Matin Balsini, Alaa Maso and Eyad Masoud each have their own powerful stories of how they have overcome huge challenges and adversity to thrive on the highest sporting stage, and Singapore 2025 will be the latest milestone in their proud careers.

Olympic Solidarity’s Refugee Athlete Scholarship programme remains open for National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to apply for financial and technical assistance for refugee athletes who are aiming to compete at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and other international competitions.

World Aquatics Refugee Team continues to inspire refugee athletes

World Aquatics has a long-standing commitment to enabling refugee athletes to fulfil their potential and compete at major events, and is proud that Singapore 2025 will mark the fifth edition of the World Aquatics Championships to feature a Refugee Team.

Swimmers Balsini, Maso and Masoud have established their global profiles by competing at previous major events, and they will line-up again as part of the World Aquatics Refugee Team in Singapore.

Balsini was selected for the IOC’s Refugee Olympic Team at Paris 2024, where he competed in the Men’s 200m Butterfly, and then represented the World Aquatics Refugee Team at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest, Hungary in December 2024.

Maso was the other swimming representative in the Refugee Olympic Team at Paris 2024, competing in the Men’s 50m Freestyle, and this will be his sixth appearance at the World Aquatics Championships or World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) as part of the World Aquatics Refugee Team. He discovered swimming at an early age growing up in Aleppo, but left Syria in 2015 following damage to his training facilities and the escalating impact of the conflict, ultimately settling in Germany.

“Many people lose belief in themselves after moving to a new country. You have so many things to be thinking about, whether that be settling in or adjusting to a new lifestyle, your hobby isn’t necessarily the first thing on your mind,” Maso told World Aquatics during the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest.

Masoud will also be competing in his fifth World Championships across short course and long course swimming in Singapore, having set short course personal bests in the Men’s 50m and 100m Butterfly at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest last year. He fled Syria because of the war and settled in New Zealand, where he now trains at the AUT Millennium Sports Centre.

“It’s also not just about refugees, but about anyone facing challenges,” Masoud added.

This trio of athletes will continue to inspire refugee athletes from around the world through their remarkable achievements, and their stories will continue at the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025.

Refugee Athlete Support available through Olympic Solidarity

Applications remain open for NOCs whose countries host refugees to apply for Refugee Athlete Scholarships through the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity.

The standard individual scholarship budget is USD 1,500 per month per recipient, and this can cover access to appropriate training facilities, specialised coaching, regular medical and scientific assistance and monitoring, accident and illness insurance, travel and accommodation.

These scholarships are open for refugee athlete candidates who meet the conditions in the Refugee Athlete Support Guidelines, including being recognised refugees or beneficiaries of international protection according to the UNHCR, proven high-level competition results and no convictions for doping offences or actions contrary to the standards of sporting ethics.

Host NOCs with refugee athletes that fulfil the eligibility criteria can submit candidatures on Olympic Solidarity’s RELAY platform using the refugee scholarship application form.

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Every year, we get a bunch of shows that push the boundaries when it comes to what feels like too much intercourse on commercial TV. I feel like the OTT platform is an experiment in how much can be tolerated. Now, from what I’ve read, it seems like Gen Z isn’t as sex-positive as their predecessors, in that they prefer to keep their TV clean, just like how they leave their dishes after a fancy meal. But maybe things are different in Spain, because we keep getting movies and shows that are more focused on being outrageously scandalous than giving us any actual material to work with. And you know, you might just call me prudish or old-fashioned for putting these thoughts down, but when a show is solely steamy for the sake of it, leaving everything else behind, you know it’s not worth your time. 

Olympo’s premise is a promising and exciting one. In a world of competitive athletes, there’s no room for imperfection, and a lot of space for pushing yourself to unexplored limits. The show tells the story of Amaia and her friends, a bunch of elite athletes at the HPC Pyrenees. The show begins with Amaia and her friends all happy and excited to get selected for the prestigious Olympo scholarship, essentially a guaranteed ticket to the Olympics. However, the competition goes too hard, and nobody is ready to back down. What follows is an energetic mess of drugs, steamy scenes, and all things competition. 

