfall in recent days may have been a factor. A previous test event had to be cancelled this month because heavy rain caused overflows of untreated waste into the Seine, leaving water quality below safety standards.

The cancellations this weekend pose a new challenge to the Paris Olympics organisers and the citys ambitions to reopen the iconic river to public swimming after the Games.

Paris is spending massively on water-management projects that officials say will make pollution caused by storms less frequent by the time the Games begin on July 26, 2024. Olympics organisers remain determined to hold open-air swimming events along the picturesque river, viewing this months cancellations as a learning experience.

Read more from the original source:

Paris Olympics swimming test event cancelled over water quality fears - Yahoo News UK

John Devitt, an Australian champion swimmer who was awarded a gold medal in the showcase race of the 1960 Rome Olympics even though he had a slower time than the runner-up, died on Thursday in Sydney. He was 86.

The Australian Olympic Committee announced the death, saying it came after a long illness.

Devitt was one of Australias greatest swimmers, thrilling the home crowds when he won gold and silver medals in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. He went on to win a bronze medal as well in the 1960 Games. Including relays, he broke 14 world records and won 13 Australian championships.

But beyond Australia he may be best remembered for his part in the finish of the 100-meter freestyle final in Rome, one of the more freakish moments in sports history. It led to an overhaul of the way the placings and times for swimming races were decided, with electronic timers and photos replacing judgment calls.

Devitt, at 23 and a lean 6-foot-1 in 1960, was captain of the Australian mens swimming team for the second consecutive Olympics and the race favorite. One opponent was Lance Larson of Monterey Park, Calif., a 20-year-old sophomore at the University of Southern California.

In the eight-man final, Devitt was clearly ahead until the last 20 meters, when Larson, in an adjoining lane, caught up to him. They touched the finish wall almost together, with Larson seemingly slightly ahead. Each congratulated the other, and they then both waited for the official results. The wait was excruciating almost 10 minutes.

In that era, the rules called for three judges to choose first place, three other judges to choose second, and three others to choose third. Each lane had three timekeepers, but their timing, by hand, was almost incidental in determining who finished where. There was no starting beep or automatic touch pads or accepted electronic timing or replays, as there are in major swimming competitions today.

When the judges were polled after the race, the results were unusual. Two of the three first-place judges had picked Devitt as the winner, and one had picked Larson. Two of the second-place judges had picked Devitt for second, and one had picked Larson. The three timekeepers for Devitts lane had all timed him in 55.2 seconds. The three in Larsons lane had timed the American in 55.0, 55.1 and 55.1.

And a newly introduced automatic timing machine which was started electronically but stopped manually, and which was to be consulted only when judges were tied, as they were in Rome had Larson in 55.10 seconds and Devitt in 55.16.

It seemed obvious that Larson had won until the chief judge, Hans Runstromer of Germany, interceded and voted for Devitt.

American officials protested the decision to the jury of appeals, saying the rules did not give the chief judge a vote. Runstromer disagreed. Besides, he said, he had been standing on the finish line and had seen the whole thing. A Sports Illustrated photograph, however, showed that he was 25 yards away at the time and had viewed the finish at an angle.

The appeal failed. The Americans appealed three times more in the next four years and lost every time. As Larson said, It was a bad deal.

Devitt disagreed, saying that some of the judges and timers might have missed his touch because it came after a short stroke underwater.

In the end, as The New York Herald Tribune wrote after the race, This required a Solomon, and the International Swimming Federation was fresh out of Solomons.

In 2009, a paper in the journal Physical Culture and Sport: Studies and Research concluded that Runstromers decision undoubtedly sanctioned untruth.

In other words, the study said, Larson had won.

Since the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, all international swim races have been timed electronically.

John Thomas Devitt was born on Feb. 4, 1937, in Granville, a suburb of Sydney. He started swimming at age 4 and often trained by swimming against currents of discharged water from a power plant.

Devitts gold medal in Melbourne in 1956 came in the 4x200-meter relay; he won the silver there in the 100-meter freestyle. Besides the gold medal in Rome, he took the bronze there in the 4x200-meter freestyle.

He retired after the 1960 Olympics and was elected to the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1979. (Larson was elected in 1980.)

