Coco conquers the clay courts

American tennis sensation Cori ("Coco") Dionne Gauff from Atlanta has once again etched her name into tennis history, securing her second career Grand Slam singles title with a thrilling victory at the French Open. On Saturday, June 7, 2025, the 21-year-old triumphed over current world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a hard-fought final, showcasing remarkable resilience and unwavering mental fortitude on the iconic red clay of Roland Garros in Paris.

Can the Gunners break the curse?

Arsenal Football Club just beat Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. They won 2-1 in the second leg at the Bernabéu Stadium last week after winning 3-0 at home in London the prior week. This win secured Arsenal's place in the semi-finals for the first time since 2009. This victory over the Spaniards was very unexpected. Real Madrid is by far the best team in Champions League history. They are, many would argue, the best team in the world and have the best player in the world in Kylian Mbappé. Despite these odds against them, Arsenal just beat Real Madrid not once, but twice in a row. After completing this 5-1 aggregate victory they now face French team Paris Saint-Germain F.C (PSG) in a two legged Semi Final, at home on April 28th and away in Paris on May 7th. 

A Symphony of Sound at the Paris Paralympics

The Paralympic Games, a global sporting event for athletes with disabilities, have a rich history dating back to the mid-20th century. The Games originated after World War 2 at a military hospital in London, where sports competitions for paraplegic war veterans were held. Since then, the Paralympic Games have evolved significantly, expanding to include athletes with various disabilities and gaining international recognition. 

Looking back at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games were a spectacle of athletic prowess and international camaraderie. While every event offered its own unique thrill, some stood out as particularly popular among spectators and athletes alike. Here's a recap of some of the most incredible moments from the Games.

OLYMPICS SUMMARY (AFTER PARIS)

Here is a summary of some of the biggest medal winning countries at the Paris Olympics: 

	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	40	44	42	126
2	China	40	27	24	91
3	Japan	20	12	13	45
4	Australia	18	19	16	53
5	France	16	26	22	64
6	Netherlands	15	7	12	34
7	Great Britain	14	22	29	65
8	South Korea	13	9	10	32
9	Italy	12	13	15	40
10	Germany	12	13	8	33

And here is the revised aggregate medal count from all Summer Olympic Games in modern history (last 128 years): 

	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	1101	874	780	2755
2	Russia	608	515	501	1624
3	Germany	450	470	499	1419
4	China	303	226	198	727
5	Great Britain	298	340	343	981
6	France	239	277	299	815
7	Italy	229	201	228	658
8	Japan	189	162	191	542
9	Hungary	187	161	182	530
10	Australia	182	192	226	600

Below are the medal winners at Paris 2024 for the sports covered on this site, namely: 

         soccer, rugby, golf, tennis, and basketball. 

There is no baseball or squash at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, but they will both appear in LA 2028, along with flag football.  

OLYMPICS SUMMARY (BEFORE PARIS)

Here is a summary of statistics and results from the Summer Olympics over the course of history (last 128 years).  The first table is the historical medal count for all Modern Summer Olympics prior to Paris 2024:

	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	1061	830	738	2629
2	Russia	608	515	501	1624
3	Germany	438	457	491	1386
4	Great Britain	284	318	314	916
5	China	263	199	174	636
6	France	223	251	277	751
7	Italy	217	188	213	618
8	Hungary	181	154	176	511
9	Japan	169	150	178	497
10	Australia	164	173	210	547

Pre-Paris historical number of medals per million of population for the top countries (Russia includes former USSR, Germany includes former East and West):

A Tour de France legend in the making

Slovenian cycling prodigy Tadej Pogačar is currently leading the Tour de France. He has taken the sport of cycling by storm, winning the Tour de France in both 2020 and 2021, he achieved the incredible feat of claiming all three jerseys (yellow, polka-dot for mountains, and white for young rider) each time, a rarity not seen in decades. 

A Humble Southern Hemisphere Hero #2, Siya Kolisi

"Rise: A Siya Kolisi Story" is a powerful and inspiring documentary that chronicles the journey of Siya Kolisi, the first Black captain of the South African national rugby union team, the Springboks. The film delves into Kolisi's remarkable rise from poverty and adversity to become a national hero, leading the Springboks to a historic victory in the 2019 Rugby World Cup. He also led the team to victory in the subsequent Rugby World Cup last year in 2023.  He is one of only two captains to have achieved this in the history of the sport of rugby. 

Squash's Olympic trials and tribulations are not over

The sport of squash is 200 years old and has had - at its peak - around 25 million regular participants hailing from almost every country on earth. Squash boasts a thriving international presence, with the PSA professional circuit drawing top talent from across the globe. From the powerhouse nations of Egypt, England, and France to rising stars in Peru, Colombia, and the US, the sport's competitive landscape is incredibly diverse and exciting. This global reach makes squash a perfect fit for the Olympics, where athletes from all corners of the world come together to celebrate excellence and sportsmanship.

The Springboks do it again, 4 time world champs!

                               

In a thrilling display of grit and determination, on October 28th 2023 South Africa etched their names in Rugby World Cup history once again, defeating New Zealand 12-11 in a nail-biting final at Stade de France in Saint-Denis (Paris), France. This triumph marked South Africa's fourth Rugby World Cup title, cementing their position as one of the sport's most dominant teams. From the outset, the match was a tense affair, with both teams showcasing their defensive prowess. South Africa's resolute defense, led by captain Siya Kolisi, proved to be a formidable obstacle for the All Blacks, who struggled to break through their unwavering wall of green and gold. South Africa's flyhalf Handre Pollard proved to be the difference-maker on the night, maintaining his 100% kicking record in Paris and guiding the ball through the posts with four crucial penalties. His accuracy and composure under immense pressure were instrumental in maintaining South Africa's lead throughout the match.  

France Stuns All Blacks in Rugby World Cup Opener

And...we are back from a summer break with a bang! Last night, September 8th 2023, the Rugby World Cup kicked off as hosts France stunned the sport's most dominant team historically, the All Blacks, by 27 points to 13. The match, played at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, was a pulsating affair that saw both teams trade blows in front of a passionate crowd. The French started brightly and took an early lead through a try from Damian Penaud. The All Blacks responded with a try of their own from Mark Telea, but France continued to press forward and were rewarded with a second try from Penaud, this time in the corner. The All Blacks fought back in the second half and reduced the deficit to just three points, but France were not to be denied. Two late tries from Melvyn Jaminet and Antoine Dupont sealed a memorable victory for the hosts. 

Jonas Vingegaard: The Danish Giant Who Conquered the Tour de France

Jonas Vingegaard is a Danish professional cyclist who rides for UCI WorldTeam Team Jumbo–Visma. He is the reigning champion of the Tour de France, having won the race in 2022. He is currently over ten minutes ahead of the second place cyclist and looks set to ride into Paris on Sunday (July 21st 2023) to reclaim his Tour title this year. Vingegaard was born in Hillerslev, Denmark, on December 10, 1996. He started cycling at a young age, and quickly showed promise in the sport. He turned professional in 2019, and joined Team Jumbo–Visma in 2020.