21st to 27th February
In what is currently a challenging environment to stage any enormous event like the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, the organisers have done a really good job. Tomorrow we have the closing ceremony that will draw the curtain on another Winter Games, while we look ahead at all the major sporting events planned for 2022 amidst the cloud of uncertainty still very present. Unless there is a surge by Germany in gold medals on Sunday, Norway stand clear at the top with a total of 35 (15 gold). They have dominated in Biathlon, Nordic Combined and Cross-Country Ski events. Sunday will see five medal ceremonies, which include men's ice hockey between Russia and Finland, and women's curling between Great Britain and Japan. Sweden's men are the curling champions beating Great Britain 5-4 earlier today. There have been many incredible results during the week. Speed skating is normally dominated by athletes from the Netherlands, but on this occasion China's Tingyu Gao made headlines by becoming his nation's first ever speed skating gold medalist. To top that off, Gao set a new Games record in the 500m.
Last Saturday Eldoret in Kenya staged a round of the World Athletics Cross-Country Tour Gold in honour of local legend Agnes Tirop. The senior race was won by Joyce Chepkemoi and Samuel Chebolei. Over to Lievin in France, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Norway's star middle-distance runner, broke the world indoor 1500m record setting a time of 3:30.60. This weekend the ski marathon season features in Estonia and Canada, but last weekend we had the Transjurasienne Festival in France. Local stars Céline Chopard Lallier and Emilien Louvirier came home claiming gold. At the same time the Czech Rebublic hosted the ČEZ Jizerská 50 skiing festival with Norway’s Andreas Nygaard and Sweden’s Ida Dahl dominating the main race.
Last Monday the Ding Junhui Snooker Academy in Sheffield hosted the final of the World Women's Snooker Championship. Thailand’s Nutcharut Wongharuthai achieved her snooker dream in 2022 as she became the 13th player to win the grand title against Belgium's Wendy Jans. The final score was a very close 6-5. Hikaru Nakamura, a chess prodigy and at the time the youngest American to earn the title of Grandmaster in 2003, aged 15 years and 79 days, has won the first leg of the FIDE Grand Prix Series 2022 in Belin. The win earned Nakamura 13 Grand Prix Points, putting him in a favourite position to qualify for the Candidates Tournament. The DAYTONA 500, part of the NASCAR Cup Series and one of the biggest motor races in the world, features on Sunday. On Thursday two smaller races featured at the Daytona International Speedway. Duel 1 was won by Brad Keselowski, while the honours of Duel 2 went to Chris Buescher.
Until next week, have a great week in sport.
Aquatics
15 February to 8 March - FINA Men's Water Polo World League European Qualification 2022 - Various
22 February to 15 March - FINA Women's Water Polo World League European Qualification 2022 - Various
Archery
19-27 February - 2022 World Archery Para Championships - Dubai, UAE
Athletics
22 February - World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold - Orlen Copernicus Cup - Toruń, Poland
27 February - The Combined 10th Osaka Marathon and 77th Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon - Osaka, Japan; World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold - 45 Cross Das Amendoeiras Em Flor - Albufeira, Portugal
Axe Throwing
February 21 - World Axe Throwing League President's Day Axetravaganza - Nashville, TN, USA
February 26 - World Axe Throwing League Winter Championship - Aberdeen, SD, USA
Basketball
21 February to 1 March - FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian, African, European, Americas Qualifiers - Various
Biathlon
February 23 to March 2 - IBU Youth Junior World Championships 2022 - Soldier Hollow, UT, USA
Bobsleigh
26-27 February - Para Sport World Championships - Lillehammer, Norway
Bodybuilding
26-27 February - IFBB Mercosur Cup - Mendoza, Argentina
Boxing
27 February to 16 March - ASBC Youth & Junior Boxing Championships - Amman, Jordan
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
