Games of the XI Olympiad—roleplaying thread

[Dunnes]

Games of the XI Olympiad Special Edition

The

Sporting Daily

Lizdenis/Lynch Ready to Redeem themselves in Langdon

Langdon, Liventia-A day after a generator and seeding mixup forced a postponement of the Langdon Open Olympic qualifying event, Nik Lizdenis and Jack Lynch are ready to redeem themselves from a quarterfinals loss that has haunted them ever since the eighth games. “It means a lot, being able to play here.” said Lynch. “We were so close to the medal rounds, so close to being able to stand on that podium, and see our flag fly over our heads. It’s redemption time now.” The surprise team in the tournament in Orean, they are now the experienced veterans of the sport.

The duo has even mentored the other Dunian teams competing in the Olympic Qualifier in Langdon, meeting with the three other duets during Olympic Processing at the Olympic Training Center in Alta. “We basically told them what to expect, what the competition excitement will be like, and that just because the Olympic Etoile is on the side of the court, doesn't mean its any different from any tournament back home.” said Lizdenis. When asked of their own goals, Lindenis said that they’re shooting to bring back medals. “It’s what everyone dreams about in their respective sports. Having that medal.” Lizdenis and Lynch will start the competition tomorrow as the top seeded duo in their three team group. The top two teams will qualify to the second preliminary round. The pairing of Matt Donahue and Max Minshull lost in three games to the Kernansquillec duo of Fritts/Conant , putting them in second in their group. The women also pick play back up tomorrow in Langdon.

VIEWING INFO
Athletics Morning Session: DSN1 09:00-14:00
Athletics Evening Session: DSN1 18:00-22:00
Water Polo Men (Dunnes v. TBD): DSN2 16:00-17:30
Water Polo Women (Dunnes v. TBD): DSN2 17:30-19:00 delayed
Football Men (Dunnes v. North Eurasian Unified Team) TV4 14:00-16:30
Beach Volleyball (Lizdenis/Lynch v. TBD) TV4 09:00-10:30
Beach Volleyball (All other matches): dsn.net All Day
Water Polo (All other matches): dsn.net All Day

In other news, all three men’s 400m runners, men’s 10000m runners, and women’s steeplechasers made their next rounds. Kyle Messinger won his 400m heat in a time of 45.22, easing up before the finish line.
In the 10,000m Connor Henebry won his heat in a lifetime best of 27:03.74, a time that puts him number two all-time on the Dunnes record list. He was followed closely in his heat by Wade Nygren, who ran a personal best of 27:09.98, putting him number three all time. Dan Reid also made the next round finishing fifth in the other heat.

Kate Ratliff was the last automatic qualifier out of heat one in the steeplechase, and Sierra Pontheir and Anna Pruter both qualified on time as well. Unfortunately, neither Claire Malone, nor Ellie Escobar qualified for the next round of the 200m.

Tomorrows competition includes day two of the men’s and women’s beach volleyball competition from Langdon. The morning will also feature the men’s 1500m, steeple and 4x4, along with the women’s 800m, and 5000m prelims in Neverend. The afternoon will see the men’s 800m, and 5000m semifinals, along with the women’s 400m semifinals.

Outside of Liventia, men’s and women’s water polo will get underway in Vekaiyu, and Aeropag respectively. The Men’s Football team will also play the first game of a home and away draw with the North Eurasian Unified Sporting Team in North Eurasia.

[San Llera]

Day 2 Llerana Olympic Handball Qualifiers cutoff!

Music

[The Serbian Empire]

Beograd Journal Letter To Editor
Ndakene Government Out of Line Involving Vekaiyu
As sister to an Olympiad athlete, I am concerned with the mindset of Ndakene officials saying that Vekaiyu is full of specist bigots who might drink human blood. I've seen worse from hockey goons employed by Medveščak Zagreb in the KHL or from Red Star Beograd in the Serbian Hockey League than from the history of Vekaiyu. When hockey's most uncouth athletes are more dangerous, I believe that it is an alarmist mindset from Nicholas Roufosse and the NDISA officials. They're effectively trying to make this into a political Game of the Thrones and people may get harmed if Roufosse doesn't back down with his plans to send a task force that is probably heavily armed to Vekaiyu.

Sincerely,
Gianna Armia

The Serbian Sporting News
Results from Olympiad Qualifiers

First things first, we have reporters in places ranging from Bathurst in Quebec to Aeropag and they're all reporting the news. Sadly, one of those meant to go to Bathurst in Quebec found his way to Bathurst in Australia and has decided to cover the V8 Supercars at Mt. Panorama. Crikey, Mr. Radisich! What are you doing in that gravel trap? And what in the world is an Attawapiskat? It sounds like a dangerous animal. Oh wait, that's where our women are playing Handball!

The Serbian Empire's Women's Water Polo team won 10-7 against Drawkland, just as expected. The odds of them advancing are quite favorable at this point and the bookies have noted this accordingly. The Men's team has effectively been viewed as eliminated having not won a game yet. The Men's Hockey team won against Kriegiersien 2-0 while the Women's handball team won against The Greater Vakolicci Haven 26-20.

Those who have qualified for the qualifying round finals list

Rahela Stojanovic: 7th overall in Women's 3000m Steeplechase at a time of 9:29.37
Sanela Pavlovic: 15th overall in Women's 200m at 22.9 seconds
Nenad Krejci and Milan Jirek: 8th and 6th in Men's 10,000m with times of 27:09.10 for Jirek and 27:14.61 for Krejci.
Kalem Domi and Yuri Petrovic: 8th and 20th in Men's 400m with times of 45.04 and 45.88 seconds respectively
Dajana Ilic, Danijela Novak, and Iskra Novak: 3rd, 9th, and 13th in the Women's 100m Hurdles with times of 12.78, 12.92, and 13.06 seconds
Jana Rusnak and Adrijana Crncevic: 7th and 12th in Women's 10000m with times of 30:50.76 and 31:11.74

Semi-finals also await, but to us, the only ones who have chances to bring medals home are those in the finals. We'll keep monitoring of their progress.

We also have a group of four who have officially qualified for the Olympiad in Aeropag in the Women's 4X400M relay. A hearty round of congratulations goes to Marija Jovanovic, Sanela Pavlovic, Kiralis Novoa, and Sofija Vukovic and their 4th place effort with a time of 3:25.28

[Todd McCloud]

The last game from Matchday 1 has finished in Vekaiyu, meaning that this is the official cut-off for Day 1.

[Liventia]

And this is Liventia's Day 2A cutoff.

Results.

[Eonstar]

Eonstar News Wire

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Men's Football Team Ready for Serbs

The Eonstar men's football team has traveled to the Serbian Empire to prepare for its first qualifying match. Coach Drakk Artid is keeping the lineup close to his chest, but says he is aiming to score an away goal and come away with at least a draw against the Serbian Empire. Under coach Artid, the football team has become a well-drilled cohesive machine, operating as a unit with a traditional "banks of four" 4-4-2 formation. Some fans complain that his style of play lacks creativity and flair, but his solid formation rarely gives up goals.

The hardcore fans of the Eonstarite football team travelling all the way to the Serbian Empire to support their team have been hard at work the past few days, preparing a bevy of racist anti-Serbian chants just for this occasion.

[Llanrhyddid]

A Foreigner's Guide to Llanrhyddid
Canllaww Estroyyn d Llhanryddid

Part 1

Hello from Llanrhyddid! We are very excited to take part in our first sporting competition! In order to explain the nuances of Llanrhyddid, its history, its culture, and its sports, we at the SNL (Sefydliadd Newyddion Llanrhyddid) will be releasing a multi-part series to foreign media organizations describing the Ddeyrnass Cudd, or Hidden Queendom. A city-state hidden in the Mynyddoedd Iwerdd, the Llhanx are a proud, but welcoming people. We hope that you enjoy getting to know our beautiful nation.

A linguistic note. This series will be published in English, a language taught to all Llhanx school children and generally known throughout the multiverse. However, there may be some words in Llanx, the national language of the Llhanx people (a variant of Brythionic). These words will be translated to the best of our abilities. We apologize for any spelling and grammatical errors that result and beg patience as English is not our first language.

So, let us begin!

