Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
Sports => What about Track & Field => Olympic Discussion => Topic started by: Socapro on September 26, 2011, 11:18:21 AM
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I am based in London and the excitement is already building, so here is the thread for the London 2012 Olympics Games bright and early! Note tickets are already selling out and the schedules for T&F and other sports are now being advertised on the official website!
Please post updates concerning T&T athletes as they qualify to represent us at the Olympics in this thread.
The Olympic Games will be held in London from 27th July to 12th August 2012.
Official website: http://www.london2012.com
Here is the link for the Athletics Schedule:
http://www.london2012.com/games/sport-competition-schedules/olympic-sport-competition-schedule.php?sport=Athletics&venue=Olympic+Park+-+Olympic+Stadium&date=&Search.x=33&Search.y=16
You can use the schedule (also posted below in this thread) to help plan your Olympic Games experience.
To view the full schedule including ticket prices you can visit the London 2012 ticketing website at: http://media.ticketmaster.com/en-gb/img/sys/tournament/london2012/oly-complete.pdf
NB: Ticket prices for the Athletics can be viewed on page two of ticketing prices document!
All competition schedules on official website and on ticketing website subject to change at any time.
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London 2012 Olympics Athletics competition schedule
Date / time Sport Venue
3 August 10:00 - 13:45 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 400m Hurdles: round 1
Men's 3000m Steeplechase: round 1
Men's Hammer: qualifying
Men's Shot Put: qualifying
Women's 100m: classification heats
Women's 400m: round 1
Women's Triple Jump: qualifying
Women's Heptathlon: 100m hurdles, high jump
3 August 19:00 - 21:55 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 1500m: round 1
Men's Long Jump: qualifying
Men's Shot Put: final
Women's 100m: round 1
Women's 10,000m: final
Women's Discus: qualifying
Women's Heptathlon: shot put, 200m
4 August 10:00 - 13:45 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 100m: classification heats, round 1
Men's 400m: round 1
Women's 3000m Steeplechase: round 1
Women's Pole Vault: qualifying
Women's Heptathlon: long jump, javelin
4 August 18:50 - 22:05 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Women's Heptathlon: long jump, javelin
Men's 400m Hurdles: semi-finals
Men's 10,000m: final
Men's Long Jump: final
Men's Shot Put: victory ceremony
Men's 20km Race Walk: victory ceremony
Women's 100m: semi-finals, final
Women's 400m: semi-finals
Women's 10,000m: victory ceremony
Women's Discus: final, victory ceremony
Women's Heptathlon: 800m, victory ceremony
5 August 18:50 - 21:55 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 100m: semi-finals, final
Men's 400m: semi-finals
Men's 1500m: semi-finals
Men's 3000m Steeplechase: final
Men's 10,000m: victory ceremony
Men's High Jump: qualifying
Men's Long Jump: victory ceremony
Men's Hammer: final
Women's 100m: victory ceremony
Women's 400m: final, victory ceremony
Women's 400m Hurdles: round 1
Women's Triple Jump: final, victory ceremony
Women's Marathon: victory ceremony
6 August 10:00 - 12:20 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 800m: round 1
Men's Discus: qualifying
Women's 100m Hurdles: round 1
Women's 1500m: round 1
Women's Shot Put: qualifying
6 August 18:50 - 21:40 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 100m: victory ceremony
Men's 400m: final
Men's 400m Hurdles: final, victory ceremony
Men's Hammer: victory ceremony
Women's 200m: round 1
Women's 400m Hurdles: semi-finals
Women's 3000m Steeplechase: final
Women's Pole Vault: final
Women's Shot Put: final, victory ceremony
7 August 10:00 - 12:35 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 110m Hurdles: round 1
Men's 200m: round 1
Men's Triple Jump: qualifying
Women's 5000m: round 1
Women's Javelin: qualifying
7 August 18:50 - 21:20 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 400m: victory ceremony
Men's 800m: semi-finals
Men's 1500m: final
Men's High Jump: final
Men's Discus: final
Women's 100m Hurdles: semi-finals, final
Women's 200m: semi-finals
Women's 3000m Steeplechase: victory ceremony
Women's Long Jump: qualifying
Women's Pole Vault: victory ceremony
8 August 10:00 - 13:40 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 5000m: round 1
Men's Pole Vault: qualifying
Men's Decathlon: 100m, long jump, shot put
Women's 800m: round 1
Women's Hammer: qualifying
8 August 18:00 - 21:55 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 110m Hurdles: semi-finals, final
Men's 200m: semi-finals
Men's 1500m: victory ceremony
Men's High Jump: victory ceremony
Men's Discus: victory ceremony
Men's Javelin: qualifying
Men's Decathlon: high jump, 400m
Women's 100m Hurdles: victory ceremony
Women's 200m: final
Women's 400m Hurdles: final, victory ceremony
Women's 1500m: semi-finals
Women's Long Jump: final
9 August 09:00 - 16:00 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 4 x 400m Relay: round 1
Men's Decathlon: 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault
Women's High Jump: qualifying
9 August 18:30 - 22:10 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 110m Hurdles: victory ceremony
Men's 200m: final, victory ceremony
Men's 800m: final, victory ceremony
Men's Triple Jump: final, victory ceremony
Men's Decathlon: javelin, 1500m
Women's 200m: victory ceremony
Women's 800m: semi-finals
Women's 4 x 100m Relay: round 1
Women's Long Jump: victory ceremony
Women's Javelin: final
10 August 19:00 - 21:40 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 4 x 100m Relay: round 1
Men's 4 x 400m Relay: final
Men's Pole Vault: final
Men's Decathlon: victory ceremony
Women's 1500m: final
Women's 5000m: final, victory ceremony
Women's 4 x 100m Relay: final, victory ceremony
Women's 4 x 400m Relay: round 1
Women's Hammer: final, victory ceremony
Women's Javelin: victory ceremony
11 August 18:45 - 21:30 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 5000m: final, victory ceremony
Men's 4 x 100m Relay: final, victory ceremony
Men's 4 x 400m Relay: victory ceremony
Men's Pole Vault: victory ceremony
Men's Javelin: final, victory ceremony
Men's 50km Race Walk: victory ceremony
Women's 800m: final, victory ceremony
Women's 4 x 400m Relay: final, victory ceremony
Women's High Jump: final, victory ceremony
Women's Hammer: victory ceremony
Women's 20km Race Walk: victory ceremony
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Looks like the 4 x 400m Relay final will not be the final event of the London 2012 Olympics as has been traditionally the case, instead the final event of the 2012 Olympics will be the 4 x 100m Relay final!
Is this change down to the Bolt effect because Bolt is not down to run the 4 x 400m Relay final?
And how does this affect JA's &/or T&T's chances of beating the Americans in the 4 x 400m Relay on the 2nd to last day of the Olympics if all three teams (USA, JA & T&T) make the 4 x 400m Relay final?
The British will also fancy their chances! :thinking:
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I am based in London and the excitement is already building, so here is the thread for the London 2012 Olympics Games bright and early! Note tickets are already selling out and the schedules for T&F and other sports are now being advertised on the official website!
Please post updates concerning T&T athletes as they qualify to represent us at the Olympics in this thread.
The Olympic Games will be held in London from 27th July to 12th August 2012.
Official website: http://www.london2012.com
Here is the link for the Athletics Schedule:
http://www.london2012.com/games/sport-competition-schedules/olympic-sport-competition-schedule.php?sport=Athletics&venue=Olympic+Park+-+Olympic+Stadium&date=&Search.x=33&Search.y=16
You can use the schedule (also posted below in this thread) to help plan your Olympic Games experience.
To view the full schedule including ticket prices you can visit the London 2012 ticketing website at: http://media.ticketmaster.com/en-gb/img/sys/tournament/london2012/oly-complete.pdf
NB: Ticket prices for the Athletics can be viewed on page two of ticketing prices document!
All competition schedules on official website and on ticketing website subject to change at any time.
are you planning to throw any fetes for the TT athletes and fans?
let the board now if you do any, would love to make london 2012
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We'll be putting on a series of events/fetes and not just one!!
Don't worry all details will be posted in due course! ;)
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/15605668.stm
Dwain Chambers's manager wants athlete's Olympic ban overturned
Chambers represented Britain in the 100m at the 2011 World Championships
Dwain Chambers's manager wants the British Olympic Association (BOA) to lift the athlete's ban from the Games.
The sprinter is considering appealing against a BOA by-law that bars him from competing at the Olympics because he failed a drugs test in 2003.
The World Anti-Doping Authority (Wada) wrote to the BOA in October urging them to review their life-ban policy.
"There is an increasing lack of support for life-ban sanctions," Chambers's manager Siza Agha said.
"It is of great significance that Wada is spearheading the invitation to the BOA for reform of the by-law."
The United States Anti-Doping Agency has also told the BOA to scrap its policy.
Wada's move came after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) judged that the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) rule barring doping offenders was unenforceable.
"Putting aside the plainest legal soundings from Cas, I find it difficult to understand how the BOA by-law leaves no room for redemption," Agha added.
"It would be very curious if the BOA was unwilling to take advice from the organisations who have the expertise and are charged with the primary responsibility in this field.
"Such a course, if maintained, would be misconceived and very unfortunate."
The IOC's rule barred any athlete who has received a doping suspension of more than six months from competing in the next Olympic Games.
The Cas ruling cleared American LaShawn Merritt to defend his Olympic 400m title after it upheld his appeal against an IOC ban.
Merritt, 25, successfully argued that the ruling went beyond the Wada Code, which came into force in 2004 and harmonised rules around the globe. It brought in a maximum ban of two years for athletes who test positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
America's former Olympic champion Michael Johnson has voiced his concern that the BOA by-law, which was introduced in 1992, is unfair.
However, Colin Jackson, the double world 110m hurdles champion and Olympic silver medallist, wants Britain's national Olympic committee to "stick to its guns".
Chambers, 33, failed in a previous attempt to overturn his BOA ban prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/15743767.stm
BOA chairman Moynihan attacks 'toothless' anti-doping regime
LaShawn Merritt is now free to compete at London 2012
British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan says "toothless gestures towards zero tolerance" mean "drugs cheats" will compete at London 2012.
And he said the BOA lifetime Olympic ban for British athletes guilty of doping offences should remain in place.
"We now have a situation where drugs cheats will be able to compete in London 2012," Moynihan said.
"We must decide: is the outcome we want a watered-down, increasingly toothless gesture towards zero tolerance?"
American LaShawn Merritt is able to run in next year's London Olympics after a successful appeal last month.
Although the BOA has no jurisdiction over an American athlete, the case has renewed pressure on the association to alter its own hardline policy.
"Much has been made of the fact that there is no room for redemption in the BOA's lifetime ban," Moynihan told the International Federations Forum in Lausanne, Switzerland.
"It is argued that Olympic values should include the indulgence of human frailty, forgiveness and redemption and that the mark of a true justice system is the prospect of reform and redemption that it offers.
"These are important values and society as a whole is defined and enhanced by our recognition and adoption of them. To err, after all, is human.
"However, I believe we need to ask where is the redemption for the clean athlete denied selection by a competitor who has knowingly cheated?
"What is worse the cheat, possibly with a lifelong benefit of a course of growth hormones and other drugs, is back again. Under the current Wada Code, if he times his two-year ban correctly he is ready to deny another clean athlete selection for the following Olympic Games.
"So now is a time for change, now is a time for informed review, and now is a time to refocus on our drive to identify those who knowingly cheat their fellow competitors."
Merritt was banned for nearly two years in 2010 for failing three tests for a banned steroid.
Colin Jackson backs GB Olympic doping policy
This was later reduced to 21 months but the American was still due to miss London 2012 under the International Olympic Committee's policy of banning athletes given a doping suspension of more than six months from competing in the next Games.
But Merritt and the United States Olympic Committee argued it went beyond World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) sanctions of a maximum two-year ban and took their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which overturned the ban.
This has led to speculation that other athletes, including Briton Dwain Chambers - who failed in a previous attempt to overturn his BOA ban prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics - may attempt similar appeals.
The BOA's bylaw means any British athlete who is banned for longer than six months for doping offences can never again compete for Britain in the Olympics.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2011/11/22/british-must-stand-wada
British must stand up to WADA
Published: Tue, 2011-11-22 17:20
Brian Lewis
What is the basis for the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) battle with the British Olympic Association (BOA)? Why is WADA trying to tell the BOA under what terms it can select the Great Britain Olympic team? Is WADA now a law unto itself? Any person or organisation belonging in any capacity whatsoever to the Olympic Movement is bound by the provisions of the Olympic Charter and respect the fundamental ethical principles of Olympism and the Charter. Olympic Charter Rule 31 is unambiguous: the mission of NOCs is to develop and protect the Olympic Movement in their respective countries, in accordance with the Olympic Charter. The IOC and its NOCs must lead the fight against doping in sport. NOCs have exclusive powers for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games.
It also states that in order to fulfill their mission, NOCs may cooperate with governmental or non-governmental bodies. However, they must never associate themselves with any activity which would be in contradiction with the Olympic Charter. The Olympic Charter is absolutely clear that NOCs shall preserve their autonomy and resist all pressures of any kind that may prevent them from complying with the Olympic Charter. The penalty for failure to comply with the Olympic Charter may result in the IOC suspending or withdrawing recognition. If it were a national government, the IOC would have been down on the country like a ton of bricks, suspension and a threat of expulsion would be the order of the day. So it’s absurd that the very same Olympic Charter would be interpreted as giving WADA the power and authority to interfere in the selection policy of an NOC.
The fact of the matter is that there is need for a firmer and stronger stance against doping in sport. Those who argue otherwise are delusional. WADA was set up to level the playing field, strengthen the fight against doping and bring all athletes closer to fairer completion. In its uncompromising fight against doping, the BOA has a zero tolerance stance. In so doing it sends a strong message to athletes, coaches and others who cheat. As always in these matters it seems as if there is greater concern for the rights of the drug cheats than the rights of the clean athlete. If the Olympic Charter gives NOCs exclusive powers for the representation at Olympic Games why is WADA challenging the BOAs right, obligation and duty in this regard?
Clean athletes must have a measure of assurance that drug cheats are not wanted in the Olympic Games. NOCs have a duty first and foremost to the drug free athlete. The fight against doping should not be empty words. The fear of costly legal battles that drug cheats are prepared to wage before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is no excuse to give in and water down sanctions. Sport is facing a myriad of challenges including doping in sport, illegal gambling, bribery and corruption. There is no end in sight. Sporting bodies are responsible for selecting their teams and deciding on code of conduct and selection criteria. CAS has ruled that WADA is responsible for anti-doping rules globally. Under IOC rules compliance with the doping code is mandatory. However, the Olympic Charter gives the BOA exclusive powers for selecting its team for the Olympic Games. WADA or CAS cannot usurp the primary rights, duties and authority of an NOC. It is ludicrous that the BOA should face sanctions for refusing to select drug offenders on its Olympic Games team. This is not a code compliant issue nor is it one of double jeopardy. It is about the right of the BOA to select its Olympic team. The BOA is well within its right to stand firm behind rule 31 and their lifetime ban on selection for Olympic Games for athletes who test positive.
Editor’s note: Brian Lewis is the Honorary Secretary General of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee http://www.ttoc.org. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the T&TOC.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/athletics/8932727/London-2012-Olympics-LaShawn-Merritt-One-mistake-should-not-cost-me-my-career.html
London 2012 Olympics: LaShawn Merritt - ‘One mistake should not cost me my career’
LaShawn Merritt, the Olympic 400 metres champion, is blissfully unaware that he could be responsible for bringing down the British Olympic Association’s much-cherished anti-doping policy.
By Simon Hart
10:12PM GMT 02 Dec 2011
The American quarter-miler is too busy at his Virginia training base in preparation for next summer’s Olympics to concern himself with the row that has engulfed the BOA and the World Anti-Doping Agency, sparked by his recent success in overturning an International Olympic Committee rule that would have barred him from London 2012 because of his previous failed drug test.
But the 25 year-old does take satisfaction from the fact that others like him could benefit from the legal precedent he has set, which could spell the end of the BOA’s lifetime Olympic ban for former drug cheats.
“I think I did it for anybody who made a simple mistake, as I did,” he said. “It wasn’t intentional. It was just an honest mistake and I feel that people do make mistakes in life.
“It shouldn’t cost anybody their whole career. That was pretty much what it was. It was definitely for myself but, in the bigger scheme of things, it was for everybody like myself.”
The key word here is “honest”, and Merritt falls silent when it is pointed out that his legal victory could open the Olympics to athletes who have deliberately and dishonestly cheated, such as sprinter Dwain Chambers and cyclist David Millar. But he does believe, like Wada, that there should be one rule for all.
“I always feel that people make mistakes everywhere in life,” he said. “I think it should be the same rule across the board.”
Whether Merritt’s own drug-test failure in 2009 was honest has divided opinion in the United States and the rest of the world, but no one could dispute that it was a mistake.
The substance for which he tested positive was DHEA and his explanation was that it was an ingredient in an over-the-counter penis-enlargement product he had been taking called ‘ExtenZe’.
“I got jokes, I had emails, I had Facebook messages,” he said. “I just had to call on the support of my team and pray and ask God to give me the strength to be able to get through it. It was not the end of the world. God blessed me with a talent and, no matter what goes on in life and no matter what people thought, I was still blessed with that talent, so I had to go out and work hard. I couldn’t just throw it away.” Even if it was an honest explanation, there was surely a temptation to come up with another less embarrassing excuse to avoid the ridicule that would inevitably come his way.
“It was the truth,” Merritt said. “As much as I’m a hard worker, I’m an honest person and you just can’t be half of one thing in life. If I work hard, I also have to be honest because the two go together. I felt that this thing had happened and it must have happened for a reason.”
The experience has certainly taught Merritt who his real friends are. While some fellow athletes and officials remained supportive, others shunned him after he was handed a 21-month ban. Doug Logan, the former chief executive of USA Track and Field, said at the time: “LaShawn brought shame to himself and his team-mates. I’m disgusted by the whole episode.”
Merritt said: “There were a lot of them who turned their backs, but none of them pay my bills and none of them are out on the track every day, blood sweat and tears. It’s only me at the end of the day, so I had to get done what I had to get done. As long as I was honest with it, I was happy to take what comes.”
One of the hardest things he had to deal with was the need to keep training throughout his suspension, not knowing whether he would have the chance to defend his Olympic title. “It was just training and training and training without having the chance to compete,” he said. “It was like being locked up and being unable to do anything except one thing,” he said. “But mentally, I just had to tell myself that this was something I just had to get through because when I eventually lined up in a race, there was no way I was going to line up and not be in shape. I was destined to do this so I had to put this work in. I just forced myself to do it.”
His efforts were vindicated when he returned from his ban to run a sizzling sub-45-second time in Stockholm in July, before clocking the fastest time of the year, 44.35 sec, in his heat at the World Championships in Daegu.
His only disappointment was being beaten on the line by the brilliant Grenadian teenager Kirani James in the world final — something he puts down to lack of mental sharpness.
But the defeat has made him even more determined to win gold in London and, free of the stresses of his legal fight, he is in no doubt that he can achieve his goal.
“It feels good knowing that all the pieces in my life are back together,” he said. “London 2012 has a big target on its back for me to go there and show my dominance again by defending my medal.
“It’s time now for me to train hard and show the world that I am the top quarter-miler.”
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No wonder Britain is not doing too well in the sprints!! They hosting the Olympics but are not willing to properly support their athletes to mount the podium!
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/07122011/58/london-2012-british-sprinter-turns-ebay-money.html
London 2012 - British sprinter turns to eBay for money
Wed, 07 Dec 08:04:00 2011
British 200 metres sprinter James Ellington has put himself up for auction on eBay as he tries to raise enough money to train for the Olympics.
Ellington, 26, needs around £30,000 to cover living and training costs as he prepares for the 2012 Games in London, but he has no sponsors to pay his way.
As a result he is auctioning himself on eBay, with the winner allowed to put its brand on Ellington’s kit at training and press events before and after the games.
"We're putting myself on eBay up for auction to gain sponsorship," he told AFP after the lot went online early on Wednesday morning.
"Currently I have no commercial sponsorship so we looked at different ways to get myself out there and gathering interest from outside companies."
Ellington set the fastest 200m time by a British athlete this year at 20.52 seconds, and also expects to compete for a place in the 100m relay squad.
After four years of serious injury problems, Ellington explained that sponsors are reluctant to back someone who they worry may not be fit for the Games.
"I'm injury free now, a year before the Olympics and probably one of the biggest sprint hopes for the country next year," he added.
"If I want to train full time for the Olympics, I can't get a normal job. I haven't got a lot of money at all."
Eurosport
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Britain supports its athletes probably better than any other country. Google "British athlete lottery funding'. They DO, however, have performance requirements to get that money, and 20.5 is not getting it done. Most of the British sprinters have been under performing, from Chambers and Mark Lewis Francis on down the ranks.
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http://www.tntreview.com/category/sports/ (http://www.tntreview.com/category/sports/)
POISED FOR LONDON
Posted on 07 January 2012.
Few people have as sure a grasp on the London Olympics than Ato Boldon. The four-time Olympic medal winner is a broadcast analyst for track and field with US TV networks CBS and NBC and is primed for NBC’s coverage of the 2012 Olympics. Last week, he was in Trinidad to host the SPORTT Awards during which he made time for an interview with the T&T Review.
TTR: Ato, London 2012 is now just over a half a year away. Are you satisfied that as far as Team T&T are concerned all systems are go? And do you think we have done what needed to be done after Beijing?
AB: We are on a nice streak, dating back to 1996, our longest ever, by far, where we have earned at least one medal in every Summer Olympics. Prior to that, we had a 20-year drought. The country has never won more than two medals at any Games, but 2012 could set a new precedent. I think we will win medals on the men’s side in the sprint relay and in events we never have before, maybe even in cycling, and win our first Olympic medal on the women’s side.
What would be your projections in terms of a possible medal haul? Are we likely to do better than we did in 2008 in Beijing?
Beijing was two – 100m silver and 4x100m relay silver. I think we will surpass that, which would be our best-ever total.
Where do you think our best chances of winning a medal lie? Can we realistically expect Kelly-Ann Baptiste to repeat or will she go one better? What about Richard Thompson? Has he gone off the boil or will he be back by July/August?
Kelly-Ann is the country’s best medal threat. Richard hasn’t won a 100m medal since the last Olympics, but is under a new coach who I think is the best in the world, so he will be prepared.
Is it too much to expect our relay teams, both men and women, to be among the medals this year?
Not at all. The men’s team was the most consistent in the world from the period 2001 to 2009, with three World Championship silvers and one Olympic silver, and the women just had their highest global final finish ever this year with fourth, with very young athletes. They are both likely to medal.
Remembering what happened last time around with the National Championships, are you satisfied that the necessary arrangements are in place for our athletes to be at their very best come July/August?
That is unlikely to happen again, so I feel reasonably certain that it will be a controversy-free Olympic trials for T&T.
The world now expects Jamaica to be high up on the medals table as far as the track events go. Can the Jamaicans maintain their recent outstanding performances on the track? Can they continue to upstage the Americans who will certainly be intent on recapturing the sprint crowns that the Jamaicans wrested from them in Beijing?
After Beijing, when some thought that the Jamaican team’s performance was an anomaly, I said Beijing would be the games people would look back on as the start of Jamaican sprint dominance. The following year, they got even more medals than they did at the Olympics at World Championships, but slipped in 2011 at the next World Championships, and the USA bounced back in a big way. I expect Jamaica’s London haul to be slightly behind their Beijing medal count total.
What about Usain Bolt? What can we expect from him this time around? More world records?
I think that’s unlikely this coming season, but not impossible where Bolt, who loves the global spotlight, is concerned, at the Games in London. He may have to break two world records to defeat his training partner and reigning world 100m champion Yohan Blake, who is a legitimate threat to him in BOTH the 100m and 200m events in London.
Is there any chance that there will be a change in the disqualification-on-first-false-start rule or will the IOC stick to its guns?
The earliest that rule will be changed is 2013, so it means we are probably stuck with it for at least two more seasons.
What can we expect from the rest of the world? Does Europe—France, Germany, Italy, Greece—have any exciting new prospects likely to be able to keep pace with the Jamaicans and the Americans?
Europe has two medal threats. Christophe Lemaitre of France who ran 19.80 for third at this year’s World Championships in the 200m. Jaysuma Ndure of Norway is the other; he was fourth in that 200m race, and is now a training partner of our own Richard Thompson.
What about the African domination of the distance events? Are we likely to see them extending that or are the others who have been threatening to spoil the party for them finally going to do so convincingly?
Ethiopia or Kenya is the question, when we talk events above 1500m. Kenya had a World Championships in 2011 that was as dominant as Jamaica’s Beijing Olympics in the sprints. Ethiopia will not fail to respond in 2012.
What about the problem of drugs? Are we any closer to having drug-free games than we were, say, a decade or so ago?
Blood testing is certainly a step in the right direction and Olympic athletes are blood tested now, but what I read indicates that there is never a foolproof test for everything. Ever. We just have to hope that what we see isn’t then found out to not be above board.
Do you think that, with 26 sports on the roster, the Games have grown too big and unwieldy and need to be brought back down to some manageable size? I mean, can cities really afford to stage the Games as they are currently organized or are they doomed to be financial flops even if they succeed as television spectacles?
The Olympics’ economic feasibility is certainly a relevant topic, as Greece adds “Olympic Hosting Costs” to its long list of unpaid bills. The UK has had some cost overruns, particularly in security. Countries will still line up and have multi-million dollar bids for the opportunity to host future Games. I haven’t heard any complaints about the Olympics getting too big. With multiple media platforms, there is always room to air more events, and the audience will decide what they want to watch and what they’d rather not see.
The Olympic motto is “Citius, altius, fortius.” Is this a mere slogan? Does it sound more and more to your ear like “the Greatest Show on Earth” with which I am sure you are familiar?
I am cynical about many things. The Olympic motto is not one of them. When I experience an Olympic Games, I feel as though it’s the only thing mankind has left to unite us and remind us how to live with each other - sport.
Ato, every Olympic year, the issue of the bias in the television coverage resurfaces. The American mega-channels pay stupendous amounts for the right to broadcast the Games exclusively and then we here at home only get to see events featuring Americans. Is there any solution to that problem? Is there anything that can realistically be done to ensure that the Caribbean athletes get their just desserts insofar as the television coverage is concerned?
I work for the American host broadcaster, and there is no exclusivity for NBC outside of the USA. I challenge anyone to say that in 2008 NBC ignored whatever “the story” currently going on was in my sport, track and field, to focus solely on “Americans”. As far as who T&T will get to see, I am amazed that people watching a broadcast which originates from another country complain that they don’t see their own enough. I watched the Olympics from Australia, and saw lots of Australian-focused coverage. I watched the Olympics in Greece-same thing. To see local stars, a local station must go, and broadcast. It’s as simple as that. The Jamaicans broadcast their own signal from the Olympics so they can control what their viewers want to see. Any national broadcaster will show primarily what is important to the viewers in THEIR country. Imagine that.
What are Ato Boldon’s plans for London 2012? Will you be a part of the NBC panel once more?
I will be in London to cover my second Olympic Games. 2012 will be my sixth year as the sprint analyst for NBC.
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Nice interview and great insight as always....
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Yeah, very nice!! :beermug:
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Bump!
The countdown is on!! :beermug:
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I believe she must have been encouraged to go for the 100m by Jeter's suspected injury or drop in form.
Let’s hope KAB and the other Caribbean athletes can make her regret this decision.
http://www.iol.co.za/sport/athletics/felix-eyes-sprint-double-in-london-1.1322405#.T-B7vZEcrPE
Felix eyes sprint double in London
June 19 2012 at 11:53am
By Reuters
Eugene, Oregon – Sprinter Allyson Felix will focus on the 100 and 200 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials and forgo an attempt at a 400-200 double in London, her coach has told Reuters.
The decision gives Felix her best chance of winning Olympic gold in the 200 after two consecutive silver medals and for running the 4x100 and 4x400 relays at the Games, Bob Kersee said in a telephone call from Los Angeles late on Monday.
“It will be easier for her, as well as helping the team out, if she runs the 1 and the 2,” Kersee said of the upcoming trials, which begin on Thursday and continue through July 1.
“If something happens in the 100, she still has enough time to recover and make the team in the 200,” the coach said of the two events, whose finals are a week apart.
Felix attempted to win both the 400 and 200 at last year's world championships in South Korea, but finished third in the 200 after taking second in the 400. She had won three consecutive world 200 titles before the loss.
“I just didn't feel like myself (in the 200),” Felix said in April when asked about her world championships. “I didn't have normal burst in the home stretch.”
She asked Kersee to put more emphasis on speed work this season and they developed a competition schedule that so far has included only 100s and 200s.
She looked exceptionally sharp early in the season, running a 100 meters personal best in Doha.
But a fourth place finish in her latest 100 in New York on June 9 left some wondering if she would attempt more than just the 200 at the trials in Eugene, Oregon.
“We weren't quiet prepared to run the 100 in New York, but we ran it anyway,” Kersee said. “But we have had some good training since coming back.”
World champion Carmelite Jester leads a strong group of 100 runners at the trials and Sana Richards-Ross, the year's fastest at both 200 and 400, is expected to challenge Felix in the 200.
Only the top three finishers in each event make the American team. There are no exceptions. – Reuters
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http://www.tntmirror.com/2012/06/24/olympic-torch-bearer-goes-to-london
Olympic Torch bearer goes to London
By Peter Balroop - June 24th 2012 12:17 PM
LONG distance runner and avid dragon boat racer, Toco Secondary student, 18-year-old Shaquille Roberts was due to leave T&T this Saturday (June 23) with his Physical Education teacher, Avianne Tobias to take part in the Olympic Torch relay in England.
He is taking along his prized pair of Adidas running shoes that he received as a gift from Prince Edward when he visited Trinidad earlier this year.
“This talented young man is writing his name in our local history book by being the first person from the Caribbean to have the privilege of participating in an “Olympic Torch” relay, says Maria Pereira, a Galera Park, Toco resident who has taken a special interest in Roberts whose participation in the Olympic Torch relay is part of the ‘International Inspiration’ sports legacy programme of 2012 London Olympics.
