Italian Alps to host 2028 Winter Youth Olympics
Jan 30 (Reuters) - The Italian Alps will host the fifth Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2028, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday.
The Games will be held in Northern Valtellina, Trentino and Cortina, using existing venues that will also stage events at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
"The election of Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 is an expression of the IOC's confidence in Italy's ability to deliver world class, exceptional winter sports events," IOC President Thomas Bach said in a statement.
Seven of the 11 proposed venues for the Youth Olympics will also be used in the 2026 Winter Games.
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Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Three killer holes at Oakmont including one that cost Tiger Woods a US Open as Rory McIlroy and Co face savage test
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WELCOME to the torture chamber hosting the world's top stars for the next four days, as the US Open comes to Oakmont for a record tenth time. Some holes are as notorious as the players are famous, with hot favourite Scottie Scheffler calling it 'probably the hardest golf course that we'll play - maybe ever". 11 English ace Justin Rose gets down to business in practice Credit: Alamy 11 Scottie Scheffler is the favourite after three wins in four tournaments Credit: Alamy 11 Bryson DeChambeau asked for patience as he signed autographs Credit: Reuters 11 It's three and far from easy for players at Oakmont this week Back in 2007 legend Tiger Woods took one look at the notorious Church Pew bunker that splits the third and fourth fairways - a 100 yard long stretch of sand featuring 12 three foot high grass ridges - and decided he wanted nothing to do with it. However, reigning champion Bryson DeChambeau will hope to find big-hitting answers. And world no.2 Rory McIlroy aims to build on his maiden Masters triumph. But here's a look at three of the toughest holes any golfer could face - plus the verdict of players on the ominous Oakmont course. Hole 3 (par 4 - 462 yards) THIS difficult par-four provides the first sight of the massive Church Pews bunker down the left-hand side of the fairway. And if you steer too far wide of it, there is a row of deep bunkers down the right waiting to gobble up balls. Rated as one of the toughest holes on the course — just ask Tiger Woods. He made his only double-bogey here in 2007 and ended up finishing one shot behind eventual winner Angel Cabrera. 11 DeChambeau hailed his US Open glory at Pinehurst last year Credit: AP 11 Tiger Woods famously found trouble at Oakmont in 2007 Credit: Getty BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Hole 4 (par 5 - 611 yards) ONE of only two par-fives and considered a must-birdie hole as it is shorter than the 12th — which can play anything from 632 to 684 yards. Church Pews bunker is in play down the left. Going for the green in two means taking on a long, blind shot. DeChambeau and Rose's response to how club golfers would cope at Oakmont US Open course Hole 8 (par 3 - 289 yards) THIS is where The Beast — as Oakmont is known — really shows its teeth. It usually plays into the wind, so most will have to reach for the driver. Johnny Miller made his only bogey when he shot a course-record 63 on his way to the 1973 US Open here. He said it felt like a par! Scheffler's "hardest ever" verdict on the course is more than matched by the assessment of fellow superstar players. Double UPSGA champ Justin Thomas says 'you can look stupid pretty fast' at the US Open venue, and reckons it will 'psyche a lot of guys out before they hit a shot'. But another double Major winner, Xander Schauffele - regarded as a robot at churning out great US rounds after finishing inside the top 15 in all eight attempts - confessed: 'Maybe I'm just sick to enjoy the challenge." 11 DeChambeau watches his practice putt on the 14th green Credit: Getty 11 Scheffler putts on the same hole on the tournament eve Credit: Shutterstock Editorial But is all the talk about this 7,531 yards par 70 being the toughest course on the planet justified? In the words of Dustin Johnson, who won here in 2016: 'Hell, yeah!' Johnson finished four under par nine years ago, on a course playing much easier than usual, because so much rain fell it was nicknamed 'Soakmont'. But only three other players in the 156 man field finished below par - all on one under - and 14 of the 18 holes played above par. Eight of them featured in the top fifty hardest holes among the 990 used on the PGA Tour that year. That did not compare to what happened at the previous US Open at Oakmont, in 2007. That year all EIGHTEEN holes played over par. Angel Cabrera won at five over, a shot clear of Jim Furyk and Woods, who felt he played great that week. Meanwhile, Woods' Pew peril led to caddie Steve Williams suggesting he should throw a few balls in there so Woods could practice escaping from the trap. Woods shook his head and replied: "No way. I don't practice negativity. I'm just going to avoid it. I'll hit away from it every day." The hole that strikes most terror in competitors' hearts is the 289 yards par three eighth, which is likely to be pushed back beyond 300 yards at least once this week. He did, but still only managed to break par once on his way to runners-up spot. 