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The 29-year-old biological male who came in first place at a New York women's skateboarding competition is a father of three and a combat veteran who was previously rejected from the Olympics for having too much testosterone.

Ricci Tres, who also goes by Ricci And Tres, won over Shiloh Catori, a 13-year-old girl who is ranked 133rd in the Boardr Global Ranks, which are based on performance in skateboarding competitions. Tres, by comparison, sits at 838 in the rankings.

Tres took the top title in the women's division of The Boardr Open, taking home $500.

"I have three kids, I'm married, I did my timein the military, I own a company. I've decided that I like being pretty and cute," Tres said in an interview about skateboarding last year. "So everything that goes with that is female. I love female bodies. I think it's a work of art."

LOS ANGELES 29-YEAR-OLD TRANS WOMAN BEATS 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL TO FIRST PLACE IN NYC WOMEN'S SKATEBOARDING CONTEST

Tres does not intend to medically transition outside hormone therapy.

Tres has taken hormones but was previously informed that his body still had too much testosterone to compete.

"I know I'll never be a woman because women are miraculous. They have babies and create life and do all that awesome stuff," Tres said in the interview. "I'll never have that ability. But I feel like I'm a woman. I would have wished to be born one. So I'll try to fill that image as much as I can for myself."

Many on social media excoriated the tournament for the biological and age disparities between the competitors, including female skateboarder Taylor Silverman, who spoke out in May after repeatedly placing second in skateboarding contests against biological males.

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The skateboarding competition comes amid a national debate over whether biological men have a competitive advantage over biological women.

On the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the Biden administration has indicated that it wants transgender athletes to enjoy the same protections that Title IX initially afforded women when it passed half a century ago.

Fox News' Jon Brown contributed to this report.

Timothy Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and can email him at timothy.nerozzi@fox.com

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Trans skateboarder who won first prize against teen is a combat vet, dad who was rejected from the Olympics - Fox News

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IrelandUruguay, Eastern Republic ofUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofViet Nam, Socialist Republic ofWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambia, Republic ofZimbabwe

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Ravenswood athlete represents West Virginia at the Special Olympics - WV News

(Andrew Vera-Jackson Photo)

For Tucson-native Andrew Vera-Jackson, wrestling isnt just a sport its a lifestyle. Since he first stepped foot on the mats back in middle school, the initial spark Vera-Jackson had for the sport has continued growing into a fire still burning bright within him.

Sports have always been my escape in life, Vera-Jackson said. I just kind of fell in love with wrestling while still doing multiple sports. As I was transitioning to high school, I knew I had to focus on something if I wanted to go to college, so I ended up choosing wrestling.

While Vera-Jacksons overall journey has been vastly different than most other athletes, his relentless dedication and commitment to his goals opened doors to opportunities he never dreamed of having.

A 2015 graduate of Cienega High School, Vera-Jacksons legacy on the Bobcat program isnt limited to being a school record holder; He also was a two-time state medalist, an All-American wrestler and a member of Team Arizona.

Vera-Jackson earned a scholarship to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, AZ where he continued his wrestling career, but he said making the decision of where to attend was far from easy. Receiving nearly three dozen letters from universities across the nation, Vera-Jackson said he had little guidance in terms of navigating the process, leaving him to figure it out on his own.

If you got a letter, then you just reach out to the coaches and go from there, Vera-Jackson said. My first two letters were from Stanford and Columbia, which was really exciting.

After exploring the degree options and speaking with numerous coaches, Vera-Jackson settled on Embry-Riddle because of their academic programs directly aligning with his field of study.

I knew a lot of other schools would be better for wrestling, but at the time, I was like, Yeah, just get through college and then be done, Vera-Jackson said. What I wanted to do with my life and Embry having the program of Global Security Intelligence Studies, it really drew me into them.

While in college, Vera-Jackson also minored in Middle Eastern studies and learned Arabic, his third language. Despite touting a rigorous course load going hand-in-hand with his athletic commitments, Vera-Jackson found a way to transition from the daily grind of high school to college with ease.

