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SHARING THE BEST IN SPORT |
Alex Zanardi (ITA), 53, is one of the most inspiring athletes to have lived. In 2001, already being a two-time CART Champion and a Formula 1 driver, he had a tragic accident that cost his legs while leading the CART race in Germany. Zanardi's heart stopped seven times and survived with more than 50 minutes with less than a litter of blood, which is scientifically impossible.
Zanardi did not only come back to race but also went on to win four World Touring Car Championship races, from 2005 to 2009. Car racing was not enough. Zanardi took on handcycling and won two gold medals at each of the 2012 and 2016 Paralymìc Games. He also took on triathlon and broke the Ironman world record for the disabled in 2018.
On June 19, Alex suffered an accident while competing in a road handcycling race on Italian highways. As of June 22nd, he is in a serious but stable condition, with reserved prognosis. Alex, an inspiration for millions, has defied the odds (and science) before and the world of sport is rooting for him in one of the most crucial weeks in his life. #ForzaAlex
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Five things to know from last week |
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Will Simpson be Golf's number one? Webb Simpson (USA) beat Abraham Ancer (MEX) by one stroke to win the RBC Heritage (PGA) with a record-breaking round. He now moves to #1 in the FedEx Cup, #2 in the US Ryder Standings and #5 in the World Golf Rankings. PGA describes his keys to success
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Now father, like father. Eli Tomac (USA) celebrated Father's Day by becoming the first father to win the Supercross World Championship. Tomac's dad, John (USA), was a Mountain Bike World Champion. KSL reviews from Utah
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Coronavirus proves it is still a danger. Novak Djokovic's (SER) tour has been cancelled after Grigor Dimitrov (BUL), Borna Coric (CRO) and two trainers tested positive for Coronavirus. Meanwhile, it was announced the US Open will be held behind closed doors, in late August. Andy Murray shares his concerns with The Guardian.
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Motorsport and racism. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) attended a "Black Lives Matter" Protest, and announced the "We Race As One" initiative, to drive long-term positive changes in motorsport. Across the ocean and a week after the Confederate Flag was banned from NASCAR races, NASCAR reported a noose -a tactic of white supremacist intimidation- was found in his Team Garage. NASCAR is furious and investigating, according to Yahoo!
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Lewangoalski. Robert Lewandowksi (POL, Bayern München) is the most effective striker in European Football and scored his 33rd against Freiburg, the highest for a foreigner at the Bundesliga. Ronaldo's (POR) Juventus lost the Coppa Italia to Napoli. FIFA has the numbers of the weekend.
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GLOBAL PODIUM OF THE WEEK |
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Gold: Lanfranco Dettori/ Stradivarius (IRL)
(Italy, Horse Racing)
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Frankie might have become the greatest rider of All-Time with a historic weekend.
Frank Dettori won 6 races at Royal Ascot and is now tied first of All-time with 73 wins and has now won every major race at Ascot.
Dettori and Stradivarius won their third consecutive Ascot Gold Cup (G1), making Stradivarius the best racehorse in England, if not the world.
Dettori also won the St. James's Palace Stakes and the Coronation Stakes, finished 2nd at the Commonwealth Cup and the Queen Anne Stakes, and 3rd at the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, all Group 1 races.
Watch the 10-lengths win at the Gold Cup (NBC)
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Silver: Andrew Kirby
(Great Britain, Horse Racing)
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Dettori was not the only one to make history at Royal Ascot.
Andrew Kirby rode Nando Parrado (GBR) -named after a survivor of the 1972 Andes Plane crash- to become the longest priced winners in Ascot's modern era, beating their 150-1 odds to win the Coventry Stakes (G2). Trainer Clive Cox says it was no shock.
Kirby also managed to upset Dettori by winning the Commonwealth Cup (G1) by riding Golden Horde (IRL).
Kirby was also 4th at the Kingʼs Stand Stakes and the St Jamesʼs Palace Stakes, Group 1 races at Royal Ascot.
