Games of the XVIII Olympiad - roleplaying thread

[Alezian Union]

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DIARIES OF A CHAIR-REGION

26th September 2024
Hotel Room in Hamilton, Electrum

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Even during celebration of humankind through a series of sports competitions, I still had to work my behind off.

Maybe that's what happens when you're appointed the Chair-region of one of the largest federal countries on Earth.

Sure that title is disputed since there are more bigger countries that I met. Some I had already met especially in the WMCA alliance or those that I defeated in WorldVision and past Olympiads before, others I've rarely met or even met for the first time. However, everytime I'm celebrating with the other members of the Alezian Union when our athletes sets new things to celebrate about, or just about anything, there's always that fear in my mind that I'm falling behind. In all kinds of things, to be honest.

Lately, I'm scared of what's going to happen in the future to me, my friends, my people, and many other things I hold dearly. The 14-hour war might be short, but it's very detrimental to my own reputation as a country who tried to be involved in as little conflict as possible, trying to be everyone's friend. Polkopia has a new boss that... may not exactly like me and my allies, even though I still treat Polkopia as one of my best friends. While we differ in opinions now, I still wishes him the best of everything.

So today, I'm writing in a secret place Electrum gave me so I can work remotely in a safe sterile environment... aka my hotel room. Electrum and Liventia has been so nice to me and the rest of the Alezian delegation, just like every other delegation, we're deeply impressed with what they did here. Maybe a teeny tiny envy got into me and imagine: What if me, and South, can hold an Olympics one day? But argh, that wouldn't be realistic. Especially knowing that we lack the expertise. Sure we hosted WorldVision twice, maybe thrice one day if PI successfully negotiated his bid... and there's that WMCA Summit... but that's not enough. We never hosted any sports competition (though Zafizamarrah Open is still in the works)

Anyway, I got distracted. But first, I'll tell you that I celebrated so many good things today. We rarely got anything in wrestling, so Andi Adi Yudhanto's bronze in men's 86 kg freestyle is a wonderful news, table tennis went better than expected, and many of my athletes advanced into the next round. The "golden" moment today is Ishaqina and Nur Hasan in women's doubles in badminton defeating Diarcesia's Phresenánda Lhubić and Omúcqia Bázdulh. I still remember that time where I got to share a medal with Diarcesia a few winter olympics ago, I forgot when, but I celebrated that with him. Of course, I met Diarcesia again talking about many things today. Still the nice (albeit eccentric (probably because they have WAY MORE... grandeur design and philosophy than me which I always respect) guy I know.

Okay, time to talk about the main point here today. Falling behind, and being left behind. I got this realization while walking around Hamilton with MN while South and PI arranged any related preparations in Schimpol, Liventia (after all, South is the better guy to talk with the usually no-nonsense Liventia although I hoped PI doesn't make Liventia go nuts). So there I was, walking with MN around Hamilton Tennis Park for badminton preparation. This is ESPECIALLY knowing that Ismailyan and Martilla are still in the game, albeit in separate badminton men's singles round. Ismailyan will be facing a Malta Comino Gozoan... I don't know how that will go especially since I got defeated by MCG in men's football a few days ago. *

* this diary is made before the final rounds of badminton men's singles

This feeling of inferiority and responsibility feels more apparent as I'm paying for stuff with Electrum's Synergy. A complete digital currency? While here I am STILL deliberating it and Alezia only having a digital PAYMENT SYSTEM instead of a digital currency entirely. And the infrastructure, it's all there. I shouldn't feel so inferior, after all, we don't really have a target except to stop being so unlucky, but everything Liventia and Electrum prepared together here is quite the reminder for me that there's still work to be done back home.

But there's an important issue right now that scares me. Eventually, I'll have to give my position as Chair-region position to someone else, probably South. It's already hard FOR ME to keep this country together against external threats, and I have DECADES of diplomatic experience. Yet here I am sweating my palms everytime I got a glimpse of reminder that I just endured a very short, yet significant war in my history... and also me participating way and way less things in stuff I used to love like WorldVision or tennis. I'm worried that people are starting to like me less, even though I tried really hard to become everyone's friend, or atleast a country everyone can tolerate and cooperate with.

I tried to internally say that I'm just exagerrating, that I'm fearing of something that didn't or won't happen, but in all due honesty,
I need to try to be less fragile about things and actually find a way to not think too much about it.
Alezia is here, after all.

Okay, back to observing how my athletes are doing in the Olympics. I didn't hope for much except to avoid potential disastrous days in the coming future for our Olympiad reputation.

[Crpostran]

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[*]OOC Note: All images are from real-life events, credits to photographers & athletes. Using these for the time being as AI-image gen credits are over lol . A big shoutout to Lisander for the pictograms! Viva la Crpostran! On an additional note, was not aware that the cut-off was re-scheduled to an earlier time (while I was sleeping lol)

[Diarcesia]

OOC: The below is written before Day Four of the Olympics.

Dear Teby,

Whenever I go back to work, a lot occupies my mind. The North Ikuyoites continue to wreak havoc in our previously-peaceful dieresis... Ships and planes from the mainland swarm in our azure waters as death and destruction are not too far away... I'm constantly worried if the conflict will expand and we'll be directly affected too. What took ages to build, seconds were all it needed to bring down. No matter the outcome, we'll pick up the pieces and rebuild and heal once the guns go silent. We have front row seats to history unfolding, and I hate it.

Refugees from the north stream to the south, they look disheveled and often only have the clothes with them. You can tell they only want no part in the fighting. They do not want to die. We try to help, but our resources are not infinite. I sincerely hope from the bottom of my heart that this gets resolved soon.

While you try to bring taekwondo glory for Diarcesia, our cousin Mami in the Mundana Forces begged to be reassigned to the North Ikuyo conflict. Last we talked about it over the phone, she was very livid when she learned Kaisura was attacked bombed without provocation. It was a beautiful city and her friends were caught in the crossfire. My only wish is that she doesn't get herself killed. You know her, her heart responds way faster than her brain.

My brother, as I write, things where we live continue to be peaceful. The only things that suggested something is the tension and bated breath on what the future course of the North Ikuyoite rebellion would be. Do not be too concerned for our family's safety at the moment. I hope you enjoy your time in Liventia.

Sincerely, your brother,
Ryúsuke

[Magnus Phoenicia]

MP||Magnus Phoenicia Global News Corp

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

Cain D’Allessio, Human Interest Reporter


Hopscotch enthusiasts across Magnus Phoenicia are celebrating after Matilda Arundel was named the inaugural president of the newly established Hopscotch Federation.

Matilda Arundel welcomed the exciting news and thanked members for their confidence in voting her as the first president. Matilda Arundel, a lifelong hopscotch player, couldn't contain her excitement during the official launch of the Federation.

“With the official recognition of our federation we are one hop closer from moving the classic childhood game away from the school yards and rented halls and onto the world stage.
It's only a matter of time before other Hopscotch Federations will arise and we can make a serious plea to have it included in the Olympic Games.”

"I always knew my childhood days hopping around footpaths would pay off," Arundel jokes. "To now be the president of an official hopscotch federation? It’s my dream come truel! Hopscotch at the Olympics is the dream of all our supporters, and we want to transform that dream into a reality.”

Arundel’s passion for the game dates back to her time at primary school, winning a local interschool sport hopscotch competition at the age of seven.

“I've been addicted ever since.”

For those who have never played. Each player tosses a pebble into one of the chalk drawn squares on the hopscotch outline on the ground.
They then hop from square to square, skipping the square with their pebble. The goal is to hop all the way to the end and back without touching the ground with the other foot. It's a game which dates back over 1,900 years.

The Hopscotch Federation of Magnus Phoenicia was founded by a group of die-hard hopscotch players, who believe the sport has the potential to unite communities, bring fun back into sports, release your inner child and encourage athletic prowess.

“For those who wanna poop on this fabulous sport, do keep in mind, hopscotch requires balance and coordination, eye-hand coordination.
Leg flexibility, body control and dexterity. It requires skills and talent. It is not easy to master. It could be included in the athletics department or as a standalone sport like table tennis or archery.”

"Before the start of the League in the new year, the Federation has a lot of business to sort. Members need to vote and confirm official rules. No more debates over what happens when your foot lands on a line! That policy needs to be addressed so every athlete is aware of the do’s and don'ts. I'll also be in contact with chalk suppliers to make sure we’re well stocked.”

The Federation will focus on outreach efforts and programs, looking to build interest among youth and universities. As it will be them down the track who will one day have to qualify for the Olympics and we want to be ready if the sport is ever considered.

“Hopscotch is for everyone. “It’s fun, and it’s competitive. We don’t need fancy equipment, just chalk and a passion for hopping, so we won't be requesting too much funding from the Ministry of Sports, unlike cycling, swimming and hockey which are haemorrhaging funds given with little results when it comes to winning medals.”

The Federation plans to run the nation's first friendly match against Annixe Christos, a staunch ally of the nation in a Hop to Victory" Championships at the start of the New Year.

This will be followed by a 12 week season.
Details of expressions of interest on how to register your team are already up on the Hopscotch Federation page on VibrGold.
The goal is to have enough states registered to form enough teams to play in the Magnus Phoenicia Hopscotch League.

“For the future with our eyes set on joining the Olympics we even have disciplines, ranging from individual contests to team relays. Who knows we could even have an extreme hopscotch discipline, that includes obstacles like uneven surfaces and timed hops.The possibilities are endless. For more information or expression of interest to join a state team, send a message to the Hopscotch Federation today.”

[Waisnor]

Athletics come into their own

This day once again didn't bring any medals to Waisnor, even if there definitely were more Waisnorian athletes in the competitions, and even in the medal events. These medal events were mostly in athletics, which took on the role of swimming as the main event of the day:

One of the Waisnorians on the competition for the medals was Alexandra Trubetskaya in women's hammer throw. There were big hopes for at least some nice results in field events in athletics, since they are considered as a Waisnorian specialty in athletics. And especially in hammer throw, where Alexandra was seen as one of the frontrunners for the medals from Waisnor. Her results in the qualifications proved to be a pretty good omen for Waisnorian fans, and so, there were definitely high hopes for Trubetskaya. But when the first throws came in, these hopes would suffer a blow - 1st throw from Alexandra was for a measly 73.07 metres, landing her in the lower half on the competition, and her 2nd throw of 72.44 metres wasn't putting her higher. In the meantime, her opponents were getting their results higher, making it all the more harder for Alexandra to catch up. But in her 3rd throw, Trubetskaya seemed to find her groove back, performing a pretty good throw of 76.97 metres, just 6 centimetres away from the 3rd place. Even better opportunity presented herself when all 3 best placers failed their shot. But Alexandra wasn't able to use it to her best abilities, landing a 74.78 shot, not moving anywhere. All of Alexandra's competitors for the medal still didn't top their previous results, but it hardly matters for Trubetskaya herself, since she failed to do so herself with a 75.89 shot in the 5th shot. Alexandra's last chance to gain a medal was in 6th shot, since the marks stayed the same for her to beat. Although, in 6th shot she didn't managed to make it, instead sinking to 72.87 metres result and staying on 4th place. But even though she was this close to a medal, Trubetskaya didn't hold any grudges after the fact, just lightly smiling after a job well done.

