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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2036 ● India sent a large delegation of nearly 20 officials to Lausanne to meet with the International Olympic Committee in its quest to land the 2036 Olympic Games, and was told – according to a report – that it had work to do:

“Sources told The Indian Express that during the meeting – the first of its kind after India expressed interest to host the mega event – the IOC flagged concerns over governance issues at the Indian Olympic Association (IOA); the rampant doping menace; and the country’s poor performance at the Olympics. At last year’s Paris Games, India finished at 71st spot with just six medals.”

India is pitching Ahmedabad as its candidate city, and is among more than a dozen cities, regions or countries discussing bids for 2036, 2040 or 2044 with the IOC. There is no present timetable for naming a 2036 host, as the IOC is revisiting its selection procedures.

● World University Games 2025: Rhine-Ruhr ● The International University Sports Federation (FISU) posted a Friday statement on the eligibility of Russian and Belarusian athletes for the 2025 WUG in Germany, explaining, “FISU will continue to follow the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the respective International Federation (IF).”

Russian or Belarusian athletes can only compete as “Individual Neutral Athletes” and

● “The invitation to compete at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games was only proposed for certain sports (based on the current participation status of that sport at the IOC and relevant International Federation). None of these sports are team sports.

● “Should the IF allow the participation under the status of Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs), their eligibility will be assessed by the relevant International Federation.”

The number of “AIN” athletes from Russia and Belarus were not specified.

● Cycling ● The Union Cycliste Internationale confirmed that at the UCI Congress in Kigali (RWA) on 25 September, incumbent President David Lappartient (FRA) will run unopposed:

“With regard to the Presidency, only David Lappartient, current UCI President, submitted a candidacy for the position. In accordance with Article 40, paragraph 3 of the UCI Constitution, his election for a third four-year term will be confirmed without a vote.”

● Table Tennis ● World men’s Singles silver medalist Hugo Calderano, who competes for Brazil but travels with a Portuguese passport, reported on his Web site that he was unable to get a U.S. visa to be able to compete at the World Table Tennis U.S. Smash tournament in Las Vegas:

“Hugo submitted his application, but given the longer than usual confirmation time by US authorities, he contacted Customs and Border Protection (CBP). He was then informed that he was no longer eligible for visa waiver because he had traveled to Cuba in 2023 to compete in the Pan American Championships and the qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, events organized by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

“Given the situation, Hugo made every effort to obtain an emergency visa, counting on the support of the United States Table Tennis Association (USATT) and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). The emergency appointment was approved, but there was no availability for a consular interview that would allow him to arrive in time for the start of the competition.”

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Athletics ● Paris Olympian Martha Araujo (COL) defended her heptathlon title at the World Combined Events Gold Decastar in Talence (FRA), scoring 6,451 to top Americans Taliyah Brooks (6,365) and Michelle Atherley (6,283).

Puerto Rico’s Ayden Owens-Delerme was a clear winner in the decathlon, scoring 6,478 to 8,236 for defending champ Johannes Erm (EST).

● Badminton ● At the BWF World Tour Canada Open in Markham, third-seed Kenta Nishimoto (JPN) won his third career Tour gold over home favorite Victor Lai (CAN), 21-13, 21-14. Japan’s Manami Suizu completed the Singles sweep with a 21-12, 21-14 win over Thuy Linh Nguyen (VIE) in the women’s final.

Thailand won twice in Doubles, taking the women’s title and the Mixed Doubles, with Ruttanapak Oupthong and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat beating Presley Smith and Jennie Gai (USA), 21-14, 21-17. Chinese Taipei won in men’s Doubles.

● Basketball ● The U.S. scored its ninth win in the FIBA men’s U-19 World Cup in Lausanne (SUI), sailing past Germany, 109-76, in the Sunday final. It’s the fifth win in the last seven tournaments for the U.S., which was really only challenged by Canada in the quarterfinals, winning by 108-102.

In the final, the U.S. was up by 56-47 at the half, but a 28-10 third quarter decided the issue. Michigan center Morez Johnson Jr. led the U.S. with 15 points on 5-6 shooting in the final.

¶

The U.S. overwhelmed its first six opponents at the FIBA women’s AmeriCup in Santiago (CHI), meeting 6-0 Brazil in the final. This was a struggle all the way. The Americans were up, 25-22 at the quarter, down 47-45 at the half, still down 66-65 after three, but got the lead with an 11-3 run at 76-69 and held on to win by 92-84. Indiana Fever forward Damiris Dantas poured in 35 for Brazil, while Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes scored 27 for the U.S.

The American women won their group games by 108-47, 80-43, 80-62 and 104-48, then took playoff wins against the Dominican Republic (110-44) and Canada (65-53) before the final.

