Games of the XVIII Olympiad - roleplaying thread

[North Oharan Valley Union]

Timestamp: 11 September 2024 - 20h16
Tags: Games of the XVIII Olympiad, Mission Olympica

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The Man who Grew his Own Selection
How Pauls Rukaitis’ obsession with cycling leads to eight Olympic athletes

If you follow a backroad east out of Anpole, you will pass the hamlet of Erkaune after about thirty kilometers. There is a small, wooden church, a fountain and two bars around a town square. On the edge of Erkaune, there is an impoverished factory dealing in stairs and windows. And, dwarfing the groups of one-storey houses, a mastodont cycling track surrounded by two BMX courses. The ConstRukt Cycling Complex (or Triple C, as it is better known) stands out as an eyesore with its vast beige walls and seems at first sight the worst kind of white elephant. The quality of the road from Anpole strongly deteriorates one hundred meters after its parking lot, just as you enter the village.

The man behind this building is Pauls Rukaitis, a 62-year old construction tycoon who craftily shies away from the press. But those who ride on his track often notice his presence in the sole skybox of the arena. It is fair to say ‘his track’: Rukaitis funded the Triple C all from his own pockets. Before his appearance, the cycling scene in the Oharese valleys was quite straightforward due to the state of the infrastructure: mountain biking was king. There were BMX’s sold in most shops, but rather as an entry level version for kids. The few road races on the agenda were so-called ‘city crits’ in which the riders did the same circuit numerous times. Police jurisdictions often halted usage of the intercity connections that allow them to send a peloton through.

Obviously, there was some laughter when Rukaitis announced to change that with an ambitious, not to say ludacris, eight-year plan. We’re currently six years in and it is fair the critics have had to tone down a little. His first move was building the track out of nowhere and bizarrely, in the middle of nowhere. On the other hand, any self made man knows that red tape gets cut a little easier in a village where your brother is the mayor. A handful of months later, a state of the art BMX circuit appeared next to it. A second one was added later for training and warm-up purposes.

Infrastructure is one thing, but you also need to have the athletes to fill it in. Rukaitis unequivocally focussed on the youth for that: any under eighteen can use the tracks and fitting equipment for next to nothing. Many parents, left with the choice between expensive mountain bike material and trips to Erkaune, suddenly informed for better maps of the wider Anpole region. It is also that first generation of riders who now fasten their seatbelts for Schimpol, Liventia: the average age of the track and BMX selection was under twenty-one. And as the numbers rose so did the level, especially as Rukaitis foresaw enough races, cups and tournaments to keep a competitive edge for national supremacy. The trick to have national championships three times a year might seem easy but keeps everyone on their toes.

In that constellation, the development of road cycling came a little later but equally effective. Anyone who enjoyed the friendly prices of the track was subjected to the ‘Test TT’s, facing the thirty kilometers from Anpole to Erkaune on his or her own. From it, Rukaitis handpicked those with more volume to stay on the road bike. Additionally, he managed to expand the calendar with city-to-city races, neatly packed into a year-long calendar and classification. Quite often, one of the two cities is Erkaune or Anpole. Whilst the overall pacification did its bit, it goes without doubt that the deep influence into the power structures of the region and nation did its bit to allow some governmental openings for these more complex organized races.

Meanwhile, the Cycling Federation witnessed it with wonder as they had always focussed on mountain biking. After some initial discussions on jurisdiction, Rukaitis and the Federation came to consensus behind the screens: the federation kept the official lead and the builder would not bother about mountain biking but de facto, Rukaitis is sole head of the other three sports. When quizzed about his motivations, Rukaitis simply explained that he loves the sport and wants this to be his way to give back to the society. A bit of a roundabout way, many might complain, but the growing number of (mainly young) athletes who take an interest in track, road and BMX prove he is making progress and fast.

And it goes without doubt that visibility for the project should be boosted again with these Summer Olympics. In all three disciplines, some of Rukaitis’ disciples will try to take on the world. The selection itself is based on clear selection criteria, although the internal inconsistency of those criteria points to the hand Rukaitis had in ensuring a spot for some of the youngsters he supports. For example, the meetings included differ between men’s and women’s and someone was quick to point out that having the same bar would have changed a few names in the line-up. However, as Rukaitis is the federation and can literally stop someone’s career in the sports by disallowing access to the only proper training facilities, few protests are expected. The few there might be will probably be waved over his positive connection with the Ministry.

BMX leading lady Ariana Krumina could not get beyond the preliminaries

In BMX, the selection is all-Strauzeme, the region where the Triple C project is rooted. Ariana Krumina, just turned twenty and filled to the brim with talent, seemed like a good chance for the next round as her domestic dominance is well established. But on the preliminary time trial, she went a bit too wide on the first turn and those kind of details are hard to make up in this sport. Far more controversial was the choice for Marjus Riekstins as the Erkaune-born BMX’er lost most of his confrontations with Ekram Ladourian this season. Yet, Ladourian will have to watch the action in Schimpol on television while Riekstins surprisingly made the top twenty-four: something Rukaitis used as proof for the quality of his decision. The trio was rounded off with Alesandrs Zvinelis for the freestyle event, a slight surprise as the freestyle event rarely gets the support the racing variation receives. Zvinelis made a beautiful opening run with a spectacular twisted double backflip but could not follow up on his virtual tenth place in the second one. Still, his showcase at Harley Square confirms that this brand of BMX competitions are no dead end in the Union.

On the road, four cyclists prepare for the Games. Assyl Madiov, whose speed on the finish line won him a full list of domestic trophies, will be heading them. None of the other road cyclists met the theoretical bar, but Kazavon Vratsyan was included as a support rider (over a handful of alternatives who won more points in the standings) at the explicit demand of lead man Madiov. In the women’s road events, the nation looks out for Gacia Sasounian, a time trial specialist. Sasounian only picked up cycling after her university studies but proved to be a natural in pushing away watts. Despite mixed results in bunch races, she takes on the road race as well together with Gizela Zvinele. A more than decent climber, Zvinele will hope for a lumpy parcours, but she arrives with limited ambitions.

None of those hesitations for Raits Krancis, the nation’s premier track rider and a personal protégé of Rukaitis. Then again, Krancis deserves any qualification in his own right and can genuinely hope to make his mark in the individual omnium. Together with Aretijs Blekte, he rightfully aspires to challenge more experienced nations in Schimpol after dominating the Triple C together. Filling out the sprint and keirin spot, Teimur Basilia received the nod. Notable, as Reeve MacDonald topped the keirin table but the two berths were handled as a single ticket with Basilia showing more consistency across both. Unfortunately, the Mteborian could not convert his preliminary ticket into an actual one. In the all-or-nothing time trial, our national champion failed to stand out: a 9.611 might have been a respectable time in the past but the pace these days is faster. All eyes on the keirin, where eight competitors had to make do with a single ticket. The luck of Basilia already turned the wrong way straight from the start as he drew the first lot and had to start in the lead. As expected, he could not hold that position till the finish line and got swamped by the pack in the last turn. While Darkmanian Mark Cason celebrated his win, Basilia had to book his ticket back home.

Zoya Litvinenko will take on the sprint races in the Orean Olympic Velodrome

As such only three track riders will appear in the Orean Olympic Velodrome and twenty-two year old Katarina Bondarenko will be none of them. The surprisingly snubbed omnium specialist is known as quite the character: her clashes with officials, fellow riders and practically anybody in the scene are well documented on her social media channels. For the longest time, Rukaitis kept her on board, even when she could no longer find a partner to ride the madison with. But for these selections, Rukaitis coupled the two berths and decided to send no one instead. This inevitably led to emotional lashes from Bondarenko, who now received a ‘disciplinary suspension’ in the Triple C as a result: Bondarenko contemplates retiring. As such, only one female track rider will take the start in sprinter Zoya Litvinenko. Despite her young age, she stands out in reading the race and that could give her an edge in an international field.

When the eleven athletes were showcased to the press before the preliminaries, the boss was nowhere in sight but his spiritual presence loomed large over the room. The cyclists have been dubbed the ‘Rukaitis Squad’ and whilst not outspoken, the ambitions seem high. Especially on the track, the investments in the Triple C are aspired to pay off and nothing would boost morale like silverware. Still, going into the Olympics with a youthful and inexperienced squad as this one, the focus best would be on bolstering the experience and taking away lessons for the future. Then again, Rukaitis is not exactly known for his sense of patience.

[Panay Islands and Guimaras]

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to..

(English translation: Olympic Recap)
Where we will cover the Panayense athletes' performance in one recap!

The shortest recap for today is...
3X3 TEAM BEATS A BASKETBALL POWERHOUSE
Before the impossible would happen, Qasden nearly lost to the Panayenses where they would do some good points up when they finally got the hole in the Panayense defense. Tsushima himself saying that it was really close to have won against the Qasdenians. But when they face Quebec and Shingoryeo, the impossible happened. The Panayenses started the match horribly as the Shingoryeoites dominated them until the coach Miraflores called a timeout. And when the team is starting to know the tactics of Miraflores, the team would eventually dominate the Shingoryeoites and give them an L. The boys can't believe it that they're winning against a basketball powerhouse. Even Miraflores was satisfied with the performance. That's all for today's Resumen Olímpico.

[Hopal]

The bright lights of the stadium, the roar of the crowd. What awaited them on the other side could just be felt from the sidelines of the Island Cricket Arena, the home of this year's Olympic Opening Ceremony. From the tunnel that led the Parade of the Nations out into the stadium, the over 100 Hopalian athletes waiting in line, between Hispinas and Kalosia. The athletes mingled with some of the other athletes of various nations as they awaited their turn to enter upon the deafening crowds and glistening lights.

There at the helm of the Hopalian delegation was Layla Lee. Her right hand supporting the massive Hopalian flag that would lead the athletes into the Island Cricket Arena. The other flagbearer at the ceremony in Hamilton was Copolla Barnes, the marathon runner who represented the new generation of Hopalian athletes experiencing the Olympics for the first time. Her co-flag bearer was 27, just over the median age of athletes in this Hopalian delegation. Many of these athletes, like Barnes, should have competed at the last games or even the games before, but chaos at the Hopalian Olympic Committee and Hopal’s recent period of isolationism prevented them from receiving that honour. Barnes was by many metrics a veteran of this team, though still at the top of his game, age was catching up on him, he knew this was likely his one real shot at Olympic glory, and was considered one of the most likely Hopalians to do so. He was a leader, mentoring many of the younger athletes and not just those in his sport and program. But he was just chosen to be the Opening Ceremony co-flagbearer not just because he was widely respected, but because he represented the new generation of Hopalian athletes he came up with over the last few years and were becoming Olympians for the first time.

Once upon a time, that was her. Layla Lee had once been the representative of the young new generation of Hopalian athletes. The exciting new kid on the block with the bright future ahead of her. Now, she was the veteran, one of very few Hopalian athletes returning from the last time that Hopal attended the Olympics, over a decade ago in Bunjil. The flagbearer who represented all of the returning Hopalian athletes, the old guard returning for what was likely all of their last rodeos. Many thought that this would be the last Olympics for those who remained from the Hopalian Bunjil delegation, now over a decade separated from that last Olympics. Certainly, many considered that to be the case for Layla Lee, with the flagbearer responsibility being a kind of lifetime achievement award in recognition for what is a career reaching its end.

Now as she awaited to enter the Opening Ceremony for these 18th Olympic Games, she reflected upon her first and previous Olympics, the Games of the 15th Olympiad. Then she was the young, headstrong 19 year old newcomer who burst onto the scene to become Hopal’s best sailor, an Olympic gold medallist. Going into those Olympics, nobody knew who she was, she was still a teenager with something to prove. She remembered being really stubborn back then, and in many ways she was still headstrong, though she did have to admit that age had mellowed her out to a degree. She went into those Olympics hoping to honour her late father’s legacy, a man who loved being on the waves, but who loved her most of all, he taught her everything that she knew. Her whole life after her father’s death had been devoted to this sport that they both loved, every waking moment she had devoted to making it to this stage. She remembered getting pissed after a poor start to her Olympics and throwing this whole tantrum at the time, I’d never get away with that now, she thought to herself.

But walking into that first Opening Ceremony at the Somersville Olympic Stadium, it was unlike anything else she had ever experienced. As an athlete, you put in a lifetime of work to get to the Olympic stage, and to walk into the adoring cheers of an Olympic Opening Ceremony, is to the realization of your life’s goal. Standing in line with your fellow athletes, being able to call yourself Olympians before marching into the stadium with the spotlight focused, even if for a few seconds of you and your nation. Layla Lee could remember that night vividly, waiting just outside of the stadium to hear faint cheers and to see the brights before you walk in for them all to be focused on you. The hushed voices, the palpable excitement, the crushing feeling of anticipation, she remembered it all. What it was like to be a first-time Olympian. The Somersville crowd had been quite appreciative of all of the athletes in the Parade of Nations and as Hopal walked in for the first time as an Olympic nation, they were as well-received as one could hope to be. The joy of marching into an electric stadium like that, she could never forget it. She kept a stopwatch on her, it was faded and rusting, it was an old antique, but it was her father’s and she felt whenever she had it on her, she always had him with her. As Hopal marched to its rest and the nations behind it marched in, she remembered taking out the stopwatch and looking at it with pride. Her father had gotten her here and on this night he was with her, soon she’d get on with the work to honour him, but tonight was a night of celebration and to relax just as he would have wanted.