Going over to men's competitions and from field to track athletics, we find Alexey Volodko in men's 1500m final. In regards to Waisnorian chances in it, track events are held in a much less high regard than field ones, since Waisnor rarely invests in track events. But this Games seemed to change this dynamic, even if for just those Olympics, since many athletes came through at least one round of qualifications. And Alexey Volodko was one of them, going confidently through qualifications and ending up in the final. And Waisnorian fans didn't exactly expect much from him, since even if he was considered one of the best long-runners in Waisnor, his international performances weren't so promising, and so, his expected placement was somewhere in the end of the table, even if Waisnorians hoped for a real miracle. But in the beginning Volodko was proving them right, since there, after a not so good start, Alexey was lagging somewhere behind in the tail end of the runners. But over time it became apparent that Volodko had something of a plan, which would definitely get him from the bottom. And soon enough this plan of slightly letting go of his energy reserves, conserving the most for the final spurt, began to work. Starting from the middle of the run, he began advacning further in the rankings, going over one runner after the other. But soon something dawned in Alexey's head - he gave the runners in the lead too much of a headstart for his final spurt to even matter in the long run. But he tried regardless, and it gave him an upstart over another runner. In the end, when he reached the final, he placed 6th, which in itself was an outstanding result for a Waisnorian in a running discipline.

Other Waisnorian results:
In men's C-2 500m heats, pair of Oleg Vorobiev and Alexander Tumashik won their heat and qualified to the semifinal
Reigning Olympic champions of Larisa Groholskaya and Julia Gutor qualify to the semifinal in women's C-2 500m, placing 2nd in their heat
Another 2nd place in heat was won by Tatiana Laburenko and Svetlana Egorova in women's K-2 500m, also getting a place in the semifinals
Jerzy Szewczyk finished his performance in modern pentathlon, failing to qualify for his semifinal
Mikhail Pugach so far places 23rd in men's kiteboard sailing
In men's 200m repechages in athletics, Artur Erokhov qualified to the semifinals, placing 2nd in his heat
In men's javelin throw, Oleg Bakeev placed 13th in qualification
Ludmila Komarovskaya finished 7th in her heat in women's 400m hurdles
Lyubov Karbysheva qualified to the final in women's long jump, placing 12th in qualification
Victoria Yakimovich lost to Míralema Réxić from Da Cunha Islands in wrestling's women's 62kg in greco-roman
Tatyana Yakovleva also lost in first round of women's 68kg greco-roman to Cinthia Bassetti from Tero al Disco

Random Waisnorian tweets about Olympics:

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

It is commonly said in the Quebeco-Shingoryeoite sayings, one that the actual Olympians and coaches use, that 'the skies ordain the gold' or 'the gods colour the medals to extent in which they are inspired'. This saying was something that Team Quebec women's coach Olivia Neubauerova found to be quite fitting, as she placed both her hands on her waist to wait it out for the clock to expire. It indeed takes a very special team, let alone program, to make the fourth consecutive gold medal game in women's basketball, with the under-23 women losing in Bunjil before securing back-to-back feat on homesoil. Of course, it's indeed worth noting that the team that had last vanquished them happened to be the legendary San Ortelio squad that featured one of the greatest QWBLers in tournament MVP Xenia Dall'Antonia.

As the final minute of the play passed by, the outcome more or less decided on a 97-66 victory over Arrosian rivals Valanora, the fans started to celebrate as they blared Vuvuzelas and blasted drums. It became clear to all that barring extraordinary circumstances mounting hell to freeze over, the Team Quebec would be set to play against Olympic cohosts Electrum, who had a close, but decisive victory over highly-experienced but also aging Drawkland squad on the other semifinal game earlier in the day.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Olivia Neubauerova couldn't help herself, but to look into the ceiling of Schimpol's Arena Wilson, as she heard the final whistle ring. Her letting Daniel Ibaniyama and Ghislaine Chainey-Rivas, her assistants of similar age whom everybody had considered to be practically equal to her in standings, was enough to give it off. Of course, the twelve players of hers were celebrating, with them earning the right to do so now. It was, after all, very much within their right to celebrate, even more so as they had done so on a tournament where they had plenty of close matches and plenty of negative aura following them all the way back to qualifications. Unlike in the past Olympics, where longer group stages and additional knockout rounds gave them plenty of rooms for their kinks to be worked out, there was no easy half of the draw with the tighter margin of errors on both the cutthroat qualification stage and the twelve-team final stage. while the men's tournament would see the IBC-powerhouses performed rather poorly, there were four, clear favourites, with them, Electrum, Drawkland and Valanora all viable for gold, and they survived the test to make it this far.

Now, it was going to come down to two.

This, in every way, was the final everybody had been hopeful for, not only in that it's going to be the long-awaited rematch of the women's gold medal match in Jolbonopolis six years ago, but also the history between them. While nation-to-nation rivalries in some sports were common, as one could testify through Quebeco-Chromatik rivalries in fencing or archery, or the Britonish-Cenian equivalent in badminton, it was rare for two nations to face one another four times on the knockout rounds of Olympics, let alone one that's almost even in the head-to-head record.

In the old days of 'Golden Generation' of Quebecois women's basketball led by centre Riley Jeon-Keane and combo guard Allison Dubois, they had consistently made the knockout rounds, but had always come up short with two quarterfinals losses and a fourth-place finish. Both quarterfinal losses, to no surprise, were against Electrum, who were at the peak of their internationally-renowned basketball program in both the IBC and the Olympics, while they, though not facing the Quebecois by the simple virtue of being on the other half of bracket, would win the third of their threepeat in Novonaya-Provinsk as well. They had been the prime example of setting standard in international basketball, both men and women's game, and to some extent still are.

Since then the tides have turned around, right as the Quebecois have developed into an international contender. Even as their cross-Blood Sea rivals' absence was felt on the IBC, perhaps affecting the legacy of the IBC threepeat, the Reapers' women would even the record as they would prevail the quarterfinals in Twin Cities and the final in Jolbonopolis en route to their respective runs. So with this in mind, the fifth matchup between the two nations looked intriguing.

'Thank you coach!'

That was the first thing she heard after the flashback, as she saw Julianne Ottavino, the team's star small forward, reaching out to congratulate her with her left hand. Olivia, who had not expected it to be her ace, was delighted. Standing at about 185cm, Ottavino was actually ten centimetres shorter than the head coach, who played centre back in Keewatinook University before returning to her alma mater to coach, but made up for her slight deficiencies with underrated passes, excellent physical drive, and most importantly remarkable durability.

But most importantly, Julianne was a competitor and natural leader, one who had started out the qualification stage among one of four aces on the team alongside Nokukhanya Dumalisile, Joy Kim-McGee and Hahm Ye-Seon, and had struggled to adjust. But she, like Dall'Antonia eighteen years ago in Bunjil, would prove to be a big-game performer, as she would break out during the Olympics proper averaging twenty-points and eight rebounds a game, making her a prime contender.

'Not over yet,' Olivia replied, as she accepted the hands in joy. Of course, this was true for both of them. For Olivia, she had secured a historical landmark with this victory, one that would ensure four consecutive final appearance, one that would put herself into the history books. But she, who had never played on the under-23 selection for their past selections, wanted to set the mark, perhaps tying men's volleyball team in their threepeats. 'You've proven the BQ wrong, now let's go prove it with that GQ.'

As for Julianne, she wanted to make a statement, especially after she was left out of the IBC-40 selection as one of the last cuts on the training camp. Their decision to cut her was one that she hadn't exactly taken in the easiest manner, but Julianne knew there's silver lining with everything and motivated herself her to come out, perhaps to prove the Basketball Quebec selectors and the women's senior team coach, Kweon Joo-Hyeon.

So far that's worked out well, with this being the latest instance. It was true that she did underperform in quarterfinals against Crpostran, where they had squeaked by five points, and she was responsible for it. Her first-half performance, by all means, was regrettable. So this time, she came out and made up for it, starting on hot hand with back-to-back threes before coming out of the game by the end of third quarter on a thirty-one points, six-assists, and three blocks, against another veteran squad. That's all that she needed, one that's able to take off the five-point ghost of the quarterfinals, and perhaps setting up for an exciting gold medal game to come.

Now she just had to do it.

[Polkopia]

..The Silent Protest..

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

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The phone buzzed beside her, a loud, insistent vibration that broke the silence of her empty dorm room. Larisa flinched, staring at the device as if it were ready to detonate at any given moment. The small screen glowed, casting long shadows in the dimly lit space. She’d been trying to ignore it for hours, but this number was new. Unknown.

Her heart pounded as she swiped to answer. “Hello?” she said softly, her voice edged with apprehension.

“Ms. Kravtsyeva, this is Evgeniy Petrović from the Polkopian embassy.” The man’s voice was clipped, almost clinical. “The Quebecois Ambassador to Electrum would like to meet with you at the embassy in Centralis. It’s urgent.”

Larisa’s grip tightened on the phone. An 'urgent' meeting with an ambassador? What had she expected - praise? Sympathy? She knew what she’d done. Her protest on the track had been a desperate, spur-of-the-moment decision, but it was deliberate enough to get everyone’s attention. The thought that the Quebecois were now involved both reassured and unsettled her. At least they wouldn’t throw her in a cell. Probably.

“Do I have a choice?” she asked dryly, glancing around the room. She was alone, but the hairs on her neck prickled. What if they were listening? What if someone was listening? Her phone had been given to her by her delegation, the thought of some unknown third party listening to her conversation wasn't entirely out of the question.

Evgeniy sighed softly, a hint of annoyance breaking through his diplomatic tone. “It’s in your best interest to go, Ms. Kravtsyeva. I can arrange transportation. The train departs from Hamilton in thirty minutes. You’ll be in Centralis within four hours.”

And just like that, the call ended, leaving Larisa staring at the phone in disbelief. Her pulse raced, hands shaking as she stood and grabbed her bag. She threw in a few essentials - her phone charger, a spare tracksuit, a water bottle, and a set of running shoes. There was no telling how long she’d be gone. Or if I’ll even come back.

The thought made her pause. Don’t be stupid, Larisa. This wasn’t Polkopia. There wouldn’t be armed men waiting in dark cars to spirit her away. The Quebecois weren’t like that. Right?

But it was hard to convince herself as she left the dorm, slipping through the corridors like a criminal. The few athletes she passed glanced at her curiously but said nothing, and she kept her gaze low, avoiding eye contact. She half-expected to see Polkopian officials rounding the corner at any moment, marching her off the premises. Every shadow seemed to hold something sinister, every conversation a secret code aimed at her.

By the time she arrived at the Hamilton train station, her nerves were frayed to the breaking point. She kept her head down as she made her way through the bustling crowd, scanning every face with suspicion. It felt like a fever dream - like there were eyes everywhere. She couldn’t tell if it was her own silly paranoia or if there really were people tracking her every movement.

Was that man by the ticket counter one of them? His gaze lingered a second too long as she passed, and she felt her skin prickle. Maybe he was just an innocent bystander. Or maybe he was more. She forced herself not to look back, and her heart pounded in her ears.

She boarded the train quickly, finding an empty seat in the corner of a carriage. She sank into the cushion, pulling her duffel bag close and slipping her hoodie over her head. The fabric felt thin and flimsy, and did little to comfort her amid the icy fear gripping her chest. She glanced around cautiously, eyeing her fellow passengers. An elderly couple, a man in a suit engrossed in his phone, a few scattered students. Normal people, she told herself. Just ordinary commuters.

And yet...

Her gaze flicked to a man sitting a few rows back, his face partially hidden behind a newspaper. His hands were steady... too steady. The way he held the paper was almost... rehearsed. He could be reading, or he could be watching her, tracking every move through a hidden lens.