Geography

The geography of Llanrhyddid is one of, if not the, defining factor in the development of Llhanx culture. A general overview. Llanrhyddid consists of a ring of mountain ranges, known locally as the Mynyddoedd Iwerdd. Inside these mountains sits a valley, known as the Cwcudd. A single river, the Afon Tibedd, runs through the center of the valley from a natural lake that is nestled between Mhynydd Gwenfrywi and Mhynydd Syonhydd, the fourth and sixth largest mountains of the Mynyddoedd. Two mountain passes, the Adderyn Pass and the Dwysil Pass, are the only ways into the country by foot.

The Mynyddoedd Iwerdd was formed at the collision of two tectonic plates approximately 400 million years ago. Peaking at about 19,000 feet, the Mynyddoedd are noted by geologists for the ring nature of their formation. Scientists are still debating the reason for this positioning. The largest peaks in the chain, in order, are Ceinwyn (6,003m), Bryadden (5,880m), Boaddicea (5,823m), Gwenfrywi (5,740m), Heulwen (5,648m), and Syonhydd (5,611m).

The Mynyddoedd is traversed by two mountain passes, the Adderyn and the Dwysil. The Adderyn, from the northeast of the Mynyddoedd, crosses the range at about 2,900m, falling between Heulwen and Mhynydd Ghwenyth. A technical, rocky pass, the Adderyn is guarded by Fort Adderyn, a permanent military installation with a garrison of about 11,000 active-duty soldiers. Adderyn is not traversable by vehicle (although very few automobiles are allowed in Llanrhyddid) and must be done by iycodd (a form of mountain yak) or by foot. The Dwysil, from the southeast, crosses the range at about 3,200m, passing between Gwenfrywi and Mhynydd Ghwlaeddys. A much smoother traverse, the Dwysil is believed to be the remnants of the river bed of a twin of Afon Tibedd that froze and disappeared during the last Ice Age. The Dwysil is guarded by Fort Dwysil, a permanent military installation with a garrison of about 18,000 active-duty soldiers. Although technically doable by vehicle, the government is very strict on automobile entrance to the country. So, although there is a dirt road that crosses the pass, most people cross it by iycodd or by foot. There are the rumors that the government plans to build a public transportation system that will cross the Dwysil, but this has not come to fruition yet. As of now, these are the only two ways into, or out of, the country.

Once you cross the Mynyddoedd and pass the border checkpoints, you will quickly descend into the Cwcudd, the heartland of the Llhanx nation. About 2,500 square miles big, the Cwcudd is the home of the Llhanx population. All agriculture, industry, and daily life occurs here. The features of the Cwcudd have become the features of Llanrhyddid.

The most prominent feature of the Cwcudd is the Afon Tibedd. How often do expect to see a rushing river at 2,600m altitude? The Afon Tibedd starts at Llyn Siana, situated on a ridge between Grenfrywi and and Syonhydd. Rushing down the mountainside, the Tibedd passes through Dam Brenwynn, a hydroelectric plant that produces about 11% of Llanrhyddid's electricity. From there, it flows through the Cwcudd, ending at Llyn Meinir, a medium-sized lake in the southern Cwcudd.

The Tibedd provides the region with fertile soil, allowing for the agriculture that Llhnrhyddid relies upon to survive. Beyond this, it provides a means of transportation, with riverboats and rafts popular forms of transportation through the country. After the Mynyddoedd, the Tibedd is the geographical feature that has affected the country most.

The Cwcudd is also remarkably flat. Despite its high altitude, the Cwcudd is flat enough for farming of food and energy. This allowed the construction of the Ddrws Solar Farm, the main source of Llanrhyddid's energy. It also provides good growing space for forests such as Tywhyll, the main source of lumber in Llanrhyddid. Besides for its altitude, the Cwcudd is about as good as it gets if you want to start a civilization.

Geographically, Llanrhyddid has everything a nation needs. Natural running water, fertile farm land, luscious forests, and natural protection from the outside. Maybe this is why only now our nation is looking to the outside, to meet our fellow nations of the Multiverse, and to share our story and our culture.

Government

We have already discussed the origins of Llhanx government in Part 1. A brief recap for those of you who did not read it (You should!) Llanrhyddid is a matriarchy. Long ruled by a tribal queen, the monarchy was formally established in 2720 years ago as an absolute monarchy. In 2802, the House of Delegates was formed to advise the Queen on matters of national importance. In 2914, in return for help from the House of Delegates with executing an ambitious set of reforms, Queen Meave agreed to a national constitution which transformed the absolute monarchy into a constitutional one.

A rundown of the constitution. The Queen retained executive powers as Head of State and Head of Government, similar to the Chief Executive or President role in many other nations of the Multiverse. As Chief Executive, the Queen is commander-in-chief of the military, chief diplomat and head of the Foreign Service, chief administrator of government functions, and chief legislator as the person who signs laws into force.

The Queen has since created a bureaucracy, somewhat smaller than that of other nations, but suitable for a nation the size of Llanrhyddid. There are currently eleven ministries that serve under the Queen: Agriculture, Communications, Defence, Economic Affairs, Education, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Infrastructure, Labor, National Affairs, and Public Health. Generally, the Defence, Economic Affairs, Finance, Foreign Affairs, and National Affairs ministries are considered most influential. Defence covers the Llhanx armed forces. Economic Affairs covers trade, industry, and energy. Finance covers the government's budget, which is constitutionally required to be balanced. Foreign Affairs leads the Foreign Service, the country's diplomatic arm. National Affairs covers culture, immigration, land management, and sport. These ministries execute policies based on legislation passed by the House of Delegates

The House of Delegates is a collection of 120 delegates. They are elected for three-year terms based on a party line, not on constituency. In this way, parties put forth a ranking of 120 members and as seats are proportioned based on party voting, seats are handed out. There are complaints that this benefits the largest and most established parties but the system of voting has delivered a multiparty system of government that represents many ideologies.

The judicial branch consists of a variety of district courts, appointed by the Queen and approved by the House of Delegates. They have original jurisdiction over cases Above the district courts are three courts of appeals located in seats around the country. They have appellate jurisdiction over cases. An appeal from a district court goes directly to the Queen, who first decides whether to review the case or not, and then decides on it. There have been protests recently that this system plants too much power in one person, however, the system has been noticeably clear of bias so far.

Currently, the executive government looks as follows. Queen Eluned is the monarch, head of state, and head of government. Her husband is Prince Arran, who serves in a purely ceremonial role. Second in line to the throne is Princess Cerriddwyn, who has been prepared from birth to serve as Queen one day. The Chief of Staff, the Queen's right hand woman, is Aeronwen Parry, a career public servant who previously served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Chief of the Foreign Service. The Minister of Agriculture is Enid Morgan, formerly Professor of Economics at Llhanx University. The Minister of Communications is Ioddocus Pryce, formerly editor of the Cylchghrawn Dydd, Llanrhyddid's most circulated newspaper. The Minister of Defence is Gwynedd Cadwallader, formerly a national security strategist. The Minister of Economic Affairs is Dderyn Owen, formerly a Professor of Economics at Lhengdye University. The Minister of Education is Betrys Cecil, formerly the President of Ghyfrayth University. The Minister of Finance is Sian Yates, a career public servant in that ministry. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is Dilwen Jernigan, previously Deputy Chief of the Foreign Service. The Minister of Infrastructure is Gwynedd Owhyn, previously Deputy Minister. The Minister of Labor is Branwen Caddwylld, a former Delegate. The Minister of National Affairs is Catrin Olindd, formerly Deputy Chief of Naturalization. And last but not least, the Minister of Public Health is Culhwch Blevyn, a brain surgeon. One thing to note about this group (and Llhanx society) is the gender ratio. There are only two males who serve as ministers: Ioddocus Pryce and Culhwch Blevyn. This trend follows in the House of Delegates, which has only twelve male members.

The House of Delegates currently has six parties seated. Plaid Blaengyu (46 seats) is a centre-left party focused on social progressivism. Plaid Ceiddwaddol is a centre-right party focused on economic conservatism (31 seats). Plaid Laethdyl (22 seats) is a centre-right party that supports military buildup and foreign intervention. Plaid Coeddyn (16 seats) is a left party focused on environmental protection. Plaid Unnedig(3 seats) is a centrist party focused on building infrastructure. And Plaid Dheryddg (2 seats) is a centre-right party focused on limited government. Currently, the governing coalition consists of Plaid Blaengyu and Plaid Coeddyn with 62 seats. Plaid Unnedig often votes with the coalition on issues, but they were not invited to join the coalition at the start of the last term. The current Chief Delegate, a title given to the head of the governing coalition, is Gawain Kenddrick of Plaid Blaengyu. The current Leader of the Opposition is Colwyyn Prichard of Plaid Ceiddwaddol.

