Best and worst from myriad sports over the week …
BEST U.S. ATHLETE AT THE MOMENT
That would be triathlete Gwen Jorgensen. She won again in the World Triathlon Series, this time on the Olympic course in London. And she’s leading the series.
Fellow American Sarah Groff was second.
BEST CHANNELING OF PREFONTAINE
Galen Rupp just keeps getting better. Friday at the Prefontaine Classic, he took down the U.S. record at 10,000 meters. The time: 26:44.36. Oregon fans appreciated it.
BEST RACE
Grenada’s Kirani James ran a world-leading 43.97 in the men’s 400, tied for 10th-best of all time. In second place, LaShawn Merritt … in a world-leading 43.97, tied for 10th-best of all time.
BIGGEST SURPRISE
Tori Bowie transformed from relatively unknown long jumper to the fastest 200-meter runner in the world this year in precisely 22.18 seconds.
ALSO AT THE PREFONTAINE
– Shot put (men): Reese Hoffa won with throw of 21.64 meters, with Joe Kovacs and Christian Cantwell also over 21.
– Triple jump (men): Will Claye needed a meet-record 17.66 to beat Christian Taylor (17.42).
– 2-mile run (women): It’s not run often, but it’s still impressive to see two area records set in a meet by the people who finished third and fourth. The latter, the American record, goes to Shannon Rowbury. (DUKE!)
– 100 meters (men): Justin Gatlin won in 9.76 seconds. The wind will keep it out of the top-10 lists. Michael Rodgers crossed in 9.80 seconds.
– Mile (men): Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman ran the fastest time in the world this year. And in Prefontaine history. And Diamond League history. And Djibouti history. That’s 3:47.32, edging Kenya’s Silas Kiplagat.
– Maggie Vessey wore this in the women’s 800:
https://twitter.com/jf717/status/472576965099421696
BEST RETURN
2012 silver medalist Trey Hardee scored 8,518 points in the IAAF Hypo Meeting decathlon won the win in his first full event since London.
BEST PAPER AIRPLANE THROW
BEST CORRECTION TO A STORY INVOLVING THE BEST PAPER AIRPLANE THROW
From The Guardian: “This article was amended on 2 June 2014 because the original said Riojas was unarmed, rather than unharmed.”
BTW, England won 3-0.
BIGGEST QUESTION AFFECTING ME AND FEW OTHERS
So if Discovery is buying Eurosport, does that mean I can drive around the Beltway to their offices and watch it?
MOST CURIOUS TENNIS DEVELOPMENT
BEST REACTION TO MOST CURIOUS TENNIS DEVELOPMENT
SECOND MOST CURIOUS TENNIS DEVELOPMENT
Let’s say you’re getting married by the beach, and all of a sudden, Serena Williams walks by. And just think, if she were still playing in France, this would’ve been impossible.
BEST REACTION TO SECOND MOST CURIOUS TENNIS DEVELOPMENT
THIRD MOST CURIOUS TENNIS DEVELOPMENT
(He went on to beat Roger Federer.)
BEST U.S. RECORD (tie)
BEST BEACH VOLLEYBALL CAREER
Kerri Walsh Jennings won her 67th AVP event, breaking the record she shared with longtime partner Misty May-Treanor. Earlier this year, she set the record for FIVB wins.
BIGGEST UPSET
Field hockey World Cup: USA 2, England 1. A couple of highlight-reel saves from U.S. goalie Jackie Kintzer in this one:
BEST COUNTRY FOR CYCLING PRODIGIES
WORST HOT POTATO
We already know no one wants to host the 2022 Olympics. But 2024? No, Philly? No, NYC?
LEAST SURPRISING OLYMPICS NEWS
WORST TIMING
What would he have done if he had lost?
THE ROUNDUPS
– Team USA Sports Scene: Sam Mikulak leads the U.S. gymnastics men, U.S. men beat Brazil in water polo.
– Ollie Williams’ Frontier Sports: 2022 and 2024 bidding update, U.S. engineering archer, plenty of cycling news, good story on once-homeless English soccer player Fara Williams, the other view of the USA’s shocking field hockey win, lots or rowing.
Duresport.com 