Roberts has a speech impediment that developed, it was learnt, following an operation when he was one year old to remove a battery he had accidentally swallowed. The battery was removed via a nostril.
The target of the programme was to reach 12 million children from 20 countries. T&T was one such country, and Shaquille Roberts from Toco Secondary is one of these 12 million children.
Pereira stated one student was selected from each of the 20 countries was invited to participate in the torch relay on Thursday, June 28 That date is Day 41 of the Torch Run and it will take place in the county of Nottinghamshire.
The 20 bearers will each run one mile from Lincoln to Nottingham.
“Shaquille was chosen from this country on the basis of his commitment to training, involvement in the ‘International Inspiration’ Programme in his school and community and his very positive outlook on life.
He was one of five students short listed from a field of 200 applicants from Trinidad and Tobago and was eventually chosen.
“Shaquille is a long distance runner and an avid Dragon Boat racer. In July 2011, he represented this country at the World Dragon Boat Championships in Tampa, Florida in which our team brought home seven medals.
“Shaquille attended training for that tournament four days a week from 5.30-8.30 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays, returning home to Toco every evening so as not to miss school the next day.
“That feat alone speaks volumes of the dedication and time management skills of this young aspiring athlete,” Pereira noted.
“As a national community longing for some good news, we congratulate this young man on his achievement and wish him well as he writes his name in our history book. Bon voyage Shaquille!” she added.
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Wonder if there are any officials from our NAAA TT or TTOC who have gone ahead to the UK to ensure that the Camp being allocated for our T&T Olympic team is up to our expectations like the Jamaicans have done?
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http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/Quarrie-hails-venue-for-pre-Olympic-camp_11812112#ixzz1z5171r6P
Quarrie hails venue for pre-Olympic camp
BY DANIA BOGLE Observer staff reporter
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
JAMAICA's athletes at the pre-Olympic Games training camp in Birmingham, England starting on July 15, will have top-class facilities which should make getting down to the task at hand — preparing to win medals — easier, says technical leader of the Olympic team Donald Quarrie.
"The facilities in Birmingham are superb, so we won't have any problem with that at all, so it's just a matter of getting the personalities to gel and to get everyone to focus on what they have to do when the time comes," Quarrie told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview.
Quarrie was alluding to the fact that in the past, some members of national teams to athletic championships have complained about the types of facilities available at pre-event training camps.
In 2009, International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Lamine Diack was forced to intervene when the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (now-Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association) barred a number of athletes from competing at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany because they had not participated in the camp held in Nuremberg.
Quarrie is not anticipating any such problems this time around.
"By and large, we anticipate that the group will gel fairly well and by the time we get to London, we figure that it will just be 'Let's do it'."
The English weather is remarkably unpredictable, and so Quarrie is hoping that the arrival of the athletes on the 15th and the stay in the Midlands will help them prepare before moving to London where the athletics events will be staged.
"We're hoping that the athletes will be able to get there, get adjusted to the weather, to the environment, and get along with each other," he said.
Several athletes, namely those from the MVP Track and Field Club, are based in Italy during the summer months.
"The preparation at the training camp is vital to some athletes because some... need that period to train leading up to the Games. A few athletes will be competing and then coming back to the camp," he explained.
The facilities in Birmingham were offered to the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) years ago, which made finding a venue for the usual pre-Olympic training camp a non-issue, which has oftentimes not been the case in the past.
However, Quarrie admitted that knowing where they would be heading so far in advance does not necessarily make his job as technical leader any less challenging.
"It doesn't make it any easier because the job entails co-operation among the coaches and athletes and administrative staff," he said.
Quarrie has held that post in the past, but JAAA vice-president Grace Jackson held the post in 2011 for the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.
Quarrie told the Observer that the local governing body's administration had decided when it was first elected that no one man would have the job indefinitely.
"We had anticipated that in 2005 a few of us would do certain things and then we would gradually move in some more people because we're not in it to take over; we're in it to build, so we want other individuals to do what needs to be done so that we cover all of the areas and in 10 years we'll still be moving along."
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-02/we-are-conquerors
We are Conquerors
Kes - We Are Conquerors (2012 Island Pop / Celebrating 50 years of T&T Independence)
http://www.youtube.com/v/7Di_p73UPcc
The Olympics have always had a soundtrack. Music and culture cannot be separated from the Olympic Games nor can education. Dating back to its recorded inception way back in 776 BC the Olympic Games was always more than just a competition or sporting event. A quick peek at Olympic history will show that art, poetry, literature, music and singing have always had a place in the Olympic festival. Music has always featured at the Olympic Games. Admittedly in modern times the battle for the soul of the Games is fierce. On one side are those who see the games as nothing more than a battle for medal supremacy, then there are the idealist who fight hard to retain the holistic essence of the games. Then there are the hard nose pragmatists for whom the priority is the commercial side of the games. What is not in question is the scale and magnitude of the Olympic Games. It still remains for most, not all, but a large percentage of the world’s premier sportsmen and women, the pinnacle of their sporting career. To be crowned Olympic champion is still a cherished aim.
Last Friday, the T&T London 2012 Olympic team was officially announced. A week ago the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) hosted a breakfast which was attended by His Excellency Professor George Maxwell Richards, patron of the National Olympic Committee. Following the breakfast, the T&T Olympic hopefuls reached out to the public during a motorcade from the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), along Frederick Street to Woodford Square, Port-of-Spain. In keeping with the timeless tradition, Kes the band, released an inspirational song, “We Are Conquerors” for the athletes who will be going to London for the Olympics.
Danielle Jones, manager, corporate communications at BpTT said the company wanted to do something locally and culturally relevant and were happy to partner with Kes the band for an anthem for the T&T Olympic team. In 1894, when Frenchman Baron Pierre de Coubertin organised a meeting at the Sorbonne to revive the Olympics, Gabriel Faure’s “Hymn to Apollo” was performed. In recent years songs created for the Olympics such as “Reach Out” and “Hand in Hand” by Giorgio Moroder have had an inspirational impact. Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote for the 1992 Barcelona Games, “Amigos Para Sempre” (Friends for Life). In 1996, we had “The Power of the Dream” by Celine Dion, and also “Reach” by Gloria Estefan. In Sydney, “Dare to Dream” by Olivia Newton John and John Farnham. “Chariots of Fire” by Vangelis is another Olympic song that won many friends. The words and music of one T&T’s London 2012 Olympic songs live up to the age old Olympic tradition of inspirational and motivational Olympic music.
We Are Conquerors!
Go for gold,
Go for glory,
It’s your time,
Tell your story,
It’s all that you dreamed of and more...
Put up a fight and don't give up,
You’ll find a way and reach the top,
Cause you know we believe,
You can make it,
It’s your chance,
Time to take it,
It’s all that you dreamed of...
It’s all that you dreamed of ... Yeah.
Passion and Energy
We want the whole world to see,
Show me determination,
You got it , you have it
You know this day would come,
Your journey’s just begun
We’ll live this moment
Yeah we believe that you...
Can show the world,
Show the world,
Let’s show the world
That We Are Conquerors!
Show the world,
Show the world,
Let’s show the world...
Join the Team,
Join this mission,
Twin island, One nation..
Courage, Inspiration
You can reach,
There’s no limitation..
Brian Lewis is the Honorary Secretary General of the T&T Olympic Committee www.ttoc.org The views expressed are not necessarily those of the TTOC.
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http://newsday.co.tt/sport/0,162655.html
Monday, July 2 2012
FORMER Secretary of the National Association of Athletic Administration (NAAAs), Clyde Forde, has said he will file an injunction to stop the country’s Track and Field team from going to the Olympics if the general council is not given the minutes concerning the selection of the Olympic team.
Yesterday Forde quoted from Article 21 of the Track and Field constitution which states that all minutes of executives must be submitted to the general council of that council.
He said he watched the television a few days ago and was amazed to hear the team for the Olympic Games announced, although the general council had not gotten the opportunity to see the minutes of the meeting to select it.
He made it clear that the constitution dictates that the NAAAs is supposed to submit all minutes to the general council for approval. “But to date we have not seen the minutes and we don’t know what is happening,” Forde said.
Forde, who is being supported by other members of the general council, is saying that the general council has been overlooked for years and feels that it should put its foot down this time.
Quizzed as to whether there was anything that they were dissatisfied about Forde said yes.
The general council which comprises executive members of each club, Forde said, is not happy with some of the administrators chosen to go to London, England for the Olympics.
He said also that they were unsure of the times that were produced by some of the athletes. The 31 member team to represent TT at the Olympics was announced on Friday last and comprised Kelly Ann Baptiste and Keston Bledman who are expected to lead the team at the games.
The team also comprised a number of administrators who, according to Forde, were questionable.
Though Forde did not say who were the administrators they were concerned about, Newsday understands that the general council wants replacements for Dr Ian Hypolite who is the headcoach; Dexter Voisin (Manager) and Gunness Persad who is the coach for the sprint hurdles.
Forde explained that there were ex Olympians such as Neil De Silva, Ian Morris, Charlie Joseph and Alvin Daniel who were available to make vital contributions to the TT team and assist the athletes in bringing home more medals, but were not being given the opportunity.
“There is a cabal within the NAAAs executives that are sharing the trips among themselves. It appears difficult to make a dent in that group of people but the general council, which has the power to approve all decisions by the executives, is against this,” Forde said.
Meanwhile, Alan Baboolal, secretary of the NAAAs said the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) ratified the team on Friday. He explained that after the National Open Championships on June 23 and 24 they had briefed the TTOC on what the team was going to look like.
Baboolal dismissed talks that the NAAAs was to submit minutes to the general council, saying he does not know what Forde was talking about. Attempts were also made to contact president of the NAAAs Ephraim Serrette but that proved futile.
However, Baboolal said his association will have an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday.
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http://www.trackalerts.com/index.php/news/latest-stories/7281-relay-teams-qualified-for-london-2012
Relay teams qualified for London 2012
Written by iaaf release
Created on Tuesday, 03 July 2012 17:37
Monaco – The qualification period for the men's and women's 4x100m and 4x400m Relays at the Games of the XXX Olympiad, London 2012 ended on Monday 2 July.
The IAAF is pleased to confirm the following 16 teams, per each of the four relays, which have qualified to compete are as follows:
Men 4x100m
1 JAM
2 USA
3 FRA
4 GBR
5 TRI
6 BRA
7 GER
8 POL
9 SKN
10 HKG
11 CAN
12 ITA
13 JPN
14 CHN
15 AUS
16 NED
Men 4x400m
1 USA
2 RSA
3 JAM
4 CUB
5 RUS
6 BEL
7 GBR
8 BAH
9 GER
10 TRI
11 KEN
12 VEN
13 AUS
14 DOM
15 JPN
16 POL
Women 4x100m
1 USA
2 JAM
3 UKR
4 FRA
5 GER
6 NGR
7 NED
8 RUS
9 BRA
10 POL
11 TRI
12 COL
13 JPN
14 SUI
15 BAH
16 BLR
Women 4x400m
1 USA
2 RUS
3 JAM
4 GBR
5 UKR
6 BLR
7 CZE
8 FRA
9 NGR
10 CUB
11 GER
12 ITA
13 IRL
14 BRA
15 POL
16 TUR
PS: If we aim to beat both USA & Jamaica in the Relays we take part in then we should medal! ;D
We also need to get our Women's 4x400m Relay team up to speed!!
Hopefully our women will be up to speed in the 4x400m relay by the next World Championships in 2013.
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http://www.trackalerts.com/index.php/news/lead-stories/7278-fraser-pryce-unsure-about-100-200m-in-london
Fraser-Pryce unsure about 100/200m in London
Written by By Anthony Foster, anthonyfos@gmail.com
Created on Tuesday, 03 July 2012 15:18
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who won the sprint double at the JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships, is yet to decide if she will attempt both events at the London Olympic Games.
Fraser-Pryce, who ran two personal best times, 10.70 to lower her own Jamaican 100m record and 22.10 in the 200m, was asked if she will double in London, she replied: "I can't answer that yet."
However, after beating two-time Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, Jamaica's most decorated athlete of all-time, having won gold, silver and bronze medals at all levels of track & field, Fraser-Pryce said the weekend runs had left her drained.
"I am tired, mentally I am drained, because I pb twice this weekend and within a short space of time. I came in here with a sore leg from last night, I felt really tired, but thanks be to God I came out healthy," she told journalists after Sunday's 200m final.
When asked about her performance in the 200m, Fraser-Pryce, who is also the 2009 World 100m champion, said: "I am still learning it."
She went on to say, "today was about execution, not so much about the win ... I am glad I came out with the win, but about running the corner with a good enough speed, and blasting the next 100m."
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Official Jamaica Team Song for London 2012 Olympics
http://www.youtube.com/v/SpMjzEkgRyI
Not sure if this song by Kes is T&T's official team song but it seems to have been endorsed by TTOC (see Reply #17 above).
There is also supposed to be a T&T Team Song due out by Machel Montano but I am yet to hear it! :whistling:
Kes - We Are Conquerors (2012 Island Pop / Celebrating 50 years of T&T Independence)
http://www.youtube.com/v/7Di_p73UPcc
PS: If this Kes song is the Official T&T Olympic Team Song then they need to do a nice official music video featuring members of our T&T squad! :beermug:
This song by Machel alongside Beta One below will also make a great Olympic Island Pop Team Song with some slight adjustment to the words! Really nice inspirational song!! :beermug:
Beta One feat. Machel Montano - Reach On Out For Love
http://www.youtube.com/v/9FQYQGaO19s
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Bad tune Kes! Leh we do it TT, looking forward to the games
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I was to comment on this tune. Damn nice. And yes, it should have been accompanied with the video of out Olimpic and WC athletes. Good luck to all out athletes.
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Forde explained that there were ex Olympians such as Neil De Silva, Ian Morris, Charlie Joseph and Alvin Daniel who were available to make vital contributions to the TT team and assist the athletes in bringing home more medals, but were not being given the opportunity.
Is a pity these guys have to look on from the outside.
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Forde explained that there were ex Olympians such as Neil De Silva, Ian Morris, Charlie Joseph and Alvin Daniel who were available to make vital contributions to the TT team and assist the athletes in bringing home more medals, but were not being given the opportunity.
Is a pity these guys have to look on from the outside.
No foresight from the NAAA as per usual and too many officials who just picking up space and money and want to ride on our athletes backs for a free vacation to London.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-04/tt-relays-squads-qualify-olympics
T&T relays squads qualify for Olympics
Published: Thursday, July 5, 2012
Clayton Clarke
T&T’s men’s 4x100m, 4x400m and women’s 4x100m relay teams have qualified for the London Olympic Games set for July 27 to August 12. The teams were selected based on their top 16 rankings on the IAAF best relay performances listings by the July 2 deadline. The men’s sprint team is fifth with an average time of 38.40 seconds following its 37.91 clocking in the heats of last year’s World Championships in Daegu, South Korea and 38.89 at the 2011 CAC Senior Championships in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Reigning Olympic gold medalists Jamaica are at number one ahead of arch-rival USA, France and Great Britain.
The T&T squad will include members of the national team which won silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. They are reigning Olympic 100m silver medallist Richard Thompson, recently crown national champion Keston Bledman, veteran Marc Burns and Emmanuel Callender. World Championships 200m finalist Rondel Sorillo and 20-year-old Jamol James have also been named.
St Kitts/Nevis is the third Caribbean team to have qualified in the event for London, and is at ninth in the standings.
The national men’s 4x400m outfit is 10th in the mile relay listings. The team has an average time of 3:01.05 following its national record run of 3:00:45 at the Sagicor/NGC Open Championships on June 24 and its 2011 CAC Championships silver medal performance of 3:01.65. The 4X400m squad includes the national record setting quartet of Renny Quow, Lalonde Gordon, Deon Lendore and Jarrin Solomon. Teenager Machel Cedenio and Ade Alleyne-Forte are the reserves on the team. USA, South Africa and Jamaica are the top three teams. Bahamas is the other Caribbean team to qualify. The women’s sprint team is at 11th with an average time of 43.28. The foursome sped to a national mark of 43.21 in the Bahamas on June 16 after clocking 43.35 earlier in the day. Semoy Hackett, Kai Selvon and Michelle-Lee Ahye were the other members of the team and have been named on the London contingent along with Reyare Thomas and Sparkle McKnight.
Relay teams qualified for London 2012
Men’s 4x100m
Jamaica, US, France, Great Britain, T&T, Brazil, Germany, Poland, St Kitts/Nevis, Hong Kong, Canada, Italy, Japan, China, Australia and Netherland
Men’s 4x400m
US, South Africa, Jamaica, Cuba, Russia, Belgium, Great Britain, Bahamas, Germany, T&T, Kenya, Venezuela, Australia, Dominican Republic, Japan and Poland
Women’s 4x100m
US, Jamaica, Ukraine, France, Germany, Nigeria, Netherlands, Russia, Brazil, Poland, T&T, Colombia, Japan, Switzerland, Bahamas and Belarus
Women’s 4x400m
US, Russia, Jamaica, Great Britain, Ukraine, Belarus, Czech Republic, France, Nigeria, Cuba, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Brazil, Poland and Turkey
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UK terror raid near Olympic Stadium, 6 arrests
By RAPHAEL SATTER (Associated Press) | The Associated Press – 1 hour 39 minutes ago.. .
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LONDON (AP) -- Armed British police carried out an early-morning raid on a residential address near London's Olympic Park on Thursday, using smoke grenades and a stun gun in what they called a pre-planned anti-terror operation.
A total of six people were arrested there and in separate raids in other parts of the capital, but Scotland Yard said the operation was not linked to the upcoming games, due to kick off on July 27.
Police didn't identify the suspects, who range in age from 18 to 30.
However Mizanur Rahman, who is involved with a Muslim activist group, said all those arrested were British Muslims. He said the three men taken into custody in Stratford, the neighborhood that contains Olympic Park, were brothers and claimed that one was a former police support officer.
Scotland Yard declined to comment on the claim.
Resident John Smallshaw said a raid took place at a residence on Abbey Road, only about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the Olympic Park.
He told The Associated Press he was awoken just after 4 a.m. by "five loud bangs in quick succession" and saw police raiding the home. He said he later witnessed "one young man taken on foot to a waiting ambulance."
Another man was later taken into an unmarked police car, Smallshaw said, adding that plainclothes officers were still at the premises.
Continuing searches are being carried out at eight separate addresses in east, west and north London and at one business in east London, police said. Rahman identified one of the addresses as being in Old Street, near London's financial district.
Police said all the suspects have been taken to a southeast London police station.
Intelligence officials say there has been an expected increase in chatter among extremist groups ahead of the games, but there are still no specific or credible threats targeting the Olympics. Last week two Muslim men were arrested - and later released without charge - after they were spotted canoeing on the River Lee, a branch of which runs through the Olympic site.
Britain's terror level is labeled substantial, a notch below severe. A substantial threat level indicates that an attack is a strong possibility.
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@yahoosports on Twitter, become a fan on
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not really surprised.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-05/thomas-aims-olympic-finals
Thomas aims for Olympic finals
Published: Friday, July 6, 2012
Clayton Clarke
Mikel Thomas is one of two national sprint hurdles to qualify to represent T&T at the London Olympics. The 24-year-old qualified for his second straight Olympic after his 13.48 personal best run at the Texas Relays in Austin Texas, USA on 31 March, missing the then national record of 13.43 by Steve Brown. He then sealed his Olympic spot with a 13.51 run at the Star Athletics Invite in Florida last month getting under the 13.52 Olympic A standard for the second time. The University of Kentucky graduate was named in the 31-member squad announced by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) on Friday. The Kansas based athlete joins Wayne Davis as the other 110m competitor following Davis’ national record run of 13.37 at the Big 12 Championships in May. Thomas was a quarterfinalist in at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where he was sixth in a then personal best of 13.62 but he says his goal in London is to make it into the medal round.
“My goal is to make the finals especially as this is my second Olympics having made it to the quarterfinals four years ago. I will then give it all that I have,” he said. As part of his preparations the Maloney-born hurdler moved to Kansas where he said he was able to learn more on his event. Thomas said: “I am from New York but I am based in Kansas where I also coach and because I coach I have become more a student of the sport and that is probably one of the main reasons for the big improvement his year.”
He describes his decision as a risk as he was now on his own. “New York is nice but it is distracting,” he said. “I’d rather be in Kansas where I can focus on what I need to do. Unfortunately I am by myself but I have taken the time to become more educated in my event. It is a technical event and because I am by myself I had to make sure I do everything to the best of my ability.” The Exercise Science graduate was third in the national championships clocking in 13.99 behind Davis (13.61) and Durrell Busby (13.81). The heats of the 100m hurdles are set for August 7 with the semifinals and finals carded for August 8. Thomas won the 2008 National and the 2010 Penn Relays Olympic Development 110m hurdles titles and has personal best in the 400m hurdles and the indoor 60m hurdles of 51.40 and 7.73 respectively. He is the son of Hayden Thomas and Gail Barton.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9382589/London-2012-Olympics-Usain-Bolt-races-to-Germany-for-treatment-with-Healing-Hans.html
London 2012 Olympics: Usain Bolt races to Germany for treatment with 'Healing Hans'
By Simon Hart, Athletics Correspondent
10:30PM BST 06 Jul 2012
Usain Bolt’s management team on Friday moved to calm fears the London Olympics might take in the absence of its ultimate icon by insisting the Jamaican sprinter has nothing more serious than a tight hamstring muscle.
Bolt, arguably the most famous sportsman in the world and undoubtedly the leading poster boy for the Olympics, announced on Thursday he was withdrawing from the Diamond League meeting in Monaco on July 20, because of what his coach Glen Mills described as a “slight problem”.
Concern over Bolt’s physical condition will only have deepened when it emerged he was in Munich on Friday having treatment at the hands of the celebrated sports doctor, Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt.
Bolt’s withdrawal from the event in Monaco, in which he had been due to run over 200 metres, means he will not now compete again until the first round of the 100m in the Olympic Stadium on Aug 4.
It also means the world is likely to have to wait until then to learn whether Bolt’s slight problem has taken a toll on his ability to defend the three gold medals he won in Beijing. Bolt’s trip to Müller-Wohlfahrt followed his surprise double defeat by training partner Yohan Blake at the Jamaican Olympic trials last weekend, where he was given hamstring-stretching treatment on the Kingston track immediately after the 200m final.
Tyson Gay, the American sprinter who is one of Bolt’s key rivals for Olympic 100m gold, was among those who observed something different about the Jamaican’s running style at the trials. “I found Usain to be a bit laboured,” said Gay. “He gave the impression that he was forcing it, which is unlike him.”
A source close to Bolt confirmed the athlete had flown to Germany for a consultation with Muller-Wohlfahrt yesterday but said the appointment had been “scheduled as a check-up long ago, before he had the problems of last weekend”.
The source added that Bolt was suffering only from tightness and was expected to be fully recovered within days.
In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, Bolt’s agent, Ricky Simms, played down the seriousness of the injury and said he would be fit and ready for the Olympics.
“He had a slightly tight hamstring during the trials and that’s why possibly didn’t push as hard as he could have,” said Simms. “He was just protecting that. The main thing at the trials was to get through and get on the team for the Olympic Games.
“His coach decided that he needs to get a little bit of massage and treatment on that and rest up, and then train again hard next week so that he’s ready for the Olympic Games.”
Simms’ comments will reassure Olympic organisers, for whom the loss of Bolt to injury would be an enormous blow.
Bolt, who has a congenital curvature of the lower spine which caused persistent problems with his hamstrings at the start of his career, has been seeing Muller-Wohlfahrt since he was 16 and flies to Germany for check-ups at least twice a year.
The back and hamstring problem is kept under control by daily exercises, though a flare-up in 2010 forced him to cut short his season a month early and was blamed for his sluggish start to 2011.
Bolt’s latest trip to Munich comes just a day after marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe visited Müller-Wohlfahrt’s clinic for treatment on a painful osteoarthritis condition in her left foot which could threaten her participation in the London Games. Like Bolt, Radcliffe is a regular patient of the doctor, having first consulted him 17 years ago.
Müller-Wohlfahrt, who has a pair of Puma spikes signed by Bolt in his surgery, told ESPN in December that over the years he had become a fringe member of the Jamaican’s support team, treating his aches and pains and providing biomechanical analysis.
“The first time he came nobody knew him but his coach sent him here to ask me whether it was worth it to train him,” said Müller-Wohlfahrt. “He [the coach] was not sure whether he was able to train very, very hard. I said, ‘If he does this and this exercises, then yes he can’. So he started to do exercises and then the success grew more and more.”
Nicknamed “Healing Hans” for his restorative powers, Müller-Wohlfahrt has become the doctor of choice for numerous sporting A-listers including footballers Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen and Ronaldo, and the 2004 double Olympic champion, Dame Kelly Holmes.
Müller-Wohlfahrt has claimed that five of the eight 100m finalists at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin were patients of his.
But his methods are not without controversy because his treatment commonly involves injecting homeopathic preparations into the injured area, including the controversial substance Actovegin, which is derived from calves’ blood.
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Terror suspect tracked to London Olympic Park
AFPAFP – 9 hrs ago
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Mock casualties are treated by the emergency services during a drill in preparation for the London Olympics in February. An Islamist terror suspect in Britain charged with breaking restrictions on his movements had crossed through London's Olympic Park five times, newspapers reported Sunday. (AFP Photo/Ben Stansall)
Mock casualties are treated by …
An Islamist terror suspect in Britain charged with breaking restrictions on his movements had crossed through London's Olympic Park five times, newspapers reported Sunday.
The 24-year-old -- named only as CF -- is suspected of being a militant for Somalia's Al-Qaeda-allied Shebab rebels, The Sunday Telegraph and the Sunday Mirror said.
He is one of nine people suspected of being a risk to national security who are subject to Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIM) -- legal orders which restrict movements, contacts and computer use.
The Sunday Mirror said he was a British jihadist. The Sunday Telegraph said he comes from a large Somali family in north London.
CF was deported from Somalia back to Britain in March last year.
He served two months in jail for a previous absconding offence before being released and placed under the TPIM restrictions and ordered to live in Norwich, eastern England.
He wears an electronic tag allowing the authorities to track his movements.
CF was arrested again last month and charged with five separate breaches of an order banning him from using the train route which passes through the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London.
The alleged offences occured between April and May.
He is due to be prosecuted later this year.
CF is to challenge the banning order at the High Court on Monday, newspapers reported.
Following his arrest, a lawyer for the Home Office warned that CF was committed to "Islamist extremism".
In papers lodged in the High Court proceedings, he said Home Secretary Theresa May believes that were it not for his TPIM restrictions, CF "would re-engage in terrorism-related activities, either in the UK or Somalia".
It could not be said that he has "renounced his commitment to terrorism", he argued.
"As CF has previously re-engaged in Islamist extremist activity, despite being on bail, previous disruptive action has not been enough to dissuade him from his involvement in Islamist extremism.
A spokeswoman for the state Crown Prosecution Service said: "CF has been charged with five offences of breaching his TPIM. He is next in (criminal) court on July 27."
The London 2012 opening ceremony will take place on the same day.
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With new 2012 T&T National 400m Champion clocking a PB and Olympic A Standard yesterday (go here to watch video: http://www.runnerspace.com/video.php?video_id=73392-Mens-400m-Section-2-USATF-National-Club-Track-and-Field-Championships-201), here is our update T&T Olympic Squad including events they are qualified to take part in.
TEAM T&T:
Athletics
Richard Thompson (100m; 4x100m), Keston Bledman (100m; 4x100m), Rondell Sorillo (100m; 200m; 4x100m), Mark Burns (100m; 4x100m), Renny Quow (400m; 4x400m), Deon Lendore (400m; 4x100m), Wayne Davis II (110m hurdles), Jehue Gordon (400m hurdles), Lalonde Gordon (400m; 4x400m), Emmanuel Callendar (4x100m), Machel Cedenio (4x400m), Ade Alleyne-Forte (4x400m), Semoy Hackett (100m; 200m; 4x100m), Kai Selvon (100m; 200m; 4x100m), Michelle-Lee Ahye (100m; 4x100m), Kelly-Ann Baptiste (100m; 4x100m), Janeil Bellille (400m hurdles), Ayanna Alexander (triple jump), Cleopatra Borel-Brown (shot put), Reyare Thomas (4x100m), Sparkle Mc Knight (4x100m); Dexter Voisin (manager), Dr Ian Hypolite (head coach), Edwin Skinner (sprint/hurdles coach), Gunness Persad (sprint/hurdles coach), Ismael Lopez Mastrapa (throws coach)
Boxing
Carlos Suarez (Light Flyweight 46-49kg); Reynold Cox (manager/coach), Raulson Dopwell (coach)
Cycling
Njisane Phillip (sprint, keirin); Peter Maharaj (manager/coach)
Sailing
Andrew Lewis (laser); Kairon Serrette (manager), Fernando Alegre (coach)
Shooting
Roger Daniel (50m pistol, 10m air pistol); Altansetseg Byambajav (manager/coach)
Swimming
George Bovell III (100m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle); George Bovell II (manager/coach)
Officials
Annette Knott (chef de mission, CDM), Wendell Labastide (assistant to CDM)
Medical Team
Dr Terry Ali (chief medical officer), Dr Anyl Gopeesingh (medical officer), Fitzbert Alleyne, Zephyrinus Nicholas, Ian Sharpe, Oba Gulston, Karielle De Bique (massage therapists/physiotherapists), Margaret Ottley (sport psychologist).
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With new 2012 T&T National 400m Champion clocking a PB and Olympic A Standard yesterday (go here to watch video: http://www.runnerspace.com/video.php?video_id=73392-Mens-400m-Section-2-USATF-National-Club-Track-and-Field-Championships-201), here is our update T&T Olympic Squad including events they are qualified to take part in.