February 26 - Miami Winter International Open IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2022 - Miami, FL, USA
Carom Billiards
21-27 February - UIMB World Cup 3-Cushion - Ankara, Turkey
Cricket
22 February - New Zealand Women v India Women (4th ODI) - Queenstown, New Zealand
23 February - Bangladesh v Afghanistan (1st ODI) - Chittagong, Bangladesh
24 February - New Zealand Women v India Women (5th ODI) - Queenstown, New Zealand; India v Sri Lanka (1st T20I) - Lucknow, India
25 February to 1 March - New Zealand v South Africa (2nd Test) - Christchurch, New Zealand
25 February - Bangladesh v Afghanistan (2nd ODI) - Chittagong, Bangladesh
27 February - India v Sri Lanka (2nd T20I) - Dharamsala, India
27 February to 2 March - ICC Women's World Cup Warm-up Matches
Cycling
20-26 February - UCI WorldTour - UAE Tour - United Arab Emirates
21-26 February - UCI MTB Marathon Series - Andalucia Bike Race by Garmin - Jaén and Córdoba, Spain
22-27 February - FEI Jumping World Cup - Wellington, FL, USA
26 February - UCI ProSeries - Omloop Het Nieuwsblad-Vrouwen Elite - Belgium; UCI WorldTour - Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite - Belgium; UCI ProSeries - Faun-Ardèche Classic - France
Equestrian
26 February - Group One Racing - El Cheapo Car Weight-for-Age Group One Classic - Otaki, New Zealand; Neds Blue Diamond Stakes; Futurity Stakes; Neds Oakleigh Plate - Caulfield, Australia; Chipping Norton Stakes; Surround Stakes - Randwick, Australia
Esports
26 February - Cycling Esports World Championships
Fencing
23-24 February - African Championships - Lagos, Nigeria
25-27 February - FIE Senior Individual and Team World Cup - Guadalajara, Mexico
Goalball
15-22 February - 2022 IBSA Goalball Americas Championships - São Paulo, Brazil
Golf
23-25 February - Jabra Ladies Classic - Glendower GC, South Africa
24-27 February - Jonsson Workwear Open - Durban CC & Mt Edgecombe, South Africa; The Honda Classic - Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA
Gymnastics
24-27 February - FIG Apparatus World Cup 2022 - Cottbus, Germany
Fencing
24-26 February - Asian Championship Cadets - Tashkent, Uzbekistan
25-27 February - FIE Senior Individual and Team World Cup - Cairo, Egypt
26 February - FIE European Championship Juniors - Novi Sad, Serbia
Hockey
15-21 February - FIH Pro League (M) - France, Germany, South Africa - Potchefstroom, South Africa
26-27 February - FIH Pro League (M/W) - India v Spain - Bhubaneswar, India
Icestocksport
22-27 February - 14th Icestocksport World Championships - Klobenstein, Italy
Kickboxing
25-26 February - WAKO Grand Prix BiH - Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Luge
24-27 February - FIL Luge World Cup on Natural Track + Pursuit - Moscow, Russia
Mixed Martial Arts
25 February - Bellator MMA - Gegard Mousasi v Austin Vanderford; Peter Queally v Kane Mousah; Sinead v Kavanagh v Leah McCourt; Brian Moore v Jornel Lugo - Dublin, Ireland
February 27 - UFC Main Card - Islam Makhachev v Bobby Green; Misha Cirkunov v Wellington Turnam; Ji Yeon Kim v Priscila Cachoeira; Arman Tsarukyan v Joel Alvarez; Armen Petrosyan v Gregory Rodrigues;
Motor Racing
24-27 February - FIA World Rally Championship - Rally Sweden - Umeå, Sweden
February 27 - NTT Indycar Series - Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - St. Petersburg, FL, USA; 2022 NASCAR Cup Series - Wise Power 400 - Fontana, CA, USA
Motorcycling
February 26 - AMA Supercross Championship Round 8 - Arlington, TX, USA
27 February - FIM Motocross World Championship - Matterley Basin, England
Muaythai
12-21 February - European Muaythai Championships 2022 - Istanbul, Turkey
Orienteering
22-26 February - FISU World University Ski Orienteering Championship 2022 - Jachymov, Czech Republic
Padel
21-26 February - FIP World Tour 2022 - Cairo, Egypt
February 22-27 - World Padel Tour - Miami Padel Open - Miami, FL, USA
Pickleball
February 23-27 - APP Tour - Punta Gorda - Punta Gorda, LF, USA
February 24-27 - PPA Tour - Ororo PPA Indoor National Championships - Lakeville, MN, USA
Pool-Billiard
26-28 February - Dynamic Billiard Euro Tour (M/W) - Laško, Slovenia
Rackets
25-27 February - Amateur Doubles Championships 2022 - Queen's Club, London, Great Britain