Get a grip, Larisa. She turned away, staring out the window as the train began its slow departure. The city of Hamilton blurred past, the buildings and streets a tangle of lights and shadows. She tried to focus on her breathing, willing her pulse to calm. But every time she glanced over her shoulder, her eyes locked onto another unfamiliar face, another stranger who could be one of them.

The Polkopian secret police - the Mižnatsya- were notorious for their reach. They didn’t just operate within Polkopia’s borders. There were whispers, rumors, stories of their agents abroad, shadowing dissidents, making people disappear. Had she become a dissident now? Would they really go so far just for a disgraced runner?

But it wasn’t just about her, was it? It was about what she represented: defiance, resistance, rebellion. If she got away with it, it could embolden others. No, the Mižnatsya wouldn’t let that happen. They’d want to crush her, silence her before she could become a symbol. They would want to send a message to anyone who dared challenge the natural order of Polkopian leadership.

The train sped on, gaining momentum as it left Hamilton behind and streaked through the countryside. The rhythmic clatter of the rails did little to soothe her. The journey to Centralis stretched endlessly before her. Four long hours, and each minute slugged by with agonizing slowness. The paranoia gnawed at her, making her twitch at every movement, every sound. When a conductor walked down the aisle, Larisa tensed. What if he wasn’t really a conductor? What if he was here to drag her off the train?

But he merely glanced at her ticket, nodded, and moved on. She exhaled shakily, her palms damp with sweat. She forced herself to relax, to let go of the tension in her muscles, but it was impossible. Her eyes kept darting to the other passengers. The man with the newspaper had folded it away now, his face obscured by the brim of his hat as he pretended to sleep. Was it an act? Was he waiting for her to let her guard down?

Time seemed to warp, twisting in on itself as the train hurtled through the plains of Electrum. The scenery outside was a blur of green fields and distant towns, but Larisa hardly saw it. Her world had shrunk to the carriage, to the small, enclosed space where danger seemed to lurk in every corner.

Focus, Larisa. She closed her eyes, clutching the strap of her bag like a lifeline. The embassy in Centralis was supposed to be a sanctuary. The Quebecois had offered her a lifeline, but what if it was a trap? What if they turned her over to the Polkopians? No, that’s insane. They wouldn’t.

But she couldn’t dismiss the thought completely. Not when the Mižnatsya could be anywhere, anyone. The old woman in the front row, the man in the suit, even the students with their backpacks and textbooks - they could all be spies, watching her, waiting for her to slip up.

The train began to slow, the skyline of Centralis coming into view. Towering buildings gleamed in the fading sunlight, the city’s bustling energy palpable even from a distance. Larisa swallowed hard, forcing herself to stand as the train rolled into the station. She moved quickly, keeping her head low, her shoulders hunched as if to make herself smaller. She avoided eye contact, slipped through the crowd, and emerged onto the platform.

The Quebecois embassy wasn’t far. A car was waiting outside the station with tinted windows. She hesitated, scanning the street for any sign of danger, of any sign of a threat lurking in the shadows.

But there was nothing. Just the city’s steady hum, the flow of people and cars. She took a deep breath and climbed into the vehicle, the door closing behind her with a soft click.

She was on her way. To the Quebecois ambassador. To answers. Maybe even to safety. But as the car sped through the streets of Centralis, Larisa couldn’t shake the feeling that, no matter where she went, the shadows of Polkopia’s regime were never far behind.

[Crpostran]

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[*]OOC Note: All images are from real-life events, credits to photographers & athletes. Using these for the time being as AI-image gen credits are over lol . A big shoutout to Lisander for the pictograms! Viva la Crpostran!

[Sjovenia]

Day 11 Recap

Day 11 of the XVIII Olympic Games is brought to you by our Sponsors, Alkonost Sports...a company of Champions.

Ana Hodak and Tomislav Ivanik braved a challenging and dynamic environment which had the two athletes fighting for points against intense competition in various weather conditions for Races 4-6 in Mixed Multihull Sailing. The duo navigated the waters with impeccable precision as they adapted resiliently against changing wind patterns and currents. The athletes ability to communicate and put their skillful prowess to the test earned them a commendable total score of 90 despite suffering a disqualification in the first race of the event!

Tomorrow, Day 12 coverage will include Men and Women's Athletics, Ivo's bid to move on in the Boxing Heavyweight semi finals, Men's Skate Park (Medals) and more! Don't forget to purchase your Team Slaveška merchandise at the merch tents or online at http://www.TeamSlaveska.sva, as always give the Autocratic News Source a follow on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more sports coverage and headlining national news!

- Ana and Tomislav combat changing wind patterns during Day 11's Mixed Multihull Sailing

- Visit http://www.TeamSlaveska.sva for merchandise

[Sargossa]

SSM | Sargossan State Media

International Edition - Olympics



Skate Expectations


Raquel Solana writes;

Periodically, the sports authorities like to send out surveys to dig up data about the nation’s sporting habits. What sports are in the ascendency? What sports are in decline? What’s the gender divide looking like? Fun stuff like that. That last one is an interesting one. In the last decade, more women are taking part in sport than ever before. Football, for so long male dominated, has seen a huge uptick in female participation. In no doubt spurred on by Sargossa’s women claiming two silver medals in past Games. Something the men haven’t even come close to achieving. Volleyball has always seen healthy participation. As has tennis. Involvement in gymnastics has ballooned. And canoeing, sailing, surfing and badminton have also seen a big rise in participation among adult women. But the younger women, they seem to have found their sanctuary at the local skate parks.

Yep, instead of staying inside and starring at screens like normal kids, the gals of Sargossa are skating. And, apparently, they’re skating very well indeed. Alexa Palacio had already taken a silver medal from the street event, now it was time for the park skaters. Candela Indiano, Serena Varela and Bárbara Cotilla were in action at the Flameworks Skate Park for what is always, despite being relatively new in Olympic terms, a hugely popular event among the spectators. Twenty-four skaters took part in the qualification competition, with the top eight advancing to contest the medals. Cotilla bowed out in 18th place, but Indiano and Varela advanced in fifth and sixth respectively. After one round of the final, Varela was in fifth and Indiano down in eighth. With Kelssek’s Shania Gleason, the top qualifier, held the lead. Then came round two. Varela shot into second place with a mighty score of 91.44, before Indiano spun some magic. A couple of 540 variations and a kick-flip indie later and Candela Indiano was sitting on top of the pile with a whopping 92.87. The final round saw the competitors in the minor positions change places. Varela added another score of over 91, but a shade less than her second round. Indiano couldn’t better her mammoth second round effort either, so all eyes were on Gleason. It was another high-quality set of skills, and the crowd held their breath as the score was being tabulated. Finally, it was revealed, 91.33. Candela Indiano was the Olympic champion, Gleason took silver and Serena Varela would take home bronze.

Across the city, at the Multi-Purpose Venue, some much higher paid athletes were enjoying or enduring a final reprieve. Juan Sebastián Muñoz’s nightmarish meet continued, as he crashed out of the 200m repechage. Emanuel Laguna and Roberto Bienvenida did the same in the 110m and 400m hurdles respectively. The men are having a tough old time out in Electrum and Liventia, with only eight of the nation’s twenty-eight medals claimed but that half of the delegation. As for the women, Felipa Laguna won her 1,500m heat and Zarina Sáez stayed alive in the 400m, after winning her repechage. But four medal chances came and went. Angela Semprún faded in the latter stages of the steeplechase, to finish fifth. Micaela Carita also finished fifth, in the hammer throw. And when the dust settled in one of the Games’ showpiece events, the women’s 200m, Lola Fonseca was left in sixth, five hundredths of a second from the podium. The evening would see a medal though. Records have been tumbling since these Games began, and another went in the men’s long jump as Kelssek’s Karlo Phelps cleared 8.38m, adding two centimetres to the previous Olympic record. It stood for about twenty minutes, before Jairo Sepulveda jumped 8.39m. It wouldn’t be bettered, and Jairo took the gold. The nation’s first of these Games in the athletics.

The boxing has always been a rich source of medals, it’s the nation’s third most successful Olympic discipline. And we’re off the mark at these Games, although slightly earlier than was hoped. Faustino Sandoval already had a silver and bronze to his name from previous editions of the Games, but the super heavyweight’s quest to complete the set came to an end at the fists of the Afanc Strait’s Karson Darksword in the semi-final. Reina Parra also tasted defeat, in her middleweight clash, but she and Sandoval both return home with bronzes to their name. Over in Liventia, a big medal chance slipped away. A lot of eyes had turned to the Lox Land Swimming Centre, where Marta Arellano contested the final of the 10m platform diving. But Arellano, one half of the synchro champions, couldn’t maintain the standard she had shown so far, eventually finishing in fifth place. Over at Motson Lake, Marcos Palacio and Cristian Varela qualified for the semi-finals of the C-2 500m sprint. There’s an enthusiastic canoeing scene back home, but the quarterfinals tend to be our limit on the international stage. So, it was an encouraging performance from the boys. As it was for Nicolás Lacasa in the Orean Olympic Velodrome. The preliminaries did for most of Sargossa’s cycling team. But Lacasa is still alive in the time trial, after a successful repechage. At Harley Square, Rosa Arnal qualified for the bouldering final. At Schimpol Harbour, Candela Poro reached the dinghy final in first place. And in the Strait of Umber, Bernabé Hurtado is through to the quarterfinals of the surfing.

[Ko-oren]

Canoeing - Slalom
No shortage of talent in the slalom. A series of competitions along Ko-oren's mighty rivers leads us to a national preliminary and subsequent final in Edihlbahl. We've had events in the freezing Haza and Ambur rivers up north, their origins in the Hemauniguth mountains, but the lion's share of the season has taken place in the rivers springing from the Wuritharanau - the imposing western mountain range; the Torkhega near Gehrenna city, the Irisontha near Senoren city, the Eidikuna, Agamina, the unpredictable start of the Ganthewi, and the dangerous Argahr. But the final? That's along the Obadha river, cleaving Edihlbahl in two and stringing together Ilijuth and even Amahne, making it one of the most important rivers of Ko-oren's past.

We're looking for the Olympic form of Kanmuli and Mitsuula but we're very open to upsets by the likes of Wuhlahshen, Nurwekwolanau, and Ozhoheden. The first and the third in that list might well have to carry the torch - literally? - in following events as the youngest on the list on the women's side. For the men, Ganjuluden and Khoshikhathegun are the most likely suspects but Tshjeadhen and Zhehpiten are also in that narrow top group. All are in the prime of their ability - for the up-and-comers for next Olympics we'll look for the national finals in the next two years. And of course, never count out Daoust.

C-1

Final
1 Dilwanjoriane Monurwizudin (f)     95.32
2 Allie Khludhmanadhen (f)           97.14
3 Felix Khoshikhathegun (m)          97.29
4 Thauthkan Ganjuluden (m)           97.56
5 Nwuisou Tshjeadhen (m)            102.16
6 Gethodwizean Dinefan (m)          104.54
7 Diederic Sumjagaufan (m)          106.11
8 Yann Daoust (m)                   119.91

The big names don't qualify - Mitsuula, Kanmuli, as well as Wuhlahshen, Nurwekwolanau, and Ozhoheden all can't get a time good enough - but still it's two women at the top! Monurwizudin claims a well deserved title, keeping Khludhmanadhen at an impressive (almost) two full seconds.