His survivors include his wife, Wendy, whom he married in 1961.

In later years, Devitt was the European manager for the Speedo swimwear company and opened his own swimming equipment company. He headed the Australian swimming federation, served as a high official of the Australian Olympic Committee and helped bring the 2000 Olympics to Sydney.

In the 1980s, Devitt and Larson met for the first time since their race, and all was pleasant. But Larson never forgot those Olympics. I think, he said, John has had to live with the feeling for many years that he probably didnt really win that gold medal.

Frank Litsky, a longtime sportswriter for The Times, died in 2018. William McDonald contributed reporting.

Link:

John Devitt, Champion Swimmer With a Tarnished Gold Medal, Dies at 86 - The New York Times

2023 FIBA World Cup - USA Senior Men's National Team v Greece

It's one thing that stood out about USA Basketball's World Cup roster not one of the players had been a game of high-level international experience.

That inexperienced team has looked good going 4-0 in tune-ups, with one more against Germany on Sunday, Grant Hill, the managing director of the USA Basketball Men's National Team, is impressed and said this will not be the last international tournament for many of these players expect to see a lot of them at the Paris Olympics next summer. Here is what Hill told Harris Stavrou from Sport24 (hat tip Basketnews).

I can say that we are in a transition stage in our program, well see a lot of these guys next summer as well, Hill said. They are not in their prime yet, but theyre very hungry and want to be here. And they are really good...

Many top players worldwide, ones that expect to make a deep playoff run (or just coming off one), felt the need to choose between playing in the World Cup this year or the Paris Olympics next year. Paris won big. Nikola Joki (Serbia) and Jamal Murray (Canada) were obvious examples of players sitting out this year after a playoff run, but potential American stars such as Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid (USA or France), among others could throw their hat in the ring next year.

That will leave Grant Hill with some tough decisions.

Jaren Jackson Jr. is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and his USA teammates voted him the most impressive player in training camp. Jalen Brunson has been a leader on the court at the point, Anthony Edwards has been a leading scorer and force on the wing, and Tyrese Haliburton has sparked the second unit. Brandon Ingram has fit well in a stretch four role (what Durant did for Team USA in Tokyo). Then there are guys who have just played well such as Austin Reaves, Cameron Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Paolo Banchero, and Bobby Portis. If this Team USA makes a run to gold in this World Cup, who gets cut for the bigger names (and talents, in some cases).

It's a good problem to have for Hill and USA. But it could lead to some stress.

Original post:

Expect a lot of players from this year's Team USA to be back for Paris Olympics - Yahoo Sports

There was understandable emotion both when Morgan Pearson crossed the line in sixth in the Paris Test Event to qualify for next years Olympics and then afterwards as he let the achievement sink in.

By making the top eight in a race he only got into at the very last minute, the American reached his countrys qualification criteria and it was all the more impressive given what hes been through in recent years.

Pearsons qualification for his first Olympics in Tokyo came just 10 weeks after his older brother Andrew passed away, saying at the time: I was just thinking about the sliver of happiness I could hopefully bring to my family by qualifying. It has been hard on all of us.

He would go on to win a silver medal in the Mixed Team Relay.

And this year he has faced numerous challenges, which help explain why his race positions up until this top 10 were DNS (WTCS Abu Dhabi), 44 (WTCS Yokohama), DNF (WTCS Cagliari) and 31 (WTCS Hamburg).

When Pearson is fit and in top form he has shown he can mix it with the very best as well as that silver in Tokyo, he was runner-up in the Grand Final in Abu Dhabi last November one of only two races he competed in during the whole of 2022.

And that was demonstrated again in Paris where he moved to the front early on the run and stayed with the second group after Alex Yee kicked clear to win in dominant style.

Speaking to TRI247s Tomos Land, Pearson said he felt now was the right time to open up about some testing times this season and last:

Last year was not a good year. I didnt race at all. I was dealing with an injury and then I raced in Chile in mid-November [World Triathlon Cup Vina del Mar] and after mechanical problems finished 50th.

Then two weeks later I went to the Grand Final and got second. So, yeah, I honestly think Im capable of always competing for the podium, but this year, I mean, I dont know if I want to share it but Ive had some pretty unfortunate setbacks.

