Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Friday 30 November 2018

Race on: It's Stockholm vs. Milan-Cortina for 2026 Olympics

By STEPHEN WADE ment spending, although
AP Sports Writer Olympic costs — always
TOKYO (AP) — After find- difficult to track — often
ing it difficult to sell the 2026 double, or triple.
Winter Olympics, the IOC fi- The Milan-Cortina bid al-
nally has two countries that ready has a pledge of add-
are all in: Sweden and Italy. ed funding support from
It's Stockholm, the capital the national government.
of Sweden and the self- But most of the load will be
described capital of Scan- on two wealthy regional
dinavia, up against a joint governments of Lombardy
Italian bid of Milan — a and Veneto, and the pri-
global fashion capital— vate sector.
and the ski resort of Cortina Italian Olympic Committee
d' Ampezzo. president Giovanni Malago
"I will refrain from making described the bid as "the
any comments because I efficiency of a great me-
guess both candidate cit- tropolis with the charm of
ies are in the room," Inter- the mountains. It is a great
national Olympic Commit- display of teamwork with
tee President Thomas Bach a single goal: to bring the
said Thursday, addressing Olympic and Paralympic
a convention of 1,400 del- International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach delivers a speech during the Games back to Italy."
egates from the world's Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) general assembly in Tokyo Thursday, Nov. Skating sports and hockey
206 Olympic committees. 29, 2018. would be held in Milan,
"They will note every word Associated Press with Alpine skiing and slid-
I've said and go home and out, discouraged by soar- "These are two good bids, almost ready to go with ing events in Cortina, which
interpret it one way or the ing costs and taxpayer but we think it's time for little to build. The IOC says will hold the 2021 world ski
other." backlash. Sweden," Peter Reinebo, Stockholm would construct championships. Other snow
Bach and the IOC have For 2026, it seems different the COO of the Swedish three new venues, and Ita- sports like snowboarding
what they want: bids that with the IOC picking the Olympic Committee, told ly will need one. The rest of and freestyle skiing could
will take the Winter Olym- winner in June in Lausanne, The Associated Press. the venues in both bids will be contested in Bormio
pics back to a traditional Switzerland. Sweden was host to the be temporary, existing, or and Livigno north of Milan.
venue after winter games Although several cities vot- 1912 Olympics, but has nev- existing venues that will be Other venues are also in
in Russia, South Korea — ed in referendums not to er held the Winter Games. refurbished. play across northern Italy.
and in 2022 in Beijing. bid — including Calgary, Italy has held two Winter Both say their operating "It's a race, we have to ar-
China got the games by Canada, earlier this month Olympics — 1956 in Cor- budgets will be about $1.5 rive first," said Danilo di
attrition, winning by four — and several dropped tina d'Ampezzo and 2006 billion, which is the bud- Tommaso, spokesman
votes over Almaty, Kazakh- out, the two left standing in Turin — and the Summer get for running the games for the Italian Olympic
stan, after a half-dozen Eu- have deep roots in snow Games in Rome in 1960. themselves. Both downplay Committee.q
ropean bidders dropped and ice. Both bidders say they are the need for much govern-

Leishman 2 strokes behind after Australian PGA first round

10th, had two bogeys and ond in a playoff and sixth Senden had an air swing
two birdies on his first nine in three Australian PGAs at on the par-5 ninth hole af-
before making birdie on Royal Pines, shot 69. ter the shaft on his driver
four of his final seven holes Defending champion flexed and snapped in his
at Royal Pines. Cameron Smith shot 70, grip during his downswing.
Leaders Jake McLeod as did England's Andrew It left Senden off balance
and fellow Australian Matt "Beef" Johnston, who re- and wringing his right hand,
Jager shot 66s, and led by covered from being 3 over and led to a long discussion
one stroke over Jae-woong after three holes, when he with the rules officials.
Eom and Dimitrios Papada- was talking of quitting his Senden argued unsuccess-
tos. round. fully that on feeling the club
Leishman, who was in a Starting on the 10th, John- snap, he attempted to pull
group tied for fifth, said his ston hooked drives on the out of the shot. There was
round could have been 10th and 12th holes into no penalty recorded but
better. water hazards. the shot counted as Sen-
"Seven under would be a "I nearly walked off the den's second and he went
Australia's Marc Leishman hits an approach shot during the great score around here," course after 12, to be hon- on to make a bogey 6. He
World Cup of Golf in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Nov. 25, he said. "It's been the goal est," Johnston said. "It's shot 72.
2018. of mine for the last few been a frustrating year, "There's no exception, it's
Associated Press years, when I don't have and yeah, it's really an- just the rule, you can't ar-

Associated Press good start with a 4-under my best golf, my best stuff, noyed me in the past. But gue against the rule," Sen-
GOLD COAST, Australia 68 to sit two strokes behind to still shoot under par. I'm I spoke to my girlfriend and den said. "When you intend
(AP) — Marc Leishman's the Australian PGA first- getting better at it." she just said keep going, to hit a shot and you don't
quest for a first professional round leaders on Thursday. American Harold Varner III, so I just tried to stay calm. hit it, it's one stroke, that's
victory at home made a Leishman, starting on the who won the tournament in Luckily I turned it around." the way it goes."q
2016 and has finished sec- Australian veteran John