Sport Shorts: Comeback Time
Consecutive Success: In her competitive return to trampoline, Canadian gymnast and three-time Olympian Karen Cockburn is heating up. Following her two-medal (bronze and gold) performance last week, the Toronto native had an even better result at the Trampoline World Cup in Kawasaki, Japan, capturing double gold. Cockburn finished first in the women’s individual competition, with 55.380 points as well as in the synchro event with partner Mariah Madigan.
Third Time’s A Charm: After two previous narrow defeats, PyeonChang has finally won the right to host the Olympic Winter Games. The South Korean city, which lost out to Vancouver in 2010 and Sochi in 2014, was awarded the 2018 Games last week. PyeongChang, up against Munich, GER and Annecy FRA, was declared the winner after only the first round of voting, gaining 63 of a possible 95 votes. This will mark South Korea’s second Olympic Games, 30 years after Seoul 1988.
Paddle Command: The Canadian rowing team kicked off the season in style this weekend, bringing home several medals from the Samsung World Rowing Cup in Lucerne, SUI. World Champions Tracy Cameron (Shubenacadie, N.S.) and Lindsay Jennerich (Victoria, B.C.) claimed gold in the 2,000-metre race with a time of 7:01.71. Meanwhile, the women’s eight won silver, finishing behind the U.S. in 6:29.41. Canada also won bronze in the men’s pairs, as Olympic medallists David Calder (Victoria, B.C.) and Scott Frandsen (Kelowna, B.C.) came in at a time of 6:29.47, less than eight seconds after first-place New Zealand.
Medals on the Mats: A number of Canadian podium finishes were also in order at the Judo World Cup in Puerto La Cruz, VEN. Amy Cotton (Antigonish, N.S.) won gold in the -78 kg. over American and World #2 Kayla Harrison. In the -81 kg. class Antoine Valois-Fortier captured the silver medal, while Marylise Lévesque, Nicholas Tritton (both -78 kg.) and Alexandre Émond (-90 kg.) each grabbed bronze.
Unstoppable: Dylan Armstrong has done it again. The Canadian shot put ace threw 21.55 metres on Sunday to take gold in the men’s shot at a Samsung Diamond League meet in Birmingham, England. With the victory, Armstrong (Kamloops, B.C.) remains atop the Diamond League’s overall standings.
Cycling Second: Racing against a tough field Saturday, Canadian BMX rider Tory Nyhaug (Coquitlam, B.C.) didn’t disappoint. At the 2011 BMX European Championships in Haaksbergen, Netherlands, Nyhaug came in second, beating out Latvian Olympic champion, Maris Strombergs. His next challenge will be the Canadian Championships, set for August 5-7 in Quebec City.
New Additions: Among the South Korean euphoria about 2018, Sochi 2014 was busy planning their own Games with a couple of exciting announcements. Russian officials plan to make history in three years time, by sending the Olympic Torch into outer space during the 2014 Olympic Torch relay. Once the Games begin, new sport disciplines will also be part of the competition. The International Olympic Committee officially added Ski Slopestyle, Snowboard Slopestyle and Snowboard Parallel Slalom to the Winter Games last week. Don’t forget to check out our new poll and let us know on our homepage which of the three new events you are looking forward to the most!