At the start of the year I got sick ahead of Abu Dhabi, then I strained my hamstring right before Yokohama. Not a major injury, but just like, the timing of it was awful.

And then see the scar on my head? I got an infection. A massive infection on my head. And it took me out for, like, a month. Im going to post a picture on social media, I think to show this is why I wasnt racing well in Italy. It even hurt to wear my goggles.

So I then didnt race Montreal and then at Hamburg I was so out of shape as Id basically had a month off.

Im not a guy thats going to go out and make excuses after those races. Thats just not me.

But now I think I can share this story a little bit now that Ive shown I am [back] at that level.

And even this sixth-place in Paris was far from plain sailing as he added: That first lap on the run, I felt good and I was pushing the pace and my lower back and glutes then started tightening up which is something Ive been dealing with all season.

So I couldnt run at the speed I wanted, but I just backed off a little and tried to keep the pace honest and tried to get it down to like, seven guys with Alex up the way. And I did that and instead of kicking and trying to get on the podium, which I dont know if I could have done anyways, I just enjoyed the moment.

Next year, therell be none of that, Ill be fighting to the finish.

The story is even more remarkable given that Pearsons name was the very last one added to the start list as he was allotted #68 following a couple of late withdrawals.

He said: This past day has been a whirlwind. I mean, I wasnt on the start list until 14 hours before the race this morning. I dont think its sunk in yet that Ive qualified for the Olympics.

I want to call my family. My mom couldnt go to Tokyo. I think shell be really excited to come to Paris. And every time she says I cant wait to come, Im like, dont say that, dont jinx it. But now she can. Now she can come. So yeah, I mean, I think this means a lot to me, but maybe it means more to my family they can come to this one.

Read more from the original source:

Emotions run high as Morgan Pearson ends 'whirlwind day' with a place at Paris Olympics - TRI247

It was a summer of firsts for Rafael Nadal in 2008, beginning with winning his first Wimbledon title, where he defeated Roger Federer, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7, in what is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis matches of all time.

And he wasnt done with the breakthroughs there.

Six weeks later on August 17th, 2008exactly 15 years ago to this dayNadal won his first Olympic gold medal in Beijing, following up a grueling 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 semifinal victory over Novak Djokovic with a 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-3 triumph over Chile's Fernando Gonzalez in the gold medal match.

I know how difficult it is to win these things, and especially here, because you only have one chance every four years, he said afterwards. And to win here for me is, well, unbelievable no? I just can say thank you very much to all my team for supporting me all the time, and thank you very much all the athletes in the village, because I spent a fantastic time there.

I was two weeks here. I arrived very tired after flying directly from Cincinnati to here. And the reason, probably, that I wonthe reason I won this titleis because I had a fantastic time here, enjoying a lot in the village. Thank you very much to all the Spanish athletes for coming every day to support me.

"That was an amazing experience for me.

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On This Day, 2008: Rafael Nadal captures gold medal at Beijing Olympics - Tennis Magazine

India ended its Olympics Pre-Qualifying campaign with a 66-79 loss to Bahrain. The Olympics Pre-Qualifying tournament was held in Damascus, Syria.

India, with an overall record of 2-3 finished third, while Bahrain (5-0) topped the standings and has progressed to the Final Qualifying Tournament next year.

Disappointingly for India, it lost three games straight after starting the tournament strong with two wins. India is now out of contention for a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Quarter by Quarter Breakdown:

The game's momentum shifted through the quarters, with each team showcasing their strengths and strategies:

Q1: India started strong, securing a 24-17 lead over Bahrain in the first quarter.

Q2: However, Bahrain made a significant comeback in the second quarter, outscoring India 31-15 and taking the lead at halftime.

Q3: Bahrain continued their dominant performance in the third quarter, adding another 22 points to their tally while India managed to score 12 points.

Q4: The final quarter saw India attempting a comeback, but Bahrain's defensive efforts limited them to just 9 points, allowing Bahrain to secure the victory with a final score of 79-66.

Key Players' Performances:

Sahaij Pratap Singh Sekhon led the Indian team with 17 points, while Aravind Annadurai contributed 11 points. On the Bahraini side, Muzamil Ameer Hamooda shone brightly with an impressive 24-point performance. Despite India's efforts, Bahrain's consistent scoring and solid teamwork secured them the win.

