27th December 2021 to 2nd January 2022
On Tuesday (21st) Abu Dhabi completed a very successful end to the biggest swimming event on the calendar each year. That is of course, apart from the Olympic Games. FINA, the world governing body for aquatic sports, hosted the 15th World Swimming Championships (25m) 2021 over a period of six days. Despite the challenges of hosting a major event in the current environment, most of the best swimmers in the world did manage to participate. United States topped the medals table with 30 in total (9 gold), Canada in second with 15 (7 gold), and Italy taking third place with 16 (5 gold).Julinek is small village within Warsaw West County that became the centre of attention for fans of the mind sport draughts. Apart from a World Cup event, we also had two World Championships. Russia's Alexander Getmanski and Poland's Natalia Sadowska claimed the Rapid titles, while the champions of Blitz went to Russia's Alexander Shvartsman and Aygul Idrosova. In a shortened season of three events, Getmanski and Idrisova were also crowned the overall World Cup winners. The warm climate of Mussanah, Oman, was the perfect setting for the Youth Sailing World Championships over a 5-day period. Eleven gold medals were shared between Bermuda, France, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Peru, Singapore and Spain. Peru and Bermuda won gold for the first time ever in the 50-year history of the championships. The best team performance went to France. Staying with sailing, Australia's Sail GP Team booked their place in the Season 2 winner-takes-all Grand Final in San Francisco with one event to spare by winning the Sail Grand Prix on home soil in Sydney.
In one of the most dramatic comebacks in women's handball, Norway silenced France in the final 22 minutes of the World Championship to claim the final 29-22 in Spain. Denmark won third place against the hosts by 35-28. The BWF Badminton World Championships were also held in Spain. Loh Kean Yew of Singapore and Akane Yamaguchi of Japan won the men's and women's singles titles. Japan's Takuro Hoko and Yugo Kobayashi claimed gold in the men's doubles, while Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan of China took the women's doubles title. Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai won the mixed doubles. In beach volleyball, Phuket hosted the final world championship of the season. The U21 titles went to Sweden's David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig, and the Ukraine's Anhelina Khmil and Tetiana Lazarenko. Motor Racing completed the final championship of the year in Dorset, England. The Extreme E champions are Australia's Molly Taylor and Sweden's Johan Kristoffersson. It was an extremely challenging year for the championship with restrictions meaning that many of the original locations could not be visited. Extreme E races on five continents with a particular focus and message on environmental change. We hope to see them again in 2022.
Snooker's star Ronnie O'Sullivan broke a title drought by winning the World Snooker Tour World Grand Prix in Coventry, 16 months after his previous win. The World Padel Tour completed their Master Final in Madrid last week. Sanyo Gutiérrez and Agustín Tapai claimed the grand prize, while the women's champions are Paula Josemariía and Ariana Sánchez. ExCeL London hosted the annual London International Horse Show, which is a multi-discipline world cup event. Great Britain's Harry Charles was crowned the leading rider, with Switzerland's Martin Fuchs in second, and Great Britain's Ben Maher completing the podium. New Zealand's Paul Coll made history by becoming the first non-Egyptian man to win a Professional Squash Association World Tour event in Egypt for over four years. Local star Nour El Sherbini won the women's final of the Squash Open Black Ball in Cairo.
Sport takes somewhat of a break next week. Even so, big events like the U20 Men's Ice Hockey World Championship features in Canada. We have the gruelling Dakar Rally starting next Saturday. The Chess World Rapid & Blitz World Championship started today, while over in Australia we have the Sydney to Hobart Race starting tomorrow and the ATP Cup in tennis starting Saturday.
Merry Christmas and until next time, have a great week in sport.
Athletics
31 December - Nationale Nederlanden San Silvestre Vallecana - Madrid, Spain
Bobsleigh
1 January - Women's Monobob World Series - Sigulda, Latvia
1-2 January - BMW IBSF World Cup - Sigulda, Latvia
Chess
25-31 December - World Rapid and Blitz Championships 2021 - Warsaw, Poland
26-31 December - European Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2021 - Novi Sad, Serbia
Cricket
26-30 December - Australia v England (3rd Test) - Melbourne, Australia; South Africa v India (1st Test) - Centurion, South Africa
December 26 - USA v Ireland (1st ODI) - Lauderhill, FL, USA
December 28 - USA v Ireland (2nd ODI) - Lauderhill, FL, USA
December 30 - USA v Ireland (3rd ODI) - Lauderhill, FL, USA
1-5 January - New Zealand v Bangladesh (1st Test) - Tauranga, New Zealand
Cycling
2 January - 2021/2022 Cyclo-Cross World Cup - Hulst, The Netherlands
Dance Sport
January 2-9 - UCWDC Country Dance World Championships - Orlando, FL, USA
Darts
15 December 2021 to 3 January 2022 - PDC World Darts Championship - Alexandra Palace, London, Great Britain
Equestrian
28 December - Group One Racing - Hopeful Stakes - Nakayama, Japan
Ice Hockey
26 December 2021 to 5 January 2022 - IIHF U20 World Championship - Edmonton, Red Deer, Canada
Luge
30-31 December - FIL Junior Luge World Cup - Obdach-Winterleiten, Germany
1-2 January - Eberspächer World Cup and Team Relay World Cup - Winterberg, Germany
Modern Pentathlon
30-31 December - UIPM Global Laser Run City Tour - Kathmandu, Nepal
Motor Sport
1-14 January - Dakar Rally - Saudi Arabia
Powerlifting
24-30 December - Asian Classic & Equipped Bench Press and Powerlifting Championships - Istanbul, Turkey
Rodeo (Pro)
December 30 to January 1 - California Circuit Finals Rodeo - Red Bluff, CA, USA; Texas Circuit Finals - Waco, TX, USA
December 31 - New Years Eve Buck & Ball - Gillette, WY, USA
Sailing
26 December 2021 to 1 January 2022 - Sydney to Hobart Race - Australia
28-31 December - Laser Europa Cup - Hvar, Croatia
Skeleton
31 December - BMW IBSF World Cup - Sigulda, Latvia
Ski & Snowboarding
26-30 December - FIS Downhill World Cup - Bormio, Italy
28-29 December - FIS Giant Slalom and Slalom World Cup - Lienz, Austria; FIS Cross-Country World Cup - Lenzerheide, Switzerland; FIS Men's Ski Jumping World Cup - Oberstdorf, Germany
30 December to 1 January - FIS Women's Ski Jumping World Cup - Ljubno, Slovenia; FIS Snowboard Slopestyle World Cup - Calgary, Canada; FIS Freestyle Halfpipe World Cup - Calgary, Canada
31 December to 1 January - FIS Cross-Country World Cup - Oberstdorf, Germany; FIS Men's Ski Jumping World Cup - Garmish-Partenkirchen, Germany
Tennis
1-9 January - ATP Cup - Sydney, Australia
* We have listed the above events based on the best information we can obtain. The current circumstances mean some of these may be postponed or cancelled at the last moment.