I hope that you have learned something about Llhanx geography and government. In our next piece, we will explore the Llhanx economy and infrastructure.

Until then, Carydd to all!

Ailis Frighil
Cyfarwyddwr, Sefydliadd Newyddion Llanrhyddid

[The Royal Kingdom of Quebec]

Let's roll it like it's in the 90s!

Day 2B Cutoff from Quebec.

[Todd McCloud]

The Unmentionables: Nyo Solavestre
Reporting for V3 News Services, Rin Slakori

ELDURA - Sure, we could spend this edition writing about the various successes Vekaiyun athletes have had scattered across the 'verse. We could discuss the achievements, the medal-hopefuls, and the strong showings that will undoubtedly follow the qualifying athletes to Aeropag as they continue their pursuit of a medal. We could even champion Vekaiyu's opening match with Ferkas in Eldura to a sellout crowd. But that would simply be too easy.

This edition, and potentially future editions, we plan to dedicate to those unsung heroes who will be singing the blues all the way back to Vekaiyu, those individuals who failed to qualify for the Olympics despite qualifying for the Vekaiyun national team. Athletes who will be given the option to fly with the team to Aeropag, participate in the opening ceremonies, find ways to fill time, then stick around for the closing ceremonies and return home. Of course, that doesn't have to be a bad thing. One can find ways to spend time, perhaps help other athletes train, view the sights and sounds of Paripana, or even begin training for next year a little early. Whatever the case, we hope to provide stories from at least a few of these individuals.

Take for instance Nyo Solavestre, a young runner from the village of Vilskalmo in the province of Sinliesa. It may seem uncanny that one of Vekaiyu's runners would originate from a province of such diversity and, generally speaking, not really known for its running terrain as it backs up to the Ta'lavero Mountains to the west and juts up to the Gulf of Itur to the north, but the athlete found his stride, so to speak, in various gyms across the province. "I'd rather run indoors than outside," he told V3 news during an interview in 2013. "It's what I'm used to. Everything is still, there are limited obstacles and limited distractions. I find that I can see [the hurdles] better against a solid background like a painted wall instead of against a backdrop of bleachers."

You may have noticed the date - 2013. Indeed, this athlete has been participating in Olympic competition since the Eighth Summer Games in Lasft, Cafundeau. Only recently did he start to show promise in international competition, as he made it to the Men's 400m Hurdles final last year in Gelderland - his first. But the celebration was short-lived as the runner rolled an ankle over the third hurdle and was unable to finish. He was second at the time of the injury, and athletes can make quick recoveries from strained ankles, so there was much for Solavestre to look forward to.

Unfortunately, he will need to wait another year. Solavestre, while moderately fast around the track during practice, just couldn't keep up with the rest of the crowd as he finished dead last in his heat. To make matters worse, the final two runners advanced on time, meaning he was literally the only athlete of the group of seven that will not be making the trek to the semifinal round, missing sixth place by roughly two-tenths of a second. What could have gone wrong? It was an open air track - perhaps that had something to do with it?

"No, it wasn't a distraction for me, really," he said with a scoff after the race. "No, to be honest I'm just glad I finished this time and with the least amount of injuries possible - just a small blemish to my spirit is all." As to whether or not he will make it to Paripana, he seemed less decisive. "I'm not sure," he added. "I'll need to think it over. I'll see if watching [other athletes] compete here will change anything."

Nyo Solavestre is the first of our unmentionables, those athletes that are subjected to an early exit and must watch as some of the more successful athletes get all of the air time. As mentioned above, we plan to follow several of these individuals over the course of these games.

And, of course, we cannot simply end this edition without talking about the most important international water polo match to take place on Vekaiyun soil thus far. The Vekaiyun Women's Water Polo team is no stranger when it comes to Olympic greatness, having won gold in the Ninth Summer Games and missing out on a bronze in a heartbreaking match to Kriegiersien last year. But this game was just a little bit special after playing a strong team from Ferkas. After all, it was played in the Vekaiyun capitol to a raucous home crowd.

"We were a little nervous at first, but after the first goal we started to get into the game, even if it wasn't us who scored first," starting center Rin Kesuru informed V3 News. She provided an answer to the early 0-1 lead with a crossover goal over the head of a defender. She would continue to score another two goals in the contest.

Also scoring three goals was the star right winger, Selvala Useveli, who plays for Skendia when not in Olympic competition. "I didn't really know what to expect - would they cheer some of us for representing Vekaiyu, or would they go against us because we play for different cities?" Of course, the Elduran crowd set aside their differences and realized the team was meant for a greater purpose. And what purpose is that? "It's on our uniforms, of course," Useveli replied matter-of-factly, pointing to the golden ring added to the water polo uniform after their first medal performance two years prior.

[Kelssek]

"What a fascinating set-up," Ronan Dragicevic had said when he first got to see the Vekaiyun water polo facility in person. "I expect the refs will be well above the surface, as they usually are, of course."

"I was told this was because they usually play underwater hockey in here," said Nathan Cavendish.

A strange expression had come over Ronan's face at that news. Nathan noticed and wondered if he'd had to fight an underwater hockey club for pool time, or had them break into the locker and steal the water polo caps. But in fact Ronan had never heard of underwater hockey before, and was trying to put together what a swimming pool had to do with the very dangerous situation of a bunch of people falling through the ice because they got on a pond too early in the winter.

"Well, we'd better make sure we actually qualify, or the only thing you'll be doing in Aeropag is carrying the flag."

Nathan grimaced. In fact, he'd been told they'd likely pick someone else if the men's water polo team failed to qualify, something which wasn't taken for granted anymore.

---

For the media the interesting dynamic was how the spectators watching below the water reacted differently from those above. They had very little idea of how the play was going, but got to see a lot of the below-the-surface dark arts. It was easy to tell who were the casuals:

"Can you do that? Why's the ref not calling that?"

"Damn, look at all these legs churn."

"He's totally riding on top of the other guy."

"Holy shit, right in the balls!"

[West Phoencia]

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Olympic Qualifying - Matchday Two Recap

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The 24 hour Olympic Sports Channel.

Hosts:

Devlin Carter
Princess Stephanie Sunbury, West Phoenician Figure Skater
Mitchell, Former Captain of the West Phoenician Basketball Team
Richard Home, Gold Medalist, Paralympics swimmer
Genevieve Horton



Hockey, Women's MD2

The West Phoenician had a better day on the field beating Astyrian Unified Team 4-1.
The win bumped West Phoenicia into second place, the team is in a heavy pool of experienced players so any win is a good win, to help push them through the qualifiers and into the Olympic Games.



Beach Volleyball, men's MD2

West Phoenician Micah True-Path/Amos True-Path suffered a loss to Mapletish Lisandro Marcial/Gil Che 26-24, 19-21, 13-15.
While still on top of their pool. West Phoenicia is praying for a Mapletish loss to keep West Phoenicia at the top and to qualify to the next round.

Meanwhile other West Phoenician entry, played their game Olympic Park.

Darren Eastlow and Tom Eastlow lost to Carter Runner/Lucifer Farmer from Eonstar 14-21,11-21. From the beginning their eyes were not on the prize. It was a wonder why they even bothered to show up.

Beach Volleyball - Women's

Kylie Wolfe and Sofia Doc also had a loss against Lydia Mckenzie and Icy Morris from The Licentian Isles ( 19-21, 21-12, 7-15.)
The loss placed them in the 3rd spot. These beach girls are hoping for some big comebacks in the next two matches.

There counterparts faired even worse losing to
Ivessi Nislavi/Selvala Yukoloshu from Vekaiyu 21 21
Alabaster True-Path/Cleopatra True-Path lost against Ivessi Nislavi and Selena Yukoloshu.19-21 and 6-21.
The girls were emotionally distraught. Top rankers in West Phoenicia losing against a nation they couldn't even find on a world map. Dark days ahead of all the Beach Volleyball teams and also quite embarrassing as all competitors hail from Deception Bay, West Phoenicia, a city-state known for its magnificent beaches and outdoor sports.

Rugby Sevens, women's MD2

The West Phoenican female Rugby team had their second consecutive loss. This time against
North Eurasian Unified Sporting Team, losing 14-26. Sport pundits predict they will stay fifth in their pool and will not qualify to the next stage.