Missed Opportunity for Indian Basketball:

The loss against Bahrain has a broader implication for Indian basketball. By falling short in this pre-qualifying tournament, India missed out on the opportunity to potentially compete with some of the top NBA stars from Europe, including renowned names like Luka Doni, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Joki. The potential experience of facing these basketball giants could have provided a significant boost to the morale of the Indian basketball players and opened up possibilities for growth and development on a global stage.

Over the decades, the Indian basketball team has shown immense dedication and promise, and such opportunities could have paved the way for a brighter future in international basketball. While this particular chance was not realized, the Indian players and fans remain hopeful for future opportunities to showcase their skills and compete at the highest level.

Final Score: India (Sahaij Sekhon 17 pts, Aravind Annadurai 11 pts, Pranav Prince 10 reb, Amjyot Singh Gill 10 pts) lose to Bahrain (Muzamil Ameer Hamooda 24 pts, Mustafa Rashed 14pts, Devon Dwayne Chism 11 pts) 66-79 [24-17, 15-31, 12-22, 15-9]

Link:

India Ends Olympics Pre-Qualifying Campaign with loss to Bahrain - Ekalavyas

With less than a year to go until the Olympic Games, the Paris 2024 Triathlon Test Event is underway in the French capital, with competitions taking place from 17 to 20 August 2023.

The competition takes place on a course in the heart of the city, higlighting some of the most beautiful monuments in Paris: Pont Alexandre-III, Les Invalides, lAssemble Nationale and the Avenue des Champs-Elyses (with the Arc de Triomphe in sight).

We are in the heart of Paris so there are a lot of difficulties to organize such an event, so we did not want to take the risk of launching for the first time during the Olympic Games in Paris so we needed to carry out this test event, said Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024.

Here is a look back at the reaction of the athletes who took part in this triathlon test event, who shared their joy at competing surrounded by the beauty of Parisian architecture.

This triathlon test event course will remain long in the memory for those competing in the heart of Paris.

In addition to some of the most beautiful monuments of the City of Light, the organisation decided to carry out the swimming part of the triathlon in a 1,500 metre stretch of the river Seine.

For Kristian Blummenfelt, gold medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021, said swimming in the Seine was kind of the same feeling we have in Hamburg, we swim in a kind of tunnel because you can see everyone on the riverside. [Next year in Paris] will probably be a highlight of my career.

Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024 added: "We use the dynamics of the Games to make the Seine swimmable. We have seen the quality of the Seine improve month by month for a year now, it will be even better next year. What a legacy for this territory!

Besides the innovation of swimming in the Seine, the athletes were seduced by a really crazy course, according to Emma Lombardi, wonderkid of the French Womens Triathlon team. The technical part of the bike on the emblematic Parisian cobblestones, especially on the Avenue des Champs-lyses, conquered most of the participants. On the cobblestones, it shakes well! added the 21-year-old French athlete, who finished 4th on 17 August.

Frenchman Vincent Luis, double world champion in 2019 and 2020, agreed: The course is great, it goes very fast by bike, its technical, its really a course that I appreciated, he said, despite withdrawing before the finish due to not being fully recovered from a fatigue fracture contracted this spring.

Fans came in large numbers to support the best triathletes in the world. After an exceptional performance in running, Britain's Alex Yee was able to enjoy the warm atmosphere of this test event, using the last seconds of his race to appreciate the support and the Parisian decor while celebrating his victory in the men's race.

I was really lucky and fortunate to be in that position (1st), so I wanted to appreciate the fans that came out today. I mean, there were so many people who have come so early, as the race was so early, so to have so many people at this time cheering us was really special and hopefully we can have that next year.

Unexpectedly, the reception of the supporters was particularly pleasing to the French triathlon team, who responded with triathletes finishing in the top 5 in the womens and mens racing categories.

Cassandre Beaugrand, second in the womens event, will keep a great memory of this test event. Diminished by stomach pains, she finished in second place, with courage, carried by a crowd acquired to her cause.

