Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Photo: UVA Athletics

The Virginia women’s track and field team closed out competition at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., on Saturday. Margot Appleton finished runner-up in the women’s 1500-meters while Celia Rifaterra and Estel Valeanu notched All-America honors in the high jump and discus throw. 

APPLETON RETURNS TO THE PODIUM

In her third NCAA Outdoor Championships appearance, Margot Appleton completed the 1500-meter and 5000-meter double, earning All-America honors in both events.

• Appleton executed a tactical race in the women’s 1500-meters to become the NCAA runner-up clocking 4:08.99 and earned first team All-America honors.

• This marks the second time in three years in which Appleton has made the podium in the women’s 1500-meters at the NCAA Outdoor meet. She finished third in the event in 2023.

• Just under two hours later, Appleton toed the line in the women’s 5000-meters where she finished 13th, clocking 15:44.76.

• For her performance in the 5k, the senior earned second team All-America accolades.

• This marks her second consecutive year earning All-America honors in the 5000-meter event after finishing fourth a year ago.

ALL-AMERICA HONORS FOR VALEANU

In her third consecutive NCAA Outdoor Championships, Estel Valeanu earned second-team All-America accolades in the women’s discus.

• On her first throw in the competition, Valeanu recorded a new personal best of  58.22m/191-0 to finish ninth in the field.

• Valeanu bettered her previous best of 57.28m/187-11 and improved her Virginia No. 2 all-time mark.

• She adds another All-America accolade to her resume alongside a ninth in 2024 competing for LSU and sixth in 2023 with Harvard.

RIFATERRA SETTING THE BAR
In her second NCAA Outdoor Championship appearance, Celia Rifaterra cleared 1.84m/6-0.5 to finish seventh in the high jump and earn first team All-American honors.

• After earning honorable mention honors a year ago, Rifaterra notched first team All-America honors clearing 1.84m/6-0.5 for seventh place.

• Rifaterra cleared the first three bars on her first attempt at each height before knocking the bar down at 1.87m/6-1.50.

• Alongside Rifaterra was her teammate, Carly Tarentino in her NCAA Outdoor Championships debut. Tarentino cleared 1.74m/5-8.50 on her first attempt to finish tied for 19th place and garner honorable mention accolades.

WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY RECAP

• Gary Martin finished fifth in the men’s 1500-meters to earn his first career outdoor first team All-America accolades, clocking 3:47.58.

• In the men’s 5000-meters, Will Daley execute a smart race to earn his first second team All-America honors, finishing 13th in 13:36.55. He moves up to No. 5 all-time in program history.

• On the first day of competition, Keyandre Davis garnered second team All-America honors in the men’s hammer, throwing for 66.24m/217-4 to finish 15th in the field of 24 athletes.

• On the second day of competition, Annika Kelly secured second team All-America honors in the women’s hammer, throwing for 64.87m/212-10 to finish 14th in the field.

• In the semifinal, Gary Martin (3:52.97) and Margot Appleton punched their tickets to the final in the men’s and women’s 1500-meters. Both earned an automatic bid, placing in the top five finishers in their respective heats.

• In their NCAA Outdoor Championships debut, Alex Sherman (50.98) and Jenny Schilling (33:07.58) notched honorable mention accolades in the men’s 400-meter hurdles and the women’s 10,000-meters. Both finished 17th in the competition.

• Justin Wachtel garnered honorable mention accolades in the men’s 5000-meters.

Scoring a total of 10 points, the Virginia women finished 26th in the team standings.

2025 CAVALIER ALL-AMERICANS

First Team: Margot Appleton (1500m), Gary Martin (1500m), Celia Rifaterra (High Jump)

Second Team: Margot Appleton (5000m), Will Daley (5000m) Keyandre Davis (HT), Annika Kelly (HT), Estel Valeanu (Discus)

Honorable Mention: Alex Sherman (400mH), Jenny Schilling (10,000m), Carly Tarentino (High Jump), Justin Wachtel (5000m)

FIVB Athletes’ Commission President Louise Bawden joined more than 400 athlete representatives from around the world at the International Athletes’ Forum 2025 in Lausanne, where sessions covered athlete representation, anti-doping, mental health and wellbeing, prevention of competition manipulation, social media, and Athletes’ Commission administration.