TEAM T&T:
Athletics
Richard Thompson (100m; 4x100m), Keston Bledman (100m; 4x100m), Rondell Sorillo (100m; 200m; 4x100m), Mark Burns (100m; 4x100m), Renny Quow (400m; 4x400m), Deon Lendore (400m; 4x100m), Wayne Davis II (110m hurdles), Jehue Gordon (400m hurdles), Lalonde Gordon (400m; 4x400m), Emmanuel Callendar (4x100m), Machel Cedenio (4x400m), Ade Alleyne-Forte (4x400m), Semoy Hackett (100m; 200m; 4x100m), Kai Selvon (100m; 200m; 4x100m), Michelle-Lee Ahye (100m; 4x100m), Kelly-Ann Baptiste (100m; 4x100m), Janeil Bellille (400m hurdles), Ayanna Alexander (triple jump), Cleopatra Borel-Brown (shot put), Reyare Thomas (4x100m), Sparkle Mc Knight (4x100m); Dexter Voisin (manager), Dr Ian Hypolite (head coach), Edwin Skinner (sprint/hurdles coach), Gunness Persad (sprint/hurdles coach), Ismael Lopez Mastrapa (throws coach)
Boxing
Carlos Suarez (Light Flyweight 46-49kg); Reynold Cox (manager/coach), Raulson Dopwell (coach)
Cycling
Njisane Phillip (sprint, keirin); Peter Maharaj (manager/coach)
Sailing
Andrew Lewis (laser); Kairon Serrette (manager), Fernando Alegre (coach)
Shooting
Roger Daniel (50m pistol, 10m air pistol); Altansetseg Byambajav (manager/coach)
Swimming
George Bovell III (100m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle); George Bovell II (manager/coach)
Officials
Annette Knott (chef de mission, CDM), Wendell Labastide (assistant to CDM)
Medical Team
Dr Terry Ali (chief medical officer), Dr Anyl Gopeesingh (medical officer), Fitzbert Alleyne, Zephyrinus Nicholas, Ian Sharpe, Oba Gulston, Karielle De Bique (massage therapists/physiotherapists), Margaret Ottley (sport psychologist).
I thought Josanne was doing the 100mh in London?
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With new 2012 T&T National 400m Champion clocking a PB and Olympic A Standard yesterday (go here to watch video: http://www.runnerspace.com/video.php?video_id=73392-Mens-400m-Section-2-USATF-National-Club-Track-and-Field-Championships-201), here is our update T&T Olympic Squad including events they are qualified to take part in.
TEAM T&T:
Athletics
Richard Thompson (100m; 4x100m), Keston Bledman (100m; 4x100m), Rondell Sorillo (100m; 200m; 4x100m), Mark Burns (100m; 4x100m), Renny Quow (400m; 4x400m), Deon Lendore (400m; 4x100m), Wayne Davis II (110m hurdles), Jehue Gordon (400m hurdles), Lalonde Gordon (400m; 4x400m), Emmanuel Callendar (4x100m), Machel Cedenio (4x400m), Ade Alleyne-Forte (4x400m), Semoy Hackett (100m; 200m; 4x100m), Kai Selvon (100m; 200m; 4x100m), Michelle-Lee Ahye (100m; 4x100m), Kelly-Ann Baptiste (100m; 4x100m), Janeil Bellille (400m hurdles), Ayanna Alexander (triple jump), Cleopatra Borel-Brown (shot put), Reyare Thomas (4x100m), Sparkle Mc Knight (4x100m); Dexter Voisin (manager), Dr Ian Hypolite (head coach), Edwin Skinner (sprint/hurdles coach), Gunness Persad (sprint/hurdles coach), Ismael Lopez Mastrapa (throws coach)
Boxing
Carlos Suarez (Light Flyweight 46-49kg); Reynold Cox (manager/coach), Raulson Dopwell (coach)
Cycling
Njisane Phillip (sprint, keirin); Peter Maharaj (manager/coach)
Sailing
Andrew Lewis (laser); Kairon Serrette (manager), Fernando Alegre (coach)
Shooting
Roger Daniel (50m pistol, 10m air pistol); Altansetseg Byambajav (manager/coach)
Swimming
George Bovell III (100m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle); George Bovell II (manager/coach)
Officials
Annette Knott (chef de mission, CDM), Wendell Labastide (assistant to CDM)
Medical Team
Dr Terry Ali (chief medical officer), Dr Anyl Gopeesingh (medical officer), Fitzbert Alleyne, Zephyrinus Nicholas, Ian Sharpe, Oba Gulston, Karielle De Bique (massage therapists/physiotherapists), Margaret Ottley (sport psychologist).
I thought Josanne was doing the 100mh in London?
I believe she is!
I think that list I posted is not fully uptodate as I simply update an older list with Gordon's 400m details.
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Allyuh see the extent to which the Jamaicans are going to ensure the best nutrient for their Olympic team while in London?
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/Grace-Foods-and-Services-ships-food-products-to-Olympic-training-camp-in-Birmingham_11904411
Grace Foods and Services ships food products to Olympic training camp in Birmingham
Thumbs up to celebrate a job well done!
Saturday, July 07, 2012
IN keeping with the pledge to supply the pre-Olympic Training Camp in Birmingham with Jamaican food, Grace Foods and Services, the official nutrition sponsor of the Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association (JAAA) recently shipped a container of approximately 22 different food products to the United Kingdom.
Among the items were the two new commemorative editions of Tropical Rhythms -- Sprinter and Legend -- as well Grace Instant Porridge, Grace Oats, Grace Tea, Grace Chicken Soup and Grace Cock Soup, all of which will bring the welcome flavours of Jamaica to the athletes while they are away from home. A range of other Grace Foods products readily available in Birmingham will supplement goods in this shipment.
Tania Christie, marketing manager of Grace Foods and Services who was on hand to witness the consolidation of the container, said: "We are delighted that Grace Foods will be integral in providing not only great nutrition but a real sense of home as our athletes ready themselves for the Olympics."
The athletes will be housed at the University of Birmingham where they will have a chef on call to prepare their meals utilising a combination of products from Jamaica and UK. "What we are sending today will ensure that our athletes are comfortable while they are away. Together with our partners at the University of Birmingham, we have created a meal programme that will give our athletes comfort to deliver great performances," Christie added. "Imagine our athletes waking up to ackee and saltfish, mackerel and boiled bananas, fried dumplings," she exclaimed, while observing employees at the GraceKennedy Distribution Centre in Spanish Town load the container.
The shipment being sent to Birmingham is one in a series of initiatives taken on by Grace to assist Jamaican athletes. In January this year, Grace Foods and Services made a pledge of a minimum of $5 million to the JAAA to support athletic programmes across the island from the donation of 10 cents from the sale of seven of Grace's flagship products: Grace Vienna Sausages, Grace 5-5 oz Mackerel, Grace Corned Beef, Grace Franks, Grace 16 oz Tropical Rhythms, Grace Tomato Ketchup and Grace Cock Soup.
Grace has also hosted several Food and Nutrition Seminars, in collaboration with Dr Heather Little-White to brief established and upcoming athletes about the importance of good nutrition, and to highlight the importance of having healthy meals to foster good health and facilitate high performance, as well as to assist coaches and family members in understanding the importance of proper nutrition for athletes.
Christie was elated at the culmination of sponsorships that have been made to the Jamaican athletic community. "We feel extremely proud to have kept our promise, and that we were able to deliver on such a large scale. This shipment consolidates the Grace commitment to athletics, we are in full support of our standard bearers of the Jamaican flag as they take the world stage and go for gold."
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/london-2012/9387963/London-2012-Olympics-Usain-Bolt-is-declared-good-to-go-by-his-agent-to-calm-injury-fears.html
London 2012 Olympics: Usain Bolt is declared 'good to go' by his agent to calm injury fears
Usain Bolt’s agent revealed on Monday night that the triple Olympic champion has made a full recovery from muscle tightness that hampered him at the Jamaican Olympic trials and is training normally and “good to go” to defend his titles in London.
By Simon Hart, Athletics Correspondent
11:59PM BST 09 Jul 2012
Last week, Bolt flew to Munich for treatment by celebrated sports doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt just days after he suffered a double defeat in the 100 metres and 200m at the hands of his training partner, Yohan Blake.
Following his 200m loss, his first over the distance outside a qualifying heat since 2007, Bolt was given hamstring-stretching treatment on the Kingston track.
A statement was released a few days later to announce that he was being withdrawn from the Diamond League meeting in Monaco on July 20, where he was due to contest the 200m in his final competitive outing before the Olympics.
The sprinter’s subsequent journey to Germany for medical treatment raised fears that the world’s greatest athlete was struggling with a serious problem just weeks before the start of the Olympics.
But Bolt’s agent, Ricky Simms, insisted the problem was nothing more serious than a tight hamstring and said that he was fully recovered and training normally.
He added that Bolt was now in London, his usual European base during the summer, and would be remaining there until he joins up with his countrymen at Jamaica’s pre-Olympic base in Birmingham before a few days before opening ceremony. Simms said there were no plans for Bolt to return to Jamaica before the start of the Games.
“He’s back to normal, he’s back in full training and he’s good to go,” said Simms, who dismissed reports that Bolt had been suffering from a more serious back problem and that his Olympic prospects had been in jeopardy. “His body is back to normal. The muscle tightness has gone.”
The news will be a major relief not just to Bolt’s legion of fans worldwide but to the organisers of the London Games, who charged a top price of £725 for tickets to the men’s 100m final. A race without a fully fit Bolt would have been a bitterly disappointing anti-climax.
Simms said last week that, after feeling the hamstring tightness, Bolt had decided not to race flat out during the Jamaican trials for fear of causing further damage.
“He had a slightly tight hamstring during the trials and that’s why possibly he didn’t push as hard as he could have,” said Simms. “He was just protecting that. The main thing at the trials was to get through and get on the team for the Olympic Games.
“His coach decided that he needs to get a little bit of massage and treatment on that and rest up, and then train again hard next week so that he’s ready for the Olympic Games.”
Blake, the world 100m champion and a fellow member of the Racers Track Club in Kingston, took advantage of Bolt’s problem by beating him into second place in both the 100m and 200m.
Bolt’s trip to Germany to visit the doctor who is nicknamed ‘Healing Hans’ fuelled the injury speculation but Simms insisted it was a routine check-up that had been booked long before the trials.
Bolt has been a regular visitor to Müller-Wohlfahrt’s clinic since he was 16 because he has a congenital curvature of the spine that has been known to have a knock-on effect on his hamstrings.
Simms also denied media reports that Bolt’s support team had hoped to speed up the sprinter’s recovery by hiring a mobile ice chamber from a British company.
He confirmed that he had indeed been in contact with the company - but that the ice chamber was for the use of other athletes he manages, and not Bolt.
Meanwhile, concerns that triple jumper Phillips Idowu, one of Britain’s main gold medal prospects in London, might also be struggling with a serious injury problem have receded after the world silver medallist was named on the entry list for this week’s Aviva London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace.
Idowu has not competed since hurting his foot when landing awkwardly at the Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon, in early June, and UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee admitted last week that he was in the dark over the seriousness of the issue.
However, the 33-year-old has been confirmed on the entry list for Saturday’s triple jump competition, where he will take on American world champion Christian Taylor in a key Olympic dress-rehearsal.
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http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/Jamaican-Olympic-team-announced
Jamaican Olympic team announced
Jamaica Observer
Monday, July 09, 2012
The Jamaica Olympic Association has announced the delegation to the Games of the 30th Olympiad to be held in London, United Kingdom from July 27 to August 12.
ATHLETICS: (23 Women)
FRASER-PRYCE Shelley-Ann 100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay
CAMPBELL-BROWN Veronica 100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay
STEWART, Kerron 100m, 4x100m Relay
SIMPSON Sherone 200m, 4x100m Relay
CALVERT, Schillonie 4x100m Relay
HENRY-ROBINSON Samantha 4x100m Relay
WILLIAMS-MILLS Novlene 400m, 4x400m Relay
WHYTE, Rosemarie 400m, 4x400m Relay
DAY, Christine 400m, 4x400m Relay
WILLIAMS, Shericka 4x400m Relay
LLOYD Shereefa 4x400m Relay
BLAKE, Dominique 4x400m Relay
SINCLAIR Kenia 800m
FOSTER-HYLTON Brigitte 100m Hurdles
GREAVES Latoya 100m Hurdles
WILLIAMS, Shermaine 100m Hurdles
WALKER Melaine 400m Hurdles
SPENCER, Kaliese 400m Hurdles
WILSON Nickiesha 400m Hurdles
WILLIAMS, Kimberly Triple Jump
SMITH, Trecia Triple Jump
RANDALL, Allison Discus
HINDS, Korine 3,000m Steeplechase
ATHLETICS: (23 Men)
BLAKE, Yohan 100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay
BOLT, Usain 100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay
POWELL, Asafa 100m, 4x100m Relay
FRATER, Michael 4x100m Relay
BAILEY-COLE Kemar 4x100m Relay
CARTER Nesta 4x100m Relay
WEIR Warren 200m
HYATT, Dane 400m, 4x400m Relay
McDONALD, Rusheen 400m, 4x400m Relay
GONZALES, Jermaine 400m, 4x400m Relay
NOLAN, Errol 4x400m Relay
STEELE, Edino 4x400m Relay
HYLTON, Riker 4x400m Relay
PARCHMENT, Hansle 110m Hurdles
RILEY, Andrew 110m Hurdles
PHILLIPS, Richard 110m Hurdles
GREEN, Leford 400m Hurdles
ROBERTSON, Josef 400m Hurdles
CATO, Roxroy 400m Hurdles
FORBES Damion Long Jump
SCOTT, Dorian Shot Putt
SMIKLE, Traves Discuss
MORGAN, Jason Discuss
SMITH Maurice Decathlon
EQUESTRIAN:
ALBERT, Samantha Eventing
SWIMMING:
ATKINSON Alia 100m Breast Stroke
TAEKWONDO:
EDWARDS, Kenneth 84 kg
DELEGATION OFFICIALS (22):
ANDERSON, Donald Chef de Mission
RODNEY, Compton Deputy Chef de Mission
HAMILTON, Merlene Female Manager
WATTS, Ludlow Athletics Team Manager
QUARRIE, Donald Athletics Technical Manager
CAMERON Bertland Athletics Coach
WILSON Maurice Athletics Coach
WESTNEY, Maurice Athletics Coach
COLEMAN, Fitzalbert Athletics Coach
BLAKE, Dr. Warren Chief Medical Officer
SINGH, Dr. Priamanand Medical officer
DAWES Dr. Winston Medical Officer
DEPASS Michelle Physiotherapist
JULIUS Dr. Karen Physiotherapist
EDWARDS, Everald Masseuer
JAMES, Gavin Masseuer
TURNER, Colin Masseuer
WATSON, Patrick Masseuer
PASMORE Anthony Equestrian Team Manager
BERNARD, Gladstone Taekwondo Team manager
LYN, Martin Swimming Team Manager
ANDERSON Christopher Swimming Coach
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Wow. Look at that. That is a strong 46 member team.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-10/solomon-second-german-400m
Published: Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Solomon second in German 400m
Jarrin Solomon continued his preparations for the London Olympics by setting a new personal best of 45.31 in finishing second in the men’s 400m in the Bottrop Gala meet, Germany on Saturday. Solomon missed the Olympic “A” mark (45.30) by a mere one-hundredth of a second. The 26-year-old local was beaten by top junior Luguelin Santos (Dominican Republic) 45.12 and finished ahead of Liermarin Bonvacia (Netherlands) 45.80. Marc Burns was third in the men’s 100m in 10.08 seconds at the World Athletic Challenge in Madrid, Spain on Saturday. The veteran sprinter’s time was pushed by an illegal wind of +3.8m/s over the 2.0 legal limit. Cayman Islander sprinter Kemar Hyman dashed to gold in a 9.95, the same clocking of his national record run of 9.95 in the heats (+1.8). Kemar Bailey Cole of Jamaica was second in 9.98 as Caribbean athletes took the top six spots with Burns, Antoine Adams (St Kitts/Nevis) 10.12 and Kimmari Roach (10.16) next. Earlier in the heats Burns was second behind Hyman in 10.16.
Burns makes fourth Olympic team chases history
Veteran sprinter Marc Burns qualified for his fourth Olympic Games when he crossed the line fourth men’s 100m finals at the last’s month Sagicor/NGC National Open Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. The 29-year-old first competed at the quadrennial Games in Sydney, Australia as a 17-year-old. The Belmont Boys/El Dorado Secondary graduate was a member of T&T men’s 4X100m team running in the heats and semifinals. The 1998 triple Carifta champion anchored the squad to third place in the heats in 39.12 on September 29 and a spot in the semifinals later that day. In the semifinals he ran the third leg passing the stick to four-time Olympic medallist, Ato Boldon, as the quartet sped to a then national record of 38.92. However, the time was not quick enough to get the outfit in the finals contested the next day. Burns’ Olympic baptism seemed to have blessed him well as later that year at the World Junior Championships in Santiago, Chile, Burns copped bronze in the men’s 100m finals in 10.40, just ahead of compatriot, Darryl Brown, who also clocked 10.40. The two were part of the men’s 4X100m team which missed out on a medal in taking fourth place in a national junior record of 40.03.
He continued his rise into the next year where he was again part of several national record breaking teams. At the World Championships in Edmonton Canada, the then 18-year-old combined with Boldon, Brown and Jacey Harper to take silver in the men’s 4X100m finals in 38.58, another national mark, improving the 38.60 he set in the heats. At the 2002 World Juniors in Jamaica, Burns improved to second in the men’s 100m finals in 10.18 and was part of the national team, again with Brown, which took bronze in another junior mark of 39.17 bettering the 39.50 clocked in the heats. At his first Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, he was a member of the sprint relay team which finished fifth in 38.97. More records followed in 2003 when he was part of the Pan American Games silver medal team which sped to 38.53, another national record. At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, the Auburn University student exited the men’s 100m prelims after false starting in his heat. However, he rebounded to help the 4X100m team to seventh place in the finals in 38.60 after equalling the national record of 36.53 in the heats. 2005 was a stellar year for the Trincity resident as he dipped under 10 second for the first time ever, taking the national title in 9.96 and the World Athletic finals in Monaco in 10.00.
The former Richmond Boys Primary School student then made the first of his three World Championships finals in Helsinki, Finland, finishing seventh before anchoring the men’s sprint relay finals to silver in 38.10, yet another national record, the third for the year after clocking 38.28, 38.38 and 38.47. At his second Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia in 2006, he bagged bronze in the men’s 100m in 10.17 and was also third in the World Cup of Athletics (Athens, Greece) in 10.14. In 2007, he was in another World Championships finals in Osaka, Japan 100m finals taking eighth place. His finest Olympic moment yet came in Beijing, China taking seventh spot in the men’s 100m finals in 10.07 as Jamaica’s, Usain Bolt, bolted to gold in a world record of 9.69. Burns then helped the men’s 4x100m relay team to silver in 38.06 after lowering the national record to 38.00 in London earlier in the season. His Olympic momentum continued to the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany where he was seventh in a season’s best time of 10.00 with Bolt taking the gold in sensational world record of 9.58. Burns then collected his third World Championship relay medal when the national team finished second in a new national record time of 37.62, as T&T became the third fastest country ever in the event (behind Jamaica and the USA). Burns will be going for his seventh global 100m finals and his 12th final appearance overall (including relays), a feat unmatched by many of the world top sprinters.
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Yuh mean to tell me we could afford money for our PM to fly to India to kiss people feet but we cyah afford money to sponsor a man who will be devoted to flying our national flag with pride for the world to see at the London Olympics?
I just hope this Flagman gets the sponsorship money he needs to reach London and represent us as it will be a damn shame especially as we are surposed to be celebrating 50 years of Independence this August!
http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-10/flagman-diaz-seeking-olympic-games-sponsor
Flagman Diaz seeking Olympic Games sponsor
Published: Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Shernice Thomas
Hubert Peter Diaz, better known as “Flag man”, is currently seeking financial assistance to travel this year’s Olympic Games which is set to kick off in London on July 27. Speaking to the T&T Guardian in an interview last Wednesday, Diaz said it would mean a lot to him to travel to the English city to witness the grand event. Diaz was given the opportunity from the government to accompany the Soca Warriors in Germany at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and said it would be a dream come true if he could bear the national flag during T&T’s athlete parade at the Games. The 73-year-old retired policeman said that he approached the government this year who told him they could not afford to sponsor his trip due to a lack of funds.“I carried the national flag in Germany and I was hoping to do it in England for the Games. It will be the first time in life that I will go to England.”
The Arima resident took up the mantle as national flag bearer following the passing of previous “flag man” and good friend, Gerald Lewis, who died in a car crash in 2000. Diaz revealed how he became Lewis’ successor: “Ten days before Gerald Lewis died, he passed by me and told me he doesn’t know how long he’ll carry the flag again. So he asked if I’ll give him assistance because he said that I was the only person he could trust. So when he was leaving I said ‘Gerald how soon?’ He (Lewis) said ‘you’ll know’. Five days later the police come and tell me ‘your father get knock down on the road’, like he knew he was going to die.” Diaz, a former national walking athlete, says his entire trip will cost approximately $50,000 (TTD) to stay for the duration of the Games from July 27 to August 12. He still needs money to take care of his airfare and accommodation.
Anyone who is willing to donate money to Diaz can do so at any RBC Bank to account number 100079072862441.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163116.html
Bellille tells youths to believe in themselves
By JONATHAN RAMNANANSINGH
Wednesday, July 11 2012
TRINIDAD and Tobago’s lone Olympic-bound Women’s 400m hurdles representative, Janeil Bellille has called on young track and field athletes to believe in themselves.
Bellille, who leaves with a local contingent of athletes for London tomorrow, admitted that she is still in shock, having qualified to represent this country at the world’s biggest sporting event.
“I’m elated. Sometimes when I train now I just think ‘you’re going to the Olympics’ and I just can’t believe it. It still surprises me. I’m so grateful that God blessed me with this talent and gave me the confidence, willpower and determination to achieve this,” she stated.
In March, the Texas A&M athlete ran under the required Olympic “B” qualifying standard of 56.65 at the Texas Relays. She finished in a time of 55.91. Last year, the National hurdler also dipped below the “B” standard with a 55.80 finish.
Bellille revealed that she eagerly anticipates getting on the tracks in London and putting her best foot forward in the one-lap hurdle event.
“I must say that I’m looking forward to it a lot. This is the biggest competition for any athlete in the world and I’m going to make the best of my opportunity and experience there. I did my part to get there and now I must do my part toward attaining a podium finish. It won’t be easy, but once you put your mind toward something, only then you can achieve it. That’s my motivation,” she added.
Speaking on her chances of medalling at the coveted meet, Bellille indicated that it would be an open 400m event. While she was well aware of the other top international athletes vying for Olympic glory, the flourishing hurdler admitted that on race-day, everyone would have an equal chance of medalling.
“It’s an equal opportunity for all the athletes on the day. At that time it doesn’t matter who’s number one (ranked) and who’s not. Regardless, every athlete has to come out on race day and give their best. I intend to do my best against the world,” continued the national hurdler.
She also explained that her training has significantly intensified ahead of her Olympic campaign. While the hurdler was comfortable with her current form, she admitted that there were still some aspects that needed a bit fine-tuning.
“Training has been coming along nicely so far. I just want to work a little on speeding up between hurdles and ensuring I clear them all properly and in the shortest possible time. I’ll be ready, I must be,” she added.
In conclusion, Bellille challenged the young local track athletes to push themselves competitively toward achieving the impossible.
She revealed that representing Trinidad and Tobago on the world’s stage was no easy task, but she would do so to the best of her abilities. Bellille urged budding athletes to continue working hard and continue striving toward excellence in their respective sporting disciplines.
“Don’t give up. After a while athletes tend to go into a phase where things don’t always work out. This has happened to a lot of athletes and some overcame these obstacles and some didn’t. In my situation, I did overcome and now I’m going to the Olympic Games. I’m so excited, thank God for this opportunity,” said Bellille.
The London-bound hurdler also acknowledged her mother, family members and coaches Blaine Wiley (Southclaine) and Ian Goddard (local) for their continued support and commitment toward her overall athletic development.
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Local senior sports officials are urging Jamaicans to continue supporting the country's track and field athletes even if they do not equal or better their exploits at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
The Beijing Olympics saw Jamaica taking home 11 medals - six gold, three silver and two bronze, including three world records and an Olympic record.
Usain Bolt won three gold medals in world record time, including with the men's 4x100m relay team. Melaine Walker took the 400m hurdles title with an Olympic record.
However, according to G.C. Foster College principal Edward Shakes, Jamaica Netball Association President Marva Bernard and Jamaica Cricket Association secretary Fritz Harris, whose organisations send representatives to international competitions on a yearly basis, there are no guarantees in sports and, as such, athletes for one reason or another can fail to perform.
They said this, however, is no reason for persons to turn their backs on the athletes.
"We have to see our performance of four years ago in China as being extraordinary," said Shakes, who joined Bernard and Harris as guests at a special Gleaner Editors' Forum yesterday focusing on the role of sports in national development.
"It will, therefore, take a lot for us to repeat those efforts. For example, the country is expecting Bolt to defend his 100m, a feat which no other human has done, except for Carl Lewis, who was awarded the gold medal in 1988 after Ben Johnson tested positive for steroids," said Shakes.
"We, therefore, should not put too much pressure on our athletes as, although some of them are great, they are humans."
He added: "They are also young people and, as much as we would like them to, they may not be able to withstand the kind of expectations and pressure we put on them."
Shared sentiments
Harris, who, along with the other participants in the forum, spoke on factors which have assisted, as well as plagued the development of sports in the country, shared Shake's sentiments.
"Athletes will have their own challenges, some known, some unknown. It therefore means that we need to be patient with our athletes, and treat them well whether or not they achieve the milestones they did at the last Olympics," he said.
Bernard, in the meantime, suggested the country should treat athletes as if they were their own children.
"I fear that if the athletes fall short of expectations, the country will come down on them hard," she said.
"But I would like to encourage everybody that if our athletes take the field and fall short, treat them like your children, who have fallen short of expectations."
The trio's call comes months after a declaration at another Editors' Forum by head of Jamaica's delegation to the Olympics, Don Anderson, that the country should be guarded against expecting a repeat of the achievements at the 2008 Games. That declaration, made in May, was one Anderson repeated during a Kiwanis Club of Kingston luncheon two weeks ago.
"Immediately after Beijing, the United States regrouped and set up a committee and the objective, written or unwritten, is to undercut or to regain sprint dominance; take it back from Jamaica," Anderson told The Gleaner at the luncheon.
"I believe we can repeat, but here we are four years down the road, and more than likely the same people that won medals for us are the ones who are going to run again," he added.
The London Olympics will begin on July 27 and end August 12.
jermaine.lannaman@gleanerjm.com
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Arrrgh__It_s_a_bad__news_day_for_Olympics-162309826.html
Arrrgh: It's a bad news day for Olympics
Story Created: Jul 13, 2012 at 12:02 AM ECT
LONDON
With the Olympics just two weeks away, embarrassing logistical problems about security, staff, phones and traffic made the mood yesterday in London as gloomy as the weather.
British lawmakers clamoured for an explanation of why the armed forces need to field 3,500 more troops to protect the games, eclipsing the day that US track star Michael Johnson held the Olympic flame aloft at sunrise at the ancient monument at Stonehenge.
London's ageing infrastructure kept offering up unpleasant surprises as the main road near Heathrow Airport remained closed following emergency repairs. The British mobile phone company O2, meanwhile, acknowledged that thousands of customers had been affected by outages on its network—a bad omen ahead of the first iPhone games.
And then there was the weather. Rain on and off and on again.
London's Hyde Park—the site of outdoor concerts and other live events—has trucked in piles of wood chips to cover a muddy quagmire after the wettest June on record. Someone apparently decided that recreating Woodstock wasn't very Olympic-friendly.
Here's a look at the tsunami of bad news.
BRING ON THE TROOPS
British Home Secretary Theresa May confirmed that the government will deploy an additional 3,500 servicemen at the London Olympics amid concerns that a private security contractor had failed to recruit enough staff. The firm G4S had been enlisted to provide the bulk of the 13,200 private security guards across 100 Olympic venues.
British lawmakers questioned why the apparent gap in security had surfaced so late.
"G4S have let the country down and we have literally had to send in the troops," said opposition Labour Party lawmaker Keith Vaz, demanding to know when the issue was first identified and if G4S—which has millions in contracts from the British government—will suffer any financial penalties.
The move brings the total number of armed forces staff at the games to 17,000, dwarfing the 9,500 troops Britain has in Afghanistan.
The massive Olympic security operation also will feature 12,000 police, 3,000 volunteers, Typhoon fighter jets, helicopters, two warships and bomb disposal experts.
WELCOME TO BRITAIN: THE LINE FORMS HERE
The British media has been full of bad news lately about the queue, that long line at passport control while entering the island nation.
Those lines have been blamed on everything from airline schedules to too much wind, but everyone is looking for a way to bring the wait down. More people than ever used London's Heathrow Airport last year—nearly 70 million passengers– straining its traditional immigration desks.
A report from John Vine, the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, warned that border staff with only basic training and little immigration experience were being used to cut the length of the queues.
But the Home Office insists help is on the way. Starting this weekend, 500 more people will be manning those desks.
WILL YOU BE ABLE TO GET THERE FROM HERE?
London's ageing transport network continued to befuddle planners who have been working–some for years–to get the city spruced up for the games and for the hundreds of thousands of tourists expected.
The main road linking Heathrow to London and Olympic Park remained closed. The Highways Agency said repairs had reached a critical stage and would continue on a damaged overpass at least until the weekend.
But the big question mark remains as to whether the entire London transport infrastructure can handle the strain. The city's residents are accustomed to overcrowding and delays but tourists may find it shocking, said Tony Travers, a transport expert at the London School of Economics.
"At this point, we're in the lap of the gods," Travers said. "The London infrastructure is always led on a wing and a prayer."
AND THE RAIN IS A PAIN
The gloomy weather has the entire nation wondering if it will ever get sunny for longer than 15 minutes. The Met Office, Britain's national forecaster, has insisted that the wet start to July does not necessarily mean that it will rain during the Olympics, from July 27 to August 12.
"We could have some nice days," Met spokesman Dan Williams said, somewhat hopefully, although stressing it was still too early to offer any Olympic forecasts.
"It's understandable that people might feel gloomy, especially since we have had such a disappointing run this month," he admitted.
SO MUCH FOR THE IPHONE OLYMPICS
The scariest development for many has been a mobile phone outage.
