I Dig Sports
Extensive research demonstrates the health and well-being benefits that cherries can deliver
While we are familiar with the great taste of cherry pie, there’s much more under the crust than the tasty superfruit.
The traditional ingredient is gaining a growing reputation for being a versatile source of vitamins, copper and flavonoids with extensive research demonstrating the health and well-being benefits that cherries can deliver.
Positive results have been found with long-distance running, sprinting and strength training and, as a result, U.S. Montmorency tart cherry juice is rapidly gaining a following among elite athletes and recreational sportspeople as a recovery drink.
In one of the first tart cherry studies on exercise, researchers found that U.S. Montmorency tart cherry juice decreased some of the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage.¹
Researchers gave athletes either U.S. Montmorency tart cherry juice or a placebo drink twice a day for eight days. The participants performed various exercises and both pain and strength loss were significantly less in the cherry users group.
In a test more specific to runners, Oregon Health and Science University researchers gave 54 runners participating in the annual 199-mile Nike Hood to Coast relay race U.S. Montmorency tart cherries.²
These athletes reported a significantly lower level of muscle pain after the multi- stage relay than athletes given a placebo.
Meanwhile more researchers here in the UK were the first to measure blood levels of inflammation, oxidative stress and muscle damage in marathon runners.³
Runners taking part in the London Marathon experienced a faster recovery after drinking cherry juice as well as demonstrating reduced markers of inflammation compared to those who drank a different beverage.
With results as promising as these it is certainly worth giving U.S. Montmorency tart cherries a try and, being a versatile food stuff, they are easy to incorporate into your everyday diet.
Find out more at choosecherries.com
References:
1. Connolly DAJ, McHugh MP, Padilla-Zakour OI, et al. Efficacy of a tart cherry juice blend in preventing the symptoms of muscle damage. Br J Sports Med. 2006;40:679-83.
2. Kuehl KS, Perrier ET, Elliot DL, Chestnutt JC. Efficacy of tart cherry juice in reducing muscle pain during running: a randomized controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2010;7:7-17.
3 .Howatson G, McHugh MP, Hill JA, et al. Influence of tart cherry juice on indices of recovery following marathon running.
Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2010;20:843-52.
The world’s top athletes head to London as the British capital stages the latest Diamond League event
Britain’s premier invitational meeting – the Müller Anniversary Games – is also the only two-day IAAF Diamond League meeting, thus boasting the most comprehensive set of world-class fields on the circuit.
This weekend (July 20-21) several in-form Brits such as Laura Muir, Laura Weightman, Charlie Da’Vall Grice and Dina Asher-Smith are up against some of the best in the world.
Juan Miguel Echevarria, Christian Taylor, Daniel Stahl and Karsten Warholm are among the top overseas athletes in action.
Here we highlight some events you really won’t want to miss. Check out the July 18 edition of AW for our full preview and keep an eye on our website and social media channels over the weekend for updates.
An event timetable and entry lists can be found here.
Saturday
1.20pm Men’s long jump
Cuba’s 2018 world No.1 Juan Miguel Echevarria could produce a massive jump in this non-Diamond League competition if he can connect properly with the take-off board, which he struggled to do in Lausanne. South Africa’s world champion Luvo Manyonga and Greece’s Miltiádis Tentóglou could pose a challenge.
2.09pm Women’s pole vault
Holly Bradshaw seeks a home win against a top field, which includes Greece’s world and Olympic champion Katerina Stefanidi, Sweden’s winner of two Diamond Leagues this year Angelica Bengtsson and Cuba’s Yarisley Silva.
3.39pm Women’s 1500m
Laura Muir is the class act of the field but Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen will be a threat following her recent breakthrough over 3000m. Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegaye, Morocco’s Rabab Arrafi, Axumawit Embaye and Britain’s Sarah McDonald bolster a strong line-up.
4.11pm Men’s T64 100m
Britain’s double Paralympic champion Jonnie Peacock will be in action here against USA’s Richard Browne.