Bawden attends the Forum’s main session, which featured updates on Olympic Agenda reforms and the IOC AC Strategy.

“My impressions of the Forum have been very positive – there is a strong focus on supporting athletes at the centre of the Olympic Movement,” Bawden said. “Ensuring athletes have a ‘seat at the table’ but also know what to do with their opportunities to make a positive impact and influence change is so important. The information shared offers ideas and practical solutions in this space.”

Organised by the IOC Athletes’ Commission, the Forum opened with reflections on Olympic Agenda reforms and the IOC AC Strategy. Delegates heard from athlete representatives presenting examples of national-level athlete engagement and took part in breakout discussions on key areas relevant to their commissions.

Bawden (far left) participates in a session on competition manipulation – one of several breakout topics at the Forum.

Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal joined a live call in conversation with NBA great and IOC AC member Pau Gasol.

“Together they spoke beautifully about the power of representation and the importance of giving back,” Bawden said. “It was powerful to hear Rafael speak about keeping the highest standards of respect in competition and in your own behaviour. The messages are simple but critical to the integrity of sport and the spirit of the Olympic Games.”

Bawden with Pau Gasol, who spoke with Rafael Nadal during a live call at the International Athletes’ Forum.

The Forum also included presentations of best practices from athlete commissions. 

“There is always something to learn and ways to improve,” Bawden said. “I think we can consider solutions for improved engagement through more consistent communication and finding opportunities for in-person connections. Development of a more strategic approach to the AC priorities can also improve synergies with broader FIVB focus areas as well as support prioritisation of the work of the AC.”

Bawden highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen support for players as they transition beyond sport. 

“The FIVB will run the first volleyball and beach volleyball post-career program in 2025, called Beyond the Court. This is an important step to supporting the professional development of volleyball players,” she said. “We can also consider increasing the visibility of resources available to athletes via the FIVB website. IOC Career+ has a great range of educational and professional development resources, and some not just for Olympians, but all athletes, so we can help direct athletes to these.”

Bawden with IOC President Kirsty Coventry at the International Athletes’ Forum in Lausanne.

She noted that several areas require continued attention for the volleyball and beach volleyball community.

“In today’s world, many players need mental health and wellbeing support to withstand the pressures of being an elite athlete. Financial stability and planning for a life after sport are also key areas where we can improve outcomes for players in the FIVB ecosystem,” she said.

Reflecting on the opportunity to connect with athlete representatives from other sports and regions, Bawden said, “It has been an enriching experience to connect with other sports and learn about their approach to supporting their athletes. It is inspiring to be part of the broader AC community and share in common challenges and discuss potential solutions – most seem to recognise financial stability, education and professional development and mental health as key areas of challenge.”

“Following this forum, I bring back increased connections and a better understanding of the IOC Athlete365 landscape,” she added. “There are many opportunities for collaboration and resource-sharing and I look forward to bringing those benefits back to the FIVB, and the beach volleyball and volleyball athlete community.”

Ospreys senior sixth in 800 final, named first-team All-American

Smilla Kolbe has swooped onto the All-American list.

From 6-8 June, St. Kitts & Nevis proudly welcomed the Eastern Caribbean’s brightest young beach volleyball talents for the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) U21 Beach Volleyball Championship. Organised in close partnership with the FIVB and Olympic Solidarity, the championship brought together 24 teams representing 10 countries, all vying for top spot. 

As the official ECVA qualifier for the 2025 NORCECA U21 Championships, the tournament was a key step towards qualification for the FIVB U21 World Championships later this year. The stakes were high, as the top three teams in both the men’s and women’s competitions were promised the chance to compete at the NORCECA World Championship Qualifier, which will be held from 3 to 7 July in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. 

Against the breathtaking backdrop of Caribbean waters, the tournament was a great showcase of beach volleyball’s emerging young stars. In the men’s competition, Dominica’s Mervin Mingo and Bill Frederick successfully defended their title, becoming back-to-back ECVA U21 Beach Volleyball Champions. On the women’s side, St. Lucia’s Ericka Gaspard and Clio Phillip delivered a flawless performance. Maintaining an unbroken 5-0 record without dropping a single set, their dominance and composure made for a great spectacle. 