British mobile phone company O2 restored its 2G and 3G services after a breakdown that hit some customers for as long as 24 hours Wednesday and yesterday.
That's not a good omen for the vast amounts of tweets and photos expected to be sent during what has been dubbed the "Twitter Games." Those responsible for London's fibre optic cables, phone masts and Wi-Fi hotspots are bracing for a tsunami of data.
O2 executives have said previously the company spent 50 million pounds (US$79 million) on Olympic-related projects.
IS IT JUST A BAD HAIR DAY OR SHOULD LONDON PANIC?
Historians like to note that with any human endeavour, things go wrong. Martin Polley, an Olympic historian at the University of Southampton, recalled that in the 1948 London Games, organisers forgot to get a union flag for the home team to carry into the stadium. Roger Bannister, who later shattered the four-minute mile, broke into a car to get one for the parade.
So is Jacques Rogge, the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), worried about the spate of bad news? Absolutely not.
"It's not peculiar for London. We've always had difficulties in the days leading up to the games in the previous games and the games were of an impeccable nature," he said.
Besides, there's still time to sort things out.
"We're confident that everything will be fine by the opening ceremony," Rogge said.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Black_power_salute__remembered_ahead__of_Olympics_-162309876.html
Black power salute remembered ahead of Olympics
Story Created: Jul 13, 2012 at 12:02 AM ECT
l LONDON
Tommie Smith was the first athlete to run the 200 metres inside 20 seconds, but he'll always be remembered instead for his clenched-fist black power salute on the medal podium at the 1968 Olympics.
Smith and fellow black American runner John Carlos wore black gloves and raised their fists during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Games in a protest that electrified the world and became an iconic image for the civil rights movement.
Over 40 years later, Smith is in London ahead of this year's Olympics where he attended the first British showing Wednesday of a film that documents the protest.
"Salute" shows how gold medal winner Smith, Carlos and the third man on the podium that day, Australian Peter Norman, were shunned by their countries for the defiant statement. Silver medallist Norman wore a human rights badge on the podium in support of the American pair and also was ostracised by the sporting establishment in his home country. He died in 2006.
Smith and Carlos were expelled from the Games under pressure from Olympic officials and despite Smith breaking the world record that day by running 19.83 seconds, his career in track slid away and he went on to play in the NFL. Both men suffered abuse at home and had threats against their lives.
The film that tells their story was written, directed and produced by the late Norman's nephew, Matt Norman, and originally released in 2008—the 40th anniversary of one of the Olympics' most memorable moments.
At the London premier of "Salute" Wednesday and just over two weeks ahead of the start of the 2012 Games, Smith said he thought current 200 world record holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica could break the 19-second barrier in the event. Bolt set his world record of 19.19 seconds in Berlin in 2009.
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Debbie Dunn tests positive - out of US women's 4x400m relay pool
http://www.flotrack.org/article/13487-Debbie-Is-Dunn
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Lets's prayer none of our don't make that "mistake" at this time. Plz Lord.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163362.html
Sorrillo eyes golden glory
Sunday, July 15 2012
When Rondell Sorrillo flashed past the finish line in 20.04 seconds at the recent NAAA National Championships at the hasely Crawford Stadium in Port-of-Spain, he became the national 200 metre sprint king for the fourth time in five years. The day before, Sorrillo captured third place in the premier 100 metres event behind Keston Bledman and Richard Thompson, a clear signal that he is ready for the London Olympics.
This will be Sorillo’s second appearance on the Olympic stage. He competed in Beijing, China, in 2008, where he earned the distinction of being the only man to finish ahead of the phenomenal Jamaican Usain Bolt. This happened in the early rounds of the 200 metres when Bolt coasted in behind Sorrillo to save his energy for the final, which he eventually won in record time.
The road to national prominence has not been easy for the La Brea son-of-the-soil. Throughout his career he has had to battle against poor facilities, inadequate funding, substandard equipment and a sceptical public. Fortunately, he is blessed with a determination and a self-discipline that pushes him to overcome every obstacle in his path and drives him to higher levels of achievement. These qualities are reflected not only in his outstanding athletic career, but also in his academic success. He is currently completing undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering at the University of Kentucky, United States, and expects to graduate in 2013. He has already obtained an Associate Degree in the same field from the University of Trinidad and Tobago.
For now, however, he is fully focussed on the London Olympics and is looking forward to competing in both the 200 metre sprint and the 4x100 metre relay. Following his performance at the NAAA championships, he told Sunday Newsday, “I know that I have a lot more to give in the 200 metres because I was tired after running the 100 the day before. I am really looking forward to the Olympics, especially the sprint relay. I am more confident and a lot less nervous than I was four years ago and I believe that I am as good as anyone else at the Olympics. I am feeling good and I intend to do my best.”
Sorrillo attributes his success to his family and the people of La Brea. His father, Kelvin Sorrillo, a school teacher and former athlete, has been guiding his career from the very beginning.
The senior Sorrillo is very proud of his son’s achievements.
“Rondel has always been a very disciplined and determined individual. He works very hard and he takes his training very seriously. He was never a boastful person and he prefers to let his running do the talking,” the elder Sorrillo told Sunday Newsday.
The proud father firmly believes that his talented son will be climbing the medal rostrum at the London Olympics.
He added, “Rondel is in great shape and at 26 years old he is at his peak. I think he will surprise a lot of people in London”.
The La Brea community is similarly proud of Sorrillo’s achievements and always knew he was destined for the top of the athletic pool locally. This is not surprising, given that the community has had a strong tradition of producing top sportsmen and women. Former national footballers Anthony Rougier and Philbert Jones are from tiny Sobo Village in La Brea, as well as former star of West Indies cricket Gus Logie. On the female side there is former national women’s footballer Tamar Watson.
Another current La Brea resident who originally made his name in neighbouring Point Fortin is Alvin ‘Flash” Daniel, who represented Trinidad and Tobago at the Barcelona Olympics in 1998.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Much_work_to_do__before_London_is_ready-162545046.html
Much work to do before London is ready
Story Created: Jul 15, 2012 at 11:56 PM ECT
l LONDON
With the opening ceremony less than two weeks away, there's a mad dash to the finish line at the Olympics and it has nothing to do with sprinters.
Hundreds of construction workers are toiling away inside the Olympic Park, laying cables, installing seats and adding the last layers of sparkle and polish to the venues.
There's plenty to do.
"It's looking a bit industrial isn't it?" said Chris Allen, a Londoner who came to the edge of the park to have a look. "I am not seeing England's green fields. I do hope it's going to look better."
Shades of Athens, where chronic delays pushed workers to the brink to complete preparations in time for the games to start in 2004? Hardly, say London organisers who have prided themselves on finishing their massive construction project ahead of time and on budget. Things may look a bit messy now, they say, but all will be fine by the time the curtain goes up, on July 27, when the torch is lit.
"We're not at the stage yet where we're ready to flick the TV on," James Bulley, director of venues for organising committee LOCOG, told The Associated Press. "The athletes aren't ready to start competing yet, either. We want all our venues to look absolutely spectacular and pristine.
"The venues are ready. We're now just doing the final setup for the games. We're in a good place. We're on track. There's nothing I'm worried about."
The last few weeks and days are all about putting up signs, fitting in the remaining seats and completing the landscaping.
"We will be mowing lawns right up to the opening ceremony," LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe told the AP.
The last thing organisers need at this point is a crisis over readiness of the venues. At the moment, they're coping with the fallout from a bungled contract by private security group G4S that forced the government to call in about 3,500 additional troops—many just returned from tours of duty in Afghanistan—to fill the shortfall.
A walk through the 560-acre Olympic Park in east London this weekend, between yet another bout of rain showers, showed the scale of what remains to be done: a small army of workers, a sea of white tents, cranes, bulldozers, upturned tables and chairs, humming generators, television cables and rigging, a maze of fences.
Paul Gauger, who works for the tourism agency Visit Britain, surveyed a sad-looking wild flower patch near the aquatics center but took it in stride.
"This is all cosmetic stuff," he said. "Look! There are some flowers growing over there!"
Bulley said the venues, after the construction and fit-out phases, are now in their final "bump-in" period. Television networks from around the world are moving in and cabling the venues for their cameras. LOCOG's "look'" teams are completing the signage and colour schemes. Sports equipment is being shipped in.
"We're still putting in seats at probably 10 or so venues," Bulley said. "We're putting in 1,000 seats a day."
The "live site" in the Olympic Park—a grassy area where spectators can watch the events on a giant screen and listen to musical entertainment—is also unfinished.
"The bump-in looks quite messy, but you leave this to the last stages," Bulley said. "It's always the last thing you do in getting events ready. We want to work these venues right up to when the athletes are coming in so they look as good as possible."
Olympic Park isn't the only place getting dolled up.
So is Horse Guards Parade, the ceremonial parade ground a stone's throw from the Prime Minister's Downing Street residence in central London, and site of beach volleyball. It's a temporary venue which requires stands and 5,000 tons of sand brought in from a quarry south of London. Imagine a giant sandbox. Work started only late last month after the Trooping of the Color ceremony marking Queen Elizabeth II's birthday.
Another key venue requiring special attention is ExCel. The conference and exhibition centre in the Docklands area is being turned into multiple arenas hosting boxing, judo, table tennis, wrestling, fencing, taekwondo and weightlifting.
"We're well advanced," Bulley said. "We'll be ready to hand those arenas over as of early next week. We took the venues later than many of the others. We've always known the period we've had to deliver these venues. We track them very closely. We're in super shape."
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge said it's normal for host cities to face a flurry of last-ditch issues.
"It's not peculiar for London," he said. "We've always had difficulties in the days leading up to the games in the previous games and the games were of an impeccable nature. This is something that does not worry us. We're confident that everything will be fine by the opening ceremony day."
Even Andrew Boff, a member of the London Assembly and vocal critic of the Olympic project, has no doubts.
"It's the nature of any games," he said. "They look unfinished before you get there. But the venues are ready. They've been tested. You can do a lot in 12 days. If it weren't ready, Seb Coe would have his Lordship or knighthood taken away."
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Who is de full list of T&T athletics for de Olympics ?
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Who is de full list of T&T athletics for de Olympics ?
T&T 2012 OLYMPIC TEAM
Athletics
Men—Keston Bledman (100m, 4x100m), Richard Thompson (100m, 4x100m), Rondel Sorrillo (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Marc Burns (100m, 4x100m), Renny Quow (400m, 4x400m), Deon Lendore (400m, 4x400m), Lalonde Gordon (400m, 4x400m), Wayne Davis II (110m hurdles), Mikel Thomas (110m hurdles), Jehue Gordon (400m hurdles), Keshorn Walcott (javelin), Emmanuel Callender (4x100m), Jamol James (4x100m), Jarrin Solomon (4x400m), Machel Cedenio (4x400m), Ade Alleyne-Forte (4x400m)
Women—Kelly-Ann Baptiste (100m, 4x100m), Semoy Hackett (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Kai Selvon (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Michelle-Lee Ahye (100m, 4x100m), Josanne Lucas (100m hurdles), Janeil Bellille (400m hurdles), Ayanna Alexander (triple jump), Cleopatra Borel (shot put), Reyare Thomas (4x100m), Sparkle McKnight (4x100m)
Officials—Dexter Voisin (manager), Dr Ian Hypolite (head coach), Edwin Skinner (sprints/hurdles coach), Gunness Persad (sprints/hurdles coach), Ismael Lopez Mastrapa (throws coach)
Boxing
Carlos Suarez (light flyweight 46-49kg)
Officials—Reynold Cox (manager/coach), Raulson Dopwell (coach)
Cycling
Njisane Phillip (sprint, keirin)
Official—Peter Maharaj (manager/coach)
Sailing
Andrew Lewis (laser)
Officials—Kairon Serrette (manager), Fernando Alegre (coach)
Shooting
Roger Daniel (50m pistol, 10m air pistol)
Official—Altansetseg Byambajav (manager/coach)
Swimming
George Bovell (50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke)
Official—George Robert Bovell (manager/coach)
Chef de mission—Annette Knott
Assistant to Chef de mission—Wendell Labastide
Medical team—Dr Terry Ali (chief medical officer), Dr Anyl Gopeesingh (medical officer), Margaret Ottley (sports psychologist), Fitzbert Alleyne, Zephyrinus Nicholas, Ian Sharpe, Oba Gulston, Karielle De Bique (massage therapists/physiotherapists)
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163441.html
Lewis wants to help future Olympians
By RENALDO MATADEEN
Tuesday, July 17 2012
ANDREW Lewis is eager to build the sailing community after the 2012 London Olympics as he wants to help mould future Olympians in the sport.
“I do some mentoring now, but will definitely like to increase my reach. When I am in Trinidad, I would often return to the youth sailing school in Vessigny to lend assistance and mentor young sailors. I always look forward to the opportunity to speak with a group of kids and share my experiences and help them to attain their goals.”
Lewis is the first Laser-class sailor from TT off to the Olympics and is urging an influx of youngsters into the field despite the presence of other conventional sports locally.
“When I was younger I played all sports — football, cricket and even volleyball. Sailing was just another sport. I started learning to sail at age seven and would only really do it when I had time. When I turned nine, my dad got me my own little eight-foot boat. Then I became addicted with an unyielding love for the ocean,” he stated.
The 22-year-old further admitted, “The best part about this sport, for me, is the opportunity to do something I love in an environment that I love. I love the ocean and I am grateful every day for the fact that I am able to do this with my life right now. Sailing also offers you the chance to visit a number of countries around the world to compete.”
Lewis also encouraged academics as he aims to finish his business degree while dabbling in DJ-ing and surfing.
“I do have plans to complete my bachelor’s because I believe that this is extremely important as I prepare for life after sailing,” shared Lewis. He added that he was well prepared and not nervous.
He stated he was beyond excited for the Olympics and indicated he was dedicating his all to his dream.
“Like every young athlete, my dreams and ambitions include winning Olympic gold. As long as I compete, that will be my main focus. All of my efforts will be geared towards that. I would also like to compete in the prestigious Americas Cup and be an integral part to the growth of the sport of sailing in TT,” he ended.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163447.html
TT athletes safe in Wales
Tuesday, July 17 2012
THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Olympic team are safe in their pre-Games camp in Cardiff, Wales, despite reports recently in the beefing up of security at the Games Village in London, England.
Larry Romany, president of the TT Olympic Committee (TTOC), said yesterday, “the team is currently in Cardiff, Wales.
They are at a private facility and they would not have access to the Games Village.
“They will be going across to London on the 25th,” Romany added.
According to a BBC report yesterday, “police had to deploy extra officers from eight United Kingdom forces at short notice to help with security work for London 2012.
“This follows the news last week that 3,500 troops had been drafted in to plug gaps after private security firm G4S failed to recruit enough guards for the Games.”
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163438.html
Thanksgiving service for Walcott on Sunday
Tuesday, July 17 2012
RELATIVES of World Junior champion, Keshorn Walcott, will be hosting a Thanksgiving service on Sunday at the Mission RC Church, Toco, to celebrate Walcott’s golden performance in Barcelona, Spain on Friday.
Walcott, who grew up in Toco, launched a throw of 78.64 to win the coveted gold medal at the World Junior Championships and join an elite group of local athletes to be crowned champions at that competition. Former World 200m champion Ato Boldon, 400m hurdler Jehue Gordon, sprinter Darrel Brown, long jumper Rhonda Watkins and quarter-miler Renny Quow have achieved the same feat.
Walcott is now with the rest of the TT Olympic contingent in Cardiff where they will base before heading to London for the Olympics later this month. The 19-year-old has had a bumper year, winning gold at the National Track and Field Championships in June before securing the same medal at the CAC Junior Championship earlier this month in El Salvador.
Councillor Terry Rondon and the rest of the Toco community wish to give thanks for all Walcott has achieved as he represents the red, white and black with great distinction. Rondon made a donation to Walcott prior to him leaving for Spain and is elated to see a Toco resident excelling on the international stage.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/T_T_Olympic_athletes__settle_in_Wales-162674496.html
T&T Olympic athletes settle in Wales
Story Created: Jul 16, 2012 at 10:54 PM ECT
The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic team flew into Wales last weekend as they will be based in the Vale of Glamorgan as they prepare for the London 2012 Games.
The team was given a warm welcome by local school children as they arrived at the Vale Resort in Hensol. A group of excited year six pupils from St Helen's Primary School in Barry had made flags and banners and treated the team to a special performance of an Olympic song and dance that they had prepared.
Some of the team's athletes, boxers, sailors and swimmers were also given good luck cards by the children, and teacher Rebecca Benson said: "The children were really looking forward to this chance to meet the team and wish them all well for London 2012. During the last year we have worked on a wide range of Olympic and Paralympic themed activities in school, and we chose to focus on the Trinidad and Tobago team for a project so this is a fantastic way to round off our year."
The 50-strong Trinidad and Tobago team is one of 21 countries that the Welsh Government has attracted to Wales for their pre-Games training camps. With the 2014 Commonwealth Games taking place in Glasgow, a conscious effort was made to target Commonwealth countries, such as Trinidad and Tobago, with the intention of developing long-term relationships.
During their stay in the Vale, the Trinidad and Tobago athletics team is training at Cardiff's International Sports Stadium, and their track and field stars will also be on show at the stadium's 'Road to London' international athletics meeting which is taking place tomorrow.
The Trinidad and Tobago team includes a number of top Olympic medal prospects, such as 100m sprinters Keston Bledman and Richard Thompson and Kelly Ann Baptiste to name a few.
Welcoming their presence in Wales, Sports Minister Huw Lewis said: "Camps such as these provide an excellent opportunity to develop our sporting, educational and cultural exchanges with these countries, and I would like to extend a warm Welsh welcome to the Trinidad and Tobago team team. For children and local communities they give us the opportunity to learn more about other nations and provide us with a positive Games legacy for Wales."
Lewis added: "It is well known that sport is a major influence on young people and having athletes of global stature training on their doorstep and living in their communities will be hugely inspirational."
Vale Resort Sales and Marketing Director Paul Beddoe said: "We are delighted to be able to host the Trinidad and Tobago pre-Olympic training camp which is testament to both our and Wales' fantastic sporting facilities. We wish the team every success in the London 2012 Olympics."
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-16/warm-welcome-tt-olympians-wales
Warm welcome for T&T Olympians in Wales
Published: Tuesday, July 17, 2012
T&T’s Olympic team members were given a warm welcome by local school children as they arrived at the Vale Resort in Glamorgan, Wales where they are stationed as they prepare for the London 2012 Games. A group of excited year six pupils from St Helen’s Primary School in Barry made flags and banners and treated the team to a special performance of an Olympic song and dance that they had prepared. Some of the team’s athletes, boxers, cyclists, sailors and swimmers were also given good luck cards by the children, and teacher Rebecca Benson. The 60-strong T&T team is one of 21 countries that the Welsh Government has attracted to Wales for their pre-Games training camps. With the 2014 Commonwealth Games taking place in Glasgow, a conscious effort was made to target Commonwealth countries, such as T&T. The work to attract countries to Wales began several years ago, as Annette Knott, the T&T team’s Chef De Mission, said: “When this journey started three years ago, we always felt that it would have a wonderful ending. While we haven’t finished our journey yet, this has been an excellent experience so far.
From day one, everyone has gone out of their way to help us with lovely Welsh hospitality, and we were delighted to be given such a wonderful welcome from the young children of St Helen’s Primary School.” The T&T athletics team is training at Cardiff’s International Sports Stadium, and their track and field stars will also be on show at the stadium’s ‘Road to London’ international athletics meeting which is taking place tomorrow. The T&T team includes a number of top Olympic medal prospects, such as 100m sprinters Keston Bledman and Richard Thompson. Bledman is one of the fastest men in the world this year, having scorched to a career-best 9.86 seconds in Trinidad’s Olympic trials, while Thompson won the 100m silver medal four years ago in Beijing. In addition to their sprint kings, T&T’s other track and field stars include 400m runners Lalonde Gordon and Sparkle McKnight, as well as 400m hurdler Jehue Gordon.
Welsh Sports Minister Huw Lewis said: “Camps such as these provide an excellent opportunity to develop our sporting, educational and cultural exchanges with these countries, and I would like to extend a warm Welsh welcome to the T&T team team.”
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-17/olympic-display-earns-rave-reviews
Olympic display earns rave reviews
Published: Wednesday, July 18, 2012
A photographic display of select Trinidad and Tobago athletes bound for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games is drawing rave reviews at the atrium of the Piarco International Airport. The display, which features six bpTT athlete ambassadors, has captured the interest of travelers, both national and foreign, as well as members of the general public. The Olympic athletes are cyclist Njisane Phillip, sprinter Michelle-Lee Ayhe, quarter-miler Renny Quow and female shotputter Cleopatra Borel-Brown. Shot putt athlete Carlos Greene and swimmer Shanntol Ince will compete in the Paralympic Games which will take place shortly after the Olympics. The eye-catching display features life-size action photographs of the athletes, along with detailed biographical sketches of their sporting careers.
Trinidad and Tobago’s achievements at past Olympic games are also recounted in the display, dating back to this country’s first medalist, weightlifter Rodney Wilkes, who won a silver medal in London in 1948. The display, which was made possible by the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, will run until August. Danielle Jones, Manager, Corporate Communications, BP Trinidad and Tobago, said yesterday that the display was meant to generate greater interest and national pride in the herculean efforts of Trinidad and Tobago’s athletes who will be flying the national flag at Olympic and Paralympic Games. “The display at Piarco is one of several initiatives that bpTT is spearheading to fuel the success of our athletes at both games. “Our objective goes beyond sponsorship; it is about supporting and showcasing the best that our nation has to offer. “We are fully supportive of all our Olympic and Paralympic athletes, not only the bpTT athlete ambassadors,” Jones pointed out. Energy company BP Trinidad and Tobago is a sponsor of the T&T Olympic Committee and the T&T Paralympic Committee. Parent company BP is the official Oil and Gas partner of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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Knee injury forces Lucas out Olympics
Published: Thursday, July 19, 2012
Josanne Lucas, at the Berlin World Championships, where she won the bronze medal. Lucas was ruled out of the London Olympics with a ‘career threatening knee injury’ yesterday. AP PHOTO.
A recurring knee injury has forced World Championships bronze medalist Josanne Lucas out of the 2012 Olympic Games, which are due to start in London, England in just over a week. Lucas sustained the injury while competing in her pet event, the 400 metres hurdles at the Savo Games in Lapinlahti, Finland on July 8. Olympic officials were hoping the 24-year-old Tobago born Lucas would have passed a final fitness test yesterday, which would have allowed her to be registered as part of the T&T contingent for access into the Olympic Games village. However, a release from the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) stated that Lucas was attended by the head of the team's medical staff, Dr Terry Ali, who assessed the injury and diagnosed it as “career threatening and requiring immediate surgery.” Lucas, who won a bronze medal at the 2009 Berlin World Championships, pulled up after clearing two hurdles in Finland, after experiencing difficulty in her left knee.
However, she took her place in the Olympic contingent and was a member of the pre-Games training camp in Cardiff, Wales. The release added that Lucas left Wales and flew to Miami for surgery. T&T Chef-de mission Annette Knott said the news was disheartening for all members of the team. “Athletes all around the world dream all their lives of participating at the Olympic Games. They work very hard to prepare and qualify and to have that snatched away can be gut wrenching.”
Knott added that Lucas remains positive and is eager to rebound from the injury in time for next year's World Championships in Moscow, Russia. “Josanne has an indomitable spirit and even though she was hugely disappointed, she had a positive outlook. She told me that the disappointment of not getting beyond the heats in Beijing, inspired her to go on and win a bronze medal at the 2009 IAAF World Championships. So she is already anticipating that 2013 will be her year.”
Lucas’ father, Durly, is expected to join his daughter in Miami today. He said yesterday that both he and his wife, Juliet, will fly out to London along with other family members, since they had already planned to attend the Games. A disappointed Lucas said the news was tough but injuries were part of the process. Among the athletes who will be in the Games Village and was registered yesterday was Keston Bledman. On Friday, Bledman failed to qualify for the 100 metres final at the Aviva London Grand Prix after finishing fourth in his heat. He also skipped the relay after feeling tightness in his leg while in the starting blocks. Bledman flew to Germany for treatment and was diagnosed with a twisted pelvis. TTOC general secretary Brian Lewis said yesterday that Bledman's visit to Germany may have been precautionary. He said if the problem was grave, the TTOC would have been informed. He said he expects Bledman to take his place in the 100 metres final which will have its opening round on August 4.
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Hang in there Josanne, tough luck, but you will be back
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Injured_Lucas_out_Olympics-162987926.html
Injured Lucas out Olympics
Story Created: Jul 19, 2012 at 12:41 AM ECT
Injury has forced Josanne Lucas out of the 2012 Olympic Games, in London, England.
In a Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) press release, yesterday, Team T&T's chef de mission, Annette Knott said the injury has to be attended to urgently.
"Athletes all around the world dream all their lives of participating at the Olympic Games. They work very hard to prepare and qualify and to have that snatched away can be gut wrenching. It is a career threatening injury that required immediate surgery. The decision was taken following consultation with the head of our medical staff, Dr Terry Ali."
Lucas was scheduled to leave London yesterday, for Miami, USA, where she will have knee surgery.
At the 2008 Olympic Games, in Beijing, China, Lucas was eliminated in the opening round of the women's 400 metres hurdles. She bounced back the following year, bagging bronze in the same event at the World Championships, in Berlin, Germany.
Lucas was expected to compete in the 100m hurdles in London. Now, though, the 28-year-old athlete will have to watch the event on television. Knott said that in spite of the huge disappointment, Lucas has a positive outlook.
"Josanne told me a year after the disappointment of Beijing she won the bronze medal at the 2009 IAAF World Championships, so she is anticipating that 2013 will be her year."
Yesterday, Knott attended the Delegation Registration Meeting (DRM), in London. The DRM is the final stage of the process before members of the T&T team can enter the Olympic Village.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/athletics/9410170/London-2012-Olympics-Usain-Bolt-orders-special-bed-to-boost-his-gold-medal-prospects.html
London 2012 Olympics: Usain Bolt orders special bed to boost his gold medal prospects
By John Percy
11:50PM BST 18 Jul 2012
Usain Bolt is sleeping in a specially designed orthopaedic bed at his training base in Birmingham to ensure he does not suffer a recurrence of the back and hamstring injuries which disrupted his planning for London 2012.
Bolt, the London Games’ leading attraction, arrived at Jamaica's training camp at the University of Birmingham on Sunday but after his first two nights there, his coach Glen Mills raised concerns about his bed.
Mills asked for it to be replaced by a custom-built 7ft mattress, which Bolt used for the first time on Tuesday night.
The Olympic 100 metres and 200m champion withdrew from Thursday’s grand prix in Monaco after complaining of tightness in his hamstring in the aftermath of his defeat by Yohan Blake at the Jamaican Olympic trials last month.
Zena Wooldridge, the director of sport at the University of Birmingham, said: “There was a fear Usain would be uncomfortable with his bed so in the last few days we’ve had a special orthopaedic mattress made for him.
“Coach Mills wanted the bed made as a precaution so Usain was as comfortable as possible. We used a bed company to supply us with half a dozen 7ft beds for some other athletes so they made us the new mattress. Usain spent his first night in it on Tuesday.
“It’s absolutely critical that the athletes are looked after while they’re staying in Birmingham so we were only too happy to help.”
Bolt, who is 6ft 5in and has a chronic back problem he has had to manage throughout his record-breaking exploits on the track, flew to see controversial German Dr ‘Healing’ Hans Müller-Wohlfahrt after withdrawing from the meeting in Monaco.
As well as Bolt’s orthopaedic mattress, six other 7ft beds have been made for the other taller Jamaican athletes.
The Jamaicans are using the University of Birmingham campus, based in Edgbaston, as their pre-Olympics training camp until next Thursday, when they will move down to London in time for the opening ceremony.
The team consists of 50 athletes, including current 100m world champion Blake and women’s World 200m gold medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown, plus around 25 staff.
The university began their preparations to care for the team five years ago and all has been designed to make the Jamaicans feel as much at home as possible – with painstaking attention even being paid to the food on offer in the restaurant.
However, Wayne Willis, who is the site’s sous chef and has worked there since 2003, revealed there has been one glaring absence from the menu.
“We’ve managed to source most of the food apart from a whole goat’s head,” he said. “We asked the butchers we use but struggled to get one so we’ve used diced goat meat instead and there haven’t been any complaints.
"We’ve also got about 95 per cent of the fruits and vegetables except for callaloo, which is a type of cabbage.
“I’ve been working with a Jamaican chef, Thomas, who’s come over especially and we’ve really hit it off as we’re trying to meet the same common goal. He liaised with some of the athletes and the feedback has been very good.”
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Let's hope the T&T Camp are doing like the Britons and the Americans to escape the bad British weather.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/Jamaicans-endure-cold-weather-while-Britons--Americans-flee-#ixzz21BOpIDFy
Jamaicans endure cold weather while Britons, Americans flee
BY PAUL A REID Observer Writer reidp@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, July 20, 2012
BIRMINGHAM, England — News reaching the Jamaica Observer team are that while the Jamaican track and field athletes who have arrived at the training base are competing with poor weather conditions, the British track and field team as well as members of the USA and other countries have sought warmer climates to continue their preparations.
The weather has been very cool here with the weak sun coming out for short periods only to be covered by thick grey clouds with periods of intermittent rain.
The temperature plummeted yesterday and at least three athletes, who were among a group that went to a popular shopping mall in the centre of the city, complained of being 'cold' and wore heavy sweat suits.
The British team is reported to be in Portugal where it is said to be sunny and warm while members of the USA sprint contingent were in Spain where they had similar warm conditions.
There were also media reports of African athletes fleeing the cool climates of the United Kingdom to seek warmth and sunshine elsewhere.
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Let's hope the T&T Camp are doing like the Britons and the Americans to escape the bad British weather.
Leh make ah bet, nah!
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Maybe, staying put will be best. What do they say? "what won't kill you will make you stronger?"
Regular emphasis on properly warming up during final workouts will be beneficial in advance of the games, whereas coming in from very warm weather may be more of a shock to the body; it may backfire on the other teams. No sense running away from the inevitable, British weather during the OG.
