The minimum goal, at least for the Belgium Korfball team coming into the World Games in Birmingham, was to make the gold medal game. The Belgium did just that on Saturday with a down-to-the-wire 19-18 win Chinese Taipei. Now the hard part starts. Next up is the Netherlands.
Once again, Birmingham showed up to support lacrosse. Once again, Canada spoiled the party by securing the gold medal. This time, the Canadian women’s lacrosse team saved its best for last with a decisive fourth quarter in a 14-12 victory over the U.S. before more a noisy crowd of 2,000 at PNC Field on the UAB campus.
“Luckily nothing was in my mind,” said Williams, who was tracking down what became a perfectly placed throw by teammate Grant Lindsley. “I just saw the disc and it was go catch it. Luckily, in those moments, for me at least, it’s a simple game of catch.” Catch it he did, giving the U.S. a 13-11 World Games win over Australia in the Flying Disc gold medal game in front of an overflow crowd at John Carroll High’s football stadium. It touched off a wild celebration in the South end zone and created a memory that will last a lifetime.
The grand finale features scores of musical acts, with live performances by Closing Ceremony headliner and Alabama native Lionel Richie. Other performers on the lineup include Allison Sanders, Blind Boys of Alabama, Jamey Johnson, Martha Reeves, Pastor Mike Jr., Yung Bleu, Alabama, Bo Bice, Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks and Worth the Wait.
One step away from the podium is a positive step forward for the United States beach handball programs. Both men’s and women’s team advanced through pool play into the medal round. Each lost in Thursday’s semifinals, the men’s team dropping a shootout to Croatia, and each fell in the bronze medal game on Friday.
Friday, during an appearance on Birmingham's News Radio 105.5 WERC, Mayor Randall Woodfin told "Alabama Morning News" host JT Nysewander that his city deserved an "A-plus" grade.
The world’s flag football audition to include the sport in The Olympic Games finished with the United States having to share the gold. The United States mens’ team outlasted Italy, 46-36, to capture the gold medal on Thursday night. However, the U.S. fell short of taking home pair of gold medals as Mexico’s women’s team blitzed the Americans, 39-6, in the nightcap.
“My manager called me and said the UFC is not going to like that,” Anders said.
Smooth was not part of the process. Perhaps that made the celebration even sweeter after the United States softball team battled its way to a gritty 3-2 World Games Gold Medal victory over Japan on Wednesday night in front of a crowd of more than 8,000 at the Hoover Met. “You can’t write it any better than this,” said U.S. captain Haylie McCleney, a graduate of nearby Mortimer Jordan High.
Estonia's Eva-Maria Raudsepp had never seen a giraffe and understood American zoos often have them, so could she see one before leaving Birmingham?
The first professional tenant of the new Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville will be a MLS Next Pro team, which will be affiliated with the Nashville Soccer Club. The announcement came on Tuesday from the City of Huntsville and Nashville SC.
The first winner – the ones who left PNC with gold medals around their necks – was a marvelous Canada team, which blitzed the competition from its opening faceoff in Birmingham and culminated the experience by blitzing a strong United States team, 23-9, in the championship game.
Brady Ellison has competed in the World Games three times, including the past four days in Birmingham. Each time, he stood on the podium, silver medal hanging around his neck, listening to someone else’s national anthem. This time, he said, it came down to a pair of errant shots.
The pain was evident without words. Tears overcame Ukrainian Sumo wrestler Alina Duzhenko for a moment, before she got her chance to speak. Four other Ukrainian athletes sat nearby inside the World Games media center, waiting to tell their stories, staring numbly into the group of reporters and World Game officials. Once they got their chance to speak the words tumbled out for about 45 minutes.
Canada has been the most dominant team during the first four days of the World Games men’s lacrosse competition at PNC Field on the UAB campus. The Canadian team outscored four opponents, 95-37, and don’t have a winning margin under double digits.
Four weeks of summer practice are in the books. Four more weeks remain before the UAB basketball team transitions into the fall semester. Andy Kennedy likes what he sees thus far.
Both times, the game-winning touchdown was delivered to the back corner of the end zone. Neither one offered an inch to spare. Oh, the perks of playing on a big stage. We’ll let Vanita Krouch, the starting quarterback for the U.S. in the women’s flag football competition at the World Games, explain.
Trey Mullinax won the rain-delayed Barbasol Championship on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title, holing a 15-foot putt from the edge of the 18th green to beat Kevin Streelman by a stroke.
All in all, it was excellent entertainment. And the best news that was just part of a spectacular afternoon and evening of Sumo action, in front of a sold-out crowd of approximately 3,500, as part of World Games 2022.
Thompson High defensive lineman Peter Woods announced on Thursday that he committed to Clemson. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Woods could play either tackle or end in college. Woods had nearly 40 scholarship offers, according to On3 Sports. He recently trimmed the list to Alabama, Clemson, Florida and Jackson State.
The United States and Canada had the most dominant victories on the opening day of the men’s lacrosse competition in the World Games. Yet, neither were the most compelling story on a steamy Friday at PNC Field on the UAB campus. That honor went to an Ireland team that didn’t play and a Haudenosaunee Confederacy team that lost by double digits.
A large crowd wedged their way into Protective Stadium seats, corridors and luxury suites to party for a few hours during the opening ceremonies for the World Games. It was a splashy ending to the day before the world begins competing in Birmingham.
More than 3,600 athletes from over 100 countries are in town for nearly two weeks to compete in the 11th edition of the World Games. Santa Clara, Calif. hosted the inaugural World Games in 1981. It hasn’t been held in an U.S. city since arriving in Birmingham. Planning began about the same time the most recent World Games ended in July of 2017 in Wroclaw, Poland.
“This year’s race presented us with extreme highs and lows, allowing all three Auburn teams to celebrate what went well, laugh about what didn't go well and become closer than ever. This year’s race showed us exactly how much we can handle, as well as our strengths,”. said Elizabeth Moorman
The World Games 2022 kicks off with Thursday’s Opening Ceremony at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.
On Monday, Bryant Vincent secured a commitment from defensive back Christopher Bracy of Mobile’s St. Paul’s Episcopal. It was the first commitment since Vincent became the program’s interim head coach. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Bracy, whose brother, Reggie, is a safety at Iowa, announced the news on Twitter.
Backup quarterback Alex McGough delivered the unexpected and linebacker Scooby Wright did what was expected from him by being in the right place at the right time.