Diving stars gather in Tokyo for Olympic qualification FINA DIVING WORLD CUP 2021

The Tatsumi Aquatics Centre in Tokyo (JPN) is ready to host, from May 1-6, the FINA Diving World Cup, with the participation of 225 athletes from 46 countries. This competition is a qualification and test event for the Olympic Games and will allow the completion of the list of 136 divers that will compete this summer in Japan. Eight finals are on the programme of this World Cup, 3m and 10m platform individual and synchro for men and women, organised under strict sanitary and health conditions and without spectators on the stands.

For each individual event, up to 18 places will be at stake at this World Cup, while each synchronised competition will select four teams (out of the total eight that will dive at the Games).

Strong delegations from the diving powerhouses in the discipline are attending this World Cup, with many countries having already obtained their slots for the Olympics (the qualification in diving is not nominal, a place is guaranteed for the country), thus benefitting from this opportunity to get acquainted with the venue that will host the Games’ competition. However, for many other nations, this World Cup is the last opportunity to obtain their precious “ticket” for the Olympic celebration.

The diving selection for the Games comprises three steps: firstly, the 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju (KOR), then the continental qualification, and now the FINA Diving World Cup in Tokyo.

Many stars will be present this week in the Japanese capital: among them, Tom Daley (GBR), Paola Espinosa (MEX), Patrick Hausding (GER), Meaghan Benfeito (CAN), Constantin Popovici (ROU), Daniel Restrepo (COL), Ken Terauchi (JPN), Evgeny Kuznetsov (RUS), Oleksii Sereda (UKR), Suji Kim (KOR), Kassidy Cook (USA), Pandelela Pamg (MAS), or Noemi Batki (ITA).

 

The six-day competition unfolds as follows (for finals):

May 1, 2021

Women’s 3m synchro
Men’s 10m synchro

May 2, 2021

Women’s 10m synchro
Men’s 3m synchro

May 4, 2021

Women’s 3m springboard

Men’s 10m platform

May 5, 2021

Women’s 10m platform

May 6, 2021

Men’s 3m springboard

 

Besides the coverage in FINA’s website, the competition will be broadcast and streamed in more than 200 countries.

In North America, all finals will be available on NBC Sport (USA), CBC (Canada) while preliminaries and semi-finals will be will be streamed on fina.org and FINA You Tube Channel. Globo TV will broadcast the finals in Brazil, with preliminaries and semi-finals available on the platforms.

In China, all events will be streamed on the FINA’s Youku channel, while TV Asahi will cover the competition in Japan.

In Europe, images of the World Cup will be available on Eurovision Sport TV, except for some countries with dedicated coverage ensured by national broadcasters. Supersport will broadcast the event in most African countries while BeIN Sports will cover the competition in the Middle East.

For all the remaining countries without a national coverage like Australia, all events will be available on fina.org and FINA You Tube Channel.

More information can be found on the FINA website.

 

Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA)

The Fédération Internationale de Natation, founded in 1908, is the governing body for aquatics worldwide. FINA's five discipline Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Diving, Water Polo and Artistic Swimming - are all included in the Olympic programme. High Diving made its first appearance in FINA events at the 2013 FINA World Championships. FINA counts 209 affiliated National Federations on the five continents and has its headquarters in Lausanne (SUI).

 

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Euro League, Final Four, Budapest (HUN) – Day 1 Thrillers in the semis, Olympiacos faces Dunaujvaros in the final

Olympiacos returns to the final after 2019 to face Dunaujvaros, which will have a historical first-ever appearance in the last match of the Euro League Final Four. Both teams won thrilling semis in the Tuske Pool in Budapest. In the game between Olympiacos and UVSE the gap was never more than a single goal though the lead was exchanging constantly but the Greeks had the last laugh. In the next encounter Dunaujvaros went four goals up early in the second only to see Uralochka arriving to the game and taking a 9-11 lead before the last break. But the Hungarians staged a comeback with a 3-0 rush so the Russians had to save the game to a shootout. But the ran out of luck as three saves from goalie Alda Magyari sent Dunaujvaros to the final.

Semi-finals:

Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) v UVSE-Hunguest Hotels (HUN) 9-8

Dunaujvarosi Foiskola (HUN) v Dynamo Uralochka (RUS) 12-12, pen: 3-2

 

Schedule for Sunday 17.45, Bronze medal match: UVSE v Uralochka. 20.15, Final: Olympiacos v Dunaujvaros

As expected, the first semi brought a tremendous battle between 2019 runner-up Olympiacos and Hungary’s top team UVSE. The first half was more like a chess game with a lot of tactical moves and position play. Neither side could find any tools to break the ice in six on six, goals came from man-ups, penalties and in even numbers so it stood 4-4 at halftime.

In the third the Hungarians seemed to take the upper hand despite losing their top player Rita Keszthelyi after an exclusion+penalty combo – still, their offense did not collapse. On the contrary, UVSE managed to equalise twice, what’s more, with a double within 47 seconds they retook the lead for 6-7 and kept it till the last break.

The turning point came early in the fourth. The Greeks, winning the swim-off for the first time in the game, netted an action goal right from the first possession, then UVSE wasted a man-up and Maria Myriokefalitaki soon netted another one from the centre for 8-7. After two minutes of intensifying battling, Rebecca Parkes could level the score from action with 4:48 remaining but UVSE couldn’t add any more – in fact this remained their lonely hit in the final period. The Greeks managed to convert their last 6 on 5 after a time-out by Eleftheria Plevritou and even though there were still 3:23 to play neither teams could find the back of the net any more. The win sent Olympiacos to the final for the fourth time since 2015 – that was they year they won the event but lost their next two in 2017 and 2019.