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Maybe, staying put will be best. What do they say? "what won't kill you will make you stronger?"
Regular emphasis on properly warming up during final workouts will be beneficial in advance of the games, whereas coming in from very warm weather may be more of a shock to the body; it may backfire on the other teams. No sense running away from the inevitable, British weather during the OG.
I agree STMB. This is good fine tuning. Caribbean sprinters are accustomed to running in bright sunny weather. With the likelihood of having overcast weather in London.. Training in bad conditions as opposed to good conditions, is a good idea.
Last I checked, Trinidad was doing their training in Wales. Wales has the same weather conditions as London. So, maybe we might benefit as well.
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Most of our athletes campaigned in the US. They should not be strangers to cold weather. Do what they do when in the US.
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forecast for next week is mid-twenties (celsius) which is ideal.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Serrette_expects_relay_success-163262916.html
Serrette expects relay success
By Kwame Laurence kwame.laurence@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Jul 20, 2012 at 11:59 PM ECT
National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) president, Ephraim Serrette is anticipating relay success at the July 27-August 12 Olympic Games, in London, England.
Trinidad and Tobago will field teams in the men's 4x100 metres, women's 4x100m and men's 4x400m events.
Serrette told the Express he does not like making predictions, but is confident all three relay teams will do well. The former sprinter is particularly excited about T&T's 4x4 prospects.
"The men's 4x4, from my knowledge, I think they have a better chance than the other relays."
At last month's National Championships, Renny Quow, Lalonde Gordon, Jarrin Solomon and Deon Lendore combined for a new national record, the T&T quartet stopping the clock at three minutes, 00.45 seconds. Gordon and Solomon subsequently improved their personal best clockings in the individual 400m. Gordon produced a 45.02 seconds run in Nebraska, USA, while Solomon clocked 45.31 in Bottrop, Germany.
"With the recent performances of the quarter-milers, we should do well."
Serrette said Keston Bledman's injury is not serious, and that he expects the national sprint champion to be a serious contender for a men's 100m medal at the London Games. The NAAA president is also anticipating success for Kelly-Ann Baptiste in the women's 100m.
Serrette said javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott's participation at the Games is a significant development for T&T track and field. Last week, in Barcelona, Spain, Walcott captured the world junior title.
"As a junior athlete, making the final 12 at the Olympics would be a major achievement. It would open doors for other athletes in an event we're not traditionally strong in. It's not just about sprinting. We've been having the Multi-event Championships to expose athletes to all the events."
T&T will be represented by 30 athletes at the London Games, including 25 in track and field. Serrette said this is due in part to the development work being done by the NAAA.
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The 4x400m relay team should perform well on paper. Hope each member brings or betters their current form, that Quow steps in up his times when it counts, and that they get a lot of passing exchange practice - that and coaching incoming runners to expect to sprint 410m can gain a team 1-2 seconds if done properly.
The 4x100m relay team is also looking very good for medal contention. Funny how in the shorter relay it is more about fluid baton exchanges than the amount of speed on paper.
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I don't think that training in cold weather can be more benficial..just does not make sense.
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Preparing for say the Penn Relays in NY vs FL does make a difference especially if competition weekend in spring turns out to be colder vs. warmer. Your body tends to be more prepared to respond to the cooler competition conditions than if you flew in a few days before from a much warmer climate. In the case of the latter, as much as you try, you tend to run more stiffly as your body is still bracing from the change in conditions. How long your body takes to adjust varies from athlete to athlete; have experienced it personally.
In some recent articles some of the British and French sprinters have stated that the difference in PBs between them and the US and Jamaicans will not have as big an effect, due to them being more accustomed to training and competing the cooler weather.
The risk however to training in Wales for the T&T athletes is that they need to be instructed daily to spend extra time warming up and warming down, and wearing the proper gear, else they will be susceptible to injuries.
The realities are: 1. T&T does not have the budget to go elsewhere at this late stage, and 2. The OG competition is not just a couple of days, it will last more than a week in conditions that may likely be rainy and cool. The better prepared and adjusted they are, the greater their probability of competing well.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163690.html
Boldon inspires TT athletes
Sunday, July 22 2012
FOUR-TIME Olympic medallist Ato Boldon was the star of the show yesterday as he delivered a motivational speech to the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic athletes and officials, during their training camp at the Vale Resort in Hensol, Wales.
According to Dexter Voisin, manager of the TT athletic unit, “Ato spoke well and he really inspired the team to do their best in London.”
Boldon, who medalled at both the 100 and 200 metres in the 1996 Olympics (Atlanta, United States) and the 2000 Olympics (Sydney, Australia), will be at the Games in his capacity as a track and field analyst for the American television network NBC.
On his Twitter feed, Boldon stated, “this TT team gives me confidence seeing them in camp. One of our more balanced teams. I think they can surprise many.”
Voisin revealed that 2008 Olympic Games 100-metre silver medallist Richard Thompson was due to join the squad in Wales yesterday evening (Wales time) while national 100m champions Keston Bledman and Kelly-Ann Baptiste will enter the camp this morning to start their preparations for both the sprints and the relays.
“We did some training (yesterday) but the main focus was getting the athletes ready to hear the speech from Ato Boldon,” said Voisin. “The visit was arranged by BPTT who had some (dignitaries) from London in attendance.”
In related news, Njisane Phillip, Trinidad and Tobago’s lone cyclist at the Olympic Games, was engaged in a Twitter chat with one of his sponsors Bmobile yesterday.
The 21-year-old was speaking from his training base at the Velocity High Performance, Southern California, under the tutelage of his coach Ken Vick.
He stated that he will be leaving on Wednesday to join the TT team at the Olympic Village in London. And, at the Games, in the men’s sprint, he boasts, “I’m going for that Olympic record (of) 9.79 (seconds).”
Phillip continued, “I passed the time in a 9.775 (clocking) but I have to do it at the Olympics, so that’s what I have to do.”
He admitted that he is “not nervous” as it will be “just another day on the job. Not thinking about it too much, just staying calm.” With his focus now on training, he stressed that his routine features “lots of gym, sprints (and) road riding.”
And he urged the aspiring local cyclists to “follow your dreams, don’t give up, give 100 percent at all times.”
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Games_chiefs_hit_back_at_critics-163369976.html
Games chiefs hit back at critics
Story Created: Jul 22, 2012 at 11:41 PM ECT
l LONDON
Organisers of the Olympics hit back yesterday at cynics after weeks of negative headlines, saying criticism over planning mistakes and costs were being outweighed by a surge in public excitement as the gala opening ceremony nears.
Britain's famously caustic media, which have highlighted security and transport problems before the July 27-August 12 Games, also seemed to adopt a more positive stance as thousands turned out to cheer the Olympic torch relay through London.
"I think possibly what we're going through as a nation, as a city is that necessary, pre-curtain-up moment of psychological self-depression before the excitement begins on Friday when the curtain goes up," London Mayor Boris Johnson told the BBC. "The mood is perceptibly changing. People are starting to get really excited here in London about the arrival of the torch.... The last remaining clouds of dampness and Olympo-scepticism are going to be banished," he later told Sky News.
Thousands turned out in London on Saturday as the Olympic torch relay began the final leg of its journey around Britain, and yesterday the flame was carried to the top of the London Eye ferris wheel opposite Big Ben and the houses of parliament.
In the coming days, the torch will be carried around London's religious, political and royal landmarks, culminating in the lighting of the Olympic cauldron in east London.
The run-up to the Games has been dogged by weeks of rain and difficulties in recruiting enough security staff, prompting the government to draft thousands of extra army personnel to make up for the shortfall.
Transport delays also loom over the Games, with border staff planning to strike on July 26—expected to be one of the busiest days in the history of London's Heathrow airport—over job cuts and pay, and train drivers in central England set to walk out on August 6-8 in a dispute over pension contributions.
London's underground rail network, a 19th-century creation, may struggle to cope with tens of thousands of Olympic tourists.
The government and the union representing border staff yesterday appeared no closer to averting industrial action.
"People are working at breaking point. When passengers are queuing at Heathrow for four hours, they take their anger out on front-line border staff and nobody should have to work in those conditions," said union boss Mark Serwotka.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt gave little ground.
"Surely this is a time not for promoting an industrial grievance, but putting the country first," he said.
The spat has added to a slew of negative headlines about the Games and a raft of logistical headaches for Olympic organisers.
Writing in the Daily Mail newspaper, Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London Olympic organising committee, said the words "fiasco, chaos and crisis" had become the new currency of journalists, who describe his committee as "dysfunctional".
"Sometimes you fight back because the reportage bears no resemblance to reality.... You have the insatiable desire to start every explanation to your inquisitor with: 'Lighten up. We are staging the greatest celebration of sport'," he said.
Britain's press, however, appeared to be joining the Games bandwagon yesterday, dedicating pages to the torch relay in London and giving away special Olympic guides and supplements.
Still, jitters hang over the Games, with 2012 being the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Munich attack by Palestinian militants that killed 11 Israeli Olympic team members—a reminder of the security challenges ahead.
"This is an event that is naturally attractive, even if there aren't concrete alerts. Readiness and vigilance are required .... Things like the Munich massacre have happened in the past," Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak told reporters.
Olympic organisers on Saturday ruled out marking the anniversary of the killings at the London opening ceremony, despite campaigning by the victims' families.
For one Olympic team, security problems began before they had even left home, with the president of Libya's Olympic Committee Nabil Elalem taken from his car by gunmen in Tripoli last week, before being freed yesterday.
A colleague said he may still make it to the Games.
Pope Benedict, speaking during his regular Sunday address, said he hoped the London Games —the first in the British capital since 1948—would foster world peace.
"I pray that, in the spirit of the Olympic truce, the goodwill generated by this international sporting event may bear fruit, promoting peace and reconciliation throughout the world."
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163745.html
TT sprinters focus on relays
Monday, July 23 2012
TRINIDAD and Tobago sprinters focussed on baton passing yesterday, particularly the men and women 4x100-metres relay teams, during their pre- Olympic camp at the Wales Track and Field Stadium.
Dexter Voisin, manager of the TT athletic team for the London Olympic Games, made this disclosure during a brief interview yesterday from the team’s base at the Vale Resort in Hensol, Wales.
“Kelly Ann (Baptiste), Richard (Thompson) and (Keston) Bledman joined the camp,” said Voisin. “Both relay teams, the 4x100m women and men, worked (yesterday) afternoon and did their first session of baton passing.”
The Stadium is located 15 minutes away from the Vale Resort.
Asked if the athletes, particularly Baptiste and Bledman, were suffering with jet lag after arriving on the camp yesterday morning, Voisin stressed, “they weren’t jet-lagged.
Everybody came just within an hour (on their) flight.
“Kelly Ann and Bledman came from Amsterdam (in Netherlands) which is just an hour (from Wales). So there was no jet lag.
Voisin continued, “the session went well and, as the manager of the team, (I’ll say) the coaches were pleased with the session (yesterday) afternoon.”
Concerning today’s plans, Voisin said, “we leave the camp on Wednesday so we have two days down here at the Wales training camp.
“(Today) they go back to their individual programmes and on Tuesday we have baton passing practice again,” he ended.
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Here is the new Olympic Journey & 50th Anniversary song from Double M.
Machel Montano - Going For Gold [T&T Olympic Journey & 50th Anniversary]
http://www.youtube.com/v/DTyNZMiWVlM
Still prefer the Kes "We Are Conquerors" song that was released since March this year.
IMHO MM's song is a little too late to catch on now in time for Olympics which starts this weekend.
Kes The Band - We Are Conquerors (Island Pop 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/v/dT_B9FbOArA
Kes The Band - We Are Conquerors (Live Launching back in March)
http://www.youtube.com/v/Ip2Ef69sgiA
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163790.html
Athletes leave for Olympic Village tomorrow
By STEPHON NICHOLAS Tuesday, July 24 2012
THE Trinidad and Tobago Olympic contingent will leave their camp in Wales tomorrow for the Olympic Village in London as the countdown to Friday’s opening of sports’ biggest stage continues.
Chef de Mission, Annette Knott, has already arrived at the Village and is ensuring everything is in place for when this country’s athletes decamp.
Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Dexter Voisin, manager, TT athletics team, revealed that the athletes’ preparations have intensified even further. He noted that although the opening ceremony for the London Games is less than a week away, the athletes are focussed primarily on their training.
“In terms of training, they are still in their final preparation and placing emphasis on their events. The mood will change when we go to the Village but for now they’re just focussed on their preparation,” Voisin said.
While in their downtime, however, Voisin revealed that a room has been set aside at the Vale Hotel in Wales for the athletes to relax. There are pool tables, video games and other forms of entertainment available for the athletes to unwind and enjoy themselves.
Meanwhile, Voisin expressed satisfaction with what he has seen from the TT relay teams at their training sessions at the Wales Track and Field Stadium. This country 4x100 men picked up silver at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and the World Championships a year later and expectations are high for the Women’s 4x100m and Men’s 4x400m teams to pick up a medal.
“They practiced yesterday (Sunday) and will practice again today (Monday). This is the first time in a major tournament really that we’ve got to do baton practice.
“Usually the focus is on preparing for your individual event first but this is the benefit of having a camp,” the manager declared.
Citing the disastrous efforts by the US men and women’s 4x100m teams at the 2008 Olympics where the baton was dropped in each race, Voisin argued that one can not take anything for granted when it comes to relays. He noted that TT have improved significantly in their transition of the baton especially the 4x100m men who have gotten ample time to practice.
Commenting on the efforts of our athletes at the Welsh Athletics International last week, Voisin was delighted that they were able to get some competitive action under their belt but noted that the conditions were quite unfriendly.
“The weather condition was terrible. It was windy and very cold, it wasn’t the best for performing,” he said, “It has changed, though, and the sun is out. It hasn’t rained for the week and you can go to practice in sleeveless jerseys,” he revealed.
Asked to comment on whether this country can improve on their medal count of two from 2008, Voisin was unwilling to make any predictions.
“I don’t ever make predictions because what is important is making your way through the (early) rounds (of competition). The focus is on reaching the finals,” he pointed out.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163780.html
TTOC boss heads to London
Tuesday, July 24 2012
LARRY ROMANY, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC), left for London, England yesterday for the Olympic Games, which begins on Friday and runs until August 12.
Romany is expected to attend the opening ceremony as well as the events featuring TT athletes.
According to a story on the TTOC website, “the national Olympic Committee chief will also represent the TTOC at a number of meetings and other events that will take place during the London 2012 Olympics. Including in his packed schedule is an important meeting with current TTOC partner Adidas.
Romany said most of the measures the TTOC have put in place for
the national participants are bearing fruit.
“Based on the feedback from our athletes. the pre-Olympic training camp in Cardiff, Wales has gone well,” he said. “There is a very positive vibe in the camp. So far so good.” The pre-Olympic camp will come to an end tomorrow with the TT athletes and coaches heading for the Olympic Village in London.
A visit to the TT quarters in the Olympic Village is the first order of business for Romany.
“Within hours of my arrival in London I will head over to the Olympic Village to meet with the chef de mission (Annette Knott) and the members of the team,” he said.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Powell_among_athletes_yet_to_arrive-163499196.html
Powell among athletes yet to arrive
Story Created: Jul 23, 2012 at 11:00 PM ECT
l BIRMINGHAM
Days before the end of its pre-Olympics training camp here at the University of Birmingham, sprinter Asafa Powell, along with two reigning Olympic champions, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Melaine Walker, are yet to join the Jamaican team.
Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president Mike Fennell had said arrangements would be made with athletes who were scheduled for meets during the camp, but while some like Michael Frater, Nesta Carter and Andrew Riley came in and out, others like Powell, Walker, Fraser-Pryce, Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Kaliese Spencer are yet to report.
Fraser-Pryce and Spencer ran in London more than a week ago, Walker competed on Friday in Monaco while Powell has not touched the track since the Jamaica Trials.
On Saturday, Kerron Stewart, Christine Day, Latoya Greaves and Rusheen McDonald joined the group in Birmingham.
When questioned on Sunday about the athletes who were yet to arrive, team leader Ludlow Watts was evasive.
"I wouldn't even want to call individual names," Watts said, when pressed by journalists to name athletes who were yet to arrive.
"This camp has been a bit unique. In the past we have never had so many people compete in so many meets during camp."
He added: "This has being a most unusual one because we have a number of people who have been in and out, and a number of people who have to do a few things differently."
He conceded the situation was not ideal, noting it would have been good to have all athletes in camp at the same time.
However, he said all athletes were expected to be in camp by yesterday.
Over the years, Jamaica's governing body for track and field, the JAAA, has threatened sanctions on athletes who failed to turn up for mandatory camps.
But Watts stressed that there were extenuating factors this time around.
"It's mandatory, but I am saying to you because of the unusual situations this year, there is a number of people who had to be in and out for various reasons," he contended.
Pressed on what would happen if all the athletes did not arrive by Monday for the last two days of the camp, Watts said: "We would be rather surprised and we would cross that bridge [when we get there]."
Jamaica have picked a 50-member contingent for the Olympics which open in London on Friday, with track and field accounting for all but three members of the large team.
–CMC
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/All_eyes_on_Bolt_s_legs-163499206.html
All eyes on Bolt's legs
Story Created: Jul 23, 2012 at 11:00 PM ECT
l LONDON
Organisers may think the most closely-guarded secret of the 2012 Games is who will light the Olympic flame, but of far greater interest to the wider sporting public is the condition of Usain Bolt's right hamstring.
The Jamaican triple gold medallist from Beijing is the number one attraction of the London Games, but the question mark over his fitness has added an extra layer of intrigue to what is already an eye-wateringly exciting 100 metres race.
Bolt needed some stretching and massage treatment for a tight hamstring following his 200m defeat by Yohan Blake in the Jamaican trials at the start of the month, having also lost to Blake in the 100m days earlier when he looked to be nursing the injury with a tentative start.
He immediately withdrew from last Friday's Monaco Diamond League meeting where he had been due to run the 200m in a last race before the Olympics.
Bolt then travelled to Germany to see renowned German sports doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, though his agent Ricky Simms said the trip had been long-scheduled as part of his regular "prehabilitation" regime.
The 6ft 5ins (1.95m) sprinter suffered with hamstring troubles early in his career, a problem linked to a curvature in his spine, and has to put himself through a gruelling stretching and conditioning regime to prevent any recurrence.
"He had a slightly tight hamstring during the trials and that's why possibly he didn't push as hard as he could have," Simms said recently when assuring the public that his man would be in good shape for London.
"He was just protecting that. The main thing at the trials was to get through and get on the team for the Olympic Games.
"His coach decided that he needs to get a little bit of massage and treatment on that and rest up, and then train again hard next week so that he's ready for the Olympic Games."
Bolt, like the rest of the all-conquering Jamaica athletics squad, is training behind closed doors in Birmingham, around 100 miles north of London, before moving south for the start of the track and field programme on August 3.
Running with aches and niggles are part and parcel of an international sprinter's life but winning a multi-round championship with an injury is another matter all together.
Bolt, who has been given a specially-made 7ft bed in his Birmingham quarters, will also be defending his 200 metres title and will hope to help Jamaica defend the 4x100 gold they also won in world record time four years ago.
That programme represents a minimum of nine separate races in eight days and while some of the heats will be run on cruise control, the semis and finals will be at full bore.
That is a punishing regime for a fully-fit athlete but an impossible one for a sprinter with the slightest question mark over a hamstring.
Teammate and former world record holder Asafa Powell withdrew from the London Diamond League meeting on July 13 with a groin injury while Tyson Gay, the second-fastest man in the world, needed treatment for a minor groin strain after winning that race in cold and wet conditions.
Gay failed to make the 100m final four years ago as he ran with a groin/hip problem which eventually needed surgery and will be desperate to toe the line fully fit this time.
Should Bolt, Gay, Powell and Blake all start the heats on August 4 it will be the first time since the introduction of electronic timing in 1968 that the four current fastest men in the world will all be racing each other for Olympic Gold.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Romany__All_is_well__in_T_T_Olympic_camp-163499256.html
Romany: All is well in T&T Olympic camp
Story Created: Jul 23, 2012 at 11:00 PM ECT
Things are going as planned so far in Trinidad and Tobago's pre-Olympics training camp in Cardiff, Wales, according to T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) president Larry Romany.
In a TTOC press release yesterday, Romany said there have been no problems in camp as T&T prepare for the 2012 London Games, which open on Friday.
Said Romany: "Based on the feedback from our athletes, the pre Olympic training camp in Cardiff, Wales has gone well. There is a very positive vibe in the camp. So far so good."
Romany was expected to leave T&T yesterday for London, where he will attend the Games' opening ceremony and all events in which T&T athletes will participate.
The TTOC head will also represent the Committee at a number of meetings and other events, including a meeting with TTOC sponsor Adidas.
The camp wraps up later this week, when the T&T team and officials will head off to the Olympic Village in east London.
Romany will first visit T&T's quarters at the village.
"Within hours of my arrival in London I will head over to the Olympic Village to meet with the chef de mission (Mrs Annette Knott) and the members of the team," Romany said.
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Here is the new Olympic Journey & 50th Anniversary song from Double M.
Machel Montano - Going For Gold [T&T Olympic Journey & 50th Anniversary]
http://www.youtube.com/v/DTyNZMiWVlM
Still prefer the Kes "We Are Conquerors" song that was released since March this year.
IMHO MM's song is a little too late to catch on now in time for Olympics which starts this weekend.
I like this track....when this olympics is all said and done, this should be the track for the montage....hopefully TnT will have some gold...
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Here is the new Olympic Journey & 50th Anniversary song from Double M.
Machel Montano - Going For Gold [T&T Olympic Journey & 50th Anniversary]
http://www.youtube.com/v/DTyNZMiWVlM
Still prefer the Kes "We Are Conquerors" song that was released since March this year.
IMHO MM's song is a little too late to catch on now in time for Olympics which starts this weekend.
I like this track....when this olympics is all said and done, this should be the track for the montage....hopefully TnT will have some gold...
That Double M track came out this Monday which is a bit too late plus I personally prefer the Kes track "We Are Conquerors" which has been out since March this year! :beermug:
Kes The Band - We Are Conquerors (Island Pop 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/v/dT_B9FbOArA
Kes The Band - We Are Conquerors (Live Launching back in March)
http://www.youtube.com/v/Ip2Ef69sgiA
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163834.html
TTOC warns of ambush marketing
Wednesday, July 25 2012
THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) is concerned over the alleged infringements of both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and London 2012 Intellectual Property Rights, due to the unauthorised commercial and promotional use of the Olympic marks and expressions.
TTOC secretary general Brian Lewis, in a media release, commented, “we once again take the opportunity to remind companies and organisations that no company, organisation or individual of Trinidad and Tobago is authorised to use the Olympic marks and logos (event marks) in any form of advertising, sale, marketing or public relations without the expressed permission of the IOC, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) and the TTOC.”
Comprising the event marks are the Olympic rings, the marks and logos of the TTOC, LOCOG and other National Olympic Committees and Olympic Games Organising Committees, past, present or future.
Lewis continued, “this restriction relates to all forms of media, including but not limited to video, print, audio, new media and mobile telephone and also extends to advertising and public relations expressions such as ‘good luck’ wishes and congratulatory messages to accredited Olympic athletes.
“The unauthorised use of the Games marks and expressions is strictly prohibited,” he stressed.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163840.html
TT manager pleased with Wales camp
Wednesday, July 25 2012
TRINIDAD and Tobago Olympic team’s athletic manager Dexter Voisin is pleased with the week-long pre-Olympic camp in Cardiff, Wales.
The team spent their last day at the Vale Resort in Hensol, Wales, yesterday, before they relocate at the Olympic Village in London, England today, two days before the start of the 30th Olympiad.
“As the manager of the team, this is my first Olympics,” said Voisin, in a telephone interview from the Vale Resort yesterday.
“I’ve been to several World Championships. We’ve organised several camps before.
“However, in terms of Olympics, from what I’m hearing from the athletes and some of the support staff who’ve been to other Olympics, this is the best organised camp,” he admitted. “Based on the productivity in the camp, I’ll safely say this was a very good camp.” Concerning yesterday’s activities in the camp, Voisin stated, “it went pretty good.
We had the second relay session today and that went well.”
Asked if any decision was made regarding the athlete who will carry the Trinidad and Tobago flag at Friday’s opening ceremony, Voisin responded, “no official word on that as yet.”
But he pointed out that the athletes are eagerly anticipating the start of competition at the Games.
“At this stage here, if there is any nervousness we wouldn’t see just yet,” Voisin said. “It’s a week before the start of competition so nervousness wouldn’t been seen yet.
When it’s about a day (before), then you may see (it). But, so far, everybody is ready to go to the Games Village.”
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Don_t_bet_against_Bolt_in_100_metres__says_Frater-163648976.html
Don't bet against Bolt in 100 metres, says Frater
Story Created: Jul 24, 2012 at 11:47 PM ECT
l BIRMINGHAM
Jamaican sprinter Michael Frater "wouldn't bet against" Usain Bolt retaining his Olympic 100 metres title in London, despite lingering concerns over his fitness and the threat to his track supremacy from compatriot Yohan Blake.
"Usain Bolt is a phenomenon," Jamaican men's team captain and 4x100m relay squad member Frater said at Jamaica's training base at the University of Birmingham in central England yesterday. "I wouldn't bet against him winning again".
Bolt, who saw training partner and younger rival Blake take his world title in Daegu, South Korea, last year after he was disqualified from the final for false starting, has had a far from vintage season so far.
He withdrew from last Friday's Monaco Diamond League meeting, where he had been due to run the 200m, with what his coach Glen Mills called a "slight" problem.
Bolt then travelled to Germany to see renowned sports doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt but Don Quarrie, Jamaica's track and field team technical athletics manager, said the 25-year-old triple Olympic champion from Beijing would be "ready to run in London".
"I can't really give details regarding his present form but I'm quite sure he is ready to go. He his 101 per cent," Quarrie told reporters.
"He has been working out on the track (at the University of Birmingham) and his performances are close to what he was doing before the 2008 Olympics."
A few hundred schoolchildren watched a handful of Jamaican athletes going through some warm-ups and light-training on Tuesday in glorious sunshine and under cloudless skies at the leafy campus in the southern suburbs of England's second city.
The training group did not include Bolt or fellow Olympic sprint champions Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelley-Anne Fraser-Pryce, while Blake and former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell were also conspicuous by their absence, much to the frustration of a large media gathering.
Asked if he knew where Bolt was, Quarrie retorted: "If you know, tell me".
"I don't know why he didn't come. I'm sure the other Jamaicans were here on his behalf," he added.
Jamaican team manager Ludlow Watts predicted London could be in "for a surprise" in the 100m final.
"They are both looking well in practise and I can tell you you will see even more surprises," Watts said of Bolt's highly-anticipated showdown with Blake, who beat him in both the 100 and 200 at the Jamaican trials in late June and early July.
"But nobody has forgotten Asafa (Powell), because when you have great sprinters lined up in the final any mistake can mean disaster."
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Games_about_sport_and_diplomacy-163648986.html
Games about sport and diplomacy
More troops deployed...
Story Created: Jul 24, 2012 at 11:47 PM ECT
l LONDON
Britain deployed 1,200 extra soldiers yesterday in a last-minute effort to bolster Olympic security while global diplomatic tensions started to play out among athletes and politicians three days ahead of the opening ceremony.
The additional troops, which took the military contingent at the 2012 Games to well over 17,000, were called in to cover an embarrassing shortfall left by private security group G4S, the world's largest by some measures, in the run-up to the Games.
The company caused a scandal by failing to meet its target for the number of guards it could provide, and on Tuesday said that it had deployed around 5,800 security personnel, still short of its revised objective of 7,000.
Police stressed that they were content with security arrangements for the greatest show on earth, which kicks off in Cardiff, Wales, today with a football match between the women's teams of Britain and New Zealand.
"We've done all the planning, we've looked at the way in which terrorists have attacked in the past and we try to make sure that none of those could get through our security measures," said Chris Allison, Britain's national Olympic security adviser.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors have descended on London and a million extra people are expected in the city each day of the July 27-August 12 event, putting pressure on a creaking transport system, some of which dates from the 19th century.
Yet for all the grumbling by a notoriously critical media and Londoners braced for disruptions to their daily lives, the sense of excitement was palpable with the Games just around the corner and the sun shining brightly after weeks of rain.
Early buzz from Monday evening's technical rehearsal for the opening ceremony at the main stadium of the sprawling Olympic Park was positive, suggesting film-maker Danny Boyle's unusual, quirky and ambitious vision might just work.
Some 11 million visitors will witness the thrill of victory and despair of defeat as some of the world's greatest athletes, from Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt to US swimmer Michael Phelps, battle for the ultimate prize in sport--Olympic gold.
Britons, buoyed by Bradley Wiggins' historic victory in the Tour de France cycling marathon at the weekend, are confident of another impressive medals haul after success in Beijing in 2008.
The Games will cost nine billion pounds (US$14 billion) to stage, and in spite of criticism of the outlay during straitened economic times, officials have defended the spending as most goes into regenerating run-down east London for the long term.
As well as a flood of ordinary people, luxury yachts of the super-rich have moored close to the stadium. Expected dignitaries include Russian President Vladimir Putin, presidential candidate Mitt Romney and US First Lady Michelle Obama.
Politics played out before the world's media as much as sport in the final countdown to kick-off, with a debate over how to mark the 1972 Munich attack by Palestinian militants that killed 11 Israeli Olympic team members moving up the agenda.
Security is already a sensitive issue in London. The day after the capital was awarded the 2012 Games, the city was hit by suicide bomb attacks that killed 52 people.
Widows of those killed in 1972 arrive in London today to pressure Olympics organisers to mark the 40th anniversary of the tragedy, stepping up a long campaign to organise an official commemoration.
Romney joined the fray, saying he supported a minute's silence at Friday's opening ceremony, after Olympic chief Jacques Rogge paid a surprise tribute to the fallen athletes in London on Monday.
British Prime Minister David Cameron may use the Games, which unite world leaders, businessmen and celebrities as well as more than 16,000 athletes and 20,000 journalists, to press Putin over his ties to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Sources said he would accompany Putin to an Olympic judo match if the Russian leader attends the Games, and may urge him to drop his support for Assad's regime which is engaged in a violent conflict with rebels seeking to topple him.