Real Tennis
25-27 February - Over 40 Amateur Doubles 2022 - Colchester, England
Rodeo (Pro)
February 22 - San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Xtreme Bulls - San Antonio, TX, USA
February 24-26 - George National Rodeo - Perry, GA, USA
February 26 - Rodeo Grand Island - Grand Island, NE, USA
February 26-27 - Weekley Brothers Davie Pro Rodeo - Davie, FL, USA
(*Prize money of $20k or higher)
Rowing
25-26 February - 2022 World Rowing Indoor Championships - Virtual
Rugby Fives
26-27 February - North of England Open 2022 - Durham, England
Rugby Union
5 February to 19 March - Six Nations 2022 (M)
5 February to 20 March - Rugby Europe Championship 2022
19 February to 12 March - Women's Rugby Europe Championship 2022
26 February - Scotland v France; England v Wales; Portugal v Netherlands; Spain Women v Russia Women
27 February - Ireland v Italy; Spain v Romania; Georgia v Russia
Running
26 February - Ultrarunning HAWEI50 - Ubstadt-Weiher, Germany
26-27 February - Ultrarunning Barcelona - Barcelona, Spain
Sailing
24-27 February - 2022 Harken Youth International Match Racing Championship - Waitemata Harbour, New Zealand
Shooting Sport
26 February to 8 March - ISSF World Cup & World Tour Target Sprint - Cairo, Egypt
Ski & Snowboarding
22-27 February - FIS Junior Ski World Championships Cross Country - Lygna, Norway
24-27 February - FIS Women's Downhill World Cup - Crans-Montana, Switzerland
25-27 February - FIS Ski Cross World Cup - Sunny Valley, Russia; FIS Men's Ski Jumping World Cup - Lahti, Finland; FIS Nordic Combined World Cup - Lahti, Findland; FIS Women's Ski Jumping World Cup - Hinzenbach, Austria
26-27 February - FIS Freestyle Aerials World Cup - Yaroslavl, Russia; FIS Cross-Country World Cup - Lahti, Finland; FIS Men's Slalom World Cup - Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Ski Marathon
February 23 - Worldloppet American Birkebeiner Open Track 50km FT - Hayward, WI, USA
February 26 - Worldloppet American Bikebeiner Birkie 50km CL; Worldloppet Birkebeiner Birkie 55km FT - Hayward, WI, USA
27 February - Worldloppet Vasaloppet Öppetspar Sunday 90km CT - Mora, Sweden
Ski Mountaineering
February 25 - 2022 Winter Mountain Games Preview - Vail, CO, USA
26 February - 15th Ski Mountaineering Japan Championships - Toyama, Japan
Sled Dog Sports
23-27 February - IFSS World Championships and World Masters - Åsarna, Norway
Snooker
19-26 February - World Snooker Federation Open Championship 2022 - Sheffield, England
21-27 February - World Snooker Tour European Masters - Milton Keynes, England
Squash
February 23 to March 2 - PSA Windy City Open 2022 presented by The Walter Family - Chicago, IL, USA
Surfing
February 11-23 - World Surf League Championship Tour Stop 2 - Sunset Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
Table Soccer
26-27 February - ITSF Pro Tour - North East Open - Ormesby Table Tennis Centre, Middlesbrough, England
Teqball
25-27 February - Teqball European Tour - Lisbon, Portugal
Tennis
20-26 February - Qatar TotalEnergies Open (WTA) - Doha, Qatar; Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (ATP) - Dubai, UAE; Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC (ATP) - Acapulco, Mexico
21-27 February - Abierto Akron Zapopan (WTA) - Guadalajara, Mexico; Chile Dove Men+Care Open (ATP) - Santiago, Chile
Tower Running
February 26 - Towerrunning World Tour 2022 - Stratosphere Observation Tower - Las Vegas, NV, USA
Triathlon
26 February - 2022 Oceania Triathlon Senior, Junior and Para Cup - Devonport, Australia; 2022 Americas Triathlon Duathlon Championships - Tocancipá, Colombia
Underwater Sports
25-27 February - CMAS Finswimming World Cup - Eger, Hungary
Wheelchair Rugby
22-26 February - 2022 European Championships Division A - Paris, France
Windsurfing
18-23 February - Raceboard European Championships 2022 - Vilamoura, Portugal
20-28 February - PWA World Tour 2022 SOMWR 10x Cabo Verde PWA World Cup - Sal, Cabo Verde
26-27 February - IWCA Coppa Carnevale di Viareggio - Torre del Lago Puccini, Italy
Wrestling
24-27 February - Yasar Dogu, Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kapllan - Istanbul, Turkey
* 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.