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'If there was no one on Earth, I would still skate'

“My worry was that I’ll have never lived with my family. I’m growing up so fast, so young. I knew that if I continued skating, I would never have a chance at home,” she said. This disconnect showed up in other ways: a purposefully missed flight to the Colorado Olympic training center, a panicked FaceTime […]

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'If there was no one on Earth, I would still skate'


“My worry was that I’ll have never lived with my family. I’m growing up so fast, so young. I knew that if I continued skating, I would never have a chance at home,” she said. This disconnect showed up in other ways: a purposefully missed flight to the Colorado Olympic training center, a panicked FaceTime to her old coach Phillip DiGuglielmo. She pushed through, hoping that the Olympics would be worth the sacrifice.To continue training amid a growth spurt and the pandemic, the then-15-year-old Liu moved to Delaware with her father. With limited in-person coaching lessons, she said she would lay on the ice and blast music, relishing the freedom to create structure for herself. The isolation gave her mind a sense of peace and curiosity.

“If there’s days where you just want to be on the ice for fun when it’s not planned in your training schedules, I feel like that’s kind of when you know you still like it,” she said. And she still loved it. “I don’t really regret anything I’ve ever done, so even things I really hated doing, I wouldn’t change.”


Why she left

It would be great if she won the short program, he said, but one of the goals he tells Liu for this worlds is for her to be more conscious of making memories. She said she wants to go up in the stands and watch and appreciate more performances in Boston. She takes her skating very seriously, but she doesn’t take competitions seriously. For her, competitions are an excuse to skate more and showcase her passion for music and dance, rather than focus on making the podium or even the Olympic team next year.Liu performs in the gala exhibition at the NHK Trophy at Yoyogi National Gymnasium on 10 November 2024, where she’d finished fourth overall in the third competition of her comeback.

Liu took charge of selecting her music and program aesthetic. She saved songs in her Spotify playlists and made vision boards. She went in-person to designer Lisa McKinnon’s studio in Los Angeles to check on costume designs. She trained at Lakewood Ice rink, with remote training and frequent trips by her coaches before putting a pause on her classes last fall.For all of the hype that she received when she was younger for her list of “firsts” and being a skating prodigy, Liu hopes that more people focus on longevity and break down the stereotype of having to accomplish a lot when they are younger. “I think it holds people back from once they do hit adulthood, people don’t want to try skating because there’s already this narrative that they’re gonna fail already,” she said.The fact that Liu’s comeback has been so fast shows how innately talented she is to begin with, said Wong.Liu grew up as the eldest of five children, with a sister and triplets a couple years younger, but she was the only one who skated. Her schedule took her away to the ice, back and forth from dorms to training centers and competitions around the world so much that everything in her memory remains a blur. She calculated that after the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, she would move away for college.“Alysa is such a consistent competitor and for something as simple as a spin level to be the difference in placement would be a disservice to her,” Glenn said. She notes that having Liu back has been “incredible” and Liu “lightens the mood” when things get stressful or tense at competitions. The two last saw each other in-person when they both performed at the Legacy on Ice” tribute show in DC, commemorating the 67 victims, many from the figure skating community, who died during a midair plane crash at Ronald Reagan International Airport. Liu had skated to the song “Hero” by Mariah Carey to honor the first responders.In February 2024, she requested a call with her old coach, Phillip DiGuglielmo, who had seen her skate since she was five years old in Oakland. She also sought after Massimo Scali, a former Italian ice dancer and choreographer whom she remembered that she liked to work with.

The figure skating community has been supportive of Liu’s return. At international competitions, DiGuglielmo says that skaters young and old line up to meet her. “As you start to grow up, and your body changes, and things are harder, and school gets harder, you can’t fulfill all of your dreams. They look at Alysa and say: ‘Hey, I’m gonna go back and I’m gonna finish my dreams here,” DiGuglielmo said.At her first return to the US figure skating national championships in January in Wichita, Liu placed a narrow second behind Amber Glenn. Her Laufey short program led to a standing ovation and tears from her coaches.Her short program came together quickly, skated to fellow half-Chinese Icelandic pop jazz artist Laufey’s Promise, communicating a message of sudden goodbyes, a failed promise to stay away, and an inevitable reunion. Her free skate program radiates disco high energy and joy using Donna Summer’s MacArthur Park. Soon, Liu was landing on the podium at different international competitions, placing first at two Challenger Series assignments in Hungary and Croatia.“They both understand my psyche, the psychology that I had then and now,” Liu said. “Compared to a lot of other skaters, I can be seen as really weird or crazy because I literally quit and came back. They would be uneasy with me.” Her goals were not related to a specific podium placements. “It’s just really great to have a team that understands you because a lot of people in skating misunderstand me.”“It’s a satisfying feeling. If there was no one on Earth, I would still skate. As long as there’s music and as long as there’s ice and our skates, I would still do it,” Liu said.Alysa Liu looks back on the ice as rotates on her left foot, picking up speed before she completes her triple flip-triple toe combination. A group of high schoolers on a field trip sitting in the stands erupts into applause. She gives a smile and small bow as she skates away. It’s a recovery day for her, starting with dynamic stretching and cardio before moving onto the ice with her jumps, spins, and footwork. She drives herself to the rink for a two-hour skating session. Later this afternoon, she plans to attend her brother’s basketball game.