Basketball, Women's MD2

The West Phoenician female basketball team lost against Vilitan Union 62-95. Placing them second on the ladder. West Phoenician officals cried foul at the heavy handedness of the Vilitan Union players but referees were quick to turn a blind eye. West Phoenicia is hoping for a big win against Kannap to push them into first place.

American Football

The West Phoenician side won against Drawkland 23-13, thanks to new Quaterback Cooper Valance 2ho replaced Tyler Boneland who was involved in a nasty car accident that left him unable to participate.

Men’s Baseball
The team did not play this round but Assistant Coaches were seen at games checking on their rivals.

Men’s Football

In round 1 of the Mens Football. West Phoenicia beat East Saintland 1-0. Early days yet as there is a long way to go. But its always assuring to start with a win.

Women’s Football

The females team had an embarrassing loss to Serbian Empire 0-2.

The highlight of the game was a fistfight between two West Phoenicians. One had booed the squad and was hit by a female fan with her handbag.


In other Olympic News. The West Phoenician Animal Justice Party will be on hand to cite an clear sign of animal abuse to horses during the Olympic Equestrian coverage.

[Commerce Heights]

The first day of qualifying results from the Olympic Test Events and Olympic Football Qualifiers are now available.

[Dunnes]

dunnestrack.net
Great Morning for Dunnes on the Track

NEVEREND-Dunnes had a great morning on the track in Neverend, Liventia highlighted by a national record in the 4x400m. Kyle Messinger, Davis Butler, Mel Ryan, and Jeremy Johnson ran a time of 3:00.83 to place third in their heat, and put them in the final. As long as they finish in the top six of the eight final teams, they will qualify for Aeropag. Kyle Messinger ran a quick first leg, putting Dunnes in the lead, before a lackluster leg by 800m specialist Davis Butler put them back in the pack. Then Mel Ryan got the stick in the third leg bringing the Dunians back up to speed. Jeremy Johnson then took off with explosive speed out of the exchange zone, putting the Dunians in the qualifying positions. With his final leg, the Dunnes relay broke the national record by a big two seconds.

The men’s 4x400m were not the only ones getting close to booking their tickets to Aeropag. Robert Franklin came back from the 5000m yesterday with immense speed in the 1500m, winning his heat in 3:34. The other two 1500m runners, Bennett Gagnon, and Will Drinkwater, also both qualified for the semifinals, Gagnon by virtue of his fourth place, Drinkwater, by his time. Armon Clay and Houston Gordon, also shocked Dunnes track fans by surprisingly qualifying for the next round in the 110 hurdles. “I knew I could get through if my start was great.” said Gordon. It was, and he qualified for the semifinals. However, the Dunians hit a rough patch in the steeplechase, when Frances Reid, leading the race, hit the final water barrier, falling out of the automatic qualifier places, but he made it on time as the fastest loser. Matt Espinoza was a bit more lucky however finishing in second in heat two. David Brubacher, who was a dark horse coming into the Olympic Trials, ran 8:24, and wasn't able to qualify for the final. Espinoza and Reid will have to finish in the top eight in the final to make Aeropag, or be the top Dunnes athlete.

The Dunian women also had quite the outing. All three Dunian women 800m runners won their preliminary heat, all in decisive style. Morgan Irish was the top qualifier overall, and Madeja and Babros both looked comfortable throughout their races. “I just wanted to make the next round, you know.” said Madeja, the national record holder over the 800m distance. “I felt good but didn't want to use that top gear.” She will most likely need that extra gear, as some from the semis will automatically qualify for Aeropag as well.

Jacquelyn Smith also won her heat, running a personal best of 14:57.40, good enough for the number two time all time in Dunnes history. She kicked away over the last 200m, easing up to save some of her legs for the final. Grace Catena also ran well, finishing 4th, which automatically qualified her for the final. Skylar Theil was the fastest non-qualifier with a personal best of 15:17.36. Allie Messenger was unable to qualify as well, albeit in the 400mh. She ran 57.32, good enough for 30th. She may make it though as the sole Dunnes athlete in the event however.

Tonight will feature the men’s 5000m semifinals, but Olympic qualifying places will be available in the semifinals of the men’s 800m, 400mh, and women’s 400m.

[The Sarian]

THE DAILY GAZETTE

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Olympic Qualifying - Matchday Two Recap

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Given all the excitement, you could forgive me for loudly exclaiming that the Olympics are well and truly back, baby. Unfortunately, we're still in the region of sorta, though some might claim that all the extra sport is a good thing. Me? I could really use that holiday in Paripana.

To begin our preview, we begin not with day two but the late evening of day one. Now, before you sue for a misleading titles: we have a very good lawyer - you can't report on ministerial sex scandal without one. Luckily, our late reporting is good news - The Sarian men's volleyball side walloped Sargossa to take home victory in the minimum three sets: 25-21, 25-18, 25-20. The volleyball side, though amateurs, have been talked up in recent weeks and would be disappointed if they do not qualify for the rounds in Aeropag.

Into day two, and the Royal Kingdom of Quebec - where the women's water polo team fell to their second straight defeat - condemning them to bottom of the leaderboard, behind the Vilitan Union with an eyewatering goal difference of -10. Ouch! If the ladies were disappointed not to win last time out, they'll feel lucky lucky that they didn't lose by more this time. Though managing to convert pretty much every time they went forward, a horrific game by defensive-minded players ensured that the final score was 14-7 to the Valanorans.

The men's rugby sevens also fell to an ugly defeat, losing 29-5 to an Amnarei-asud side that has been impressive thusfar. Disappointingly, there is little positivity to be found in the loss - though it should be noted that no-body expected the Rugby Sevens sides to do particularly well. Speaking after the game, Isaac Quickly told that Gazette that "obviously we're disappointed, but we were playing a very good side and we knew that we'd always have our work cutout. We just need to shake it off and move on to the next game."

In the beach volleyball, we got our first sight of Aeropag - with Wallis Patrickson and Niall Jordan playing in the Paripanan qualifying stages. In a tough fought game against the Benjamin Mark pair of Stephen Treanor and Dale Chirac, the medal hopefuls came up on top - winning the first set 21-29, falling in the second set 22-20 and taking the match with a third set victory by 15-8.

There was also big disappointment, however, in the men's beach volleyball. Initially billed to do very well, and even considered medal contenders, Louie Woodcock and Jamie Montpellier fell to defeat against the Eastfield Lodge duo of Maximilien Riaz and Elijah Najjar. Losing the first set 21-18, the Sarian pair stayed alive in the second, inverting the score to win 21-18. However, in the final set they fell to defeat. The duo need to win their next match if they want to keep their Olympic dreams alive.

Luckily, the women's pair of Zara Rodriguez and Sophia Martinez managed to seize upon the momentum of yesterday's win - handedly defeating Bella Bress and Claire Caitlyn of Dunnës including a beautiful victory of 21-11 in the second set. The Sarian pair are now top of their qualifying group, with one game left to play - best of luck to them!

The women's hockey side also continued their extraordinary Olympics (sorta) so far with their second straight victory, propelling them to the top of their qualifying group - four points clear of second place Arioslavia. Initially considered no-hopers, there is now positivity buzzing around the squad. The victory, a 3-2 win against Krytenia, came in a game that The Sarian dominated throughout - and the scoreline could have been much more comfortable.

In handball, the women's side came back from their opening match loss with a 30-21 thrashing of Wray, giving the side a chance to qualify for the Aeropag rounds. Speaking after the game, team captain Maria Therese stated that there team were "ecstatic, we weren't at the races in the first game so it's good to get back on track."

So that's it for Day Two, don't forget to check in tomorrow for our round up of the third day.

[Sargossa]

SSM | Sargossan State Media
International Edition - Sport


Lucky Are The Losers


Blanco Borrayo reports from Neverend;


Success and failure in sport can often be separated by the narrowest of margins and on day two in Liventia a number of Sargossa’s competitors came dangerous close to that margin. Faro Merez, our lone entrant in the 1,500m, was first with his eighth place finish in the opening heat of his event. Then followed an agonising wait before confirmation came through that Merez had squeezed into the semi-final as the fifth of six fastest losers. Hurdler Sergi Galindo was another grateful recipient of a lower case ‘q’ after a photo finish saw him confined to fifth in the first heat of the 110m Hurdles. But there was no such issue for national champion Israel Ibarra who set down a marker to the rest of the field, advancing as the fastest qualifier. Sadly a clean sweep was not to be as Mario Cerna, who finished ahead of Galindo in the trials, could only finish in twenty eighth place.

