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Alex Zanardi: A man who inspired millions in the face of unbelievable adversity

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3 months ago

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Zanardi found a seat back in Cart in 2001, driving for a team set up by his former Ganassi engineer Mo Nunn.

He was leading the race at Germany’s Lausitzring oval held just four days after the 11 September attacks in the US when the accident that changed his life took place.

Exiting the pits in the closing stages of the race, Zanardi made a mistake and spun on to the track. Canadian Alex Tagliani hit Zanardi’s car broadside, at close to 200mph, tearing off its nose.

The crash was like a bomb going off, and in the aftermath Zanardi’s noseless car lay across the track, a river of blood flowing from it.

His heart stopped seven times. He survived for nearly an hour with less than a litre of blood. He was saved by the expert intervention of the medical team, led by Dr Steve Olvey.

Talking about regaining consciousness in hospital in Berlin eight days after the accident, Zanardi said: “I surprised myself feeling, or sensing, the highest joy I have ever had in my life. The pain was incredible. I cannot describe it. But I was alive. Who cares about my legs? I am alive. It was the most natural thing for me to focus on what I had left.”

It was the end of his career in single-seater racing, but he set upon an extensive rehabilitation programme and was fitted with prosthetic limbs.

In 2003, he was given a run in a Cart car fitted with hand controls back at the Lausitzring, symbolically completing the 13 laps remaining from the race he never finished two years before.

He lapped quickly enough to qualify for the race, and that encouraged him to believe he could make a comeback to motorsport. He did a deal with BMW to provide him with a car fitted with hand controls in the World Touring Car Championship, where he competed for five seasons from 2005-9, winning four races.

Although now into his 40s, Zanardi had already embarked on another challenge that would lead to his greatest achievements.

In 2007, he finished the New York City marathon fourth in the hand-cycle class after just four weeks of training. This became Zanardi’s main focus and as the years passed by, his success grew.

In 2011, he won the New York Marathon. Then, at the 2012 London Olympics, he took gold medals in the road race and the road time trial, following up with another double in Rio De Janeiro four years later, this time twinning the road time trial with the road team relay.

In effect, he dominated the sport for seven years, adding a total of 12 world championship gold medals from 2013-19.

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How to watch Storm vs. Fire: TV channel and streaming options for August 8

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49 seconds ago

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August 8, 2026

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Dominique Malonga leads the Seattle Storm (6-27) into a matchup against the Portland Fire (12-19) after putting up 31 points in a 92-86 loss to the Liberty. The game is on Saturday, August 8, 2026, tipping off at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV, FOX12+, CW Seattle, KOMO 4, and Amazon Prime Video.

How to watch Seattle Storm vs. Portland Fire

Seattle vs. Portland odds

  • Spread: Seattle -1.5 (-115), Portland +1.5 (-105)
  • Favorite Moneyline: Seattle -120
  • Underdog Moneyline: Portland +100
  • Total: 179.5
  • Total Over Odds: -110
  • Total Under Odds: -110

Injury reports

Storm

Katie Lou Samuelson: Questionable (Knee)

Fire

Sania Feagin: Out For Season (Knee),

Bridget Carleton: Probable (Foot),

Sarah Ashlee Barker: Out For Season (Knee),

Teja Oblak: Probable (Knee)

Stats to know

  • The 82.7 points per game the Storm record are 9.1 fewer points than the Fire give up (91.8).
  • Portland’s 86.5 points per game are just 1.8 fewer points than the 88.3 Seattle allows.
  • Flau’jae Johnson averages 13.9 points, 4.9 boards and 2.9 assists per contest, while shooting 39.2% from the field and 26.8% from downtown with 1.2 made treys per game.
  • Bridget Carleton puts up 14.3 points, 2.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.

This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.

Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

Photo: Julio Aguilar, Ethan Miller, Steph Chambers / Getty Images

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How to watch Rays vs. Mariners: TV channel and streaming options for August 8

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7 minutes ago

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August 8, 2026

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The Tampa Bay Rays carry a four-game win streak into a home matchup versus the Seattle Mariners, at 9:50 p.m. ET on Saturday. George Kirby (8-9, 3.76 ERA) will start for the Mariners, who are 56-61 this season and third in the AL West. Griffin Jax (6-9, 3.63 ERA) is expected to start for the Rays, who are 69-46 and first in the AL East.