Sunday
12.58pm Legends 4x100m
Past British greats such as Christine Ohuruogu, Tessa Sanderson and Andy Turner come out of retirement for these innovative mixed relays.
2.15pm Women’s 100m heats (3.50pm final)
European champion Dina Asher- Smith will be looking to see if she can push Jamaica’s twice Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce close. Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria returns to action after her surprise 200m win over the Brit in Stanford. GB’s Asha Philip makes her seasonal debut with team-mate Imani-Lara Lansiquot also running.
2.45pm Men’s Emsley Carr mile
In this historic race, 2017 Emsley Carr winner Jake Wightman is joined by Josh Kerr, Chris O’Hare, James West and Jake Heyward. From an international point of view, they face Ethiopia’s world indoor record-holder Samuel Tefera, 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Nick Willis of New Zealand and Filip Ingebrigtsen of Norway.
2.56pm Women’s 5000m
After her world mile record in Monaco, Sifan Hassan could challenge the world 5000m record of 14:11.15 held by Tirunesh Dibaba. In-form Brits Eilish McColgan and Laura Weightman will be looking to run well, the latter expecting an improvement on her 15:08.24 PB. World champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya seeks a return to her best form, while other contenders should be Kenya’s Agnes Tirop and Ethiopia’s Litsenbet Gidey.
Few players have won three or more ITTF World Tour tournaments in the same year. The achievement is sufficiently rare that the number of players to have accomplished the feat can be counted on the fingers of one hand: Wang Liqin in 2000, Wang Hao in 2007, Ma Long in 2009 and Dimitri j Ovtcharov in 2017.
Xu, who won three in 2012, is now on that list twice. With his triumphs in men’s singles at the past three tournaments he’s entered — namely, the ITTF World Tour Platinum LION Japan Open in Sapporo (against Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju), the ITTF World Tour SHINHAN Korea Open in Busan (over the legendary Ma Long) and the ITTF World Tour Platinum Australian Open in Geelong (versus the able young Wang Chuqin), the Cloudwalker has ascended to new levels of domination.
His success has made this the summer of Xuperman and nobody around the table seems to possess the kryptonite to bring him back down.
A few have at least come close. The Korea Open final versus Ma Long was the table tennis equivalent of Nadal versus Federer – a classy match up of two of the game’s greats, nevertheless won by Xu in just five games (7-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8), a dragon slaying performance following four consecutive defeats against Ma.
“Winning the title is not the reason I am feeling so happy. It’s because I beat Ma Long.” Xu Xin
Becoming the only man to have own four Korean Open titles probably didn’t hurt much either.
Before that, there was the hats-off performance in Japan, in which Xu became only the second player ever to achieve table tennis’s triple crown, winning men’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the same tournament, a year after Jang Woojin did it at the 2018 Korea Open.
Japan was the start of the surge. It was where, after defeat against France’s Simon Gauzy in the round of 32 knocked him out of the Liebherr 2019 World Championships, Xu needed a confidence building win. It was achieved at the expense of then World no.1 Fan Zhendong, defeating him in a 4-3 nail-biter.
His latest victim was Wang Chuqin, the 19 year old Youth Olympic double gold medalist who has been playing like the Chinese team’s heir apparent lately. Even so, it took Xu just four games and 35 minutes to defeat the teen who would be king in the men’s final in Australia and that less than two hours after Xu earned his place in the final by surviving an intense joust with Germany’s Patrick Franziska in the semis.
Did someone say Man of Steel? Indeed.
Despite Wang’s surging presence and expanding game, the memory of being eliminated at Xu’s hands in the semi-final in Korea may have lingered, Xu hypothesised afterward.
“Wang Chuqin is in really good shape recently. I expected playing against him to be difficult,” he commented. “Me winning in Korea might have given him a bit of stress.” Xu Xin
As for Australia, he chalked it up to momentum, having taken the Australian Open title in 2018 too.