Today, just as then she thought, let go of your thoughts and enjoy the night. She felt the old stopwatch in her pocket and with her left hand, took it out and looked on it again. Whatever happens, she thought, he’s looking over you, so enjoy the night, that’s what he would have wanted. Putting back the stopwatch, she looked back to fight Mack Roy, the delegation’s Chef de Mission. The flagbearer at Hopal’s last Summer Games, the night of fond memory that she had just reflected upon. He was having his own reflections of that night, leading a new team into a new dawn, cementing Hopal as an Olympic nation. Tonight he’d do the same, not as an athlete but as their chief counselor. Mack had given Layla advice to shake off all of the pressure and soak in the moment as it is. When they found each other’s eyes, Mack gave a soft smile and a thumbs up. The nation ahead of them was called into the stadium, the excitement in the Hopalian delegation began to build. So many new athletes preparing to march into the Olympics for the first time. It was just as it was in Bunjil all of those years ago. Layla and all of the other athletes could see the massive, roaring stadium in front. Steadying herself, she nodded. Hopal was called and with excitement and trepidation, they all began to march.

[Libesia]

Scenes from Electrum #3

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Final play drama sees Bulls qualify for Olympics

After the men’s football team went out on drawing of lots, and the women’s basketball team were eliminated¹ despite a win over Alezian Union and a Banijan upset of Drawkland, the sole remaining hope for Libesian team sports at the Summer Olympics lay on the sevens field, with the Bulls in a strong but not unassailable position going into the final day. Uskad failed to do them any favours, losing to Afanc Strait, which meant Libesia, on 10 points, and Britonisea, on 9, would be playing for the other qualifying place in the very last match of the day. With the football a fading memory, Libesians packed bars and town squares to watch the fabled team on giant TV displays, listened to crackling radio sets in town halls and school classrooms, or checked cellphones anxiously for every update.

The first one was not long in coming, and it wasn’t good: Johnny Farnham released by a good sharp pass by Lukas Roberts-Smith, wrongfooting Peter Keanjaho. Keanjaho is the quickest Libesian in the team – and with his silky hands, maybe he would have had more success than our 4 × 100 m relay team did – but even he couldn’t chase down Farnham from a standing start. Alex Coombes nailed a tough kick, too. Fortunately, it took only 3 minutes for the Bulls to hit back, with Pascal Djalo putting the team – and would-be Britonish tackler Pierre Martense – on his back to power through for the score. Tobias Habeler knocked over the conversion to leave a cagey affair poised 7–7 at the half. The dilemma for the Britonish was that a draw wouldn’t be good enough for them, whereas it would for Libesia; for Libesia, the problem is that sevens is not an easy sport to play on the back foot. So rather than risk it, they came out strong, Tobias Habeler setting up Peter Keanjaho for a try only for the winger to bundle the ball out of play in the corner. Maybe he shouldn’t have been trusted with the baton after all. Britonisea then hit back, Mark Bennet getting on the end of a floaty pass finger tips ahead of Djalo who charged out for the interception: whoever got it was going all the way, and it was Bennet, sliding over under the posts. Yet Coombes inexplicably sliced a far easier kick than his first.

From 12–7 down, Libesia scored twice to reassert control. Keanjaho was forced to go without scoring for the first time in the tournament, but Babangida Kirabo picked up the slack with a darting run, and Thomas Chapuis showed quick thinking to pick-and-go a turnover penalty. Habeler slotted the first kick and Jacques Baillairgé held his nerve to make the second and ensure Britonisea would have to score twice. They managed one, through Tuivo Bosch; but with seconds counting down were struggling to find a way through for the second. Mad scrabbling across the pitch in search of a hole to puncture the resolute Libesian defence. Jacques Willis finally burst through, powered past Kirabo, and was at the 5, when a great freight train called Daniel Mbasogo hit him from the side and bundled him down to force a turnover and a quick hack away – the whistle blew before the ball hit the turf. The anguished Britonish were left ruing the day, while Libesia could take credit from a win that, faced with the damp conditions in Agri, was bereft of some of their usual fluent pass play but showed their defensive solidity.

So Libesia will have a chance to play for Olympic gold. The Bulls’ +67 points difference is top in qualifying, though unlike Darmen and Polkopia, who boasted 100% records in 5 team groups, their 4 wins came with a loss attached, the setback against Kelssek on Day 2. Or -2. Whatever. Nonetheless they should be in good stead for seeding, with the aforementioned teams and hosts Electrum the early frontrunners they will be hoping to avoid. Captain Habeler picked up an elbow stinger against Britonisea but is not expected to be an injury concern when the main tournament begins. “It was obviously a tougher qualifying than we were hoping for, but it was good to pick up experience playing in these conditions and get a good run out,” said Habeler. “Now we’re going to enjoy the opening ceremony and then get right back to training.” He thanked the Libesian fans who have attended the games so far, their ‘bulls’ horn’ hand gestures and buzzing vuvuzelas making them instantly recognisable, and said he hoped that the story was “only just beginning”.

¹ Not confirmed by hosts yet but I believe we would lose any possible tiebreaker to Drawkland.
² I think. Again not confirmed by hosts yet, but it’d be 12–11 on points.

[Tero al Disco]

ALL'S WELL FOR THE MEN'S BASKETBALL TEROS AMID TALK OF FLAGBEARERS BEING REPLACED

Redacted by Amanda Touriño.

September 11th, 2024.

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Round 4 of the men's Olympic basketball qualifiers in Schimpol have seen Tero al Disco defeat Nova Calania by a fantastic 20-point margin, with all the key pieces of the team having performed as was expected. Juan Cruz Vivona's team put all their effort in the first period with the intention of, if they obtained a good lead, to close off the game defensively by not allowing the Nova Calanians to do much. Although this seemed like a very risky bet in the first minutes, with the opponents finding a way through a Terense defense that was more porous than usual, the entrance of Agustín Encarnación (as the sixth man by excellence of the team), as well as center Paulino Rapoza mostly replacing a badly-performing Leónidas Gregori, proved to be good at the back of the court, and that allowed the attack to reach the objectives they had.

With the Terenses having defeated Estogium, Kriegersien and Nova Calania up to this point, their final match will be against Da Cunha. Tero al Disco-Da Cunha will effectively be the final for one of the 12 tickets into the "Finals" of Olympic basketball; with Kriegersien having their bye day on the final round of the group, and with Tero al Disco with a 3-0 record, Da Cunha (2-1 record) are the only team who can dethrone the Terenses off the lead. This is provided that they not only win, but also that they defeat the Teros by 20 points or more, to clinch the lead on point difference. From whatever information we've gathered, the Cunhaneçu have one of the worst teams in the group, so if they pull that off then it'll be a very big shock.

All this talk about the Terense basketball team needing to qualify for the Olympics proper comes at a time when a number of delegations, namely Crpostran, Barkhastan, and Magnus Phoenicia, have had to switch their flagbearers due to them being eliminated in the qualifiers and thus not being able to represent their respective flags' countries in the Games that they're supposed to represent them in... First, it would be the Crpostran hockey team. Touted as a favourite to at least go big in the Olympic competition and captained by goalie Rutger Tye, they would be eliminated out of their three-team group with Mytanija (who'd won it by MD 2 of 3) and Natanians and Nosts. That led the Crpostranians to select swimmer Hektor Vladislav as his replacement. Earlier on, Barkhastani sprinter and initial flag-bearer Leyla Yerbolateva was also out of the women's 200m category, and Magnus Phoenician golfer Sidd Pattel, the would-be female flag-bearer for Hamilton, was eliminated in men's golf, ending up 5 strokes from qualification. It was also in men's golf where Ramiro Vélez qualified for Tero al Disco, and where Pedro Sánchez shocked the golf world by winning the last day of qualifiers, after a bad performance in the three days beforehand; unfortunately he couldn't qualify.

Now, referring to the Terense flagbearers, two of them are in the Games proper without needing qualification rounds: the two Hamilton flagbearers, tennist Tomás Arritola (after having qualified directly due to being a high seed) and shooter Salomé Competente, in which shooting did not need any qualifying rounds. Meanwhile, Lourdes Luján has swum in all four of the events that she's going to race in, and has qualified in all four, so no problem about it. The deal is about Agustín Encarnación, who in the first instance would be the other flagbearer in Schimpol, alongside Luján. The last round of the men's basketball qualifiers will be played the day before the Olympic ceremony, so we shall only hope for the best there (although the Teros are highly touted to defeat Da Cunha). The women, on another note, after losing a must-win to the Panay Islands & Guimaras, were eliminated from competing in the basketball finals, behind Kanmer and Panay.

[Drawkland]

A selection of stories about Drawkian athletes grinding to become true Olympians ...

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HAMILTON MULTI PURPOSE VENUE

The track and field qualifiers had been going incredibly for Drawkland. Through the barrage of dozens of heats and events all being done over the few days of qualifiers, the Drawkian delegation had been showing out very strong. The top two athletes in every discipline were almost guaranteed inclusions. Even the third Drawkian entry was often sneaking in to the dance. The relay teams were doing well, the field athletes were tossing and jumping like no tomorrow. Even the deca-heptathlete groups got a majority in through the gauntlet.

Then came time for the 4 x 100m relay. Perhaps the most hyped of the relays, the men's qualifying heats were underway. Pierre Rodrigo, Edwin Paris, Derek Chandler, and Camden Candella were the squad for Drawkland, set to run in the fifth and final heat of the qualifiers. The top 4 and the next 4 out were set to make the Olympics, and by the time the fifth heat rolled around, the goal was set. Any time under 39 seconds was almost guaranteed to be a qualification.

Of course, the stakes weren't exactly high. Rodrigo, Paris, and Candella were all competing in the actual 100m dash, which featured no qualifiers. Chandler was in the 200m but known for his sprinting prowess, hence his inclusion on the relay team. He also qualified outright, coming in third in his heat and booking his ticket for the true Olympic runs. So, for this 4-man team, they were all guaranteed to be in the actual Olympics already. This isn't to say they weren't going to try, but at least they'd have a backup if anything crazy happened.

Anyway, something crazy happened.

The first two legs of the relay went off without a hitch. Rodrigo got off to a hot start in the third lane, and Paris took it down the back stretch nicely. Chandler took the baton for the curve, and things seemed to be going well. The Drawkian team seemed to be on a 38-second pace, perhaps not going to win the heat, but enough to qualify comfortably. All Chandler had to do was hand off the baton to Camden Candella without a hitch. Candella took the baton from Chandler and took off for the home stretch down the straightaway. Right as Candella took it, Chandler stumbled on the track surface, twisting his ankle in an odd direction and bending him over into the fourth lane. Unfortunately, while doing so, this caused him to careen into Libesian anchor MusaweNkosi Kuhlesbonge, pushing him a bit off his pace.

Making contact with another team's runner, though it was unintentional, was an immediately disqualification for the Drawkian relay team. To make matters worse, Libesia's third runner Heinrich Ngafua yelled and even shoved at Chandler after the contact was made, creating a small altercation that also resulted in Libesia's relay team being disqualified from the heat and the Olympics. Candella finished third in the heat with an unofficial 38.68 time, but it was all for naught. Due to Derek Chandler's inopportune trip, Drawkland would not be competing in the 4x100m relay in the actual Olympics.

Not ideal, and Chandler in particular got an earful from Drawkland's athletics coaching staff, but at least all the members of the relay would still be competing in their individual events. Also, between this incident, the lot-drawing finish to the men's football qualifying group, and the 76-71 women's basketball win in MD2 that proved to be decisive for Drawkland to qualify from that group ... was a budding rivalry developing between Drawkland and Libesia's Olympic delegations?

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KINGSFORD FARM COUNTRY CLUB

Roger Apollo was thankful to be in Prescott. Only a couple of the Elite, Richard Hanson and Dominic Southers, had bothered making the trip up to Kingsford Farm with Roger to watch the golf preliminaries. The only problem was that Roger wasn't doing too hot. He had started the day at 220 strokes, and based on how the fourth day was shaking out, he needed to golf around 71 to be comfortable.

Around the 10th hole, Roger got the break he needed. After a very nice tee shot down the fairway that bounced and rolled for a good bit, he felt confident enough to land one on the green. Roger picked up his 5-iron, hoping to get a nice roll in his favor so he could switch right to his putter for a chance at a birdie. Roger settled in on the fairway grass and put a nice solid stroke. The ball flew straight on, and Roger couldn't help but whistle in appreciation as it flew directly to the flag. It bounced right in front of the green, arcing high, losing lots of momentum, and bounced a few more times as it pounded into the green and slowed to the stop. It rolled for the last feet ... and spun right into the cup.

Roger pumped his fist. Not just a birdie, but an eagle on the par-4 10th hole. That put him ahead of the curve. Qualification was a sure bet at this point.

He then followed that up with a bogey on the 11th and a double bogey on the 12th. All of a sudden, the lead he built on that lucky eagle was totally erased. The double bogey was particularly nasty - a pair of putts that totally whiffed on the par three, and with too much power to stay as tap-ins. Even though Roger got a birdie on the 14th hole, he was still a few strokes above par for the course thus far, and on pace for 72 strokes if he didn't get under from there.

Unfortunately for Roger, a few more missed opportunities in the short game resigned him to four straight par holes to end his day at 72 strokes. The final scoreboard confirmed was Roger was already afraid of: 71 strokes would've been automatic qualification. Now, he wasn't eliminated yet. All the players with 291 strokes were through ... but there were 7 spots left to fill with 14 tied at 292 strokes. Roger was going to the stroke-off. Wait, that's not what it's called, right? Please tell me they don't call it that.

The good news is that the three holes for the playoff were the final three holes, which Roger had just finished at par for all three. All he had to do is repeat that performance, and he'd be in the Olympics for sure, crisis averted. He proceeded to bogey on the 16th hole and first of the bunch. Not ideal, but at least he wasn't eliminated. Now the pressure was on, though. He had to at least hit par on the 17th to stay alive.