National Preliminaries
 1 Gethodwizean Dinefan (m)           94.80
 2 Felix Khoshikhathegun (m)          95.64
 3 Thauthkan Ganjuluden (m)           96.61
 4 Diederic Sumjagaufan (m)           96.78
 5 Yann Daoust (m)                    97.16
 6 Dilwanjoriane Monurwizudin (f)     97.19
 7 Nwuisou Tshjeadhen (m)             98.43
 8 Allie Khludhmanadhen (f)           99.01
 9 Acelina Uhmehihthen (f)           100.18
10 Kanon Mitsuula (f)                100.52
11 Arley Zhehpiten (m)               100.61
12 Helwigauoru Nurwekwolanau (f)     101.00
13 Vasumi Kanmuli (f)                101.44
14 Glewohuk Plangirogun (m)          105.63
15 Nehnana Gohpidhen (f)             106.30
16 Milan Arzheranau (m)              106.32
17 Wathshalame Majuheshen (f)        107.32
18 Ceinjel Povatin (m)               108.93
19 Sebu Ozhoheden (f)                109.33
20 Gahrane Wuhlahshen (f)            114.33
21 Ghuitoru Heirogun (f)             114.47
22 Fozhe Ahwehfudhen (f)             116.52
23 Germain Vigneault (m)             120.84
24 Ehvulek Lufoshen (m)              148.89
25 Dennis Thloshikhathethen (m)      161.55
26 Florence Nwausan (f)              169.28

K-1

Final
1 Vasumi Kanmuli (f)                 93.71
2 Gahrane Wuhlahshen (f)             95.81
3 Allie Khludhmanadhen (f)           97.63
4 Thauthkan Ganjuluden (m)           99.27
5 Arley Zhehpiten (m)                99.50
6 Yann Daoust (m)                   105.98
7 Nwuisou Tshjeadhen (m)            109.53
8 Felix Khoshikhathegun (m)         111.32

And there she is! Kanmuli puts together an impressive sub 94 time to keep her main rival, Wuhlahshen, at two seconds. Another medal to add to her impressive list of successes!

National Preliminaries
 1 Felix Khoshikhathegun (m)          92.07
 2 Thauthkan Ganjuluden (m)           93.26
 3 Nwuisou Tshjeadhen (m)             94.05
 4 Vasumi Kanmuli (f)                 94.99
 5 Arley Zhehpiten (m)                96.24
 6 Yann Daoust (m)                    96.78
 7 Gahrane Wuhlahshen (f)             97.32
 8 Allie Khludhmanadhen (f)           98.27
 9 Gethodwizean Dinefan (m)          101.07
10 Kanon Mitsuula (f)                101.66
11 Dennis Thloshikhathethen (m)      102.37
12 Diederic Sumjagaufan (m)          102.44
13 Dilwanjoriane Monurwizudin (f)    103.19
14 Ghuitoru Heirogun (f)             106.54
15 Fozhe Ahwehfudhen (f)             106.82
16 Nehnana Gohpidhen (f)             107.36
17 Ehvulek Lufoshen (m)              107.98
18 Helwigauoru Nurwekwolanau (f)     108.22
19 Sebu Ozhoheden (f)                110.48
20 Wathshalame Majuheshen (f)        111.28
21 Florence Nwausan (f)              112.41
22 Glewohuk Plangirogun (m)          115.64
23 Germain Vigneault (m)             122.17
24 Ceinjel Povatin (m)               150.33
25 Milan Arzheranau (m)              156.28
26 Acelina Uhmehihthen (f)           218.28

[North Oharan Valley Union]

Timestamp: 26 September 2024 - 22h36
Tags: Games of the XVIII Olympiad, Mission Olympica

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Tabloid Smut Explodes Kapoian Situation
Opponents and supporters of the protest set sharp as The Revealer puts the spotlights on Mudrite Runce

Revita Romanovske had barely managed to regain her breath after nine intense minutes. At an enormous pace, the Olympic steeplechase record had been shattered with four athletes improving upon it. The presence of three duos at the start line had led to a hard race and as it concluded with a victory for homegirl Mara Tran, the Multipurpose Venue exploded with delight. As such, there were a ton of interesting questions to ask to Romanovske, who had scored our best athletics result so far with a finish as seventh. Are you satisfied with this result? How did the high pace influence your race plan? Have you noticed any sort of tension between the Libesian and Barkhastani athletes? Could you not follow when Rossi cranked the pace or did you want to keep something in store? All very interesting, to the point questions about a career-defining final. The interviewer went with What is your opinion on the Kapoian/Runce case?.

A terrible question which clearly stunned Romanovske, after a long glare, she tried to formulate her thoughts. “I am here for my race, my competition, so I have focused on that.” Apparently, the journalist felt the need to poke on. “Do you want to say that they too should have focused on the sports side of it all rather than politics?” Romanovske stared at him for a few seconds, wondering whether she was being trolled here. “No, I want to say that I’ld rather say nothing to you.” With that she abruptly ended the interview, hoping that the next microphone would be held by someone with more interpersonal skills or at least a pair of brain cells. In that, she might have had the sanest opinion on the whole matter that we have heard as almost everyone wanted to share their thoughts, even if they were not very thoughtful.

To recapitulate, Maral Kapoian caught the attention when she supported the protest from Larisa Kravtsyeva by crossing her arms after a victory in the heats. The Polkopian athlete had taken a courageous stand for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in her home land, rights that are being threatened by the installment of new president Milos Vasic. Kapoian gave extra weight to her action by starting a social media campaign with the #StandByLarisa, which resulted in an interesting debate in the North Oharan Valley Union. Some believed in a strict separation between sports and politics, considering the struggle of Kravtsyeva as a Polkopian matter. Others hailed her for daring to use this global stage to stand by something that impacts so many people across the globe. Additionally, the action of Kapoian also placed a mirror on our own collective agency on the matter.

Some will say that things have improved greatly compared to a few decades ago, when same-sex relations were shunned and socially (if not legally) forbidden. Still, Maral Kapoian did not hesitate to highlight that equality still is far from a given in the valleys. She lives together with her girlfriend in Dzjevan but says they remain confronted with verbal violence on a regular basis. Additionally, she mentioned off-hand that it is ridiculous she still could not call her partner ‘her wife’: the same-sex marriage law is a difficult dossier that has been hampered by the campaign for the ‘personal contract’, an alternative forced upon by the conservative wing that feels neither here or there. Yes, there seems to be an improving consensus that ‘being gay is ok’, especially among younger generations. But Kapoian explained that as long as it is seen as an outlier, an oddity, there remains a stigma and the everlasting fear that a minor political swing could make things worse. “We are better off than the Polkopian rainbow community, so we must be the voice they are forbidden to be.”

The announcement of the Polkopian government that Larisa Kravtsyeva would be arrested upon her return to the nation had tilted the national discussion on the advantage of Kapoian. Even the majority of the socially conservative wing believed sufficiently in the freedom of speech to consider this a dictatorial move. The left-leaning paper The Loharmey Voice even suggested to offer Kravtsyeva political asylum but that campaign overplayed their hand: after a quick scan of the size and impact of the Polkopian state, there was little political lust to create an enemy against our still fragile country. With that, the discussion seemed to lose momentum: there was an expected divide between those who felt Kapoian should or should not use the Olympics for her protest, but the consensus that the Polkopian government reacted in poor form quenched any fuse. Until the article from The Revealer this morning.

The unification of the North Oharan Valley, which saw seven regions unite themselves under one banner, turned the media landscape upside down. Before all but a few niche prints focused upon their specific region. Nowadays all sorts of new initiatives attempt to capture the attention of the average North Oharese. Some try to do that by offering quality reporting and a focus that crosses the day-to-day issues. The Revealer, a news site that has a vague but clearly financially strong backing, is not one of those. In its short existence, the site stood out in spreading rumors with a political agenda, preferably with salacious titles and suggestive visuals. The article today formed a prime example, from the horrendous “GAY CONSPIRACY IN OLYMPIC CITY” title to the poorly-strung together list of gossip and half lies that had to hold up as an article. During an interview, Kapoian had mentioned that she believed that there must be more LGBTQ+ athletes in the Olympic delegation next to her and fencer Danats Kluff, but that the societal pressure still stood negative against outing yourself. The Revealer blew that in all sorts of grotesque proportions, claiming a ‘gay ring’ which, somehow, dictates the messages sent out by our delegation.

Throughout the article, they especially placed their target on the women of the 4x100m sprint team. When Kapoian made her action, they all shared the same message on social media with the #StandByLarisa hashtag, showing their support. The accusations ranged from posing poorly veiled questions about their sexual preference to calling them meek sheep to the dominant Kapoian. The three young athletes, all ranging between 19 and 22, somehow had to wear the brunt as ‘symbols of the mindless woke’. Needless to say that the article was drivel but for some reasons it was quickly spread around. Within hours, it lead to a new barrage of far-right and conservative commentators: had the discussion been mainly about the usage of the Olympics for politics before, it now clearly turned to our stance on the LGBTQ+ community and one by one, public and political figures turned away from the ‘woke nonsense propagated by Maral Kapoian’.

That placed the youngest 4x100m runner, Mudrite Runce in a difficult situation. She is the daughter of Renars Runce, the conservative politician from Kerstums and a member of parliament who saw the other members of his faction fall over one another to condemn Kapoian and the whole ‘Hashtag Craze’. Runce has the ambition to stand for regional governor in the next election: a story that his daughter had been at the heart of the protest could damage his ambitions. He chose to spin it, in that he forgave her naivety but that after ‘a warm but stern fatherly lecture’, the young girl had seen the light. That is one way to put the words ‘domestic pressure’. Be what it might, the cornered athlete removed the posts on her social media that referred to the #StandByLarisa. She posted a new picture with her teammates Ozolina and Lysenko, and the hashtag #OneTeam. The absence from Maral Kapoian obviously led to speculation: some considered the hashtag a reference to ‘one team behind Kapoian’, others saw their theory confirmed that the three younger 4x100m runners had been pressured by the veteran star to further her protest. Mudrite Runce herself, who could not pass the 200m preliminaries and will only appear in action in the relay event, made no further comment to the press.

200m specialist and 4x100m teammate Runce seems to have been forced to withdraw her support for Kapoian

Ironically, the whole follow-up confirms the reasons why Maral Kapoian decided to join the protest and stand up for the Polkopians. While there is a lot of self-satisfied pride about the improvements made about the situation for the LGBTQ+ community, the achievements are fragile. One horrendous pawn moved forward within the press suffices to charge the situation and places the fact in bold type: we remain far from equality. Kapoian herself, never one to let herself be silenced, made a series of comments about the situation. On the one hand, she condemned the conservative reactions while lamenting the lack of backbone and vocal support at the other end of the political spectrum. But the most waves were made with her last few messages that quickly picked up.

Oharese are served smut and lies and too many are eating that message without thinking. Or are they just enjoying it? #StandByLarisa

Lack of freedom comes with an obligation to protest. Freedom of speech comes with a responsibility to inform. #StandByLarisa

I am going to get in touch with Larisa Kravtsyeva and will go live on ShareHub as soon as possible, so you can hear from her and understand how dire the situation is in Polkopia. Reflect, people! #StandByLarisa

Went to the dorm of Kravtsyeva and apparently she has been missing for hours! Pray for her safety! #StandByLarisa

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Three to watch today

K-4 * Canoeing * What version of Khatchadour Avedissian will we see on the water? That was the question that stood front and center for our sprint selection as they dipped their proverbial toe into Motson Lake. The buildup to the Olympics had been tense with a series of spats at the Saintlake Regatta as delegation leader Gontcharenko separated Avedissian and his usual teammate Bogizian and coupled him with the strong Robin O’Casey. While Avedissian underlined that he had no personal problems with the man from Gledeiradh but missed the partnership that had led to four domestic titles. Cue some hidden grunts to one another across the press and on social media but in the end, Avedissian took to the water with O’Casey in Schimpol.

