Les Carpenter

Washington, D.C.

Olympics Reporter at The Washington Post

Washington Post sports writer

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Articles

Ilia Malinin is atop the world again, and the Olympics are on the way

3 weeks ago | washingtonpost.com | Les Carpenter

Ilia Malinin is atop the world again, and the Olympics are on the way (washingtonpost.com) Ilia Malinin is atop the world again, and the Olympics are on the way By Les Carpenter 2025033002281700 BOSTON — Ilia Malinin breezed into this week's figure skating world championships with the cool of a 20-year-old who already has one world title, three national championships and a budding merch empire built around his assortment of quadruple jumps and his Instagram name of "quadg0d." Just in case...
In a stunner, Alysa Liu completes return to skating with gold at worlds

3 weeks ago | washingtonpost.com | Les Carpenter

In a stunner, Alysa Liu completes return to skating with gold at worlds (washingtonpost.com) In a stunner, Alysa Liu completes return to skating with gold at worlds By Les Carpenter 2025032902304800 BOSTON — The impossible comeback had become a party now.
A forgotten dress was the start of a 41-year-old skating champ’s troubles

3 weeks ago | washingtonpost.com | Les Carpenter

A forgotten dress was the start of a 41-year-old skating champ’s troubles (washingtonpost.com) A forgotten dress was the start of a 41-year-old skating champ’s troubles By Les Carpenter 2025032717594700 BOSTON — Last March, at 40 years old, Deanna Stellato-Dudek became the oldest woman to win an Olympic or world figure skating championship when she and her pairs partner, Maxime Deschamps, won the pairs world title.
Alysa Liu’s first-place short program is worth a smile and a wonder

4 weeks ago | washingtonpost.com | Les Carpenter

Alysa Liu’s first-place short program is worth a smile and a wonder (washingtonpost.com) Alysa Liu’s first-place short program is worth a smile and a wonder By Les Carpenter 2025032623460400 BOSTON — Can there be a better story in figure skating, maybe in all of sports, right now than Alysa Liu, the U.S. Olympic skater who quit the sport at 16 and has returned three years later better than ever?
Stuff

4 weeks ago | stuff.co.nz | Les Carpenter
World Athletics to require gender test for female track and field athletes

4 weeks ago | washingtonpost.com | Les Carpenter

World Athletics to require gender test for female track and field athletes (washingtonpost.com) World Athletics to require gender test for female track and field athletes By Les Carpenter 2025032517413600 World Athletics plans to begin genetic testing of all female track and field athletes in a move that could significantly alter gender eligibility rules in Olympic sports.
Kirsty Coventry is first woman to be elected IOC president

1 month ago | washingtonpost.com | Les Carpenter

Democracy Dies in DarknessOlympicsThe 41-year-old Zimbabwe resident will become the 10th president in the 131-year history of the International Olympic Committee. March 20, 2025 at 11:36 a.m. EDTJust nowKirsty Coventry will come the 10th president in the IOC's 131-year history. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)The International Olympic Committee elected its first female president Thursday by choosing Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry over six other candidates.
Olympic boxing was all but dead. Now the IOC has saved it.

1 month ago | washingtonpost.com | Les Carpenter

Not long ago it appeared as if boxing would be removed from the Olympic program, perhaps forever. Years of scandals, allegations of match fixing and battles between Olympic leaders and boxing’s former governing body had pushed one of the Olympics’ oldest sports off the schedule for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games.
NBC will spend $3 billion to extend U.S. Olympics rights through 2036

1 month ago | washingtonpost.com | Les Carpenter

Months after a successful 2024 Paris Olympics, NBC will pay $3 billion to extend its long-running hold on the Olympic broadcast rights in the United States by adding the 2034 Winter and 2036 Summer Games. The extension, announced Thursday by both NBC and the International Olympic Committee, is significant because the 2034 Games will be in Salt Lake City, and Olympics held in the United States hold more value to the American broadcaster.
His father changed the Olympics. Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. wants his turn.

1 month ago | washingtonpost.com | Les Carpenter

A few months ago, when he decided to run for president of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. stared at a blank sheet of paper on which he would write his plan, wondering, “What do I want to do?” Eschewing advice to offer mere generalities, Samaranch came up with what he calls “an action plan, something that can be implemented immediately.” The proposal includes putting more power in the hands of IOC members, freeing athletes to promote themselves better, finding...