Roger perhaps got a little too ballsy for his own good. On the 17th, he decided to try and hit the green on his second shot, perhaps get something with backspin to back up towards the cup and set himself up for a nice putt for birdie to see himself through. After all, only one qualification spot was left after the first round. He had to get something good. He picked the 3-iron for this purpose. He set up, confident in his shot ... and airmailed it. The ball flew well past the green, and the backspin was minimal. The ball barely kept out of the rough behind the green, and Roger was now in dire straits. He got on the green with his third stroke, but his last-ditch long-range putt didn't land. Perhaps out of frustration (and knowing his day was definitely over as multiple golfers had already hit par), he whiffed on his fifth stroke putt and settled for a double-bogey 6th.

So, the dream of all Elite Eleven members making the Olympics was dead. Roger Apollo was the hero as the soccer captain a week prior when he drew the longer straw and sent the Elite Eleven to the Olympic men's football group stages, but now he was the one to ruin the fun. At least it would make the lineup construction for football MD3 and the potential quarterfinal a lot easier now that he wouldn't be stuck playing rounds of golf on those days.

[Polkopia]

..Olympic Qualifiers — What Went Wrong?..

HAMILTON, ELECTRUM: Let’s face it. Polkopia has never been the nation to look out for when it comes to athletics at the Olympics. Historically, we've barely scratched the surface, and honestly, it’s getting downright embarrassing. The fact that I can count our athletic successes on one hand? That speaks volumes. Remember Ivan Kovlov? Probably not. Despite being one of the more naturally gifted Polkopian athletes at the athletic competition, he only managed bronze on the international stage. On one hand, it was Polkopia's first medal in an athletics competition, so there is come merit to that, however lets be real, nobody really cares about bronze medals.

But here’s the kicker: that was it. Along with Mili Koskov, Leonid Garanin, Vadim Kosorukov, and Maarko Yeremenkho (who also earned bronze, by the way) that’s literally all we’ve got to show for our efforts in the Olympic athletics competitions. How is it possible that, after all these years, a pair of bronze medals are still our biggest athletic accomplishments? Are we cursed? Is there some paranormal force at work that just won’t let us have nice things?

Fast forward to this year and, surprise, surprise – the curse continues. Watching Polkopian athletes in track and field feels like watching the same bad Worldvision performanc over and over, hoping that the artist manages to hit the proper note. Spoiler alert: they don't. It’s still bad, and it still ends in zero points (we're looking at you, Kalosia).

Polkopia deserves more than a handful of “almosts” and “maybes.” We need a complete overhaul, a wake-up call, or maybe even a miracle. Because right now? Our athletics program is nothing short of a disaster.

Let's look at what we've seen so far this year. I think that we should break it down by the good, the bad, and the ugly:

THE GOOD

Sergey Kovalev has cemented himself as one of the biggest underdogs among Polkopian athletes. On paper, he was projected to fare poorly among international athletes at the 400m and many saw Aleksandr Timošek or even Deyan Matić as the clear frontrunners in this event. Well, Kovalev seemed to be the only one focused enough to deliver that day because he finished with a time of 45.54 seconds. Was it particularly amazing? Well, no, he still scored the slowest time among all the other qualifiers in the event but we're proud of him nonetheless!

Larisa Kravtsyeva, one of the rare gems in Polkopian athletics did not choke under pressure! Yes, it's sad that we're celebrating this but when you don't have much to celebrate, you take what you can get! Her time in the 800m event was nothing spectacular, but she finished second in her heat. For those who didn't see the interview afterwards, she seemed completely unphased by this accomplishment. Unlike several others, she didn't seem out of breath, tired, fatigued, whatever you want to call it. Was she taking it easy this race, only to turn on the gas during the actual event? I'm not one to believe in conspiracies, but perhaps there was some sort of motive behind this? No idea, maybe I'm just rambling here, but we'll see what she can do in the actual Olympic games!

THE BAD

Well, where do I begin here? Do I talk about not a single athlete qualifying from the Men's 200m, 800m, 5000m (a dismal showing, this one was!), polevault, and shotput? Yes, those are just the men's events! The women fared no better, as not a single athlete from the 5000m, 10000m, 100m hurdles, long jump, shot put, discus throw, and hammer throw events qualified.

Are we allergic to qualifying? How can we compete on the multiverse stage if we can’t even get out of the gate? It’s beyond frustrating. And what’s worse? This wasn’t some highly competitive, once in a lifetime fluke where every other athlete just happened to be superhuman. No. Other nations came prepared. They came to win. Meanwhile, Polkopia seems like it just... didn’t. If I sound angry, it’s because I am. The rest of the world is out there setting records, pushing boundaries, and making history while we’re over here sitting on the sidelines, asking ourselves, “What went wrong?”

Well, here’s what went wrong: everything! We’ve got talent in this country, I know we do! But talent means nothing if you can’t make it count when it matters most. If we want to actually have a chance at winning one of the largest events in the Olympics, we need to stop accepting this mediocrity. Stop shrugging off these embarrassing results and pretending like it’s business as usual. Maybe it'll take another year of not securing a medal higher than bronze for our organizers to finally step up and ackowledge that things need to change if Polkopia can even dream of being a respectable nation in these events.

THE UGLY

If you want to see something particularly ugly, look no further than the women's 400m hurdles event. Enter Olga Medvedeva, an athlete who’s supposed to be at the top of her game, someone who was projected to do great things. What does she do? She flat out quits. You heard me - she didn’t just stumble, she didn’t just falter, she gave up!

During the race, all of our eyes were on Medvedeva. We were under the impression that she was to be a shining beacon of Polkopian hope amidst the chaos we've seen so far. From the start, she looked a but troubled, but when she knocked over the very first hurdle and instead of, I don’t know, trying to finish the race like a professional athlete might, she has the audacity to throw a temper tantrum! My jaw literally hit the floor as I watched her turn around, storm off the field, and leave the competition behind like a spoiled child. Not only did she give up on herself, but she gave up on the nation that was rooting for her. That’s right - Medvedeva didn’t just quit the race, she quit on Polkopia. And you’re telling me that’s acceptable? Absolutely not.

I don’t care if you’re frustrated, I don’t care if you knock over a hurdle - finish the damn race! Show some respect for the competition, for the athletes who trained just as hard as you, and for the people back home who believed in you. Medvedeva’s little meltdown was not only embarrassing, it was an absolute disgrace to Polkopian athletics. How are we supposed to take pride in our athletes when this is the behavior we’re putting on display? I would take Polkopia not earning a single medal from these games over a repeat of this disgusting behavior.

It wasn’t just a physical stumble, it was a complete mental collapse. As an athlete, you're trained to strengthen your physical and mental form, but Miss Medvedeva obviously focused on one more than the other. And the worst part? This whole thing was entirely preventable. Instead of pushing through, showing grit, or even just finishing, Medvedeva gave up. It’s a slap in the face to every athlete who dreams of being on that stage, and frankly, it’s a moment of shame for Polkopian sports.

/end rant

Although the image was generated by myself, I used an AI image-eding software to finesse the final product. The following prompt was used:

"Please clean up the image and fix some of the pixelatedness and random distortion."

[Lisander]

"You don't need to feel bad about it. It was a very difficult group from the start, and to fail is not the end of the world. This will barely reflect on your performance outside the olympics. Come to think of it, we are not even getting that much attention from media. They are looking for the fencers, and the rugby team making a statement, and they won't give a damn for us for the time coming. Okay, maybe specific media. But they're not mass media. Some people will complain about that loss in matchday 1 and how it made too difficult to recover. But you are facing adult national teams of wherever are those hellholes and you are making it decent, don't you? Aren't you giving a damn of a fight? You can do this. You should go down there and give your best, yeah. But be reasonable, you don't want to be too hasty and lose control. You should ignore the pressure. You are not holding a sword, sailing on a boat, mounting a horse or passing a stupid leather papaya behind. There's no pressure on you like there's pressure over the rugby boys and girls. You'll go there, make your best game. If it's not enough, to the hell the federation. I would probably fired after saying that, but those bastards at FLB couldn't be caring less. So pay no heed to commiserations or critics from no one if it fails. They were never on your shoes here. Menna, Linze, I'm aware that both of you have Superliga contracts, so I want you to help the others to impress. The remaining, play as if it were scouts watching. There will be some, probably."

Vítor Turin, Lisander U-20 Basketball Coach, before the final qualifying game against Krytenia.

[Macadia]

MACADIAN OLYMPIC BROADCASTING
brought to you by the Macadian Olympic Committee and MNBC

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Macadian Rhythmic, Trampoline Gymnasts Shine

Despite Macadia’s artistic gymnastics team’s shortcomings, the Olympic team is making up for it in rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics.

On Day -2, at the women’s individual all-around preliminary for rhythmic gymnastics, Minerva Musa, a 24 year-old from Pima, absolutely stunned, finishing in 5th in rankings, and qualifying for the individual all-around final at the Olympics themselves, becoming the first Macadian athlete to do so. Musa had excellent routines with the hoop and ball, specifically. Alexandrapolia Yvenko, 25 and from Pella, was also able to qualify, placing 20th. On Day -1, however, the women’s rhythmic team failed to qualify.

While these women amazed, so did 20 year-old Matt Trius, a trampoline gymnast from Kayak City. Trius placed an incredible 3rd in the men’s trampoline preliminary. Koi Jung also competed, but failed to qualify unfortunately. On Day -1, the women trampoline gymnasts had a near identical result as the men, with Miriam Lafous, 27, placing third, but Justinia Kenhart failing to qualify.

Also on Day -2, in Schimpol, Julia Kohn and Lena Grenov failed to lead the women’s artistic swimming team to qualify.

Despite some setbacks, these successes are restoring Olympic spirit and hope to Macadians, the MOC, and the athletes themselves. It is being rumored that Minerva Musa could replace artistic gymnast Gretchen Harlemane as one of the flag bearers at the Hamilton opening ceremony.

[Chromatika]

KEY FIGURES FROM THE XVIII OLYMPIAD

SIERT LEVIE
Day -7

With one final, emphatic spike to bury the ball into the sand, Siert Levie completed the 21-18 win on set 2 to lift him and his duo, Aleksi Salo, to a 2-0 victory over Zane Nakol and James Reopale of StrayaRoos, completing their Qualifying Group with five wins and no losses (and only losing one set in the process). The Chromatik duo had been playing together for more than two years now, and the five matches that they played showed that they were beginning to really click. Unfortunately, their counterparts in Karst-Jan Browmasser and Tomi Lehtola were eliminated based on tiebreakers, but both Women's teams also made it to the Olympics - showing that Chromatik beach volleyball was on the rise.

Levie was well aware of the numerous stereotypes that he and his fellow athletes had to overcome in Chromatika - back home, they were viewed as crazy athletes who played beach volleyball at freezing beaches. Yes, it didn't help that Chromatika cold at the worst and mild at best, but the athletes that decided to devote their lives to the sport in Chromatika had adapted; they relied on indoor facilities and traveling abroad to keep their skills sharp, and they would now have an opportunity to show that they belonged with the world's best.

It would be the culmination of a journey that had been years in the making - with so many naysayers saying that they were wasting their lives. They had, indeed, shown their haters exactly what they could do, and they were just getting started.

[Haruhata]

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PRELIMINARY ROUND UP!

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Article by Saamgan Tuwon

And with that, there is less than 24 hours before the opening ceremony of the Games of the XVIII Olympiad. Over the past two weeks we have seen various Haruhati athletes partake in the preliminary heats, fighting for their chance to compete at the Olympic games. Eleven Haruhati athletes competed in thirteen events: from Judo to Swimming, Skateboarding to Athletics, who fell at the final hurdle? And who came out on top? And who will be making their way to the upcoming Olympics? Well if those are the questions you are asking you have come to the right place!

THE SPORTS

ATHLETICS
Four Haruhati athletes participated in Athletics, though it seemed the more did not equal the merrier. On Day -3, Mudaanju Tuurum placed 87th of 112 competitors in shot put. After his first shot landed outside the throwing sector, he returned determined as ever, producing his furthest shot in the competition with a distance of 19.46m, though it was clear he couldn't quite reach the top 32 to qualify. His final shot ended up even less far, shortly ending his Olympic adventure much to his disappointment. Post interviews revealed his desire to return in the future, despite being the second oldest of the Haruhati delegation at age 32.

Disappointment struck once again on Day -2, during the women's 10,000m. Ilhachen Weijuuri began the race strongly, keeping up with the rest of the pack. However, as time went on, it was clear she would have to make her move to have a shot of qualifying. Unfortunately, on the 4th lap, she collided with Junona Birzniece of the North Oharan Valley Union amongst the tangle of racers. As romantic as two knees brushing by fate may sound, the two athletes ended up on the floor, Weijuuri having been trampled and hit the floor, Birznierce hitting the side boarding. Weijuuri collected herself, staring at the open sky above her, the sounds of the arena a blur of footsteps, cheering and music, before pushing on with the race behind her fellow fallen competitor. However, it was clear from her limp that she would be unable to finish the race, thus failing to qualify for the Olympics. Luckily, beyond grazes, bruising and a sprained ankle, Weijuuri remained healthy and positive, and is recovering well. She has also found a new friend in her fellow athlete Birznierce.

The final day of preliminaries continued the streak of losses, beginning with Buherhuan Ferhele at the 400m hurdles and ending with Gurengge Neileshu at the triple jump. Whilst Neileshu struggled to find her footing at the triple jump, placing 65th far beyond the scope of qualifying, Ferhele, placed in an extremely competitive heat and placing 6th, barely missed qualifying via the 6 next fastest times by 0.03 seconds.