In the Saintlake Regatta, the results were disappointing but that was something of the past. The duo darted out of the starting blocks and immediately strung out the field. Only Nova Calanian duo Rudkowski/Jarczyk attempted to follow, a decision they would regret in the last hundred meters as they fell back to the repechage. Avedissian and O’Casey, on the other hand, held their high rhythm to the finish line to score a new Olympic record. With this knowledge, the prospects for the K-4 who kick off their campaign today immediately turned far more positive. In the K-4, Avedissian and O’Casey are joined by former K-2 partner Bogizian and the 18-year old Sirants. The latter is deemed to be the weaker link in the line-up with his presence seen as a power move by the delegation leader, but the team as a whole nonetheless should be ready to challenge for the medals.

Raits Krancis * Track Cycling * The Oharese attention is increasingly moving to the Liventian leg of these Olympics and one of the venues we have our eyes on is the Orean Olympic Velodrome. It is not the first time they welcome the Olympic tournament as they support the host city (and help to keep the costs in check). The small delegation for the Union (with just three cyclists across four events after the preliminary elimination from Basilia) started off splendidly yesterday. Twenty-year old Litvinenko proved to be a smart cookie in a race where all six seemed to be searching for the right method to make the top two. Drawn with the fifth starting position, Litvinenko seemed to wait long before making her move but when Edith Ward moved up, she avoided getting boxed in while making good use of the slipstream. The Kannapian representative lost her pace around the final turn which allowed Litvinenko to dive through the turn. It was a millimeter sprint to Czamecki from the Kytler Peninsulae but as both riders progressed, there were no worries to be had from the photo finish.

Krancis hopes for a fast paced race to show his stamina

Krancis was lucky to skip the preliminary elimination race, knowing that a small mistake could end his campaign right there. But as he starts amid the field of twenty-four, it will be as hard to predict his faith in an open race with plenty of candidates: returning silver medallist Mochizuki, Afanc’s Mack Polbear, Phoenician Milo Singh and the inevitable Krytenian Christian Marx get cited as the favorites but there is no one who is expected to carry the weight of the race. This could lead to a tactical or even strange challenge in the concluding points race. In general, Krancis prefers a heavier race with little time to sit back: in our small domestic scene, going all out eliminates the majority of the competitors. Can Krancis keep his powder dry a little longer or will he push from the first minute onwards? His plan could depend on the scratch race, his least preferred element in the omnium competition: a wrong move is hard to correct in this shorter competition and bad timing could see you chasing the remainder of the races. But maybe that would suit the skill set of Krancis, who is usually too generous in his efforts, better than defending a lead.

Marie Bandzeladze * Golf * As Bandzeladze walks into the Red Sands Country Club, there will be a target attached to her back. Winning the preliminary competition (and surprisingly comfortable as well) could be a mental booster for the former child prodigy but it did get her name in the lists with favorites. Tricky, especially as everything starts from zero again and no advantages are handed out. Currently 27-years old, Bandzeladze is the alpha and omega of domestic golfing: despite her age, she is just two triumphs away from becoming the all-time record holder in Major wins. In the trials, her hand was shaky but her rounds in Port Grenville showed that she made it through the trip in form. And from the past we know that, if the stars align, she can bring brilliance to the green.

With her preliminary win, Bandzeladze appears to be a medal candidate

“I do not see why I should not be ambitious,” Bandzeladze shared, “but I am aware of how relative good form can be. In the end, it is just one competition.” This calm approach to the sport has been her strength in the past as golf remains a (rather intense) hobby for Bandzeladze: she owns a blossoming business in real estate management. Still, she finds the time to hit a round four or five times a week. Luckily, she needs little training: her talent already manifested at a young age. After some soft pressure from father Bandzeladze (accidentally member of the board at the prestigious Knedavi Adgilze golf club), Marie was allowed to start a Major at fifteen, three years under the age limit. As she won one at sixteen, any protests against that measure died down. Can she finalize that amazing trajectory after twelve years with an Olympic medal?”

Pictures should not be considered for RP as they are AI generated

[Da Cunha]

THE 18TH SUMMER OLYMPICS DAY 11 STREAM HIGHLIGHTS
Posted 8 minutes ago ---------- 609 views
CANÁL GOLÑUČAVCA SÉSTRU

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[i]I: "Good morning chat!" An awkward pause Innozénza, very polished and immaculately groomed for the stream surveys the early birds in the chat. "Sigh... Alright, alright, get it out of the system... I'm warning Y'all, though, there were a lot of people who crossed the line as to what was acceptable posting yesterday, and we will punish community guideline breaches harshly."

She sighs.

I: "And no, before anyone says anything, showing up for a stream with a hickey on your collarbone does not violate guidelines, that could've been from a vacuum cleaner, you don't know that."

She looks over to the TV. "Well, I guess it's my turn to get things going while Phátima makes herself look presentable before coming on stream for once. We ready chat?"

She looks back over at the chat. She sighs.

P: "No I did not kiss a vacuum cleaner, God in heaven, you guys need to go touch sand."

----

I: "And that's PICKED by Bulhubáxić in goal! It's 8-7. 40 seconds to go. A goal now might seal this quarter final!"

P: "It's Géjić bringing the ball forward. The Benjamin Mark team are in panic mode, they need to get the ball quickly. Géjić to Husejnbéjević... Back to Géjić... Don't get too passive now."

I: "Géjić looks around, the defense is swarming her quite tightly, they're trying to get the ball and nothing else... She darts left... Back right, pass to the side to Alecqsándra Dçínović, who, whoa, what a pass to Dervixalídović, who's got an opening!"

P: "She fires one... It's IN! Takes a weird bounce off the surface and hooks in off the far post! No chance for the goalkeeper! 15 seconds left, Da Cunha lead by two, and we're going to the semifinals of the women's water polo!"

I: "Imagine that! 75% chance of a medal now. Good grief, what a nervy game!"

P: "'Good giref', what are you, 72?"

I: "Would a 72 year old score an Olympic medallist?"

P: "Ugh..."

----

I: "And there it is! Stánco Búrnić with his 6th goal of the game to make it 27-19 with 3 minutes to go. And it is QUIET in the arena. Da Cunha has silenced the home crowd here in Schimpol. The home hopes of a men's handball medal have been well and truly throttled."

P: "As Bencqić falls asleep a little there, allowing Bill Paxman to send it into the top corner for Liventia's 20th goal."

I: "Little sloppy, but still up by 7 here, and we just need to burn time now."

P: "Semi final number 2 secured, and that's a relief. That's getting close to the good times now. Still only one medal today, the bronze for women's 3X3 team, which we were very surprised by, but hey, it goes to show that our teams are rocking today. Cooperation going well."

----

P: "Okay, so how does this Pentathlon scoring actually work?"

I: "No clue, but apparently, Dubrávcqavić is also in the final. I mean, we'll take it, I suppose?"

----

I: "I think that caps another mildly disappointing sailing day for Da Cunha. The McFadzean's did alright, and that's about the best to be said. Arnáudavić is in the medal race, but best we can hope for there is to play spoiler, I believe. Not close enough to matter in the medal race in the slightest."

P: "What a rough time of it, yeah. I thought we were meant to have sailing traditions."

I: "Well, it seems the traditions are in fact sailing. Of into the distance. State of it, Tima, I'm telling you."

----

I: "Oosh da... That's CLOSE... Wow! It's... 6 centimeters short, but Smírnović won't care. It'd have been an Olympic record 6 minutes ago, but Meziane went first and stuck it out where I think everyone will have trouble reaching. Smírnović is closest after round 1. This might do for a silver medal, actually."

----

P: "Smash it, smash it! YEEEEEEES! Bronze for Mirjána Nedçádavić! Dumps it Viviana Chase in two sets! Suck it! We got another medaaaa-AAH!" Phátima has in her exuberance once again displaced herself from her seat in a way that sends her clattering to the floor, legs sticking up into the camera frame in a perfectly cartoonish way. P: "Ow."

----

P: "And it's a... 4-1 decision! Haldane in the finals of the middleweight. Well well, we might need to invite more ginger medallists in, chat. You think Zenzi will jump this one as well?"

A slice of watermelon flies in from off-camera, pegging Phátima in the face.

P: "Real mature, Zenzi!"

I: "Real classy, Tima!"

----

I: "Oh for f***'s sake!"

P: "I... Language, but, yeah... No, this sucks. This blows. We should get to the next round every time with these guys... Match point Gale and Vaughan."

I: "This is revenge for your trash talk in the badminton, you know that, right?"

P: "Don't be ridiculous!"

I: "And... It's now 20-14. Still match point to Gale and Vaughan. Ósmeć and Léneć serving for their Olympic lives. It so is your fault. Risking kharmic revenge on celebrating a bronze medal..."

P: "Stop talking like I'm some occult mastermind, you're being sill-aaaand that's the game... Benedét Ósmeć and Grigório Léneć fail to get out of the round of 16 in the B-Vol, and I officially want to go jump in a well."

----

Innozénza is sitting, looking at sports climbing with obvious disinterest. She glances over at the chat briefly.

I: "'What did it taste like wh-'..!? Alright, buster, that's it, you're outta here!"

The video ends abruptly.

[Zenic]

"Did you see the aquatics?"

Jacob yelled from the deck of the research vessel at the doctor as he adjusted the position of the ship to best balance it against the waves. Once done, he began to head underneath. "Aside from kiteboard, we're doing amazing in the sailing side of things. Also, sport climbing is doing well. Always wanted to try that myself but my dad says I have two left hands." He chuckled as he made it downstairs to Dr. Holguín hunched over a microscope.

"How peculiar." Jacob watched as Dr. Holguín marveled at the majesty of.....plankton he realized as he leaned over to see what the small monitor beside the microscope was recording. "What exactly is so special about plankton?," he asked. The doctor looked up at his assistant with slight annoyance. "It's not special because it's plankton; it's special because of what the plankton is MADE of. That's the intriguing part." Jacob tried to recall what he had learned in university. "Algae and fish larvae?"

"Look at you, remembering your lessons. That is technically correct because those are the most common types of phyto- and zooplankton so every 'school' has them. But this also has a higher than normal ratio of Medusozoa compared to samples we've collected over the last few years around this time." Jacob quizzically looked at Dr. Holguín. "Medusozoa? I know that one." The doctor was about to interrupt before Jacob threw up a hand to stop him. "Hold on, I almost got it." Jacob wracked his brain until it came to him. "Jellyfish!"

"Correct again. These are more of the microscopic species than what you normally see but jellyfish nonetheless." The doctor moved away from the microscope as he motioned for Jacob to come and take a look. The youngster took the invitation and peered into the device. There, he noticed the absolutely miniscule jellyfish pushing, or attempting to push, itself through the small sample of water. "Wow, they actually look like tiny jellyfish. But I don't see that many in the sample?"

"To be fair, I said 'higher than normal ratio', not apocalyptic ratio. In previous years, a sample like this would probably yield 3-5 jellyfish on average. So far, the average is 9. At best, it will level out to around 6 or 7. An increase of 1 or 2 per sample is still an increase worth noting to our fellow scientists. Who knows what it could mean?" Jacob pondered for a bit before answering. "It could mean there aren't as many predators eating them so more survived than normal? But maybe they will also level out if more predators come into the picture?"