Before I get into the negatives, there are some things about this show that make it perfect for the summertime. It’s got all the thrills of a hit in the making, but I do think it lacks that oomph that would make it memorable, just like much of what we get to see today. In Olympo, the focus isn’t on one character but on a bunch of athletes, all pursuing different sports. This allows anybody who isn’t interested in any specific sports to still watch this show as an outsider and enjoy it. Rather than focusing on the technicalities of how to be good at each of these sports, the show glazes over all that, which could feel superficial but is still intriguing. I think the most fun thing about the show is watching the swimmers do their synchronized swimming. Plus, all of these young stars are incredibly well built and look the part. The running sequences are also pretty cool, and there are some slow-motion shots that feel very cinematic. 

The thing that makes the show so darn annoying is the host of characters that are all unlikable just because they exist in a competitive world. I found this almost slanderous towards the world of sports because, despite the competition and the pressure, the whole point is to keep it together and hold your head high. On the surface, Olympo may feel original or new, but it’s pushed down several notches simply because of its undesirable and unlikable characters. Yes, I said undesirable, because we don’t get any actual details of their personalities. Sure, they can be hot, but what about an actual personality? It can’t just be “highly ambitious” and “ready to destroy everybody in their way.” 

Don’t get me wrong, the cast is phenomenal, because how do you get so many people who look like actual athletes to come together in one show? But the characters are highly detestable, and every episode is a bore as the show progresses, because it almost feels like everything is going backwards. But out of all the characters who are distinctly annoying, the standout has got to be the protagonist, Amaia. We’re meant to admire her because of how hard she works to become the best athlete/synchronized swimmer that all of Spain has ever seen, but her likeability quotient just dips every time she opens her mouth. Honestly, she’s giving Emily competition at this point. And I know she’s just a teenager and she’s got everyone’s back, but I’m sorry, I’ve not got so much as a shred of sympathy for her, even if she’s played by Clara Galle, of Through My Window fame. The other main characters aren’t that much better either. Sports are also about teamwork and sportsmanship, not just ambition and competition. Because of this, the show starts to get quite tiresome after the first few episodes. 

Really, the conflicts could’ve been wrapped up in like 5 episodes, but they had to be dragged on for 8 episodes to make us feel like we’ve won a competition ourselves by predicting what’s going to happen at the end of the show. There’s nothing thrilling about watching these young people suffer under pressure, and I think this show really pushes the limits of how much can be exciting before it turns sour and boring. Ironically, the last two episodes are the most tedious of the lot, except for the one swimming scene right at the end, of course. Yes, there are like 4 adult scenes in a single episode, and sure, it’s fun, until it’s not anymore. We’re not so superficial that we’d be okay with watching anything just because the actors are incredibly fit. 

At the end of the day, though, if you’re okay dealing with half-developed plots and no actual substance with a lot of superficial stuff, then you might enjoy Olympo as a background watch. The English dub is pretty decent too, so you can follow even if you’re not entirely paying attention. I wish the plot itself were developed further, especially the stuff related to the titular “Olympo,” because it’s so shrouded by mystery that even at the end, we know essentially nothing about it. I’m not entirely sure who this show is for, but if you’re not so keen on this one, I’d say skip it entirely. I’d give Olympo 2.5 out of 5 stars, and the point 5 is for the impeccable cast. 

Related

Zagreb, Croatia – The USA Men’s Junior National Team delivered a thrilling victory in quarterfinal play at the World Aquatics U20 World Championship, defeating Serbia 19-18 in a shootout earlier today. Ryder Dodd put together a memorable outing leading all scorers with seven goals to guide the attack. Charles Mills had 10 saves and came up huge in the shootout, recording a penalty shot block to open the door for a Team USA win. Landon Akerstrom answered the call hitting the final shot for the United States to secure the win. Team USA now prepares to meet Hungary in the semifinal round on Friday at 2:30pm et/11:30am pt. All matches are scheduled to stream live on the World Aquatics YouTube. Live statistics will be available for every match from MicroPlus Timing Services.

