TSX RECAP: Fires devastate Los Angeles, but not the 2028 Games; IOC to replace Gary Hall Jr.’s medals; Macuga wins St. Anton Super-G!

● For January 13,?2025?●

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● LANE ONE: The fires have punished Los Angeles and there is still danger from high winds early this week. But, despite some mid-information and dis-information, there has been no danger to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. (Pictured above:?The L.A. fires are devastating, but Los Angeles has rebuilt before; photo: Ariam23 via Wikipedia). Read more here: https://bit.ly/4jfGiNq

● LOS ANGELES FIRES: International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach says Gary Hall Jr.'s 10 Olympic medals will be replaced; the swimmer shared video of destroyed home site with thanks for the support he has received.? Read more here: https://bit.ly/4jg8lg2

≡ PANORAMA ≡

All items available in a single post here.

● Athens 2004: The failing roof of the iconic Athens Olympic Stadium is being repaired with the help of a European Union agency that will pay the expected €78 million cost.?

● Anti-Doping: Norwegian member of Parliament Linda Helleland, a former Vice President of the World Anti-Doping Agency, asked the Norwegian government not to pay its 2025 dues to WADA in protest over its handling of the 2021 China swimming doping incident.?

● Russia: The Russian Anti-Doping Agency reported 102 doping positives for 2024, well down from 2022 and 2023, but still a high number.?

● Alpine Skiing: Big win for emerging American star Lauren Macuga, who won her first FIS World Cup gold in the Super-G at St. Anton (SUI). Teammate Lindsey Vonn continued her comeback, with a sixth in the Downhill and then fourth in the Super-G!

? Swiss star Marco Odermatt won another Giant Slalom, his third in a row this season, increasing his seasonal lead in his try for a fourth straight men’s World Cup title.?

● Athletics: Tokyo Steeple Olympian Benard Keter won the USATF Cross Country Championships in Lubbock, Texas, with the women’s race won by Carrie Ellwood.?

? Swedish star Perseus Karlstrom won the USATF 35 km Walk Championships in Santee, California; U.S. Olympian Nick Christie won the men’s title; Mexico’s Valeria Ortuno won the women’s race.?

● Badminton: The top seeds won the Malaysia Open Singles titles, with Yu Qui Shi (CHN) taking the men’s title and Se Young An (KOR) winning the women’s tournament.?

● Biathlon: France won three of four individual races in the IBU World Cup at Oberhof (GER), with Paula Botet and Lou Jeanmonnot winning the women’s races and Quentin Fillon Maillet taking the men’s Sprint.?

● Bobsled & Skeleton: Germany swept the men’s Bob races, with Olympic stars Francesco Friedrich tying with Johannes Lochner in the Two-Man and then taking the Four-Man. Kim Kalicki won the Two-Woman race.?

● Fencing: Big win for 15-year-old Jaelyn Liu of the U.S., winning the FIE women’s Foil World Cup in Hong Kong for her first international medal! Italian star Alessio Foconi won the men’s Foil World in Paris over Alex Massialias of the U.S.?

● Freestyle Skiing: Youth was served at the FIS World Cup in Big Air in Austria, as 20-year Luca Harrington (NZL) and Italian Flora Tabanelli, 17, won the men’s and women’s events.?

● Ice Hockey: Canada defeated the U.S., 3-0, in the final of the IIHF women’s World U-18 Championship in Finland, in the 14th final between the two. Both have now won seven.

● Luge: Austrian swept the women’s races at the FIL World Cup in Altenberg (GER), with Madeleine Egle winning the Singles and younger sister Selina Egle (with Lara Kipp) took the Doubles.?

● Ski Mountaineering: French stars Emily Harrop (Sprint) and Axelle Gachet-Mollaret (Vertical) won the women’s races at the ISMF World Cup in Azerbaijan. Switzerland won both men’s races, with Arno Lietha (Sprint) and Remi Bonnet (Vertical).?

● Snowboard: Home favorite Anna Gasser won the FIS World Cup in Big Air in Krieschberg, while Wenlong Yang (CHN) took the men’s gold.?

● Tennis: The Court of Arbitration for Sport has set the hearing date for the World Anti-Doping Agency’s appeal of Italian star Jannik Sinner’s no-penalty decision by the International Tennis Integrity Agency.?

● Water Polo: Spain, the defending champion, defeated Hungary, 15-9, to win the World Aquatics men’s World Cup in Romania.? ?

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