“It is probably because I brought the champion’s halo with me from last year. People felt happy that I came. I am very happy they cheered for me. It is quite extraordinarily that I could get such treatment overseas. I was enjoying it.” Xu Xin
On top of everything else, Xu is once again the no.1 ranked men’s player in the world, replacing Fan in the top spot earlier this month. Xu is clearly in seventh heaven and the Cloudwalker has shown no inclination to return to earth anytime soon.
“You get into good shape through competing, one match after another. I did not think of getting three championships. I just do what I need to do, to be active, to get myself switched on.” Xu Xin
Team titles for Brazil and Colombia in Medellin
Represented by Henrique Noguti, Shim Joon and Luigi Yamane, facing the Colombian trio comprising Daniel Guete, Federico Otalvaro and Felipe Fajardo, a 3-1 margin of victory was the order of proceedings in favour of Brazil at the final hurdle.
Man of the moment was Shim Joon; he accounted for both Felipe Fajardo Puerto (11-3, 13-11, 13-11) and Daniel Guete (11-6, 9-11, 7-11, 11-2, 11-9).
Impressive from the Brazilians, it had been the same earlier in the day. At the quarter-final stage a 3-0 win had been recorded against the Ecuador team formed by Jeremy Cedeño, Diego Piguave and Joseph Vasquez, before a 3-1 victory margin was posted in opposition to Peru’s Rodrigo Vigo Izaguirre, Carlos Fernandez and Adrian Rubinos; the latter a contest in which Gustavo Gertsmann replaced Luigi Yamane in the Brazilian line-up.
In the opposite half of the draw, with no changes to the line-up that appeared in the final, Colombia recorded a 3-1 win against the Guatemala’s Luis Ton, Ricardo Gatica and Diego de la Cruz, prior to enjoying the same margin of success in opposition to the Puerto Rican combination of Pablo Figueroa, Oscar Birriel and Angel Naranjo.
Runners up spot for the host nation, in the counterpart cadet girls’ team event, thanks to the efforts of Ana Isaza, Sofia Varela and Juliana Lozada, it was gold.
Following a 3-1 quarter-final success against Guatemala’s Jenny Cux, Monica Mejia and Stefanie Orellana, a 3-0 win was recorded against Chile’s Sofia Vega, Fernanda Araneda and Josefina Lara to reserve a place in the final.
It was at that stage the Colombians endured their closest contest of the tournament; they were extended the full five match distance by Mexico’s Paula Peña, Aurora Andrade and Arantxa Cossio Aceves. The player to cause the problems was Arantxa Cossio Aceves; she accounted for both Juliana Lozada (11-6, 11-3, 11-3) and Ana Izada (11-2, 11-2, 13-11).
Earlier in the opposite half of the draw, fielding the same team throughout, Mexico had secured a 3-1 win against Puerto Rico’s Zulnamy Soto, Edmarie Leon and Brianna Burgos, before gaining a 3-2 success in the penultimate round in opposition to Brazil’s Wanessa Su Wu, Laura Watanabe and Giulia Takahashi.
Play continues with the individual events, proceedings close on Saturday 20th July.
2019 Latin American Cadet Championships: Boys’ Team Event – Results (Tuesday 16th July)
2019 Latin American Cadet Championships: Boys’ Team Event – Detailed Results (Tuesday 16th July)
2019 Latin American Cadet Championships: Girls’ Team Event – Results (Tuesday 16th July)
2019 Latin American Cadet Championships: Girls’ Team Event – Detailed Results (Tuesday 16th July)
Tomokazu Harimoto is out!
It’s an opening round exit for Tomokazu Harimoto in Johor Bahru following a six games defeat at the hands of Wong Chun Ting.
The youngest player at the event Harimoto found himself 3-1 down before Fast5 kicked in, reducing the target from 11 points to five. Harimoto fought back with a successful game five but there was to be no repeat in game six as Wong completed the upset by a 4-2 margin (11-9, 6-11, 11-10, 11-5, 2-5, 5-3).
