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Olympics

FILE - Sivert Guttorm Bakken of Norway competes during the men's 15km mass start race at the biathlon World Cup in Anterselva, Italy, Jan. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

Altitude mask on dead Norwegian biathlon competitor wasn’t part of federation’s training program

Andrew Dampf, The Associated Press 3 minute read Yesterday at 2:10 PM CST

The performance-enhancing altitude mask that Olympic hopeful Sivert Guttorm Bakken was wearing when he was found dead this week “is not part of the Norwegian Biathlon Association’s organized training programs,” the federation said Friday.

Bakken, 27, was found dead in his hotel room in the Alpine town of Lavaze in the Trentino region of Italy on Tuesday.

He was located at high altitude, with the Lavaze Pass measuring 1,808 meters (nearly 6,000 feet) in elevation.

The fact Bakken was wearing a device aimed at simulating high-altitude conditions, which can potentially improve endurance, has raised concerns — especially since Bakken was diagnosed with myocarditis, a heart condition, in 2022 and sat out two seasons.

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Norwegian biathlon competitor Sivert Guttorm Bakken dies at 27 during Olympic training camp in Italy

The Associated Press 2 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025

Norwegian biathlon Olympic hopeful Sivert Guttorm Bakken has died suddenly. He was 27.

“The International Biathlon Union is deeply saddened to learn that Norwegian biathlete Sivert Guttorm Bakken has passed away at the age of 27 during a training camp in Italy,” the sport's governing body said Tuesday.

Bakken was found dead in his hotel room in the Alpine town of Lavaze in the Trentino region of Italy, Norwegian TV NRK said.

Bakken was diagnosed with myocarditis, a heart condition, in 2022 and took a break from competition.

Jackie Chan carries the Milan Cortina Olympic torch through the ruins of Pompeii

The Associated Press 1 minute read Preview

Jackie Chan carries the Milan Cortina Olympic torch through the ruins of Pompeii

The Associated Press 1 minute read Monday, Dec. 22, 2025

POMPEII, Italy (AP) — Actor Jackie Chan carried the Olympic torch through the ruins of Pompeii during the relay for the Milan Cortina Winter Games on Monday.

The day’s route also passed along the picturesque Amalfi Coast.

On Tuesday, Italian soccer standouts Fabio Cannavaro and Ciro Ferrara will carry the torch through their native Naples, where the relay will pause for Christmas.

In all, the relay will cover 12,000 kilometers (nearly 7,500 miles) and wind its way through all 110 Italian provinces before reaching Milan’s San Siro Stadium for the opening ceremony on Feb. 6.

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Monday, Dec. 22, 2025

Actor Jackie Chan holds the olympic torch passing through the Archaeological Park in Pompeii, Italy, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Actor Jackie Chan holds the olympic torch passing through the Archaeological Park in Pompeii, Italy, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Federica Brignone motivated by flag bearer role in bid to be fit for Olympics

Andrew Dampf, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Federica Brignone motivated by flag bearer role in bid to be fit for Olympics

Andrew Dampf, The Associated Press 3 minute read Monday, Dec. 22, 2025

ROME (AP) — The mere fact Federica Brignone accepted being named as one of Italy’s four flag bearers for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics is a significant step in her return from severe injury.

“If I wasn’t optimistic, I wouldn’t be here today and I wouldn’t have put my skis back on after eight months,” Brignone said after being handed the flag by Italy President Sergio Mattarella on Monday.

Brignone, the defending overall World Cup skiing champion, broke multiple bones in her left leg in April.

After two surgeries and months of rehab, she returned to the snow last month and is now ready to ramp up her training to racing pace.

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Monday, Dec. 22, 2025

Italy's Federica Brignone delivers her speech during the hand over ceremony of the Italian flag by the Italian President Sergio Mattarella for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic games, at the Quirinale Presidential palace, in Rome, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Italy's Federica Brignone delivers her speech during the hand over ceremony of the Italian flag by the Italian President Sergio Mattarella for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic games, at the Quirinale Presidential palace, in Rome, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Italy’s 4 flag bearers for Milan Cortina Winter Olympics honored in handover ceremony

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Italy’s 4 flag bearers for Milan Cortina Winter Olympics honored in handover ceremony

The Associated Press 2 minute read Monday, Dec. 22, 2025

ROME (AP) — Italy’s four flag bearers for its upcoming home Milan Cortina Winter Olympics were honored in a handover ceremony at the presidential palace on Monday.