Team USA got off to a good start behind goals from Bode Brinkema and Dodd to open up a 2-0 lead. The two sides traded goals with Will Schneider scoring for a 3-1 lead and Dodd adding another to take a 4-2 edge with 2:17 left in the period. Serbia battled back with two in a row to tie the game at 4-4 after the opening frame. Dodd stayed hot in the second quarter, scoring the first two goals for Team USA for a 6-4 lead roughly 90 seconds into the period. After Serbia tied the game moments later, Team USA answered with three straight scores from Peter Castillo, Ben Liechty and Max Zelikov to go in front 9-6 at intermission.

Serbia scored first to open the third but Akerstrom followed with a score for a 10-7 lead. Serbia kept chipping away, scoring two straight to cut the deficit to one at 10-9 with 3:02 remaining. Dodd polished off the scoring in the third, hitting for his fifth with 1:37 to go in the period, as Team USA went up 11-9 with playing moving to the fourth. Serbia started the final quarter trying to claw their way back but every time they scored, Dodd responded. His last tally in regulation gave the United States a 13-12 lead with 4:29 to play in the match. Jon Carcarey followed with a score at the 2:05 mark and Team USA looked to be in control leading by two with about two minutes to play. Serbia had other ideas. They scored on their next two possessions to even the match at 14-14 with :55 left in regulation. Each team would get looks, including a power play for the United States, but nothing came to fruition as the match moved to a shootout. 

The shootout was all business through three rounds with both sides converting. It was in the fourth round where Mills came up the huge block and Zelikov scored to put Team USA ahead 18-17. Serbia found the cage in the final round, putting the pressure back on the United States. That led to Akerstrom delivering the game-winner, vaulting the red, white and blue into the final four of the competition. 

Team USA went 3/8 on power plays and 2/2 on penalties in regulation while Serbia went 3/5 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties. 

Scoring – Stats

USA 19 (4, 5, 2, 3) (5) R. Dodd 7, B. Liecthy 1, L. Akerstrom 1, B. Brikema 1. M. Zelikov 1, P. Castillo 1. W. Schneider 1, J. Carcarey 1

SRB 18 (4, 2, 3, 5) (4) M. Dokanovic 3, R. Gajic 2, R. Dankovic 2, F. Novakovic 1, A. Jaukovic 1, L. Gladovic 1, V. Andelic 1, V. Conkic 1, K. Bodiroga 1, U. Admovic 1

Saves – USA – C. Mills 10 – SRB – M. Gosic 9

6×5 – USA – 3/8 – SRB – 3/5

Penalties – USA – 2/2 – SRB – 1/1

Shootout – USA – 5/5 – SRB – 4/5

At this time last year, I wrote an article reporting on the success of the St. Francis de Sales (SFDS) volleyball program, after winning championships in four of five divisions. Well, to quote the great Yogi Berra, “It’s like déjà vu all over again”, as SFDS repeated last year’s feat, by again winning four out of a possible five championships.

The SFDS ‘Gold’ fourth-grade volleyball team entered the playoffs as the 2nd seed, with a record of 18-12. They opened the playoffs with a win over Our Lady of Grace (7 / 8-22), leading to a semi-final matchup against the SFDS ‘Blue’ team (3 / 16-14). After absorbing a first-set loss, the ‘Gold’ team responded with a second-set win. The third set was tense, with the two teams swapping leads, but ultimately the ‘Gold’ team won, 21-19, setting up a championship match vs. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (1 / 22-8). Played at St. Margaret’s on June 1st, the ‘Gold’ team won the first set easily, 21-10. The second set proved to be a nail-biter, but the girls showed how much they have learned with strong serves and great passing, and SFDS won 21-19 to clinch the championship.

CYO volleyball begins in the fourth grade. For the most part, girls in this age group are a blank slate when it comes to volleyball. A quote from Forrest Gump’s mother best describes the situation: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” So, as a coach, the joy is seeing how your girls develop as the season progresses and hoping you can earn a playoff win. Winning a championship is another story altogether. Congratulations to the coaches, Richie and Kelli Tirado, on a great season.