In a reflection of the world they have left behind for the duration of the Games, participants from Libya and Egypt will represent the new face of the "Arab Spring" after uprisings ousted the old regimes.
Distance runner Guor Marial, a refugee from Sudan's civil war, is fighting for permission to compete as an independent athlete because his newly-established country, South Sudan, has not had time to create a National Olympic Committee.
Marial, who lost 28 members of his family in the war, has refused an invitation to run for Sudan, from which South Sudan split last year.
"For me to just go and represent Sudan is a betrayal of my country first of all, and is disrespecting my people who died for freedom," he said.
Syria's small Olympic team has arrived and is expected to compete but it was unclear how it will be received given the level of condemnation of Assad.
Around 30,000 people, including family members of the huge cast of men, women and children taking part, filled the main Olympic stadium on a balmy Monday evening for the first open rehearsal of the opening ceremony.
Most of them honoured Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire director Boyle's pleas for details of the event to remain secret and off the public pages of Twitter and Facebook.
The opening ceremony mastermind has voiced frustration at the media and members of the public who have leaked elements of the ceremony, which is inspired by William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest" and has a strong musical element.
What is officially known is that the first sequence recreates a pastoral idyll, complete with geese, sheep, horse and cart, fields, fences and a game of village cricket. The ceremony is expected to be artistic and intimate compared to the opening extravaganza in Beijing.
What the media has since leaked includes elements of the next "act" of the show, recreating the "dark Satanic mills" of William Blake, whose poem including this reference to the Industrial Revolution became an anthem to England.
Even at the full rehearsal there were key moments missing, and mystery surrounds both the location of the Olympic cauldron and the identity of the individual given the honour of lighting it in front of a television audience of more than a billion.
The crowd faced some travel delays on their way home late on Monday, underlining the logistical challenge London faces, to be made worse by planned strike action by passport officials and some train drivers on key Olympic dates.
The British government on Tuesday asked the High Court to block the strike action by the border staff union.
London's "Games lanes", reserved for Olympic officials, athletes, sponsors and the media, open today, and are sure to spark more complaints, including from the city's famous black cabs.
Londoners have labelled them Zil lanes after the Soviet limousines given special privileges.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Bolt_injury_free_and_ready_to_defend-163649176.html
Bolt injury free and ready to defend
Story Created: Jul 24, 2012 at 11:47 PM ECT
l KINGSTON
Triple Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt is injury free and ready to defend his titles at the 30th Olympiad starting in London on Friday, his long-time manager Norman Peart has said.
Peart's announcement comes as Bolt, one of the main attractions at the Olympics, prepares to retain the 100, 200 and 4x100-metre relay titles he won in Beijing four years ago in world-record times.
He was forced to pull out of last Friday's Monaco Diamond League meet as a result of a right harmstring problem he experienced during the recent Jamaican Olympic trials.
"At this stage if we had anything, any problem it would have been a crisis, we are saying there is no crisis," declared Peart during an interview on Jamaican radio Monday night.
"It's all good. If it has been something more than that then obviously he would not have been in the camp," Peart explained.
Bolt is coming to the Olympics following a double blow of losing in the 100 and 200 to training partner Yohan Blake at the Jamaica trials.
After his 200-metre loss to Blake, Bolt lay flat on his back and had his right hamstring stretched out by a trainer.
However, Peart says Bolt has shrugged off the right hamstring problem and is now ready to compete.
"He is at the camp, there are no doctors with him," Peart said.
"It's just the regular people like his coach and everybody else and he is absorbing all the training."
Bolt is already in the United Kingdom as part of a 50-strong Jamaican squad participating in the Games, which begin with an opening ceremony on Friday.
Peart says the management team has left all aspects of Bolt's fine-tuning to his coach Glen Mills, rated as one of the best in the world.
"We don't tend to talk to him too much because he is a guy full of confidence," Peart added.
"Sometimes we just check on the coach to see what's happening. We tend not to talk to him too much."
Bolt begins his defence of the men's 100 metres title at the Olympics on August 4.
—CMC
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-24/tt-flagbearer-be-known-today
T&T flagbearer to be known today
Published: Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The athlete who will have the honour of carrying the T&T flag at the parade of nations during the opening ceremony of the Games of the 30th Olympiad in London on Friday will be officially revealed by the T&T Olympic Committee today.
The T&T team will leave Cardiff, Wales today and journey by coach to the Olympic Village in East London. T&T Chef de Mission, Annette Knott said the athletes and team officials will arrive at the Olympic Village at around 4pm. “The pre Olympic training camp went exceedingly well. Accommodation at the Vale Resort was top of the line. I must commend the members of the team for conducting themselves with discipline and class. They were wonderful ambassadors for T&T.” According to Mrs Knott the athletes are all focused and there is a buzz of excitement and anticipation
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http://www.ttoc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2717:american-4x400m-relay-team-qalready-disqualifiedq-bewildered-world-governing-body-tell-ioc&catid=165:london-olympic-news-&Itemid=349
American 4x400m relay team "already disqualified" bewildered world governing body tell IOC
Wednesday, 25 July 2012 14:21
London 2012 Olympic News
A decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) not to re-award the medals from the women's 4x400 metres at the 2004 Games in Athens has caused surprise among senior officials at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
The IOC's ruling Executive Board last week claimed they were awaiting "clarification" from athletics' world governing body over whether to disqualify the United States team despite one of the squad, Crystal Cox, admitting afterwards she took steroids from from 2001.
The IOC have alrady disqualified Cox, who was one of several athletes who have admitted using banned performance-enhancing drugs as part of the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO) conspiracy.
But IOC claim it was not clear whether the current rules which mean an entire relay team can be disqualified because of the doping of one member were in place at the time.
The IOC vice-president Thomas Bach repeated that position at the annual 124th Session here today.
But the IAAF claim they are mystifyed because they published more than two years ago that the team had been disqualified after Cox accepted a four-year ban.
The IAAF disqualified the US team, even though Cox only ran in the heat, under rule 39.2 and decided that the gold medal should be reallocated to Russia with Jamaica moving from bronze to silver and Britain being upgraded to the bronze.
"The IAAF position is that the team is disqualified – and note the date of the decision," Nick Davies, the deputy general secretary of the IAAF, told insidethegames.
"We have no reason to review that decision."
Mark Adams, the IOC spokesman, claimed he was not aware of them having received any notification from the IAAF about the US being disqualified but promised that they would check so "we can deal with the matter swiftly".
Yet, adding to the confusion surrounding the status of the race, is that the IAAF have not amended the result on their own website or even indicated that it is under review.
Cox, meanwhile, has claimed she has spoken to the athletes who stand to lose their gold medal - Deedee Trotter, Monique Henderson, Sanya Richards and Monique Hennagan - about the situtation.
"It's a sad situation, but my thing is, the truth will come out eventually," she said in an interview published in her local newspaper, the Fay Observer.
"Life goes on.
"I've held my head high ever since [I was banned].
"Being able to walk away from the sport with my head held high, I have no animosity toward it because I know I was one of the good athletes.
"I played by the rules and did what they wanted me to do.
"I'm still introduced as a 2004 Olympic gold medalist.
"Once an Olympian, always an Olympian."
By Duncan Mackay at the Grosvenor House in London
Source: www.insidethegames.biz
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http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120724/sports/sports1.html
Blake's 'real deal' - Spearmon
Published: Tuesday | July 24, 2012
André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter
BIRMINGHAM, England:
He may be extremely good friends with the world's fastest man - Usain Bolt - but American 200m medal hopeful, Wallace Spearmon, has been left in awe by the beastly Yohan Blake, who he warned is the "real deal".
Blake, owner of the second-fastest 200m time recorded in history, 19.26, which is bettered only by Bolt's world record 19.19, shocked the world, including Spearmon, who watched in disbelief with victories over his more celebrated training partner in the 100m and 200m at Jamaica's Olympic trials a few weeks ago in Kingston.
Despite still struggling to tie down the curve, the 100m world champion, according to Spearmon, is an entirely new monster these days and will definitely figure prominently in the proceedings at the Olympic Games.
"When you have a finish like that; his finish is even better than mine, truth is he doesn't need to have a great curve. I think he is doing exactly what he needs to do, he is running his own race, the times are coming, he is winning - can't argue with that," Spearmon told The Gleaner yesterday.
"I think it's going to be a good show; you have Blake, Bolt, myself and Churandy (Martina) and a whole bunch of names. There are a lot of guys who can make a big splash in this race," Spearmon added, before sharing his thoughts on Blake's 200m win at the Jamaican trials.
"I saw the Jamaican trials. I saw Blake finish as strong as ever and it seems like he is losing a little bit of weight so that's probably gonna help him a lot for that 200m," said Spearmon. "It seems he has hit the weights very hard earlier in the season and he seems to have now backed off so he lost some weight, so he will go quicker while not losing the strength, he is the real deal."
Spearmon, who himself won at the United States trials in Eugene, Oregon, and has run 19.95 so far this year, is happy with his own preparations and reminded that it's what an athlete does on the day that matters and that he expects his experience to give him an advantage.
"It doesn't matter what you run until you get there though because you never know what is going to happen at the Olympics," Spearmon warned. "My experience is gonna play a big role, I have been around for a while."
In London, Spearmon may not be expected to beat Bolt for the 200m gold, but they remain very good friends.
If the 200m Olympic gold isn't available, perhaps he will take some comfort in his self-declared dominance over the big Jamaican in their Playstation 3 'Call of Duty' videogame competition.
"Usain is my boy, we are cool ... 'Call of Duty', of course, I'm better. Ask him," Spearmon laughed.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163875.html
Bovell splashes for second Olympic medal
By STEPHON NICHOLAS Thursday, July 26 2012
FORMER Olympic bronze medallist, George Bovell III, will be going for what is likely his last shot at Olympic gold when the London Games get underway on Friday.
At 29 years old, Bovell is registered to compete in three events including the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke.
The 50m freestyle is expected to be his best shot at a medal as it was in 2008.
In an interview earlier this year, the former Auburn University swimmer revealed that he was placing emphasis on improving his technique for the 50m freestyle.
“I’m really training hard for the 50m free. It’s my event and I love to compete in it. Even though the programmes focus a lot on the physical aspect of training, the 50m obviously has a lot to do with speed. This is a great part of the 50m technique I must perfect in order to medal at the London Games,” he explained.
Bovell’s presence at the Olympics was not written in stone 11 months ago as he was involved in a vehicular accident on August 19 which kept him sidelined for several months.
The swimmer crashed his BMW car into a truck on his way to Mayaro and was diagnosed with a concussion. He was forced to curtail training as any physical activity could have triggered a stroke.
But TT’s first Olympian to win a swim medal has now completely recovered and is ready to splash against the best in the world.
Bovell has been in good form of late, grabbing two gold medals at the Canada Cup two weeks ago. The three-time Olympian created waves at the Montreal Olympic Park 50m pool, touching the wall first in the 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke while earning bronze in the 100m freestyle.
At the Longhorn Aquatics Elite Invitational Meet in Texas last month in the 50m freestyle, the TT athlete touched the wall in a time of 22.11 seconds to earn gold and continue his excellent build-up towards the Games. He took the bronze in the 100m freestyle (49.84) and 100m backstroke (56.06).
In April, the former TT Sportsman of the Year earned silver in the 50m free at the Indianapolis Grand Prix in 21.89 while taking the 100m freestyle ‘C’ final in a time of 49.94.
Bovell is currently being coached by Minister of Sport Anil Roberts who is already in England with the TT swimmer.
Earlier this year, the local athlete credited Roberts for a lot of the strides he has made.
“Training with Anil has made key advancements in my development. But sometimes training by yourself does become a bit stagnant and you tend to feel alone. Swimming and training with top world athletes at these camps make me want to push myself further. I can also see where some swimmers are currently at, and compare them to my present form.
These swimmers are also Olympic-bound athletes and the atmosphere proves to be very beneficial to me.
It’s a very healthy environment for me to be in. I always make the most of my time at these camps and the results are showing,” he declared.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Greek_jumper_sent_home_for_Twitter_comments-163807366.html
Greek jumper sent home for Twitter comments
Story Created: Jul 26, 2012 at 12:00 AM ECT
l ATHENS
Triple jumper Voula Papachristou was kicked off Greece's Olympic team yesterday for her comments on Twitter mocking African immigrants and expressing support for a far-right political party.
The Hellenic Olympic Committee said Papachristou is "placed outside the Olympic team for statements contrary to the values and ideas of the Olympic movement".
"It's the same as violating fair play," Isidoros Kouvelos, head of Greece's Olympic mission, told Greece's private Skai TV. "We are not here just to get medals, but to promote the Olympic ideals, to show our character."
He added that the Hellenic Olympic Committee did not contact Papachristou either before or after issuing the statement excluding her from the Games.
Papachristou is in Athens. The committee said she was to travel to London shortly before the track events.
After the comments and the ensuing uproar, the Hellenic Olympic Committee announced it had banned all Greek athletes from using social media to express any personal opinions not related to the Olympics and to the preparation for their competitions.
"What we did after this is was to ban all statements on social media (such as) Twitter and Facebook, that are not related to the Games. They can't express personal opinions on other, third subjects, but only about themselves, their athletic condition, if they're on form, or about the Games, until the Games are over," Hellenic Olympic Committee spokesman Tassos Papachristou told The Associated Press in London. The spokesman is no relation to the athlete.
The decision to pull the triple jumper from the Olympic team was irreversible, he said.
"She has been informed... that this is a decision that will not change," he said.
Papachristou's Twitter account (@papaxristoutj) contained several retweets and links to sites and YouTube videos promoting the views of Golden Dawn, a formerly marginal extreme right party that entered the Greek Parliament in two recent elections—in May and June—by polling almost seven per cent of the vote. She has since erased those links and retweets from her account.
But it was her attempt at a joke Sunday that got the most attention. Commenting on the widely reported appearance of Nile-virus-carrying mosquitoes in Athens, Papachristou wrote: "With so many Africans in Greece, the West Nile mosquitoes will be getting home food!!!" Her tweet prompted thousands of negative comments that snowballed yesterday.
Since anyone can access an unprotected Twitter account, Papachristou's YouTube links and retweets inevitably became known. Several of her now erased retweets were original tweets by Ilias Kasidiaris, the Golden Dawn spokesman and one of the party's 18 Parliament members, who became notorious a few weeks ago for hitting a woman Communist lawmaker in the face and throwing water at another female legislator during a TV talk-show. Papachristou tweeted to Kasidiaris on his name day, July 20, "Many happy years, be always strong and true!!!" That tweet has now been erased.
Papachristou's initial reaction to the negative comments, on Tuesday, was to tweet: "That's how I am. I laugh. I am not a CD to get stuck!!! And if I make mistakes, I don't press the replay! I press Play and move on!!!"
Her attitude changed completely yesterday and she posted six apologetic tweets in less than two hours. The last tweet, a long one in English, which also was posted on her Facebook account, reads: "I would like to express my heartfelt apologies for the unfortunate and tasteless joke I published on my personal Twitter account. I am very sorry and ashamed for the negative responses I triggered, since I never wanted to offend anyone, or to encroach human rights.
"My dream is connected to the Olympic Games and I could not possibly participate if I did not respect their values. Therefore, I could never believe in discrimination between human beings and races. I would like to apologise to all my friends and fellow athletes, who I may have insulted or shamed, the national team, as well as the people and companies who support my athletic career. Finally, I would like to apologise to my coach and my family."
Before the publication of the last tweet, Democratic Left, one of the three parties in Greece's coalition government, published a statement assailing the "racist humour" and calling on the Hellenic Olympic Committee to expel Papachristou from the Olympics.
"Let her make any miserable 'jokes' on social media while watching the Games on TV. She definitely cannot represent Greece in London," the Democratic Left statement said.
Greece's track and field federation SEGAS applauded the decision to exclude Papachristou from the Olympics and announced she would face a disciplinary panel.
Papachristou, 23, also had her defenders. Her Bulgarian coach, Georgi Pomaski said that "she did something childish... I respect the decision, but it is a little harsh for a kid we are trying to educate," he said.
Her sports club, AEK, also waded in, saying the exclusion from the Olympics for "a mistake" was hypocritical. "We will fight any attempt to exclude our athlete... by all legal means," the club statement said.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Gay_nervous_and_eager_for_London_showdown-163807386.html
Gay nervous and eager for London showdown
Story Created: Jul 26, 2012 at 12:00 AM ECT
lBIRMINGHAM
Tyson Gay took his time loosening up his surgically repaired hip at the end of the track, rotating his body this way and that as he listened to music through headphones.
He did lunges, toe touches, some twists at the waist and deep knee bends. Finally, he skipped along in his lane before practice yesterday at Alexander Stadium.
Only after all of that did he even consider a light jog, let alone sprinting.
These days, it takes quite a bit of work to prepare his healing right hip. He's overly cautious, too, especially with the 100 metres in London just around the corner.
Once warmed up, Gay went through a rather light workout as he blazed 30 metres down the track before backing off the accelerator. He did this a few times before calling it a day.
Still, it was enough to see this: He's rounding into form and nearly ready to take on Usain Bolt & Co.
"Hip's good," Gay said. "I don't have any excuses. Whatever happens, happens."
He's equal parts nervous and eager as he awaits the showdown in the 100, where Bolt and Yohan Blake are the overwhelming favourites. Gay is almost an afterthought because of his balky hip, which required surgery last July.
Dismiss him. Write him off, even. That's all perfectly fine with him.
Just to be here, running at full speed, is an achievement to Gay.
Four months ago, he was training on grass because the track workouts irritated his hip.
Four weeks ago, he was putting his hip through an arduous test, running the rounds at US trials to finish second and earn a place on the team.
Now, he's good to go.
Enough to win a medal?
"Absolutely," coach Jon Drummond said. "But I don't want to put anything out there to jinx anyone. We have a great field in the 100, probably one of the fastest finals history has ever seen."
Gay is predicting it will take a time of 9.7 seconds to step on the podium. That's well off Bolt's world-record mark of 9.58, but still a very fast time.
After all, Gay's American record stands at 9.69, which he ran when he was healthy in 2009. To run close to that time on a hip that sidelined for most of last season—well, it may be asking a lot.
"I've tried to cram in a lot of workouts and a lot of weights in the least amount of time I could," Gay said. "This just came up on me real quick. It's the big show."
In yesterday's workout, Gay took frequent breaks to rest his hip. He would sprint with Trell Kimmons and then sit down. Sprint another and rest some more.
At times, Gay appeared to have a slight limp. Unintentional, he explained, and definitely not from pain.
"Everything is going pretty good," Gay said. "I feel good."
Laboring just to keep up with Gay proved something to Kimmons:
"Tyson's ready— ready to go for the gold," he said. "At Tyson's best, he can run with anyone who steps on the track."
Gay understands the obsession over his hip, but he's getting sick of talking about it.
Lately, the hip has fallen under scrutiny again, not because it's hurting —it's not—but because he's running so fast.
He recently won meets rather impressively in France and London.
"I have regular soreness, but if I say it bothers me, people don't believe I'm running good times," he said.
"So I'm saying it's all good now."
He's pampering the hip as much as he can, training in sun-splashed Monaco until his arrival in London on Tuesday.
In Birmingham, at least until recently, there was little sunshine and lots of rain.
Given his late start this season, Gay has no plans to curtail his workouts—unlike other sprinters. He will train heavily right up to his opening heat on Aug. 4.
That's if his body permits it.
He and Drummond don't stick to a rigid game plan.
"I base it all on how he feels, how his body feels, where his mind is at," Drummond said. "Every practice session is something created that day."
Drummond doesn't think Gay is that far off from being back in top form. Maybe a few more workouts and he'll be ready. The coach likes to compare Gay's progress to baking a cake—"and the cake is done."
"We're putting the icing on the cake now, some sprinkles," Drummond said. "Trying to dress it up nice and pretty for the big party."
Maybe even crash the party, where Bolt and Blake are the featured attractions. The Jamaican training partners are the two fastest sprinters in the world right now.
"They're all looking good," Gay said. "I'm excited to run against them."
For Gay, the injury has become more of a psychological barrier than anything, especially since he's only run in a few meets this season.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Warm_London_welcome-163807476.html
Warm London welcome
T&T chef de mission hoping for history
By Kwame Laurence
Story Created: Jul 26, 2012 at 12:00 AM ECT
My return to London was not what I expected.
Armed with the sweater that protected me from many months of cold weather while doing my MA in International Journalism at City University back in 2008-2009, I was quite surprised to get a warm London welcome on Tuesday.
Bathed in sunshine, temperature in the high 20s (Celsius)--this was not the London we tropical folk fear.
"Hottest day all year," was the assessment of the cabbie who drove me from Victoria train station to my hotel.
There was another warm day in London, yesterday, a fitting welcome for the 24 members of the Trinidad and Tobago team that checked in to the Olympic Village. Twenty-two track and field athletes and boxer Carlos Suarez made the trek from the T&T training camp in Cardiff, Wales, while hurdler Wayne Davis II travelled from the United States to London.
Swimmer George Bovell and shooter Roger Daniel had previously moved in to the Village. Cyclist Njisane Phillip, meanwhile, is expected to check in today, bringing the total of T&T athletes here in London, England for the 2012 Olympics to 27. T&T will be represented by a team of 30 at the Games.
T&T chef de mission, Annette Knott told the Express that double Olympic silver medallist Richard "Torpedo" Thompson attended the Cardiff camp but has not yet arrived at the Village.
Quartermiler Renny Quow was not in Wales. He remained at his training base in Florida, USA to fine-tune his preparations for the Games. Quow is expected to join his teammates at the Olympic Village next Monday.
And sailor Andrew Lewis was part of the T&T camp, in Wales, but has since taken up residence at the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Village—about three hours from London by train.
Knott said the Cardiff camp was a huge success.
"It takes three or four days to sleep normally after arriving. The team was in Wales for five or six days, so that's definitely an advantage.
"Also, it brought the team together. They were able to relax and enjoy each other's company. From some of the comments from coaches, especially in athletics, it was a real benefit. In terms of the support we tried to give the athletes, this is the best Olympic preparation we've had.
"There are very good facilities here at the Village," the chef de mission continued. "And our area is away from the main hub, which allows the athletes to stay focused on the job at hand."
Knott said the 2012 T&T team is capable of matching the country's largest ever Olympic medal haul—three, at the 1964 Games in Tokyo, Japan.
"We can equal that, and I'm hoping for better. At the 1948 London Games, we won our first medal (weightlifting silver from Rodney Wilkes). We're hoping 2012 is also historic.
"I expect finalists in both the men's and women's 100 metres events. And I expect us to medal in both sprint relays."
Thompson and national champion Keston Bledman will both bid for precious metal in the men's century. And in the women's 100m, Kelly-Ann Baptiste is among the favourites.
Knott is also anticipating solid performances in the swimming pool and on the cycling track.
"George in the 50 free. And Njisane has had such fantastic performances over the last few months, you never know what could happen.
"As one of the athletes said, everyone is there for a medal, so it's what you do on the day that counts."
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Talk about a surefire way for a video producer to lose ah wuk..
My lawd..
London 2012 Olympics: North Koreans furious as organisers blunder by displaying South Korean flag (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9427968/London-2012-Olympics-North-Koreans-furious-as-organisers-blunder-by-displaying-South-Korean-flag.html)
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http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=334761
Gay remains threat after surgery
Posted on » Thursday, July 26, 2012
BIRMINGHAM: The surgically repaired hip that kept Tyson Gay off the track for nearly a year showed no signs of slowing the world's second fastest man at a closely watched pre-Olympic practice yesterday.
"(Coach Jon Drummond) said I am about two to three workouts away from being perfect," Gay told reporters.
There is no hip pain, he said, just the normal groin soreness that the American sprinter has experienced for years from the hard pounding his body takes on track.
"Surgery is good," he said. "Health is good. So whatever happens happens."
What the soon-to-be 30-year-old hopes happens is for him to climb on the podium for the first time at an Olympic Games and accept a 100 metres medal in London next month.
Despite his many accomplishments in a sport he dearly enjoys, the former double world sprint champion has never won an Olympic medal.
Injuries had the American at less than full strength in the 2008 Olympics and he bowed out in the semi-final round of what became the Usain Bolt speed show.
"I am feeling nervous because this is it," Gay said of the upcoming renewed rivalry with Bolt and new man on the block, world champion Yohan Blake. "It is the big show.
"Every race I run I am nervous, small or big, that is just me," he said. "(But) I know it is going to be big."
For Gay to medal in athletics' biggest race he knows his start must be good or better, so yesterday for much of his workout, he repeatedly rushed out of the starting block in short bursts to test his preparedness.
"I'm just trying to execute the first part of my race, which I have been lacking," he said.
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/26/london-2012-olympics-christophe-lemaitre
Christophe Lemaitre opts out of competing in the 100m
• Frenchman's coach confirms decision to concentrate on 200m
• Lemaitre won the 100m at last two European championships
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 26 July 2012 18.19 BST
Christophe Lemaitre, Europe's best hope of challenging the expected Jamaican and American domination of men's sprinting at London 2012, will not run in the 100m, his coach has confirmed.
The 22-year-old Frenchman will concentrate on the 200m, in which he is ranked fourth in the world this year, and the 4x100m relay. His coach, Pierre Carraz, told L'Equipe they had put a "definitive cross" against the 100m. He said: "In the results over 100m, Christophe is only ranked 10th among those who have entered. Over 200m, we can hope for a medal."
Carraz said they could reconsider the decision to miss the 100m if there were significant withdrawals before the event, which starts on 4 August.
Lemaitre won the 100m at the last two European championships. He took the bronze medal in the 200m at last year's world championships in Daegu and helped the French team claim silver in the sprint relay.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,163943.html
Voisin delighted for Burns
Friday, July 27 2012
DEXTER VOISIN, manager of the Trinidad and Tobago track and field team at the London Olympics, is pleased that the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) chose sprinter Marc Burns to carry the flag at today’s opening ceremony.
“I think it’s an honour for him and also for track and field to carry the flag in the opening ceremony,” said Voisin yesterday, in an interview from London, England. “I think it is his fourth Olympics.
“He’s what you’ll call a veteran, an experienced athlete in these circumstances. The TTOC made the decision and I think it was a very good decision.”
Asked which athletes are not in the Village at the moment, he said, “we still have Renny Quow to come to the Games Village. “Richard Thompson went back to Norway to return on the 30th. He went back to final training with his coach.”
With regards to the atmosphere in London, Voisin noted, “we arrived in the Games Village (on Wednesday) (and) the whole atmosphere (yesterday) has been overwhelming.
“You have all the athletes now gathering,” he continued. “We went training (yesterday) afternoon and everybody is looking to rest now.”
Asked if there were any problems in the Village, Voisin replied, “everything’s smooth so far.”
The opening ceremony will take place today but Voisin commented, “we don’t start the competition until the third (of August) so there’s no hype in terms of the opening ceremony.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/___to_carry_Jamaica_s_flag_at_opening_ceremony-163969416.html
Bolt...to carry Jamaica's flag at opening ceremony
Story Created: Jul 26, 2012 at 11:39 PM ECT
Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt will carry Jamaica's flag at today's opening ceremony of the London Olympics, the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) said yesterday.
"I can tell you that our flag bearer will be the honourable, doctor Usain Bolt," JOA president Mike Fennell said at the start of a news conference for the Jamaica team.
Bolt became one of the biggest names in sport after winning gold medals in the 100 metres, 200m and 4x100m relay at the Beijing Olympics four years ago, all in world record times.
The 25-year-old's aura of invincibility has faded a little this year but his defence of the 100m title in particular is expected to be one of the highlights of the game.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Burns_elated_to_carry_T_T_flag-163969446.html
Burns elated to carry T&T flag
By Kwame Laurence in London
Story Created: Jul 26, 2012 at 11:39 PM ECT
"It's a great honour and privilege to carry out such a duty for Trinidad and Tobago."
Marc Burns was elated on hearing of his selection as T&T's flagbearer for today's Olympic Games opening ceremony, at the Olympic Stadium here in London, England.
The veteran sprinter captured his first Olympic medal at the 2008 Games, in Beijing, China, teaming up with Keston Bledman, Emmanuel Callender and Richard Thompson for silver in the men's 4x100 metres relay.
Burns is competing at his fourth Olympic Games. He made his debut as a 17-year-old, at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia, competing in the sprint relay. Four years later, in Athens, Greece, Burns was disqualified for a false start in the opening round of the 100m dash, but helped T&T cop seventh spot in the 4x100m final. And in Beijing, he earned relay silver and also reached the 100m final, finishing seventh in the championship race.
Burns is the Mr Consistent of T&T sprinting. He reached the century final at the 2005, 2007 and 2009 editions of the World Championships. The 29-year-old athlete also has three World Championship sprint relay silver medals—2001, 2005 and 2009.
"Having faith in God, focusing on what I can control, and having faith in my team—coach, physio, family and the close circle of people around me. That's the main thing for longevity.
"My biggest moment," he continued, "was the World Championships in 2001, given my age and it was my only major medal at the time."
Eighteen-year-old Burns teamed up with Ato Boldon, Jacey Harper and 16-year-old Darrel Brown for 4x100m bronze. The T&T quartet was later promoted to silver following the disqualification of the United States. US anchorman Tim Montgomery was banned for doping.
Burns was selected as the T&T reserve for the men's 100m here in London, after finishing fourth at the National Open Track and Field Championships. He is also a member of the 4x100m squad.
"My main focus was to come to the Games and make the athletes comfortable--enlighten them on what is expected. I'm more mature now and I see things through a whole different perspective. I understand fully what is expected at the Games. It's not just about competing, but showing a certain code of conduct for those who are following behind."
Burns recently clocked 10.00 seconds to finish third at the International Athletics Meeting, in Lucerne, Switzerland. Rondel Sorrillo was seventh in 10.23.
At the National Championships, Sorrillo copped third spot in the 100m, and was selected to compete in the event here in London, along with Bledman, winner of the national title in a personal best 9.86 seconds, and Thompson, the 2008 Olympic 100m silver medallist.