Short track speedskater Arianna Fontana, cross country skier Federico Pellegrino, Alpine skier Federica Brignone and curler Amos Mosaner were handed flags by Italy President Sergio Mattarella.

Skiers Chiara Mazzel and René De Silvestro, who will be flag bearers at the Paralympics, were also honored.

Fontana and Pellegrino will carry the flag at the main opening ceremony at Milan’s San Siro soccer stadium on Feb. 6, while Brignone and Mosaner will have the honors at a simultaneous ceremony in Cortina d’Ampezzo on the same night.

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Monday, Dec. 22, 2025

Italian Paralympic athlete Rene' de Silvestro delivers his speech during the hand over ceremony of the Italian flag by the Italian President Sergio Mattarella for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic games, at the Quirinale Presidential palace, in Rome, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Italian Paralympic athlete Rene' de Silvestro delivers his speech during the hand over ceremony of the Italian flag by the Italian President Sergio Mattarella for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic games, at the Quirinale Presidential palace, in Rome, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Humphries Armbruster gets 1st World Cup bobsled win since becoming a mom, ends 20-race German streak

Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Humphries Armbruster gets 1st World Cup bobsled win since becoming a mom, ends 20-race German streak

Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press 4 minute read Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025

Kaillie Humphries Armbruster has won dozens of races in her bobsled career. The victory she got Sunday was like none of the others.

It was her first since she turned 40.

And it was her first since becoming a mother.

With the Milan Cortina Olympics less than two months away, Humphries Armbruster seems to be hitting her best form once again. She teamed with Emily Renna to win a World Cup two-woman race in Sigulda, Latvia, her first victory on the circuit since winning a monobob race on that same track on Feb. 18, 2023.

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Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025

Kaillie Armbruster Humphries, left, and Jasmine Jones, of the United States, react after their second run of the 2-woman bobsleigh race at the Bobsleigh World Cup in Innsbruck, Austria, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Kaillie Armbruster Humphries, left, and Jasmine Jones, of the United States, react after their second run of the 2-woman bobsleigh race at the Bobsleigh World Cup in Innsbruck, Austria, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Mueller, Haugsjaa get World Cup win for USA Luge, the 1st of their career

The Associated Press 3 minute read Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa felt the pressures of racing at home. And they were up to the challenge.

Mueller and Haugsjaa won their first World Cup men's doubles race on Saturday, prevailing on USA Luge's home track at Mount Van Hoevenberg with a two-run time of 1 minute, 27.509 seconds.

Martins Bots and Roberts Plume of Latvia were second and Yannick Müller and Armin Frauscher of Austria took third.

“It's so good to be home," Mueller said. "We still definitely have things to work on, but I'm taking the win today.”

Germany’s Julia Taubitz wins World Cup women’s luge, American sliders take next 3 spots

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Germany’s Julia Taubitz wins World Cup women’s luge, American sliders take next 3 spots

The Associated Press 2 minute read Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — Germany’s Julia Taubitz had the fastest time in the second heat and that was enough to give her a World Cup women’s luge win on Friday night, with American sliders grabbing the next three places on home ice.

Taubitz finished her two runs in 1 minute, 28.824 seconds — less than one-quarter of a second faster than the three U.S. contenders. Ashley Farquharson was second, Summer Britcher was third and Emily Fischnaller was fourth for the Americans.

Russia had a slider in a World Cup race for the first time in nearly four years. Daria Olesik, competing as a neutral slider, was 21st in her lone run; only the top 20 made it to the second heat.

Olesik is presumably the only female luge athlete from Russia with a chance to reach the Milan Cortina Games in February.

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Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

John Eric Gustafson participates in a qualifying race for a Luge World Cup event in Lake Placid, N.Y., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
John Eric Gustafson participates in a qualifying race for a Luge World Cup event in Lake Placid, N.Y., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

With Chloe Kim sitting out, the world gets pre-Olympic view of Asian dominance on the halfpipe

Eddie Pells, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

With Chloe Kim sitting out, the world gets pre-Olympic view of Asian dominance on the halfpipe

Eddie Pells, The Associated Press 3 minute read Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) — Chloe Kim sat out with an injury. Shaun White has been retired for four years. Without them, the world got a peek at what snowboarding on the halfpipe looks like heading into the Winter Olympics: It is now a sport dominated by Japanese, with other Asian stars in the mix.

