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Norwegian Olympic medalist Audun Groenvold dies after lightning strike

Norwegian Olympic medalist Audun Groenvold dies after lightning strike

The Guardian4 days ago
Olympic ski cross medalist Audun Groenvold has died after being struck by lightning, the Norwegian ski federation announced on Wednesday. He was 49.
Groenvold won bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
'It is with great sadness that we have received the news of Audun Groenvold's untimely passing,' the federation said. 'The former national Alpine skier and ski cross athlete was recently struck by lightning during a cabin trip.'
The federation said Groenvold was 'quickly taken to hospital and received treatment for the injuries he sustained in the lightning strike' but died on Tuesday night.
Groenvold was a member of Norway's Alpine skiing team before he moved into freestyle and ski cross. He had one podium finish as a World Cup Alpine skier, finishing third in a downhill in Sierra Nevada, Spain, in 1999.
He also won a bronze medal in ski cross at the 2005 world championships, and the overall ski cross cup in 2007.
After his career ended, he became a national team coach and a TV commentator.
'Norwegian skiing has lost a prominent figure, who has meant so much to both the Alpine and freestyle communities,' federation president Tove Moe Dyrhaug said, adding that his passing creates 'a huge void.'
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Manny Pacquiao, Mario Barrios fight to majority draw
Manny Pacquiao, Mario Barrios fight to majority draw

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time10 minutes ago

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Manny Pacquiao, Mario Barrios fight to majority draw

July 20 - Manny Pacquiao's bid to become the oldest welterweight champion in boxing history fell short Saturday night as he failed to beat Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. But he didn't lose, either. Instead, the 46-year-old Pacquiao and the 30-year-old Barrios fought to a majority draw, with one judge giving Barrios a 115-113 win and the other two judges scoring it a 114-114 draw. The result allowed Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) to retain his WBC welterweight belt. "I thought I won the fight," Pacquiao said afterward. "I mean, it was a close fight. My opponent was very tough. It was a wonderful fight. It was good." Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs) already holds the record for oldest welterweight champion, winning the belt via split-decision over Keith Thurman in 2019. The Filipino legend was enshrined into the International Boxing Hall of Fame last month. Pacquiao dominated Saturday's fight early on, showing energy against his younger foe. Ultimately, though, CompuBox stats had Barrios landing more punches (120-101) and more jabs (45-20), though Pacquiao landed 81 power punches to Barrios' 75. Pacquiao held the lead on all three cards after 10 rounds, but Barrios took all three rounds on all three scorecards to avoid the upset. Age and stamina were definitely on Pacquiao's mind after the fight. "I need to continue my training for longer going into a championship fight," said Pacquiao, who lost his senatorial bid in the Philippines in May. "Because of the election, I started late, but it's OK. Of course I'd like a rematch. I want to leave a legacy and make the Filipino people proud." Don't tell that to Barrios. "His stamina is crazy," the champion said. "He's still strong as hell and his timing is real. He's still a very awkward fighter to try to figure out." As for a rematch, Barrios is ready. "I'll do the rematch. Absolutely. This was huge for boxing. I'd love to do it again." --Field Level Media

Manny Pacquiao turns back clock but settles for draw with Mario Barrios
Manny Pacquiao turns back clock but settles for draw with Mario Barrios