Sorrillo, the national champion in the 200m, was also chosen to compete in the half-lap event at the London Games.
Team officials have until next Wednesday to decide which three sprinters will fly the Red, White and Black in the 100m.
"I'm here to represent T&T, regardless," Burns told the Express. "So if I do not run the 100, all my energy and focus will be on the relay. The 10-flat came at the right time, going into the Games. Even if I don't run the 100, I'm capable of an exceptional second leg in the relay."
Burns is playing a key leadership role in the 4x100m.
"I'm enlightening the team on what's expected, and the frame of mind to go about doing that. It's not about the other teams and getting caught up in the hype--focus on what we need to do and going out and doing it.
"Anything could happen. We're not short-changing ourselves. Just like everybody else, we're going for the gold medal. If God sees it another way and another colour medal, we would be grateful."
Two days after his 10-flat run in Lucerne, Burns' running gear was stolen as he prepared to compete at the Folksam Grand Prix, in Sweden. Though he ran in a borrowed pair of spikes that did not fit, Burns still managed to win, the T&T track star clocking 10.50 seconds, into a 1.9 metres per second headwind.
The resilient Burns said a fifth Olympic appearance, at the 2016 Rio Games, is a possibility.
"I will only be 33 at the next Olympics, so once I'm healthy and all is well, that could be on my resume also. I'll take it one step at a time."
T&T chef de mission Annette Knott told the Express she will always remember a statement Burns made at the 2007 Pan American Games, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
"Marc said even if we had a three-man relay and he had to run two legs, he will run for Trinidad and Tobago.
"For his silver medal in 2008, his commitment as an athlete and his consistent representation, Marc will carry the flag. This is his fourth Olympics, and he is in fact the most senior athlete.
"He's always there, in so many finals. It's about sustainability and consistency. Marc is one of the more consistent athletes we've had, and not for one minute is he looking for the glory."
In a T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) press release, president Larry Romany paid tribute to Burns.
"I was chef de mission at the Sydney Olympics when the then 17-year-old Marc made his Olympic debut. Over the years it has been a privilege to work with Marc. He is a class act who has never failed to answer the call be it CAC, Pan Am, Commonwealth or Olympic Games."
Today's opening ceremony starts at four p.m. (T&T time). The outfits to be worn by Burns and the rest of the team during the parade of nations are the creations of T&T designers Richard Hope and Nivanya Abraham.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-26/burns-carry-tt%E2%80%88flag
Burns to carry T&T flag
Published: Friday, July 27, 2012
Sprint relay silver medalist, Marc Burns, will have the honour of carrying the Trinidad and Tobago flag at the parade of nations at the opening ceremony of the 30th Olympiad in London, today. Burns will be making his fourth appearance at an Olympic Games. He made his Olympic debut at the Sydney Olympics at the age of 17 years. The 29-year-old speedster has been one of T&T’s most consistent athletes in the history of local sport. Apart from his silver medal at the last Games, Burns was also a finalist in the 100 metres sprint. Burns made his national representative debut at age 15 at the Carifta Games, and has since represented T&T with distinction at junior, collegiate and senior levels, winning medals at National, Regional, Continental, World and Olympic Games. He has three world championship sprint relay silver medals and a Commonwealth Games individual sprint medal, in addition to two world junior individual sprint medals (silver and bronze).
A three-time world outdoor championship sprint finalist, he was also a finalist in the 2012 world indoor championship 60 metres sprint. Every four years, the identity of the flag bearer for the Olympic Games team is a closely guarded secret. T&T’s chef de mission, Annette Knott, who had the responsibility and honour of selecting the flag bearer, described Burns as someone who embodied the Olympic spirit, values and ideals. She said: “Marc is a quiet and dignified gentleman who always gives his best. His consistency, dedication, integrity and selfless patriotism have been exemplary. He has earned the honour of leading T&T during parade of nations.” TTOC president Larry Romany endorsed Knott’s views. “I was chef de mission at the Sydney Olympics when the then 17-year-old Marc made his Olympic debut. Over the years it has been a privilege to work with Marc. He is a class act who has never failed to answer the call, be it CAC, Pan Am, Commonwealth or Olympic Games.”
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-26/can-%E2%80%98torpedo%E2%80%99-turn-screws-bolt
T&T at the Olympics
Can ‘Torpedo’ turn screws on Bolt?
Published: Friday, July 27, 2012
Richard “Torpedo” Thompson started his sprinting career at Louisiana State University (LSU) while on a scholarship. As a member of the LSU Tigers track and field team, he lowered the NCAA Indoor record in the 60 metres in 2008. In his first World Championships in Athletics, in Osaka in 2007, Thompson failed to make it past the quarterfinals, placing eighth in 10.44 seconds. The following year, Thompson achieved his best moment up to then by taking both the 60m indoor and outdoor sprints at the NCAA Championships. He expanded his portfolio to include the 200m that year and ran his personal best (pb) for the 200m of 20.18s. His 60m pb is 6.51s achieved in Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, “Torpedo” sped to a pb time of 9.89 s in the men’s 100m, to finish second behind World record holder, Usain Bolt, who set the Olympic record of 9.69. His new pb time made him the second fastest T&T 100m sprinter ever, after four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon. Thompson grabbed his second silver medal in Beijing when teaming up with Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender for the men’s 4x100m relay final. The local team finished in 38.06 behind Jamaica (37.10). With the substitution of sprinter Aaron Armstrong for Callender, that team also grabbed gold at the 2008 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championships in a time of 38.54.
In 2009, Thompson was involved in a car accident on New Year’s Day, resulting in minor injuries which caused him to miss the indoor season. Defying the odds, he competed at the 12th IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Berlin, Germany, later in August. He reached the 100m final, finishing fifth, with a season’s best of 9.93 seconds. Thompson then joined forces with Darrel Brown, Burns and Callender in the final to finish second behind Jamaica in 37.62s to set the national record. In 2010 Thompson was crowned double champion at the NAAA/Sagicor National Track and Field Championships, taking the 100m (10.01) and 200m (20.37). His 2010 season was further highlighted at the IAAF Diamond League circuit, when he won the 100m at the Prefontaine Classic with a wind-assisted time of 9.89s. In 2011, Thompson broke into T&T’s history books when he ran 9.85s in the 100m final at the National Championships, erasing the previous 9.86 record set by Ato Boldon. The achievement ranked Richard as the ninth fastest on the all-time list. Thompson has struggled this year. His three-year reign as national 100m champ was halted by Keston Bledman who blazed to the finish line in 9.86. Thompson had to settle for second with a time 9.96s—his first and only 100m sub-ten clocking for the year.
Thompson will be looking to prove that he still has what it takes to mount the podium in the men’s 100m at the London Games.
More Info
NAME: RICHARD THOMPSON
DOB: June 7, 1985 (Age 27)
Height: 6' 2" (188 cm)
Weight: 176 lbs (80 kg)
Affiliations: Louisiana State University, USA / HSI, USA
Olympic event(s): 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay
Major Achievements: Olympic Silver Medals (100 and 4 x 100 metres Olympics 2008)
Performance dates in London
100 metres August 4
200 metres August 7-9
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-26/bovell-splashes-sunday
T&T at the Olympics
Bovell splashes off Sunday
Published: Friday, July 27, 2012
Shernice Thomas
George Bovell III is the most successful swimmer to come out of T&T. Some highlights of his illustrious career include winning bronze in the men’s 200m Individual Medley (IM), capturing five Pan American Medals (2 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze), and five individual NCAA titles. Bovell is currently the fourth fastest man in history of the 50m freestyle. Coming from a family with a history of involvement in sport, it was only natural that Bovell followed suit. His mother, Barbara, was an Olympic runner and a Canadian champion. His father was a successful Collegiate swimmer and T&T Sportsman of the Year. Hiss brother, Nicholas, is also an Olympic swimmer.
From the age of seven, he started competitive swimming. Nine years later, he stepped onto the international stage, competing at the US Open and Pan American Games. In 2000 Bovell enrolled at Auburn University, where he won five individual NCAA titles, eight SEC titles, 25 All American Honours (the most in Auburn history) and was part of the first class in the history of NCAA sports to finish their eligibility undefeated. In the fall of 2004, he suffered a knee injury that would prevent him from swimming breastroke and competing in the individual medley. This forced him to focus on his second best events—the 100 and 200 freestyles.
In 2006, he trained under Mike Bottom at Cal Berkeley where he learned proper sprinting technique. He followed Bottom to the Raceclub in the Florida Keys in 2007 to train for the 2008 Olympics. In Beijing, he broke the Olympic record in the heats, but was not able to secure a spot in the finals, finishing 11th in the 50 freestyle. In 2009, Bovell broke the World Championships record and became the fourth fastest man in history in the 50m freestyle. He reunited with the coach who took him to his bronze medal in Athens, Sport Minister Anil Roberts in 2010 and had stellar performances at the World Championships in Dubai, finishing fourth in the 100m IM and 10th in 50m free. In 2011, Bovell placed seventh in the finals of the World Swimming Championships, proving that he is a medal contender for 2012.
More Info
Name: GEORGE BOVEL III
DOB: July 18, 1983 (Age 29)
College team Auburn Tigers
Height: 6’ 5”
Weight: 205 lbs
Affiliations: Auburn Tigers (Auburn University, US)
Olympic event(s): 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke
Major Achievements: Olympic Bronze Medal (200 IM Olympics 2004)
Performance dates in London
100 metres backstroke Sunday - Tuesday
100 freestyle Tuesday - Wednesday
50 metres freestyle Thursday - Friday
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-26/tt%E2%80%99s-roger-daniel-target-london
T&T’s Roger Daniel on target for London
Published: Thursday, July 26, 2012
Shernice Thomas
T&T ace shooter Roger Daniel shot his way to first place in three individual events at the COPA del Caribe shooting championships held at the Albergue Olímpico training centre in Puerto Rico from July 12-18. Daniel was among T&T’s six-member contingent who went up against approximately 100 of the region’s best shooters from Barbados, Martinique, Aruba, El Salvador, Guatemala, US Virgin Islands and the host nation. Daniel, a two-time First Citizens Sportsman of the Year, was totally unsurpassed in the men’s individual pistol events. He snatched the 25m standard title ahead of compatriot, Rhodney Allen, who secured third place. Daniel also took the 10m air title and went onto retain his title as the 25m centre fire defending champion. Allen brought home T&T’s fifth individual medal when he successfully defended his men’s 50m free pistol title.
Daniel’s winning performances at the championships will serve as a confidence boost as he proudly represents the country in the sport at his third Olympic outing at the London Games which gets under way tomorrow (Fri 27). Curtis Blunt and Marlon Moses were T&T’s rifle shooters, with Moses finishing eighth and Blunt also ranking. Lone women’s local competitor, Marsha Bullen-Jones, put out her best shots in the women’s 10m air and 25m sports pistols events. She managed to finish among the top ten, ending in eighth place in both events. Daniel and Allen then combined forces with Clement Marshall to secure T&T two medals in the team pistol division. Together the trio took silver ahead of Martinique in the men’s standard pistol. First place was taken by Puerto Rico. The host team also took gold in front of Barbados and T&T which placed second and third respectively in the centre fire pistol.
Allen, who also served as the team’s manager, yesterday told the T&T Guardian that the championships was a good experience for the national players. When asked about sponsorship, Allen divulged that the players had to use their money to pay for their trip. Allen said team members had to put out a total of approximately $16,000TTD (inclusive of airfare, accommodation and match fees). Allen said that a plea for financial assistance was made to officials of the Trinidad Rifle Association (TRA) who said that they would contact the Ministry of Sport for possible refunding. He is also pleading to corporate T&T to hop on board as sponsors for the sport to prevent this from happening in the future. The team is still thankful to the TRA, T&T Chief of Defence Force, Brigadier Kenrick Maharaj, and Major Kak Sebastian for their help and interest in the team.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-26/guardian%E2%80%99s-thompson-king-olympics-today
Guardian’s Thompson-King off to Olympics today
Published: Thursday, July 26, 2012
Senior Sports journalist Rachael Thompson-King leaves today for London to cover the 2012 Olympic Games which opens tomorrow and runs until August 13. She will be on hand to witness T&T’s top athletes in action as they go in search of precious medals at the world’s biggest sporting event. The T&T contingent left the pre-Olympic camp in Wales today (Wednesday) for the Olympic Village in London. She will make her way to the EXCel Centre to see Carlos Suarez make his debut in the light flyweight catergory as well as Njisane Phillip at the Velodrome, competing in the sprint and keirin events. Shooter Roger Daniel will go to work at the Royal Artillery Barracks while George Bovell III will seek his second Olympic medal at the Aquatics Centre.
The Olympic Stadium will be the venue where the national track and field athletes will converge against the best in the world. Keston Bledman, Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Renny Quow are among the top T&T prospects for success at the Games. Bledman has been impressive leading up to the event, winning his first senior national sprint title in style, blazing to victory to a career best 9.86 seconds. This was in the NAAA Sagicor/NGC National Open Track and Field Championship men’s 100 metres final at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, last month. Bledman, Olympic silver medallist Richard Thompson and Marc Burns and Rondell Sorillo form the sprint team and wiull challenge the likes of top contenders record-holder Usain Bolt and John Blake, both of Jamaica and United States sprinters Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay. The local group will be joined by Emmanuel Callendar and youngsters Deon Lenore and Jamol James on the 4x100m squad. Thompson did not achieve all of what he had hoped for last season, but had some measure of satisfaction running an impressive 9.96 seconds to cop silver behind Bledman in the final. Sorrillo mean clocked a new personal record (PR), 10.03, to claim bronze
Sorrillo got off to a fast start this season as in his 200m season debut at the Guadeloupe Invitational on May 1. He finished in second place in 20.42 seconds behind winner Churandy Martina (Netherland Antilles/ 20.40). On May 9 at the Cayman Invitational, Sorrillo again finished in second place in the 200m in 20.57 second behind winner Warren Weir (Jamaica/ 20.13). Baptiste also has great chance of becoming the first woman to win an Olympic medal. Baptiste has been excelling over the past seasons, running consistently ran under 11 seconds in the 100. In Daegu, South Korea at the 2011 World Championships, impressed by claiming bronze in the women’s 100m dash. Baptiste is the reigning national women’s 100m champion and will definitely be one of T&T’s best option for a medal but she will have tough competition in USA’s Carmelita Jeter and Allyson Felix and Jamaicans Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
T&T TEAM
Athletics
Richard Thompson (100m; 4x100m), Keston Bledman (100m; 4x100m), Rondell Sorillo (100m; 200m; 4x100m), Mark Burns (100m; 4x100m), Renny Quow (400m; 4x400m), Deon Lendore (400m; 4x100m), Wayne Davis II (110m hurdles), Jehue Gordon (400m hurdles), Lalonde Gordon (4x400m), Emmanuel Callendar (4x100m), Machel Cedenio (4x400m), Ade Alleyne-Forte (4x400m), Semoy Hackett (100m; 200m; 4x100m), Kai Selvon (100m; 200m; 4x100m), Michelle-Lee Ahye (100m; 4x100m), Kelly-Ann Baptiste (100m; 4x100m), Janeil Bellille (400m hurdles), Ayanna Alexander (triple jump), Cleopatra Borel-Brown (shot put), Reyare Thomas (4x100m), Sparkle Mc Knight (4x100m); Dexter Voisin (manager), Dr Ian Hypolite (head coach), Edwin Skinner (sprint/hurdles coach), Gunness Persad (sprint/hurdles coach), Ismael Lopez Mastrapa (throws coach)
Boxing
Carlos Suarez (Light Flyweight 46-49kg); Reynold Cox (manager/coach), Raulson Dopwell (coach)
Cycling
Njisane Phillip (sprint, keirin); Peter Maharaj (manager/coach)
Sailing
Andrew Lewis (laser); Kairon Serrette (manager), Fernando Alegre (coach)
Shooting
Roger Daniel (50m pistol, 10m air pistol); Altansetseg Byambajav (manager/coach)
Swimming
George Bovell III (100m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle); George Bovell II (manager/coach)
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Link to watch Opening Ceremony Live in High Definition:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/live-video/bbc_one_2012_hd
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Anyone have vid of TnT entering?
Stupid canadian television went to commercial break...i'm watching nbc from now on
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Anyone have vid of TnT entering?
Stupid canadian television went to commercial break...i'm watching nbc from now on
You can look back at the whole or any part of the Opening Ceremony on the BBC website from the link I provided above! :beermug:
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Anyone have vid of TnT entering?
Stupid canadian television went to commercial break...i'm watching nbc from now on
You can look back at the whole or any part of the Opening Ceremony on the BBC website from the link I provided above! :beermug:
thanks bro, but I can't view in canada
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Anyone have vid of TnT entering?
Stupid canadian television went to commercial break...i'm watching nbc from now on
Every foorkin 4 years is de same thing. :cursing:
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Anyone have vid of TnT entering?
Stupid canadian television went to commercial break...i'm watching nbc from now on
Every foorkin 4 years is de same thing. :cursing:
tell me about it...always skip T. blasted go on break so we cud see Tuvalu....
now have to watch the NBC coverage which delayed
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Sit down for a whole 30 mins waiting for the Trinidad contingent...
I see Mark Burns holding the flag for 5 seconds, then the camera man pan to some lil girl with a pan playing in the grass, then next thing you know is the next country... Steeups :frustrated:
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Sit down for a whole 30 mins waiting for the Trinidad contingent...
I see Mark Burns holding the flag for 5 seconds, then the camera man pan to some lil girl with a pan playing in the grass, then next thing you know is the next country... Steeups :frustrated:
Me eh know nah, but to me like dat happens every olympics on several networks, isn't TV6 carrying coverage?
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Anyone have vid of TnT entering?
Stupid canadian television went to commercial break...i'm watching nbc from now on
You can look back at the whole or any part of the Opening Ceremony on the BBC website from the link I provided above! :beermug:
thanks bro, but I can't view in canada
Try running the progam on this link called Hotspot Shield: http://www.hotspotshield.com/
Then try viewing from the BBC website again and it should work! :beermug:
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/JOLLY_GOOD_SHOW-164106636.html
JOLLY GOOD SHOW
London rocks as 'Queen' parachutes into Olympics opening ceremony
Story Created: Jul 27, 2012 at 11:58 PM ECT
l LONDON
The Queen and James Bond gave the London Olympics a royal entrance like no other yesterday in an opening ceremony that rolled to the rock of the Beatles, the Stones and The Who.
And the creative genius of Danny Boyle spliced it all together.
Brilliant. Cheeky, too.
The highlight of the Oscar-winning director's US$42 million show was pure movie magic, using trickery to make it seem that Britain's beloved 86-year-old Queen Elizabeth II had parachuted into the stadium with the nation's most famous spy.
A short film showed 007 driving up to Buckingham Palace in a black London cab and, pursued by her majesty's royal dogs—Monty, Willow and Holly, playing themselves—meeting the Queen, who played herself.
"Good evening, Mr Bond," she said.
They were shown flying in a helicopter over London landmarks and a waving statue of Winston Churchill—the Queen in a salmon-coloured gown, Bond dashing as ever in a black tuxedo—to the stadium and then leaping out into the inky night.
At the same moment, real skydivers appeared in the skies over the stadium throbbing to the James Bond soundtrack. And moments after that, the monarch appeared in person, accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip.
Organisers said it was thought to be the first time the monarch has acted on film.
Much of the opening ceremony was an encyclopedic review of British music history, from a 1918 Broadway standard adopted by the West Ham soccer team to the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" to "Bohemian Rhapsody", by still another Queen.
The evening started with fighter jets streaming red, white and blue smoke and roaring over the stadium, packed with a buzzing crowd of 60,000 people, at 8.12 p.m.
An explosion of fireworks against the London skyline and Paul McCartney leading a singalong were to wrap up the three-hour opening ceremony masterminded by one of Britain's most successful filmmakers.
Boyle, the director of Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting, had a ball with his favoured medium, mixing filmed passages with live action in the stadium to hypnotic effect, with 15,000 volunteers taking part in the show.
Actor Rowan Atkinson, as Mr Bean, provided laughs, shown dreaming that he was appearing in Chariots of Fire, the inspiring story of a Scotsman and an Englishman at the 1924 Paris Games.
There was a high-speed flyover of the Thames, the river that winds like a vein through London and was the gateway for the city's rise over the centuries as a great global hub of trade and industry.
Headlong rushes of movie images took spectators on wondrous, heart-racing voyages through everything British: a cricket match, the London Tube and the roaring, abundant seas that buffet and protect this island nation.
Boyle turned the stadium into a throbbing juke box, with a non-stop rock and pop homage to cool Britannia that ensured the show never caught its breath.
Opening the ceremony, children popped balloons with each number from 10 to 1, leading a countdown that climaxed with Bradley Wiggins, the newly crowned Tour de France champion.
The show then shifted to a portrayal of idyllic rural Britain—a place of meadows, farms, sport on village greens, picnics and Winnie-the-Pooh, AA Milne's bear who has delighted generations of British children tucked warmly in bed.
But the British ideal then took a darker, grittier turn. The set was literally torn asunder, the hedgerows and farm fences carried away, as Boyle shifted to the industrial transformation that revolutionised Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries, the foundation for an empire that reshaped world history. Belching chimneys rose where only moments earlier sheep had trod.
The parade of nations featured most of the roughly 10,500 athletes marching behind the flags of the 204 nations taking part. Greece had the lead, as the spiritual home of the Games, and Team Great Britain was last, as host.
Prince William and his wife, Kate, joined in the thunderous applause that greeted the British team.
The Olympic cauldron was to be lit with a flame that was kindled on May 10, at the birthplace of the ancient Olympics in Greece, from a reflection of the sun's rays off a mirror.
Since then, 8,000 torchbearers, mostly unheralded Britons, have carried the flame on a 70-day, 8,000-mile journey from toe to tip of the British Isles, whipping up enthusiasm for a US$14 billion Olympics.
Political leaders from around the world, US first lady Michelle Obama and her daughters, and a sprinkling of European and celebrity royalty also attended.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Kaleidoscopic_pageant__sets_London_Games_rolling-164106726.html
Kaleidoscopic pageant sets London Games rolling
Story Created: Jul 27, 2012 at 11:58 PM ECT
l LONDON
The Queen declared the London Olympics open after playing a cameo role in a dizzying ceremony designed to highlight the grandeur and eccentricities of the nation that invented modern sport.
Children's voices intertwining from the four corners of her United Kingdom ushered in an exuberant historical pageant of meadows, steel mills and megapixels before an audience of 60,000 in the Olympic Stadium and a probable billion television viewers around the globe.
Many of them gasped at the sight of the 86-year-old queen, marking her Diamond Jubilee this year, putting aside royal reserve in a video where she stepped onto a helicopter with James Bond actor Daniel Craig to be carried aloft from Buckingham Palace.
A film clip showed doubles of her and Bond skydiving towards the stadium and, moments later, she made her entrance in person.
"Great Britain was the cradle of modern sport," International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge told reporters. "You invented modern sport in the second half of the 19th century."
To underline the point, Bradley Wiggins, crowned five days earlier as Britain's first winner of the Tour de France and hoping to add more road cycling gold in London, tolled the world's largest tuned bell to begin the ceremony.
David Beckham, the English football icon who helped to convince the IOC to grant London the Games, sped down the Thames in a speedboat bearing the Olympic flame on the penultimate leg of a torch relay that inspired many ordinary people around Britain.
And in one moment of simple drama, the stadium fell silent as five giant, incandescent Olympic rings, symbolically forged from British steel mills, were lifted slowly out of the stadium by weather balloons, destined for the stratosphere.
More than 10,000 athletes from 204 countries will compete in 26 sports over 17 days of competition in the only city to have staged the modern Games three times.
Most of them were there for the traditional alphabetical parade of the national teams, not least the athletes from Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen competing in their first Olympics since their peoples overthrew autocrats in Arab Spring revolutions.
Brunei and Qatar were led in by their countries' first ever female Olympians and so, along with Saudi Arabia, ended their status as the only countries to exclude women from their teams.
At a reception earlier in the day, the queen spelled out the role played by her family after the Olympics were revived in Athens in 1896.
"This will be the third London Olympiad. My great grandfather opened the 1908 Games at White City. My father opened the 1948 Games at Wembley Stadium. And, later this evening, I will take pleasure in declaring open the 2012 London Olympic Games at Stratford in the east of London," she said.
"Over recent months, many in these islands have watched with growing excitement the journey of the Olympic torch around the United Kingdom. As the torch has passed through villages and towns, it has drawn people together as families and communities.
"To me, this spirit of togetherness is a most important part of the Olympic ideal. And the British people can be proud of the part they have played in keeping the spirit alive."
The opening show, costing an estimated 27 million pounds (US$42 million), was inspired by William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest", his late-life meditation on age and mortality.
Children were centre-stage throughout, starting from the moment when live pictures of junior choirs singing in the landscapes of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were beamed into the stadium's giant screens, four traditional songs woven together into a musical tapestry of Britain.
Oscar-winning film director Danny Boyle began his sweep through British history by grassing over the arena in a depiction of the pastoral idyll mythologised by the romantic poet William Blake as "England's green and pleasant land".
Idyll turned swiftly to inferno as the Industrial Revolution's "dark Satanic mills" burst from the ground, before those same mills forged the last of five giant rings that interlocked and were carried aloft by balloons.
Many sequences turned the entire stadium into a vast video screen made up of tens of thousands of "pixels" attached to the seats. One giant message, unveiled by Tim Berners-Lee, British inventor of the world wide web, read "This is for Everyone".
The performance included surreal and often humorous references to British achievements, especially in social reform and the arts, and concluded with a performance by former Beatle Paul McCartney.
Until the last few days, media coverage had been dominated by security firm G4S's admission that it could not provide enough guards for Olympic venues. Thousands of extra soldiers had to be deployed at the last minute, despite the company's multi-million-dollar contract from the government.
Counter-terrorism chiefs have played down fears of a major attack on the Games, and Prime Minister David Cameron said that a safe and secure Olympics was his priority.
Suicide attacks on London on July 7, 2005, the day after London was awarded the Games, killed 52 people. This year the Games will mark the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Munich massacre, when 11 Israeli Olympic team members were killed by Palestinian militants.
"This is the biggest security operation in our peacetime history, bar none," Cameron said, "and we are leaving nothing to chance."
Although no medals will be awarded until today, the women's football tournament started on Wednesday, and on Friday South Korean archers set the first world records of the Games.
Im Dong-hyun, who suffers from severe myopia and just aims at "a blob of yellow colour", broke his own 72-arrow world record with a score of 699 out of a possible 720, leading his two colleagues to a record combined score as well.
The Games' first medals will be decided in the women's 10 metres air rifle final today, with the big action coming in the men's cycling road race, where world champion Mark Cavendish is favourite to become Britain's first gold medallist.
In the evening, Americans Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte are scheduled to line up for a classic confrontation in the men's 400 metres individual medley final.
Phelps, competing in seven events after winning a record eight gold medals four years ago in Beijing, is bidding to become the first swimmer to win gold in the same discipline three times in a row.
"This is going to be a special race," said Gregg Troy, head coach of the American men's team. "I can't imagine a better way to promote our sport than a race like this on the first day."
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-07-28/rock-and-royalty-olympics-open
Rock and royalty as Olympics open
Published: Saturday, July 28, 2012
LONDON—The queen and James Bond gave the London Olympics a royal entrance like no other Friday in an opening ceremony that rolled to the rock of the Beatles, the Stones and The Who. And the creative genius of Danny Boyle spliced it all together. Brilliant. Cheeky, too. The highlight of the Oscar-winning director’s US $42 million show was pure movie magic, using trickery to make it seem that Britain’s beloved 86-year-old Queen Elizabeth II had parachuted into the stadium with the nation’s most famous spy.
A short film showed 007 driving up to Buckingham Palace in a black London cab and, pursued by her majesty’s royal dogs— Monty, Willow and Holly, playing themselves —meeting the queen, who played herself. “Good evening, Mr. Bond,” she said. They were shown flying in a helicopter over London landmarks and a waving statue of Winston Churchill—the queen in a salmon-coloured gown, Bond dashing as ever in a black tuxedo—to the stadium and then leaping out into the inky night.
At the same moment, real skydivers appeared in the skies over the stadium throbbing to the James Bond soundtrack. And moments after that, the monarch appeared in person, accompanied by her husband Prince Philip. Organisers said it was thought to be the first time the monarch has acted on film. “The queen made herself more accessible than ever before,” Boyle said. In the stadium, Elizabeth stood solemnly while a children’s choir serenaded her with “God Save the Queen,” and members of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force raised the Union Jack.
Much of the opening ceremony was an encyclopedic review of British music history, from a 1918 Broadway standard adopted by the West Ham football team to the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” to “Bohemian Rhapsody,” by still another Queen. The evening started with fighter jets streaming red, white and blue smoke and roaring over the stadium, packed with a buzzing crowd of 60,000 people, at 8:12 p.m.—or 20:12 in the 24-hour time observed by Britons.
An explosion of fireworks against the London skyline and Paul McCartney leading a singalong were to wrap up the three-hour opening ceremony masterminded by one of Britain’s most successful filmmakers. Boyle, the director of “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Trainspotting,” had a ball with his favored medium, mixing filmed passages with live action in the stadium to hypnotic effect, with 15,000 volunteers taking part in the show. Actor Rowan Atkinson as “Mr Bean” provided laughs, shown dreaming that he was appearing in “Chariots of Fire,” the inspiring story of a Scotsman and an Englishman at the 1924 Paris Games.
There was a high-speed flyover of the Thames, the river that winds like a vein through London and was the gateway for the city’s rise over the centuries as a great global hub of trade and industry. Headlong rushes of movie images took spectators on wondrous, heart-racing voyages through everything British: a cricket match, the London Tube and the roaring, abundant seas that buffet and protect this island nation. Boyle turned the stadium into a throbbing juke box, with a nonstop rock and pop homage to cool Britannia that ensured the show never caught its breath.