In the second semi the other ‘home side’ Dunaujvaros took a dream start. They were brilliant in offence, scored from all angles to produce a 5-goal opening period and soon they went 6-2 and 7-3 up. Then they started to waste the balls in front and the Russians could start playing their favourite counter-attacking game which brought them back to even by halftime at 8-8. That demonstrated that unlike the previous match, here the offences were out for an all-in approach so the game produced almost as many goals in two periods than the first semi.

The flood was halted in the third, especially at the Hungarians’ side. Their sparkling offence disappeared, though this could partly be credited to Evgeniia Golovina who started delivering some fine saves after some miseries in the first ten minutes. It was a sharp contrast: Dunaujvaros could score 8 in 12:19 minutes, they netted only one in the following 11:41. Uralochka was on the fire at the other end and with great goals from Elvina Karimova they rushed to a 9-11 lead.

At this stage all bets were on the Russians – but it was their turn to freeze in front. They missed crucial 6 on 5s early in the fourth while the Magyars overcame their shadows and Dorottya Szilagyi netted her 4th and 5th for 11-11 then Brigitta Horvath came up with a brilliant backhanded goal from the centre – and Dunaujvaros was in front once more at 12-11. The Russians replied from the centre immediately, by Yulia Lapteva, to break the ice after 6:11 minutes for 12-12 with 2:27 remaining. The final minutes were thrilling, the Russians even went for a 7 on 6 in the last 22 seconds and their goalie Golovina took the shot from the left wing but Alda Magyari stopped it. Dunaujvaros tried its luck after a time-out with 3.5sec to go but their distant shot was also denied so the penalties decided the outcome.

And here Magyari was superior as she could put her hands on three Russians shots – her team-mates missed two but those three saves put Dunaujvaros through for a historical first-ever Euro League final. Their biggest success so far at European stage was their LEN Trophy victory in 2018 – eventually, they played that final with Olympiacos and won 13-11. Now the prize is bigger, the opponent is the same, a rather exciting scenario for Saturday evening.

 

Quotes Olympiacos v UVSE 9-8

Charis Pavlidis, coach, Olympiacos: “We are absolutely happy to win this game, it was such an effort from my team. I can hardly find the words now as I’m so emotional. You know, it was quite hard for these players as we didn’t even know if we ever have the chance to play international matches at all. The preparations were also interrupted several times and we couldn’t really get to the level we wanted to for this tournament as we couldn’t play any serious game since 13 March when we beat Sabadell in the quarter-finals. On the contrary, UVSE had a great final against Dunaujvaros so they had a much more promising road leading here. Still, we could offer a great team effort even though we didn’t play well, it was far from our best. The turning point was our first goal in the fourth period which levelled the score. From that moment the team was able to believe that we could really win this match against such a great team and I saw that in my players’ eyes.”

Marton Benczur, coach, UVSE “We cannot do anything but to congratulate Olympiacos and try to accept what happened here. Of course, we made a lot of mistakes, especially in defence. We talked through before the match what the Greeks would do and they did exactly what we foresaw, still, we were unable to react in the expected way. If I make a serious account, I would say from the nine goals we conceded seven were gifts. Maybe we were too nervous, too tense but this is normal in a Euro League semi-final. So we have to talk about our own mistakes and deal with the unexplainable exclusion of one of the world’s best players Rita Keszthelyi – though believe me, in normal sports which are considered serious part of the entertainment business this would be a ridiculous move by the officials. Also, I don’t want to recall the last minute of the game as I don’t want to hurt anyone. This is our faith, we couldn’t get any higher.”

Rita Keszthelyi-Nagy, captain, UVSE “I think we found it hard to adjust ourselves to this style of refereeing and to this playing situation… Never ever before it happened to me that I was excluded and then a penalty was also called against me. We agreed what we wanted to play but we was terribly slow in our offence, our drives which would have broke up Olympiacos’ defence did not function properly and we passed the ball to the wrong side constantly. We always missed something small in defence and we conceded nine goals which didn’t happened to us for a long time. This was our last chance as we all know that our team will be totally reshaped for the next season. I think a couple of young players will have the chance to win this trophy sometimes in the future, I don’t think I will have another shot in my career. There is no way to bring this chance back as next year, provided we enter at all, we will face rivals full of US and Canadian and Australian foreigners again. The last time we could reach the final happened in a season when teams could line up with home players. Now we had this chance again but didn’t take and that hurts a lot.”

 

Dunaujvaros v Dynamo 12-12, pen: 3-2

Attila Mihok, coach, Dunaujvaros “We knew that Uralochka’s speed was simply amazing so we had to take extra care of that. For one and a half periods we were able to handle that thanked to our disciplined offence and great shots. But once we started missing in front, they could launch their counters and scored five goals or so from these situations. At the same time my players started to get tense and could not find the proper finishes in attack. We had to change our defence for the fourth period, switched to pressing, thanks to that we arrived in front 7-8 seconds earlier and we used this added time for building our attacks more precisely which ended in more goals. We are really happy in these historical moments since this is a huge success for our club. Now we have one day to prepare for Olympiacos – three years ago we beat them in the LEN Trophy final, perhaps that gives us some mental edge.”

Michael Nakoryakov, coach, Uralochka “This was an equal match between two good teams. The game had ups and downs, we tried to apply our fast attacks and that worked during the middle two periods but the Hungarians are famous for their enormous shooting power and they just demonstrated that in this match. I think a couple of turnover calls disturbed our game in the fourth while our rival made most of its chances. The shootout is about luck, they were a bit more fortunate this time.”

Alda Magyari, goalie, Dunaujvaros “At the beginning we were really cautious in order to prevent their counterattacks, we managed to pay enough attention to that. However, we are at the end of an extremely tiring season so the girls got tired after a while. Still, we could regroup ourselves, went for pressing in the fourth and that started tiring the Russians as well who could score only once, from the 2m line. Our defence had ups and downs but at least it was an exciting match. As for the shootout, at the beginning I was like, ‘Gosh, they netted the penalty during the game, now I have to stop as many balls as possible.’ So I went for them, just tried to jump as high as possible and hoped that with my body measures I could catch a couple of shots. I’m overjoyed that I could just do that.”

