Tamara Walcott Sets World Powerlifting Record with 639-Pound Deadlift at Competition
Jul 31, 2022
Weightlifting: Faces in the Crowd: Deadlifter Tamara Walcott lifting at Chiseled Gym during photo shoot. Columbia, MD 10/14/2021 CREDIT: Simon Bruty (Photo by Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X163829 TK1)
Tamara Walcott broke her own World Raw Powerlifting Federation record on Saturday when she successfully completed a 639-pound deadlift.
Per ESPN's Maya A. Jones, Walcott hit the mark on her third attempt at the American Pro powerlifting competition.
The historic moment came roughly 10 months after Walcott set the record with a deadlift of 636 pounds at The Bucked Up Showdown in Kansas City, Missouri.
Deadlift was Walcott's third event of the day after the squat and bench press.
According to Jones, Walcott's first deadlift was just 275 kilograms (606 lbs). The 38-year-old received approval from the judges and increased the weight on her second attempt to 290 kilograms (639 lbs).
The judges ruled that Walcott didn't clear the lift, setting her up for a third attempt to hit the mark.
"I didn't feel defeated because I know I had it in me," Walcott told Jones. "As soon as I found out what needed to be corrected, I was able to regroup. I knew what I needed to fix."
Walcott made her adjustment and successfully lifted all 639 pounds on her third try.
It's telling of how dominant Walcott is at this stage in her career that a new World Raw Powerlifting Federation record in the deadlift isn't even her most successful attempt in this event.
She set a women's world record with a 641-pound deadlift at the Arnold Sports Festival in March.
Katie Ledecky Wins Gold Medal in 4x200m Relay at 2022 World Swimming Championships
Jun 22, 2022
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - JUNE 18: Katie Ledecky of Team United States looks on in the Women's 400m Freestyle heat on day one of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships at Duna Arena on June 18, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Katie Ledecky and Team USA won gold in the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay at the 2022 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on Wednesday.
Ledecky teamed with Leah Smith, Claire Weinstein and Bella Sims as the United States won a medal at the event for a 10th consecutive world championships and gold for the fifth time in the past six world championships.
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) June 22, 2022
Australia took silver after winning gold at the last world championships in 2019, while Canada repeated as bronze medalists.
Here is how all eight nations fared in the final:
1. United States - 7:41.45
2. Australia - 7:43.86
3. Canada - 7:44.76
4. China - 7:45.72
5. Hungary - 7:57.90
6. Brazil - 7:58.38
7. New Zealand - 7:59.08
8. Japan - 8:00.03
While the United States fell short of a world record, its time was good for a world championships record, and Ledecky's 200-meter split of 1:53.6 seconds was the second-fastest in the history of the event.
Ledecky has won gold in each of the three events she has competed in at the 2022 world championships. She won individual gold medals in the 400-meter freestyle and 1,500-meter freestyle.
Wednesday's gold marks the 18th world championships gold medal of the 25-year-old phenom's career and her 21st world championships medal overall, both of which are records for a female swimmer.
Additionally, Ledecky is a seven-time gold medalist and three-time silver medalist across three Olympic Games.
While Ledecky won gold in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay at the 2013, 2015 and 2017 world championships, as well as the 2016 Summer Olympics, the event had become a frustration for her.
Australia beat out Ledecky and the Americans for 4x200m gold at the 2019 world championships, and China defeated them at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Team USA employed a unique strategy Wednesday as veterans Smith and Ledecky swam the second and third legs, respectively, while Weinstein led off and Sims closed.
The United States trailed Canada when Ledecky entered the water thanks to a blistering pace set by 15-year-old Summer McIntosh, but Ledecky closed the gap and handed the lead to Sims.
Despite hot pursuit from the Aussies, Canadians and Chinese, Sims maintained the lead and closed out a golden moment for Team USA.
Ledecky has won four or more gold medals at the world championships three times and has a chance to accomplish that feat again.
Her opportunity will come Friday if, as expected, she makes it to the 800-meter freestyle final.