All four remaining NORCECA qualifying spots went to beneficiaries of the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme: St. Lucia and Grenada in the men’s competition, and Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica in the women’s competition. 

“This year’s championship was more than just a tournament – it was a celebration of youth, excellence, and the unmatched beauty of the Caribbean,” said the ECVA President, Glenn Quinlan. “The court setup along the Saint Kitts and Nevis coastline was truly spectacular and raised the bar for future ECVA events.” 

“This fantastic event is part of a broader strategy to build sustainable, year-round development in beach volleyball, as emphasised in the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032,” said FIVB President Fabio Azevedo. “It’s not only about competition, it’s about providing athletes, coaches, and officials with the tools and experience that they need to grow the sport at the regional level. We are grateful for the support of our partners within the Global Volleyball Movement and Olympic Solidarity in helping to make this a reality.” 

Beyond the on-court competition, the championship was complemented by a comprehensive regional training camp and a beach volleyball coaches course held from 1 to 6 June. This programme was open to both experienced and aspiring coaches, providing education and technical knowledge to help empower coaches across the region. All coaching course participants are now eligible to take part in the upcoming NORCECA Beach Volleyball International Referee Candidate Course. Additionally, all match officials, including referees, scorers and line judges, were recruited from within the Caribbean, offering them critical experience officiating at an international-level event.  

Sheila Stephens Desbans, Olympic Solidarity Head of Sport Development stated; “This is the third year we’ve proudly supported the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) through our partnership with the FIVB. With events in St. Lucia and the Cayman Islands, we’re seeing real progress in the development of athletes, coaches and officials. Sport should be a catalyst for growth, and we are proud to see that this partnership continues to deliver a meaningful and positive impact.” 

SINGAPORE – Fans can expect record-breaking feats at the July 11-Aug 3 World Aquatics Championships (WCH) in Singapore, as event organisers give the media a first look and back-of-house tour of the WCH Arena on June 16.

Built in Carpark G near the Kallang Tennis and Kallang Football Hub, the main attraction of the sheltered, purpose-built facility constructed by Kin Productions is the long-course pool which will host the swimming (July 27-Aug 3) and artistic swimming (July 18-25) events. A warm-up pool with the same dimensions is located in a separate block.

Measuring 50m by 26m with a depth of three metres, the competition pool is notably wider and deeper than the Paris Olympics’ temporary pool at the La Defense Arena, which was one metre narrower and had a depth of 2.15m.

At Paris 2024, there were four new world records and 17 Olympic records. There is a realistic prospect of more record-breaking feats here, as swimmers tend to prefer a deeper pool because the increased depth reduces water turbulence and calmer waters generally result in faster times.

Foundation work for the WCH Arena began in December 2024, and construction was done from January to May.

With a seating capacity of 4,800, there is a compact feel to the facility, which is about one-third of the size of temporary facilities constructed for recent world championships.

At the 2024 edition in Doha, Qatar, swimming and artistic swimming were hosted inside the 15,500-capacity Aspire Dome, while in 2023 swimming was held at the 15,000-seater Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A – part of the Fukuoka Convention Centre – with average daily attendances ranging from 3,000 to 5,000.

Singapore’s WCH Arena stands out for its red seats and red OSB11 starting blocks, which are the same as those used at Paris 2024.

The seats are positioned at a 32-degree angle, providing spectators with a better viewing experience. This differs from the standard 17-degree angle which is typically adopted for spectator seats at other events in Singapore.

Four 14m by 3m screens above the spectator seating and a 29m by 3m bigger screen on the south wall will display results and replays, with 46m by 1m screens along the length of the pool for sponsors’ logos.

The venue will also have a fan zone with interactive activities, merchandise areas, sponsors’ booths, and food and beverage stalls.

At the one-year countdown to the WCH in 2024, Alan Goh, 2025 World Aquatics Championships organising committee co-chairperson and chief executive officer of Sport Singapore, had said that “there are many factors we took into consideration when selecting the venue”.

The 50,000-seater National Stadium was initially mooted as the venue for swimming but in January 2024 it was reported that swimming and artistic swimming could instead be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Six months later, organisers revealed that a temporary facility would be built instead.

Goh said then: “Of course, National Stadium and Indoor Stadium were (involved in discussions) as well. But when we had discussions with World Aquatics, it was clear that the National Stadium with its 50,000 capacity is way over the typical attendance for the event.

