14th IAAF World Champsionship > see last post

This's 5th day of Summer Universiade. It's all fine and dandy except for the lack of competition, which makes it rather boring. I didn't expect much from the US team, as they never managed to the top 3 in medal table for the recent decade, while being second largest team today and indisputable leader troughout 90s. But not sure what has happened to Chinese -- same story, big team, big success in Shenzhen just two years ago -- no results this year. Other traditional leaders, namely Japan, South Korea, Ukraine, are progressing nicely more or less, but they are up to good competition only in selected events.

And it's just now, when Universiade finally got bigger in Shenzhen, growing to the scale of Summer Olympics in terms of participating nations, number of athletes, number of events and media coverage.

This is the very first time I've heard of Universiade. Wish it was broadcast in the US I would watch it.

For you, English-speakers, watch Eurosport.

But there's really nothing to watch for US viewers as the perfomance is poor. Shame that US team is badly presented on the event in terms 'quality' (quantity is here). More victories > more interest > more companies would buy broadcasting rights from FISU. Somewhere in early 2000s US team fell from charts completely so it was all about China vs. Russia competition. Not sure what has happened and why bother with accreditaion of 400+ team if they aren't going to win.

It's nice event that worth promotion, timed in gaps between Olympics, so no direct competition, with more emphasis on younger athletes (though Olympics champions are common here).

Just learned that after all there's a broadcast over the US, ESPN is supporting it:

The first Universiade to be broadcast live in the United States. ESPN will provide more than 40 hours of coverage throughout next month's Summer Universiade in Tatarstan on ESPNU, whilst an additional 250 hours will be shown live on ESPN3 throughout the Games, which is due to run from July 6 to July 17.

And it's always available live: http://www.livefisu.tv

BTW Universiade medal table record, set by China two years ago, has been renewed yesterday. Here's typical Universiade top-5, though Chinese underperforming for now, nevertheless diving finals were great thanks to them -- Olympic champions level of representation.

http://universiade2013.sportresult.com

Nice!  I will be watching it then.

Speaking about big sports events over here. Following Universiade in Kazan, 14th IAAF World Champsionship just has finished today in Moscow.

Medal table and athletes results are here:
http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-championships/14th-iaaf-world-championships-4873/medaltable

It could be better for us, but not that I'm not pleased:

Few titbids about athletes and teams I followed:

- 4 x 400 m men and women relay, favourite discipline, 0.02 second short from silver and pure gold respectively, spectacular and tactical struggle, US men team unreacheble at the moment though;
- Isinbaeva, pole vault, as usual overconfident but undoubtedly she is still the strongest on the planet;
- Fraser-Pryce, 200 m, look who is lucky, Felix's injury helped her gold medal here;
- Bolt, 100 and 200 m, meh, strongest on the planet that goes without saying, but he didn't even strain himself to win, nevertheles he saved Jamaica on 4 x100 m relay being last leg and helped us to win this championship overall taking US team gold;
- Eaton, decathlon, unreachable at the moment, confirms his title;
- Chicherova, high jump, given her maternity leave ok'ish results, but could be much better, forgiveble though looking at how adorable she is, Shkolina takes her title this time;
- Tarabin and Abakumova, a javelin throw couple :D, could be much better given their season's results.

Overall impresion the whole event leaves is obvious fact that in the most part of the world white men can't jump, walk or run :D But this's old news.

Next stop is Winter Olympics in Sochi.

4 x 400 m relays men (full) and women (partially)