 

Michael Phelps Teaches Swimming

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Euro League, Final Four, Budapest (HUN) – Three chase first-ever trophy, Olympiacos looks for its second after 2015

Courtesy: LEN

The most prestigious trophy in women’s club competitions is at stake this weekend in Budapest. The Euro League Final Four features one former champion, Greece’s Olympiacos, two former LEN Trophy winners UVSE and Dunaujvaros, both from Hungary, and Russia’s Uralochka, which returns to the big stage after 14 years.

While Hungary is considered a superpower in water polo, among the women as well, it’s still a bit surprising fact that its clubs could clinch the most treasured trophy only once since the competition started in 1987 – and that happened 28 years ago (by Szentes, at its home pool in 1992). This season the Magyars have a double chance for the first time as their two top clubs UVSE and Dunaujvaros reached the Final Four.

The two sides’ biggest successes came in the LEN Trophy so far, UVSE claimed it in 2017, followed by Dunaujvaros’ triumph in 2018. In fact, these two were together in the LEN Trophy F4 in 2017, played in the same Tuske Pool where this season’s final takes place. That time they faced each other in the semis, now there is a chance for an in-house final but the other two rivals Olympiacos and Uralochka will have a word or two on this.

The two Hungarians ‘warmed up’ for the Euro League weekend with a thrilling three-match league final, UVSE bested its home arch-rival 2-1 so it’s fresh from this success while taking on Olympiacos in the first semi-final on Friday. When UVSE achieved its finest result in the Euro League back in 2016, the team managed to beat the Greeks also in the semis. Back then they staged a 5-1 rush in the last period to tie the game at 12-12 and won by penalties (then lost to Sabadell in the final).

Olympiacos, on the other hand, is by far the most successful participant in the current field as it played in this season-ending showcase 6 times (4x in the last five editions) and clinched the trophy in 2015 and was runner-up in 2017 and 2019. Ousting title-holder Sabadell (ESP) in the quarters showed the Greeks’ strength and they might as well be regarded the heaviest favourites for the title.

In the other semi two ‘long-time-no-see’ clubs meet each other. Dunaujvaros returns to the big stage after 2006, while Uralochka’s last adventure dates back to 2007. Dunaujvaros had five straight F4 appearances between 2002 and 2006 with one runner-up finish in 2003 as its best run.

Uralochka’s best effort is the same, the Russians were runners-up in 1992 and 2002 – and now they could catch the top flight by eliminating fellow Russian side, 2017-2018 champion Kirishi, a huge feat indeed. The two sides’ most recent clash from last year’s quarter-final round promises another thrilling encounter on Friday afternoon – last February it ended 11-11 in Dunaujvaros before the competition was suspended due to the pandemic.

Each game of the Final Four can be followed live on the LEN website both in streaming and in livescoring. CLICK HERE

 

Euro League, Final Four – Schedule Semi-finals (Friday)

12.15 Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) v UVSE-Hunguest Hotels (HUN)

14.45 Dunaujvarosi Foiskola (HUN) v Dynamo Uralochka (RUS)

 

Medal Round (Saturday)

17.45 Bronze medal match

20.15 Euro League Final

 

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Maurice Lacroix becomes Official Timekeeper of the World Triathlon Championship Series

World Triathlon is pleased to announce that Maurice Lacroix is the new Official Timekeeper of the World Triathlon Championship Series. For two years, the brand will accompany the world’s best triathletes as they compete in the top-tier triathlon events around the globe, exploring the limits of human performance.

Maurice Lacroix will make its debut as the Official Timekeeper at the opening race of the 2021 season, World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama, taking place in the iconic Japanese town on 15 May. The two winners of the event, that will host the world’s best triathletes on their return to the Series and Olympic qualification, will receive the Maurice Lacroix Leader’s Timekeeper Trophy to be awarded to the series leader after each stop on the circuit.

World Triathlon President and IOC member, Marisol Casado commented: “We are so pleased to announce that Maurice Lacroix has been appointed the Official Timekeeper of the World Triathlon Championship Series. We are delighted to welcome such a prestigious new partner to the World Triathlon family and to work with them during this incredibly important Olympic and Paralympic year.”

As Stéphane Waser, Managing Director of the Swiss brand explained, “It is an honour for Maurice Lacroix to be the Official Timekeeper of the World Triathlon Championship Series for the next two years. We have always recognised the importance of being ambitious and focussed, traits we embrace in our company and share in common with these highly competitive athletes. The events will take place in a number of fascinating cities, upholding our company’s desire to associate the Maurice Lacroix brand with the vitality of urban life in the long term.”

Stéphane Waser went on to say, “Prior to each event, every competitor has spent many hours training and honing their skills in each of the disciplines. Likewise, we have expended much time and effort refining our products, ensuring we deliver iconic design and high perceived value. Similar to the finest athletes, we are innovative and continue to crave more success. It is these shared values which made the World Triathlon Championship Series a logical partner for Maurice Lacroix.”

Every year, the World Triathlon Championship Series attracts the best triathletes on the planet, vying for the world title. Athletes have to excel in all three disciplines - swim, bike and run - and efficiently transition from one discipline to the next. It is essential that each competitor is prepared to explore the limits of human performance if they want medal-winning success. Maurice Lacroix will join these elite athletes every step of the way, competing in stunning scenarios in great cities around the globe, clearly motivated and continuously striving for glory.

