分类： sports

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — In an emotionally charged performance at the Milan Cortina Paralympics, American Para alpine skier Patrick Halgren secured a silver medal while paying powerful tribute to his deceased twin brother, Lucas Sven Halgren, whom he credits for his triumphant return to competitive skiing.

Following his super-G standing event on Monday, the self-described ‘rock star’ of the Games expressed his profound connection to his brother, who died in a 2016 motorcycle accident in New Zealand. ‘He made this happen for real. He is the ski god and he has blessed me with speed today,’ Halgren stated emotionally at the finish line.

The 33-year-old athlete’s journey to the Paralympic podium represents a remarkable story of resilience and transformation. Three years before his brother’s fatal accident, Halgren nearly died in his own motorcycle crash, resulting in the amputation of most of his left leg above the knee. He spent a month in a coma and technically died four times during his medical emergency.

Halgren has adopted ‘SvendIt’ as his personal mantra—a play on ‘send-it’ that simultaneously honors his brother who went by Sven. Blue-and-yellow stickers bearing the phrase have appeared throughout the Cortina d’Ampezzo venue.

‘He’s the reason I’m here. I’m just a vessel to cram love and combat hate down your throats,’ Halgren told reporters. ‘He inspired me to live life, but life is fragile. You can die. It’s all for him. It’s for my family. It’s for the people that have struggled.’

The outspoken American celebrated before his parents, Peter and Kathy, who had previously traveled to New Zealand to retrieve their deceased son’s body. Halgren noted the surreal nature of their experience: ‘They went to Tijuana, Mexico, for their honeymoon 50 years ago. They picked up their dead kid in New Zealand, and they’ve watched me win the Paralympics at the most beautiful ski valley in the world.’

Known for his distinctive long braids dyed red, white and blue, Halgren has embraced a showman personality at the Games. During the podium ceremony, he performed an air guitar solo using his crutch, quipping that it was just ‘another Monday’ for him.

Despite his silver medal finish behind Switzerland’s Robin Cuche, Halgren emphasized that medals hold little meaning compared to the support he receives. ‘The love from all the people supporting me is what means anything to me,’ he reflected. ‘I can literally feel all the people who have ever given me well wishes and ‘Thanks’ and ‘Good lucks.’ I can feel them loving me and they’re the reason I won.’

Halgren’s philosophy centers on embracing vulnerability and accepting failure: ‘It’s about being vulnerable in this life. It’s about trying things and failing. It’s OK to be embarrassed. It’s OK to look weird.’

When questioned about future ambitions, the Paralympian declared his intention to ‘dominate the Earth in every category with one leg’ before concluding with his characteristic humor: ‘My horse is thirsty, I’m out.’

Two decades after arriving from Italy, Andrea Coatti has become an integral part of Chongli’s remarkable transformation from an unknown mountain town to an internationally recognized winter sports destination. The Italian ski professional, affectionately known as “Yibu” (meaning “one step”) among locals, initially journeyed to Zhangjiakou’s Chongli district in Hebei province without prior knowledge of the area.

Coatti dedicated his expertise to developing and maintaining ski infrastructure during Chongli’s formative years as a winter sports location. His technical contributions proved instrumental in the region’s development, culminating in his participation in constructing competition venues for the prestigious 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

The Olympic legacy has propelled Chongli into a new era of growth and international recognition. The district now boasts state-of-the-art winter sports facilities connected to Beijing via high-speed rail, making it accessible to enthusiasts worldwide. This connectivity has transformed the once-quiet town into a thriving hub that attracts young skiers and snowboarders from across the globe.

Chongli’s evolution represents China’s strategic development of winter sports infrastructure and the successful integration of international expertise. The combination of foreign technical knowledge and local implementation has created a destination that meets international standards while maintaining its unique regional character.

In a high-stakes showdown at the Tokyo Dome, South Korea’s national baseball team clinched a dramatic 7-2 victory against Australia on Monday, securing their advancement to the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals through a complex tiebreaker scenario. The triumph marks South Korea’s first appearance in the tournament’s knockout stage after three consecutive failures to escape pool play.

The game unfolded as a nail-biting mathematical puzzle, with South Korea requiring a victory margin of five runs or more to advance from Pool C. The team initially established a commanding 4-0 lead within the first three innings, with Bo Gyeong Moon delivering an exceptional offensive performance that included four RBIs, bringing his tournament total to an impressive 11.

Australia mounted several comeback attempts, twice narrowing the deficit to four runs, but each time South Korea responded with additional scoring. The decisive moment arrived in the ninth inning when Australian shortstop Jarryd Dale committed a critical throwing error that extended the inning. This miscue enabled Hae-Min Park to reach third base and subsequently score on Hyun Min Ahn’s sacrifice fly, providing the crucial fifth-run margin.

The drama intensified in the bottom of the ninth when South Korean right fielder Jung Hoo Lee made a spectacular diving catch off Rixon Wingrove’s line drive, preventing what appeared to be a certain double that could have scored an Australian runner and reduced the final margin to four runs—which would have eliminated South Korea from contention.

Pitcher Ju Young Son earned the victory while Australian starter Lachlan Wells was charged with the loss. South Korea now joins previously qualified Japan and superstar Shohei Ohtani as Pool C representatives in the quarterfinals, completing a remarkable turnaround after their early tournament struggles.

In an unexpected development, North Korea has officially canceled the Pyongyang International Marathon scheduled for April 5, 2026, offering no substantive explanation for the decision. The announcement was communicated to Koryo Tours, the British-operated tour agency recognized as the event’s official partner, by North Korea’s athletics association.

The notification, attributed to the association’s general secretary, cited vague “some reasons” for the cancellation while expressing gratitude to international elite and amateur runners who had shown interest in participating. According to Koryo Tours, the determination appears final and was made at a level surpassing the event’s direct organizers, suggesting higher governmental authority involvement.

This marks the first cancellation since the event’s post-pandemic revival in 2025 after five consecutive years of COVID-19 related suspensions. Established in 1981 to commemorate the birth of North Korea’s founding leader Kim Il Sung, the marathon typically attracts foreign participants through specialized tour packages.

Koryo Tours, which operates from Beijing, had sold out its premium packages priced from €2,190 for 2.5 nights in Pyongyang including race entry and city tours. The company has committed to full deposit refunds while offering participants the option to retain credits for future events. No date has been set for the 2027 edition of the competition, which traditionally features 5km, 10km, half-marathon and full marathon distances open to both amateur and professional athletes.