Japan's Ryusei Yamada and Korea's Gaon Choi won the men's and women's World Cup events Friday at Copper Mountain on a blustery day that featured only one American on either podium: 18-year-old Bea Kim, who took third in the women's contest, ahead of Japan's Sena Tomita.

America's Chloe Kim competed in qualifying Wednesday but suffered an undisclosed injury in the lead-up to the final and sat out. U.S. Ski and Snowboard didn't provide details about the injury. This was the only pre-Olympic event Kim had signed up for, and how missing this final might impact her upcoming schedule remains to be seen.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist is the only U.S. halfpipe rider already qualified for Milan Cortina, as the American team looks for someone to join her as the sport's headliner now that White, the three-time Olympic champion, has retired.

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Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

FILE - United States' Chloe Kim competes during the women's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 10, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)
FILE - United States' Chloe Kim competes during the women's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 10, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

Stage jitters replace fear of falling in ‘Eddie the Eagle’s’ latest act

Brian Melley, The Associated Press 7 minute read Preview

Stage jitters replace fear of falling in ‘Eddie the Eagle’s’ latest act

Brian Melley, The Associated Press 7 minute read Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

GLOUCESTER, England (AP) — Waiting in the wings on opening night of “Beauty and the Beast,” Michael Edwards felt the nerve-wracking jitters he experienced four decades earlier staring through thick glasses down a perilously steep ski jump.

The athlete-turned-performer better known as “Eddie the Eagle” was no stranger to fear, but this was different: he was about to face a theater packed with children.

In ski jumping, he might break his neck; here he only risked tripping over his lines and failing to win laughs.

Edwards has added acting to the bustling business of being Eddie the Eagle, feathering his nest and stretching his celebrity far longer than his brief flight as Britain’s first Olympic ski jumper won him fame despite finishing last in the 1988 Calgary Games.

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Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

Michael Edwards, better known as Eddie the Eagle, plays Professor Crackpot, as he performs with fellow actors in the pantomime "Beauty and the Beast" at Watersmeet Theatre, in Rickmansworth, England, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych)
Michael Edwards, better known as Eddie the Eagle, plays Professor Crackpot, as he performs with fellow actors in the pantomime

Sliders from Ukraine and Russia will start consecutively at World Cup luge race at Lake Placid

Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Sliders from Ukraine and Russia will start consecutively at World Cup luge race at Lake Placid

Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press 5 minute read Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

Ukrainian and Russian athletes are scheduled to start a World Cup men's luge race in consecutive order on Saturday, meaning it is almost certain that athletes from those nations will cross paths at least near the start of the track.

The start order for the race in Lake Placid, New York, was posted Thursday. Ukraine's Andriy Mandziy will be the second starter down the hill at Mount Van Hoevenberg, and he'll be immediately followed by Matvei Perestoronin — a Russian slider who is being allowed to compete as an independent neutral athlete.

That means Mandziy and Perestoronin will be in close proximity to one another at the top of the track, and probably again somewhere in the finish area once their first runs Saturday are complete. It also raises the likelihood that coaches from Ukraine and Russia may interact.

The start order for the race worked out that way because of how the order of finish played out from Thursday's Nations Cup race in Lake Placid, a one-heat qualifier for the World Cup competition. The first five starting spots in the World Cup race went to the top five finishers from the Nations Cup race, in reverse order.

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Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

Russian athlete Matvei Perestoronin finishes a qualifying race to compete in a Luge World Cup event in Lake Placid, N.Y., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Russian athlete Matvei Perestoronin finishes a qualifying race to compete in a Luge World Cup event in Lake Placid, N.Y., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Judge dismisses $800 million lawsuit by Enhanced Games, which declines to pursue the case further

Eddie Pells, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Judge dismisses $800 million lawsuit by Enhanced Games, which declines to pursue the case further

Eddie Pells, The Associated Press 3 minute read Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

A federal judge has dismissed an $800 million lawsuit filed by the Enhanced Games alleging that World Aquatics, the World Anti-Doping Agency and USA Swimming led an illegal effort to dissuade swimmers and other athletes from competing in its new series.

U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman ruled against the sports startup in November, giving it 30 days to refile the case to address his objections. On Thursday, WADA sent out a news release announcing the deadline had passed.

“It vindicates the strong stance we have taken on this matter," WADA said in a news release.