Triathlon can trace its origins back to 1974 when the San Diego Track Club conceived the event as an alternative to track training. The first event comprised of a 5.3-mile run, a 5-mile cycle and a 600-yard swim. Thereafter, triathlons grew in popularity, leading to the formation of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) in 1989. The first ITU Triathlon World Championship was held the same year, when the event format consisted of the 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run that continues to this day. In October 2020, ITU was officially rebranded as World Triathlon in order to better represent the global triathlon family at every level of the sport.

Your Time is Now with Maurice Lacroix

For more than 40 years, Maurice Lacroix has demonstrated all of its watchmaking expertise, crafting watches within the brand's Manufacture in Saignelégier, Switzerland.  Having won more than fifteen awards, the brand has demonstrated an innovative, avant-garde and perfectionist spirit over the years. Maurice Lacroix’s culture is indeed to offer affordable watches, with iconic design and high perceived value. In 2016, Maurice Lacroix reinterpreted its iconic model of the 90s, the Calypso, releasing the AIKON. Modern and daring, the AIKON is made for a generation of Millennials who are connected, cosmopolitan and talented. This ambitious generation is setting out to conquer the world’s cities, embracing their unique spirit. A constant source of inspiration for the Maurice Lacroix creative team, an active and urban brand, that thrives in the electric energy of these cities. With this in mind, Maurice Lacroix chooses to associate its image with a set of activities that allow consumers to experience the unique vitality of city life.

 

ABOUT WORLD TRIATHLON

World Triathlon is the international governing body for the Olympic sport of triathlon and all related multisport disciplines around the world, including duathlon, aquathlon, cross triathlon and winter triathlon. Triathlon made its Olympic debut in Sydney 2000, with a third medal event, the Mixed Team Relay, added to the programme at Tokyo 2020, while paratriathlon was first added to the Paralympic programme at Rio 2016. World Triathlon is proudly committed to the development of the sport worldwide, with inclusion, equality, sustainability and transparency at our core as we seek to help triathletes at all levels of the sport to be extraordinary.

 

Michael Phelps Teaches Swimming

Most of us can swim, but there’s a difference between dog paddling on vacation and swimming for fitness. If you’re looking to unlock the low-impact, calorie-burning benefits of swimming, check out this course from Michael Phelps on This Skills. The 26-time Olympic gold medalist will cover everything you need to feel confidant and comfortable swimming laps. You’ll learn all the basic strokes, plus wall kicking, diving and other techniques, but you’ll also get a glimpse into the mindset of the most decorated Olympian of all time.

Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/v4nmne8h 

Team Ireland Divers head to Tokyo for last Olympic Games Qualifier

Swim Ireland’s divers have departed for Tokyo, Japan for their delayed final Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games qualifying opportunity at the FINA Diving World Cup.

The qualification event, taking place at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, will run across six days from May 1st – 6th with places for the Games available in the 3m Springboard and 10m Platform.

The event was due to take place in April, but was cancelled at the last minute and, thankfully, rescheduled to start this weekend.

Rio 2016 Olympic Finalist Oliver Dingley leads the team with Clare Cryan, Tanya Watson and Ciara McGing all aiming to become the first Irish female diver to qualify for an Olympic Games.

Dingley and Cryan will compete in the 3M Springboard, while Watson and McGing will be entered in the Platform event.

Divers securing a semi-final (top 18) place in each event will automatically qualify a place for their country at the Games. This is the second and final qualification event for the Games, the first, the FINA World Championships in 2019, allocated 12 qualification places.

National Diving Coach Damian Ball said: “The divers are all as fit, healthy, and prepared as possible, considering the current situation. The mood is positive around the poolside and we are all excited about the challenge ahead. We have selected a team with both youth and experience, which highlights our strong intention to qualify for this year’s Olympics while also preparing for a team for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.”

Rio 2016 Olympian Oliver Dingley said: “I’m just looking forward to getting out and going to do some diving at a competition. We haven’t competed in over a year and a half now.

“You never want to be overly confident, but I’m in a good frame of mind – physically fit, mentally fit as well – so really it’s six dives, one dive at a time and I could be at the Olympic Games. Really it’s about keep your feet firmly on the ground, being patient and trying to relax as much as possible.”

Clare Cryan, among the trio aiming to become Ireland’s first female Olympic diver, said: “We’ve had a bit of an uncertain few weeks with the competition being cancelled, and being unsure about when it’s being rescheduled, so to have a competition again, and know that we are going is really exciting now.

“We’ve all been working so hard, and with everything going on with COVID, we’ve all had our own different battles to be facing. We’re all looking good and feeling sharp, so it’s just really exciting that we can go and show what we’ve been working on.”

Tanya Watson, who competes in the 10m with Ohio-based Ciara McGing, said: “I’ve really enjoyed training in Dublin with Clare and Ollie. I haven’t had a chance to train with them this long ever, so that’s been great. Training’s been really good – I’ve been able to do all my 10m dives pretty consistently in training. I think overall training has been really consistent here, from weights to the pool.

“I’m most looking forward to being able to compete again and seeing everybody that we haven’t seen in over a year.”

Press Releases will be issued daily. Bios for each athlete attached. Video interviews available to download at the link: Tokyo FINA Diving World Cup – Swim Ireland Divers

FINA Diving World Cup, 1st – 6th May 2021, Tokyo, Japan

Name Club Coach

Ciara McGing Ohio State University Justin Sochor

Clare Cryan National Centre Dublin Damian Ball

Oliver Dingley National Centre Dublin Damian Ball

Tanya Watson National Centre Dublin Damian Ball

 

Irish Divers Schedule

Monday, May 3  Womens 3M Springboard Prelims Clare Cryan

Tuesday, May 4 Womens Platform Prelims Ciara McGing & Tanya Watson

Wednesday, May 5 Mens 3M Springboard Prelims Oliver Dingley

 

For latest startlists and results visit FINA Diving World Cup – Tokyo, Japan

Issued by Swim Ireland

 

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Safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Version 2 of Tokyo 2020 Playbooks released

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 (Tokyo 2020) have today launched the second editions of the Tokyo 2020 Playbooks, with the version for Athletes and Team Officials.