Ah the Steeplechase, what an oddity it is. It’s not a discipline taken all that seriously in Sargossa so Alfonso Retana advancing to the final as the fastest qualifier of all has to go down as a bit of a shock. Gaspar Behar also made it through to complete a thoroughly strange section of the Grand Prix. There was a further shock too as, for the third time in a day and a half, a Sargossa Relay team got the baton successfully around the track in a relatively quick time. The Men’s 4 x 400m team of Cruz, Muniz, Socarras and Pérez finished second in their heat behind Kernansquillec to reach the final.

So it was a pretty good morning for the Men in Neverend but on the Women’s side it was a slightly tricky start. The 800m isn’t exactly prime medal winning territory and Carrola Galicia’s two minute time isn’t going to worry the rest of the field. Nor did Cecilia Melendez and Sofia Aquino, another lucky loser recipient, cause much concern in the 5,000m heats. Cipriana Aguilar also needed a lucky loser slot, albeit with a time quicker than six of the automatic qualifiers including teammate Chavela Calderon, in the 400m Hurdles. Thalia Rama also made it through to the semi-final of that event. But performance of the morning went to Marissa Tabarés, Elena Paz, Maimara Cuellár and Leira Lobos who won their 4 x 100m Relay heat, setting a new national record in the process.

Away from the track there were straight sets wins for both the Camino sisters and the team of Danika Candela and Cierra Zayas in the second round of Beach Volleyball matches. In San Llera Sargossa’s Men remain without a win in the Handball following a defeat to Edhros but the Women moved up to second in their group after drawing with the North Eurasian Unified Sporting Team. And over in Vekaiyu the Women’s Water Polo side opened up with a battling defeat to Kannap. Day two also saw the start of the Football tournament. The public back home may currently be out of love with their national side but the Corsairs have put themselves in a strong position to advance to round two following a 2 – 1 first leg win in Bulgar Rouge, they will now look to finish the job in Soluca. The Women’s team, past winners of an actual Olympic medal and lacking the cynicism that surrounds the Men’s side, beat Tobiasia 2 – 1 in front of a record crowd in Jucaro.

It’s quiet now in Neverend as around the venues people retire for a well-earned lunch break but later today business will be picking up with the fastest men and women of Rushmore out there on the track. It’s the opening heats of the 100m and Sargossa’s Women in particular will be full of confidence after their national record breaking Relay run earlier this morning. We’re also set for five track semi-finals in which the field will be narrowed considerably, as the road to Aeropag continues.

[Hannasea]

Selection of articles from Hannasean sports media.

Late goal breaks Hannasean hearts in international soccer debut

The first ever international soccer game played in the Federation, the opening leg of the Olympic qualifiers, ended in disappointment for a packed home crowd at Jellyblooble Bay Park, as The Orion Islands broke the 1-1 tie in the 83rd minute, snatching a late winner. Janelle Brant had a day of mixed fortunes, scoring the country's first ever international soccer goal with a well take header to level the scores after the first Orion goal had come just six minutes in, but then committing a key defensive error late on that allowed the winning goal. Ciara Albert and captain Kristina Hill both had sharp efforts saved in the dying minutes of the game as a furious Hannasean counterattack failed to breach the Orion defensive effort, and when the final whistle blew, the players were left knowing they now face an uphill battle for qualification, needing to score twice in the coming away leg visit to Orion to ensure progression to the second round of qualification for Aeropag.

Beach volleyball duo face last chance saloon

A second defeat in qualifying for women's beach volleyball team of Tori Fairchild and Hannah House mean they now face a must-win final encounter against Ethane at the Langdon Open in Liventia. The team lost a close-fought game in three sets to the Swibian duo to set them fourth in the group with one game left to play, and only a win now can see them progress. A disappointed House, speaking with the press after the game, admitted that "it's going to be tough" but said it had already been "a fantastic learning experience" and "one we're going to come away with having learned a lot about what it takes to compete in top level sport, whatever happens". Around fifty Hannasean fans are expected to travel to Liventia to cheer on the team for the final game.

Minister offers handball team World Cup spot as recompense for missing out on Olympics

After complaints that handball, one of the most popular sports in the Hannasean Federation, was not going to see any Hannasean representation at the Olympic Games in Aeropag, Minister of Peas Jodi Nicholson has agreed to arrange for the Federation handball team to compete in the coming Handball World Cup. Blaming an administrative error for the team's absence from the Olympics had prompted scorn from handball fans. "That's such a politician thing to say," said Jonah Henson, a member of the so-called "Balmy Army" group of traveling fans of the handball side, "I mean, it's not like they were just signing up using a spreadsheet and the cell entry didn't copy and paste correctly!? Hahaha! How ridiculous!" Although there will be no Hannaseans playing in the Olympics, a number of members of the Balmy Army will be attending the Games anyway to watch some of the games in the tournament. "It's disappointing we can't cheer on Federation players," explained Henson, "But there aren't too many chances to watch high-level handball, so we'll just consider ourselves interested neutrals.

[CoraSpia]

Football match length 'ridiculous' and 'unreasonable,' claims Cron-Dit
Vakolicci quarterback Altario Cron-Dit believes that the shortened length of football quarters unfarely favour certain teams.

Controvercial Vakolicci quarterback Altario Cron-Dit has launched a scatheing attack on the decision made by the Paripana Sporting Council to shorten the length of football quarters from the usual 15 to only 12 minutes. Mr. Cron-Dit, who has long-called for quarters in the Havenic Superleague to be extended to 20 minutes in length has claimed that the decision unfarely benefitted certain teams.
"The fact is that we are professional athletes," he told Radio Metropol. "We have set training regimes. We know how our fitness is...we know what we are capable of. I know that, for example, at the end of the 4th quarter many players are tired, while I am not...I base parts of my game on that."
Cron-Dit, the Haven's most successful quarterback in recent years and a recent signing of the Sarin Torpedos, is known for his bursts of speed at the end of matches, and the fact that they are often seen as a factor in many victories he and his teams enjoy.

[West Phoencia]

Keep your mind on the game not the gutter....


The West Phoenician Purity Collective was out in force today handing out Abstinence cards to athletes from all nations at today's sporting events in the hosting cities.

The Purity Collective a small group of West Phoenician nuns, ex-prostitutes and little old ladies are pushing for athletes to keep their minds on the games and out of the bedrooms and gutters..

"Keep your bumping and grinding for the sport fields" Verna Snogg an 89 year old West Phoenician Purity Collective grandmother of 12 chanted during half time at one of the Rugby matches.

[Mattijana]

Olympics Countdown-A Few Sports Where We Probably Won't Do Reasonably Well

1. Basketball:

Despite Mattijana being a fairly tall nation, basketball is something that never really took off in the country. The sport's non-contact, but nevertheless bruising nature is perhaps one reason for this with the small court making popular long-passes impossible. There is a semi-professional basketball league in Mattijana, but it is a small scale operation, particularly compared to some world leagues which are some of the richest in all sports.

Mattijana has sent two teams to the games, but they will face tough opposition from the specialists around the world. Predictably, the qualifying campaign has not got off to a good start with two defeats from two matches.

2. BMX Cycling

Another sport which is not particularly popular is BMX Cycling. This is mainly down to the fact that the majority of Mattijanan people cannot comprehend why you would possibly want to go round on a bike that is 3 times too small, makes you look like a gorilla and can't be pedalled probably whilst sat on. The passion for speed may also have something to say with BMX riders not reaching the speeds of those in the Velodrome or on the road.

Having said that, Mattijana does have a couple of talented riders who have a background in a country where BMXing is much more popular. They may not be lacking in support as the regular carnage of BMX makes it a fun spectator sport, but not one to be involved in.

The 400 metres (and the 400 metre hurdles)

The 400 metres and its even more painful brother are bitterly unpopular in Mattijana and are in fact banned by law in the country. This is down to two reasons, the first being that the people in government hate them and the second being that everyone else hates them. Indeed, the two events are actually used as a punishment for criminals, who have to complete a certain amount of runs under a target time (the amount of runs and the target time depending on the severity of the crime). The 400 metre hurdles is saved for the worst crimes and is feared by many.

This means that the only people who train enough to be able to compete are criminals, who therefore aren't allowed to travel. Whilst competing in the Olympics would not be unlawful as the event takes place abroad, competing would result in such unpopularity back home that no-one would even attempt it.