A person with knowledge Enhanced's legal maneuverings told The Associated Press it did not refile because it has had recent success signing swimmers, and also because it does not want to complicate its recent filing for a public offering that it expects will raise around $200 million.

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Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

FILE - Britain's Ben Proud reacts after his performance in the men's 50-meter butterfly heat at the World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, July 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
FILE - Britain's Ben Proud reacts after his performance in the men's 50-meter butterfly heat at the World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, July 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

An uninhabited Scottish isle is home to the golden granite used in Olympic curling stones

Joe Cooper And Ken Maguire, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

An uninhabited Scottish isle is home to the golden granite used in Olympic curling stones

Joe Cooper And Ken Maguire, The Associated Press 5 minute read Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

AILSA CRAIG, Scotland (AP) — If you’re looking to strike gold — silver or bronze, too — look to Ailsa Craig.

This uninhabited isle 10 miles (16 kilometers) off the coast of southwest Scotland is the source of the super-dense granite used to make curling stones for the Winter Olympics.

Jim English, co-owner of Kays Curling, took a few seconds to evaluate a boulder during a recent visit. He assessed it for big cracks and large specks on the surface.

“It’s not just a case of landing a boat and then looking for granite. There’s a particular type of granite we’re looking for,” he said in the shadow of a 19th century lighthouse that is no longer manned. “We look for ones that have got really tight surface pattern.”

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Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

The island of Ailsa Craig, where the two types of granite, Common Green and Blue Hone, that are used to make curling stones is quarried from, is seen from the beach at Girvan, Scotland, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
The island of Ailsa Craig, where the two types of granite, Common Green and Blue Hone, that are used to make curling stones is quarried from, is seen from the beach at Girvan, Scotland, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Canadian snowboarder, world champion Liam Brearley out of Olympic Games with injury

The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Canadian snowboarder, world champion Liam Brearley out of Olympic Games with injury

The Canadian Press 3 minute read Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025

TORONTO - World champion slopestyle snowboarder Liam Brearley will not compete in the Olympic Games because of a knee injury that required surgery.

The 22-year-old from Gravenhurst, Ont., injured his knee and ankle while training in November.

Brearley claimed world championship slopestyle gold in Engadin, Switzerland, in March with a dominating second run of 90.15 points, which was over five points better than runner-up Su Yiming of China.

The Canadian also finished fifth in January's X Games in Aspen, Colo.

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Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025

Liam Brearley of Canada competes in the men's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Liam Brearley of Canada competes in the men's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Dandjinou headlines Canada’s short track speedskating team for Milan Cortina Olympics

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Dandjinou headlines Canada’s short track speedskating team for Milan Cortina Olympics

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025

MONTREAL - William Dandjinou didn’t flinch when short track coach Marc Gagnon set high expectations to open the season.

Gagnon said Canada is aiming for a record haul of seven Olympic medals at this winter’s Milan Cortina Games – and Dandjinou believes that’s more than within his team’s grasp.

"It's not like a track race, it's always hard to set clear goals,” said Dandjinou of the oft-unpredictable sport. “But at worlds last season we won 10 medals, so seven for me, it's really doable. It's not impossible.

“It's going to be difficult, for sure. At the Olympics, everyone is getting better. We don't expect it to be easy, but we're here for that."

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Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025

William Dandjinou of Canada skates ahead of Steven Dubois of Canada during the 500m race at the ISU Short Track World Tour speed skating event in Montreal on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
William Dandjinou of Canada skates ahead of Steven Dubois of Canada during the 500m race at the ISU Short Track World Tour speed skating event in Montreal on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Winter Olympics 2026 guide: All you need to know about the Milan–Cortina Games

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Winter Olympics 2026 guide: All you need to know about the Milan–Cortina Games

The Associated Press 3 minute read Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025

The countdown is on for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

The torch relay is already underway and some of the top athletes are already making headlines. There are 16 sports in all, including some never seen before, and 116 gold medals are waiting to be awarded.

This will be the most spread-out Winter Games in history: The two primary competition sites are the city of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the upscale winter resort in the Dolomites that is more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) away by road. Athletes also will compete in three other mountain clusters besides Cortina, while the closing ceremony will be in Verona, 160 km (100 miles) east of Milan.

Get ready for all of the events with this guide of things to know!

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Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025

Kaillie Armbruster Humphries of the United States speeds down the course during a women's monobob World Cup race and Olympic test event in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Kaillie Armbruster Humphries of the United States speeds down the course during a women's monobob World Cup race and Olympic test event in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

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