Guiding her own comeback

A ski trip with friends at Lake Tahoe inspired her to reevaluate her relationship to skating. Gliding down the hill at full speed, Liu realized that she wanted to get back on the ice again. With abundant knowledge and access to rinks and coaches, Liu felt that she would be a “hypocrite” if she said she loved skiing but did not love skating.Liu competes in the women’s singles free skate in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Beijing’s Capital Indoor Stadium on 17 February 2022. She finished in sixth place.

“It’s the team that she decided, it’s the people that she trusts. And all of this gave her such a level of empowerment and such a level of freedom of really of using us as people that are guiding who she is, but not deciding who she is and how she has to do things,” Scali said.“The difference is night and day, really. The level of engagement and authenticity that she has now, the connection. She came back better. This journey is so beautiful for her. We are fighting to keep her authentic to who she is,” said Scali.

The opportunity to reflect about her purpose on the ice presented itself during the Covid-19 quarantines. When California’s ice rinks shut down, her usual training schedule halted.“That’s when I was thinking: what do I want out of this sport?,” Liu recalled. “I never really had time to stop and think for a moment. It was just me in the rink like that for a long time. I was really totally connected with myself.”The American women have a significant task as worlds return to Boston this week. The top two finishers have to have a combined placement of 13 or less to earn the United States three spots at next year’s Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Each point and level of execution will count.


Creating her program message

Liu reacts in the Kiss & Cry with her coaches Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali at January’s US nationals in Wichita.
Liu now has her sights fixed on a second Olympic appearance at next year’s Milano Cortina Games.

Although she’s successfully landing the triple axel during practices, her coaches and her agree that they won’t be adding the jump into the lineup until her stamina improves because of the injury risk.Among the realizations: she missed her family.

“That was my first ever break,” said Liu, who had skated mornings and afternoons seven days a week for years. “Once quarantine started, I was like, ‘Wow! This is what not skating is like.’ And I loved it so much.”In Beijing, Liu skated two clean programs and placed seventh on the day in the women’s competition, the highest among the Americans. Because of Covid-19 restrictions, foreign spectators were not allowed to watch. Although athletes were mostly restricted to the village, Liu embraced the experience and also found the little moments to enjoy, like practicing her Mandarin and taking advantage of the dim sum bar for breakfasts.When DiGuglielmo hopped on a FaceTime call with Liu, he spent two hours poking holes about her comeback logic. Why now? She had essentially done it all already. Was she ready for more hours of training? What about all the other reasons she had quit?If you had asked Liu a year and a half ago if she would be preparing for another figure skating world championships, she would have told you that you were crazy.


Making memories at worlds and beyond

At the Four Continents Championships last month in South Korea, one of Liu’s spin elements was judged at a lower execution level than expected. It was her fellow teammate and competitor Glenn who took up the torch of encouragement, joking that the women would host a spin boot camp.“I love sports. I like moving. I also love music and I love dancing. That’s literally skating?” she laughed.Liu carries around her Sony Cyber-shot and a disposable camera, snapping photos of friends and moments she wants to capture and keep. She journals to remember her days more. After this season ends, she plans to start school again next quarter and will go on tour with Stars on Ice and perform in a show in Colorado and Delaware before returning to training. But even without the journaling, she says she can remember this comeback journey more because she is approaching it with more intent.“You put a triple axel in the program, and it changes the dynamic of the rest of the program. All of a sudden so much energy goes into that jump,” DiGuglielmo said. “But I wouldn’t put limits on Alysa. I just wouldn’t, I wouldn’t. I think that would be a big mistake.”While balancing her winter quarter classes at UCLA, Liu decided to add in a public ice session once a week at the Toyota Sports Performance Center in nearby El Segundo. She quickly discovered that she could still do the complex jumps she once did when she was younger. After months of wanting to distance herself from skating as her identity, she found herself drawn back time and time again to the ice as a hobby and source of expression.

For almost two years, Liu explored who she was outside of skating. She took her first family vacation to Mexico and went on a Himalayan trek with friends and no internet in Nepal. She tried other sports like tennis, volleyball and basketball while hanging out and watching movies with her siblings. (She keeps a running list in her notes app of her favorite films, including Everything Everywhere all at Once, Children of the Sea, Spirited Away, and Bottoms.) But she still continued to stretch to maintain her mobility and flexibility. (One of her life goals is being able to do a cartwheel even when she is really old.) She did a smiley piercing on herself. She started school at UCLA in the fall of 2023.“It wouldn’t happen this time, because I kind of know why [these problems] were there before and that none of those things really can affect me,” she said. She finds all aspects of skating much more enjoyable now. “I’m skating for a different reason now. I’m really skating just to state now”Known as the youngest ever US figure skating champion – and the youngest American woman to land a triple axel and only American woman to quad lutz – Liu was widely hailed as America’s rising star that would challenge Russian dominance in figure skating. But at the age of 16, she decided to walk away. Two years later, she has reemerged with a fresh purpose in her sport, rising to new heights ahead of this year’s world figure skating championships, which get under way on Wednesday afternoon at Boston’s TD Garden.“Maybe [before] she wasn’t even pushing herself to 75 or 80%,” analyst Wong said.“The sheer fact that she took two years off and came back a better all-around skater, with stronger power, with better skating skills, with a greater attention to detail in her musical expression, like all of that? I don’t even know how that’s possible,” said figure skating analyst Jackie Wong. “People work years to try to improve all of these sorts of intangibles that she’s improved on.”When she was younger, Liu said her father mostly oversaw the decisions of firing and hiring of coaches, including right before the 2022 Olympics. This time, she knew that she wanted to build her own team.