Overall, athletics proved disappointing in the preliminaries, with no qualifications. However, it is far from over for the Haruhati delegation, with Eojiurda Tuwan and Guurhun Gunduule representing Haruhata at the men's marathon and women's marathon respectively, two of the countries strongest athletes in terms of results.

DIVING
Expectations were low for Haruhata's lone diver Jiruumgan Tuwan, the nation having little aquatic sports history prior to the Olympiad. Despite this, Jiruumgan remained positive, the spritely diver seemingly happy to be there. On the day of the competition, of men's 3m springboard, perhaps it was the strong competition or Jiruumgan's lack of experience that led him to place 3rd last overall. Despite his dives being described as sloppy, leaving large splashes behind his wake, it ended up being one of his stronger showings, with more challenging dives with better execution than in home competitions, showcasing his potential for future success. Post competition interviews showcased his newfound determination, inspired by being surrounded by such beautiful dives (and divers).

GYMNASTICS
Almost completely mirroring diving, the expectations for gymnastics were once again low for Haruhata's lone male athlete, Keingge Tuwan. He started off the men's artistic gymnastics event well, performing strongly on the floor with his flips being the highlight of the show, despite a few shaky landings here and there. However, weak performances on the pummel horse and rings left much to be desired, perhaps his nerves getting the better of him as his moves proved shaky. From there he was able to improve on apparatus to apparatus, peaking on the parallel bars with a powerful and confident performance showcasing his strength and most notably his flexibility and power in his moves, if not a little uncontrolled. However, his efforts were not enough as he landed outside the qualifying placements at 128th.

Pt. 1

[Banija]

Banijan men's basketball stun the world to take pole position in Olympic Qualification

SCHIMPOL, LIVENTIA- The last time we wrote to you guys about basketball, we talked about how Banijan men's basketball was on the brink of disaster. A loss to Ralsalin on MD2 meant that the Banijans were on the brink- a team with legitimate medal aspirations suddenly on the outside looking in. A team with medal aspirations in real danger of not even qualifying for the Olympics. For the Banijans to do the unthinkable, they would need some serious help- they would need to win, Ralsalin to lose, and make up a serios point differential (Ralsalin sitting at +27 after two MDs, and the Banijansn sitting at just +3). Banija's HC promised that they would do their part- but would they be ready against Natanians & Nosts?

The Lions came out pissed off and angry- ready to play. "Our boys told each other, in the locker room, that we were going to go out there against Natanians & Nosts, and deliver an ass-kicking like they wouldn't believe." Said Sadio Bartaba, the head coach of Banijan men's basketball. "From the word go- do not let up, show the world your talents, and if this was Banija's final game in relation to these Olympics, at least go out on a high note." And in this case, the Banijans flew out of the gate. It was Natanians & Nosts who hit a three on the opening possesion, to take an early 3-0 lead. That would be their only lead of the game. The Banijans had a 14-0 run after that, up by 21 after one quarter(29-8), up by 32 at halftime(55-23), and ended up winning the game by a whopping 39 points.

What prompted them to dominate? Well- the art of the full court press. "It's not something you generally want to run early in games- it can wear a team out." Said a Banijan TV basketball analyst. "But this team runs deep- so they were frequently subbing players on and off, overwhelming N&N's guards." Natanians & Nosts had a stunning 14 turnovers in the first half alone, as the guards were simply not able to deal with the pressure of the Banijan defense. Points off turnovers, fastbreak, etc.. the Lions did whatever the hell they wanted. Kizza Kaba led all scorers with 29 points off the bench, as the bench unit was also dominant.

But then they needed Ralsalin to lose. And it was close- a nailbiter. Ralsalin played against the United Mandaran States. They played 40 minutes- and were tied, 72-72, after 40 minutes. 5 minutes of OT- and Ralsalin's loss saved Banija. Both teams at 2-1, Banija took the advantage on PD, and suddenly, sit in pole position- as long as the United Mandaran States do not beat N&N by 52 or more on the final day of Qualifying, it is the Lions that will become Olympians. "The path isn't easy- but this is a role that we have earned." Said the star PG, Obasie Khoza. "We're gonna make it to the Olympics, and damnit, when we get there we have one goal- and it will be all eyes on the gold medal."

Elsewhere, the Peerless Princes punched their ticket to the Olympiad by finishing a perfect 4-0-0 in Olympic Qualifying. Neither Banijan women's team qualified in hoops, as the women's 3x3 team finished 0-4, while the 5v5 women's team had a consolation win against Drawkland.

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Banijan volleyball overview- men's beach volleyball flops as everyone else cruises to the Summer Olympiad[/align]

HAMILTON, ELECTRUM- Another sport played on hardwood. And yet, looking at a vastly different outcome. There were nerves, surely, when the Olympic Qualifying format was announced in volleyball. It has been 4(!) straight games where Banijan women have earned some sort of medal in beach volleyball, and they were looking for an unprecedented 5th medal in this competition. Beyond that, of course- both indoor volleyball teams were fighting for respect, and Banijan men's beach volleyball, not well known for anything, really, was trying to climb their way into the Olympiad.

On the women's side, both Banijan women's teams pushed through, finishing top two in their Qualification groups and earning a space directly in the Summer Olympiad. For the Yobachukwu Chee & Kabedi Kisisha beach team, they left it late. 1-1 after two games, and 2-2 after 4 games, they needed to get a win on the final matchday of Qualifying- plus, get some help. And that's exactly what happened, when they won in straight sets on MD5, and then used other results to leapfrog their way into the Olympiad at 3-2. "It matters not how we get here- what matters is how we perform once we are here." Said Kabedi Kisisha. "Today, we have earned the title of Olympian. Tomorrow? Well, the sky is our limit."

Banija's other women's team qualified far more comfortably, finishing 4-1 and top of their Qualification group. It is the indoor where things get interested. The Banijan men had a single qualifier, against Ko-oren- winner goes to the Olympics, loser goes home. And after splitting the first two sets, many assumed this match would go the distance. But distance it did not go- the Banijan men, powered by their Libero, Muhangi Muluuli, powered through, winning sets #3and #4 in tight fashion against Ko-oren. When Muluuli got the match clinching point, he let out a bellow to the heavens- signifiying his own skill.

Lastly, Banijan women easily qualified, winning both of their qualifiers to finish quite easily at the top of their group. Patrick Zervos, the OCB Exec Chairman, said he was expecting 'big things' from Banijan volleyball. "We've always been a power in this sport in the Olympics, in both forms- particularly, of course, beach volleyball." He told reporters. "I plan on us continuing our streak of continuing to podium in this sport at the Olympics. The players are primed- just wait for these results.'

[United Mandaran States]

Home > Sports > Olympics

Ahmad/Yundari Completed UMS' Tennis Delegation in the Olympics
11th September 2028

Hamilton (AMP) - It is Day -1 and also the last preliminary match day for the tennis events. We are truly blessed that 10 of our tennis athletes got bye to the main competition. 2 in men's single, a pair in men's double, 2 women's single and 2 pairs in women's double. While the other have to go through 3 tough preliminary matches. Ketut Sudiarsa and Dewa Ayu Cintya Dewi were getting knockout first in the first preliminary round. Sudiarsa face a tough opponent from Britonisea who is known as one of the tennis powerhouse countries. Leading in the first set, Sudiarsa failed to maintain his performance in the next two sets. The shocking result came from Cintya Dewi who was defeated by Banijan tennis player, Kinteh Kuyateh in a similar result as Sudiarsa. She felt sorry for everyone that have supported her. She even posted her disappointment in her social media account including her apology to her fans. Only Kuridgundi Padurjili who advance that day by defeating Crestfield from Kriegiersien also in a rubber set.

On the second day, the singles enter the second preliminary round while the double just start their preliminary. Reihan Ahmadi who got bye in the first preliminary round was playing this day. He met another Banijan tennis player. And the NSTT Barlinedon Championship winner, failed to bring his great performance. He was defeated in a straight set of 6-1 and 7-5. A rather disappointing result for Ahmadi who just got 2 NSTT titles this season. In another match, Kusumo/Ananda, UMS' amateur tennis player success to win their first match against Liventian tennis duo, Mark Brideau and Phil Hansen. The Mandaran pair win the match in straight set of 6-2 and 6-4. While Padurjili continued her success story. This time her victim was Katzeburg player, Baumgartner. Too bad, Padurjili has to win the match in another rubber set. And in mixed double, Ahmad/Yundari wins againts Quebecois pair, Laroussi/Percival in a dramatic match of twin points, 6-4 and 6-4.

The third day saw another fall of UMS' players. This time was the men's double, Haryo Kusumo and Irwan Ananda. The pair was playing against Mytanija pair, Tasić/Baranja. They lost easily in the first set with only 1 game for them to grab. The set was initially on Mytanijan controlled. The pair tried to change the situation in the second set. They were rather successful. Pushing their opponent into a series of deuce and eventually into a tie-break. Unfortunately, the luck was gone from them, and they lose the tie-break. On the other hand, Padurjili secured a third place for UMS in the women's single event after defeating Kannapian player in a straight set. It was quite a tremendous match see a long-lost tennis country is getting back, hopefully.

And in the fourth and last day of the preliminary round, all eyes were on the mixed double. A change in the regulation, make only 1 mixed double pair to be able to participate instead of two likes in the previous Olympic edition. And Mandaran's hope lies on Ahmad and Yundari. In the third preliminary round, they faced Lisander pair, Korf/Bressen. It was an intense match as both of them eyeing for a spot in the Olympic. Ahmad/Yundari lead first by winning the first set by 6-4. The pair entered the second set in confident only to getting crushed by their opponent. Korf/Bressen change their strategy and able to turn the table for their advantage. The change highly affected the Mandaran pair which cost them the second set. Then they entered the super tie-break. Ahmad/Yundari were getting back to their core and play carefully but also tactfully. It proven to give them an advantage. Despite the match still getting intense but the Mandaran pair were able to play with less pressure. They eventually win the super tie-break by 10-8 and confirmed their place in the Olympic proper.

With the result, UMS' tennis delegation success to place at least one athlete or pair in all tennis event. Women's single reserved the most spots with 3 followed by women's double and men's single both with 2. Men's and Mixed Double only put 1 spot each. Will they be able to defend the medal legacy in the sport?

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Olympic Fun Fact of the Day

Soracana Islands have never participated in the Olympics as its own delegation but rather joining Pemecutan delegation based on the protectorate status that they gained following the 2019 coup. The first Soracanian to win Olympic medal was Jandiyuha Targaroha in boxing. Although without a gold medal, he is still the most decorated Soracanian athletes in Olympics after collecting 3 medals from his 3 Olympics participation. He was participated in lightweight class before changing into light welterweight because of the boxing event adjustment.

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All 4 pairs of UMS' beach volleyball team were qualified to the main competition after finished in the top two of their respective qualifying group
5th September 2028

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Despite losing against Waisnor in their last qualifying match, UMS' women's 3x3 basketball team success to qualify after leading in head-to-head with second place Crpostran
11th September 2028

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[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

OOC: This serves as a coda, and a quick recap, to my Bunjil XV storyline, Jin Chang-Wook's Adventure of A Lifetime, with the volleyball legend now finished his professional career and present in Hamilton as volleyball commentator for the QBC.

For this MD I was originally intending on writing an RP involving Tatiana Llnagaay-Kondratyuk, legendary gymnast who also happens to be JCW's wife. But since she's coaching for women's AG team anyway, I may as well probably leave it up to Day 2 or 3. Anyways enjoy!

Tricolour Taegeuk: Days of Future Past

Future - Part 1: Juliette Oleksiak-Collinson [Athletics]
Future - Part 2: Abdullah Ibn Salam [Association Football]
Future - Part 3: Taras Sen [Rhythmic Gymnastics]

Past - Part 1: Hannah James-Yim [Swimming]
Past - Part 2: Jin hang-Wook [Volleyball]

Eighteen years ago...

Point Quebec and Shingoryeo! 24-18, Match point.

Jin Chang-Wook had thought a lot about the past three weeks in Bunjil, especially the first game of the seven-game journey to this point where he was ruled out against Tumbra due to a minor injury he sustained during the practice. The shutout loss, which had initially put the Reapers' qualification chances at risk before they were saved by a shutout win over Ostankin two days later, lit a certain sense of urgency in the Reapers, and since then that has served as a vivid reminder as to not take anything for granted.

Of course, Jin was always the first person on the team to take this seriously. Being a volleyball setter, he was used to handling unexpected challenges and not being afraid about the pressure, which would come at him in ways similar to carrying the weight of the world. Even then, however, he needed a reminder.

With a 21h starting time, which had been set to secure primetime slots for the Quebecois audience on their early evening hours, he decided to spend the afternoon with his ex-girlfriend, Tatiana Llnagaay-Kondratyuk. The two-time gymnast who had come close to retirement after shocking elimination from the qualification round ten days ago, told him to always look into the positive side of life. She reminded him that no matter how the match went against Lisander, he would at worst be an Olympic silver medalist who's reached the heights other legends like Yi Joon-Cheol or Laurent Ahn would have dreamed of.

'Promise me that you won't give up, and that you won't feel sad,' asked Tatiana, who stared directly at him in middle of a park in Fairleigh-Warburton, about ten minutes walk away from the university where the final was to take place. 'Make the best out of what's out there. I know you have it in you.' Chang-Wook didn't say a word in response, only nodding along as they briefly kissed.

Six hours later now, the team was looking to finish the mission. After starting the gold medal match slow with a 23-25 loss to kick off the game, the Reapers answered back rightaway as they took the next two sets, 25-17 and 25-15, thanks to 16 points in 3 sets from their captain, outside hitter Alanis Hair-Lewis. The fourth set, in the meanwhile, was slightly more dramatic as the Reapers found themselves trailing with 1-5 deficit early in the set, before they, on the back of a 12-2 run under his backup, Gustave-Paul Filatriault, would straighten the ship.