[Kernansquillec]

Good start continues for Kernansquillec

Double win for the Handball teams
After their shocking performance against Drawkland, the men's handball team were under pressure to perform against Mapletish. But finally they showed us what they are capable of, cruising to a 26–21 win to jump up to third place in the table. More wins will be needed, but the team will be hoping they can push on now they have secured a precious two points. The women's team are showing just how to get things done in their qualifying group, picking up a second win against their near rivals in as many games. They now are clearly top of their group, a point ahead of Sargossa, thanks to their 33–26 win against Rushmori rivals and qualifying hosts San Llera. Qualification is now very much expected and could be achieved within the next couple of matches with wins.

Promising results in the men's athletics
The second day of action in Liventia got underway with the men's 1500m heats. Under the cold morning sun, it wasn't the best of performances from Kernansquillecan runners, with Virgilio Mash and Ross Twitty already off to pack their bags for the flight back to Kernansquillec. Darrel Merino, the sixth fastest runner on the day and last standing Kernansquillecan, can now book his ticket for Aeropag ahead for his semi-final. In the 110m hurdles things were much better, with all three runners advancing to the semi-finals and with David Hardison posting the joint-second fastest time on the day. Lorenzo Dunmore was up next in the 3000m steeplechase and secured his surprise place in the final, but more importantly in Aeropag, as his two teammates crashed out early. Dunmore had only been selected as a last minute replacement following an injury, so will be counting his luck heading into the Games. The final heat of the morning on track saw the men's 4x400m relay. The team of Stan Bramlett, Roderick Liebold, Mariano Blythe and Ali Eisenhart were outstanding, winning their heat and posting the second fastest time on the day. They will now compete in the final for a place in Aeropag, but should do so if they can match their first performance.

Our girls are looking fast
It seems that the women just keep on matching or bettering whatever the men are doing at the moment, and such was the case on track once again. Nadia Mabrey, Judi Picou and Neoma Blunt all qualified from their heats in the 800m, but there was major disappointment in the 5000m as medal prospect Chelsie Modeste was totally out classed. All three Kernansquillecans failed to qualify, but Maude Heinze is expected to represent Kernansquillec at the Games by virtue of being the fastest on the day. The 400m hurdles soon picked up everyone's spirits however, with Ilse Barsh posting the fastest time of any heat, while Corliss Liang also advanced to the semi-finals. And finally, in the 4x100m relay event, the team of Nu Eck, Margo Noriega, Jonna Huntley and Jenell Martz secured their place in the final with a decent performance in their heat.

A lot better from the sevens
The rugby results had been one of the biggest letdown of the first day for Kernansquillecan fans, but they would be in for a treat with the second round of matches. The women were up first and showed no pitty against an amateurish Pederal na Republika ng Pilipinas team. A final score of 52-0 (8 tries, 2 penalties, 4 conversions) speaks for itself. The men were involved in a much more competitive affair, but in a must-win game they beat Fluvique by a comfortable 33-21 (5 tries, 2 penalties, 1 conversion).

Tense game still undecided
It's been a marathon tie between Clara Shulman and Kathern Frutos of Kernansquillec and Annie Millar and Clare Kelly of the Licentian Isles in the women's beach volleyball group tie. After the first game was breezed though by the Kernansquillec 21-5, before a rally from the islanders saw them take the second. In the third and final game it's neck and neck and still in the balance as we speak. Hopes are that the Kernansquillecan shall edge it and not suffer the same fate as the men's pair of Stanley Cearley and Sal Zabala who lost their first game of Group L6. Their final game will be a decider against Roberto Martini and Eduardo Fortuna, with the winner making the second stage of qualifying, while the vanquished shall exit. Liz Pribble and Eileen Hug did just that in their group game. A second defeat in a row sees the pair exit with a game to spare. Finally, the men's pair of Carol Fritts and Michele Conant have secured their place in the second round by doing absolutely nothing. The pair will only face off with Taeshan's pairing for the group's top spot.

Nervous times await men's hockey team
A bore draw for the men's hockey team puts them in a potentially difficult situation heading into the final match of their group. They will face off against group leaders Cosumar with the winner taking first place. But, with the Vilitan Union lurking just behind both sides, defeat for either could see them exit. Kernansquillec will be desperate to avoid such an embarrassing fate and fans would kill for another bore draw next time around that would seal their place at the Olympic Games.

Men's football team earn precious away win
An experimental Kernansquillec side lined up against Ndaku for the first leg of the first round of Olympic qualifying. A positive start in front of the onlooking Harry Broudant was rewarded when Darren André got on the end of Erskine Verity's inch-perfect cross. Over the two legs, away goal could be a precious commodity and the Kers kept on pushing, coming close on many occasions. But after the half-time break Ndaku finally started to get some passes to stick and carved out a few dangerous opportunities, namely via their half-time substitues that were rocking Kernansquillec's back four. But on a counter-attack, the Green and Whites would make their hosts pay dear for their high pressing strategy. A breakaway move followed by a perfectly timed run from David Senior, saw the 20 year old run into acres of space one-on-one with the keeper, whom he rounded confidently and slotted the ball into an open net. Ndaku weren't finished however and would score from a corner with just minutes left on the clock to give them a precious lifeline going into the return leg. Kernansquillec will be overwhelming favourites at the Green Jewel, but with a slim advantage, they will have to concentrate to make sure they are in the draw from the second round of qualifying.

[Britonisea]

www.bitc.com/news
Britonisea's International Television Corporation - Official broadcaster of the XI Olympiad

450 ENTRANTS ARRIVE AT AEROPAG, QUALIFICATION DAY 1 ANALYSIS

BITC, Britonisea's official broadcaster of the XI Olympiad will be taking you to Aeropag, where the Games of the 11th Olympiad will commence in just over a week. However, now is a time of qualification - something that hasn't been experienced before in the Olympic Games. Aeropag has introduced a new scheme of things to help reduce the amount of participants participating in the Olympic Events. The Qualifications. Something you would usually here in a game of tennis, where Dubrovnik and Newkarn struggle to get out of the qualifications, and therefore fail to go to the main event. During the qualification period, you could see that the amount of athletes who enters the stadium will decimate from 450 entrants (not athletes) to a figure much lower than that. Britonisea's chances of a success in the qualification stages are both large and slim as there are nations who aren't as experienced, but there is also athletes from nations who have better sporting facilities than us, in Britonisea. Our qualifying stage will take place in Aeropag, where the Olympics will be held. This could work in our favour because we can get a feel of how the public are, and to those who end up going through, they can familiarise themselves with the public in Aeropag.

It is expected that these games, in Aeropag, won't be as big as the hype created around Electrum and New Gelderland hosting in Britonisea. Last year, it was expected that 37% of the population went out to travel to a different place in the world, and of those 37%, 51% where going to Electrum or New Gelderland to experience the Olympic Experience. However, this year, of those going abroad, only 21% are going to Aeropag. This may be because of the extensive amount of travelling in order to get to the city - not a direct flight - or maybe, it's because Electrum is known more to the Britonish public, and therefore, the Britonish became more exciting on this prospect. Regardless of whether the games will be a success to Britonisea, the games are expected to beat the viewing figures of Liventia and Kytler Bay City & Zube for the Opening Ceremony in Aeropag. There has been no information about what the ceremony will be about - or how long it will be, but every opening ceremony is extraordinary in their own way. However, based on how the Britonish had their fair share in the Electrum Olympics, it's doubtful that Britonish stars will headline at the upcoming opening ceremony.

Even though the events started on the 27th of July, the hosts decided to play it cool by starting a day after the rest. Releasing the schedule today, you can see that the next few days will be very busy, hopefully with a lot of success coming Britonisea's way. Luckily for us, Olympic 400m Champion, Jason Hall will automatically qualify for the Olympics, but he said that he will be supporting Jayden Ultimate - his long time friend and partner - in getting through to the Olympics and he will also be attending every one of his meetings. Jason Hall, however, needs to rest and practise too, his doctor advised him. After winning Olympic Gold in Electrum and New Gelderland, he has taken a lot of time off - and not enough time to recover. He stated that if he loses to someone else, he would be very gutted, unless it is a fellow Britonish like Jayden Ultimate or Dave Vatenfall.

Olympic Test Events & Olympic Football Qualifiers Schedule

All scorination is scheduled to occur around 20:00–23:00 UTC, except that events scheduled for 2016-07-28 will actually be scorinated early the next day.