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News – Water Polo Australia

Water Polo Australia is pleased to confirm the Ord Minnett Aussie Sharks for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. A 15-strong team has been selected to represent Australia at the event, which will take place from 11-24 July. The Ord Minnett Aussie Sharks team features five World Championships debutants, eight Paris Olympians, as well […]

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Water Polo Australia is pleased to confirm the Ord Minnett Aussie Sharks for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.

A 15-strong team has been selected to represent Australia at the event, which will take place from 11-24 July.

The Ord Minnett Aussie Sharks team features five World Championships debutants, eight Paris Olympians, as well as captain and two-time Olympian Nathan Power.

Ord Minnett Aussie Sharks Head Coach Tim Hamill said: “We’re proud to announce and select our team for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships.

“Singapore will be the first opportunity for our team to return to the world stage since the Paris Olympic Games last year.

“We played a great test series against New Zealand at home earlier this year, and have just returned from a tour of the United States where we were able to win the test series against them – but nothing compares to the international stage.

“We’ll be heading to Thailand for a training camp with Serbia in the lead up to the World Championships. We’ve been refining and updating our principles and systems, both offensively and defensively, so Singapore will be a great opportunity to implement these.

“We’re also excited for the five athletes that will make their World Championships debut – representing our country and the Ord Minnett Aussie Sharks is always a proud moment and I know it’s something that our team does not take lightly,” he said.

The 2025 World Aquatics Championships will be held in Singapore from 11-24 July, with the Ord Minnett Aussie Sharks set to play their first game on Saturday 12 July against Hungary. The Ord Minnett Aussie Sharks and Ord Minnett Aussie Stingers games will be LIVE and FREE on 9Now.

Water Polo Australia would like to congratulate the following athletes on their selection:

Laurence Barker (NSW)
Marcus Berehulak (QLD/NSW)
Matthew Byrnes (NSW)
Tristan Glanznig (NSW)
Andrej Grgurevic (NSW)
Angus Lambie (NSW)
Milos Maksimovic (NSW)
Drew McJannett (NSW)
Jacob Mercep (NSW)
Sam Nangle (NSW)
Charlie Negus (NSW)
Luke Pavillard (WA)
Nic Porter (QLD)
Nathan Power (NSW)
Tim Putt (WA/NSW)





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Football, Men’s Track and Men’s Lacrosse Earn NE10 Team Academic Excellence Award

Football 6/18/2025 4:05:00 PM Story Links WALTHAM, Mass. – The Bentley football, men’s track and field and men’s lacrosse squads each earned the Northeast 10 Team Academic Excellence Award for the 2024-25 season. The Team Academic Excellence Award is given to the program which […]

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WALTHAM, Mass. – The Bentley football, men’s track and field and men’s lacrosse squads each earned the Northeast 10 Team Academic Excellence Award for the 2024-25 season.

The Team Academic Excellence Award is given to the program which has highest team GPA in each sport the NE10 sponsors.

Bentley’s three team awards are tied for the second most in the conference.

Football posted a 3.152 GPA to win the award for the third straight season and ninth overall.

Men’s lacrosse won the award for the fifth consecutive time and 11th overall. Their GPA was 3.446.

Men’s track and field secured the award for the 12th time since 2010 when the award was first presented with a 3.500 team GPA.

 



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Top-tier teams to tackle quarterfinals

Overview The winners from Wednesday will now play the first and second teams from the top two groups to see who goes through to the medal round on Friday. This sees Hungary take on Italy, Spain against Montenegro, Croatia playing Greece and Serbia facing USA. The losers of Wednesday’s matches will have a rest day […]

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Overview

The winners from Wednesday will now play the first and second teams from the top two groups to see who goes through to the medal round on Friday. This sees Hungary take on Italy, Spain against Montenegro, Croatia playing Greece and Serbia facing USA.

The losers of Wednesday’s matches will have a rest day and play their classification 9-12 semifinals on Friday.

In Groups G and H, where teams are battling for classifications 13-20, they have their final round matches on Thursday. The bottom two teams in each group will contest the classifications 17-20 on Friday while the top teams will play off for classifications 13-16 on Saturday.