FINA to Restrict Participation of Transgender Women From Elite Swimming Competitions
Jun 19, 2022
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 18: University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas on the starting block for the 200 Freestyle final during the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18th, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta Georgia. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The governing body of world swimming competitions, FINA, voted to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in women's events, via ESPN.
A vote by members of 152 national federations passed the resolution with about 71 percent majority, ruling that athletes must complete transitions by the age of 12 in order to participate in women's competitions.
FINA also created a working group to establish an "open" category in some events that would include transgender athletes.
The new ruling comes after Lia Thomas became the first transgender woman to win an NCAA championship in March, finishing in first place in the 500-meter freestyle.
Thomas previously said she plans to compete for a spot at the 2024 Summer Olympics, with USA Swimming telling Robert Sanchez of Sports Illustrated it would have "no issue" with the University of Penn swimmer representing the country.
The only potential holdup was the lowered testosterone level required to compete in the women's division. The new ruling by the international governing body will seemingly now prevent Thomas from competing in major events.
The inclusion of transgender athletes has been a major talking point both inside and outside the swimming community.
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Nancy Hogshead-Makar argued against Thomas' eligibility in the women's division.
"As an Olympic champion and as a civil rights lawyer, I can assure you that there is nothing fair about transgender woman Lia Thomas competing for the University of Pennsylvania in NCAA swimming," Hogshead-Makar wrote for Swimming World Magazine.
"Worse, her domination of the 'women's sports' category is doing nothing to engender greater empathy for inclusive practices throughout society for the trans community."
Current Team USA competitor Brooke Forde, who won an Olympic silver medal in Tokyo, defended Thomas.
"I believe that treating people with respect and dignity is more important than any trophy or record will ever be, which is why I will not have a problem racing against Lia at NCAAs this year," Forde said in a statement in January.
Thomas failed to medal in either the 200-meter freestyle or the 100-meter freestyle at the NCAA championships.
Simone Biles, Former U.S. Gymnasts Seeking over $1B from FBI over Larry Nassar Case
Jun 8, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 15: U.S. Olympic Gymnast Simone Biles gives testimony during a Senate Judiciary hearing about the Inspector General's report on the FBI handling of the Larry Nassar investigation of sexual abuse of Olympic gymnasts, on Capitol Hill on September 15, 2021 in Washington, DC. Biles and other fellow U.S. Gymnasts gave testimony on the abuse they experienced at the hand of Larry Nassar, the former US women's national gymnastics team doctor, and the FBIโs lack of urgency when handling their cases. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Roughly 90 women, including four-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, seek a settlement in excess of $1 billion from the FBI over its handling of the allegations against former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar.
According to Ed White of the Associated Press, the women say the FBI failed to act with the proper urgency to stop Nassar after becoming aware of sexual assault allegations against him in 2015.
Nassar, who was a doctor at Michigan State University, was not arrested until the fall of 2016 following an investigation by MSU police.
Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison in 2018 for molesting seven young gymnasts and later received a sentence of up to 125 years on three further counts of criminal sexual conduct. He had previously been sentenced to 60 years in prison on child pornography charges.
Per White, USA Gymnastics informed the FBI in 2015 that three gymnasts said Nassar had sexually assaulted them.
The FBI did not launch a formal investigation at the time, nor did it inform federal or state authorities. It also failed to inform state authorities in Michigan when it opened an investigation in 2016 even though Nassar was still working at Michigan State University at the time.
FBI Director Christopher Wray admitted the FBI erred in its handling of the Nassar investigation while speaking to Congress last year: "I'm especially sorry that there were people at the FBI who had their own chance to stop this monster back in 2015 and failed. And that's inexcusable."
Multiple settlements have already been reached in relation to Nassar. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee gave victims $380 million last year.
Additionally, Michigan State reached a $500 million settlement in 2018 with more than 300 women and girls who said Nassar sexually assaulted them.
In 2018, Eaton County Circuit Court Judge Janice Cunningham said 265 known victims of Nassar had been discovered.