● Beach Volleyball ● Top-seeded Americans Kristen Nuss and Taryn Brasher, the 2023 Worlds bronze medalists, won the Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 women’s final in Gstaad (SUI), beating Tina Graudina and Anastaija Samoilova (LAT) by 21-19, 21-18. It’s the eighth World Tour win for Nuss and Brasher together.

Sisters Anouk Verge-Depre and Zoe Verge-Depre won the all-Swiss third-place match, 21-17, 21-11, over Tanja Huberli and Leona Kernen.

The men’s title went to third-seeds Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan (QAT), the Tokyo Olympic bronze winners, winning two tight sets from 24th-seeds Jacob Holting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson (SWE), 21-19, 22-20.

Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot (NED) took third with a 21-23, 21-17, 15-10 win over George Wanderley and Andre Stein (BRA).

● Cycling ● The 112th Tour de France got underway in Lille on Saturday, with the first two stages mostly for the sprinters.

Belgium’s Jesper Philipsen won the opener, the 184.9 km course in and around Lille, in 3:53:11 in a final sprint over Biniam Girmay (ERI) and Soren Waerenskjold (NOR), with the top 33 given the same time. A notable casualty was Italian time trial star Filippo Ganna, who did not finish after a crash; Slovenian star Primoz Roglic, the four-time Vuelta a Espana winner, also had trouble and finished 79th (+0:39). Belgium’s double 2024 Olympic winner Remco Evenepoel had a first-day disaster, in 67th (+0:39).

The slightly hilly, rainy second stage of 209.1 km to Boulogne-sur-Mer ended with a mass sprint of 26, with Mathieu van der Poel (NED) winning his second career Tour stage in a duel with the race favorites, Tadej Pogacar (SLO) and Jonas Vingegaard (DEN), all timed in 4:45:41. That gives van der Poel the yellow leader’s jersey, at least for now.

Stages 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday are both expected to be for the sprinters, with a flat, Individual Time Trial in Caen for stage 5.

¶

The unstoppable Jackson Goldstone (CAN) won his fourth UCI Mountain Bike World Series Downhill in a row in La Thuile (ITA), finishing just ahead of France’s two-time World Champion Loris Vergier, 3:27.134 to 3:27.738, with five-time World Champion Loic Bruni (FRA) third in 3:28.173.

German Nina Hoffmann took the women’s Downhill in 3:57.934, well ahead of World Champion Valentina Hoell (AUT: 4:00.928) and Gracey Hemstreet (CAN: 4:01.130)

● Fencing ● The USA Fencing summer nationals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin offered championships in division as young as age 10 all the way to past 80. Included were the Division I tournaments for all three weapons for men and women.

This was not a selection “trials” event, so many of the top American stars did not compete. But some did, notably 2023 World Champion Eli Dershwitz, returning to the piste for the first time since the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He won the men’s senior Sabre title, 15-9, over Samuel Rightler. Henry Lawson won the men’s Epee over Gabriel Feinberg, 15-5, and Borys Budovskyi won Foil over Ethan Gassner, 15-13.

The women’s Epee final had 2024 Pan American champion Hadley Husisian outlasting defending champion Catherine Nixon, 15-11. Katerina Luna won the Foil title over JoJo Conway, 15-4, and the Sabre victory went to Siobhan Sullivan over Aria Bevacqua, 15-3.

● Gymnastics ● At the FIG Trampoline World Cup in Coimbra (POR), Olympic champ Ivan Litvinovich (BLR as a “neutral”) won the men’s title, scoring 66.37 over Paris runner-up Zisai Wang (CHN: 65.77).

Belarus’ Katsiaryna Yarshova (also “neutral”) won the women’s final, 58.06 to 57.41 over Russian “neutral” Anzhela Bladtcheva.

In the non-Olympic Double Mini, American Ruben Padilla won the men’s final at 31.900 and Kennedi Roberts of the U.S. took the women’s gold, scoring 27.300.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The UIPM World Cup Final was in Alexandria (EGY), with happy fans as home heroes won both the men’s and women’s titles.

Moutaz Mohamed, 20, the two-time World Junior champ, took the men’s title, scoring 1,583 points to 1,574 for Matej Lukes (CZE). Moutaz won the swimming, but started the Laser Run in fourth place, down 0:23. But he won the event in 10:00.33 and crossed first.

The women’s gold went to teen star Farida Khalil, 14, who won the obstacle and the swimming and started second (by 0:01) in the Laser Run. But her sixth-fastest time got her to the finish line first, with 1,470 points. That was comfortably ahead of Olympic bronze winner Seung-min Seong (KOR: 1,443) and Blanka Guzi (HUN: 1,440). In her four World Cups in 2025, Khalil finished 1-2-1-1.