The Novice (5th Grade) playoffs began for the SFDS ‘Blue’ team (2 / 22-8) with a desire to make up for last season’s championship loss. Thanks to their record, they earned a first-round bye. In the quarterfinals, they were matched up against Blessed Trinity (7 / 10-20). After not playing a match in one month, they sweated out a three-set win, earning them a semi-final match against St. Gregory’s (3 / 23-7), which they won in two sets. The championship match was played at Our Lady of Snows on May 31st and featured the number one seed, St. Andrew’s (23-7), against the number two seed, SFDS ‘Blue’. SFDS easily won the first set, 21-5, but St. Andrew’s recovered to win the second set. The third set was a taut affair won by SFDS thanks to great serves from Brooke Intrabartolo and an amazing dig by Emma Urciuoli, which may have saved the match. Congratulations to coaches Rob Intrabartolo and Siobhan Fitzgerald on another successful season.

The Rookie (7th Grade) SFDS ‘Gold’ team has a history of succeeding in the early rounds but losing in the semifinals. Understandably, then, entering the playoffs as the sixth seed (21-9) there were few thoughts about making it to the championship match, especially considering the quality of the teams they would have to defeat. So, beating Gate of Heaven (11 / 7-20) in the first round, in two sets, was no surprise. The quarterfinal match, however, pitted them against St. Andrews (3 / 21-6), a dangerous opponent. Initially, that did not seem to matter to the girls as they took the first set, handily. But, maybe feeling a little overconfident, they allowed St. Andrews to take the second set. The third set was tight, but the ‘Gold’ team managed to hold on for the win, 21-16, setting up a semifinal match vs. perennial rival, Blessed Trinity (2 / 25-5), last year’s champions. During the regular season, Blessed Trinity (BT) won five of six sets against the ‘Gold’ team, so expectations of advancing to the championship match were not high. However, something strange happened. Along the way, someone forgot to tell the girls on the ‘Gold’ team that they were expected to lose, and they played flawlessly in defeating BT in two sets (21-11, 21-8). 

The championship match was played on June 1st at St. Margaret’s and matched the ‘Gold’ team against the powerhouse from Howard Beach, St. Helen’s (1 / 19-2). St. Helen’s won the first set easily, 21-11. The SFDS team then again demonstrated its resiliency by coming back to take the second set, 21-16. The third set was a nail-biter with neither team taking more than a two-point lead at any point. SFDS was down 19-17 when they broke St. Helen’s serve, to move within one point, 19-18. Jill Heeran, owner of the most reliable serve on the team, brought SFDS within one point of the win, 20-19, when St. Helen’s called a timeout. This is an oft-used tactic designed to give the server time to overthink the situation. But it did not work on Jill. After a reminder to take her time and breathe deep, she ran out to her serving position. At the referee’s beckon, she served. St. Helen’s played the ball into the net and SFDS ‘Gold’ were the champions. Kudos to Maeve Powell for her heady play out of the setter’s position and to Grace Welsh for her strong play on the net in the deciding set. A special acknowledgement is also due to the girls on the bench, who did not get a chance to play. They suited up and cheered their team on, through the high and the low points, and showed everyone that, in their minds, there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’. Finally, congratulations to Coach Jeanne Marie Corvi on an excellent season.    

The SFDS 8th Grade ‘Gold’ team entered the playoffs as at 2nd seed, having lost only one set of the 30 played.  They started their playoff run with a strong showing against St. Joseph’s, taking the match in two sets. With 19 players on the roster, it wasn’t easy to rotate everyone in such a quick win, but nearly all the girls saw the court and contributed to the victory. In the quarterfinals, they faced a solid St. Stan’s team and once again walked away with a two-set sweep, showing consistency, confidence, and teamwork.

Next came the semifinals, a highly anticipated rematch against St. Margaret’s Red — the very team that handed SFDS a heartbreaking loss in last year’s championship. This time, the result was different. Fueled by determination and redemption, the SFDS girls played with heart and grit, defeating St. Margaret’s in two sets and earning their ticket back to the finals.

