Ten things to know from what happened in the world of sport. August 31 - September 6, 2021. Paralympic Games, Ice Hockey, Vuelta a España, Golf...
  1. Paralympic Heroes. The People’s Republic of China convincingly topped the medal tally of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, with a total of 96 gold medals, ahead of Great Britain’s 41, USA’s 37 and the Russian Paralympic Commitee’s 36. Para Badminton and Para Tae Kwon Do made their Paralympic debuts. 43 year-old Lisa Gjessing (DNK), a four-time Para Tae Kwon Do World Champion, won a deserved gold. Eleven-time Para Badminton World Champion Cheah Liek Hou (MYS) took gold as well.
  2. Other impressive Paralympians. Zahra Nehmati (IRI), a 2016 Olympian, won her third consecutive gold medal in Para Archery. Omara Durand Elías (CUB) reached 8 Olympic gold medals after taking gold in the Women’s T12 100m, 200m and 400m events. She remains unbeaten in World Championship or Paralympic level in the 400 meters since 2011 and the 400 meters since 2012. Jessica Long (USA) reached a career total of 29 Paralympic medals, including 16 golds, after winning three in Tokyo’s swimming events. Oksana Masters (USA) became a Paralympic medalist in four sports now, after winning two medals in Para Road Cycling. She had previously been Champion in Cross-Country Skiing and medalist in Biathlon and Pararowing.
  3. The cold rivalry, again. Canada won its 11th Women’s Ice Hockey World Title, by beating the United States of America 3-2 with a golden goal, in Calgary. USA had won their 9th title in the 2019 tournament.
  4. Third time around. Primož Roglič (SVN) won the Vuelta a España for a third time in a row after he won the last Stage’s Time Trial. He is one off the record set by Roberto Heras (ESP) of four, also three of them in a row. Enric Mas (ESP) was the best local rider and second overall. Fabio Jakobsen (NED) won the Points Classification and Michael Storer (AUS) won the Mountains Classification.
  5. Golf Champions. Patrick Cantlay (USA) won the PGA Tour Championship, by winning the season-defining tournament. He won four PGA Tour events, more than anyone else in the 2020-21 season, including the last two. He was the fourth best in the last tournament but won on the handicap points that his season gave him. In Women’s Golf, Team Europe defeated Team USA in the Solheim Cup, successfully defending the trophy they won in 2019. This time, as visitors.
  6. Cycling records. Dame Sarah Storey won her 11th and 12th Paralympic gold medals in Para Cycling by winning the two C5 Road Cycling events: C5 Time Trial and Road Race. She extended her record as the most successful Para-cyclist of all time, once again. These were her 16th and 17th Paralympic gold medals, considering her previous medals in Swimming. Also impressive was Jetze Plat (NED), who won the men’s H4 Handcycling Road Race and Road Time Trial, a few days after winning the Men’s Paratriathlon PT1.
  7. Chinese Para Table Tennis. Liu Jing became the most successful Para Table Tennis player of all time in Paralympic Games, by taking her 8th gold medal when she won the Teams C1-3. She had won the Singles C1–2 a few days earlier. She has made the sweep in both categories since 2008. Several Chinese Para Table Tennis players have been winning gold ince London 2012.
  8. Double boat. Curtis McGrath became the most successful Para Canoeist / Para Kayaker of all time after taking a gold medal in each of the Men’s Kayak KL2 and Men’s Va’a VL3 events. He is the only sportsperson to win gold in Para Canoe and Para Kayak in the same edition of the Paralympic Games. He had previously won a gold in Rio 2016 and 10 World Championship medals.
  9. The Orange army. Max Verstappen (NED, Red Bull) won the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort in front of a packed crowd. He leads the Championship, three points over Lewis Hamilton (ENG, Mercedes), who finished second. Valtteri Bottas (FIN, Mercedes), who was third, was announced as a new Alfa Romeo driver for 2021. His place will be taken by George Russell (ENG, Williams). Alex Albon (THA) will take the Williams seat, returning to F1.
  10. As good as before the new reality. Reanne Evans (ENG) won a record-extending tenth UK Women’s Snooker Championship, the first World Women’s Snooker Tour event since the onset of the pandemic shutdown. She beat Rebecca Kenna (ENG) in the Final.