● Sport Climbing ● Two Olympic quarterfinalists races for the women’s title at the IFSC World Cup in Speed in Krakow (POL), with Indonesia’s 2023 World Champion Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi winning over American Emma Hunt, 6.27 to 7.56.

The third-place match saw Olympic champ Alexandra Miroslaw (POL) top countrywoman Natalia Kalucka, 6.36 to 6.64.

Indonesia completed a sweep with gold and silver in the men’s final, as Raharjati Nursamsa set an Asian Record of 4.73, over Kiromal Katabin, who fell. Japan’s Omasa Ryo of Japan took the bronze at 5.48 over Zach Hammer of the U.S., who fell off near the top.

● Table Tennis ● Men’s star Kanak Jha tied the record for most men’s national Singles titles with his sixth at the USA Table Tennis national championships in Ontario, California. He defeated Nandan Naresh, 11-5, 11-5, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, to defend his 2024 title and add to his wins in 2016-17-18-19.

Nikhil Kumar and Sid Naresh won the men’s Doubles by 3-1 over defending champions Daniel Tran and Nandan Naresh.

The top two seeds met in the women’s final, with no. 2 Sally Moyland winning by 4-1 over Amy Wang, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8, 2-11, 11-8. It’s Moyland’s first national title, in her third finals appearance, and second time against two-time winner Wang.

Wang and Abigail Yu won the women’s Doubles with a 3-0 sweep of Moyland and Jessica Reyes-Lai. For Wang, it was her fifth straight U.S. Doubles title.

¶

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For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

A team of 18 has been selected to represent Australia at the 2025 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The ARA Australian Cycling Team, announced by the AusCycling National Selection Panel today, will race on August 2 and 3.

Olympic champion and NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder Saya Sakakibara, and fellow Olympians Izaac Kennedy and Lauren Reynolds return for another BMX Worlds campaign, each targeting a maiden elite world title and rainbow jersey.

Joining Kennedy in the elite men’s squad is United States-based Jack Davis and elite national champion and NSWIS athlete Oliver Moran.

A trio of rising stars join Sakakibara and Reynolds in the elite women’s squad.

Reigning junior women’s world champion Teya Rufus, 19, elite national champion and NSWIS scholarship holder Sienna Pal, 19, and U23 national champion Bella May, 19, all could have chased a world title in the U23 women’s category but will instead race amongst the elite women, as they have already done impressively throughout 2025.

Hot off his first UCI BMX Racing World Cup U23 win in Papendal, Josh Jolly will step back into ARA Australian Cycling Team colours in Copenhagen. The last time the Ballarat talent donned the green and gold, he won the 2024 junior men’s world championship in Rock Hill.

Jesse Asmus, who scored two podiums at the Sarrians UCI BMX Racing World Cups a fortnight ago, US-based Jordan Callum and Joel Marsh, the U23 Oceania champion and current AusCycling BMX Racing National Series Superclass leader, complete the U23 contingent.

Preston Murray, Bailey Seckold and Charli Guy have been selected for another tilt at junior glory after competing as first-years in Rock Hill.

Seckold and Guy both raced UCI BMX Racing World Cups in the U23 category last month over in Europe, as did junior Oceania champion AJ Donald, who will race for the first time as a member of the ARA Australian Cycling Team in Denmark.

Imogen Healy and Cameron Gatt, the youngest member of the team for Copenhagen, will also make their ARA Australian Cycling Team debuts at the world championships.

AusCycling National BMX Racing Coach Luke Madill said the recent World Cups highlighted the growth and momentum within the sport.

“It’s inspiring to see Australian riders rising confidently to meet the global challenge,” he said. “This year’s world championships team brings together a powerful blend of emerging talent and seasoned experience, a combination that reflects the strength and future of BMX in Australia.

“It is both an honour and a privilege to be part of this team as we prepare to represent Australia on the world stage.” 

ARA Australian Cycling Team for the 2025 UCI BMX Racing World Championships

Elite Men

• Izaac Kennedy (Nerang BMX Club/QLD)
• Jack Davis (Tamworth City BMX Club/NSW) 
• Oliver Moran (Manning Valley BMX Club/NSW) (NSWIS)

Elite Women

• Bella May (Casey BMX Club/VIC) 
• Sienna Pal (Terrigal BMX Club/NSW) (NSWIS)
• Lauren Reynolds (Bunbury BMX Club/WA) 
• Teya Rufus (Maryborough BMX Club/QLD) 
• Saya Sakakibara (Southlake Illawarra BMX Club/NSW) (NSWIS)

U23 Men

• Jesse Asmus (Nerang BMX Club/QLD) 
• Jordan Callum (Hills BMX Club/WA) 
• Josh Jolly (Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club/VIC) 
• Joel Marsh (Happy Valley BMX Club/SA) 

Junior Men

• AJ Donald (Hawkesbury Hornets BMX Club/NSW) 
• Cameron Gatt (Geelong BMX Club/VIC) 
• Preston Murray (The Cove BMX Club/SA) 
• Bailey Seckold (Ashmore BMX Club/QLD) 

Junior Women

• Charli Guy (Ashmore BMX Club/QLD) 
• Imogen Healy (Tea Tree Gully BMX Club/SA)

Aus Cycling

They play at the Newton Aycliffe leisure centre and are the only team in Division One from the north-east of England.

