Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen sets new indoor mile world record
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Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
At 38, Karen Paquin leads by example as Canada looks to make mark at Rugby World Cup
After Canada finished fourth at the last Rugby World Cup in November 2022, Karen Paquin decided to give her body a break. So the veteran flanker stepped away to concentrate on coaching at Quebec City's CNDF (Campus Notre-Dame-de-Foy). 'I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I knew I didn't feel quite done,' Paquin said. 'But I knew at that point I needed to be away a bit, so I kept playing, but more for my local club and my province and those kinds of games.' Paquin's mind changed when she watched Canada at the 2024 Pacific Four Series. She liked the look of the team's more expansive gameplay. 'I was like 'That might be something I want to get into.' Because it looked different, and it looked really fun. And I thought I have so much more to learn from this,' she recalled. 'So I decided to give it a try.' Paquin says she returned to the game for all the right reasons. And today, the 38-year-old from Quebec City is poised to play in her fourth World Cup. Captain Alex Tessier is delighted to have Paquin back in the fold. 'We love Karen,' Tessier enthused. 'Karen is very unique, I can tell you right now, there is no second Karen on this team. She's amazing and I think she inspires a lot of girls on the team … She's one of the fastest on the team and one of the hardest workers.' 'And she brings a whole bag of experience as well … It's valuable to have a player like her when you have high-pressure games,' Tessier added. 'She knows what those high-pressure games feel like, and I think that will really help us.' The second-ranked Canadian women open Group B play against No. 14 Fiji on Saturday in York, England. Like Paquin (who has won 45 caps for Canada), forwards Tyson Beukeboom (77 caps) and Olivia DeMerchant (61 caps) will be competing in their fourth World Cup. Paquin returned to action for Canada earlier this year, starting against the U.S. in May in Pacific Four Series play — her first start since the last World Cup. But first, she had to pass muster for Canada coach Kevin Rouet. Rouet admits he did not take it easy on Paquin when she returned to camp ahead of last fall's WXV tournament. 'She came back, and the game had changed so much, and she was lost every time. And I said, 'Karen, you have to do better. I won't give it that easy to you,'' Route recalled. 'She came back and she had an amazing Pac Four.' 'Fourth World Cup and she's still excited,' he added. Rouet loves the way Paquin puts her body on the line every time she steps on the pitch. 'Normally when you're older, you can save your body in practice but Karen doesn't,' he said with a laugh. 'She sets the example to the youngsters.' Paquin knows just one speed — top gear. And watch out, anyone who gets in her way. Paquin's commitment to the sport was shown at the 2017 World Cup when she tore her meniscus against Wales in Canada's second match. She finished the game and continued playing 'on one leg' for the rest of the tournament. Amazingly, she spent a month training for bobsled when she came home. Then it became clear she needed surgery. Initially, it was thought it might only take three to four months to recover. But they found another tear, requiring a second operation. Paquin was out for 18 months. Paquin says she feels fine ahead of this tournament. 'My body's good, my mind's in the right place,' she said. 'It's been hard juggling work and training at the same time but I guess that's the reality of it. But right now I'm in a good place. I'm excited for it, really.' In addition to a string of World Cups — with a silver medal at the 2014 tournament where Canada finished runner-up to England — Paquin's rich rugby resume includes two Olympics in sevens play. She won gold at the 2015 Pan-American Games and bronze in 2016 in Rio in Olympic sevens, as well as silver at the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens. Paquin was named to the 2014-15 World Rugby Women's Sevens Dream Team. Paquin continues to coach these days. It pays the bills while giving her the satisfaction of preparing the next generation of players. A former chemical engineer, Paquin left her job in 2012 to try out for the national sevens team. Years later, she says this World Cup feels like the end of the road for her when it comes to international play. 'I know I'll keep playing rugby, so it's not the end of my rugby, it's just the end of my international rugby days … I've come to enjoy it one last time with the amazing people that are here. And I'm going to do my very best, and then I'll move on to focus on coaching and see what that life is like.' — This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2025
Winnipeg Free Press
27-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Pogačar effectively seals 4th Tour de France title as organizers neutralize times before stage ends
PARIS (AP) — Slovenian rider Tadej Pogačar effectively sealed his fourth Tour de France title on Sunday after organizers decided to neutralize the times with 50 kilometers (31 miles) left because of the threat of rain and crashes. Freezing the times for the 21st and final stage into Paris all-but-ensured victory for Pogačar, but he still had to cross the finish line later in order to win. The decision was made in the late afternoon and, shortly after Pogačar reached 50 kilometers to go, heavy rain began falling and drenched the roads. The 26-year-old Pogačar is the defending champion and won his other Tour titles in 2020 and '21. ___ Tour de France coverage: and
Winnipeg Free Press
25-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Culling of infected cows leads to shortened 19th stage of Tour de France
LA PLAGNE, France (AP) — The 19th stage of the Tour de France was shortened on Friday after cows infected by a contagious disease were culled in an area along the mountainous route. The stage from Albertville to La Plagne was meant to be 129.9 kilometers (80.5 miles) long but trimmed to 93.1 kilometers (57.7 miles), according to the official Tour website's stage map on Friday. Two of the five climbs were removed, including the 13.7 kilometer Col des Saisies — where an outbreak of nodular dermatitis affected a herd of cows, race organizer ASO said. 'The discovery of an outbreak of contagious nodular dermatitis (lumpy skin) affecting cattle in a herd located specifically in the Col des Saisies necessitated the culling of the animals,' ASO said in a statement. 'Given the consternation of the breeders concerned, and in order to maintain the calm of the race, it was decided, in agreement with the authorities, to modify the route of the 19th stage and not to cross the Col des Saisies.' The start time of the stage was pushed back by one hour to 2:30 p.m. local time (1230 GMT), with an expected finishing time of around 5:30 p.m. Three-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar of Slovenia led overall heading into the stage, with two-time champion Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark 4 minutes, 26 seconds behind him in second place. Stage 19 represented Vingegaard's last realistic chance of overtaking Pogačar and taking the yellow jersey, with the race finishing on Sunday. Vingegaard and his Visma–Lease a Bike team had not been able to take time off Pogačar in this year's mountain stages. ___ More Tour de France coverage: and