It was just amazing, I had chills. I didnt want to look around too much, because you have to stay focussed. Frankly, this course is beautiful. I felt like I was being pushed along by fans. It would have been a lot harder if I hadnt had so much support.

Emma Lombardi also praised the fan support: The atmosphere was incredible, its really nice to be so encouraged all along, we feel really well.

The triathlon at Paris 2024 will be one of the few events where the spectators do not need to buy tickets to see the best triathletes in the world and participate in the great celebration of the Olympic Games. For Pierre Le Corre, fourth in the men's event, its incredible to be able to offer this to all the spectators.

A feeling of happiness shared by Lo Bergre who can barely imagine what it will be next year with the crowd that was already pushing us today.

Experienced triathletes at multiple races around the world, Olympic champion Kristian Blummenfelt and double world champion Vincent Luis, said that the organisation of this test event was of a very high level.

For the Norwegian, it was super well organised. Seems like everything is in control in terms of next year. In general, in France they are really good to organise events and also the atmosphere around events is always good. It tends to turn up with a big, big numbers of spectators. So its going to be fantastic next year.

Performing in his own country, Vincent Luis was delighted that his nation had lived up to the high standards expected.

I am flabbergasted by the quality of the race that has been produced here. I ran all over the world and frankly today it was without fail, there was no problem.

All the feedback I got from other athletes, they told me it was Overwhelming!. Theres too much to see, to look at, its amazing. Im glad its happening this way in France.

Here is the original post:

Olympic Triathlon Test Event: A huge success for athletes, a boost of ... - Olympics

The cancellations this weekend pose a new challenge to the Paris Olympics organisers and the citys ambitions to reopen the iconic river to public swimming after the Games.

Worries about water quality forced the cancellation of another Paris Olympics test event in the Seine River on Sunday, as organisers called off a triathlon mixed relay.

While triathlon swimmers took to the Seine in competition on Thursday and Friday, water quality tests showed higher than authorised levels of bacteria ahead of a paratriathlon test event Saturday, so it was cancelled. Further tests ahead of Sunday's mixed relay remained inconsistent, according to a joint statement from organisers and local officials.

As a precautionary measure and to protect the health of the athletes, the decision has once again been taken to cancel all the swimming races scheduled for today, it said. Authorities are investigating the reason for the problematic tests.

Rainfall in recent days may have been a factor. A previous test event had to be cancelled this month because heavy rain caused overflows of untreated waste into the Seine, leaving water quality below safety standards.

The cancellations this weekend pose a new challenge to the Paris Olympics organisers and the citys ambitions to reopen the iconic river to public swimming after the Games.

Paris is spending massively on water-management projects that officials say will make pollution caused by storms less frequent by the time the Games begin on July 26, 2024. Olympics organisers remain determined to hold open-air swimming events along the picturesque river, viewing this months cancellations as a learning experience.

Original post:

Paris Olympics swimming test event cancelled over water quality fears - Euronews

With one year to go until the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, fans around the world have been following their teams performances at the FIFA Womens World Cup.

For fans whose national teams didnt advance as much as they had hoped, they can look forward to seeing those same teams play at the Paris Olympics.

But the same is not true for the mens national teams that competed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. At the Olympic Games, mens national teams are limited to 23-year-old and younger players, with three exceptions for overage players. There are no age restrictions for the women players.

This is only one of the many gender-based differences in how men and women athletes compete at the Olympic Games.

My research examines how the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has promoted gender equality at the Games. My book Gender Equality and the Olympic Programme focuses on the sport programme all the sports and events included at the Games because it is the most visible aspect of the Olympic Games.

According to the IOC:

the Olympic programme is the fundamental core of the Olympic Games as decisions regarding the programme have an impact on virtually all other areas of the Olympic Games and Olympic Movement.

The inclusion of specific sports and events, as well as how women and men athletes play those sports (and what they wear to play them), sends important messages about how the IOC and other international sport federations define and attempt to achieve gender equality.

In addition, the sport programme is highly contested. International sport federations, athletes, Games Organizing Committees, broadcasters and the IOC all have interests in its composition. And, sometimes, those interests conflict.

Most of the IOCs claims about gender equality achievements at the Games are focused on the sport programme. The IOC has announced that at the 2024 Games, for the first time, there will be an equal number of men and women athletes, and the same number of events (opportunities to win a medal) for men and women.