But the Tricolour Taegeuk still needed a finisher. For all that success was made with Filatriault, who had performed marvellous taking over for Jin early in the fourth set, they still needed Jin Chang-Wook to call the final shot. And everybody knew that. As the Reapers reached the match point on the A-quick by Sung Han-Yong up front, Head coach Pierre-Stephane Jobin gave Chang-Wook a look that motioned for the setter to make his way to the court. Chang-Wook nodded as he entered the court, giving Gustave-Paul a quick but powerful hug to suggest his gratitude, before positioning himself for the set.

'Match point. Nothing's set in this game of volleyball though, and the Reapers will have to win it the most straightforward way - through good blocking, strong defence and most importantly perfect ball placement....the setter substitution, as Jin Chang-Wook returns to the court for what could be the picture-perfect finish for the superstar setter. They have the mani d'oro up front, and Zackaël Lapierre at libero, they will aim to settle it in a spiderman's cobweb.'

Gold medal point, Chang-Wook said to himself, as Alanis Hair-Lewis launched a floater serve at Maxi LeFort, a 2-metre tall outside hitter with reception issues. Right then he had a brief flashback appear before his eyes, as he was reminded of his childhood self when him and his sister, basketballer Chang-Sook who had just come up short in a thrilling final against the miracle-makers in San Otelio, were playing with their father in Emberton. He would notice how peaceful, and even relieved, his father was, at seeing his children, though he was unsure if this version of the late fencing coach, who had won gold in 2024 Aeropag, recognised how much they had grown since, or if they had known years of roller-coast that would follow the children since his passing. Dad, as I've promised... thought he, as the serve and subsequent actions passed by him in a slow motion.

'Arrete!'

Fortunately, the shout of Lapierre broke the silence on the court, as the time unfroze before his eyes with the libero, who had anticipated the high ball, making a perfectly-placed dig to Tássio Anger's spike. 'Go get it!' Lapierre shouted, right as the arena went into silence.

Oh shit, was all that's on Chang-Wook's on his mind, as he knew he couldn't miss this one. With a bounce this slow and high, he knew he had to make a shot. The ball was in the air, almost too perfect for him to ignore, and it was Chang-Wook's turn to take the leap.

And that's how the game ended. The ball descended in a parabola, Chang-Wook went for the direct kill, and the spike bounced off a Lisanderian blocker and into the stands. The final whistle followed, as the players and the coaching staff jumped a couple of times before dropping to the floor in joy. Head coach Pierre-Stephane Jobin, who looked very close to unravelling at the start of the Olympics, started embracing his assistant, Yi Joon-Cheol, as the former national team legend started bawling in joy for what he couldn't achieve when the Reapers lost in the fifth set of the gold medal match twenty years ago in Novonaya.

Chang-Wook, too, dropped to the ground, though it'd take a bit more time for him to get back to his senses with his teammates jumping on top of him after that final point. Not that he minded being jumped on though. While Chang-Wook has had taste of minor victories before, most recently with the back-to-back QIS men's championship with Queen's College, but there was no way the college sophomore could have prepared for a moment like this. This group of men had faced injuries early in the Olympics, and even risked being eliminated from the group stage after their Tumbra loss to open the olympics, but had managed to overcome it all and win next six games. They had risked everything, with no second chance wasted, and fought their way to win it.

The arena, too, was deafening with the noise as the predominantly Quebecois crowd roared into celebration accompanied by the neverending blaring of Vuvuzelas and drums on the stands. After minutes of nonstop celebration, Chang-Wook and the players eventually got out of their embrace, handshake with the Lisanderians to be followed.

Everything past that, of course, was left to the history books as the players made their way to the podium. Now, with their tears of joy replaced by genuine smile, they took a small bite at their medals as they received it. 'Oh Quebec, My Country' then followed, with the volume inserted to maximum, and nobody singing it in the right tune, but there was all the right amount of passion needed for the occasion.

That's not where our Chang-Wook's story would end, however. When he received the gold medal, one that befit the eco-friendly design using a similar theme to the gold medal his late father had in Aeropag 2024, he thought this was going to be it. The RQVF used the under-23 national team criteria with two overagers, and with how internationalised volleyball was getting at the time, it was natural to assume that Chang-Wook, who was out to kick off a lucrative professional career with Vreton Bulls of Bollonich awaiting, was not going to come back.

Of course, life had different ideas, and the promises Chang-Wook and Tatiana made with each other ended up lasting lot longer than what either of them had imagined. Chang-Wook, who eventually married Tatiana after a year of romance 2.0 the following summer, would go onto represent Team Quebec for two more olympics in Twin Cities and Jolbonopolis. Anchored by the the ethereal presence of their mani d'oro setter, they would emerge victorious to finish with an unprecedented threepeat while Jin, who would win two World Volleyball Expos and three Quebecois Commonwealth Games gold to his name since, was also named the olympic tournament MVP each time.

Now, at age 38, Jin finds himself happily in retirement, though it would be anything but true to say that he's kept himself away from the game. Quickly hired by the QBC as their latest volleyball commentator after his retirement the previous summer, Jin's been anything but absent this olympics, whether it be in his broadcasting booth at the Flameworks Indoor Sports Centre, or Jane Bryson Memorial Arena, Hamilton Institute of Technology to see Tatiana coach. While he, in fears of angering the gods, has stayed away from commenting on such possibilities, deep inside he remains hopeful that the Reapers, even with a slightly weaker Under-23 team than the ones he's led, could mount a case for the fourth-straight gold medal in men's volleyball.

[Uskad]

WITH PRESENTER TEGEDA SUKALA

Welcome to BSRU Sports, and let’s catch up on what’s happening for our team in the Summer Olympics.

First, we start on athletics, Uskad did not send a full athletics delegation like other competing nations and the results are let’s just say, as expected. Uskadians online noted that some female delegations in the event usually performed better in the qualifications than the men’s, and this sparked a discussion by Uskadian women, and especially on social media platforms, where they voiced their support for the Uskadian women competing in the Olympics.

The most gaining a lot of traction is the football team where the contrast between the two was highlighted. The reactions of Uskadians online mostly consists of saying Uskad should strive to be a force in women’s football. In other sports, it’s a mixed result. We lost qualifications for sports that we were doing well, but we did well in some.

Now let’s see, the last preliminaries before the opening ceremony. In athletics qualifiers, which has been described as an absolute disaster. Most Uskadian athletes/teams are shown to be on the bottom of the scoreboard. This has caused quite a social media controversy, where some athletes were sent threats online by Uskadians. Now we move to rugby sevens qualifiers, where both the Uskadian men’s and women’s team were defeated by the Afanc Strait. We did not qualify for handball as well. Well, don’t give up just yet, this is still the preliminaries, so there is a chance we do well in the event itself.

To all the athletes, we wish you good luck. To my fellow Uskadians, behave yourself and try to give your best support to our athletes.

That is all for now, stay tuned for more coverage from BSRU Sports.

[Kanmer]

THE GRAPHICS THREAD.

Due to some technical difficulties, Ritsport was not able to write a full report on the Kanmerin athletes performance. Insted of this, the collection of graphic tables is present.

When you will see Kanmerin and Ralsalien athlete being both so successful and finishing so close to each other for the next time?

The thing that every Kanmerin Olympic fan wanted to see. Imperial hockey team qualified!

Another amazing result, as the Pure Empire managed to win it's heat in the women's relay.

At the end, let's pay respect to the athletes who were too far away from the qualification spot, and to their determinance.

[Britonisea]

Sports News
Brityunik Vefecosoin Cairkovoin
http://www.bvc.com/news

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Day -1

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The flagbearers for the Opening Ceremonies have been revealed

The Games of the XVIII Olympiad are set to begin tomorrow and with the last few results from Day -1 coming through now, it is time to reveal who will be holding the flag of Britonisea at the Opening Ceremonies...

Liventia
Judo - Florencio del Cid
Florencio del Cid is one of the faces of the Britonish Olympic team. Florencio is a double medallist - he won gold in his judo category at the Games of the XVI Olympiad, and won bronze at the XVII Olympiad. del Cid is from Araparta, where many Britonish stars have come from. Starting at his local judo dojo as a young boy, he never really knew how much his talent would be recognised on such a large stage. Fast forward almost twenty years later, and he's competing at the Olympics and winning back-to-back medals for his country. del Cid, still young, will be going again for another medal to see whether he can recapture Olympic glory and take home a third medal and second gold.

Cycling - Ellena Montoya
Montoya shocked all at the Games of the XVII Olympiad when she cycled her way to victory in the women's time trial. She said that she was inspired by her teammate, Hussain Deleon who got the silver just before her. Aiming to go one better, she put her soul into that ride, winning by a whopping 33 seconds - her closest competitor wasn't anywhere close. Back in action on Day 1, she will be competing in the first of two events. The road race will be a lot more grueling, but knowing Montoya's ability to dig deep - there is no reason why she couldn't do well. Her main event, the time trial, is a further seven days away. Can she win gold again?

Electrum
Wrestling - Irina Sergeeva
Irina Sergeeva has been chosen as the female flagbearer for the Opening Ceremony in Electrum. Sergeeva competes in the women's 76kg Greco-roman wrestling and is a favourite to do well this year. Her past performances at the Olympic Games is the reason why she has been chosen. At the Games of the XVI Olympiad, she won a bronze medal - beating her opponent that came from the repechage rather convincly to win that medal. She was disappointed to lose against eventual winner, Kweon Se-Young from Quebec and Shingoryeo and vowed to come back stronger. At the Games of the XVII Olympiad, she did - she went all the way to the final where she was met with Dominica Ordo from Kriegiersien. A dominant display saw Irina win Britonisea's final medal of the Games. The Machievelihe-born wrestler will be going for one final fight at these Games, so we thought she would be the best person to fly the Britonish flag.

Gymnastics - Jordan Lacoste
While Ria Preston had her time to shine at the closing ceremony of the Games last year, it is only fair that Jordan Lacoste was chosen as a flagbearer at these Games - after all, both athletes achieved the same thing. Lacoste won Olympic Gold at the previous Games, winning in the men's rhythmic gymnastics individual event before spearheading the team event to Olympic glory as well. Lacoste, alongside Preston, did something that no other Briton has done - won two Olympic golds in the same Games. Lacoste's help in bringing the men's team a medal for the first time in three Games was almost certainly the tipping point to what helped them win gold, as mentioned by his teammates. While the stakes are higher at these Olympics, he is sure that alongside his team, he can win gold again...maybe twice this time!

[A Kea]

Olympic Countdown

by KTV

Welcome to the final episode of Olympic Countdown, once again Athanasia Karvela and Ioannis Hatzinasios are here this time though there will be no special guests as all our athletes have departed for Hamilton and Schimpol ahead of the opening ceremony tomorrow. Here is the full overview of our delegation for these games.

Sport	Men	Women	Total
Archery	3	3	6
Artistic Swimming	0	11	11
Athletics	23	18	42
Basketball	0*	12	12
Boxing	5	4	9
Breaking	1	1	2
Canoeing	1	3	4
Cycling	4	2	6
Diving	2	2	4
Equestrian	0	1	1
Fencing	3	4	7
Football	22	22	44
Gymnastics	4	7	11
Judo	3	1	4
Modern Pentathlon	2	1	3
Rowing	16	6	22
Rugby Sevens	12	0	12
Sailing	5	4	9
Shooting	9	4	13
Skateboarding	1	0	1
Sport Climbing	1	1	2
Surfing	0	1	1
Swimming	10	5	15
Table Tennis	3	3	6
Taekwondo	3	2	5
Tennis	1	2	3
Triathlon	2	2	4
Volleyball	12	12	24
Weightlifting	3	3	6
Wrestling	4	1	5
Total	155	138	293

*Men's basketball team is currently 2nd in their group, they got one game left
With a total of 293 athletes, our delegation has just 21 members less compared to last year, this shows the strength of our team since despite the new qualification rounds and the unexpected elimination of both our water polo teams, we managed to maintain our numbers relaitvely stable. This will also mark our Olympic debut in tennis and rugby sevens.

A: Let's now connect to Kristie in Hamilton where something historic took place. The first ever Kean Rugby Sevens team defied the expectations and secured an Olympic ticket.

Exactly, despite losing the final game of the group to Chromatika, our team has secured the Olympic qualification by placing second, just under Deadvlei. Right before the end of the previous Olympiad, coach Panagiotis Takakis angered by the lack of Kean representation in Rugby Sevens decided to form the Kean Rugby Federation and attempt to create a team. Due to the lack of awareness and practice of this sport within our island, he had to scout for players with Kean origins abroad and successfully created a team, a team that went with low expectations into the qualifying tournament but has eventually managed to make us all proud. Here's his statement after this historic qualification.

I've fought so hard for this, all by myself. Few peoplebelieved that this goal was plausible and achievable. Travelling, finding players, I did that all by myself, with my own expenses. The state didn't help me, they didn't believe that rugby is worth any investments. We train at an unused football stadium when we're in A Kea, but usually my players train in their homelands. It was so hard to build this team, create this connection necessary between the players. Now I feel vindicated. This was a huge step for the evolution of this sport in A Kea, now our nation will tune in to watch our Olympic attempt. Even if we get dead last in our group, I feel like I've achieved the success I was striving so hard for. If the state refuses to invest in our sport after this, I don't know what else could convince them.

