Olympic Daily News: 16 June 2020

Did you know it’s only one week until Olympic Day?

We’ll be celebrating next Tuesday, June 23, with live workouts hosted by world-class athletes around the globe, as we #StayActive and #StayStrong.

Can’t wait until next Tuesday? Join the Olympic Channel today on Instagram with cyclist Badreddin Wais at 4 pm Switzerland/ 2pm UTC /10 am Eastern time in the United States.

Mondo Dulplantis, Renaud Lavillenie, Sandi Morris and more confirmed for Athletissima 2020 in Lausanne

Another date for your calendars - 2nd September, in Lausanne.

That’s when some of the world’s greatest pole vaulters will finally have a chance to face of – in person. After having competed virtually in the Ultimate Garden Clash, three pole vault stars have confirmed their participation at Athletissima 2020: Mondo Duplantis, world record holder; Renaud Lavillenie, previous world holder; and Sam Kendricks, reigning world champion.

Competition on the women’s side is also expected to be fierce with indoor world champion Sandi Morris, 2016 Olympic champion Ekaterini Stefanidi and 2019 world champ Anzhelika Sidorova anticipated to compete.

Event organisers are currently preparing to welcome 1,000 spectators to the event, but say that could be increased depending on conditions relating to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tributes to 16-year-old French climber Luce Douady

The International Federation of Sport Climbing has led the tributes to France’s Luce Douady, who died following a climbing accident in south-eastern France according to media reports.

The 2019 World Youth climbing champion was in an unexplored area near Grenoble when she slipped and fell.

Authorities have recovered her body and there is an open investigation into Douady’s death.

The IFSC called Douady “brilliant and a talented athlete,” while the French Mountain Climbing Federation said, “Luce was a very promising young athlete from the French climbing team. At only 16, the future was before her. Today, the whole federation is in mourning."

Olympic champion ice hockey goalie Maddie Rooney faces new challenge

In 2018, American Maddie Rooney helped Team USA regain the women’s ice hockey gold medal at the Olympic Games for the first time in 20 years.

Now, the goalie is taking what she knows and giving back after a call from her Minnesota youth coach Sean Molin, who recently started coaching at Centennial High School outside Minneapolis.

“I knew she was busy, and I knew that she had lots of things [going on], but I thought, hey, she’s trying to get into coaching,” Molin told NBC Olympic Talk of his need for an assistant coach. “I thought it could be a good opportunity if we worked around her schedule.”

“Coaching high school has always been something I wanted to do,” said Rooney. “With the connection that I have with Sean, it all just seemed kind of like the right fit.”

Tuesday’s Trivia

Yesterday, we asked which skateboard discipline will be included in Tokyo 2020. The answer? Street and Park.

Now, for today’s:

Which sport was not part of the Olympics between 1904 and 2016?

1. Modern Penthatlon

2. Rugby

3. Baseball

4. Golf