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He explained: 'I don't think people turn the TV on this week to watch some of the guys just hit like a 200 yard shot onto the green, you know what I mean? 'I think they turn on the U.S. Open to see a guy shooting eight over, and watch him suffer. That's part of the enjoyment of the U.S. Open for viewers. 'My attitude is that you have to stay as calm as possible because we're all going to struggle at times. Maybe that's why I've done so well in this tournament. 11 Sam Burns is a figure of focus as he practices Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 'I think I look pretty level-headed when I play, but internally I might be absolutely just thrashing myself. That happens to me more than you might think. 'I think truly having a good attitude is accepting what just happened, and allowing yourself to be pretty much at zero to hit the next shot.' Thomas believes most of the field will not be able to handle the setbacks as well as the top players. 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The Independent
5 hours ago
- The Independent
IOC leaders praise Los Angeles amid unrest in 2028 Olympics host city
Olympic officials meeting Wednesday in Switzerland took a calm, longer view of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles after days of images of deployed military and burning cars on the host city's streets. IOC president Thomas Bach praised the strength of the city's community and the umbrella group of 36 sports that Los Angeles will host in just over three years' time also expressed faith in a shared wish of all levels of government to unite for the Olympic project. 'With regard to LA, we have the full support of the president of the United States and the governor of California and the mayor of Los Angeles for the success of these Olympic Games,' Bach told The Associated Press on Wednesday. That despite President Donald Trump suggesting this week he would support the arrest of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has pushed back hard on federal government officials in the wake of an immigration crackdown that ignited tensions in the city. The U.S. government has deployed National Guard and Marines in the city where police have used rubber bullets and tear gas — a repeat of June 2013 scenes that flared in Rio de Janeiro three years before the Brazilian city hosted the Olympics. London also saw turmoil on the streets exactly one year before it hosted the 2012 Summer Games, provoked by a police shooting in a neighborhood close to some Olympic venues. 'These are the ups and downs' for Olympics organizers, said Sebastian Coe who led the London organizing team from its bid through to hosting successful Summer Games and Paralympics. 'You just have to roll with it' 'I spend a lot of time there," Coe, who owns a home in Los Angeles, told the AP on Wednesday. 'The problem is with 24-hour circulating news you see the same car burning every 20 minutes. It tends to make people think your whole city is up (in flames). And it's not.' Bach and Coe, the president of track and field's World Athletics, spoke on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the Summer Games sports bodies group, known by the acronym ASOIF. It got an update from a two-person delegation from Los Angeles. The 'ultimate priority right now' for the LA organizing team is finalizing the daily schedule of competition events in 2028, Nico Campriani, its vice president of sports told delegates. Leaders of the 36 Olympic sports had no follow-up questions on current events in the city. 'The IOC cannot comment on domestic political controversies,' Bach told the AP, citing the Olympic body's policy of neutrality. 'It's a strong city,' said the IOC leader whose presidency ends in 12 days' time. 'You saw this in the reaction after the wildfires where then the Olympic Games were also considered by the community as a catalyst for the rebuilding.' Bach will be formally succeeded June 23 in Lausanne by Kirsty Coventry, the Olympic gold medalist swimmer and now-former sports minister of Zimbabwe, who won an election in March to be president through 2033. A priority for the first female and African president in the IOC's 131-year history will be planning a meeting with President Trump. Federal government guarantees on funding security and processing visas for the July 14-July 30 games in 2028, and subsequent Paralympics, were needed to be awarded the Olympics in 2017 during the first Trump administration. Putting faith in LA 2028 and IOC leaders, ASOIF president Ingmar de Vos insisted they would 'do the necessary' work in ongoing relationships with all levels of government. 'I am also believing very strongly in the state and the city and the people of Los Angeles,' De Vos said. 'They want these games.'
Daily Record
5 hours ago
- Daily Record
Prince Harry confirms his UK return date after losing devastating security battle
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