Among the notable gymnasts who seek a settlement from the FBI are Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney.
Biles is one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, having won five gold medals in the all-around at the world championships and one Olympic gold in the all-around. Biles is a four-time gold medalist and has won seven medals overall at the Summer Games.
Raisman twice won Olympic gold in the team event and once in the floor exercise, along with three other Olympic medals, including silver in the all-around in 2016.
Maroney won team gold and silver in the vault at the 2012 London Olympics as part of the "Fierce Five" U.S. Olympic team.
Scripps National Spelling Bee 2022 Results: Harini Logan Wins Title in Spell-Off
Jun 3, 2022
OXON HILL, MD - JUNE 2: 14-year-old Harini Logan from San Antonio, Texas is embraced by family after winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort on June 2, 2022 in Oxon Hill, Maryland.ย 234 spellers are competing in the first fully in-person Bee since 2019. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Harini Logan is the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion, but it didn't come easy.
For the first time, the Spelling Bee came down to a spell-off, with both Logan and Vikram Raju being given 90 seconds to spell as many words correctly as possible.
When the dust settled, Logan had correctly spelled 21 words correctly, besting Raju and earning her the win. Raju got 15 words correct.
After a year of anticipation, we have finally crowned our 2022 @ScrippsBee Champion, Harini Logan! After 19 rounds, Harini spelled 21 words correctly in the first-ever spell-off to claim the title! ๐ฅณ Help us congratulate her below!#SpellingBee#BeeAChampIONpic.twitter.com/nw86VNACGF
Logan had Raju on the ropes several times after he failed to correctly spell a word in his final four rounds, but she couldn't get two words correct in a row to clinch the championship.
That led to the dramatic spell-off, where the composed Logan sealed the deal.
"It is my fourth time at the bee, and this is just such a dreamโand, well, I am just overwhelmed,โ Logan said after her victory.
Logan, 14, is an eighth-grader from San Antonio, while Raju is a 12-year-old seventh-grader from Denver. Raju said he would return for next year's event.
Logan's victory nearly didn't happen after she heard the dreaded bell during the word-meaning round for her answer on "pullulation." But after consulting among themselves, the judges ruled that her answer was acceptable since the word could mean "to breed" or "to swarm."
She made the most of her opportunity, claiming the $50,000 cash prize.
Five of the 13 finalists were eliminated in the first round, while another four bowed out in the word-meaning round, where competitors are asked to pick the correct definition out of three options for a given word rather than spelling it.
Bodybuilder Paul Poloczek Dies at Age 37; Won Arnold Classic Amateur in 2017
Jun 1, 2022
COLUMBUS, OH - MARCH 03: Paul Poloczek (11) competes in the Arnold Classic as part of the Arnold Sports Festival on March 3, 2018, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Professional bodybuilder Paul Poloczek has died at the age of 37.
According to TMZ Sports, Poloczek's death was announced by his partner, Katherin DeNev, in a social media post: "Bodybuilding was your life. You are not forgotten, you live on in our hearts. We will love you forever. ... I love you, baby."
Poloczek, who was born in Poland, had been a pro bodybuilder since 2017 after winning the Arnold Classic Amateur competition.
Per Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Times, Poloczek died just hours after competing in the NPC Worldwide Championship bodybuilding event in Germany.
Derek Dufour of Generation Iron reported that Poloczek moved to Germany at the age of four and grew up playing soccer before taking an interest in bodybuilding at the age of 16.
Poloczek joined the Powerhouse Gym in 2002 and won his first junior bodybuilding championship after turning 17.
Dufour added that Poloczek took a hiatus from bodybuilding after 2018 but returned to active competition in 2021.
Poloczek's death comes less than two months after bodybuilding star Cedric McMillan died at the age of 44 in April.
McMillan, who had several top-10 finishes in the Mr. Olympia competition and won the 2017 Arnold Classic, reportedly died after suffering a heart attack while working out on a treadmill.