Current World no.1 topples former World no.1
The in form player in recent weeks, current World no.1 Xu Xin has beaten former World no.1 Dimitrij Ovtcharov in an exciting contest on Match Day 1.
Germany’s Ovtcharov gave a good account of himself but was simply outclassed across the opening three games. In game four Xu recovered from 7-9 down on the scoreboard, claiming four points in a row to seal the win (11-5, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9) – can anyone stop the “Cloud Walker” in Johor Bahru?
Chen Szu-Yu blown away
Hoping for a colossal upset in the Round of 16 but Chen Szu-Yu has missed out on achieve that feat with the Chinese Taipei competitor falling at the hands of Chinese teenage ace Sun Yingsha.
Dominant from start to finish Sun was just too quick for her opponent and was rarely troubled in the match, getting the job done in straight games before the expiration of the 24 minute countdown clock (11-6, 11-8, 11-3, 11-5). Either one of Zhu Yuling or Kasumi Ishikawa awaits Sun in the quarterfinals.
Comprehensive victory for Wang Manyu
China’s Wang Manyu has opened her account with a breathtaking performance against Austrian opponent Sofia Polcanova in the first fixture of the second session.
The opening game was a delight to watch with both players pushing themselves to the limit, Wang edged it by just a single point! From that point onward it was one-way traffic: Wang’s serve proved problematic for Polcanova and the next three games went to the Chinese player in the first match not to require Fast5 (11-10, 11-7, 11-3, 11-5).
Ma Long rolls on
French Simon Gauzy was hit by a Chinese storm started by the Dragon himself, as Ma Long strolled to the quarterfinals after winning 4:1 (11-7, 11-9, 11-4, 6-11, 5-0).
The first three games were classic Ma, giving Simon no room to exploit as the Chinese won them consecutively. Simon hit back in the fourth and that itself would be a high consolation for the Frenchman. FAST5 was enacted and Ma was equally fast in wrapping up the match and any expectations of a comeback.
Japanese derby results in fireworks
Tight, tense and tough-that’s the only way you can describe the match between Japan’s Miyu Kato Mima Ito. In the first clash to go to a decider here in Johor Bahru, it was truly a sight to behold.
The young Japanese started better, with Mima taking the first game with quick fire returns. However, it was clear that Miyu knew to use her patience which led to a brilliant thrid game lasting 8 minutes and 38 seconds. This meant the onset of Fast5 for the last three games, two of which Mima sped through. Finally, the elder of the two Japanese athletes carefully saw to her victory with a clinching serve and made her way to the quarterfinals (4-11, 11-4, 11-10, 11-4, 1-5, 1-5, 5-4).
Chen pushed but not defeated
The World #1 Chen Meng had a difficult start to her T2 campaign as she was pushed hard for a quarterfinal slot by Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi Kem (11-5, 11-10, 7-11, 11-2, 1-5, 5-3).
In a competition all about time, two nearly 8 minute games meant there would be an early onset of the FAST5 rule. China’s Chen had secured a 3-1 lead by then, however Doo had no plans to let up. Winning the first of the FAST5 games 5-1, even Chen was surprised by the sudden push in her opponent’s play. Finally, the service of Chen stood out and allowed her to see the match through in a fairly difficult last game.
Lin wins
The first match of T2 Diamond Series lived up to its billing as two elite Chinese athletes clashed in a quick fire match at the Johor Bahru. Lin Gaoyuan was up against in-form 19 year old Wang Chuqin, who took the first game 11-8.
Coming from behind, Lin slowed the match down with a 7-minute game to level the scores and then rushed to take the lead 3 games to 1. By this time, the 24 minute timer had gone and the first FAST5 game also happened to be the last one. Despite his best efforts, Wang could not stop his experienced compatriot and eventually lost at the last hurdle (8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7, 5-4).