The Guardian

timean hour ago

  • The Guardian

Manny Pacquiao turns back clock but settles for draw with Mario Barrios

By the time the final bell rang, Manny Pacquiao had done everything but win the fight. He out-threw, out-landed and out-hustled a champion 16 years his junior on Saturday night in Las Vegas, but the scorecards told a different story. Pacquiao's spirited return to the ring after a four-year layoff ended in a majority draw against WBC welterweight titleholder Mario Barrios. One judge scored it 115–113 for Barrios, while the other two had it 114–114, allowing the 30-year-old Texan to retain his belt by the narrowest of margins. (The Guardian scored it 115-113 for Pacquiao.) 'I thought I won the fight,' Pacquiao said afterward. 'It was a close fight. My opponent was very tough. It was a wonderful fight.' The result was met with lusty boos from a pro-Pacquiao crowd inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which had spent much of the evening roaring their support for the 46-year-old from the Philippines. And for much of the bout, it looked like they were about to witness history yet again. From the opening round Pacquiao fought with surprising urgency, using angles and volume punching and his signature hand speed to offset Barrios' height, youth and four-inch reach advantage. He won the first frame behind a flurry of jabs and straight lefts, sparking loud cheers with every landed punch. Though Barrios began to find a home for his jab and counter right hands in the second, Pacquiao resumed control in the third with a sharper rhythm and faster hands, dictating the pace of the action. He buzzed Barrios in the sixth with a snapping left hand, then again moments later with another lead shot that caught the champion square. 'His stamina, he could still crack,' Barrios said. 'He's still strong as hell. His timing, his rhythm, everything. He was still a very awkward fighter to try to figure out.' Pacquiao's performance, particularly in rounds six through nine, had the feeling of a time warp. He zipped in and out of range with fluid footwork and mixed in combination like a man half his age. By the end of the 10th, Pacquiao appeared to be well ahead on the scorecards. Even Barrios seemed to acknowledge he had to dig deep to close the gap. 'Not necessarily that it was getting away from me,' Barrios said. 'I just knew I had to try to step it up to really solidify a win.' To his credit, Barrios did just that. He clearly won the 11th, landing his best combination of the night and forcing Pacquiao into a rare sequence of retreat. In the 12th, he kept the tempo high, trading shots and finishing strong – just enough to sweep the final three rounds on all three official cards and retain the WBC's version of the title at 147lb. 'I thought I still pulled it out,' Barrios said. 'But I still tip my hat to Manny. It was an absolute honor to share the ring with him, somebody with so much experience who has accomplished so much in this sport. We left everything in the ring. Nothing but love and respect.' The fight marked Pacquiao's first since his unanimous-decision loss to Yordenis Ugás in 2021. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame last month, and few expected him to compete again at this level, much less push a reigning titleholder to the brink. 'I'm more experienced,' Pacquiao said. 'I'm a more tactical fighter than before. I'm not as careless as I was when I was young. Now I'm more careful.' That maturity showed in his measured footwork, selective bursts and veteran nous, including moments where he appeared to be refereeing the fight himself. But even Pacquiao admitted his comeback camp had been rushed. 'I only had two months training,' he said. 'What I need to do is continue my training. In a championship fight like this, I should train four months, [or at least] three months and a half. But because of the election in the Philippines, I started late. But it's OK. I love the Filipino people, and I love to give honor to my country.' Pacquiao, whose professional record now stands at 62–9–3 with 39 knockouts, said he would 'absolutely' consider fighting again and made it clear he wants a rematch. 'Yes, of course,' he said. 'That's the only legacy that I can leave behind. To give inspiration to the Filipino people and to be proud wherever you are.' Barrios, whose ledger moves to 29–2–2 after a second straight draw, seemed open to the idea. 'Absolutely. This was huge for boxing,' he said. 'What me and him were able to bring here today, I would love to do it again.' More than four decades after his professional debut, Pacquiao once again proved that age is just a number and that greatness, even in a draw, still carries the power to inspire. 'It's an inspiration to old boxers,' Pacquiao said. 'If you have discipline and hard work, you can still fight. I'm so thankful to God, because without God, Manny Pacquiao is not here. God is the source of all the strength and good health that I have right now.'

Manny Pacquiao v Mario Barrios: WBC welterweight championship
Manny Pacquiao v Mario Barrios: WBC welterweight championship

The Guardian

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  • The Guardian

Manny Pacquiao v Mario Barrios: WBC welterweight championship

Update: Date: 2025-07-20T01:59:27.000Z Title: Las Vegas has never shied away from a nostalgia act and tonight is no exception. Content: Pacquiao, 46, bids for title after four-year retirement Send a note to Bryan on Bluesky or email him Bryan Armen Graham Sun 20 Jul 2025 03.59 CEST First published on Sun 20 Jul 2025 03.45 CEST 3.59am CEST 03:59 At 46 years old, Manny Pacquiao, one of boxing's most decorated and beloved champions, steps back into a professional ring for the first time in nearly four years, chasing one more title for a résumé overflowing with them. He faces Mario Barrios, the 30-year-old WBC welterweight champion with youth, size and momentum on his side. It's a steep climb for the Filipino legend, who is giving up six inches in height, four inches in reach and more than a decade and a half in age. But this is the same Pacquiao who's made a career of overcoming odds. Eight divisions. Twelve major world titles. One Hall of Fame induction, just last month in Canastota, New York. Can Pacquiao, who last tasted victory in 2019, still compete at the highest level? Or will Barrios, soft-spoken but confident, send the fighting senator into retirement once and for all? The build-up has been respectful, almost reverent. Barrios, who held onto his title with a narrow split draw against Abel Ramos last fall, knows what he's up against: a southpaw whose rhythm was hard to replicate, whose footwork flummoxed, whose heart never really left the fight game. 'Manny is one of a kind,' he said. 'But I'm the champion now.' Pacquiao, meanwhile, insists he's ready. 'The passion is still there,' he said this week. 'Even with the layoff, the fire to compete and be a champion again is still burning.' He's been training with the intensity of his younger years, sparring and running with the same monastic discipline that turned him into a global icon. The last time he fought at the MGM Grand, he outpointed the then-undefeated Keith Thurman in a modest upset. He's hoping history repeats. Also on tonight's bill: a fiery rematch between Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu in the super welterweight co-main. Their March meeting was one of the most gruesome and punishing contests of the year and the rematch promises no less. So here we are. Pacquiao, back under the lights. Back in Vegas. Back for a belt. Time may be undefeated, but Pacman hasn't given up the fight. Stay with us for live round-by-round coverage, results and reaction as the night unfolds. 3.45am CEST 03:45 Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime here's Donald McRae's report from the heavyweight happenings at Wembley a few hours ago.

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