Round 1-2 Crossovers

Match 35, IRAN 5 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 23 (1-7, 1-5, 0-3, 3-8)


Image Source: Ryan Ohl (USA) and Ali Abolghasemi (IRI)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

USA wasted no time in preparing for the quarterfinals with a sudden rush of goals early and competency, control and composure throughout for an illustrious 18-goal margin. It all began with a six-goal stroll through the park that became 10-1 and 12-2 by halftime. It was all downhill from there for Iran as it could not find answers to arrest the roll. Olympian Ryder Dodd scored three of the first six USA goals, including the first two on counter. Fellow senior international Ryan Ohl also scored a pair on counter. Ali Shabanian tipped in a pass to centre forward for 6-1 at 0:15. Kiefer Black made it 7-1 from very deep right on the buzzer. Corbin Stanley converted extra as USA sent in the first three of the second quarter with Mohammadmehdi Jafari slotting one from the top left. Stanley and Black contributed another one each before halftime.


Image Source: Arman Shams (IRI) and Kiefer Black (USA)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Stanley opened the second half, dragging down a pass to the right post with Ryan Ohl and Max Zelikov taking it to 15-2 before an Iranian timeout. USA had a penalty attempt saved and it was time for the final quarter or “coup de gras”. Connor Ohl stepped up in the final quarter with three goals while Stanley added a fourth to his tally to snare player of the match. Mohammadtaha Samaei and Arshia Abdollahifar were the Iranian scorers in the final period.

Match Heroes
Stanley
took his tourney tally to five with four goals today. Ryan Ohl, Connor Ohl, Zelikov, Dodd and Black scored three apiece. Dodd’s total is now 13 in a team where everyone scores. Goalkeeper Baxter Chelsom impressed with 14 saves.

Turning Point
The 6-0 opening quarter that became 10-1 midway through the second quarter, giving USA the match early.


Image Source: Ali Abolghasemi (IRI)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Stats Don’t Lie
USA converted four from five on extra and denied Iran a goal from its two attempts. On penalties, USA sent in three from four and Iran one from one. USA made nine steals to five and shot one less that Iran — 32-33.

Bottom Line
USA was always going to make it through to the quarterfinal no matter the opponent. Now it has the hard task of taking on Serbia for a medal-round berth.

Match 36, CHINA 6 GREECE 27 (2-5, 0-8, 2-6, 2-8)


Image Source: China v Greece/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Greece hammered China into submission with the second quarter where the match was truly decided. Despite a stutter at the penalty line, Greece went 5-0 up with Ilias Angelopoulos producing two goals from two metres. He finished off the scoring in the second quarter as Greece went eight straight with Apostolos Georgaras netting twice and Spyridon Lykoudis gaining a second. China collected the last two goals of the first quarter on penalty, needing a challenge to secure the first opportunity.


Image Source: Nikolaos Giannatos (GRE) and Deng Zirui (CHN)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

China came back with a pair of goals in the third period thanks to Li Chang who found himself free at centre forward and Liu Jinyi on counter. Meanwhile, Greece was on the prowl with Semir Spachits, Nikolaos Giannatos and Ioannis Tottis all gaining their second goals. Angelopoulos converted a penalty for 19-4 and China’s penalty chance was stopped. Five more Greek goals came in three and a half minutes — three on counter. Li Diheng also countered for 24-5 and China netted another while Greece scored the last two via Lykoudis and Angelopoulos who picked up a loose ball to nab his sixth with six seconds left on the clock. Tottis was still upset after the final buzzer because he thought he should have gained the penalty. However, the referee played the advantage and Angelopoulos took the kudos.

Match Heroes
Greece’s Angelopoulos finished with six goals; Lykoudis and Chatzis scored four each. Lazaros Vekris made 12 stops in goal. For China, goalkeeper Hua Zhonghao made nine saves.

Turning Point
The starting whistle.


Image Source: Apostolos Georgaras (GRE)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Stats Don’t Lie
Grece nailed all four extra-man attempts and stopped China on all nine occasions. Both missed a penalty attempt with China converting three and Greece two. Greece stole and incredible 24 to seven and outshot China 48-28.

Bottom Line
Greece was always heading to the quarterfinals. China is not at this level yet.

Match 37, GERMANY 10 MONTENEGRO 11 (2-3, 4-4, 1-2, 3-2)


Image Source: Drasko Samardzic (MNE)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Germany came close but not close enough as Montenegro maintains its top-eight position and medal hopes are still alive. Montenegro was never headed but did allow Germany to level twice in the second period. Montenegro scored twice to start the encounter on a positive note. Goals were swapped then Germany’s Luk Jaschke screamed in a six-metre-free-throw shot that took the left post, banged into the back of the goalkeeper’s head and into goal for 3-2, the quarter-time score. Tim Perov scored his second to start the next period with the see-sawing effect coming to 5-4 and then 5-5 as Till Hofmann grabbed a double for Germany, equalising the match at five and six. Srdan Janovic scored from six metres to give Montenegro the halftime edge.