Following his junior year, Vera-Jackson was forced to take some time away from both school and wrestling to attend to some family issues. Helping to take care of his mother while she recovered from medical procedures, Vera-Jackson knew his family needed him more at that point in time and made the tough decision to return to Tucson.

When he returned to Tucson in 2018, he began working with the Arizona Department of Corrections, where he stayed for the next three years until he was finally able to return to Embry-Riddle.

It was nerve-wracking at first, Vera-Jackson said. You grow up quickly there. They sent me to a Level 5, Max Capacity Detention Center When I finally took a step away from that and finished school, I was very, very happy I did.

Being the first one in his family to graduate from college, earning his degree was a big deal.

Im proud of what I did and Im excited, Vera-Jackson said. I hope I made my family proud with that. It was a very long road and they just really believed in me.

After finally earning his Bachelors, Vera-Jackson relocated to Fort Worth, TX to join the Spartan Mat Club at Texas Wesleyan University.

They offered me a full ride to my masters program, Vera-Jackson said. I was talking to schools, but this one I felt benefited my program. If I want to take the time to do schooling, I need it to be something thats going to benefit my future.

Anticipating his return to the mat, Vera-Jackson knew it was also going to be a grueling battle to get there. After three years away from training, it was going to take a lot of conditioning and time in the weight room to transition back to peak competition shape.

Grinding his way back to being in training shape, Vera-Jackson started floating the idea of trying out for the Bolivian National Team with his coaches. Initially hesitant, saying he didnt want to waste any more time, he decided to go out and at least try.

His decision to go for it ended up paying off, as Vera-Jackson was named as a member of the 2022 Bolivian World Team back in November. Since then, his sights have been set on making it to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Im in the process of trying to find a Regional Training Center, Vera-Jackson said. A couple of places are interested, its just going to take a little more time, getting my name out there a little more and bringing back some hardware.

The time between now and the end of 2023 will be a crucial time for Vera-Jackson in his quest to become an Olympian. Not only will he look to compete all over the globe to continue challenging himself against the competition, but he also will continue traveling across the nation for training, working with numerous different training partners while improving and learning new techniques.

My struggle is trying to find more freestyle clinics, Vera-Jackson said. Im trying to get more exposure.

The Tallinn Open took place in Estonia in March, and the Pan-Am Championships took place in Chile in May. Both provided him the opportunity to get more exposure while preparing him for whats to come; The Bolivarian Games taking place in Colombia in July and the South American Games in Paraguay in October.

Competing in so many international competitions can get costly. Flights, hotels, meals and tournament fees are just some of the many expenses competing abroad can rack up, and it doesnt factor in any basic funds needed to continue training at a high level back in Texas.

Every time I go to Bolivia, it costs between seven hundred and a thousand dollars each trip, Vera-Jackson said. Everything I pay is out of pocket. Bolivia doesnt help with any of the financial burden, being a third world country.

Vera-Jackson is currently working towards raising money for his upcoming competitions, and is looking for sponsors interested in continuing to support him on his journey. Individuals looking to donate to his goals directly can do so by visiting his GoFundMe.

Brittany Bowyer is a freelance journalist who started her career as an intern for a small sports website back in 2015. Since then, shes obtained her masters degree in Sports Journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at ASU and is in her fourth year of covering various levels of sports across a broad range of platforms in Arizona. You can follow her on twitter @LittWithBritt

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Grappling to the top, Tucson-native Andrew Vera-Jackson locks in on 2024 Paris Olympics - All Sports Tucson

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Food solutions company SpartanNash (the Company) (Nasdaq: SPTN) raised money through its annual fundraising campaign in support of Special Olympics athletes and State Summer Games in eight Midwest states. The SpartanNash Foundation has donated more than $9.7 million and tens of thousands of volunteer hours throughout its 38-year partnership with the non-profit organization.