I: Thanks for tuning in throughout these qualification days, now you should be looking forward to the extravagant opening ceremonies in our two host cities, where Vicky Karpouza and Evristhenis Kalousis and Lila Kofa with Evaggelos Pithagoras Scorsone will be raising our flag, may all our athletes make our island proud.
I: And let's not forget the final few qualification events, here the only Kean interest is in men's 4x100 medley relay and women's kiteboard, and obviously men's basketball as our team has one last chance to qualify and increase our athlete number

[Electrum]

DAY 0 CUTOFF - OPENING CEREMONY

Results from Liventia will come in just a few hours!

[Sargossa]

SSM | Sargossan State Media

International Edition - Olympics



The Prelim Perils


Raquel Solana writes;

It’s certainly like the Olympics, but it’s not quite the Olympics. It’s Olympics adjacent. The venues are the same. The crowds are smaller but, arguably, more knowledgeable. The atmosphere isn’t as good. And the pressure to perform is much worse. Because one error, one tiny misjudgement, one contentious decision and four years of hard work is reduced to naught before the band (there’ll probably be a band, right?) at the opening ceremony even play a cord. Welcome to the preliminary rounds ahead of the 18th Summer Games!

They’ve certainly proven to be a chastening experience for the nation’s athletics delegation. So often the athletics team is the crown jewel, the arsenal where our heaviest of Olympic weaponry is stored. It’s a programme that could possibly be the envy of several other countries competing at these Games. Success in the domestic Azul League has so often proven a pathway to Olympic glory. And, in all fairness, after four days of preliminary competitions, a healthy number of Sargossa’s athletics squad have successfully advanced to the Games proper. But it’s some of those names that haven’t made it that has sent a minor panic through the SAA hierarchy.

The selection criteria have often differed, most Olympic cycles the SAA have staged trials to determine the squad. This time around they used the season ending Azul League standings to make their selections. Perhaps they should have left well alone. Because the Hamilton Multi-Purpose Venue has proven to be a graveyard of our national champions. Of the top seeded Sargossans who arrived in Electrum, the athletes whose medal chances shone brightest, fourteen of them will go no further. On the men’s side, out went Sergio Leoz (110m Hurdles), Damián Franco (800m), Esteban Ureña (1,500m), Felix Ruiz (Pole Vault), Rufino Borquez (Shot Put) and Simón Arjona (Javelin). While the women lost Valeria Andino (400m Hurdles), Nazarena Rouco (1,500m), Tamara Vasić (Pole Vault), Tia Tejedor (High Jump), Renata Camero (Shot Put), Asia González (Triple Jump), Ana Sofía Pareja (Javelin) and Luna Martínez (Heptathlon)

Camero was a huge loss, as her gold medal defence ended in a 46th place finish in the prelims. Likewise, Felix Ruiz will have no chance to better his silver medal won four years ago. The tears of Tamara Vasić made a poignant picture for the media back home. The Mytanar-born athlete had been at the centre of much controversy, with her selection haunted by rumours of illegal immigration and residency rules being bypassed. None of which had been backed up by any evidence. But, perhaps weighed down by all the nonsense, her chance to prove her worth was cruelly snatched away too.

But it wasn’t all doom and gloom out on the track and in the field. Marco Carballal, a silver medallist the last time the Games were in Electrum, in Prescott, rolled back the years with his perfect performance in the high jump. Reigning champion Alarico Gamino led the way once again in the decathlon. His reward? To do one of the whole Games’ most gruelling events all over again in a few days time. Lucky guy. The women’s track stars were looking particularly good, with Zarina Sáez, Alexa Navarro and Lola Fonseca all winning their 200m heats. And both Consuela Tamayo and Julieta Obregón doing the same in the 800m. In the field, Luna Pousa, technically the third ranked Sargossan in the discipline, topped the triple jump standings. And the relay teams, so often a source of angst, came good too. With all five safely through to the main event.

While the athletes were being put through their paces in Electrum, over at the Schimpol International Aquatics Centre in Liventia, the swimmers were having a refreshingly easier time. Surprisingly, given that the pool is historically one of the hardest fought battlegrounds of the whole Games. Naturally, there were some disappointments. Reigning silver medallist Alejandro Serna failed to advance in the 200m freestyle. But he’s since been eclipsed by Bojan Ignjatović (shameless poached from the Mytanar program) as the nation’s preeminent freestyler. Reigning Olympic champion Jesús Seco’s exit from the 200m medley was a much bigger shock. But it does mean he can shift his focus to the individual breaststroke and backstroke events.

Then there’s the team sports. Oh my goodness, the team sports. What a mess. Yes, the majority of the team sports are not that well supported across the Greater Republic. But the Games gives the plucky underdogs a rare chance to shine. And sometimes they shine very brightly indeed. The women’s team’s bronze medal in hockey four years ago is testimony to that. There will be no such repeat here, despite an impressive win over host nation Liventia. The host’s subsequent big win over the Kytlerians saw them advance from group one on goal difference. The men managed a draw with Darkmania, but finished bottom of their group.

There was a wipeout too in the water polo, although the men pushed group winners Mytanija hard, and the women managed a win over Valanora. The rugby sevens sides, propped up largely by the diaspora from neighbouring Candelaria And Marquez, put up a strong fight but ultimately both failed to advance. The men raced out the gate with two wins, but a reverse to Polkopia and a hefty final fixture loss to cohosts Electrum saw them drop to third, with only the top two advancing. The women too ran into, and lost against, Polkopia. But managed a creditable win over the Mytanars, as they too ended their campaign in third place. In basketball, the man are out*, but they too enjoyed a facing-saving victory over Mytanija. The women put up a good fight in their tournament, but ultimately were eliminated on points difference. In the 3x3 variant both sides managed wins, but still exited.

In those team events the nation, in all honesty, is not expected to challenge the big boys and girls. In football and volleyball the expectations are altogether different. But the results were less different. Both football sides opened up their campaigns with fixtures against the Kytler Peninsulae, with the man taking a win and the women securing a draw. Then the men’s wheels fell right off, with a 4 – 0 trouncing dished out by Slavo-Baltia. The plucky debutants then beat the Kytlerians, to send both World Cup veterans packing. So thank goodness for the women. Lela Lafuenté’s well-drilled side stuck four passed Team Diarcesian which, coupled with the group’s other result, sent the two-time silver medallists into the main draw. There was to be no such story for the women’s volleyball side. In a lopsided and ultimately heartbreaking one match shootout against Sangti and the Filindo Isles the women won two sets convincingly, lost two set narrowly and then caved in a nerve-shredding final set in what was the preliminary contests’ most disastrous result for the nation. The men lost their single group game in four, against Chromatika.

Whisper it though, but maybe there will be an underdog story yet, in the handball of all places. The men started their campaign with a rare win, over Natanians and Nosts. Before succumbing in the other two fixtures. But the women took full advantage of competing in a very tight, three nation group. They lost to Chromatika by the narrowest of margins, before besting Ko-oren. All three nations finished on one win and one loss, with Sargossa going through on goal difference. A huge result for the women, across a series of team competitions that have been devastating. You could say the nation’s teams have been decimated. You shouldn’t, because that widely misused word means to reduced by one tenth. Which, frankly, I think we all would have taken. Sixteen teams came to Electrum and Liventia for the Olympic preliminary tournaments. Just two of them will advance to the Games themselves. That one of them is the women’s handball side is truly astonishing. Ladies, take a bow.

[Magnus Phoenicia]

WP||Magnus Phoenicia Global News Corp

Sports || Health || Technology || Gossip || Domestic Politics || International Politics ||Food|| Entertainment || World || Religion || Weather

All Eyes on Elusive Sports

The Magnus Phoenician Olympic Committee is monitoring the progress and development of several sports, as the delegation pushes through qualifications and heads into the Games.

Among the sports on the radar are golf, basketball, sport climbing, surfing, hockey, and indoor volleyball. Sports that have shown promise at a national level but have yet to yield medals in previous Olympics.

Could this be the year they break through and bring home long-awaited victories? Will the drought be over?


Collectors are always on the lookout for those rare, elusive items that will bring their collections to completion. Whether it's a vintage comic book, a limited-edition action figure, or a rare coin, the quest for these treasures is what drives their passion. The thrill of the hunt, the excitement of uncovering a long-sought-after piece, is often just as rewarding as finally acquiring it.

For many collectors, the satisfaction of adding a rare item to their collection is unmatched, and it only deepens their love for the hobby, fueling them to keep searching for the next hidden gem.

The same thrill is had for the Magnus Phoenician Olympic Committee and Olympic Games fanatics.
From one Olympic Games to another, the nation has continuously achieved an impressive medal haul of gold, silver, and bronze, a source of great pride for the country.

However, it hasn’t gone unnoticed that certain federations continue to dominate in the same medal categories.

Those excelling are urging their counterparts to step up their game, pushing for more investment into their athletes and facilities. The goal is clear, to develop amazing talent that can break through in events where success has been elusive. In many cases there has been more sightings of the Sasquatch, than a Magnus Phoenician in the finals.
Federations are calling for a bigger effort to elevate their overall performance and broaden the range of events where they can contend for medals. It's a rallying cry to transform potential into podium finishes.

Two-time Olympic weightlifting gold medalist and current Olympic Federation President, Kim Na-gil, has his sights set on more than just own sport's legacy. He highlighted several sports he’d like to see medal worthy performances in, Kim envisions a broader success across the board for Magnus Phoenicia.

An huge fan of bingo, Kim compares his vision for Magnus Phoenicia’s Olympic journey to ticking off boxes on a bingo card, each sport and event where a medal is won bringing him closer to that ultimate goal. With a smile of satisfaction, he dreams of marking off every sport on the list and screaming bingo!

Kim Na-gil has identified three key events he hopes can get the ball rolling and secure medals before his tenure as Olympic Federation President comes to an end

Golf

Magnus Phoenicia has the MP Professional Golfers' Association, Magnus Phoenicia Open and MP Golf Grand Prix as the three top golfing events on the calendar.

Golfing fans were faced with a harsh reality as golfers found it challenging to compete against the immense talent from other countries, despite hosting top-notch events.
The last Olympics saw the top woman finish in an unhealthy position of 24th place. While the top man ended up in the top 10. The empires top golfer Sidd Patel struggled into 24th place.

After dominating the competition at the most recent MP Professional Golfers' Association and MP Golf Grand Prix tournaments, Sidd Patel is now setting his sights on a new challenge, the Olympics. With unwavering determination, Patel is determined to secure an Olympic medal in golf and solidify his status as one of the greatest golfers of his generation. Fans are eagerly anticipating his performance on the world Olympics stage during the qualifications.
Will he prove himself as a force to be reckoned with in the world of golf?

Olympic Golf will see returning athletes
Harpreet Singh and Sidd Pattel take to the green with Jason Mitchell and Trevor Hendricks joining them. However all eyes will be on Patel and Singh.

For the women, Magdalene Russo returns to try her clubs at another shit.
She will be joined by Lý Kim Thoa, Monique Bowers and
Thursday White.
All four hoping to leave their mark and return home with a shiny new medal. Are the Magnus Phoenician golfers up to the harsh challenge, as delegations worldwide aspire for the same finish?

Basketball


Magnus Phoenicia basketball boasts some serious teams on the homefront.
The Men's and Women's National Basketball Leagues each consists of 12 teams. So that should be an excellent source of athletes to pull some serious talent for the Olympic delegation. However, on each appearance they have struggled to make an impact.

The women’s Olympic basketball dream came to a close in the quarterfinals with a tough 55–79 loss to Banija in their last appearance, yet it marked one of their best-ever international results. Meanwhile, the men’s team bowed out against Waisnor in the round of 16 with a 91–71 finish.

Both teams showed significant improvement, securing second place in their respective preliminary rounds, a clear sign of progress. As they head into these Games, the goal is simple: build on this momentum and push for a higher ranking than ever before. With renewed determination and lessons learned, both squads are hungry for redemption and ready to chase Olympic glory.

Stephen Lang, the head of the Basketball Federation, is confident that both teams possess a great deal of talent and potential to excel in the upcoming Games.
“Felix Maxwell, the coach of the men's team, and Tuesday Nightingale, the coach of the women's team, along with their dedicated managers and staff, have put in countless hours of hard work to ensure success.”

Lang believes that the combination of Maxwell's strategic coaching style and Nightingale's strong leadership will be key factors in the teams' success.
Both coaches have been working closely with their players to fine tune their skills and develop effective game plans for the competition. With a strong focus on defence, team possession and teamwork.


Rugby Sevens

With the men winning a silver medal at the
XII Summer Olympics, Kelssek and Vekaiyu. Eyes are on the women's team to add a medal to their resume.

At the last Games, they finished at the bottom of their pool. Winning one of their five matches. Can the women who go by the nickname the Phillies outdo their last performance. Fans pray they don't do any worse.

Head coach Zoe Nowell and Rugby Federation President Dallas Cameron have worked relentlessly during the selection process, handpicking the best talent from Magnus Phoenicia’s 14 national rugby teams. Their rigorous approach is being hailed by Nowell as a critical step in assembling a squad capable of elevating the nation’s standing in the preliminary pool ranks.

“We’re not just looking for skill, we’re looking for the heart and resilience it takes to push through tough matches,” Nowell emphasized. This selection strategy is poised to give Magnus Phoenicia the edge they need to rise and compete with the world’s best on the Olympic stage.

“With so much talent from around the world descending on the Olympics, it's hard to judge how well we will do.
Quebec and Shingoryeo, Electrum and The Valhallan Union were the podium winners at the previous Games.
The XVI Olympics saw Ko-oren, Mytanija and New Gelderland and the Games before that had three different winners.
The positive sign with these outcomes is, there is not one or two particular teams who are consistently winning and dominating, which gives Magnus Phoenicia hope they could pull a win out of their hat.”


Kim Na-gil, with a clear vision of success, is determined to lead a delegation that will not only maintain but also elevate the standard of sporting excellence at the Olympics.