“We know it is going to be extremely difficult this season and we are putting ourselves in the best position possible,” Mr Pratt said, adding: “We have been dreaming of playing in Division One and winning it.”

Of the 23 team members, 21 grew up within 15 miles of the Sedgefield area and they believe that gives them the team spirit and togetherness to keep winning.

They finished the last season second in Division Two and earned automatic promotion.

A spokesperson for the club said: “The success of the Sedgefield national league team is something that should provide huge pride for everyone in Newton Aycliffe, Sedgefield and the surrounding area.

“The success of the club is a testament to what can be achieved when like-minded people put their mind to something and stick together when things get tough.

“A town the size of Newton Aycliffe with a team in the top division of a British sports league is something that should be celebrated, and Sedgefield will hope to continue to punch above their weight in the coming years.”

Kicking off the “big three” of blockbuster films this month (“Jurassic World Rebirth,” “Superman” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”), “Jurassic World Rebirth” doesn’t make for a strong start as it’s just the same familiar beats we’ve all seen before. 

I’ve been turned off from the Jurassic franchise ever since “Jurassic World” (2015) but decided to give the franchise the benefit of the doubt with the latest installment being rather separate from everything prior, allowing for a truly individualistic story to be told. 

The film follows the rich pharmaceutical agent Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend) enlisting Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) and Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali) to infiltrate the island where genetic testing for the original Jurassic Park was done. 

I wish I could say these actors are entertaining to watch together, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Not a single one of them has chemistry with another and all of their scenes are plagued by questionable writing that often has them repeat something already said or explicitly tell the audience what’s happening. 

It’s not even like the film is trying to hold the audience’s hand, it’s more so like the film was trying to explain to the kids in my theater what was happening as if they couldn’t gather that from just paying attention. 

The film’s first half-hour starts off pretty slow, but the plot picks up once the crew starts their task of retrieving blood samples from the three largest living dinosaurs across the sea, land and air to create a revolutionary drug that could increase humanity’s lifespan. 

Seems simple enough, right? Well, not so fast. 

This island features a mix of mutated and regular dinosaurs that attack the main crew often as per usual with this franchise. 

I was never a huge fan of the mutated dinosaurs, so balancing the two here really helps the film feel more in line with the Jurassic Park trilogy as the fear instilled by the more recognizable dinosaurs is front and center once again. 

The same could’ve happened with the mutated dinosaurs, but the trailers sold away all of that from the very beginning. 

One mutated dinosaur is designated the D-Rex and only really appears briefly in the opening scene and throughout the third act.  

Knowing it was coming thanks to the trailer ruined that part of the film. If the trailers omitted the scenes with the D-Rex, there would’ve been a lot more horror to go along with it. 

Horror is something this franchise has been lacking for a long time, and I really wish this was the film that capitalized on it. 

For example, there is a subplot involving a family stranded on the island that adapts a raft sequence from Michael Crichton’s “Jurassic Park” novel that the original film was based on.  

This scene is rather tense and engaging but all the horror aspects of it feel ripped away to keep things PG-13. 

Despite this, there are some positives to “Jurassic World Rebirth” that I hadn’t felt from the franchise in a long time. 

The cinematography is really strong as intense scenes are typically shot wider to allow for the scale of the dinosaurs and the environments to be a part of the tension. 

On the flip side, there are plenty of calming wide shots that feature Alexandre Desplat utilizing the iconic motifs created by John Williams to freeze the audience in awe while creating new works that fit a variety of emotions whether it be wonder or sadness. 

The design of the film is also incredible and has been a strong suit of the franchise from the very start.  

If you’ve seen anything from this franchise before, you can guess what everything looks like pretty well, but the mutated dinosaurs are truly stunning. 

Despite the short appearances, the D-Rex having a design inspired by the Rancor from Star Wars made it a standout among the rest. 

Aside from the occasional mutant dinosaurs, “Jurassic World Rebirth” isn’t anything that different from what the franchise has already shown us. 

The plot continues to follow a group going to a dinosaur-infested island and trying to escape the acting and writing aren’t strong whatsoever, but the cinematography and design still capture like always. 

Failing to do anything unique with this film results in it feeling like the same old, same old. 

Rating: 2/5