Image Source: Luk Jaschke (GER)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Milan Nikaljevic started the third as he began the first, this time from nine metres out. Germany barred out on a penalty attempt and midway through the quarter, Nikola Petrovic scored from centre forward, for 9-6. Finn Taubert pulled one back a minute from the final break. Lennox Metten scored twice catching up Montenegrin goals in the fourth and then twin brother Elias Metten made it 11-10 — just one goal behind. Germany took a timeout at 1:02 and had an excellent shot saved. Montenegro went to a timeout at 0:14 and the shot was saved. The ball was sent upfield, stolen and shot against Germany, to no avail. Montenegro had the match by a goal.

Match Heroes
Montenegro’s Matijasevic and Nikaljevic and Perov scored two each for Montenegro. Goalkeeper Danilo Rajevic pulled in 11 saves. Simic and Lennox Metten with two each. Max Spittank made 12 saves in goal.


Image Source: Srdan Janovic (MNE)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Turning Point
Montenegro going three up twice in the final quarter.

Stats Don’t Lie
Montenegro scored three from seven on extra and stopped five of nine German attempts. Germany scored one of two on penalty; Montenegro edged the steal could at 6-5 and similarly with the total shots — 33-32.

Bottom Line
Germany was trying to break through from the lower tier but it was not to be as Montenegro held sway in the final quarter and maintained its top-eight ranking.

Match 38, AUSTRALIA 6 ITALY 17 (1-3, 3-4, 1-6, 1-4)


Image Source: Harper Stewart (AUS) and Alessandro Gullotta (ITA)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Italy collected its first victory in Zagreb, the one that was needed most to make sure it had a quarterfinal ticket. Italy was tidy throughout and made the shots that counted — fast shots, quickly taken to upset to catch the defence unawares. Jake Martin opened for Australia but by quarter time Italy was 3-1 up and both teams missed a penalty chance. Emanuele Marini’s first goal of the second period needed VAR and then Tommaso Cora netted his second on penalty. Goals were traded to halftime with Giorgio Giacomone scoring twice, the second with a centre-forward backhand. The margin was three in favour of Italy.


Image Source: Jake Martin (AUS)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Marini led a three-goal spurt at the top of the third period before Australia took a timeout to slow the onslaught. However, Alessandro Gullotta scored for Italy, followed by Harry Tucker with his second for the Aussies. The last two goals came up Italy’s way and the margin had burgeoned to eight on the buzzer. Daniel Magasanik scored for his 13th goal and Thomas Lo Re slammed in his third on extra at 5:21 for 14-6. Cora, Lo Re and Giacomone scored the last three Italian goals while the Aussies missed a further two penalty attempts inside the last 90 seconds.

Match Heroes
Giacomone
and Lo Re — his first goals of the week — finished with four apiece. Cora snapped in another three for Italy to lift him to 10. Australia’s Tucker was the only double scorer while Oliver Purcell took in nine saves before being switched inside the final quarter.


Image Source: Tommaso Cora (ITA)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Turning Point
Italy building a 5-1 advantage that set it up for future quarters.

Stats Don’t Lie
Italy was the all-round champ, nailing six from 11 on extra to the Aussies’ three from 15; converting one from two on penalty to Australia’s one from four; 10 steals to five and 42 shots to 35.

Bottom Line
Italy deserves to be in the top eight and showed that today. After all, it only lost to Greece by one, three to Spain and two to Serbia. Today’s success earns a shot at world champion Hungary on Thursday.

Group G Second Round

Match 31, ARGENTINA 8 BRAZIL 14 (3-6, 9-0, 0-3, 5-5)


Image Source: Player of the match Lucas Gomez (BRA)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Brazil won the South American derby by six goals in a match which produced a zero-score quarter, such was the closeness of the teams, fighting for pride and superiority. Alejo Teijeiro opened for Argentina but Brazil banged in the next three goals. Adriana Mazzoni interrupted the Brazilian flow from the deep right just when everyone thought he was going to pass and then Brazil thundered in three more with Andre Freitas and Henrico Martins gaining their second goals. Mazzoni closed the scoring to leave Brazil 6-3 ahead. There were 12 shots in the second quarter without reward with a challenge won and lost by Brazil. Argentinian captain Tobias Deluca was red-carded for a violent action at 6:14, sending him from the pool deck.


Image Source: Lazzaro Conti (ARG)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

The third period opened up for Brazil with Artur Diaz scoring twice — both from centre forward — followed by the 9-3 goal from Carlo Martinelli on penalty. Diaz’s first came off a cross pass from the right. It heated up in the fourth period  as Lucas Wulfhorst brought home his second for the match and 14th goal in total. Goals were traded with Teijeiro twice in the mix either side of a Martinelli strike, rocketing in consecutive-attack goals from the top left, seemingly threading the needle. Joaquin Rosso made it 11-6 from the left post before another Brazilian pair pushed it out to 13-6, Martins claiming a penalty goal. Ivan Saavedra grabbed a couple late in the piece, the first with a shot from the top, rising high out of the water and the second two minutes later on penalty. Martinelli scored his hat-trick from the left-hand-catch position for 14-8.

Match Heroes
Martinelli
and Martins scored three each with the latter reaching 10 goals for the tournament. Lucas Gomes took in 11 saves in goal to be the real star. For Argentina, Teijeiro notched three goals to take him to 15 while Mazzoni and Saavedra scored two each.