Recognizing the importance of investing in underperforming federations, substantial resources have been allocated to support low winning sports athletes to improve their chances of securing medals.
By bringing in new coaches and upgrading training facilities, these struggling federations will be equipped with the necessary tools to showcase their talent and competitiveness on the world stage and can no longer excuse losses based on coaches, facilities and equipment.

Let the Games begin…

[North Oharan Valley Union]

Timestamp: 12 September 2024 - 16h52
Tags: Games of the XVIII Olympiad, Mission Olympica

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Games of the XVIII Olympiad - D-1
Out with the Old, In with the New

During the Olympics, our reporter Kristaps Rozentals shares his experiences in Hamilton and Schimpol in this live blog series

D-1: 7h53 * Hotel
Whilst wolfing down a plate of bacon and eggs, I could already take a look at the opening maneuvers on the golf course in Prescott. Naidzels Vitolins just putted a birdie on the second hole, compensating for a mistake at the opening one. If he can keep close to the par today, nothing can go wrong for the 32-year old who already won everything there is to win domestically. He is one of the three golfers on our roster for whom the decision seems to have fallen already: Marie Bandzeladze is on a magnificent form and leads the table for the women’s while Maiko Kobalia lacked her consistency of the trials. A triple bogey on the opening day put her on the backfoot and she never really recovered: golf truly is a mental game as much as it is a physical one. The only one for who today will be decisive is surprise domestic qualifier Nodar Burchuladze, a young newcomer in the scene. His first two days were promising but he looked a bit worn out yesterday: only a strong run will allow him to walk the grass of the Red Sands Country Club. But before Burchuladze steps out for his first tie-off, it is time to travel to the athletics stadium, by now a familiar trip.

D-1: 8h44 * Hamilton MPV
There are various ways in which Dzims Pukaitis can be considered an outlier to most conventional rules. In a field of fresh faced, aerodynamic hunks, his unkept beard, thick glasses and imploding afro haircut already catch the eye. But Pukaitis also thinks outside the box in other ways: he is a rare athlete unassociated with a club. The mile specialist trains as an independent by his own methods which he shares in chaotic vlogs. But his devotion for hill repeats almost pays off here in Hamilton. For two laps, Pukaitis hung in the back before darting to the front to make it a hard race. Following the pace of Hopal’s Jack Salinger, he is in second with 250 meters left but those with a faster finish pass him one by one. Last of them is Quebecois Gallant who pushes our favorite bespectacled runner out of the top six: a gutsy race from Dzims Pukaitis but as there are no spots for fastest losers, his journey ends here.

D-1: 9h02 * Hamilton MPV
In that split second before the camera drifts towards more reputed runners such as Julian Thomas and Cornel Netal, it lingers for half a second on Tymchuk who grins and waves two fingers to the fans: quite the confidence from the Cherpahorian who dreams of taking his second qualification. But Andrij Tymchuk lives up to that promise as he wins a spot on the second row while Thomas dictates the pace. He avoids the washing machine in the middle of the pack and still runs in fourth as they approach the last lap. Thomas adds another stride and Tymchuk seems to buckle for a second but those around him crack alike: our 22-year old student needs to sprint till the line to make it but a glance to the right confirms that neither Escribano nor Yusuf snuck ahead. The grin is now a wide smile but he waves to the camera once more with two stretched fingers. The kids are alright and can say that Tymchuk, clearly in his best form ever, cannot survive another round?

D-1: 9h37 * Hamilton MPV
It is the women’s turn now for the continental mile and things start to heat up, both literally as proverbially. Having two Oharese in one heat should be an advantage but the dislike between Olivia Mainey and favorite Erato Mikoyan runs at many levels. On the one hand, there is the sporting dominance of Mikoyan: her Glenndeiradhi adversary tries to beat her already for over three years but always falls short. And then there is the political dimension: Mikoyan is a vocal supporter of the Isprokan movement that looks rather unkind on the region of which Mainey hails. And we have not even discussed the interpersonal differences between them. Still, this race should be an easy top six for Mikoyan and a tough ask for Mainey. Mikoyan tries to string out the field with a hard pace and we have seen this work out so often before that it is a shock when she gets completely overrun by the opposition. A first group goes past, then a second and it is a completely disillusioned Mikoyan who slows down in the final meters. To make the humiliation even worse for the ‘Queen of the Mile’, there is Mainey who was dropped halfway but now pushes herself over the finish just before her nemesis and celebrates as if it was a qualification. Not a pretty sight for Oharese athletics.

D-1: 10h39 * Hamilton MPV
We are trying to keep our focus on the shot put, where our two heptathletes confirm the good work from yesterday: the powerful Morozova opened with a throw past fourteen meters and her close friend Kravchuk gets even a bit more than those 800 points on her second attempt. But our mind keeps on wandering towards Erato Mikoyan. We have had devastating eliminations before but to see Mikoyan’s first loss in over three years was a shock. In the first place for herself: the disillusion was clear as she disappeared from the stadium without a word. Luckily, there is more than a week left before she needs to perform again. From the outside, and with her strong 5km in mind, there appears to be no physical issue. But there will be a lot of work to be done on the mental front to get her on the starting line in a state to challenge for a finals spot. Having rival Mainey pip her on the line only adds to the damage done.

D-1: 11h41 * Hamilton MPV
The implosion from Mikoyan aside, there is also a lot of good news to share from the MPV. Long and triple jumping are no Oharese specialties but that does not stop 26-year old geography teacher Manase Hovhannisyan to defy all odds. On his last try, he takes risks and leaves only millimeters at the take-off board. His bet pays off as he lands a bit past the qualification mark and posts the fourth national record of these qualifiers. Remarkably, three are in the men’s field events: Melkonyan on the pole vault, Horbatchuk in the high jump and now the triple jump figures need some updating. And if they are not NRs, then it are the personal bests that are getting shattered. Hanna Morozova shatters her best effort on the shot put and leaps forward in the heptathlon: only a Cunhaneçu attack on diacritics stops her from a first spot halfway and an unanticipated Olympic ticket seems assured. That could become two, but Kravchuk sits on the bubble with two more events to come.

Hanna Morozova breaks personal records left and right on her road to qualification.

D-1: 14h25 * Flameworks Skate Park
It was a bit of a gamble to leave the Multi-Purpose Venue for a few hours at the Skate Park halfway through the day and while standing in line there, I might have reconsidered a few times: the stringent security checks take their time with some skate fans claiming it is ‘like, not cool man’ and calling to ‘fight the power’: luckily the most rowdy ones satisfy themselves by listening to some hardcore punk and loitering by the sides of the entrance. But the level displayed inside the arena made up for it. First of all, we were here to witness the Olympic moment of Daniils Lazovskis, a true hero of the sport back home. Skateboarding makes quite an impact in the valleys but as a mode of transport first and a sport second. Mediocre road infrastructure and the high price of cars long forced people to opt for alternatives. On top of that, the geography of the valleys leads to communities in a relatively small area, making walking a default mode of transport. But the slight slopes invite for rolling alternatives, so when skateboards popped up half a century ago, they exceeded the temporary fad and became a mainstay. Especially high schoolers and students, due to the near-absent public transport facilities, often have a board in their backpack for the downward bits of their commute.

Those bothered with the sport usually focus on ‘street’ due to the accommodation: only a handful of parks exist, with most of them in a sorry state. It is telling that one of the few with proper conditions is actually managed by participant Lazovskis. At 31, he has seen all the ins and outs of the sport and has been a driving force in fields such as board design, spreading of training clips and DIY repair shops. No wonder that the whole community got behind Lazovskis and his Olympic ambition. Goofy skaters always add flair and his splendid first run confirmed so, but his trick book lacked something spectacular to get in the qualifying spots. Lazovskis added risks in his next two runs but could not land everything. He did add a cheeky kickflip after the timer, just as a thank you for the small but loud pocket of Oharese fans. It is a shame that this living legend will not perform at the Olympics proper but with three other qualifiers, we are sure to tune in on some skateboarding in the next weeks.

D-1: 17h04 * Hamilton MPV
After the men’s park spectacle, I had gone for a quick bite in the city center before heading back to the MPV. After all, the main event would be an easy qualification of Ruth Griffith in the javelin throw, so why hurry? The 27-year old had already announced that she and her husband (hurdle runner Dom Melville) would retire from the sport after the Olympics and focus on their professional career: Melville aspires to a military career while Griffith works in a laboratory. Having thrown over 63 meters on her way to a fourth consecutive national title a few weeks ago, no one wondered whether Griffith would make it and even the date of the final was already marked in pencil. But after two mediocre throws, Ruth Griffith sat in 39th, was close to elimination and had me hurdling back to the stadium. Under pressure, she usually performs but now her angle is off and the third throw even gets nowhere near sixty meters. Before the tip hits the grass, she already sunk to her knees, head in hands. The always sympathetic redhead waved shortly to the audience and even flashed a meager smile already but this must be devastating for her. It seems too soon to see if this will influence her decision to call it quits but it would be heartbreaking to see such a star end her career like this.

It is a false last note to a beautiful career for Ruth Griffith.

D-1: 17h38 * Hamilton MPV
The stars might be feeling but other athletes are doing their best to pick up the slack. Ruairi Nolan, one of many athletes representing the Kishniken Athletics Rovers (as is Griffith), caught our eye with a ballsy run during the medley event. Nolan seems remarkably short when compared to the rest of the field but he has the right leg length to make the hurdles and shine. During his heat, he did everything perfect and while a few of his competitors had touches that slowed them down, he kept a perfect pace to win his spot in the next round with the sixth best time. Even if the big cannons kept their power dry, that is a promising run. And if we are discussing promising, it is hard to look past Rayisa Bojchenko. The 19-year old from Khmilytsja was one of the more surprising athletes to make her way through the national trials as she dove under the time limit for the first time in her career. That personal best of 56.65 got shattered once more in Hamilton but it is agonizingly close for third place against Dora Oreški from Mytanija and Krytenia’s Candace Ewell. Ewell cracks first but it’s only in the last two steps that Bojchenko gets ahead. Two qualifiers on the hurdles, add to that the stunt from Melville on the opening day and out of nowhere, the Valley Union can claim some sort of ‘hurdles legacy’.

D-1: 20h36 * Hamilton MPV
Few races are as intriguing as the concluding event of the heptathlon. Worn out athletes push themselves to the limit which can lead to amazing human feats and spectacular collapses. Hanna Morozova, after a fourth PB on the long jump, knows that a stable run in the middle of the pack suffices for a beautiful final position. For her compatriot Nelya Kravchuk, the stakes are higher. The former basketball player made up ground in the long jump but fears the 800 meters. She passes the first lap in a (for her) unseen 1:04.27 but starts to fall back in the next one. Her last stretch will not deserve points on aesthetics. Still, when the points get added up, Kravchuk makes it to the Olympics proper. This means that the heptathlon, an event that a decade ago was barely organized in the valleys, becomes the only event with multiple subscriptions to qualify them all. The two collapse on each other's arms, knowing they have not just completed an impressive sporting performance but also a groundbreaking moment for women’s sports in the North Oharan Valley Union.

Nelya Kravchuk qualifies after a consistent appearance in the preliminaries.

D-1: 21h37 * Hamilton MPV
The relay events are the apotheosis of what has been an athletics day with mixed feelings: a series of Oharese who excelled got laced with the elimination of two of the great names of our athletics team: Erato Mikoyan and the retiring Ruth Griffith. The pressure is now on Maral Kapoian to salvage the damage and add a headline. At 29, she is a veteran in her team but Kapoian visibly takes on that role with a certain pride, guiding the youngsters around her. With a strong acceleration, she comes out of the first turn in second to hand it to Lysenko, eight years her junior, who then finds Runce for the second turn. Both have to give up ground, as expected, and hurdles specialist Julia Ozolina receives the baton in sixth position. With a good finish, keeping off the Mandaran team, she set a strong time of 43.28. Looking at the splits, only Runce struggled a little in that treacherous second turn but overall each performed at their best level. So just at the tailend of these preliminaries, we get another relay national record but the girls will have to stay attentive for the next three heats: can they hold the fastest losing time?

D-1: 21h59 * Hamilton MPV
The night ends with the mixed relay and in the current form of Ilya Mamaladze, everyone believed that an upset was possible. Not in the least Mamaladze himself, who banged his chest to the camera and looked extremely self-assured ahead of the third heat. With good reason, as he darted away from the get-go and could do his handover in second position, close to Crpostrani Nikolay Shiro. Things started to unravel there: Lucy Gamburyan, who also failed to convince in her individual event, could not take on the fight and fell back to fifth, outside of the qualifying spots. On top of that, her hand-off to Chketidze looked disastrous, with the latter almost coming to a standstill. Final runner Bojchenko, still beaming after her performance this afternoon, could overtake the Ko-orenite Brunelle and even made up ground on Britonisea’s Vatenfall, but the top four was a lost cause. Still, a time of 3:15.79 was not a complete debacle… Until the results showed up on the board. The poor second baton pass had been irregular and the Oharese got disqualified, a dramatic end to a day that had enough dramas and wonders already.

D-1: 22h58 * Hotel
After a day of highs and lows, it was hard to completely relax even though the exhaustion started to kick in. I unfortunately could not get any tickets for the opening ceremony, but it is almost a blessing in disguise to have a day off in this intense event… And it is only getting started! To cool down, I thought to check some golf results but that was no source for relaxation. Nodar Burchuladze stepping into the top sixty despite a rare triple bogey, only to ruin it with two bogeys on the last two holes was already bad enough. But then my eye fell on the performance of Vitolins. The main man of the domestic golf scene suffered an offday with a round that was ten over par. As such, he threw away an assured qualification for a play-off spot. Rattled by nerves, he got a bogey on the first chance (par had been enough) and as if that was not bad enough, he followed it up with a six on a four-par hole. Rarely have we seen someone threw away a chance at glory like this and from the thousand-yard stare he had after that last one, we see he could not believe it either. Quite the setback for our lively domestic golf scene.