Let the show begin!
Here we go! It’s time to get excited with Match Day 1 now underway in Johor Bahru – take a look at the day’s fixture schedule and watch along live:
Get ready for T2 Diamond
Before the action commences make sure to grab a quick glance at what’s coming your way across the next four days of T2 Diamond Malaysia:
ITTF opens bidding process for 2023 World Table Tennis Championships Finals.
This will mark the third edition of the enlarged version of the greatest table tennis event on earth, which first comes into effect in 2021 in Houston, United States and then 2022 in Chengdu, China. A series of continental stages taking place prior will be leading to the WTTC Finals, which will showcase the very best players from the previous stages.
The WTTC Finals offer the incredible global reach of over 500 million fans on fast-growing TV and digital platforms, but are now more viable for a higher number of potential cities and countries across the world to organise and continue the tradition of the most prestigious event in table tennis, which first started in 1926 and keeps going from strength to strength.
The 2023 WTTC Finals will be an individual event, consisting of the following categories:
Men’s Singles – straight knockout of 128 players
Women’s Singles – straight knockout of 128 players
Mixed Doubles – straight knockout of 64 pairs
Men’s Doubles – straight knockout of 64 pairs
Women’s Doubles – straight knockout of 64 pairs
The new WTTC Finals will be a table tennis festival that will promote all facets of the sport and the city that it is held in, around the world. The new format allows for all matches to be televised globally, and flexible scheduling to ensure that the key matches are being held at prime times to assist with ticket sales and television viewership.
ITTF Competition Director, Vicky Eleftheriade
The bidding process is as follows:
Interest phase: 18 July – 30 September 2019
Final Bid phase: 1 October – 30 November 2019
Evaluation of Bids (including inspections): December 2019 – February 2020
Selection of the winning bid: March 2020 when the bid presentations will take place at the ITTF AGM in Busan, Korea Republic, to decide the host for the 2023 WTTC Finals.
To find out more information and to register your interest before 30 September 2019 head to ITTFbids.com.
“Roma ping pong fest”: First ever TTX festival in Italy
Experience the revolutionary Table Tennis X (TTX) on 6 October 2019 at the “Roma Ping Pong Fest – A TTX Experience” in the splendid setting of the .
Organised by the International Table Tennis Federation(ITTF), the Italian Table Tennis Federation(FITET), in collaboration with SG Plus Ghiretti & Partners, and with the support of the Lazio Region, the Municipality of Rome, CONI and the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), the “Roma Ping Pong Fest” will be the first of its kind to be launched in Italy, showcasing the new format of table tennis that aims to make table tennis more youthful.
The event launch for the “Roma Ping Pong Fest” will be held today in the CONI Board Meeting Hall, in the presence of Giovanni Malagò, President of CONI, Renato Di Napoli, President of FITET, Gordon Kaye, ITTF Managing Director of Product Innovation, Giuseppe Marino, FITET Secretary General and the representatives of the institutions of the Municipality of Rome and of the Lazio Region.
The “Roma Ping Pong Fest” to be held on 6 October 2019 will be a 360° all-rounded TTX Experience for participants, featuring a “TTX tournament”, a “Celebrity tournament”, fun zones, music, shows and even more…
Participants can simply pick up a racket with family & friends and enjoy a game of TTX. Smash, play it freestyle and hustle their way to glory, and score extra points with wildcards and winners. The game is never predictable, even till the last second.
To stay up-to-date on “Roma Ping Pong Fest – A TTX Experience”, simply follow FITET.org, FITET’s Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as TTX.world and TTXWorld’s Facebook and Instagram pages for further updates.
Be sure to join in the party with us at the “Roma Ping Pong Fest”! Experience it. Live it. Love it.
Sale Sharks: Twins Dan and Jean-Luc du Preez sign permanent deals
South African twins Dan and Jean-Luc du Preez have signed permanent deals with Sale Sharks, having initially agreed to join the Premiership side on loan.