Watch the Coventry Stakes, from the Ascot Racecourse
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Bronze: Manuel Franco/Tiz the Law (USA)
(Puerto Rico, Horse Racing)
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25-year-old Manuel Franco won the first leg of the US Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, by riding Tiz the Law to the victory circle.
Belmont, a New York course, had not seen a state-bred horse win the race in 138 years until this edition.
As TIME describes, this was a surreal edition without public. New York City has been devastated by the Covid-19 emergency, so this is a special win for New York, in the biggest sport event in the United States since the shutdown started.
Watch the full race, by NBC
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Horse racing continues to have some of the most important events in the world of sport. The Takarazuka Kinen ends the first half of the season in Japan. The Just a Games Stakes continues to put Belmont Park in the spot, and the Irish Derby and Oaks will have international contenders.
World Championship Boxing is back in Las Vegas, as Joshua Franco challenges Andrew Moloney. First World Title fight since February.
NASCAR has already come back to action and the Australian Supercars are now back. A Virtual Race of Champions will also be held, including Benito Guerra (MEX), the last "real" Race of Champions winner.
The online Magnus Carlson Tour continues with the Chessable Masters, featuring most of the top players in the World.
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Horse Racing:
Just a Game Stakes (USA)
Irish Derby (IRL)
Pretty Polly Stakes (IRL)
Takarazuka Kinen (JAP)
Auto racing:
NASCAR Cup (Pocono x2)
NASCAR Trucks (Pocono)
Supercars Championship (Sydney, Australia)
Golf:
PGA Travelers Championship
Simracing:
Race Of Champions
Boxing:
Andrew Moloney (AUS) vs Joshua Franco (USA)- World Boxing Association World Super Fly Title
Chess:
Chessable Masters 2020
eSports:
Tekken World Tour
Global StarCraft II League
Call of Duty League
Arena of Valor Premier League
Mixed Martial Arts:
UFC - Dustin Poirier (USA) vs Dan Hooker (NZL)
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Photo: Alex Zanardi, Facebook |
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"I am fully aware of the fact that in doing things - also because I'm a guy who is very well exposed- I tend to inspire people because they want to see much more in what I do than I really express or that I technically really deliver...I have to be honest and know that in reality if our eyes would be more talented we would find inspiration all around ourselves; we would not need Alex Zanardi to finish an ironman under 9 hours...It would be sufficient to turn our head and see a mother... The example she gives might pass unnoticed but is potentially as strong as the one I deliver..."
Alessandro Zanardi
2-time CART Champion
For Beyond the Grid, F1 Official Podcast. June 17.
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Brilliance: 50 years since México 70' |
The 1970 FIFA World Cup México turns 50-years old. SI argues that México saw the greatest football tournament ever seen and the greatest football team ever seen.
This World Cup was the first to be broadcast live in color, the first one to replace the leather ball and the one that consolidated Brazil's beautiful game. As SI quotes The Observer: "The Brazilians at their finest gave us pleasure so natural and deep as to be a vivid physical experience…".
Beyond Pelé's third coronation, México 70' also provided the "Match of the Century" between Italy and West Germany. For ESPN, it was the game-changer in football's history and gave Estado Azteca a special place in sport history.
FIFA recaps it with a series of videos.
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Genius: México 86's and a "copy goal" to celebrate |
This week is also an anniversary of the 1986 FIFA World Cup; also in México. FIFA describes Estado Azteca in Mexico City as the residence of "The Gods of Football".
There, Argentina defeated West Germany 3-2 to become World Champions, with Burruchaga's goal.
En route, Diego Armando Maradona put his genius to use against England by scoring a hand-goal, "La Mano de Dios" ("The Hand of God") and also the "Barrilete Cósmico", one of the greatest goals in football history.
Almost exactly 34 years later, Gonçalo Guedes (POR) scored a goal that made echo to it. In a "Slalom Magique", he helped Valencia beat Osasuna at a La Liga game.
Albeit, not at a fully-packed Estado Azteca but an empty stadium.
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Sportspedia's Global Edition highlights the best in sport from global sources. Links point to external sources we have curated for you We comply with the EU GDPR and the CAN-SPAM Act.
New York, 2020.
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