Image Source: Luca Ceresa (BRA)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Turning Point
Going from 3-1 to 6-2, gave Brazil the impetus for victory.

Stats Don’t Lie
Brazil was denied all four attempts at extra-man attack with Argentina gaining two from two in the low-fouling match. Brazil, however, nailed all five penalty attempts with Argentina gaining one from one. On steals, Argentina led 8-6 and shots at 35-30.

Bottom Line
Brazil is the bigger powerhouse in South America  and showed that today.

Match 32, SINGAPORE 13 NEW ZEALAND 12 (3-1, 1-3, 5-4, 4-4)


Image Source: Matthias Goh (SGP) scoring the winner/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Singapore led from start to finish and although the match between the Commonwealth nations was level six times, Singapore did enough, scoring the winner one second from the final buzzer. Singapore was on the front foot from the start despite having the first of three penalty shots stopped by the Kiwis’ Zach Martin. The first two goals came from a six-metre shot and the penalty line before Michael Rodgers hammered in one from centre forward for 2-1 at 0:36. Javier Ng scored on extra in the dying seconds for 3-1 to Singapore at the first break. Jacob Clements and captain Cole Phillips (penalty) levelled for the first time. Goals were traded with Zach Martin stopping his second penalty shot.

Ong opened the second half and it set up a mini roll as Singapore claimed three goals for a healthy 8-5 advantage. Ong and two goals to Jaycus See had the Kiwis reeling. Clements (centre forward) and Rodgers (penalty) responded. Chow and Dodunski swapped goals with Dodunski fumbling the ball and recovering to score a second from the buzzer for 9-8 behind.


Image Source: Zach Martin (NZL) stopping a penalty shot/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Dodunski levelled at the start of the fourth period with Matthias Goh, born 2008, converted a penalty with Dodunski replying for 10-10 from the top left. Ong and Goh scored for a two-goal lead by 2:52. New Zealand crucially lost the ball and Singapore called a timeout at 1:50, on the verge of a historic victory over New Zealand. They hardly meet internationally and this was possibly the first time with Singapore in front. Singapore used the clock. New Zealand worked the ball, gained an exclusion and Rodgers scored at 0:50. Singapore played out the time and New Zealand went to a timeout. The first pass was intercepted and Harry Lambert Irwin re-stole the ball, swam up and scored on counter at 0:16. Singapore went to a timeout and went upfield, drew an exclusion and the free-throw man, Goh, swam forward and scored with one second on the clock for 13-12. The Kiwi shot bounced over the crossbar and the younger Singaporeans were the winners.

Match Heroes
Ong
with four goals and three each to Chow and Goh, the ultimate winner. For New Zealand Rodgers banged in four and Dodunski three. Zach Martin made those three penalty saves but only finished with five saves to his record.


Image Source: Captain Cayden Loh (SGP)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Turning Point
By leading 2-0, Singapore maintained the urgency and did not get flustered, even when New Zealand levelled six times.

Stats Don’t Lie
New Zealand nearly controlled the statistics, yet lost. It converted four from six on extra to Singapore’s five from six. New Zealand converted both penalty goals and Singapore two from five. The Kiwis won the steals 13-10 and the shots 30-24.

Bottom Line
Singapore wanted it more and the younger players were fast and sure, especially when it came to shooting. Accuracy outdid quantity with that statistic.

Group H Second Round

Match 33, COLOMBIA 21 SOUTH AFRICA 8 (5-2, 4-4, 6-0, 6-2)


Image Source: Juan Lopez (COL) and Timothy Young (RSA)Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Colombia brought home the goods with a triumphant match over South Africa in the Southern Hemisphere stoush. It was tight in the first half and then Colombia found its stride, packed on the outboard and caught a wave home. Colombia made its mark in the first quarter with a three-goal differential and it could have been higher if a penalty shot had found its mark. Jean Lopez scored twice — the first with a one-two pass on extra at centre forward and the second from a six-metre-foul shot. South Africa responded at 1-1 and 3-2 with a penalty strike and a score off the right-post position. Colombia ripped in the first two goals of the second quarter for a five-goal margin. South Africa won the next stage 4-2 with Timothy Young scoring twice with big shots from outside. At 9-6, South Africa was better placed, although with plenty of work to do. The quarter was squared, South Africa holding off several shots in the dying seconds. One of the best goals came from Juan Zuluaga when he smashed the crossbar, picked up the rebound and scored at the 7-2 mark.


Image Source: Felipe Merino (COL) scoring the opening goalAniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

The second half was where Colombia excelled, keeping South Africa scoreless in the third period as six more goals were stacked on with Enrique Olano netting twice. Come the fourth period, South African captain Karabo Mamaregane blasted from the top for the first African goal 10 minutes. Five more Colombian goals assailed the South African goal with Nick Pearce (RSA) converting a penalty at 20-8 and Kevin Perez scoring his third for Colombia to close all scoring.

Match Heroes
Zuluaga
and Merino scored three each with the former making it 11 in Zagreb and the latter 10. Goalkeeper James Quintero made 11 saves. For South Africa, Young, Pearce and Connor Flinn scored two each.