"That is a valid hypothesis. As far as I am aware, there hasn't been a noticeable drop in the usual predators of these jellyfish. Maybe some of the rarer predators stopped hunting in these areas? Definitely something we could research when we get back to the mainland. Another could be the Blood Sea is warming. The longer their environment is warm, the more chances they have to create offspring." The two stood there in silence at the implications of either hypothesis.

"We should probably hurry up and finish so we can get back to get everyone's help on this," Jacob suggested. "Agreed. I'll finish recording the samples and you go topside to get everything ready to set sail back," replied the doctor. Jacob simply nodded as he rushed up to start adjusting everything to get back home. Meanwhile the doctor continued his research as thoroughly as he could but with a bit of gusto.

"It's hopefully nothing but thank heavens that the Olympics are on. Would hate for this to be the first major news story; who knows how the public might react. They're unpredictable."

[Libesia]

The women’s 3,000 m steeplechase isn’t ordinarily considered a blue riband event in the way of the 100 m, the relays, or the marathon, but at these Olympics the final was one of the most hotly anticipated events for Libesians to watch. And understandably so: of the 15 runners in the final, 4 were born in Libesia. But only two were competing for Libesia. Tseday Merhawi and Florence Nakalema were taking on Caroline Musyoka and, in Lilian Jerotich, the woman who had just shattered the Olympic record and taken the gold medal in the 5,000 m. Three of the four women were born within 20 km of each other, yet the latter two were competing in the colours of Barkhastan, a former Soviet republic thousands of kilometres away on the Central Asian steppes. The race lived up to its hype, if, admittedly, not quite from a Libesian perspective: of the four runners, just one made it to the podium, on the lowest step, in the form of Merhawi, who being a Kuroo rather than an Ihlathi, was by far the least fêted of the four. Diane Yook-Milner, pacing for Quebecois teammate Glenda Rossi, took the race out hard, and through four laps they remained on world record pace. Angela Semprún of Sargossa took over and kept the pace high. Nakalema and Jerotich had begun to lose contact with the lead group, but Merhawi and Musyoka remained in the hunt for the victory, until Mara Tran, of hosts Electrum, took the lead from Rossi and brought the stadium to its feet. Merhawi separated from Musyoka with 200 m to go to hold on for bronze, finishing comfortably inside world record pace. There was still time for one final bit of excitement, as Nakalema outsprinted Jerotich for the rather meaningless 9th place: meaningless to all but the entire population of Libesia, of course.

With virtually every television screen in the country tuned in to watch the steeplechase, appallingly scant notice was taken of an historic first gold medal for an individual athlete, as Khadidja Meziane’s opening throw of the hammer competition broke one of the oldest surviving Olympic records: Irritti o Redwood’s mark had stood since the Querzakhi Games of the 2nd Olympiad. In that time empires have risen and fallen, dynasties built and slid forgotten to time, and yet no woman has been able to whirl a metal ball through the air further.¹ Just a few minutes later Trivomira Smírnović of Da Cunha (whose training method reportedly involves visualising Mytanars on the field and aiming for them) made a throw that would just six minutes prior have broken the record itself, and Floriana Rindwar also broke the 77 m barrier. But no one could touch Meziane’s mark and she became the first Libesian individual athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. As celebration she chugged around the deserted steeplechase track; the sight of Meziane, who weighs more than 100 kg/220 pounds/2 steeplechase runners, attempting to straddle the barrier, was worth the price of admission. Or would have been, had any Libesians been watching, but they were far too busy celebrating the 9th place finish by Nakalema.

¹ And still somehow the @#%&*! forum software hasn’t been updated.

[Barkhastan]

Barkhastan is not a noted international golf hotspot, and no Barkhastani golfers are even competing at the Olympics. Despite that, a team of Barkhastanis have been dispatched to the course in Electrum: not a team of golfers, though, but of particle physicists.

Barkhastan is home to few golf courses, but it is very definitely home to the Sẅper-NYOOOM-3. Built during the Soviet era, but now retained under independent Barkhastani control, the Sẅper-NYOOOM-3 is one of the world’s largest particle accelerators.¹ Built in the remote steppe country, it attracts scientists from around the world who pay handsomely to run simulations as they seek answers to the world’s most fundamental and intractable problems: why is gravity such a weak force? what is the mass of neutrinos? does Strange Matter exist? would you still love me if I was a worm?

And now, added to the list of problems alongside the early state of the universe, the existence of magnetic charge particles, and the preponderance of dark matter: what is happening at the sixth hole of the Olympic golf course?

“Holes in one are rare phenomena, so to see so many in one place suggests some fundamental rift in the laws of physics,” says Professor Abdulqhafur Kimsanov, whose research team will be investigating the sixth hole for signs of space-time disruptions, wormholes, or micro-singularities. Professor Natalya Zynoviyivna, an expert in quantum entanglement problems, suspects that the course could be rich for research. “This has the potential to be the scene of the greatest breakthroughs in high-energy physics,” she says. “If only those men in funny outfits would get out of the way with their silly sticks.”

¹ While it may not hold the absolute records for size, speed, or operational capacity, it does proudly boast the overall world record for safety. Least safe is still a record, right?

[Drawkland]

Dominic was born of farm stock, he bred farm stock, and up until a couple centuries ago his dream was to not die farm stock. Something about becoming one of the best athletes in Sonnel really made him think he might not have to be a farmer when he finished growing up. And before he decided to pursue immortality, he might have been right. He might have died at a ripe old age and never touched another crop.

But he did pursue immortality, and found eternal life full of farming.

For those who are unaware, newly-minted immortals come out of the maze with a little something extra. Just in case living forever and not dying under the usual conditions (two different gifts, really) aren’t enough of a draw, each maze-goer comes back with their own special gift that will suit them, leaving those like the Elite Eleven no better than slightly sullen children's cartoon characters.

For many, the gifts seem paired to the personalities and goals or proclivities of the holder, empathy for a leader, mind-reading for a gossip, you get the idea. And Dominic? What did one of the most prolific fullbacks in Kick Corps history get? Physical strength, foresight, flight, speed? Nope. None of it. Dominic got farming, the ability to bring forth desired plants from any kind of soil. Sand, loam, clay, you name it, he can grow it (and did in some of the earlier Elite days as a source of income. Legend still has it that beer made from his hops is the best in the world).

Dominic wasn’t really sure why exactly it had to be plants, but neither was he utterly surprised. After immortality he’d felt it creeping up on him, the desire to be outside. So, it started with being outside. As soon as he left the house (right as the sun rose), he would end up surveying the land to the horizon line. In doing so, he would, naturally, notice a nice plot of level ground that would be pretty easy to clear. Unfortunately, a short leap from that is letting a little bit of soil run through your fingers, just to be sure it wasn’t crap! And, well, if finding such good soil was a surprise, then surely it wouldn’t be the end of the world to casually drop some seeds in it. You get the gist. Dominic was in deep, even as he excelled in athletic pursuits with his Elite brethren.

This leads us to the crux of the problem. A giant fullback at the peak of his athletic career, an Olympic boxer! At time of writing, one of the last hopes of the Elite for an individual medal in the Olympics Games. And yet, even as he spreads the teeth of his opponents across the mat, he’s thinking of seeds. The soft soil of his land comforts him as he nurses a black eye, thinking about crop rotation as his friends get knocked out of medal contention one by one. Considering the merits of livestock (they could eat those extra zucchinis nobody wants) or the purchase of extra land, or technology instead of watching film for his next bout.

Somewhat luckily, he’s advanced to the gold medal final no matter his focus. But I think our nation would be much comforted if we could count on this last exemplar of immortality to keep his head off the ground, both literally and figuratively.

- Excerpt from a shockingly insightful opinion piece from the Sadeg Enquirer tabloid.

“Hey Dominic, you read this one yet?” hollered Richard, throwing the paper roughly at him from across the lounge in the athlete's village.

Ross muttered quietly from the seat across Dominic, “Hm. I didn’t think Richard could read.”

Dominic snorted at Ross and shook his head at Richard, looking down to scan the article in question. It was about him. In and of itself, that wasn’t much of a concern, the Eleven often had articles penned about them from all slants, but this one was ... oddly prescient.

He was thinking about crop rotation, but not nearly as much as he was thinking about keeping his guard up on this next fight. The other boxers may have to strain to reach his face due to his height, but some of the cleverer ones had done a good job of occupying his block with speed and then coming in for a hit. Despite the implications of the article, Dominic had no intention of losing. Taking home a medal would be way too sweet, particularly against the litany of ‘plant mom’ shirts, memes, and bags he regularly received from his now medal-less compatriots.

Dominic folded up the article neatly and swatted Richard with it. He then winked and said one of his few sentences for the year, “at least there was beer involved,” and walked out.

Ross held his hand out for the paper and got whacked in the head. Sighing, he scanned the article, then called Elias over and relayed the contents of the article.

“Is this Elzidan you think?” Ross inquired thoughtfully.

Elias considered the thought, then shook his head. “She wouldn’t want maze details to be out there either, gotta be someone else.”

Ross sighed again. At this point he'd be getting wrinkles by the time he's 500. “Whoever wrote it, they seem to know a lot. Do you think we should be worried?”

“Why, you looking for something to do before our semifinal?”

“Well I’m supposed to be doing light workouts before the marathon, but if someone knows this much about us and is willing to publish ... well. I think we had better do some asking.”

“Don’t worry Rossy, I’ll sort it out, you just rest those tiny little legs of yours!” Elias popped out of his seat and started to hustle out of the room.

“They’re not-”

“Ok bye!” Elias zipped out of the door, and his retreating footsteps could be heard fading away rapidly.

Ross was left in the room contemplating the future of Elite sports, secrets and friendships. Well, he wasn't alone. Richard was sitting across the table staring at the TV, but Richard often provided the same level of companionship as a particularly muscular brick wall.

Maybe I'm just overcomplicating it all, Ross thought as he felt the beginnings of a headache forming. Maybe he’d take a page out of Dominic’s book and take up farming. Until then, the Games await.

[StrayaRoos]

The Dolphins had done the impossible. They’d taken hosts and favourites Liventia to a shootout. The hard part was actually winning it. Five shots in for both teams, it was all even. 5-5. Liventia went first, and Pretala saved it! Deflected off the tip of her fingers and onto the side of the pool! It was all on Ailbhe Leavia yet again. She’d been instrumental this entire tournament, and in the Doportedas Grand Prix, and now it was all in her hands. Score, and the Dolphins were in a semifinal. Miss, and it would be down to luck. Back home, pretty much half the nation was watching on, most on the edge of their seats. Taking a deep breath in, Ailbhe threw the ball, which flew into the bottom corner of the net, right under Liventian goalie Marguerite Dujardin, and the team and supporters in the arena went ballistic, while Channel Eight’s commentary for the fans watching at home would surely go down in Roosian sporting folklore. “Do. You. Believe. In. MIRACLES?”

---

Outside of the Water Polo, there were decent results for StrayaRoos, such as Jeff Kal advancing to the Men’s 200m Semifinals through the reprecharge on the track, running 20.50, 0.03 seconds ahead of second place in his heat, and he’ll now fight for a spot in the final tonight, while Ryan Utrel continued his dream run and was the fastest qualifier to the Final in the Men’s 400m, going into tonight’s final as a favourite in a completely open contest, where none of the Finalists from four years ago even advanced to the Semifinals.