No cause of death has been announced for Poloczek.
Worldโs Strongest Man 2022 Results: Tom Stoltman Wins 2nd Straight Title
May 29, 2022
Hafthor Julius Bjornsson of Iceland (C) and Mateusz Kieliszkowski (R) of Poland lift concrete spheres during the Atlas Stones competition of the 2018 World's Strongest Man in Manila on May 6, 2018. (Photo by NOEL CELIS / AFP) (Photo by NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Tom Stoltman successfully defended his crown as the World's Strongest Man.
The 27-year-old fended off a challenge from 2020 champion Oleksii Novikov and Martins Licis on Sunday in Sacramento, California.
— SBD World's Strongest Man (@WorldsStrongest) May 29, 2022
Here are the final scores for the 10 participants:
2022 World's Strongest Man Results
1. Tom Stoltman (53.5 points)
2. Martins Licis (43 points)
3. Oleksii Novikov (43 points)
4. Brian Shaw (37.5 points)
5. Maxime Boudreault (34.5)
6. Trey Mitchell (34 points)
7. Luke Stoltman (30.5 points)
8. Mitchell Hooper (30 points)
9. Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted (13 points)
10. Gabriel Rheaume (11 points)
Full results available at World's Strongest Man's official site
Going into the final event, the Atlas stones, Stoltman and Novikov were locked in a tight head-to-head battle.
Stoltman completed nine reps of the power stairs in 41.04 seconds to finish second in the penultimate event. Novikov struggled and only completed six reps in 34.20 seconds, which dropped him into second place overall thanks to the four points he collected toward his total.
— SBD World's Strongest Man (@WorldsStrongest) May 29, 2022
It was quite the turnaround for Novikov. He opened with eight points in the medley before claiming first in the next three events: deadlift, flintstone barbell and bus pull. The Ukrainian powerlifter broke the world record in the flintstone barbell and was downright dominant in the bus pull.
— SBD World's Strongest Man (@WorldsStrongest) May 29, 2022
But Novikov's bad luck in the power stairs continued into the Atlas stones. He recorded only four reps in 36.70 seconds, putting him in last place for the event. That allowed Licis to climb up the leaderboard.
Because of Novikov's performance, Stoltman's victory was assured without needing to do anything in the Atlas stones. Nevertheless, he completed five reps in 25.76 seconds to record the best time and earn 10 points, putting quite the exclamation point on his triumph.
In the end, Stoltman's consistency catapulted him to a second straight title. The Atlas stones was the only event in which he placed first, but he averaged 8.7 points in the five events before that.
Licis earned his first podium trip since winning the 2019 World's Strongest Man. The United States was well represented at the final, with Brian Shaw (fourth) and Trey Mitchell (sixth) rounding out the Americans' output.
World's Strongest Man 2022 Results: Oleksii Novikov Win Highlights Day 1 of Finals
May 29, 2022
HAINAN ISLAND, CHINA - AUGUST 24: Weights pictured in front of WSM logo before the Circus Medley event during the World's Strongest Man competition at Yalong Bay Cultural Square on August 24, 2013 in Hainan Island, China. (Photo by Victor Fraile/Getty Images)
The first day of the 2022 World's Strongest Man finals is complete, and Ukraine's Oleksii Novikov and the United Kingdom's Tom Stoltman are neck-and-neck ahead of the rest of the 10-competitor field.
Novikov and Stoltman won the 2020 and 2021 contests, respectively, and it appears one of them will become a two-time victor when the competition concludes Sunday from Sacramento, California.
Competitors ran through three of the six events Saturday: KNAACK Giant's Medley, Deadlift and Flintstone Barbell. Sunday, the field will roll through Bus Pull, Reign Total Body Fuel Power Stairs and Atlas Stones. A description of all events can be found through this link.
Here's a look at Saturday's results as well as highlights of the event winners' performances.
— SBD World's Strongest Man (@WorldsStrongest) May 28, 2022
Novikov took first in both those events, but Canada's Mitchell Hooper ruled the giant's medley by finishing in 21.96 seconds, or nearly three seconds faster than anyone else in the field.
