Sport Shorts: Fencer Schalm Wins World Silver Medal
Schalm Sets Record Mark: Ottawa’s Sherraine Schalm this week became Canada’s first women’s fencer to capture silver at the World Championships. The three-time Olympian was tantalizingly close to gold, as she pushed Russian Lubov Shutova into extra time in their final Épée match in Antalya, Turkey. An exhausted Schalm broke into tears following her historic achievement. Schalm also won bronze at the 2005 World Championships and competed hard at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games.
A Good Time in Beirut: At the Francophone Games in Beirut, Canadian athletes enjoyed a healthy medal haul that included five gold medals, five silver and nine bronze. Among them was a gold medal by decathlete Massimo Bertocchi (Toronto), who set a personal best with 8,053 points and won five of the 10 decathlon events outright (hurdles, long jump, pole vault, shot put, discus). On the track, Kimberley Hyacinthe (Lachenaie, Que.) won two gold medals in relay and added a silver in the 200 metres, where she too set a personal best mark. For full results see .
Munich Seeks 2018 Games: Officials in Munich announced Wednesday that the city will seek the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. If successful, the Bavarian capital would become the first city ever to host both a summer and winter Games. (The 1972 Olympic Games were held there.) The IOC will elect a Host City in July 2011.
Figure Skaters Set: One week from today, the first major figure skating event of the season begins in Paris. It is the Trophée Eric Bompard, which is classified as an ISU Grand Prix event. Last year, Patrick Chan (Toronto) and Joannie Rochette (Ile Dupas, Que.) both won this event. They, and Canada’s best, will be in Paris next week as the spotlight heats up in advance of Vancouver 2010.
Where the Olympic Movement’s Heart Is: This week at the XIII Olympic Congress, IOC members declared that youth and athletes are the heart of the Olympic Movement. It issued 66 recommendations, which included using digital technology and the new Youth Olympic Games to reach out and engage the world’s youngsters.
“(The Congress) has delivered clear guidance that serving young people and athletes should be our top priority,” IOC President Jacques Rogge said. “We will find new ways to share Olympic values with the world’s young people and get them involved in sport. We will redouble our efforts to protect the health and safety of athletes, and help them prepare for life after sport.”