Elsewhere, Selene Epal advanced into the final of the Women’s combined sport climbing, finishing third overall after the Lead segment. And Zach Arteal progressed into the semifinals of the Men’s 3m Springboard in eighth and will be back at it again today for a spot in the final on Day 13.

Today, Louis Yetr and Austin Hatya will compete for gold in the Men’s Park skateboarding, while at the Multi Purpose Venue, Finn Ajaha and Malik Baret will run in the heats of the 800m after both finished with decent times in the preliminary round two weeks ago

[Britonisea]

---

OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT (SECTIONS OF EPISODE)

---

Games of the XVIII Olympiad: Electrum
Games of the XVIII Olympiad
Day Eleven

---

After footage of some other sport, Maya interrupted the coverage to introduce the greco-roman wrestling where Britonisea has a chance of winning its 11th gold medal - putting it in line with its gold medal target...

Maya Aboah: Up next is the women’s 68kg in the greco-roman wrestling. All throughout the day, Britonisea’s Goma Boro has been wrestler her way through the field and now finds herself in the gold medal bout. This will be her second Olympic medal - last time it was silver, but can she do one better and win the gold against Kelssek’s Lisa Firkin? I’ll hand over to your commentators for the final of the Women’s 68kg greco-roman wrestling - it’s Mohammed Dulin and former greco-roman wrestling Olympic champion, Mytrice Heckman.

Mohammed Dulin: Thank you Maya - welcome everyone to the Hamilton Convention Centre - you’ve heard that a few times these Games, this convention centre is absolutely massive and seems to be hosting half of the events in the entire Games in it! Alas, I jest, we will be focusing on the Women’s Greco-Roman wrestling as former silver medallist Gomo Boro takes on Lisa Firkin of Kelssek for the gold medal! Now, it is fantastic to be joined by the gold medallist of the Women’s 58kg Greco-Roman Wrestling at the XI Games, Myrtice Heckman - how are you doing today? You won the greco-roman wrestling medal years ago - how has life been since?

Mytrice Heckman: Oh thank you for that introduction, I really appreciate it! You know, since my gold medal, I’ve gone back to my hometown and started helping the next generation of wrestlers come about. It has been great seeing that greco-roman wrestling and wrestling in general is a sport that is taken quite seriously in this country. Of course, two gold medals came from this sport last year and fingers crossed, more will come this year.

Mohammed Dulin: What are your thoughts on this match-up between Goma Boro and Lisa Firkin of Kelssek.

Mytrice Heckman: Well, one thing I can say is that Goma Boro has been here before. She is a previous silver medallist in this event and she will definitely give the Kelssek wrestler a run for her money. Boro was very disappointed when she lost against Shoinuann of Vilitia three Olympics ago and she’s taken quite a well to get back into the swing of things but you’ve seen her in the rounds, she has been rather spectacular - she could be onto her first gold medal here.

Mohammed Dulin: Let’s quickly talk about Lisa Firkin - now she’s relatively unknown, she doesn’t seem to have participated in the past couple of Olympics - how did she get so fat in this tournament?

Mytrice Heckman: Well, that’s the thing with the Olympics - it really showcases some hidden gems around the multiverse. In the case of Lisa Firkin, it is rather surprising that she has gotten this far, I must admit, but we can’t ignore the fact that she did beat Anabella Ordo of Kriegiersien - that’s the silver medallist from the last Olympics. She is looking in great form, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she was the one who took the victory today either - Goma has had an easier draw, in my opinion, save for the wrestler from Quebec and Shingoryeo.

Mohammed Dulin: Perhaps Lisa has a bit more fight in here - or perhaps Boro will have more energy - it’s anyone’s game but we will be backing our Britonish girl for sure.

Mytrice Heckman: So we are about to start - just a quick little rundown of what is going to happen for those of you watching today. There will be two, well at least two, three-minute periods and there’s a little pause between both of them. Essentially, the task is to pin your opponent down on the ground - and the way you do it can earn you different points. Right - let’s get into it.

**FIRST THREE MINUTES**

Mohammed Dulin: And the whistle goes, and there’s some cheers from each side - coaches shouting to their wrestlers and giving them feedback.

Mytrice Heckman: Now Goma Boro is going to want to act quite fast here, we know how strong the woman from Kelssek is…she doesn’t want her to get in front.

Mohammed Dulin: You can see her Boro is looking in danger a little bit as Firkin seems to have the advantage here.

Mytrice Heckman: I wouldn’t be defeatist here, Boro is able to hold…great defence by her there. Things have settled quite a bit now, we’re already a minute through this. Passivity warning here.

Mohammed Dulin: I love that aerial shot of them - with the logo of the Olympics in the middle of the mat - two amazing wrestlers fighting for the Olympic medal.

Mytrice Heckman: I am quite surprised by Boro’s approach actually - both of them want the gold but no one wants to lose this match.

Mohammed Dulin: Of course, going for it means putting yourself at risk - you have to be completely sure if you’re planning an attack otherwise it could go wrong, it could go in the completely opposite direction.

Mytrice Heckman: Ah okay, Goma Boro has just been given a passivity warning here. It essentially means that she has thirty seconds to react otherwise her opponent will get a penalty point.

Mohammed Dulin: And we don’t actually have that long of this period to go - oh here she goes, wrapping her hand around the neck, can she take down Firkin ... .yes! She can, two points - with only 20 seconds to go now until the end of the first.

Mytrice Heckman: She really needed that to be honest. Firkin is already back up and ready to go again - she’s already going for it, trying to get a couple of points before half time…

Mohammed Dulin: Can she do it, oh no! That is the claxon - the first three minutes are up.

**30 SECOND BREAK**

Mohammed Dulin: What are your thoughts so far? I think that it is a little slow, and they needed that activity timer to get moving, but you can tell both of them are top wrestlers…

Mytrice Heckman: Yeah I am quite excited to see what the second half will bring. I mean, Goma Boro does have two points now, but we will just have to see how the second half goes. The wrestlers are getting ready to go again.

**SECOND THREE MINUTES**

Mytrice Heckman: Right, and so we are back - and it is quite similar to the first half so far, both wrestlers are kind of just staring each other down at the moment.

Mohammed Dulin: Yeah, they are both very cautious - an eleventh gold medal for both countries are on the line - this will decide whether who will be above who in the medal tally, Kelssek or Britonisea - I mean there are a million other events going on but this is the current tally I am talking about.

Mytrice Heckman: I don’t know if they’re currently thinking about that - but that is an important statistic for sure. Oh look, Goma Boro really has the advantage here now, look at her going for Firkin’s legs.

Mohammed Dulin: This could end badly, if Boro doesn’t do this right, she could become vulnerable to her opponents advantage.

Mytrice Heckman: I can see what Boro is trying to do here but can she pull it off - a grand amplitude throw - oh! Here Firkin goes!

Mohammed Dulin: And down!! That’s five more points in the bag. If Boro gets another point, that will be the end of the match.

Mytrice Heckman: Failing that, there’s only a minute or so to go, she doesn’t have to wait long and there’s hardly any chance of Firkin coming back from this.

Mohammed Dulin: She’s starting to get desperate, coming at Boro at every chance she has - a completely different wrestler to how she was before, when the match started.

Mytrice Heckman: But Goma isn’t having it is she, swatting to Kelssek woman away at any chance.

Mohammed Dulin: I think she knows it - the Britonish can start to celebrate as the clock counts down the final ten seconds - it looks like it will be gold to Britonisea and silver to Kelssek.

Mytrice Heckman: And there goes the claxon! After the two golds we received at the last games in greco-roman, another one to add to the collection. Simply fantastic.

Mohammed Dulin: Perhaps this is becoming our sport?!

Mytrice Heckman: As Goma Boro celebrates with the Britonish flag, we will hand back over to the studio. Hello again, Maya - how brilliant was that?!

We then hand back over to Maya who is looking into the camera with glee and excitement;

Maya Aboah: Thank you so much Mytrice - that was amazing! That is Britonisea’s 11th gold of the Games and 30th overall meaning the country has hit their medal targets all-round! We now have to see how far can we go?!

[Hopal]

The clear crystalline water pushed against the shores of the Schimpol Harbour. In the peaceful evening glow of the sun, one could hardly believe that there was anything going on in and around the harbour at all. But it was Olympic fever, all across the city, and actually if you looked beyond the harbour, you might get a glimpse at that as the streets were flooded with people and promotions were sprung on every board. However, down by the water sat a lone figure, looking out upon the now-slow moving waters.

She thought back to an Olympics that had been, an Olympic career that was seemingly closing in. Over a decade ago, she had competed for the first time at an Olympic Games in Bunjil. A spry 19 years old, she was the new kid on the block, not much expected from her. Back then it had been all about taking everything in, gaining the experience of competing on the multiversal level. But those Games had also been about honouring her late father, he was the reason that she kept going in this sport through all the pain and difficulty. He loved sailing and he taught her everything that one could wish to know about the sport. Those were some of the best memories of her life, out on the water, handling the hull alongside her father. She was younger, and more passionate back then at those Games, she recalled blowing up on her team after a few bad races. She could never get away with that now, she mused. But she’d surprised people at those Games, winning a gold medal in the Windsurfer.

She wasn’t quite sure what she was doing at these Games anymore. Like with many returning Hopalian athletes, this was meant to be a redemption Games, after years starved of the opportunity to compete, they were meant to show the world exactly what Hopalians could do. These were meant to be their legacy Games, as it was widely expected for that generation of athletes, those who competed in Bunjil, to retire out of sport after these Olympics. But that didn’t feel right to her. Sure, her body was beginning to let up on her. But it didn’t feel right to walk away from it now. Her whole life had been built around this sport, she’d chased after this dream all her life. It didn’t feel right to end it like this. With the weight of expectation on her, she hadn’t quite been able to reach the heights of Bunjil. In both the individual Windsurfer and in the Skiff with Victoria Neuhart, she had finished competition right outside of medal position. She wasn’t living up to her own expectations, and she didn’t want to end it all like that.

So, here she was out on the sea shore, staring out on the waters that held her fate. Where does it all go from here? What would dad say? She contemplated forlornly, out on the beautiful sun-kissed waters off of Lox Land Island.

A slim, younger figure slides down into the harbour beside her. Victoria Neuhart was Layla Lee’s protege and partner, picked out years ago when Victoria first came to the Sail Club and soon impressed Layla, showing what she was all about. All of those years, Layla had paid for her training and supported it, the pair soon becoming fast friends. The two were now partners in the Women’s Skiff and Victoria could soon guess Layla’s train of thought.

“Disappointed?” Victoria asked.

Layla continued to stare off into the distance as she considered the question. “Perhaps…”

The silence hung.

“It’s just that I--everyone thinks that it’s over for me. That I don’t have it in me for another run. And I suppose I just… I don’t want it to end like this. We were so, so, close, Victoria. And I don’t want to end my career for that.”

Victoria gave that a thought before giving her response, “You don’t have to do what they say you know. Your whole career has been about proving the haters wrong, showing them that you’re better than they think you are. It doesn’t have to end here. And it’s definitely not over, yet. It was disappointing what happened out there, it was disappointing to me too. But it’s not the end. And I know you’re gonna do even better in the Dinghy, Layla. You’re just too good not to.”