In 2014, the IOC released a strategic plan for the future of the Olympic Games. Among the 40 recommendations is one about fostering gender equality. Including an equal number of men and women athletes at the Games is one strategy the IOC identified to foster gender equality.

Claims about achieving gender balance have been an integral part of all the IOCs statements about Paris 2024. It is crucial to critically examine what these claims mean and how they relate to achieving gender equality.

Ensuring gender parity the same number of men and women athletes and mens and womens events is important for gender equality at the Games, but it does not address the conditions of mens and womens participation.

The IOCs aim to achieve gender balance reveals an incomplete, numbers-focused commitment to gender equality.

When men and women compete in the same sports, international federations continue to enforce differences between mens and womens events. These differences include: the length of races; weight categories; the height, weight, size and spacing of equipment; the size of venues; and differences in judging, rules and uniforms.

For example, in artistic gymnastics, the differences between the mens and womens competitions include age requirements (18 years old for men and 16 for women); different apparatus (e.g., parallel bars for men and uneven parallel bars for women); the number of apparatus (six for men and four for women); and uniform requirements (long or short pants for men, leotards or unitards for women).

On the floor and vault apparatus on which both men and women compete womens floor routines are set to music and include dance elements, while the mens do not. When performing the same skills, mens eligible scores are lower than womens.

What the audience sees is womens gymnastics performed in ways that emphasize stereotypical femininity and minimize strength and power. In contrast, mens gymnastics events are organized to emphasize the athletes strength and power.

These gender-based differences are examples of gender inequality.

In cases where sports are gender-differentiated, womens sports are designed to be a lesser version than the mens. Womens races are shorter, there are fewer weight categories, equipment and venues are lighter and smaller and women wear more revealing uniforms.

Differences in mens and womens conditions of participation are the result of decisions made by those who control Olympic sports decision-makers who continue to be predominantly men. The differences are not naturally occurring, nor are they universal.

In fact, there are several sports and events on the Olympic programme that are not gender-differentiated. For example, men and women athletes competing in archery and badminton use the same venue, equipment and rules.

This is evidence of internal contradictions in the Olympic programme; some events are constructed to be different for men and women athletes, while others are not. This reinforces the need to identify and explain the remaining examples of gender-based differences.

These internal contradictions also require further attention from the IOC and the adoption of a more complete definition of gender equality one that includes opportunity and status.

The IOC needs to look beyond the numbers and work with international federations to address athletes conditions of participation in the same sports.

Crucially, embracing and enforcing gender equality should not mean using mens sports as the standard (e.g., increasing the length of womens races to be the same as the mens distance). Rather, this is an opportunity for international federations to determine the best possible conditions for all athletes in their sports.

Read the rest here:

Gender inequality will still be an issue at the Paris 2024 Olympics ... - The Conversation Indonesia

You gotta be a little bit crazy to jump over these 42-inch barriers.

Grant Holloway is very familiar with that "crazy". The 25-year-old USA athlete is a two-time (2019, 2022) world champion in the 110m hurdles and is also the second-fastest man ever in the event, clocking a 12.81 in 2021.

But his Olympic moment at Tokyo 2020 also came with a second next to his name, the silver medal leaving him hungrier for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Gamesand helping to drive his work away from the spotlight in one of athletics most high-octane events.

Ive been using that bad taste in my mouth just as motivation, Holloway told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview. Second place is, as they say, the first loser. But for me, I knew that race wasn't Grant Holloway. I just remember it. I try to move past it. I try to use it to mature. And I try to use it on and off the track to get better in life, because not everything is gonna go your way.

Having clocked two of the fastest times in the preliminary rounds at the U.S. Championships in July, Holloway did not start in the final. He has a bye into the 2023 World Athletics Championships, which run from 19 to 27 August in Budapest, Hungary, as the reigning world champion in the event.

And that is what he is focused on: Budapest 2023, Paris 2024 and every hurdle hell face between now and then.

When he thinks back to that silver-medal performance behind Jamaicas Hansle Parchment in Tokyo, Holloway turns back to his internal eye. The hurdler practises regular visualisation techniques for his races, an aspect he says is important in his event.