ATHLETICS (Athletics Olympic Test Event, Aeropag)
Men’s 100 m: 07-29 Heats · 07-30 Semi-finals, final
Men’s 200 m: 07-31 Heats · 08-01 Semi-finals, final
Men’s 400 m: 07-30 Heats · 07-31 Semi-finals · 08-01 Final
Men’s 800 m: 07-29 Heats · 07-30 Semi-finals · 07-31 Final
Men’s 1500 m: 07-31 Heats · 08-01 Semi-finals · 08-02 Final
Men’s 5000 m: 07-31 Heats · 08-01 Semi-finals · 08-02 Final
Men’s 10000 m: 07-29 Heats · 07-30 Final
Men’s 110 m Hurdles: 07-31 Heats · 08-01 Semi-finals, final
Men’s 400 m Hurdles: 07-29 Heats · 07-30 Semi-finals · 07-31 Final
Men’s 3000 m Steeplechase: 07-29 Heats · 07-30 Semi-finals · 07-31 Final
Men’s 4×100 m Relay: 08-02 Heats, final
Men’s 4×400 m Relay: 08-02 Heats, final
Women’s 100 m: 07-29 Heats · 07-30 Semi-finals, final
Women’s 200 m: 07-31 Heats · 08-01 Semi-finals, final
Women’s 400 m: 07-30 Heats · 07-31 Semi-finals · 08-01 Final
Women’s 800 m: 07-31 Heats · 08-01 Semi-finals · 08-02 Final
Women’s 1500 m: 07-29 Heats · 07-30 Semi-finals · 07-31 Final
Women’s 5000 m: 08-01 Heats · 08-02 Final
Women’s 10000 m: 07-29 Heats · 07-30 Final
Women’s 100 m Hurdles: 07-31 Heats · 08-01 Semi-finals, final
Women’s 400 m Hurdles: 07-30 Heats · 07-31 Semi-finals · 08-01 Final
Women’s 3000 m Steeplechase: 07-30 Heats · 07-31 Final
Women’s 4×100 m Relay: 08-02 Heats, final
Women’s 4×400 m Relay: 08-02 Heats, final

BASKETBALL (Basketball Olympic Test Event, Aeropag)
Men’s: 07-29, 07-30, 07-31, 08-01, 08-02
Women’s: 07-29, 07-30, 07-31, 08-01, 08-02

FOOTBALL (Olympic Football Qualifiers)
Men’s: 07-28, 07-29 Round 1 · 07-31, 08-01 Round 2
Women’s: 07-28, 07-29 Round 1 · 07-31, 08-01 Round 2

HANDBALL (Handball Olympic Test Event, Aeropag)
Men’s: 07-29, 07-30, 07-31, 08-01, 08-02
Women’s: 07-30, 07-31, 08-01

HOCKEY (Hockey Olympic Test Event, Aeropag)
Men’s: 07-29, 07-30, 07-31, 08-01, 08-02
Women’s: 07-29, 07-30, 07-31, 08-01, 08-02

RUGBY (Rugby Olympic Test Event, Aeropag)
Men’s Sevens: 07-30, 07-31, 08-01
Women’s Sevens: 07-30, 07-31, 08-01

BEACH VOLLEYBALL (Beach Volleyball Olympic Test Event, Aeropag)
Men’s: 07-28, 07-29, 07-30 Round 1 · 07-31, 08-01, 08-02 Round 2
Women’s: 07-28, 07-29, 07-30 Round 1 · 07-31, 08-01, 08-02 Round 2

INDOOR VOLLEYBALL (Volleyball Olympic Test Event, Aeropag)
Men’s: 07-29, 07-30, 07-31, 08-01, 08-02
Women’s: 07-29, 07-30, 07-31, 08-01, 08-02

WATER POLO (Water Polo Olympic Test Event, Aeropag)
Men’s: 07-29, 07-30, 07-31, 08-01, 08-02
Women’s: 07-29, 07-30, 07-31, 08-01, 08-02


AMERICAN FOOTBALL (American Football Olympic Test Event, Aeropag)
Men’s: 07-28, 07-39, 07-30, 07-31, 08-01
Women’s: 07-29, 07-30, 07-31

BASEBALL-SOFTBALL (Baseball Olympic Test Event, Aeropag)
Men’s Baseball: 07-28, 07-39, 07-30, 07-31, 08-01

The qualification process started off with a nice game of Football, Britonisea's arch Nemesis when it comes to international sport. Britonisea, somehow, managed to beat Pederal na Republika ng Pilipinas, 3–2, but that win was no success to the Britonish as this was an expected outcome of the match. It was only about to get harder and harder, and more painful as each match comes our way. Our aim wasn't to beat a random nation and get in to Round 2, our aim was to qualify to the Olympics - receive a medal in a sport the Britonish seem to despise. We verse Eonstar next, who impressively beat The Serbian Empire 4-0. Hopefully, they treat us with a bit of respect before playing us. Judea 4–3 Arioslavia was quite shocking for the Britonish too. Judging by how the Arioslavians played at the Ultimaversian Football league, the same league which helped us decide who was going to go to Aeropag, this outcome wasn't too hard to digest. Moreover, Kernansquillec beat Ndaku 2-1, ending their chances of a male team qualifying to the Olympic Games - which was painful to see as Ndaku is one of our closest allies in international affairs. Estogium, surprisingly, drew with Krytenia 1-1, and it's yet to find which nation will qualify to the next round. If Estogium qualifies of Krytenia, it could be the biggest breakthrough of Estogian football ever, and Estogians would be proud to carry the "We beat Krytenia" banners throughout Aeropag's streets.

Also, Amazonesta, a country somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere of Ultimaverse, who hosted the Ultimaversian league, easily won their match against Togonistan 3-0, following the success of the Britonish women team, that you will read after this. Eventhough Amazonesta is a quiet country, they might gain a few medals, if they qualify, regardless of their small amount of entrants.

Another success for us came in Women's football, though this was a bitter-sweet win. As stated before, Ndaku is one of our closest allies, so as Ndakenes and Britonish crowd in to multi-national bars across Britonisea, only to find that the Britonish women annihilated Ndaku 3-0, there was absolute silence in those bars. It was almost as if the Britonish didn't want to celebrate, to offend, and the Ndakenes didn't want to come across like sobers of sour grapes. Estogium was beaten by Qasden, a nation we've heard of somewhere, but we aren't too sure where. Arioslavia and Drawkland drew each other 0-0, fun match, and we await to see who goes through to the next round. Britonisea verses Kannap in the next round.

Paul Rumph/John Summerhayes (BRI) are last in their group (A1) for Men's Beach Volleyball, a game not usually contested in Britonisea, so it was surprising to see that there are two people who volunteered to represent the country with this sport. We were up against Free Republic's Adolph Samuelson/Major Margo who now leads the pack and heads them in to the second day of the qualification process, where the Britonish duo are hoping to capture and crush down the chances of the Republicans getting through.

American Football, Men's, when down a treat for us today as the score was [Britonisea 21–12 North Eurasian Unified Sporting Team]. This was quite an interesting result, and a very unexpected one too. Britonisea is placed in a group with the greats. Last year's hosts Electrum - or as they like to call themselves now, the Electrum Unified Team -, East Saintland - obviously just Saintland, Kaboomlandia and as you've probably guessed, Eurasian Unified Sporting Team. We don't quite understand the reason for these long named teams, but just go along with it. East Saintland leads the group as they beat Electrum The Electrum Unified Team an embarrasing 28-6, which will only rile up the Electrumites. Elsewhere, Arioslavia was beaten 25 to 10 by Ferkas and are in 5th spot under The Sarian.

[Liventia]

RP cutoff, Day 2B of Liventian qualifiers.

And results.

[Wray]

The National Reporter Olympic Preview: Part 2

It tends to be the biannual apex of Wray sporting activity and achievement: The Olympic Games, held this time, at short-notice, in Aeropag, Paripana, is Wray's fourth, and whilst the Green-and-White has experienced substantial success in each of the three previous editions (each time outdoing the previous effort), we are always cautious of overhyping the delegation.

