Ten things to know from last week: November 2-8, 2021. The Braves, Kyle Larson, Mexican heroes, LOL...
Ten things to know from last week |
- Braves. The Atlanta Braves, founded in Boston in 1871, won its fourth Baseball World Series title, after their titles in 1914, 1957, and 1995. They beat the Houston Astros -who have made it to the World Series three times in the last five years- 4-2 in the Final.
- Larson’s redemption. Kyle Larson (USA) won the NASCAR Cup Series title after winning the final race of the season, his 10th this year – winning almost a third of races, with two sets of three races won in a row. This was a comeback year to NASCAR after being suspended last year after he said a word with racist connotations during a simulator game. He has since thrived in Dirt track racing, where this weekend Brad Sweet (USA) won his third consecutive World of Outlaws Sprint Car title, Brandon Sheppard (USA) his fourth World of Outlaws Late Model title and Matt Sheppard (USA) his eighth Super DIRTcar Series Championship.
- Local hero. Max Verstappen (NED, Red Bull) became the first driver to win the Mexican Grand Prix as a World Championship race three times. Second was Lewis Hamilton (ENG, Mercedes), who now trails the Dutchman in the Championship, and who was caught up by the third place finisher, Sergio Pérez (MEX), who delighted the crown in a fully packed Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Also in auto racing, Toyota’s Mike Conway (ENG), Kamui Kobayashi (JPN) and José María López (ARG) secured another FIA World Endurance Championship, by finishing second in the 8 Hours of Bahrain to their Toyota Gazoo Racing teammates. AF Corse Ferrari’s James Calado (ENG) and Alessandro Pier Guidi (ITA) won the GTE drivers Championship and the race after a controversial clash with their rival Porsche’s Michael Christensen (DNK). Pier Guidi then slowed down to let the Porsche pass but their rivals pitted instead. Team WRT (BEL) was the LMP2 Champion and another AF Corse won the GTE Am division.
- Unified Champion. Saúl Álvarez (MEX) became the first ever unified Super Middleweight World Champion, after beating Caleb Plant (USA) in 11 rounds. Another Mexican, Joey Beltrán (MEX/USA), lost the BKFC/Police Gazette Bare Knuckle Fighting World Heavyweight title, to Arnold Adams (USA) via points decision.
- Breeder’s Cup. Mike Smith (USA) extended his record as the winningest jockey at the Breeder’s Cup World Championships, by winning his 26th race while riding Corniche (USA) in the Juvenile. The Classic was won by Knicks Go (USA), the Pegasus World Cup winner -also under Joel Rosario (DOM), ahead of Medina Spirit (USA), Kentucky Derby winner, and Essential Quality (USA), Belmont winner. The biggest upset was Marche Lorraine (JPN) winning the Distaff under Oisin Murphy (IRL) to become the first Japanese horse to win in the dirt. Irad Ortiz, Jr. (PUR won his fourth Bill Shoemaker Award in a row, after taking three wins and a second place. William Buick (NOR) also rode three winners.
- LOL. Edward Gaming (CHN) won its first League of Legends World Championship by beating the defending Champions, DWG KIA (KOR), 3-2.
- La Cruz. The Men’s AIBA World Amateur Boxing Championships took place in Serbia. Cuba won three gold medals, including the fifth World Championship for Julio César La Cruz -now second of all time in the medal tables- and the third for Andy Cruz. They were the only Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champions present at the event.
- All-time bid. Novak Djokovic (SRB) is furthering his case in the discussion for the title of the best tennis player of all-time by becoming the first one to secure the #1 place in the year-end rankings for a record-breaking seventh time. This, after he won the Paris Masters, by beating Dmitry Medvedev. This is his record 37th Masters 1000 crown, one more than Rafael Nadal’s (ESP) 36. In the women’s side, the Russian Tennis Federation beat Switzerland to take the Billy Jean King Cup, formerly known as the Fed Cup.
- Still unbeaten. The current Paralympic Champion in Wheelchair Triathlon, Jetze Plat (NED), won his record fifth Paratriathlon World Championship, in Abu Dhabi (ARE). He is unbeaten since 2015.
- Home shining. The Colombian Inline Speed Skating team is having a good start of their own World Championships in Ibagué. Pedro Causil (COL) won his 19th and 20th World Championship medals in the Inline Speed Skating, this time by winning the 1000 meters -with a World Record in the Semi-Finals- and the 3000 meters Relay. He also took silver in the 200 meters Dual TT and the 500 +D, won by Colombians. Fabriana Arias (COL) won her 19th World Title and Luz Karime Garzón (COL) her 13th.
- Record run. José Vitor Leme (BRA) own a back to back PBR Championship, with the best season in history and scoring 98.75, a points record, in the World Finals.