Diversity and inclusion are foundational to the People First culture we are cultivating at SpartanNash, so we are proud to partner with Special Olympics, said SpartanNash Senior Vice President, Communications and SpartanNash Foundation Executive Director Adrienne Chance. SpartanNash Associates have enjoyed celebrating the athletes, and we are grateful for the additional support from our communities. These generous donations help enhance the athletes experience, teach lifelong skills, and create lasting memories.

In May 2022, participating SpartanNash stores and fuel centers collected donations to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics athletes. The Company employs more than 25 Special Olympics athletes who have served their communities for a combined 195 years at SpartanNash grocery stores.

Across eight states, guests at SpartanNash stores including Family Fare, D&W Fresh Market and VGs Grocery donated $232,877 through checkout transactions in store and online through Fast Lane. The SpartanNash Foundation rounded up the donation to $242,050. One hundred percent of all funds raised go directly to local Special Olympics affiliates in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Spreading the message of inclusion is what we aim to do at Special Olympics Michigan, said President and CEO of Special Olympics Michigan Tim Hileman. We aim to create hope, inspire others and create meaningful relationships with companies like SpartanNash, which help to support us in the times we need it. These competitions give messages of aspiration to those who may become one of our athletes one day.

To learn more, visit spartannash.com/foundation-scans.

About SpartanNash

SpartanNash (Nasdaq: SPTN) is a food solutions company that delivers the ingredients for a better life. As a distributor, wholesaler and retailer with a global supply chain network, SpartanNash customers span a diverse group of national accounts, independent and chain grocers, e-commerce retailers, U.S. military commissaries and exchanges, and the Companys own brick-and-mortar grocery stores, pharmacies and fuel centers. SpartanNash distributes grocery and household goods, including fresh produce and its Our Family portfolio of products, to locations in all 50 states, in addition to distributing to the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Djibouti, Korea and Japan. In addition, the Company owns and operates 148 supermarkets primarily under the banners of Family Fare, Martins Super Markets and D&W Fresh Market and shares its operational insights to drive innovative solutions for SpartanNash food retail customers. Committed to fostering a People First culture, the SpartanNash family of Associates is 17,500 strong and growing. For more information, visit spartannash.com.

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SpartanNash Foundation Raises $242050 for Special Olympics - Business Wire

The International Olympic Committee decided Friday not to add a womens Nordic combined event to the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy, a devastating setback for dozens of women who have dedicated their lives to the event in recent years and a potentially fatal blow to one of the original Winter Olympic competitions.

Men will continue to compete in Nordic combined, which requires excellence in both ski jumping and cross-country skiing. But their event is in jeopardy now for the 2030 Games because the Olympic committee has prioritized sports that are capable of achieving gender equity.

Karl Stoss of Austria, a member of the executive board of the Olympic committee, said the survival of Nordic combined would depend on the sport showing significant positive development particularly with participation and audience.

Stoss noted that just 10 countries sent athletes to the world championship competition for womens Nordic combined in 2021.

This is not fulfilling universality, Stoss said. Its very interesting for us in the European countries, but outside of Europe you cannot really find athletes doing this sport.

Kit McConnell, the I.O.C.s sports director, said the organization decided to allow the mens competition to go forward in 2026 because it would not be fair to the athletes to eliminate their sport just three and half years before the Games.

Leaders of skiings international governing body, F.I.S., have spent the better part of a decade establishing a womens World Cup circuit for Nordic combined and a world championship.

They had proposed a womens competition at the Olympics with 30 top athletes. But knowing that the I.O.C. had limited the number of athletes at the Games to 2,900 and wanted to include new sports, Nordic combined proposed cutting the number of mens Nordic combined competitors by 15, so the number of total athletes for the sport would increase by only 15.

Annika Malacinski, 21, the top American woman in Nordic combined, has put full-time college on hold for three years to reach the highest level of her sport.

How could they? How dare they? Malacinski said of the Olympic committee. The time and effort I have put into building this sport with so many amazing girls around the world and for the I.O.C. to tell us that we are not enough?

Lasse Ottesen of Norway, a Nordic combined race director, called the decision a sad day for the sport.

