WorldGames | Switzerland's Riccardo Rancan wins first gold of Chengdu World Games in orienteering

Xinhua
08 Aug 2025, 14:47 GMT+10

CHENGDU, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Switzerland's Riccardo Rancan claimed the first gold of The World Games 2025 here on Friday, after finishing the men's middle distance orienteering in 45 minutes and 22 seconds.

With tough rival Norway absent from the Games, the Swiss team has been favored to win the event.

Francesco Mariani of Italy took the silver medal with a time of 47:43. Canada's Vegard Jarvis Westergard got the bronze just 0.05 seconds behind Mariani. Host China's Tang Jianda and Liu Xiaoming ranked 18th and 23rd, respectively.

Since being accepted as an official World Games event in 2001, orienteering has so far awarded 26 golds, 10 of which went to Switzerland. Norway and Sweden have each collected three.

The three-day orienteering competition features five events: the men's and women's middle distance, the men's and women's sprint and the mixed sprint relay. 80 orienteers from 24 countries and regions are competing in Chengdu.

Orienteering, a century-old sport originated in Sweden, requires athletes to navigate unfamiliar terrain using only a map and a compass. Competitors race against the clock to find sequential control points, with the fastest competitor emerging as the winner.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Toronto Telegraph.

More Information

null in null

Business

Section

Corporate spending on CEO protection hits record high

NEW YORK CITY, New York: U.S. companies are now spending more money than ever to protect their top bosses. This comes after rising...

Wall Street volatility continues, Dow Jones drops 224 points

NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks fell Thursday, a day after recording strong gains. It has been a volatile week for U.S. stock markets...

ESPN takes over NFL Network as league gains stake in sports giant

LOS ANGELES, California: ESPN is set to expand its football footprint in a landmark deal with the NFL that will give the Disney-owned...

OpenAI eyes $500 billion valuation in stock sale for employee cash-out

SAN FRANCISCO, California: OpenAI is exploring a new stock sale that could allow employees to cash out while pushing the company's...

Teva’s Ajovy gets FDA nod to prevent migraines in kids over 6

SILVER SPRING, Maryland: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Teva Pharmaceuticals' Ajovy for use in children, marking...

New California tabloid to echo NY Post amid LA Times struggles

LOS ANGELES, California: Rupert Murdoch's media empire is taking its tabloid formula west, with a new newspaper set to debut in California...

Canada

Section