Building on February’s publication, the new Playbooks provide more specific details to participants about the countermeasures that will help ensure safe and successful Games for all those taking part and the residents of Tokyo and Japan. Some of the key measures in the Playbooks can be found in the five-party joint statement: https://www.paralympic.org/news/joint-statement-ioc-ipc-tokyo-2020-tmg-and-government-japan

 

The countermeasures detailed in the Playbooks are based on science, benefiting from learnings gathered during the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to implementing the most effective tools being used throughout society, such as screening testing, mask wearing, personal hygiene and physical distancing, they also draw upon the experience of hundreds of sports events that have taken place safely across the world over the past year, with minimal risk to participants and the local population.

The Playbooks have been developed through the ongoing work of the All-Partners Task Force, which includes the Government of Japan, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the IOC, IPC, World Health Organisation and independent experts and organisations from across the world.

Speaking about the Playbooks, IOC President Thomas Bach said: “Tokyo and Japan have accepted the unprecedented challenge of organising the first postponed Olympic and Paralympic Games in history. We thank them for their great work in this respect and, as partners, we understand the great responsibility that everyone attending the Games must accept so that all participants and the Japanese population remain safe. This is why we have created the Playbooks, based on science and the best medical and event expertise available to us.”

He continued: “Providing more details about the operations that stakeholders can expect at Games time, we have also remained flexible to the evolving global situation, combining numerous countermeasures to create the safest possible environment. Increased testing for athletes and stakeholders, before and during the Games, is one important example. We’re also encouraged by the growing number of vaccinations being administered throughout the world. These tools will only work, however, if everyone shows solidarity and follows the guidelines. This is why those violating the rules can expect to be strictly dealt with in Tokyo. This is our commitment to the people of Tokyo and Japan, who are so kindly welcoming us to their city and country this summer.”

IPC President Andrew Parsons said: “With the support of the world’s leading experts in health and sport event delivery, the updated Playbooks offer greater information for everyone attending the Tokyo 2020 Games, outlining the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder.

“As with the first editions, special considerations for persons with disabilities are included in all Playbooks, and I believe the stringent measures outlined will offer reassurance and comfort to all Games stakeholders, as well as the people of Japan. We are taking every possible measure to deliver safe Games.”

Tokyo 2020 President Hashimoto Seiko said: “The COVID-19 countermeasures included in the first edition of the Playbooks [published February 2021] have been reviewed and significantly updated in order to address the evolving situation of the pandemic. Rules to be observed by all Games participants during their stay in Japan have been expanded and clarified to include further details to ensure safe and secure Games.

“It is important that all stakeholders fully understand these rules, and that each and every one arrives in Japan with the understanding that their cooperation is critical to the success of the Games. We will hold online briefings for each of our stakeholder groups to ensure clear and comprehensive communication on these points.”

One of the key updates in this version of the Playbooks details daily testing, in principle, for athletes and those in regular contact with them, which will be a crucial part of minimising transmission and the risk of an uncontrolled outbreak. Testing will be used for general screening and for those identified as a close contact of a positive case; as well as for diagnosis for those experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.

The latest Playbooks also outline the role of COVID-19 Liaison Officers (CLOs), to be appointed by each stakeholder, who will work very closely with Tokyo 2020 and Japanese health authorities. They will receive extensive training to enable them to play a key role throughout the Games, providing an essential support network for their delegation. The CLOs will ensure all members of their organisation are fully informed of the contents of their relevant Playbooks. In addition, they will be monitoring the implementation of all COVID-19 countermeasures, ensuring participants follow their detailed activity plans and managing any positive cases that are detected.

The publication of version two of the Playbooks builds upon the optimisation and simplification of operational plans, reduced delegations from all Olympic and Paralympic Movement stakeholders, and the decision and announcement in March by the Japanese side, and respected and accepted by the IOC and IPC, to not allow spectators from overseas to enter Japan.

In acknowledging the evolving COVID-19 situation around the world, the IOC, IPC and Tokyo 2020 reinforced their commitment to regularly update the Playbooks. They will continue to receive regular input from the All-Partners Task Force, taking into account the latest advances in science and developments on the ground, in close collaboration with experts. As part of this ongoing evolution, the next version of the Playbooks (which is expected to be final) will be published in June 2021.

Playbooks can be found on the IPC website: https://www.paralympic.org/tokyo-2020/playbooks

For further information, please contact Philip Dorward, IPC Head of Communications

 

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Joint statement by the IOC, IPC, Tokyo 2020, Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Government of Japan

With 86 days left until the opening of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and 118 days left until the opening of the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Government of Japan today agreed on the following measures to ensure the safe organisation of the Games. The five parties will continue to deploy all possible COVID-19 countermeasures and place the highest priority on safety for the sake of all participants, including the athletes, and the Japanese public who will be playing host to the Games.

1.The COVID-19 countermeasures included in the Playbooks (rulebooks) published in February this year have since been reviewed and significantly updated in order to address the emergence of new mutant coronavirus strains and the evolving situation of the pandemic. New rules that have to be observed by everyone involved in the Games during their stay in Japan have been incorporated, and others updated, so that the Tokyo 2020 Games can be held safely. The most important measures, which were agreed by all the five parties today, appear in the second edition of the Playbooks and are as follows:

 

-All participants are required to take two COVID-19 tests before their flight to Japan.

-In principle, athletes and all those in close proximity with athletes will be tested daily to minimise the risk of undetected positive cases that could transmit the virus. The dates and times will be set in line with the sports events and schedule.

-All other Games participants will be tested daily for three days after their arrival. After the first three days and throughout their stay, they will be tested regularly, based on the operational nature of their role and level of contact with athletes.