The development of the Nordic combined women in recent years has been more than impressive, so that the next logical step would have been their participation, Ottesen said. The executive boards lack of confidence in the further development of our discipline and the visible misjudgment of the achievements of our women is shocking.

The I.O.C. tried to soften the blow to women by noting that it had adjusted other events so that 47 percent of the athletes in 2026 will be women. Among other changes, womens ski jumping will include a competition on the large hill in addition to the smaller normal hill, and there will be more female bobsledders and also a womens doubles luge event. Also, each of Nordic combineds disciplines will continue to exist as individual events.

Opponents of including Nordic combined for either men or women have questioned its relevance.

A century ago, when cross-country skiing and ski jumping were essentially the only kinds of skiing that existed, a combined event crowned the worlds greatest skier. The initial Olympics, the 1924 Winter Games in Chamonix, France, included just 16 events in nine sports. There are now more than 100 events in 15 sports. With the advent of Alpine skiing and freestyle, to say nothing of snowboarding, Nordic combined no longer defines a king or queen of the mountain.

Organizers are trying to limit the size of the Games while also incorporating new sports that appeal to a younger generation. The breakout star of last winters Beijing Games was Eileen Gu, the freestyle skier who won gold medals in big air and halfpipe and a silver in slopestyle, events that did not exist a decade ago. Big air for skiing was added just this year.

Also, organizers have questioned whether Nordic combined will ever be able to produce geographic diversity. The countries that excel include the usual list of Olympic stalwarts, and there is little potential for top competitors from South America, Africa or Asian countries besides Japan.

Malacinski said the I.O.C. had placed itself on the wrong side of history.

I hope that they realize that not only have they potentially killed the future of Nordic combined an original Olympic sport, but also so many young girls dreams of becoming Olympians, she said. The fight has just begun.

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Womens Nordic Combined Will Not Be Part of the Olympics - The New York Times

When U.S. Soccer sends out press releases to announce upcoming match rosters, there are always a few stats and facts included. But I think this bullet from the announcement of the 23-player roster for CONCACAF'S World Cup qualification tournament sums up the state of the U.S. women's national team perfectly:

Honestly, when was the last time we have read that well over half of a USWNT roster has not had any qualifying experience? Other than our very first World Cup qualifier ever in Haiti before the 1991 Women's World Cup, my best guess is never.

2 Related

In fact, these 13 qualifying debutants all have 27 caps or fewer, including eight in single digits: Alana Cook (9 caps), Ashley Hatch (8), Ashley Sanchez (7), Casey Murphy (4), Trinity Rodman (3), Naomi Girma (1), Aubrey Kingsbury (1) and Taylor Kornieck (0).

What does that tell you about the roster head coach Vlatko Andonovski has chosen in this moment? It tells me the youth transformation is official, and Andonovski didn't need the USWNT's upcoming friendlies against Colombia on Saturday and Tuesday to know the direction he will take the team. So much so that Christen Press, even before her recent torn ACL, was still not even in the final 23-player roster. And given the high-level play by the younger group in the NWSL this year, if I were Andonovski I'd be confident in them as well.

- Watch live: USWNT vs. Colombia (June 28, 10 p.m. ET)- Don't have ESPN? Get instant access

Sure, it was a major setback and disappointment when Catarina Macario recently tore her ACL given the season she had for Lyon, helping them win both the Champions League title and French league title with her team-leading 23 goals across competitions. But Sophia Smith and Mal Pugh are both equally hot with their respective NWSL teams, and with Alex Morgan scoring seemingly at will for the San Diego Wave, leading the league with 11 goals, that front three of Smith, Morgan, and Pugh will be a handful for every single CONCACAF opponent.

The midfield sitting behind them -- if healthy (the ultimate qualifier in a year like this) -- should be Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle and Andi Sullivan, although I know more than just San Diego Wave fans are excited to see what Taylor Kornieck can do at this level, given her dominance for the Wave.

It is the back line where I think the most question marks fall. With Tierna Davidson's ACL injury and Abby Dahlkemper's continued bouts of injury, Alana Cook and Naomi Girma may be given the nod again as the chosen center-back pairing, as they were in the previous USWNT games in April.