Pictures included are AI generated. Their only purpose is adding visual breaks and they should not be considered for RP scoring.

[Banija]

OCB Executive Chairman, Patrick Zervos, sitting at his hotel in Schimpol

Patrick Zervos was scrolling through his phone. He quite liked his new job- after spending forever at Loyola-Istria as the Athletic Director, this was clearly a promotion- especially the way the Olympic Committee of Banija was structured, at least in comparsion to most other countries. Most places the Olympic Committee was more of a joint, colloborative effort between various sporting bodies. Did they have power? It varied from country to country on the specifics, but generally, the individual sporting bodies held the power within their respective sports.

Except, of course, for Banija.

The Olympic Committee of Banija held pretty much all power over professional, NT, and Olympic level sport in Banija. Now, of course, there were exceptions. The BCSG, of course, was the organizer for inter-collegiate athletics. And the Banijans had a separate Commonwealth Games Council, although there were rumors circulating about the Olympic Committee re-assuming that body under its wing. But two truly independent sporting governing bodies in the country? One, of course, was the Royal Banijan Soccer Association. Massive sport, an intricate youth development system, the globe's biggest- they needed their own. And, of course, they actually existed before the creation of the OCB. So the OCB had basically absolutely nothing to do with soccer at all times. Even during the Olympiad- the RBSA ran their Olympic teams as they saw fit, the OCB providing not much more than a logo.

The other, of course, was more of a quirk of history. The Banijan Hockey Federation- the sole governing body for ice hockey within the Kingdom. Spun off to ensure the strange politics around winter sports in Banija did not effect it, the BHF has largely thrived and been successful. They even successfully put together a World Cup of Hockey. But everything else? Under the direct auspices of the Olympic Committee- regardless of whether it was an Olympic sport or not. Each sport had an Executive Vice President, of course- but those EVPs ranked underneath Zervos. So from gridiron, to basketball, track & field, baseball(not even an Olympic sport!), and basically everything under the Sun you can think of, it was a core competency of the Olympic Committee.

Some thought this gave too much power to one individual body. And honestly- it might. But considering Banija's general success in various team sports that were governed by the OCB(multiple world titles in baseball, gridiron, and hoops), as well as general Olympic success, it was a tradition that largely went unchallenged. And Patrick Zervos was one who was going to continue to see success there. He had left his longtime job at Loyola-Istria not because he failed- in fact, he thrived at Loyola, overseeing 3 NSCF titles in gridiron, as well as a NSCAA title in hoops. Constantly pushing the envelope, growing Loyola's global brand. But when his son got hired as the football coach- there was plenty of (reasonable) concerns about potential nepotism, and to ensure that did not happen, he left.

Zervos was at peace with it. He loved his old job, and loved Loyola- but this job was a great one as well. And now, here at the Summer Olympiad, he was at the pools, watching his grandchildren. And by watching, we don't mean babysitting- nope, we mean watching them compete. After the Banijans only earned a single swimming medal at the last Games, the Olympic Committee poured deep into swimming- Banijans were never going to dominate in the pool, but if they ever wanted to be a top 5 gold medal nation at the Games, they would need to do better in the competition's most medal rich sport. And who emerged as the general best 3 male swimmers at the last Olympic qualifiers in Hawabark? Most members of the Zervos clan- Kasozi Zervos, Akello Zervos, and Alanyo Zervos.

Patrick couldn't help but beam with pride. Of course, plenty of people thought these triplets had some sort of competitive advantage. Their father was a high-paid college football coach, grandfather head of the Olympic Committee- what more could they ask for? Not exactly rags to riches- but, ballin swimmers regardless. And these three probably had a heavier weight of expectation on their own shoulders than any Banijan swimmers before them(not saying much). Banijan swimming was a laughingstock globally. The black stereotypes- "big dudes with pace and power" and "black people can't swim" were given to them globally. And with the Banijan performance in the pool and in Athletics last time (1 medal to 19), they were living up to them. The Zervos' would be Banija's ticket out of that.

Just then, Akello Zervos walked up to his grandpa, and clasped his hand. "Granddad." The two embraced. "I'm excited here for the Men's 1500m freestyle." That was the race that was about to happen. "We've had a good day so far- that men's 4x100 was nice. We're in a strong position there. But to succeed as an individual? That would be... Peak."

"You can do it Akello." Patrick told his grandson. "You're one of the best- that's why you're in this position." The two hugged again. Akello walked over to his position. Patrick stood up and pumped his first- he was going to zoom over to the men's Field Hockey Qualifiers from, where Banija had a big game against Quebec. But, naturally, he had to witness this. Once everybody hit the water, Akello started to swim. 1500m freestyle, of course, was a long one- but Akello was putting himself in a great position. "C'mon Akello!" Patrick yelled. Akello continued to push himself, pacing his heat. Eventually finished- top of his heat. And it would end up being the top overall time in Qualifying- a significant accomplishment in and of itself.

"Let's GO AKELLO!" Patrick yelled. He pumped his first as he got up- he needed to cross town to catch some field hockey in due haste. But he had seen what he wanted to see- his own grandson officially earning his place in the Men's 1500m freestyle. He got a text that the men's basketball team was eliminated from the Olympiad, that the final tiebreakers there were, indeed, head to head, as opposed to overall point differential. He could care less. There was one thing that mattered right now- and that was the legacy his grandchildren were contributing to here. Some gold medals here would surely mean that the Zervos' would take their role as Banija's first sporting family, right?

[Mytanija]

BOXING BEGINS IN HAMILTON
SPEAKING TO THE THESSIAN SIBLINGS SEARCHING FOR GOLD AT THE OLYMPICS

by Alen Kujovic

At the last Olympic Games Mytanar boxers utterly dominated the competition. Mytanija’s boxing programme sent athletes who sealed 5 gold medals, 4 silver medals and 1 bronze medal in a display of boxing excellence which drew admiring glances from all over the sporting world. Many wondered what they could do to imitate the Mytanar system, what could they glean from a programme which has been the preeminent source of medallists over the last three Olympic cycles – even the Sargossans are borrowing Mytanars for their boxing programme, such is the success of the Mytanar school.

A number of famous gyms all around Mytanija have provided athletes for the Olympics, but a famed one in Thessia produced a pair of siblings that are hoping to make history by securing a gold medal apiece in their respective boxing tournaments at this Olympics. The Avdagic siblings – Zejnil, 23; Hafiza, 18 – are well-known in Mytanija, their exciting styles lighting up domestic tournaments over the last eight years for Zejnil and around two for Hafiza. Zejnil seized a famous gold medal at the first time of asking at the Afanc Strait / Jolbonopolis Games, dropping home favourite Austin Foxwell with 0:16 remaining in the last round to steal a 3-2 split decision victory. That put him onto the top step of the podium and launched his career into the stratosphere.

Hafiza is hoping to emulate her brother, fighting in the women’s featherweight division which Ema Siklic dominated for so long and she takes inspiration from the legend, as well as her brother of course – though she might not like to admit it.

“When I was younger I got into boxing because Zejnil was doing it. I think every younger sibling wants to be out there copying there big brother or sister, but Mum wouldn’t let me do it for so long, eventually I managed to wear her down. I think it was after an Olympics, actually, when Ema Siklic was doing so well. I said I want to go and box with Zejnil so I can try and be like the famous lady on the television. Thankfully Mum let me go in the end!” Hafiza laughs.

“Having such a big dream like that, I think when you’re younger you don’t process it too much and I was just trying my best to be like my brother that it allowed me to improve and improve and all of a sudden I was actually really good and had a chance to compete properly. Suddenly I could actually become Ema Siklic, or have a chance to do the sorts of things she did.” Hafiza explains, thumbing through old newspapers depicting Siklic’s many career highlights, clippings brought along to the interview by Gazeta Sporta.

“That’s when it was so good to have a brother who was already doing some amazing stuff in his own right.” Hafiza continue. “He’s been really great for guiding me through stuff and trying to get me over the difficult bits, saying it’ll all be worth it in the end. He’s been great, really. Don’t tell him I said that though!”

Hafiza boxes in the exact same all-action style that is so familiar to those who have followed Zejnil Avdagic’s career. Technically proficient, but always willing to turn a bout into a tear-up if they feel that the opponent demands that sort of fight, it makes for a lot of excitement, even if it often has their coaches biting their fingernails for fear of them getting caught with a blow which changes the course of a fight. If Hafiza can marry up the never-say-die attitude with the slick sharp-shooting and counterpunching off the back foot which has characterised her brother’s career then she should be alright.

And what of Zejnil? What does he think about his sister’s hopes of a medal here in Hamilton? Well, it turns out the big brother is his little sister’s biggest fan.

“I think Hafiza can do anything, man.” He beams when asked about his younger sibling. “She’s a year younger than I was when I went to Afanc Strait and won gold, but you know, I think she’s actually further on in her development than I was at that stage. I think she can go and win the gold medal too. She’s got everything in her arsenal, she’s brilliant fighting on the outside, we’ve both got these long arms which we can use to almost reach around the opponent’s guard with our punches. She’s clever when fighting on the inside and doesn’t mind it getting rough. I think she can rely on her technical ability a bit more, my defence wasn’t good enough four years ago and that’s why I needed a knockdown in the last round against Foxwell to even have a chance of winning… I think Hafiza can do a bit more than I could at the same stage. She’s got a fantastic chance and if it doesn’t happen now then I’m sure it will in the future, we’re always learning.”

And what about his own hopes? Has he done some learning in the intervening years between Afanc Strait / Jolbonopolis and Hamilton / Schimpol?

“Well, I’ve got a target on my back this time.” He says calmly, an unusual thing for someone who feels they may be targeted, you’d imagine. “Everybody wants to win the gold medal and everybody knows that the gold medallist from last time is here and has a good chance of defending his gold medal given his performances between the two Olympics. I’m feeling fantastic, we’ve done a lot of work with the Mytanski Institut za Sport and I’ve got into the best shape I think I’ve ever been in – fitness wise I feel unstoppable. We all know that boxing isn’t a fitness test, though, so I need to keep my eye on the ball and I think I’ve worked on the things which made getting gold last time a bit more difficult than it needed to be. I think I’ve tightened up my defence and I think I can fight in more ways now too. It doesn’t need to be 110 kilometres an hour all the time. I’m looking forward to competing.”

The Thessian siblings will look to write a famous familial story at Hamilton / Schimpol, and in a nation that adores boxing, placing it on a pedestal alongside football and pole vault in terms of the widespread respect it garners across the population, it’s a story which will be watched by millions. Is the dream for both Zejnil and Hafiza to be paraded through Thessia with a gold each around their necks?

“Of course, man!” Zejnil smiles. “I genuinely can’t think of anything better, our Mum would be ecstatic with that.”

“It’s the dream, definitely.” Hafiza says, before grinning craftily. “But I’m not going to pretend that if I win one and Zejnil doesn’t that I won’t prod him with a few jokes. I guess it will still be 1-1 though if that does happen, he got one last time… We’ll both just have to go to the next Olympics to work out who’s the best overall between us.”

[Loch Dearg]

Fitzgerald Crashes out Before Opening Ceremony

The Loch Dearg Gazette
Day 0

Loch Dearg's opening ceremony plans have been thrown into disarray as the hotly tipped skateboarder Fiona Fitzgerald failed to qualify for the Olympics, leaving the debutants a flagbearer short. "It's absolutely ridiculous", pundit Mark Whitehall said, "I mean it comes off as arrogant from the Olympic committee to just assume she'd breeze through qualifying. This is our first Olympics so we have no reference point on where we stand compared to the rest of the sporting world, this situation would've been easily avoidable by simply waiting for qualifying to end". The Olympic committee have called upon golfer Eliza Myers as a late replacement. Myers was one of 6 golfers (3 men and 3 women) to qualify, a rare win for Loch Dearg who have found success hard to come by in nearly every other sport. The original entry of 300 has been cut significantly before the games have even started, medals can't be won in days -4 to -1 but they can certainly be lost and quite a few Olympic dreams have ended prematurely. Myers, who finished qualifying in 2nd on +5 over par on a tricky Olympic course spoke of her pride about taking on the role: "This is just an incredible opportunity for me and I'm just so excited for it, I'm over the moon. Of course it's rough for Fiona but obviously our flagbearer has to actually be in the Olympics and.... well unfortunately she didn't even come close. I feel so honoured to be chosen as her replacement".

Fitzgerald herself was seen hurrying through the airport en route to a secluded beach resort, she has dodged any communication with reporters since her disappointing exit and she's also turned off all comments on her social media. Basketball star Patrick Nolan has pulled a similar move after he got sent home for getting into a drunken fight with teammate Brendan Daley. Nolan was caught on camera stumbling around the Olympic village before allegedly bursting into his teammate's room and throwing a wayward punch. Loch Dearg subsequently went 0-4 in qualifying, although it's doubtful that Nolan's presence would've been enough to bridge the significant gap in quality. The qualifiers have been a wake up call on just how much work there is to do across many sports. The full results of the government's policy to invest in sporting facilities could take years, even decades as Loch Dearg go up against bigger nations with far more experience and pedigree. Despite all this, the people of Loch Dearg are extremely excited for their debut and it's certain that any athlete that wins a medal will come home a hero. The Olympic ceremony is eagerly anticipated and will go down in the history books for a nation finally opening itself up to the international community.