FLYING through the @Knaack_Storage Giantโs Medley to the tune of 21.96 seconds ๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/cEbPtlf7a6
— SBD World's Strongest Man (@WorldsStrongest) May 28, 2022
Stoltman didn't win any events, but he finished solo second or tied for second in all three competitions, setting up a fantastic duel with Novikov on Sunday.
Former Mr. Olympia Competitor Cedric McMillan Dies at Age 44
Apr 13, 2022
COLUMBUS, OH - MARCH 04: Arnold Schwarzenegger interviews Cedric McMillan (9) after McMillan won the Arnold Classic as part of the Arnold Sports Festival on March 4, 2017, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH.(Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Cedric McMillan, a bodybuilder who
counted the 2017 Arnold Classic among his victories, died Tuesday at
the age of 44.
Black Skull USA, McMillan's sponsor, announced the news with a statement on Instagram.
"We regret to inform you that our
friend and brother Cedric McMillan passed away today," the
statement read. "Cedric will be greatly missed as an athlete,
comrade, friend and father. Our prayers are with all his family and
friends. He 'fought the good fight' and now he rests."
Jacob Ladon of Generation Iron reported
McMillan, who hadn't competed since 2020 because of injuries and
health problems, suffered a heart attack while running on a
treadmill.
In November, the New Jersey
native told Generation Iron's Jonathan Salmon he was starting to work
back toward full strength after a serious case of COVID-19.
"Back in July, I was almost dead," McMillan said. "... My wife was with me but I was outta here.
Seriously. But I didn't see no white light. I don't know if I was
that close, but looking at me from the outside, I was that close."
McMillan, who also worked as a U.S.
Army instructor, competed in the Mr. Olympia competition five times.
His best result was seventh place, which he achieved in both 2016 and
2019.
His last victory came at the IFBB
Romania Muscle Fest Pro competition in 2019.
Arnold Sports Festival Results 2022: Saturday Results, Highlights and Reaction
Mar 6, 2022
COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 05: Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks to fans during the Slap Fighting Championships at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus Convention Center on March 05, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images)
The penultimate day of competition at the 2022 Arnold Sports Festival was also one of the busiest.
Saturday's schedule of events was highlighted by the finals of the Arnold Classic, men's physique and wellness international.
The Arnold Classic is one of the premier bodybuilding competitions in the world. Defending champion Nicholas Walker announced in January he wouldn't be competing this year to give himself more time to prepare for Mr. Olympia.
Brandon Curry won the top prize in the men's open for the second time in his career. He previously won in 2019, the same year he took home the Mr. Olympia title.
Here are the results from each of Saturday's events from the Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.
The field for the men's open portion of the Arnold Classic took a hit leading up to the event. In addition to Walker not participating, Nathan De Asha, Mohamed Shaaban, Rafael Brandao, Akim Williams and Cedric McMillan pulled out.
De Asha and Shaaban had to miss the competition due to injuries.
The 2021 Arnold Classic took place in September after being delayed to the COVID-19 pandemic. A quick six-month turnaround may not have given some of the athletes the necessary time to be in peak physical condition.
Prejudging for the men's open took place on Friday. Curry, Bonac and Kuclo were among the group in the first callout. They were also brought back onto the stage for the third callout, along with Justin Rodriguez.
That foursome comprised the top four after the fifth callout. Kuclo wound up coming in third for the second straight year. Bonac got the most muscular aware for his performance in the competition, but Curry took the top spot thanks to winning the best posing routine.
Isabelle Nunes was part of history on Saturday night. She won the first-ever wellness international event at the Arnold Classic by beating out Angela Borges and Sunny Andrews.
The men's physique competition made a return to the event after not being contested last year. It was open for a new winner because Andre Ferguson, who won this event for three straight years from 2018-20, didn't return in 2022.
Erin Banks took advantage of the opening to win thanks to outstanding conditioning that stood out in the field.