Turning Point
The third period. It snuffed any chances South Africa had of a tight finish.


Image Source: Warwick Field (RSA) scoring a penalty goal/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Stats Don’t Lie
Colombia scored an amazing 11 from 13 on extra and stopped one of two South African chances. Colombia missed one of three penalty chances and both chances were scored by South Africa. Colombia led steals at 14-6 and shots at 35-26.

Bottom Line
Colombia was on a mission and proved what it is capable of on the big stage. It was a first win here and justly deserved.

Match 34, CANADA 15 KAZAKHSTAN 11 (3-2, 5-5, 4-3, 3-1)


Image Source: Kyson Becker (CAN) defends Adil Baltabekuly (KAZ)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Canada picked up its third victory in Zagreb after a good start, then a stumble and finally re-gathering to take the lead midway through the second quarter, something it never relinquished. Canada went 2-0 and 3-1 in the first quarter before Kazakhstan snared a lucky second goal when Dauren Ali jumped on a rebound in front to score with five seconds remaining. It was his first goal of the week and not his last as he scored the opener of the second quarter. Captain Nurassyl Satbergen scored from centre-forward on extra for the first Kazakhstan lead. Goals were traded to 5-5 and at 3:16, Nicholas Furneaux buried a shot on extra for the 6-5 advantage that was equalised twice before captain Leo Hachem gave Canada the 8-7 score from the top left at 0:38.


Image Source: Harrison Labrosse (CAN)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Canada sent in the first two of the third period for 10-7, a healthier margin. With goals traded to the three-quarter-time buzzer, Kazakhstan had the last laugh but was still two down. Aldiyar Akimbay, who scored twice in the second period, scored twice in the third as well. Canadian Ivan Khramtsov scored his third to start the final quarter at 5:44. It was not until 2:29 that Canada struck again, this time through Adriel Oviedo-Ladik with a right-hand slider for 14-10. Deniz Dronin (KAZ) appeared to sweep-arm a shot in from the deep right for 14-11, but at 2:09 it was late in the piece. Hachem beat the buzzer for the 15-11 score at 0:54 and that was it.

Match Heroes
Khramtsov
and Hachem scored three each for Canada with Harrison Labrosse again in fine form with 13 saves. Akimbay made it four for the match and 10 for the week for Kazakhstan.


Image Source: Ivan Khramtsov (CAN)/Aniko Kovacs/World Aquatics

Turning Point
Breaking free from the 7-7 shackles to 10-7 over the halftime break, gave air time for Canada.

Stats Don’t Lie
Canada converted two from five on extra with Kazakhstan making one from two. Kazakhstan scored the only two penalty chances while Canada made seven steals to five and shot only 28 times to 32.

Bottom Line
Both teams came in with two wins and Canada now has three with more in the offing.

Day 6 Schedule

Group G Round 3
Match 39. 09:00. Brazil v Singapore
Match 40. 10:30.  Argentina v New Zealand

Group H Round 3
Match 41. 12:00. Group H, South Africa v Canada
Match 42. 13:30. Group H, Colombia v Kazakhstan

Round 1-8 Quarterfinals
Match 43. 16:00. Hungary v Italy
Match 44. 17:30. Spain v Montenegro
Match 45. 19:00. Croatia v Greece
Match 46. 20:30. Serbia v United States of America





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Four Owls Set to Participate at USATF U20 Championships

By: Hunter McKay Story Links EUGENE, Ore. —Kennesaw State freshmen Miah Johnson, Rickey Robbins, Kenyatta Bennett and Justin Warner will compete at the USATF U20 Championships Thursday and Friday. The meet will be available to stream on USATF.TV.   Johnson will compete in the 3k steeplechase. Robbins will throw […]

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EUGENE, Ore. —Kennesaw State freshmen Miah Johnson, Rickey Robbins, Kenyatta Bennett and Justin Warner will compete at the USATF U20 Championships Thursday and Friday. The meet will be available to stream on USATF.TV.
 
Johnson will compete in the 3k steeplechase. Robbins will throw in the men’s discus. Bennett is set to compete in the high jump. Warner will run in the 800m. The first round of the men’s 400m is slated for 6:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, with the finals at 8:01 p.m. ET on Friday. The discus final begins at 8:15 p.m. ET with the 3K steeplechase kicking off at 8:33 p.m. ET Thursday evening. The high jump will take place on Friday evening at 8:30 p.m. ET.
 
Johnson qualified for this event with a personal-best time of 11:19.12 she posted at the Crimson Tide Invitational.

Warner ran a time of 46.14 seconds to secure fourth in the 400m at the CUSA Championships.

 

Robbins landed his personal-best mark of 52.56m (172′ 5″) at the Life U Last Chance Meet.

Bennett qualified with a clearance of 2.15m (7’0.5″) he achieved at the NCAA East First Rounds.

 










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Seven Ivies Earn First Team All-America Honors at NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Story Links EUGENE, Ore. — The Ivy League represented well at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon as seven Ivies earned First Team All-America honors.   On the men’s side, Harvard’s Ferenc Kovacs and Cornell’s Damian Hackett placed third and eighth, respectively, in the men’s 1500m run while Princeton’s […]

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EUGENE, Ore.  The Ivy League represented well at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon as seven Ivies earned First Team All-America honors.
 