The championship match took place on June 11th at 8:45 PM and was, fittingly, a celebration of all their hard work. The girls arrived in style, thanks to the Martin family for providing transportation that made the night even more special. Facing St. Stan’s Blue, SFDS left no doubt, taking home the title in two dominant sets. There was no way of stopping Maeve Murphy’s powerhouse serves and spikes, Taryn Martin’s quick, on-target sets, and Jane Bender’s consistency and heart, at every point. Reese Dennis brought unmatched intensity, Niamh Mullen showed unwavering focus and the ability to pull off clutch plays, and Sadie Corvi’s killer instinct kept her one step ahead on the court. From start to finish, the 8th grade girls played like champions and finished their CYO careers on the highest note possible. Congratulations to coaches Chrystie and Eric Rasmussen, and the entire team, on a season to remember.

A Final Note: The Rockawave Volleyball Training (RVT) club team will travel to Dallas next week to compete in the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship (14-17s). As many as 15 girls from Rockaway and Breezy Point will participate in the tournament, which runs from June 25th through July 3rd. The tournament can be followed at the 2025 USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship 14-17s – USA Volleyball. Best of luck to these amazing athletes on what should be a tremendous experience.

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People who have influence over the youth have a responsibility to let them know about those who made Barbados a special place.

That is one of the takeaways for Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley as she reflected on the life of the late Chris Gibbs, a founding member of the world famous group The Merrymen and an outstanding sportsman.

Gibbs passed away on Tuesday and in a statement, Mottley said she was “mindful that despite his immense familiarity among older Barbadians, most of our school-age citizens probably have no idea who he was or his contribution to national life”.

“Chris Gibbs, along with (Sir) Emile Straker, Robin Hunte, Willie Kerr and Peter Roett, performing authentically Caribbean musical styles as The Merrymen at home and in many of the world’s best-known capital cities, compelled countless visitors to return over and over again,” she noted.

“A lover of our most prolific natural resource, the sea, Chris distinguished himself as a national representative and team captain in the sport of water polo, completed the enviable feat of swimming around the island as part of a relay team in 2003, and made international headlines at the age of 58 as the only Caribbean national to swim the English Channel.”

Full statement below:

As I reflect on Chris Gibbs’ passing this week, I am mindful that despite his immense familiarity among older Barbadians, most of our school-age citizens probably have no idea who he was or his contribution to national life.

This ought to be a reminder to all of us who have responsibility for, or influence over, our youth and who are concerned about what appears to be our failure as a society to consistently pass on the values that created that true Bajan spirit, which made Barbados a special place, that we have a critically important task ahead of us.

Chris was the very epitome of the Bajan spirit. He was as caring as he was humble. He revelled in the Bajan culture, particularly in sports and music, and like many Barbadians of old, he was self-taught in the areas in which he excelled. His life is a potent lesson for every young Bajan with a goal – it is within you to determine your future success, regardless of where you start or what obstacles confront you along the way.

As one of the founding members of the most recognised Barbadian musical group of the 20th century, The Merrymen, Chris not only played a key role in the development of our entertainment industry but was an essential part of the cultural element that gave the island’s tourism its stable foundation.

Chris Gibbs, along with (Sir) Emile Straker, Robin Hunte, Willie Kerr and Peter Roett, performing authentically Caribbean musical styles as The Merrymen at home and in many of the world’s best-known capital cities, compelled countless visitors to return over and over again.

A lover of our most prolific natural resource, the sea, Chris distinguished himself as a national representative and team captain in the sport of water polo, completed the enviable feat of swimming around the island as part of a relay team in 2003, and made international headlines at the age of 58 as the only Caribbean national to swim the English Channel.

For his successful swim across the English Channel, Chris was awarded the Barbados Service Medal and in 2022 he was conferred with the Order of the Republic.

On behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, I extend sincere condolence to his family and friends and encourage all young Bajans to take a leaf from his book.

May his soul rest in peace and rise in glory. (PR/SAT)