World Triathlon Sprint & Relay Championships Canceled
IslandStats.com
After extensive discussions with Bermuda’s health and government authorities, the Bermuda Local Organising Committee and World Triathlon have made the difficult decision that the 2021 World Triathlon Sprint & Relay Championship will not take place this year.
Bermuda was ready to welcome hundreds of participants from all over the world from October 15 to 17. However, changing conditions on the ground demanded that the programme’s safety plan be reviewed. Using a tool provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Organising Committee and the World Triathlon conducted a risk assessment on the event. The analysis considered the island’s recent spike in Covid-19 infections in addition to the Bermuda Hospital’s elevated Covid-19 patient intake, and the Organising Committee in consultation with World Triathlon made the decision not to proceed with the October event. The health and safety of all athletes, coaches, staff, contractors, volunteers, and the people of the island was the primary consideration.
The whole World Triathlon family is disheartened that the global pandemic continues to impact our events, but we are committed to returning to Bermuda. We are confident in the island’s rigorous pandemic management and reputation of delivering safe, outstanding sporting events. Conversations are taking place presently to identify other exciting future opportunities, including a triathlon on the island of Bermuda.
Hazel Clark, OLY, Chairman of the World Triathlon Series Bermuda (WTS Bermuda) said, “We are disappointed that Bermuda will not be able to stage the Championship in 2021 yet appreciate that safety for Bermuda’s residents and visitors will always be the priority. The Bermuda Tourism Authority, our local organizing committee, and sponsors have invested significant resources in preparation for this pinnacle endurance event, and their efforts are gratefully acknowledged. We look forward to repurposing the resources and building on the groundwork that has been laid for a future event that will benefit all of Bermuda.”
Friday, September 17, 2021
Bermuda Women’s Under 20 Team Advance
IslandStats.com
Bermuda 4 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0
The final day of action in 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship Qualifying saw Bermuda become one of the final two teams to punch their tickets to next year’s CWU20 Championship.
Bermuda’s Under 20 Women’s National Team took on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Bermuda went into the match leading the group after Saint Vincent and the Grenadines played to a 1 - 1 draw with the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Bermuda emerged as the top team in Group A and qualified for the 2022 CWU20 thanks to their 4-0 win over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Jahni Simmons struck in the 24th minute and 41st minute, before goals from Emily Cabral in the 53rd minute and Katherine Bean- Rosario in the 75t minute completed the clean sheet win for Bermuda.
Thursday, September 16, 2021
James & Radford Finish 2nd in ISU Challenger Series
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The new Canadian pair’s partnership of Vanessa James and Eric Radford made its international debut on Thursday and earned a satisfying second place in the short program at the Autumn Classic International figure skating competition, the second stop on the ISU Challenger Series.
This past April, two-time world champion and three-time Olympic medalist Eric Radford announced he was coming out of retirement to skate for Canada once again, but this time with new partner Vanessa James, a European champion and world championship medalist who formerly competed for France.
Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan are in first place after Thursday’s short with 72.32 points, James and Radford follow at 68.29 and Ashley Cain Gribble and Timothy Leduc of the USA are third at 59.58.
2021 Autumn Classic International Pairs - Short Program Results
72.32 Riku MIURA / Ryuichi KIHARA - JPN 68.29 Vanessa JAMES / Eric RADFORD - CAN 59.58 Ashley CAIN-GRIBBLE / Timothy LEDUC - USA 57.83 Deanna STELLATO-DUDEK / Maxime DESCHAMPS - CAN 56.60 Katie MCBEATH / Nathan BARTHOLOMAY - USA 53.39 Jessica PFUND / Joshua SANTILLAN - SUI 51.17 Lori-Ann MATTE / Thierry FERLAND - CAN WD Chloe CHOINARD / Livio MAYR - AUT
Wednesday, September 15, 2021
WADA to Review Cannabis' Status on Prohibited List
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The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Executive Committee has endorsed a scientific review into cannabis' status as a banned substance and also declared eight organizations - including the national anti-doping bodies of Romania, Thailand, and Indonesia - non-compliant.
Cannabis' presence on WADA's Prohibited List has come under fresh scrutiny after American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson missed the Olympics due to testing positive for the recreational drug, which is legal in many American states and decriminalized across much of the world.
Richardson won the women's 100 meters at the US Olympic trials but returned a positive test for marijuana on the same day, ultimately leading to the United States Anti-Doping Agency banning her for a month and the 21-year-old's results at the trials being disqualified.
Richardson said she had ingested marijuana after learning from a reporter that her biological mother had died and was in Oregon, where it is legal.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe is among those to have queried the cannabis ban, saying a review "should be" carried out, while Richardson's suspension sparked a particular backlash in the US.
Cannabis will remain banned in 2022 while the review initiated by WADA's List Expert Advisory Group is carried out.
WADA said "there will be limited modifications" only to the Prohibited List for 2022, following the Executive Committee's latest meeting in Istanbul.
A modification prohibiting all injectable routes of administration of glucocorticoids in competition was approved in September 2020 and will be implemented from January 1 next year.
This delay was made to allow more time for communication and education of athletes and medical personnel with regards to the change to help them avoid inadvertent adverse analytical findings and for laboratories to update their procedures.
Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Celebrations for Flora Duffy Announced
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The Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, Dr. Ernest Peets announced in the Senate the details of Celebrations for Flora Duffy.
“Madam President, Last week the Premier announced that he would invite Her Excellency the Governor to designate 18th October as a public holiday in recognition of Flora Duffy’s extraordinary success in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo and the World Triathlon Championship.
Madam President, I think we are all aware of the tremendous joy and pride Flora’s win has meant for Bermuda. At a time of such challenges and difficulties, seeing our own on the world stage performing like no one before had the effect of bringing us together as a community and as a people. Such is the power of sport. And such has been the power of Flora Duffy.
I believe we all agree that this is a fitting tribute to recognize her historic accomplishment.
Madam President, as we know Flora Duffy has been triathlon world Champion and ranked number 1 in the world. However, she is now also Bermuda’s first Olympic Gold Medallist, making Bermuda the smallest country to win Olympic Gold ever, demonstrating that talent, grit and determination can lead to the ultimate global success even for a small nation. She is an inspiration to Bermuda and a role model for all. Her dedication and hard work is a shining example of what can be accomplished.
Flora brought Bermuda’s second Olympic medal, the first being, as we know, Clarence Hill who won a bronze medal for heavyweight boxing in 1976.
Madam President, Flora arrives in Bermuda on 11 October to compete in the World Triathlon Sprint and Relay Championships. On that day, she will be welcomed at the airport by a special delegation including myself, the Bermuda Olympic Association and the Bermuda Triathlon Association.
A motorcade will escort Ms. Duffy from the airport to Cabinet Office, where she will meet with the Premier for a special presentation. The motorcade route will include a drive through the City of Hamilton.
On Flora Duffy Day itself, on October 18th, we hope to see the Island participate in celebratory activities. While we have considered a large street event, the current Covid environment renders this inopportune and we will focus on activities that are safe for all concerned. We expect to include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, an announcement of the honours to be bestowed on Flora for her achievements and a firework display by the Corporation of Hamilton.
Madame President the proposed renaming of a fitting location is subject to final approvals and this will be further announced to the public shortly.
Madam President, it is hard to do justice to such a national accomplishment during a pandemic. The fact that the Olympics took place at all was in itself an achievement. We very much look forward to welcoming Flora back home to celebrate her win with her, and to share in our national pride for her achievement.