The 23-year-old back-rowers have been released from contracts with Cell-C Sharks in their home country.
They will join older brother Robert, 25, at Sale for 2019-20, with all three having been capped by the Springboks.
"The twins joining on a permanent basis really completes the jigsaw in our pack," said Sale boss Steve Diamond.
Jean-Luc - who has 13 international caps - and fly-half Robert both spent time on loan at Sale last season, though Dan - who has played four Tests - will be joining the club for the first time.
"I've heard some really good things about the club from Rob and Jean-Luc and can't wait to link up with Sale in the winter and play some rugby in the Gallagher Premiership with my brothers," Dan said.
They will start at the club on 1 August, with fellow South African signing Coenie Oosthuizen joining later in the year as he is required by the Cell-C Sharks for their Currie Cup campaign.
ROSSBURG, Ohio — Despite a two-month wait thanks to a rain postponement, Donny Schatz completed a sweep of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series portion of #LetsRaceTwo at Eldora Speedway on Wednesday night.
Schatz grabbed the top spot on lap eight of the 30-lap feature, courtesy of an inside sweep around rival Brad Sweet, then dominated the remaining 23 laps for his fifth Outlaw victory of the season.
The 10-time and defending series champion had been notably absent from the winner’s circle for much of the season, but now has wins in back-to-back weeks going into the prestigious Kings Royal weekend.
Wednesday night’s score marked the 288th Outlaw win of Schatz’s storied career, as well as his sixth victory in his last nine series appearances at the half-mile Ohio dirt track.
“My guys threw a couple ideas at me before the feature that they thought might work, and I knew tonight was the night to try things, because we want to be spot on for the rest of the week,” said Schatz, who won the first half of #LetsRaceTwo back in May. “We tried something, and there were some things that worked really well … but at the same time I couldn’t quite keep up with the track at times. We made it work, though.
“We were good on the bottom, but even at the end, as the groove moved around we could get through the middle and the top when we needed to in traffic,” he added. “Hats off to my team, because they made this happen. It’s pretty cool. I didn’t think the weather would let us get it in, but we did!”
Though DIRTvision Fast Pass Dash winner Carson Macedo led the field to green, it was Sweet taking command in the initial start, racing to the lead from the outside pole as Schatz challenged Macedo for runner-up honors in the early going.
It took Schatz five and a half laps to dispatch Macedo and move into second, but once he did he hunted Sweet down in a hurry. Barely a lap later, he was alongside the NAPA No. 49 for the race lead, and by the time the field raced off turn two the Toco Warranty No. 15 was in front to stay.
As Schatz worked traffic effortlessly, David Gravel found himself closing on Sweet for second. His charge was further aided by a caution at the halfway point, when Kerry Madsen slowed to a stop in turn four.
Gravel actually lost a spot to Logan Schuchart on the ensuing restart, but methodically worked his way back forward amid a pair of restarts in the second half before finally getting back to Schuchart with three laps left as the Shark Racing driver got hung up in the waning laps of the race.
After finally passing Schuchart on lap 28, Gravel ended his night with a runner-up finish, despite the stress of having to change an engine in his No. 41 after the DIRTvision Fast Pass Dash earlier in the night.
“It was chaotic all night,” admitted Gravel. “Tyler, Patrick and Phillip thrashed on it all night long. We broke a steering gear at the beginning of the night, changed that, and then changed the motor before the main. For not getting to fine-tune on it very much all night, we had a damn good car there in the A.”
Schuchart completed the podium after his back-and-forth battle with Gravel in the closing stages. He was followed across the finish line by Sweet, who faded to fourth, and Ohio native Greg Wilson.
Rico Abreu, Kraig Kinser, Brent Marks, Brian Brown and Macedo capped off the top 10.
Tyler Courtney won the USAC sprint car feature.
To view complete race results, advance to the next page.
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