On the men’s side, Harvard’s Ferenc Kovacs and Cornell’s Damian Hackett placed third and eighth, respectively, in the men’s 1500m run while Princeton’s Sam Rodman placed fourth in the 800m run. In the field events, Penn’s Kampton Kam (high jump) and Princeton’s Greg Foster (long jump) earned First Team All-America honors.
 
For the women, Harvard’s Chloe Fair and Izzy Goudros earned First Team All-America honors. Fair placed sixth in the 400m hurdles with a time of 55.81 while Goudros finished seventh in the heptathlon with 5853 points.

ALL-AMERICANS

BROWN

Jada Joseph, Honorable Mention (Triple Jump)

 

COLUMBIA

Obiora Okeke, Honorable Mention (Shot Put)

CORNELL

Damian Hackett, First Team (1500m Run)

 

HARVARD

Chloe Fair, First Team (400m Hurdles)

Izzy Goudros, First Team (Heptathlon)

Ferenc Kovacs, First Team (1500m Run)

Marta Amani, Second Team (Long Jump)

Victoria Bossong, Second Team (800m Run)

Sophia Gorriaran, Second Team (800m Run)

Emilia Kolokotroni, Second Team (Hammer Throw)

Ben Rosa, Second Team (10,000m Run)

Milina Wepiwé, Second Team (Discus)

Tito Alofe, Honorable Mention (High Jump)

Shane Brosnan, Honorable Mention (10,000m Run)

Molly Malague, Honorable Mention (3,000m Steeplechase)

 

PENN

Kampton Kam, First Team (High Jump)

Ryan Matulonis, Second Team (400m Hurdles)

Alex Sadikov, Honorable Mention (400m Hurdles)

Dylan Throop, Honorable Mention (10,000m Run)

 

PRINCETON

Greg Foster, First Team (Long Jump)

Sam Rodman, First Team (800m Run)

Shea Greene, Second Team (Javelin)

Casey Helm, Second Team (Discus)

Joe Licata, Second Team (Shot Put)

Mena Scatchard, Second Team (1500m Run)

Georgina Scoot, Second Team (Long Jump) / Honorable Mention (Triple Jump)

Harrison Witt, Second Team (1500m Run)

 



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Butler Named Finalist For Honda Sport Award For Track & Field

ATHENS, Ga. — University of Georgia’s Aaliyah Butler has been announced as one of the four finalists for the Class of 2025 Honda Sport Award for Track & Field, as revealed by The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).   Butler is joined by Alabama’s Doris Lemngole, Washington’s Hana Moll and Michigan’s Savannah Sutherland as finalists.  Kendell […]

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ATHENS, Ga. — University of Georgia’s Aaliyah Butler has been announced as one of the four finalists for the Class of 2025 Honda Sport Award for Track & Field, as revealed by The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).
 

Butler is joined by Alabama’s Doris Lemngole, Washington’s Hana Moll and Michigan’s Savannah Sutherland as finalists.  Kendell Williams has been Georgia’s sole Track & Field winner during the 2016-17 school year.
 
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 49 years, recognizing the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and symbolizing “the best of the best in collegiate athletics.”  The recipient of the sport award will become a finalist for the prestigious Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the 2025 Honda Cup, which will be presented during the live broadcast of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Presented by Honda on June 30, at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
 

The track & field finalists were chosen by a panel of experts from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).  The Honda Sport award winner for track & field will be announced later this week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools.  Each NCAA member institution has a vote. 
 

Butler, hailing from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., delivered a standout 2025 season, headlined by her individual national title in the 400 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.  Her winning time of 49.26 not only set a new school record but also marked the fifth-fastest performance in collegiate history.  Butler also anchored Georgia’s 4×400-meter relay to victory, securing the program’s first-ever national title in the event and helping propel the Bulldogs to their first NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship.
 
Throughout the season, the junior dominated the Southeastern Conference, sweeping both the indoor and outdoor 400-meter titles.  Her consistent excellence earned her five NCAA First Team All-America honors in 2025 alone, bringing her career total to 11 All-America accolades.  A fixture on the Bowerman Watch List with seven appearances, she also excelled academically as a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
 
A 2024 Olympic gold medalist as part of Team USA’s 4×400-meter relay squad, Butler continues to affirm her place among the elite in collegiate and international track and field.
 
The CWSA, now in its 49th year, celebrates the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their excellence in athletics, leadership, academics, and community service. Since its partnership began in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of award winners and nominees, supporting the growth and success of women’s athletics programs.
 
About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility and the Honda USA Foundation 
For more than 65 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its associates live and work. The company’s mission is to create products and services that help people fulfill their life’s potential, while conducting business in a sustainable manner and fostering an inclusive workplace. Advancing its corporate social responsibility, Honda and the Honda USA Foundation support this direction through giving focused on education, the environment, mobility, traffic safety, and community.  
 
Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.  
 
 



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