How to watch Tampa Bay Rays vs. Seattle Mariners

Rays vs. Mariners odds

  • Favorite Moneyline: Mariners -118
  • Underdog Moneyline: Rays -102
  • Total: 7
  • Total Over Odds: -105
  • Total Under Odds: -115

Injury reports

Mariners

Luke Raley: 10 Day IL (Elbow), J.P. Crawford: 10 Day IL (Wrist), Matt Brash: 15 Day IL (Lat), Cole Wilcox: 15 Day IL (Oblique), Cooper Criswell: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Will Wilson: 60 Day IL (Thumb), Logan Evans: 60 Day IL (Arm), Carlos Vargas: 60 Day IL (Lat)

Rays

Ben Williamson: 10 Day IL (Hamstring), Cole Sulser: 15 Day IL (Back), Shane McClanahan: 15 Day IL (Back), Jake Fraley: 60 Day IL (Groin), Manuel Rodriguez: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Ryan Pepiot: 60 Day IL (Hip), Gavin Lux: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Jon Heasley: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Edwin Uceta: 60 Day IL (Shoulder)

Stats to know

  • Randy Arozarena is hitting for a .282 BA, .376 OBP and .451 SLG with a 20.8% strikeout rate and a 9.7% walk rate. His OPS is .827 and he has scored 73 runs. In 466 plate appearances, he has hit 14 home runs and driven in 49 runs. Arozarena has been crafty on the base paths, recording 20 steals on 26 attempts.
  • In 458 plate appearances, Julio Rodriguez is hitting .260/.323/.429 with a .752 OPS and 15 steals on 18 attempts. He has hit 18 long balls, driven in 51 runs and scored 54 times.
  • Junior Caminero is hitting for a .283 BA, .375 OBP and .556 SLG with an 18.1% strikeout rate and a 12.5% walk rate. His OPS is .931, which ranks 5th in MLB, and he has scored 70 runs. In 502 plate appearances, he has hit 33 home runs (2nd in MLB) and driven in 71 runs (14th in MLB).
  • In 485 plate appearances, Yandy Diaz has slashed .296/.369/.452 this season. He has hit 15 long balls and driven in 64 runs with a strikeout rate of 14.8% and a walk rate of 8.9%. and has scored 61 runs.

This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.

Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

Photo: Jamie Squire, Ishika Samant, Scott Taetsch, Alika Jenner / Getty Images

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Tommy John, whose elbow surgery changed baseball, pens ‘goodbye’ letter amid health struggle

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14 minutes ago

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August 8, 2026

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NEW YORK — Tommy John, the former pitcher who in 1974 underwent an innovative surgical procedure on his elbow that is now part of his legacy, penned a farewell letter posted by the New York Yankees on Saturday.

The 83-year-old has been dealing with “health issues,” the team said in a social media post.

“I want to thank the Yankees organization and the Steinbrenner family for giving me this opportunity to say goodbye to everyone,” John wrote, “along with all the friends and fans who followed me throughout my 26-year career.”

John pitched for six teams over his lengthy MLB career, which included eight years with the Yankees, seven with the White Sox, six with the Dodgers, four with the Angels and three combined seasons with Cleveland and Oakland.

He started 700 games and had a career that spanned generations. He is forever linked with the 1974 surgery performed by Dr. Frank Jobe that would go on to change the game forever. Jobe, whom John acknowledged in his letter, died in 2014.

John was the first pitcher to have the surgery performed on his elbow, which is now commonly known as Tommy John surgery or TJ. It extended his career for several years.

Following his retirement at age 46, John went on to a broadcasting and coaching career at the collegiate and minor-league levels.

Just last week, Bucky Dent, a teammate of John’s with the Yankees, was notified of John’s poor health and went to visit his longtime friend.

“I got to spend a couple hours with him,” Dent said. “Just talked baseball. He was doing alright. It’s difficult. I just wanted to spend time with him.”

Dent was at Yankee Stadium for the 78th Old-Timers’ Day, an event in which John has previously participated. Dent said John’s health was a topic of conversation among attendees.

“He pitched a long time, and had a surgery named after him,” Dent said. “He’s a guy that went out there and did the job. … My heart goes out to him.”

John had previously been diagnosed with bladder cancer; he has also dealt with coronavirus and suffered blood clots in his lungs. The specifics of his current health condition were not immediately clear.

“The day I left for my first job as a pitcher,” John wrote in his letter, “my father looked at me and said, ‘Good luck, Tommy. Just remember one thing: whether you make it in the big leagues or you don’t, you’ll always just be Tommy John from Terre Haute, Indiana.

“I’ve never forgotten those words. Thank you and God bless.”

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