But with Becky Sauerbrunn returning to the fold healthy, will Andonovski choose to bring the veteran captain into the starting 11? I think he probably goes with the same starting back-four he used in the last friendly the USWNT played vs. Uzbekistan -- it was Sofia Huerta on the right, Cook and Girma as the center-backs, and Emily Fox on the left.

That rare positional battle where a veteran may hold onto a spot challenged by a rookie is where the pair of friendlies against Colombia before the qualifiers can sway Andonovski's approach. His focus is clearly on the qualification tournament at the start of July, and his roster selection makes it clear his mind is made up in pushing the team younger -- but still, the Colombia friendlies are his last pit stop on the road to qualifiers in Mexico, and we ought to see him test his on-field partnerships.

The one head-scratcher for many fans with the roster announcement was the fact that Megan Rapinoe made the final roster. And I say "head-scratcher" because Rapinoe had not played much at all with her OL Reign team. She was just coming back from injury and had played a total of 154 minutes for the entire season.

Given Andonovski's insistence that all national team call-ups must prove themselves at the club level, the reason for the call up suddenly became quite clear: It's Megan Rapinoe.

Andonovski called in Rapinoe because he loves the swagger that a player like Rapinoe brings. I don't think he is planning on giving her tons of minutes, but wants her there as an option to bring off the bench if they need a goal, if they need a lift, and mostly, to give this younger group confidence. It is her leadership and mentality that he seeks more than anything.

Yes, you get that leadership and veteran experience with players like Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelley O'Hara and Alex Morgan, but there is only one Megan Rapinoe when it comes to that swagger. And I take you back to the first bullet above: With over half the team never having gone through a qualifier, Rapinoe brings stability more than anything. She has done it at every level -- and the brighter the lights, the more she glows. That confidence is contagious.

Remember, these CONCACAF W qualifiers are interesting particularly because they double as the Olympic qualifying tournament.

Make picks throughout the Women's European Championship for a shot at $5,000. Make Your Picks

With four CONCACAF teams getting an automatic spot in the 2023 World Cup thanks to the expanded 2023 World Cup field, qualifying for the World Cup should be a given for the United States. The USWNT simply has to finish in the top two of its group of Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico, and which means reaching the semifinal round of the tournament is enough to qualify for the 2023 World Cup. They don't have to win the semifinal game to qualify for the World Cup either -- they just need to get there.

But to get to the Olympics, this is where things get interesting: The U.S. must either win this CONCACAF W Championship tournament out-right or finish in 2nd or 3rd place for the right to play a playoff game to get to the Olympics. Only two teams from CONCACAF will compete in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

So buckle up: There could or could not be turbulence when it comes to these qualifiers. Given how young this group is, you just never know. And that is a variable I absolutely love.

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USWNT: Vlatko Andonovski chose a young World Cup/Olympic qualifying roster. Will it pay off? - ESPN

This is a Community Announcement from Special Olympics New York. It was not written by The Ithaca Voice. To submit community announcements, please send them to Matt Butler at mbutler@ithacavoice.com.

With the largest statewide competition of the year this week,SpecialOlympicsNew York is renewing its call to the Ithaca community for volunteers.

Volunteers are asked to register here.

More than 300 volunteer jobs have yet to be filled to support more than 1,150SpecialOlympicsathletes and coaches competing in State Summer Games on Saturday, June 25. Games officials say the greatest needs are the following:

No sports experience is necessary. Volunteers will be trained on-site.All Summer Games volunteers must be vaccinated. Additionally, volunteers must be ages 13+ and those ages 13-15 must be accompanied by an adult.

For those interested in volunteering as a group of 5+ please email Sara atsmassa@nyso.org.

Go here to read the rest:

Special Olympics volunteers still urgently needed for this weekend's games in Ithaca - The Ithaca Voice

Rory McIlroy is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland. The golf star is a member of two series as of now, the PGA Tour and the European Tour. McIlroy made a rare record in the sport by staying at the top position for 100 weeks.