Layla smiled and turned to Victoria giving her a once over. “I’m supposed to be the motivational one here.” She said, earning a laugh from the both of them. The truth was, she thought, Victoria showed a lot more leadership skills than she ever had. She was a lot better at coaching, at motivating, than Layla ever could be. “You’ll be a great leader for the program, one day. I know it. When I leave, I’m gonna leave Hopalian sailing in good hands.

Victoria gave a thankful smile.

“I’m just… I--I don’t know. I feel like I’m letting so many people down, I don’t know if I can do it, Victoria.”

Victoria looked forlornly and hesitated before answering, “Look I never knew your father, but from what it sounds, it sounds like he was a great guy. But I don’t think he’d want you to give up like this. You’re amazing, I’ve always looked up to you. I think you can do better than you think you can. I think you need to believe. I know he does.”

Layla seemed to begin to tear up, opening and closing her mouth a few times, struggling to come up with a response. Finally, she hugged the younger woman, the two coming to an understanding. Whatever laid ahead, they’d fact it on together.

[Kelssek]

Shania Gleason vibes to skateboarding silver

Latrobe’s skateboarding scene is celebrating one of their own as Shania Gleason, who spent many of her 19 years carving up the Docklands Road skatepark, won Olympic silver in the women’s street event.

“Shania’s always someone who’s vibed her way through the ups and downs. With the amount of rizz she has, we’re all so stoked for her,” said local skater boi Amand Jochern. “Skibidi”, he added, mysteriously and probably ironically.

Gleason’s first run through the course impressed with her creative use of the box and rail elements, putting together smooth transitions and a switch backside 360 flip to nosegrind that had the crowd cheering. Trying for something bigger on the second run, Gleason lost her rhythm before putting together another banger of a third run. It was the 91.88 score from the first run which stood as her medal winning run, breaking up Sargossa’s skaters in the event.

---

Moonbeam Infantino - @MoonbeamInfantino
day three of bear diet, pinecones take a lot of boiling, not sure I’m doing it right, but digestion wise, never thought i could conquer some of these foods and never felt so mighty

PassonFroot - @drjennietreyoitaspot
Which is the most obnoxious abbreviation for waterpolo: #wapo or #h2opolo? Some people are gonna get blocked on the team group chat idk

---

GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLING (W)
Wrestlers pay tribute to “pioneers” after silver medal wins

After winning Kelssek’s first medals in the sport for six cycles, wrestlers Lisa Firkin and Angela Loutars dedicated their medal wins to three-time bronze medallist Callie Rainsford and other athletes who protested when women’s events were not held in Greco-Roman wresting during previous Olympics, with Firkin saying it was “those pioneers who made it possible for me to reach this achievement”.

Firkin also said she was disappointed with the sport’s declining popularity in Kelssek, given the history of Kelssek athletes in advocating for the events to be a regular part of the Olympics. Despite the country being in the spotlight over the old controversy, "it's been forgotten a little bit, and we're the first in a long time to have really carried that torch others had to work so hard to secure, which is sad".

“Today I don’t know if people would have the same willingness to stick our necks out for an issue of principle,” said Loutars. “I hope people back home will take notice and remember the history that this was an important fight, and a part of our country’s Olympic pride. Where I trained I didn't even know the facility was started by Ariel Luskar, who won silver in Outineau all that time ago, but that makes it even more meaningful for me.”

[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 LAST DANCE ENDS WITH A LOSS

One of the last hopes of the Panayense olympic team, the handballers had a tough match against Drawkland where Larssen and Nagashima did their best to take out the Drawklandians, but not enough. After the match, the Panayenses giving it a round of applause for the hopefuls. "We just did our best, but not enough for the team.", says Gonzales. "I'm sure in the next Olympics, we will win someday a medal."

MANOLO CHOI'S FIRST ATTEMPT AT THE MEDAL
Manolo Choi has been an wrestling champion in all over Panay, when he got his first match against Dawid Bucko, it was a neck-and-neck match for Choi, where he won 7-6. The next up is Ali Djabalah, where he got 2 points. But his conquest for gold ended with A Kea's George Takmenides, who proceeds to win the gold, defeated him by a single point. Choi hopes that if he enters the Olympics for a second time, he would win the gold this time.

That's all for today's Resumen Olímpico, goodbye!

[Liventia]

DAY 12 CUTOFF

[Tero al Disco]

TERENSE BASKETBALL'S QUARTER-FINAL WIN TAINTED BY TERRIBLE REFEREEING

Coming in arguably as a favourite to the men's basketball tournament in Hamilton, Tero al Disco have qualified to the semifinals after defeating Hispinas by 87-82. This is a marvellous performance from the Terense side coming from a convincing run in the IBC to now fighting for a medal in Schimpol after this hard-fought defeat of the Hispinos. However though, with the game being on a deadlock by the end of the third period, the last 10 minutes were overshadowed by a series of wrong refereeing decisions which favoured the Terense side considerably and were key in them running out as 5-point victors. We didn't get any words from the Hispinas players, but judging from their body language...they were understandably furious at the end result.

Tero al Disco had qualified to the quarterfinals after finishing second in group A. Having won their qualifying group beforehand, wins against Ralsalin and Slaveska led them to face Mytanija in the match which decided who'd win group A. To say the least, it was a nailbiter of a match, where neither the Terenses or last Olympics' silver medalists were able to get a solid lead at any one moment. Fighting tooth and nail in the last quarter, the Terenses breathed a sigh of relief after young forward Paulo Sferrazza scored a lay-up with five seconds to go, equalising the match 77-77. However, in the last charge of the game, the Mytanars were forced to make a difficult shot for three as the buzzer sounded, but the ball unfortunately went in. Although a loss was kind of expected against a team like the Mytanars, it was a sour feeling for coach Vivona's team, although they had already earned a ticket to the knockouts in round 2. Meanwhile, the Hispinos were also subject to a riveting final game, in which they defeated Sangti & the Filindo Isles by one point, and after a handful of overtime periods. Now it was time for Tero al Disco and Hispinas to meet in the quarter-finals.

This fixture was tipped to be a very close one, and from the first minute it showed. The Hispinos had to rely on their attack, but on the other side they had a Terense defense who were performing superb that night, especially Leónidas Gregori and Iñaki Morandi who sometimes seemed too much for the Hispinas side. Tero al Disco would only have a two-point lead by the end of the first ten minutes, and as the reserve players went in for the second quarter the Hispino players banked on that, seeming to get the better of the Terenses. Another factor that affected the Teros' performance was Agustín Encarnación getting injured and having to sit out for much of the remainder of the action, and players with little international experience, like Alfred Durante, couldn't resist the pressure that well. Still, no one had a definite grip on the lead, and the third quarter would be no different.

Going into the last period the match was drawn at 66-all. After a somewhat sluggish start on the attack, Brian Altamiranda and Paulo Sferrazza (the latter of whom has been outstanding in the important games) would provide the life jacket to keep that going, while starter Isidro Messore wasn't doing that well, missing many close-range shots. However, right from the get-go of the last quarter, the debacle would start (and the Hispinos had more rights to complain any error given that any point they scored was key...). Within the first minute, the Hispinas players would protest a clear travel from Altamiranda, in a play which he ended up making a basket to put the Teros up by two. What would happen next would be very strange if we look at the rest of the match, because the referee did not have any glaring errors beforehand:

The first one, with six minutes to go, occurred when Leónidas Gregori attempted to block the ball after a Hispinas shot. Although in the official broadcasting of the match many camera angles showed that he had graced the ball with his finger as it was going down (thus meaning a goaltending foul), the referee decided that it wasn't a foul and kept play going, even after reviewing the play. Goaltending discussions would be rife in this match, as a minute later the Hispinas defense would be affected: this time it would also be a tight call, but the referee would incorrectly deem that a defender had touched the ball with his fingers trying to block a shot from Aníbal Franco, aiming for three. Another minute later, Franco would slip inside the three-point arc and trip over himself. No one in each team thought that this would be cause for a foul, but the referee did. This triggered a bonus situation after Hispinas made the fifth foul in the quarter, and Franco found himself successfully converting a free throw.

However, the most controversial foul came after the Hispinos seemingly had had enough of the terrible refereeing...and it turns out the ref had overexaggerated their complaints. Although at first the opposing players didn't look very angry, eventually one of their players was assigned a technical foul for disrespect, meaning Tero al Disco had another free throw, scored by Brian Altamiranda. At this moment there were two minutes left in the match, and with the Terenses having a five-point lead, it was better to conserve that and take the win...a very controversial one. The referee was booed off the arena at the end, and there was risk of there being an altercation in the court, although the players from the two sides cooled off eventually.

[Doubeia]

Children's sports classes see historic burst in signups as Doubeia celebrates Olympic success

SCHIMPOL, LIVENTIA — After Destiny Tyomkina won the bronze medal in the Women's 68 kg greco-roman wrestling event, Doubeia's total medal tally rose to double digits for the first time. As the nation celebrates yet another medal for the Doubeinese delegation, sports centre operators are gearing up for increased class sizes and a significant boost in demand.

After Tinopeto Ledovskoy clinched gold in the artistic gymnastics men's floor event, gymnastics classes, especially those aimed at children, saw a surge in popularity as parents swarmed towards opportunities to make their child the next Ledovskoy. GoFitIt, one of Doubeia's most widespread gym franchise, saw all its centres experience a peak in demand, with some centres seeing 300% as many signups after Ledovskoy's gold medal as the previous year.

Meanwhile, taekwondo and wrestling classes have seen a more quiet but equally sharp rise in demand. Tosupunghwa Dojang, one of Fajar's most renowned taekwondo centres, reported a 546% increase in signups for their classes to the point they had to not only create new classes, but also decline customers due to all classes being full.

"I really hope that when these parents send their kids to taekwondo classes, it's not just to make them become the next Olympics winner. I don't want to instill that belief in them," commented Rudolf Arpotsyan, the head of Tosupunghwa Dojang, "Taekwondo is not just a sport for winning. It's a martial art that teaches you more than just attack and defense, but also patience and a calm of heart."

Amidst the sudden interest in sports, Mr Arguld Lebayev, the Minister of Education, also commented that sports should also be an important part in a student's curriculum.

"With Doubeia's success in the Olympics, it's become very clear that education in Doubeia is not just about academics. Sports and fitness also play an important role, especially since our children are growing up. It's important to instill the importance of getting exercise and eating healthy, just like our athletes," Mr Lebayev said during the opening of a sports centre at Voskovtykv High School in Queensland. Many Doubeinese states have made changes their sports and states curriculum in primary and secondary schools; many schools across the nation have started to incorporate more sports such as wrestling and volleyball into the curriculum or as a post-curriculum club. Many students have welcomed the change, although some questioned whether so much effort should be focused on sports instead of academics.

"As a basketball player, I'm really very happy that the government is looking to improve sports facilities and make sports more fun and accessible for us. But I'm not so sure if they should only focus on sports, since our grades come from the classroom mostly. I'm still a fan, though," expressed a student from Voskovtykv High School. Many parents echo the same concern, with the topic being a common point of discussion in online forums.

"As a teacher and a parent myself, I obviously welcome the changes to sports. However, I feel that our education system is still not as rigourous and holistic as other Esportivan countries, and that's why we fall behind them on many metrics. Our primary focus should be revitalising the entire education system, as well as making teaching a more attractive job for youngsters. Too many teachers face burnout from admin work and large class sizes," user tinypetitecatty commented on readalready, the most widely-used forum in Doubeia.

As Doubeia go into the twelfth day of the Olympics, all eyes are on the remaining athletes as they gear up towards the end of the Olympics.