I wanna be able to run just free, regardless of what happens...Of course there's gonna be some jitters, everybody has those when you care so much, Holloway said. But [I want] to go out there and run stress free and really see myself crossing the finish line before everybody else.

That's my goal. That's what I set myself out to do. And it's up to me to challenge my team in order for us to fulfil that goal.

Holloway is talking in particular about Budapest, where he arrives as the two-time and reigning world champion, and one of just three men to go under the 13-second mark in the race this season.

The Olympic medallist focuses on two aspects to keep pushing forward: Consistency and discipline.

Those are the rules that I always live by, Holloway said. If I can continue to apply those two things to what I want to accomplish both on the track and off the track, then...the sky's the limit. I'm able to do anything.

Anything is a scary thought for the rest of the global 110m hurdles field, which continues to chase London 2012 champion Aries Merritts world record time of 12.80.

I still have that sour taste in my mouth from 2021, Holloway admitted. I had a lot of things thrown my way. But I am also going to remember what that felt like and I never want to have that feeling again.

That second-place finish has made a detail-oriented Holloway an even more meticulous planner. Post-Budapest, he said, eyes will turn towards Paris and how his team is developing a plan to excel at the Games.

Ill sit down with my team and challenge them, like, All right, this is what we did really good [last season] and this is what we did really bad. Let's see how we can be in the middle', he said.

I want to be able to reevaluate what I've done and then as I get ready to go into 2024 really hone in and grab the bull by the horns and do what we do best, but better.

It isnt necessarily about Olympic redemption, Holloway clarifies. Instead and he harkens his nickname, Wonder Boy here it's about letting his potential be showcased on the biggest stage in the world.

'We wonder what Wonder Boy will do next', laughed Holloway at a suggested headline. My resume, my times, they speak for themselves. But Wonder Boy is going to continue to do wonders.

The 110m hurdles require precision and near-perfection at lightning-fast speeds and with only razor-thin margins of error. Having come within 0.01 seconds of Merritts world record time two years ago, that mountain top still looms for Holloway, but so do other goals.

This year? Its the world title, Holloway replied when asked which he wanted more a record or a gold medal in Budapest. If you ask me next year, of course, it's going to be Olympic gold. [But] the Olympics is an event where you have to be your best in order to get the gold medal.

Next year, I'm going for gold.

Holloway calls a sub-13 time in the 110m hurdles the pinnacle of all hurdles", and likens it to a sub-10 second race in the 100m or sub-20 in the 200m.

I would say it's probably one of the hardest sub races to do, he said.

It requires a pristine start that volts up to top speed, but speed that a hurdler must be able to control all the way down the track", Holloway explained.

Hes done it five times in his career, most recently at the Paris Diamond League stop in June, when he dedicated the race to his stepfather, Bunny, who had recently passed away.

Hed been watching me grow into this young man... he really took me under his wing since 2009," Holloway said. Some of the things he taught me Ill be able to teach to my own kids. He took me under his wing and that race [in Paris] will be a core memory for the rest of my life.

Holloway can be as quick with his wit as he is in a hurdles race: "I didn't come to the party to sit on the wall, I came to the party to dance, he told NBC during this years U.S. nationals.

A nationally-recruited football player who nearly chose collegiate ball over track, for Holloway hard work comes with another aspect - fun.

I realised that to have fun with this sport, you have to be loose, you have to enjoy what you do, he said. That's one of the parts of my legacy that I'm going to be able to leave. It's great to have fun with what you love to do.

"The times will speak for themselves, but you as a human being, [that] will speak more than the times.

Theres been long-running banter on social media, too, between Holloway and fellow Olympic silver medallist Rai Benjamin, who competes in the 400m hurdles. The idea? The two face off in a new event: The 200m hurdles.

For Rai and I, we're just trying to add some more enthusiasm to the sport, Holloway explained, laughing. Its all love. [But] still to this day he wants to do the race, which is great because I would too. But, honestly, we have to do it on the off year. Hopefully we can get some sponsors in and get the track all built up and we can just go out there and have some fun.

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Grant Holloway exclusive: On 'running free' at Budapest 2023 and ... - Olympics