Another important event outside of golf is the gymnastics in the Tokyo Olympics. A famous gymnast named Simone Biles withdrew from the team two days before the finals. The reason for her withdrawal is said to be due to concerns about her mental well-being.

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The gymnasts decision to give up just before the finals shocked everyone. However, Rory McIlroy had a different outlook on the situation. The golfer supported the gymnasts decision by saying that she is 100% right. Keep reading to know what else McIlroy had to say about the happening.

In reaction to US Star Biles decision, McIlroy gave supportive statements after shooting a two-under-par 69 in the first round of the golf tournament at the Tokyo Olympics. He said, I live in the United States, and anything that came on the TV, NBC, or commercials about the Olympics, it was Simone Biles it was Simone Biles Olympics, right?

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McIlroy showed immense support for Biles decision and said that mental health should be prioritized. He also talked about how Biles has a big responsibility attached to her by saying,The weight on her shoulders is massive.

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McIlroy continued to talk about US Swimming Legend Michael Phelps and Biles and said that the athletes must receive enough space to talk about their mental health openly without any pressure. He also said that this would help the sport to receive a new and improved perspective in the future.

McIlroy wisely expressed about how it is important to go through these kinds of situations to reach the top. But he also asserted that when legends like Phelps and well-known gymnasts talk about their struggles and the motivational stories behind their success, then it encourages more people to come up and share their life with the world.

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McIlroy also compared Biles to the famous Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka, who recently played like a champion in the French Open this year, after she had shortly opened up about her depression and life struggles.

Watch This Story: Rory McIlroy Joins Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in Golfs History Books

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When Rory McIlroy Showed Solidarity to Simone Biles After Her Controversial Olympic Withdrawal: The Weight on Her Shoulders Is Massive -...

Paul DiCiccos photos from the Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club on May 7, 2022.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

Paul DiCicco's photos from the 2022 Special Olympics Bocce competition at the Wickliffe Italian-American Club.

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PHOTOS: Special Olympics Bocce competition at Wickliffe Italian ...

Spain withdrew its bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics due to political differences, leaving Salt Lake City, Sapporo, Japan, and Vancouver as candidates to host. The IOC is expected to make its decision within the next year.

The Spanish Olympic Committee said the local governments of Barcelona and the Pyrenees region, which were to share hosting duties, could not come to an agreement.

We had other brilliant candidacies [for the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics] that didnt go ahead because we were competing with very strong rival cities, Spain Olympic Committee President Alejandro Blanco said Tuesday, according to a Reuters translation. But this one we have destroyed ourselves at our own home. There was no other way out than withdrawing our bid. We cannot spend months and months and months with the differences that there were.

We were transforming an integrating project into a war between constitutionalists and independentists, the Olympic spirit is not about that.

The Spanish committee told the IOC it wants to continue talks for potentially hosting a Winter Games beyond 2030.

As of 2020, the Spain plan called for city events in Barcelona, mountain events in the Pyrenees (150 miles north of Barcelona) and sliding sports and ski jumping in another country, as Spain does not have existing venues for those events.

Last week, a Salt Lake City bid team, includingLindsey Vonn, met with the IOC at IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, and said it went well.

Salt Lake City expects the IOC to in December choose a city or cities for a more targeted dialogue phase for 2030 (and perhaps 2034), and a host city election next May 30 or June 1.

Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics. No nation has hosted back-to-back Olympics since World War II. Salt Lake City, which hosted the last Olympics in the U.S. in 2002, is prepared for 2034 if necessary.

We are focused on 2030,Fraser Bullock, the president and CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games, said earlier this month. Everything we do, every contract we sign, is all focused on 2030. But it also has a provision for 2034.

We recognize the back-to-back Games are challenging. Geopolitically, its hard for the IOC to award back-to-back Games in the U.S., for 28 and for 30. We know that thats hard. But we also recognize there are opportunities through back-to-back Games.

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Spain stops 2030 Winter Olympic bid; 3 main candidates remain - Home of the Olympic Channel