Ten things to know from last week. September 20-26, 2022 included: Federer's last match, the fastest Marathon ever, team wins for USA.
- Fastest Marathon ever. The Berlin Marathon was the fastest Marathon of all time, as Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) broke the World Record with 2:01:09, beating his previous record from four years ago by 30 seconds. He became the second runner to win this Marathon four times. On the women’s side, Tigist Assefa (ETH) ran just her second Marathon ever and won at 2:15:37, the third fastest Marathon ever by a female runner. Marcel Hug (CHE) a seventh Berlin Marathon in men’s wheelchair, while Catherine Debrunner (CHE) won her Marathon debut in the women’s division.
- Goodbye, Roger. Roger Federer (CHE) had his last professional tennis match, tagging alongside career rival Rafael Nadal (ESP) in a doubles match of the Laver Cup. They lost their match to Jack Sock / Frances Tiafoe (USA) and Europe was also ultimately defeated by Team World 8-13. Novak Djokovic (SRB) won a Doubles and singles match and lost another to Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN). Alex de Minaur (AUS), Diego Schwartzman (ARG), and Taylor Fritz (USA) were the rest of Team World.
- Another for the US. And the US won yet another team event in the week, as they defeated Team International in the 2022 Presidents Cup, which they dominated with a record of 12-1-1 since the tournament started in 1994.
- A new Triple Crown. Little did care Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) about the fact that she broke her elbow in the Individual Time Trial to prevent her from winning the women’s Road Race at the UCI World Championships in Australia. She became the first woman to win the World Championship, the Women’s Tour and the Women’s Giro in the same year – of course, because only until this year it could be achieved. The Men’s race was won by Remco Evenepoel (BEL), who attacked with a few kilometers to go and never look back, winning by over two minutes.
- Serrano as usual. After her huge fight with Katie Taylor (IRL) in the Lightweight division last April, Amanda Serrano (PRI) returned to Featherweight, in order to unify four World titles with Sarah Mahfoud (FRO/DNK). She won a clear Unanimous Decision.
- Bou again. For the second week in a row, Toni Bou (ESP, Honda) continues to extend his legacy as the greatest motorcycling competitor of all time and one of the greatest sportspeople across sports in history. Last week he won the 2022 FIM Trial World Championship and this time he won the Trial des Nations for an incredible 17th time in a row, since 2015. This is the 18th for teammate Adam Raga, a record, and the 4th for Jaime Busto. Spain also won the women’s title, with Sandra Gómez, Berta Abellán, and Alba Villegas. This was not the only Motorcycling nations event on the weekend. The Motocross des Nations was won by the United States for the first time in 11 years. The US also won the Quadcross of European Nations, including multiple ATV Champion Chad Wienen on the team, and the Netherlands won the Sidecarcross of European Nations, with the current World Champion Etienne Bax leading the way.
- Seventh adventure. Team Ayava (NZL) won the Aventure Race World Championship for a seventh time, by taking the Expedición Guaraní 2022 in Paraguay. The team was composed of Nathan Fa’avae -who has been part of the seven titles-, Chris Forne and Stu Lynch (who have both won world titles with other teams as well), and Simone Maier, who is a new member.
- 12 years a Champion. Boyd Exell (AUS) won his sixth consecutive Driving World Championship Four-in-Hand along with his team – accompanying grooms Lea Schmidlin (CHE) and Emma Osvald Olsson (SWE), and backstep Hugh Scott-Barrett (ENG)- and horses (Celviro, Checkmate, Dan 8, Hero, Ivor), meaning he has been the World Champion since 2010. He was first in Dressage, sixth in Marathon, and fourth in Cones, enough to beat Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) and the team. The Netherlands won the team gold.
- World Rowing. Great Britain won 7 gold medals at the World Rowing Championships to top the medal table. Thee included two by Paralympic Champion Oliver Stanhope (ENG), who has now won five world titles. Corné de Koning (NED) and Birgit Skarstein (NOR) also reached their fifth World title in Para-Rowing. Grace Prendergast and Kerri Williams (NZL) also won their fifth world title, including their third in Women’s Coxless pair, where they might be the best of all time.
- Home golds for Indonesia. Jakarta hosted the IFSC Climbing World Cup Season’s Finale. It was an all-Indonesian Finale in Men’s Speed, as Aspar Aspar (IDN) beat teammate Kiromal Katibin (IDN) for the Men’s Speed gold. Katibin beat Veddriq Leonardo (IDN) in the Semi-Final but Leonardo was the overall World Cup Champion in the division. Deng Lijuan (CHN) won the women’s Speed gold, Yurikusa Ao (JPN) the Men’s Lead, and Janja Garnbret (SVN) the Women’s Lead, and World Cup title.