“So on balance, and having considered factors such as cost, factors such as downtime of the Indoor Stadium and National Stadium, the decision was best to hold the events in the Aquatic Centre and build a very nice facility in Carpark G.”

The temporary facility could be used as a training or competition venue for local and regional meets before and after the championships, he said.

The Straits Times understands that one consideration is for Singapore Aquatics to use the venue to prepare for competitions such as the 2029 SEA Games held here, while the Toa Payoh Swimming Complex is currently being renovated.

Over 2,500 athletes from more than 190 countries and territories will compete in the six aquatic disciplines at the world championships.

The water polo and diving events will be held at the OCBC Aquatic Centre, while Sentosa will host open-water swimming (Palawan Beach) and high diving (Palawan Green).

The June 19-29 Southeast Asia Age Group Aquatics Championships, a youth aquatics competition comprising over 500 athletes from across the region, will serve as a test event for the WCH.

The swimming (June 25-27) and artistic swimming (June 20-22) will be the first competitions held at the WCH Arena, while water polo (June 19-22) and diving (June 27-29) will take place at the OCBC Aquatic Centre.

• David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis.

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In the final race of his dominating Cornell track and field career, Damian Hackett ’25 finished less than half a second behind the winner of the National Collegiate Athletics Association 1500m championship race. With his eighth-place finish, Hackett capped off a record-breaking season by earning First Team All-American honors in the 1500m.

“It’s an honor to be selected,” Hackett said. “All-American was my reach goal from the start of the season so there is a sense of accomplishment to reach that goal — especially at the conclusion of my career at Cornell.”

In the first 20 seconds of the race, Hackett ran in the top three spots. After the first half of the race, Hackett had been shuffled back to sixth as the racers bunched closer together.

As the race continued, Hackett’s competitors pushed the pace. Hackett found himself further back than he had hoped. His final lap split was 51.53 seconds, which was 0.07 seconds shy of the race’s winner, Nathan Green from the University of Washington. 

“Going into the race I knew it was going to be a stacked field. …That changes the race, because everyone is a great kicker, so you can’t necessarily rely on using your kick,” Hackett said, referring to a runner’s ability to increase their speed during the final stretch of a race. “The goal was to be more towards the front than I have been in the semifinals and use that to be more efficient.” 

In the last 30 seconds of the race, Hackett moved to the outside lane in an attempt to make a final kick. This final push landed him in eighth place — a good enough finish to qualify for First Team All-American recognition. Hackett is proud that the program has “received more recognition” on the national stage that the NCAAs offers. 

“It’s great to see our team culture come out and the [NCAAs] is an opportunity to showcase us on a bigger stage, which is great to see,” Hackett said. “[The team] is the most important thing to me,  and the support from my teammates and people back home really made a difference.”

Cornell’s last track and field All-Americans were Austin Jamerson ’17 and Rudy Winkler ’17 in 2017. Hackett’s historic career at Cornell will also be remembered by his records, as he holds the fastest 1500m time in Cornell history, 3:36.78, which is also ranked No. 26 overall in the United States. 

Hackett is number one on the all-time indoor mile list at Cornell, clocking in with a time of 3:56.15. He has the school’s best 800m time at 1:47.40, which he set this year at the Wake Forest Invitational, and the best ever 1000m time at 2:20.42. Hackett is mentioned 11 more times on Cornell’s men’s track and field record book. 

“I always knew it would be tough to accomplish [those] goals,” Hackett said. “I am really proud of the strong tradition at Cornell track, and it’s an honor to have continued that.”

In the future, Hackett intends to continue running “in some form” and hopes to compete in the Ivy League’s Izumo Ekiden — an annual long-distance relay race where the Ivy League sends a select team of alumni runners to race in Japan. 

He also recognized how important to him the team has been throughout his past four years. Hackett highlighted how proud he was to “be a Cornell runner” and an athlete in the Ivy League, which he says combines “athletic and academic” success for its athletes. 

“It’s important to recognize what we have at Cornell, now more than ever, and the Ivy League more broadly — where culture is the key to success,” Hackett said. “I feel really good about leaving the program in a stronger place than it was when I came as a freshman. It’s definitely what I am most proud of.”

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