-All Games participants must, in principle, only follow the activities they have outlined in their activity plan. They must minimise contact within one metre of Games participants who have already been in Japan for more than 14 days, and Japanese residents.

-All Games participants must, in principle, exclusively use dedicated Games vehicles, and they are not allowed to use public transport.

-All Games participants must, in principle, eat only in the limited locations where COVID-19 countermeasures are in place, including catering facilities at Games venues, their accommodation's restaurant, and their rooms, using room service or food delivery.

-Close contacts are defined as those who have prolonged contact (for 15 minutes or more) with a person who has a confirmed positive COVID-19 test, within one metre, without wearing a face mask. This is particularly applicable when such contact happens in enclosed spaces such as hotel rooms or vehicles. Cases will be confirmed by the Japanese health authorities.

 

The Playbooks have been developed based on science, benefiting from learnings gathered during the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to implementing the most effective tools being used throughout society, such as mask wearing, personal hygiene and physical distancing, they also draw upon the experience of hundreds of sports events that have taken place across the world during the pandemic, which have been held safely, with minimal risk to participants and the local population. They are based on the ongoing work of the All Partners Task Force, which includes the Government of Japan, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the IOC, IPC, World Health Organisation and independent experts and organisations from across the world. A third version of the Playbooks is expected to be published in June. As with all the previous versions, it will take the latest scientific developments into consideration.

2.As we look into the evolving situation with the domestic infections status involving new strains, we have agreed that a decision regarding spectator capacity at the Olympic and Paralympic venues will be made in June, in line with the government’s general guidance concerning the upper limit of spectator capacity in sports events. This follows the significant decision in March, when the IOC and IPC were informed about the conclusion of the Japanese parties not to allow entry into Japan for overseas spectators for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 due to the prevailing worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the IOC, the IPC and Tokyo 2020 continue to work on optimising the number of participants attending the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

We are confident that compliance with these regulations will ensure the safety and security of athletes, Games officials and spectators, as well as the people of Tokyo, other host locations and Japan.

We are already entering the operational phase. All parties at today’s meeting renewed their full commitment to safe and secure Games for all participants and the Japanese people.

For further information, please contact Philip Dorward, IPC Head of Communication

 

DECATHLONPORTUGAL - Committed & dedicated to sports with over 2,000 stores, across 56 countries in 5 continents, with close to 100,000 passionate people. Quality swimming products are at Decathlon PT. Here you can buy sporting goods with the best cost benefit! Be sure to check out the offers for exclusive brands, as they bring you products for you to play more than 65 sports with the best quality. We have the best prices on products and with functional design for the beginner to the high performance sportsman. know more https://tinyurl.com/ezbud9v4

Champions League, Main Round, Rounds 8-10 – Day 4, Ferencvaros finishes atop

Since each favourite did its job on the last day of the prelims, title-holder Ferencvaros finished atop in this group, ahead of Barceloneta, which they had beaten twice. Though Brescia defeated the Hungarians both times they had met but their loss to Jadran on Wednesday cost them the top spot at the end – they had to settle for the third place.

FLASH QUOTES

Group B, Round 10: Zodiac Atletic Barceloneta (ESP) v Jadran Herceg Novi (MNE) 13-11, FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN) v Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) 15-11, Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) v AN Brescia (ITA) 10-18

Final rankings: 1. Ferencvaros 24, 2. Barceloneta 24, 3. Brescia 21, 4. Hannover 9, 5. Dinamo 6, 6. Jadran 6

Tie-breakers: FTC-Barceloneta 10-9, 8-7 – Dinamo v Jadran 11-8, 13-10

Final Eight – Quarter-finals Pro Recco (ITA) v Waspo 98 Hannover (GER), Jug Adriatic Osiguranje Dubrovnik (CRO) v AN Brescia (ITA), Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) v Zodiac Atletic Barceloneta (ESP), CN Marseille (FRA) v FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN)

F8 to be played on 3-5 June in Belgrade (SRB).

With everything already being settled and the favourites meeting the lower ranked sides, the last day of the prelims offered less excitements. The concentration levels also dropped, especially in the camps of the ‘big boys’ – they just tried to make sure that their respective matches would not turn into embarrassments, plus no one got injured before the most important weeks of the season.

This ended in a bit tighter contests in the afternoon as the underdogs felt that their rivals did not hit the top speed and tried to stay as close as possible to end their campaigns with some good feelings. For sure, by losing by only two goals to Barceloneta, the youngsters of Jadran could leave the pool with their heads held high and the players of Dinamo could also be satisfied with scoring 11 against title-holder Ferencvaros (netted 4 in their previous encounter).

The evening match was a bit different as Brescia offered its ‘normal’ performance against Hannover after its stunning defeat against Jadran a day earlier. The Italians may feel sorry for going down in that match – should they have beaten the Montenegrins, they would have finished first. Anyway, after back-to-back losses here, they had a high-scoring game against Hannover, much more worthy of their previous showing when they won 4/4 in March. Next is the Final Eight in Belgrade where the quarter-finals day already looks thrilling with games like 2016 winner Jug’s encounter with Brescia, the clash of the champions featuring Olympiacos (triumphed in 2018) and Barceloneta (first in 2014), or the re-match of the last Super Cup final, played in 2019, between Marseille and Ferencvaros.

The event takes place on 3-5 June in the Serbian capital.

For detailed stats, play-by-play and more, visit:

http://len.microplustiming.com/lenchampionsleague/

 

Michael Phelps Teaches Swimming

Most of us can swim, but there’s a difference between dog paddling on vacation and swimming for fitness. If you’re looking to unlock the low-impact, calorie-burning benefits of swimming, check out this course from Michael Phelps on This Skills. The 26-time Olympic gold medalist will cover everything you need to feel confidant and comfortable swimming laps. You’ll learn all the basic strokes, plus wall kicking, diving and other techniques, but you’ll also get a glimpse into the mindset of the most decorated Olympian of all time.

Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/v4nmne8h

Hill and McGeever Crush Irish Records on Day 3 of Irish National Team Trials

Danielle Hill continued her fantastic form and Finn McGeever added his name to the record books as the Irish National Team Trials continued in Dublin today.

Larne’s Hill broke her third record of the meet, the 24 hours old 100m Freestyle record, in an impressive 55.33 seconds. The 21-year-old had held the previous Irish best at 56.01 from 2019 when Ards’ Victoria Catterson broke it in last night’s semi-final in 55.44. Hill reclaimed the record tonight in the final with Catterson finishing second in 55.53.

Speaking after the race Hill commented “No pressure does amazing things. I was fuelled by Victoria’s swim yesterday and my disappointment of the 100 Backstroke, so all of that added together made up for a pretty nice swim.”

“We used to train age group level together in Templemore, so we’ve known each other quite a while and it’s nice to see Victoria starting to come through. It’s much needed for the relay, but also individually. I know how she works in the pool, and we train in the gym, so I know how hard she works in the gym too. She deserves it as much as I do.”

“It’s an exciting time. Both of us would say we want to go 54 and there’s no reason why we can’t. We’ve just got to get our head down, and hopefully be given an opportunity to swim as a relay and prove that female swimming in Ireland is moving forward.”

Catterson added “I definitely think that Danielle and I will be battling back and forth for this time for some time to come. I came here wanting to fight for my place on that relay at Europeans and hopefully the way we have pushed each other means that I will get that email next week.”

From tonight’s 100m Freestyle Final, the consideration time for the Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay for European Championships in Budapest, Hungary in May has been met. Ireland’s Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay is also looking to be a very exciting prospect with Irish Records this week in the 100m Backstroke (Hill), 100m Breaststroke (Mona McSharry), 100m Freestyle and Walshe breaking the minute mark for the second time tonight in the 100m Butterfly final in 59.73.  Both teams, which will be selected next week, will compete at the European Championships and will be aiming for a world top 16 spot and place at the Olympic Games.

National Centre Limerick’s Finn McGeever broke his first Irish Senior Record in tonight’s 400m Freestyle Final with an impressive 3:52.83. The 21-year-old dominated the final to go under Jack McMillan’s 2019 record of 3:53.31.

A delighted McGeever commented “I wasn’t expecting that at all. It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I’m pretty proud to have that title to my name. I knew it was going to be better than 3:59 from the 200 Free I did the other day, but I wasn’t expecting that at all’.

“We all kinda cruised it this morning, but Liam was still quite fast. I wasn’t sure what kind of form he was on, so I was just ready for a race. We hadn’t really been training for the 400, we had been more focused on the 200, but obviously the 400 will improve as the 200 does.”

In the Women’s 400m Freestyle Final, Ards’ Amelia Kane took her second win of the week, adding to the 800m Freestyle, in 4:23.86.

Ahead of her 100m Butterfly Final Ellen Walshe had also topped the field in the 200m Individual Medley semi-finals and enters tomorrow’s final as the fastest qualifier in 2:18.04. In the first semi-final, Ellen Keane (2:39.36), Nicole Turner (3:09.04) and Roisin Ni Riain (2:33.82) were all under the Minimum Qualification Standard (MQS) for the Paralympic Games this Summer.

In the men’s 200m Individual Medley semi-final National Centre Limerick’s Cadan McCarthy progresses to the final as the fastest qualifier in 2:04.88

Calum Bain once again dominated in the 50m Freestyle. The Cookstown SC and University of Stirling swimmer won all three rounds in the event, clocking 22.55 in this evening’s final.

In the 200m Backstroke semi-final Enniskillen’s Cora Rooney, swimming solo, clocked 2:26.63.

Tomorrow will see all four swimmers with the FINA Olympic Consideration Time (OCT) return to the pool. Daniel Wiffen will be first up in the 1500m Freestyle, the 19-year-old qualified in the 800m Freestyle on Tuesday and will look to add a second event to his programme. Wiffen is the current Irish Record holder at 15:19.04 while the OCT stands at 15:00.99. The Larne and Loughborough University swimmer knocked 20 seconds off his 800m Freestyle time, so the 1500m time will be well within reach.

Darragh Greene and Mona McSharry will both compete in the 200m Breaststroke. Greene has already been under the OCT of 2:10.35 with an Irish Record of 2:10.05, while McSharry will need to shave just under two seconds off her best time (2:27.44) to hit the OCT of 2:25.52.

Shane Ryan will also be in action in the 100m Freestyle. Ryan has already hit the OCT in the 100m Backstroke and will look to add the 100m Freestyle, needing to take just .11 off his Irish Record of 46.68 for 46.57.

A press release will issue following the morning heats.

 

NOTES:

The Trials are primarily open to Performance athletes currently training in recognised onshore training bubbles in the National Centre (Dublin) at the National Aquatic Centre, the National Centre (Limerick) at the University of Limerick and at Bangor Aurora Aquatic & Leisure Complex, as well as those identified athletes of similar standing who are living and training offshore.

The competition will comprise of a full Olympic individual event programme with heats, semi-finals, and finals in all 50m, 100m and 200m events and heats and finals in 400m, 800m and 1500m events. It will give our top athletes several qualification opportunities and will provide some very exciting swims over the course of the meet.

The meet will be live streamed on RTE Player and will be available to view worldwide.

Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, Tokyo, Japan, 23rd July – 8th August 2021

Darragh Greene (100m Breaststroke, 200m Breaststroke), Shane Ryan (100m Backstroke), Daniel Wiffen (800m Freestyle), Mona McSharry (100m Breaststroke)

Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games, Tokyo, Japan, 24th August – 5th September 2021

Ellen Keane (100m Breaststroke, 200m Individual Medley, 100m Backstroke), Nicole Turner (50m Butterfly, 100m Breaststroke, 200m Individual Medley) Barry McClements (100m Butterfly, 400m Freestyle), Patrick Flanagan (400m Freestyle), Róisín Ní Ríain (100m Backstroke, 50m Freestyle, 400m Freestyle, 100m Butterfly, 200m IM)

Trish Mayon

Head of Communications and Sponsorship Liaison

 

Michael Phelps Teaches Swimming

Most of us can swim, but there’s a difference between dog paddling on vacation and swimming for fitness. If you’re looking to unlock the low-impact, calorie-burning benefits of swimming, check out this course from Michael Phelps on This Skills. The 26-time Olympic gold medalist will cover everything you need to feel confidant and comfortable swimming laps. You’ll learn all the basic strokes, plus wall kicking, diving and other techniques, but you’ll also get a glimpse into the mindset of the most decorated Olympian of all time.

Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/v4nmne8h

Hill, Coyne and Corby Edge Closer to Olympic Consideration - McSharry and Hill Break National Records of the Irish National Team Trials in Dublin

Mona McSharry starred once again at the first finals session of the Irish National Team Trials in Dublin.

McSharry, along with Daniel Wiffen (800m Freestyle), Shane Ryan (100m Backstroke) and Darragh Greene (100m Breaststroke) had all gone under the FINA Olympic Consideration Time (OCT) in this morning’s heats and while McSharry and Greene were both under that time again McSharry lowered her newly minted Irish Record knocking .68 off this morning’s time of 1:06.97 in 1:06.29.

McSharry commented ‘I think it just shows I was free to race and not worry about the time. I was working on trying something a little bit different. It was a completely different race strategy to this morning, and it just worked to my advantage.

It was really nice to have the opportunity to experience that and test it out and see if it worked. I am going to go home and analyse the 100, but honestly I’m really happy with how I competed in the 100 and I have done the job I came here to do.’

In that 100m Breaststroke, National Centre Dublin’s Niamh Coyne finished second to McSharry, moving closer to the consideration time of 1:07.07 in 1:07.58 and will have one more opportunity at it in tomorrow’s final.

Danielle Hill impressed in the 100m Backstroke with a new Irish Senior Record of 1:00.48. The Larne swimmer knocked .42 off her previous best of 1:00.90 and is now just .23 off the Olympic standard.

Hill will go again in Wednesday evening’s final.

19-year-old Eoin Corby of National Centre Limerick took another step on the road to Tokyo and now just needs to find .23 to meet the OCT. Corby had swum a personal best 1:00.23 in this morning’s heats and knocked another .08 off that this evening touching in 1:00.15. National Centre Dublin’s Darragh Greene, having swam a new Irish Record of 59.76 this morning, will be the top seed for tomorrow’s final after another OCT swim of 59.86.

In the Men’s 100m Backstroke Larne’s Conor Ferguson topped the semi-finals in a best time of 54.32. Shane Ryan, who matched the OCT of 53.85 this morning, was second in 54.91.

The Men’s 200m Butterfly semi-final saw National Centre Dublin’s Brendan Hyland control the race to win in 1:57.85. Hyland has a best time of 1:56.55 and will need to knock .07 off that tomorrow to qualify for the Tokyo Games.

Jack McMillan will go again tomorrow in search of the OCT in the 200m Freestyle. The Bangor man won the semi-finals in 1:47.68 but has a best time of 1:47.10, just .08 off the FINA OCT of 1:47.02. Second to fourth place included Finn McGeever in 1:48.13, Jordan Sloan 1:48.69 and Gerry Quinn 1:48.87 which bodes well for the Irish Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay who currently sit just inside Olympic Qualification at 16th place in the World.

NOTES:

The Trials are primarily open to Performance athletes currently training in recognised onshore training bubbles in the National Centre (Dublin) at the National Aquatic Centre, the National Centre (Limerick) at the University of Limerick and at Bangor Aurora Aquatic & Leisure Complex, as well as those identified athletes of similar standing who are living and training offshore.

The competition will comprise of a full Olympic individual event programme with heats, semi-finals, and finals in all 50m, 100m and 200m events and heats and finals in 400m, 800m and 1500m events. It will give our top athletes several qualification opportunities and will provide some very exciting swims over the course of the meet.

The meet will be live streamed on RTE Player and will be available to view worldwide.

Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, Tokyo, Japan, 23rd July – 8th August 2021

Darragh Greene (100m Breaststroke, 200m Breaststroke), Shane Ryan (100m Backstroke), Daniel Wiffen (800m Freestyle), Mona McSharry (100m Breaststroke)

Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games, Tokyo, Japan, 24th August – 5th September 2021

Ellen Keane (100m Breaststroke, 200m Individual Medley, 100m Backstroke), Nicole Turner (50m Butterfly, 100m Breaststroke, 200m Individual Medley) Barry McClements (100m Butterfly, 400m Freestyle), Patrick Flanagan (400m Freestyle), Róisín Ní Ríain (100m Backstroke, 50m Freestyle, 400m Freestyle, 100m Butterfly)

Trish Mayon Head of Communications and Sponsorship Liaison

 

Michael Phelps Teaches Swimming

Most of us can swim, but there’s a difference between dog paddling on vacation and swimming for fitness. If you’re looking to unlock the low-impact, calorie-burning benefits of swimming, check out this course from Michael Phelps on This Skills. The 26-time Olympic gold medalist will cover everything you need to feel confidant and comfortable swimming laps. You’ll learn all the basic strokes, plus wall kicking, diving and other techniques, but you’ll also get a glimpse into the mindset of the most decorated Olympian of all time.

Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/v4nmne8h