A 386-strong delegation travels to Aeropag this time round, having qualified through a combination of qualifying events in Wray, meeting OSS (Olympic Standard Scores) in private meetings, and achieving direct qualification based on previous Olympic and International performance. It's a young delegation, with an unprecedented number of athletes qualifying through collegiate or youth programmes - the youngest, just 18, is 400m runner Emily Dale. It is a testament to the true quality of Wray's athletic programmes that it is capable of producing such quality at such young ages. A significant portion of Wray's old guard has moved on - none more prominent than the indomitable Brendan Matthews, holder of 7 Olympic medals, but the quality coming through in his wake promises to be equally as exciting as medal-potent.

Through five editions across five days, we'll preview the delegation, it's strengths and weaknesses, and it's chances for medals. We have 7 journalists covering over 100 events in 28 sports in what will be your essential guide to Wray's chances this summer.

Part 2: Athletics to Canoeing
by The National Reporter Athletics Editor Sian McCullock

Athletics for Wray breaks itself down pretty neatly into two sections: Women's field events, and everyone else. So in order to keep myself happy (read: blinded by self-delusion), I'll start with the most promising athletes in that section, and move downwards. However, I must note beforehand that the powers-that-be at the Olympics have introduced qualifying events for this year's Games, which means the vast majority of Wray's track athletes will have to qualify just to step foot in Aeropag (well, at least in the stadium), with the exception of Will Portman, who is the defending Olympic Champion in the Men's 10,000m. That will cut down a lot of flak for the final rounds, which will unfortunately contain a lot of the girls and guys in Green and White. The qualifying event takes place in Aeropag itself, so if you squint your eyes just right, you might trick yourself into believing you're actually at the Olympics!

Anyways, as I was saying. The biggest prospect for Wray in Athletics is most probably 22 year old Zash Sturrett from Ardelton, CD, going in the Women's Long Jump. Sturrett has blazed her own trail through Wray athletics over the last four years - she has broken her own national record twice, and finished 7th at the X Summer Olympics, partly because she recorded a competition-high 3 false jumps, which has been identified as a weakness of her game. She's been in good form at home, and describes her build-up to the games as 'pretty perfect'. Truer words. Elsewhere, 25 year old Alice Stone (Celston Reach, ET) goes in the Women's High Jump, and could threaten the podium if things go right, whilst Gabriella Green has surpassed Jessica Vermuelen as Number 1 Woman Pole Vaulter in Wray, but both could reach the final and possibly further. Ellyse Mackenzie is Wray's hope in the discus - she disappointed slightly in the X Olympiad but will look to strike back in Aeropag. Eliza Payten and Sophie Witten would definitely be looking to reach an Olympic final, although competition will be tough in the Javelin and Shot respectively. Bella Shaw, whose Olympic tenure has featured a torn ACL after leading one competition, and securing Gold in the next, enters in the Heptathlon, hoping to defend her crown, and she is accompanied by 20-year old Rachel De Kermandec, who dominated the College scene quite unlike any athlete previously - watch out for RDK.

On the track, Maree Stanford, 24, Nelson's Bay, SET, could be a threat in the 100m Hurdles, whilst Wray has strong representation in the Middle Distance events - Leah Marou in the 1,500m and Alyssa Kirsova in the 800m. But the most exciting prospect on the track for sure is Collegiate 400m champion, S-J Barrett, just 19 years of age. Barrett was described by her college coach as a 'freak of nature' - her winning time of 50.03 would have just missed out on an Olympic final slot. If she can keep her head in the qualifiers and get to Aeropag, there's no telling what she might do. In the 100m and 200m is the ever-present Dutch dynamo, Amelia-Jane Havermann, hoping to make it 3rd time lucky. For the men, Ollie Le Roux, 28, Sutton, CD, competes in the Pole Vault as one of Wray's top prospects, along with Ben Ryan in the High Jump and Cameron Oliver in the 1,500m. Besides that, there is little to excite in Wray's athletic ranks - Tom Joubert might surprise in the Decathlon, and Will Portman will defend his 10,000m crown, but both are unlikely.

Badminton is led by Nick Collins for the guys and Sophie Gillis for the girls - both products of a hard-worked but underfunded programme out of Clorewood, WT. The strongest entry is probably the mixed doubles pairing of Mason Tate and Sophie Gillis, who took home first place at the Wray Badminton Grand Prix in February to guarantee Olympic qualification, but even then, they shouldn't go far.

In following with tradition of other less popular sports, Wray will enter a collegiate squad for Basketball. The players to watch out for are Doug Cross and Jamie Simmons for the Men, and Rebekah Wilton for the women. But do not expect great things.

Boxing has always held a niche in Wray sports, and a source (more of a trickle) for Olympic success. This time round, Kieran Barrett (of no relation to S-J) is a contender in the flyweight, whilst Skye Langwarrin and Christina Barlow compete in the Women's bantamweight and middleweight respectively. Jack Sydney, 20, Cartersburg, CD, is an up-and-coming talent in the Light Welterweight, but these Games come just a bit too early for him. Watch out for him next time, though.

Canoeing - ah, the bane of every country child's early existence. Our nation's obsession with water-borne craft has translated into significant Olympic success - household names have become of Hamilton and Overton, although only Blair Hamilton remains today - Craig Overton has retired and moved into coaching. Hamilton is joined by Gareth Steele in the K-2 200m and could challenge for a medal, whilst Jake Scott partners him in the K-2 1000m. Finn Wilding, 25, Gorestha, NT, goes in the C-1 200m, whilst Murray Farron is Wray's big talent in the slalom event. Watch out for 23 year old Nicole Young in the Women's K-1 500m - she won national gold and has been tearing it up on the national circuit with her relentless pace. Rather complicatedly, Rosie Ross and Rose de Neeve are two of Wray's other chances in the Women's, and we'll try and get them right.

[The Royal Kingdom of Quebec]

Dun Dun. Day 3 Cutoff for those in Royal Kingdom of Quebec for qualifiers.

[Electrum]

Centralis Herald - News Section - Frank Liszt

Electrum seeks to shape Rushmori geopolitics; new beginnings for Rushmore?

If there's one thing that everyone knows about Electrum, is that it doesn't hold much influence in terms of geopolitical relations with the rest of the region. Indeed, it is far too small to have a large army, Electrum has been pacifist from the beginning, and Electrum is really only known for its merchanteering, nowadays, its the financial markets in Electrum which are the focus of Rushmori attention. Nonetheless, Cynthia Suarez has decided to flex some diplomatic muscle by initiating talks to create a new geopolitical union in Rushmore, tentatively named the Rushmori Union.

Whether or not something will eventuate remains to be seen. It is indeed the largest shake-up of Rushmore so far, if it does go ahead, with a pan-Rushmori parliament, a commission for Rushmore, as well as talks of a possible currency union, open borders, and a free trade association between the nations. It is a truly momentous task ahead for Suarez, but if she pulls it off, she will be the most well-known Electrumite PM in recent history. But, there are certainly large road blocks in the way.

Firstly, and quite obviously, is the differing views of the nations: from Kernansquillec openly against open borders, and loss of other sovereign matters, whereas Liventia, Dunnes and San Llera are all in agreement of these aspects. These issues clearly need to be ironed out before the agreement can be drawn up and signed. Of course, there is almost universal agreement on the structure of the RU, which is comprised of two organs, a commission and a parliament. However, what there is disagreement on is how the parliament is to be apportioned. Eura is a population of several billion, whereas Dunnes only has 24 million -- how can the interests of Dunnes be represented, if it is swamped by Euran interests for example?

The second issue is how many nations have come to the table thus far. It is said that the Electrumites are disappointed by the turnout so far, with many nations that Electrum had hoped to participate simply not arriving to the table yet. Perhaps more politicians will arrive in Centralis soon -- but until then, it is far too small for the Union to be truly effective. In terms of economies of scale, the more nations that leap on, the more effect the free trade agreements and open border policy will be. Electrum would certainly withdraw from the agreement if not enough nations sign up -- it becomes a costly proposition with no measurable benefit.

Regardless, of all the concern that has been made so far, Suarez has still remained defiant and resolute. In a conference to the media about the Rushmori Union, the current Prime Minister said that, "We are doing the right thing by Electrum, and by Rushmore in initiating these talks. This is all to start a new era in co-operation and Rushmori connectedness -- we will all benefit." Still, there are those critics, such as acting leader of the Electrum Nationalists, Alan Rickuss who said that, "Typical liberal claptrap really. As if we needed another attack on our industries! We know what open borders will mean for Electrum -- a mass of immigrants from Eura down south into our nation, depressing our wage and living standards." An interesting debate will follow indeed... not just in Electrum, but in other nations as well.