The throbbing soundtrack included the Sex Pistols’ “Pretty Vacant” and a snippet of its version of “God Save the Queen”—an anti-establishment punk anthem once banned by the BBC. There were The Who’s “My Generation” and other tracks too numerous to mention, but not to dance to. Opening the ceremony, children popped balloons with each number from 10 to 1, leading a countdown that climaxed with Bradley Wiggins, the newly crowned Tour de France champion.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-28/divided-opinion-joy-anyway
OLYMPIC JOURNAL
Divided opinion but joy anyway
Published: Saturday, July 28, 2012
Andre E Baptiste
Even as the £27 million Opening Ceremony concluded on Friday night in London, there were still many with divided opinions on its legacy, given the tremendously difficult position announced by official economical status this week. The figures reveal that Britain’s economy has fallen into the worst double-dip recession for more than 50 years. The economy shrank by 0.7 per cent between April and June , the Office for National statistics stated. And of that it was revealed that UK sport spent over £100 million each year for four years since the Beijing Olympics in an effort to win more than the 47 medals they collected then, when they placed fourth on the medal table. Clearly there is a lesson there for all who say they support sport in T&T.
However most of the spectators that occupied the massive Olympic Park at Stratford appeared oblivious to the happenings away from the Olympic Village, as thousands of people made their way for the grand opening. The Shopping mall was closed five hours before the event to ensure that there would be adequate security and accessibility and given some of the leading names in the World attending, including Her Majesty, The Queen of England- Queen Elizabeth and First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, who gave an encouraging talk to the USA team. It was a very colourful affair with lots of entangling intrigue on the lifestyle and traditions of the British ensconced in its portrayal. This Olympic pageantry has been termed by some as too working class with its concentration on the industrial revolution, but for many of the spectators who purchased their tickets online, it meant more to just be part of history and 65,000 people witnessed the excitement. Located in Olympic Park, The Orbit is 35 stories high and was designed by international sculptor Anish Kapoor. It is made of all steel and is the only vertical object in the Olympic Park. This is London’s moment and earlier in the day, bells rang for three minutes all over the city.
Marc Burns was a proud man and at 29, probably in his last Olympics, but his penchant for teamwork and team spirit more than anything sums up a man seeking some history. His goal, like many others wearing the red, white and black, will be to reach the final and then give his all. There is some irony in all of this because while everyone is already counting and claiming medals from USA, Jamaica and The United Kingdom, not much is being said of T&T’s chances in the athletics stage of the Games. So over the next few days, as the experienced pair of Roger Daniel (Shooting) and George Bovell (Swimming) do battle there will be a lot of expectations. Daniel will be in action on Saturday from 7am(T&T time) while Bovell will enter the 100m backstroke on Sunday from 6.53 am. As most people know, I love horse racing. So when I accidentally stumbled across a betting shop in St Pancras, I felt as if it was ordained that I visit to ensure what I saw on the outside of this location (a sign called Ladbrokes) was authentic. And yes it was true, but what captured my attention was not the extremely gorgeous teller nor the horses getting in line for a race at Newbury, but rather the small screen in front of me, that was showing only betting on Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake to win the 100m and 200m races.
In some cases you could actually bet the field against him, and the heats have not yet started. It was almost as if the bookmakers had already made this a two-horse race. Both of T&T runners were long shots; Keston Bledman at 66-1 and Richard Thompson (silver medallist from Beijing 2008) at 100-1. Of course everyone knows what I did… the rest is history. For good measure, I inquired about Kelly Ann Baptiste and learned that she is at 16-1 to win the Women’s 100m, while Njisane Phillip is at 25-1 to win the Match Sprint and 50-1 to win the Keirin. So maybe this is good, as our athletes will have a chance to excel without much pressure on them from the international media as well as the majority of the public. Only time will tell if this will work, but there is a sense of pride and exuberance in this team that promises to surprise…fingers crossed…and many Sunday prayers as well. As for me, I am heading out, not in any particular direction, but should I find something, you can BET, you would be the first to know.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Daniel_bids_for_pistol__honours-164106826.html
Daniel bids for pistol honours
By Kwame Laurence In London
Story Created: Jul 27, 2012 at 11:58 PM ECT
Roger Daniel opens his third bid for Olympic honours in the men's 10 metres air pistol event, at seven a.m. today (T&T time), at the Royal Artillery Barracks, here in London, England.
"I'm very pleased with my preparations," the Trinidad and Tobago shooter told the Express, yesterday.
Daniel is the first athlete on show for T&T at the London Games. He is an Olympic veteran, however, and seemed relaxed as he waited outside the Olympic Village for interviews with this reporter and TV6's Vinod Narwani.
"I'm trying not to put any expectations on myself. I'm doing what I have to do—concentrate on one thing at a time and just do it. You just prepare yourself mentally as best as you could, try to keep yourself good, and do what you have to do."
Daniel made his Olympic debut in 2004 in Athens, Greece, and was again on the T&T team at the 2008 Games, in Beijing, China.
"You can't really compare the three Olympic experiences. It's a new time, a new day, a different place. I'm trying not to get too hyped."
Today's 10m air pistol field includes South Korea's Jin Jong-oh, the world record holder with a score of 594, and China's reigning Olympic champion Pang Wei. Jong-oh picked up silver in Beijing, while bronze went to American Jason Turner. Turner will also be in action today.
In Athens, Daniel finished 27th in the 10m air pistol with a score of 574, and 33rd in the 50m pistol (545). Four years later, in Beijing, he earned 571 points to cop 36th spot.
To get to today's 10.30 a.m. (T&T time) final, the 2011 Pan American Games 10m air pistol silver medallist would need to approach his personal best score of 586.
The 30-member T&T squad here in London includes 25 track and field athletes.
Manager of the track and field team, Dexter Voisin, told the Express he expects T&T to improve on the Beijing haul of two medals—silver from Richard "Torpedo" Thompson in the men's 100m and silver in the men's 4x100m relay.
"There are some who came in with realistic chances, based on their performances leading up to the Games. Once everything goes well, we're supposed to see a better performance than in Beijing 2008. I anticipate we will be going back home with some medals."
Voisin said the pre-Games training camp in Cardiff, Wales was extremely useful.
"One of the better camps in recent years. Thanks to the Olympic Committee (TTOC) and their support staff, together with the NAAA (National Association of Athletics Administrations) staff. It was very successful. We were able to bond lots more than in the past. It's the first time in several years we scheduled relay practice and the athletes honoured it."
Marc Burns, who teamed up with Keston Bledman, Emmanuel Callender and Thompson for men's 4x100m silver in Beijing, was the T&T flagbearer at last night's opening ceremony, at the Olympic Stadium.
Voisin expects the men's and women's sprint relay teams to do well here in London.
"A lot of people are saying that's where the medals lie. Once we get the baton around, I cannot see any reason why we won't be successful in the 4x1 men and women."
The team manager said the Cardiff camp helped with team chemistry.
"It has improved a lot. In the fray now, we have (Rondel) Sorrillo. He earned his place on the team, and has made the adjustment very quickly."
Bledman, Thompson and Sorrillo are expected to face the starter in the men's 100m dash. Sorrillo will also compete in the 200m.
Voisin said Bledman's recent injury scare is not a cause for concern.
"To date, I haven't gotten any official word that Keston was injured. At the camp I saw him running as normal. He got a cramp in his hip while in the blocks at the Aviva London Grand Prix, but in a couple days time he was back in training."
In June, Bledman won the national 100m title with a personal best 9.86 seconds dash.
"Based on Keston's performances for the season, we have a medal prospect. But before a medal comes, you have to make the final. And Richard says he's much better. He's on the improve."
Kelly-Ann Baptiste is T&T's best medal prospect among the women.
"I've seen her in training," said Voisin. "She's still doing treatment for discomfort in her Achilles, but looks comfortable. Kelly-Ann is definitely a medal contender."
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-28/london-brings-out-stars
London brings out the stars
Shooter Daniel starts T&T medal quest today
Published: Saturday, July 28, 2012
Rachael Thompson-King
Sprinter Marc Burns completed his role as T&T’s flag bearer with finesse during the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games yesterday. He led a proud bunch that was all dressed in red, white and black dresses and suits in front of a totally packed house at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford. The frigid did not seem to affect any of the athletes from the world as they jumped and swayed and waved their national flags with a sense of patriotism. Burns, 29, proudly lead the T&T of 53 member contingent which comprised 30 athletes and 23 officials. This is Burn’s fourth appearance at an Olympic Games. He made his Olympic debut at the Sydney Olympics at the age of 17 years. He’s described as one of T&T's most consistent athletes in the history of local sport. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics he was a 100m finalist.
He will compete in the Men’s 100 metres dash and the 4x100m relay event when track and field gets going next Friday. Spectators started to arrive as early as 3 pm for an event which started promptly at 9 pm. Entitled Isles of Wonder, the opening ceremony was devised by Oscar-winning film director Danny Boyle with the aim of celebrating all things British and charting the nation's history. It started with the ringing of a giant bell by cycling hero Bradley Wiggins, who last weekend became the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France. The stadium was then turned into a green and pleasant land with hills, a cottage and people enjoying a version of British life. Animals including horse, cows, goats, chickens, ducks, nine and sheeps appeared in these opening scenes. The peace was shattered as the age of industry sprouted from the ground with loud banging. Giant smoking chimneys rising up from the ground were showcased next. There was a tribute to those killed in war. A number of British royalties and stars, musically, culturally and otherwise also took part in the opening festivities, including the Queen in a skit with the most recent James Bond, actor Daniel Craig, the highlight of the production.
On the big screens which were positioned around the stadium, the image showed the Queen leaving Buckingham Palace with Bond aboard a helicopter, The chopper then flew to the Olympic Park, where Bond and the Queen jumped out, arriving outside the stadium just in time for her big entrance. The two parachutists were really Gary Connery (the Queen) and Mark Sutton (Bond). It was broadcast ahead of the Queen's dramatic entrance at the opening ceremony as she officially opened the Games. In another comedy film sketch Rowan Atkinson in his Mr Bean character created havoc as Sir Simon Rattle conducted the theme from Chariots of Fire. Among the other flag bearers were record-holder Usain Bolt for Jamaica, 200m specialist Kirani James for Grenada and NBA star Pau Gasol for Spain. The show closed off with the traditional lifting of the Olympic flag, fireworks and the lighting of the Olympic torch.
YESTERDAY’S RESULTS
ARCHERY (Ranking Round)
Men’s individual: 1st- DH Im (KOR) 699pts (WR), 2nd- B Kim (KOR) 698pts, 3rd- JH Oh (KOR) 690pts
Men’s team: 1st- KOR 2087pts (WR), FRA 2021pts, CHI 2091pts
SPOTLIGHT: (Dong Hyun Im) Legally blind South Korean archer DONG HYUN IM broke his own men’s individual (696) record set in May, with a score of 699 points. Im also combined with compatriots Bubmin Kim and Jin Hyek Oh to erase their 2069 record with a new 2,087-point record in the team event.
TODAY’S MAIN EVENTS
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL (First round)
New Zealand vs Brazil @9.30, Great Britain vs Cameroon @12.15pm
SWIMMING (Medal rounds)
Men's 100m Breaststroke Semifinal @8.30am, Women’s 4x100m Freestyle
Relay Final @8.40am
CYCLING
Men’s road race final @5pm
SHOOTING
Men's 10m Air Pistol @7pm- T&T’s
Roger Daniel
QUOTE OF THE DAY: (Dong Hyun Im) “This is just the first round, so I will not get too excited by it.” South Korean archer DONG HYUN IM downplays his men’s individual world record set yesterday in the men’s opening round.
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Here is Roger Daniel's profile:
http://www.ttoc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2667:roger-daniel-shooting&catid=166:tat-athlete-profiles-2012&Itemid=279
T&T OLYMPIC ATHLETE PROFILE 2012
Roger Daniel - Shooting (50m pistol, 10m air pistol)
Roger Daniel will be at the London Games, representing the red, white and black in the 10 metres air pistol and 50 metres pistol events.
The soldier made his Olympic debut at the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece, tying for 27th in the 10 metres air pistol and finishing 33rd in the 50 metres pistol. And at the 2008 Beijing Games, he was 36th in the 10 metres air pistol.
Daniel has been a consistent performer for T&T, earning precious metal at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, the Pan American Games and the Commonwealth Games. Missing from his collection is an Olympic medal. The 42-year-old shooter aims to set that right in London.
Here is link to watch Roger's shooting events live: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/live-video
And here is schedule of the events Roger Daniel will be shooting in at the London Olympics.
http://www.london2012.com/shooting/event/men-10m-air-pistol/index.html?v=20120728-015025784
London 2012 Olympics Men's 10m Air Pistol startlist
Date / time Sport Venue
Saturday, 28 July 2012 12:00 Royal Artillery Barracks
Qualification
Firing Point Bib Athlete IQS +
8 1849 DIKEC Yusuf 586 +
9 1470 MATSUDA Tomoyuki 586 +
10 1095 DAUHAPOLAU Yury 584 +
11 1006 ZIADI Fateh 570 +
12 1781 SCHEUBER Patrick 578 +
13 1823 BABIKOV Sergey 571 +
14 1299 DUMOULIN Franck 589 +
15 1025 BAKHTAMYAN Norayr 586 +
16 1789 KOPP Pavol 582 +
17 1351 SCHMIDT Florian 583 +
18 1595 KYU Maung 571 +
19 1763 ZLATIC Andrija 590 +
20 1496 JIN Jongoh 590 +
21 1923 HOANG Xuan Vinh 582 +
22 1589 SARANOVIC Nikola 574 +
23 1437 SIGURGEIRSSON Asgeir 579 +
24 1851 KELES Ismail 582 +
25 1903 TURNER Jason 578 +
26 1872 OMELCHUK Oleh 588 +
27 1404 KUMAR Vijay 579 +
28 1792 TUZINSKY Juraj 582 +
29 1871 KUSHNIROV Denys 585 +
30 1462 TESCONI Luca 583 +
31 1711 EKIMOV Leonid 589 +
32 1901 SZARENSKI Daryl 583 +
33 1159 TAN Zongliang 589 +
34 1493 CHOI Young Rae 581 +
35 1157 PANG Wei 583 +
36 1759 MIKEC Damir 584 +
37 1304 LAPEYRE Walter 588 +
38 1042 REPACHOLI Daniel 576 +
39 1670 COSTA Joao 587 +
40 1098 LUKASHYK Kanstantsin 584 +
41 1837 DANIEL Roger 577 +
42 1418 BARKHORDARI Ebrahim 582 +
43 1264 CARRERA Pablo 586 +
44 1480 PODLESNYY Vyacheslav 577 +
45 1719 KOULAKOV Denis 585 +
47 1815 PANICHPATIKUM Jakkrit 578 +
48 1250 WAGIH Karim 572 +
49 1369 SANCHEZ Sergio 571 +
50 1449 BRUNO Francesco 580 +
51 1288 JAHNSSON Kai 588 +
52 1000 KUCANA Arben 580 +
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Anyone have vid of TnT entering?
Stupid canadian television went to commercial break...i'm watching nbc from now on
You can look back at the whole or any part of the Opening Ceremony on the BBC website from the link I provided above! :beermug:
thanks bro, but I can't view in canada
Try running the progam on this link called Hotspot Shield: http://www.hotspotshield.com/
Then try viewing from the BBC website again and it should work! :beermug:
it just gave me another ipaddress still in the US. Any other suggestions?
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Look Nah what ah dreadful feeling ah watching the feed of the ceremonies on CTV and they cut to commercial and come back with Turkey; Ah wonder if they did this when Canada was about to come in what the sentiments would be ?
Anyhow for what it is worth all ten seconds of it : I found this clip on You Tube :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50iM72Ci4WU (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50iM72Ci4WU)
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164007.html
SportsMax streaming Olympics to Caribbean
Saturday, July 28 2012
For the first time ever in the Caribbean, the Olympic Games will be streamed on the internet live courtesy of SportsMax on sportsmaxolympics.tv. The regional sports channel will be streaming Olympic action on seven channels to Caribbean audiences in 17 Caribbean territories from July 27 to August 12, meaning that viewers on the stream will be able to watch their sport of choice from London.
The Caribbean cable giant’s live Internet stream of the London Olympics 2012 will be accessible through coupon codes distributed by SportsMax on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/SportsMax) and through select locations of its streaming sponsors Western Union and Advantage General Insurance.
The SportsMax live stream will feature seven channels, five of which are directly from venues of different Olympic sports, one is the Olympic News Channel — a 24 hour service with highlights and updates during each day — and the seventh channel is IMC’s 24-hour feed which takes the best action from the Olympics and wraps it with complete analysis of what’s happening at the Games from a Caribbean perspective.
This IMC 24-hour feed, which is also being provided to authorised broadcasters across the Caribbean for broadcast on free-to-air, is being led by five-time Olympic presenter, Lance Whittaker and renown track analyst Hubert Lawrence.
The stream will also offer the viewer the opportunity to replay action from the Olympics through the DVR feature on sportsmaxolympics.tv.
Tanya Lee, regional marketing manager of SportsMax, stated that “after setting a Caribbean record for the most viewed Caribbean event on the internet for Jamaica¹s Boys and Girls Champs 2011, and successfully streaming Champs 2012 and the Jamaica International Invitational in May, we look forward to providing regional audiences for the first time ever with the option of watching yet another sporting event of immense global interest, especially as so many of our Caribbean athletes are positioned to medal in London.”
The stream is available in Jamaica, Anguilla, Antigua-Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Island Islands, Cayman Islands, Guyana, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Turks and Caicos.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Opening_watched_by_record_40_7_million_Americans-164165946.html
Opening watched by record 40.7 million Americans
Story Created: Jul 28, 2012 at 11:42 PM ECT
l LOS ANGELES
A record 40.7 million Americans watched NBC television's coverage of the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony, making it the most-watched Summer Games opening, NBC said yesterday.
NBC said the audience for the London ceremony was six million more than for the opening ceremonies from Beijing in 2008, and also beat the 39.8 million audience for the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996.
US viewers had to wait up to seven hours on Friday to watch the London ceremony after NBC decided not to stream it live and to delay its broadcast until the prime time evening hours.
NBC sports group chairman Mark Lazarus said in a statement yesterday that the record audience for London "is a great early sign that our strategy of driving people to watch NBC in primetime is working".
NBC Universal paid US$1.18 billion for the US rights to the London Olympics. It is streaming all the sporting events live online and boosting its TV coverage of the 2012 games to more than 5,500 hours.
But Americans took to Twitter in droves on Friday when they realised that the opening ceremony could not be seen until hours after it finished in the British capital.
CNN talk show host Piers Morgan, who was tweeting details about the ceremony from London, said on Friday: "Laughable that America is yet to start watching the Olympic ceremony on TV. Seriously."
NBC sports spokesman Christopher McCloskey said the opening ceremonies "are complex entertainment spectacles that do not translate well online because they require context, which our award-winning production team will provide for the large prime-time audiences that gather together to watch them".
In a decision that caused controversy in Britain, NBC cut a musical tribute from the opening ceremony for the victims of the July 2005 extremist attacks in London buses and trains.
Instead the network showed a brief interview with Olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps by American Idol host Ryan Seacrest.
NBC did not immediately return calls for comment on the matter.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Lochte_leaves_Phelps_floundering-164165956.html
Lochte leaves Phelps floundering
Story Created: Jul 28, 2012 at 11:42 PM ECT
l LONDON
American swimmer Ryan Lochte made the biggest splash of the London Games so far by obliterating his compatriot Michael Phelps, the greatest swimmer in Olympic history, in the first of their eagerly awaited duels.
Phelps, unthinkably, finished without a medal in the 400 metres individual medley--a fate shared in the men's road race by British favourite and world champion Mark Cavendish, outmanoeuvred and upstaged in his quest for the home nation's first gold by Kazakhstan's Alexandre Vinokourov.
Sun Yang powered to China's first male swimming gold in the 400 metres freestyle and his 16-year-old compatriot Ye Shiwen won the women's 400m individual medley in a stunning world record time, putting China top of the medals table on the first full day of competition.
Phelps is bidding in London to become the most prolific Olympic medal winner in history, but may be yielding the position of world's best swimmer to Lochte after coming only fourth in the 400m individual medley, where Phelps set the current world record in 2008.
Having scraped into the final by 0.07 seconds, Phelps looked way off the pace as Lochte's silky power brought him home with time to spare. Phelps missed out on a medal at the Olympics for the first time since he was a 15-year-old at Sydney in 2000.
Cavendish, too, was left trailing when a star-studded British team led by Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins controlled much of the race but failed in a frantic attempt to bridge a gap of nearly a minute to a breakaway pack and set up a win for the sprint specialist.
Vinokourov, who was banned for two years in 2007 for blood doping at the Tour de France, surged past Colombia's Rigoberto Uran on the final stretch in front of Buckingham Palace.
The veteran, in tears at the end, had announced he was quitting professional cycling after crashing out of the Tour de France last year, but could not resist the urge to get back on the bike for one last shot at glory this year.
Cavendish, winner of 23 stages of the Tour de France, was the only British track cyclist to go home empty-handed from Beijing, and had desperately hoped to set the home nation on the road to a best ever haul of Olympic golds.
Meanwhile China, top of the medal table for the first time four years ago in Beijing, laid down a huge marker with two golds in the Aquatics Centre, whose swooping roof echoes the shape of a manta ray or the arched back of a butterfly swimmer.
Sun Yang came within a whisker of breaking the world record to win the men's 400 metres freestyle final and became the first Chinese man to claim an Olympic swimming title.
South Korea's Park Tae-hwan, who won the event in Beijing four years ago, led for the first 300 metres at world record pace but finished second, having won an appeal against a false start just to compete in the final.
Sun is also the overwhelming favourite for the 1500 freestyle, the longest event in the pool, where he set the world record last year.
Another Chinese talent emerged in the shape of 16-year-old Ye Shiwen, who won gold by going more than a second under the world record and five seconds faster than her previous best.
Ye unleashed an incredible sprint over the concluding freestyle leg to surge clear of the favourite Elizabeth Beisel of the United States.
In doing so, she became the first woman to break a long-course world record since polyurethane bodysuits, which boosted buoyancy and triggered a slew of records, were banned in 2009.
China's Yi Siling had already become the first gold medallist of the Games in the 10-metre air rifle–despite confessing to reporters: "For the first round and the last round I was very nervous and didn't know what I was doing."
Her compatriot Wang Mingjuan extended a 10-year unbeaten international record to win gold in the first women's weightlifting event of the London Games, the 48-kg weight division.
In the last event of the night in the pool, Australia took gold in the women's 4x100 metres freestyle relay, ahead of the Netherlands and the United States.
On a day of mixed fortunes for South Korea, Jin Jong-oh won the men's 10-metre air pistol shooting, but their men's archery team, who won gold at the last three Olympics and set new individual and team world records in an earlier round, were knocked out in the semi-final.
However, their conquerors, the top-ranked United States, then suffered a shock defeat in the final to unfancied Italy.
The Italians moved to second in the medal table with a further triumph in the fencing arena. Elisa Di Francisca led an Italian sweep in the women's individual foil, ahead of Arianna Errigo and three-times gold medallist Valentina Vezzali.
Brazil's Sarah Menezes took judo gold in the women's -48kg category by defeating reigning Olympic champion Romania's Alina Dumitru, while Russia's Arsen Galstyan won the men's -60kg.
At Wimbledon, where Roger Federer won his 17th grand slam earlier this month, the world number one survived a scare in his opening Olympic singles match against Colombia's Alejandro Falla before prevailing 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 to book a second-round place.
Seeking his first singles gold, Federer made extra work for himself by missing three match points when leading 6-3, 5-3.
In the women's event, Serena.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Serena_breezes_through_to_second_round-164165986.html
Serena breezes through to second round
Story Created: Jul 28, 2012 at 11:42 PM ECT
Wimbledon champion Serena Williams breezed through her first round match against Serbia's Jelena Jankovic on the opening day of the Olympic tennis yesterday with US first lady Michelle Obama cheering her on.
Obama watched from the players' box along with Williams' sister Venus as the fourth seed took just 61 minutes to see off former world number one Jankovic 6-3, 6-1.
"It was great seeing Michelle there. It just made me want to play better and I felt even better. We're here for our country and to play well. I loved her dress, which is always nice. She is always looking good," Williams said after the match.
With the usual Wimbledon requirement for players to wear white not in place for the Olympics, Williams herself took to the court in a red, white and navy blue dress with a red headband, while Jankovic also wore red.
"It's so different than playing in all white and I was thinking 'I wouldn't like it', but I like it," she said, although then adding that she would "absolutely not" like to see coloured clothing introduced at Wimbledon.
With the first set comfortably under her belt, five-time Wimbledon winner Williams took an early break in the second set when Jankovic hit the ball into the Olympic-ring adorned net.
The American quickly broke again to storm to a 3-0 lead, then denying her opponent a single point in the fourth game.
Jankovic managed to hold her serve one more time, but appeared increasingly frustrated with herself, wrongly challenging two line judge's calls in a row.
Serving to stay in the match at 15-40, the 27-year-old was given a momentary reprieve when her opponent powered a backhand into the net.
The American, who has two doubles gold medals with Venus but is still seeking a single gold, let out a squeal of annoyance but she didn't have to wait long to secure her victory as Jankovic hit the next shot wide to gift her the match.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Asia_takes_first_golds_and_headlines-164166016.html
Asia takes first golds and headlines
Story Created: Jul 28, 2012 at 11:42 PM ECT
l LONDON
Shooting took centre stage at the Olympics yesterday when International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge handed over the first gold medal of the London Games, but it was the pioneering and pregnant athletes who stole the show.
China's Yi Siling took the honour of being the first London gold medallist when she won the women's 10 metre air rifle at a packed Royal Artillery Barracks in southeast London as supporters clamoured to see the opening action.
"I felt like a movie star," the 23-year-old Yi told reporters after winning her first Olympic gold.
"Now I've got the gold medal I feel very happy and very excited. I almost cried."
The event was graced by Rogge who watched the 40-minute final and then presented the first medal at his last Games before he steps down from the role next year.
However, Yi and Rogge shared the spotlight with eight-months pregnant shooter Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi of Malaysia who had the world's media hanging on her every word and movement.
Struggling to fit into her shooter's jacket, the 29-year-old could only finish 34th in the 56-woman qualifying heat but her performance was not the pressing issue.
"Baby is quite fine. She hasn't made an appearance during training or competition. I told her to behave herself," Suryani said after she felt "only three or four kicks" during the competition.
"When she kicked I tried to breathe in, breathe out and make myself calm."
Another markswoman was also causing quite a stir.
Bahia Al Hamad became Qatar's debut female Olympian when she was the first of the Gulf nation's three women athletes to see action in London.
The 20-year-old carried the flag for her country the previous evening at the opening ceremony and finished a credible 17th in the rifle qualifying heat after receiving a wild card to take part.
"The competition was very hard, but I'm so happy and I enjoyed it," Al Hamad said.
"It is fun to be in the Olympics. It's a dream come true for me to be here," she added before fleeing the media scrum around her mid-question as the attention seemed all too much.
After the qualifying had finished, Yi took control of the eight-woman final when she fired a pinpoint 10.7 at the target, just shy of the maximum 10.9, to overtake rival Poland's Sylwia Bogacka who had led for most of the way but could only manage a 9.7.
Bogacka had to settle for silver and China also collected a bronze thanks to Yu Dan but there was no clean sweep on day one for the 2008 Games hosts.
Expected to claim the majority of the 15 shooting golds on offer in London, China suffered a disappointing start to the men's disciplines when defending champion Pang Wei finished fourth in the 10m air pistol.
The event was won by South Korean Jin Jong-oh, who held his nerve to hold on for victory after a slight mid-final meltdown.
Groans echoed around the indoor range from the 2,000 spectators who packed both shooting finals as Jin fired a disappointing nine with his seventh shot to give his opponents hope.
But the 32-year-old, firing his pistol with his right hand while his left was planted firmly in his pocket, roared back with a near perfect 10.8 to seal gold ahead of Italy's Luca Tesconi. Andrija Zlatic of Serbia took bronze
"The Chinese guy won the gold last time. I promised myself that I would not let it happen this time," Jin said.
Jin's memorable finished wrapped up a successful day for shooting, which attracts big headlines in Asia but lacks the same popularity elsewhere.
The women are the sole focus today with two gold medals up for grabs in the 10m air pistol and the skeet.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Greene__Technical__issues_make_Bolt_vulnerable_-164165976.html
Greene: Technical issues make Bolt vulnerable
Story Created: Jul 28, 2012 at 11:42 PM ECT
l LONDON
Olympic 100-metre champion Usain Bolt will lose his crown to compatriot Yohan Blake unless he quickly fixes technical problems with his race, former world record holder Maurice Greene told Reuters yesterday.
The American said Bolt's vulnerability in the first 60 metres, already exposed this year by the younger Jamaican, gave his rivals the scent of gold that was absent in Beijing four years ago.
"If Usain was running like he was in Beijing, he would win hands down," said the 2000 Olympic gold medallist. "But he is not running like that."
Body position out of the starting blocks and in the first 60 metres are hurting the world's most famous sprinter, Greene said.
"Those problems...bring everybody closer to him, which makes him susceptible to losing," said Greene, who is serving as a television analyst at the Games.
"Usain is the more talented, but Blake has a better technical race," added Greene, who correctly predicted Blake would win last year's 100m world championship in which Bolt false-started.
Blake, the year's fastest at both 100 and 200, also prevailed in last month's Jamaican Olympic trials in which Bolt was slowed by hamstring problems.
Although there has been much speculation about Bolt's fitness, Greene said he did not believe he is currently injured.
"All of his problems are technical," Greene said.
Bolt looked sluggish in both Jamaican races, prompting many to predict the lanky sprinter would fail in his bid for a repeat in the 100.
He badly wants both golds to secure his place as a great in the sport he dominates. No man has ever claimed repeat Olympic titles in both.
Bolt will win the 200 hands down, Greene said, but there will be no runaway victory by anyone in the 100.
"Not unless the freak comes out in Usain Bolt," said Greene when asked if anyone could duplicate the Jamaican's two-tenths of a second victory in Beijing.
"He is only one that can do that. He might be capable of doing it again. I just don't see from the races I have seen that he is in that type of shape."
Beyond Bolt and Blake, the race for the bronze is wide open, Greene said.
Americans Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay, Jamaican former world record holder Asafa Powell and Trinidad and Tobago's Keston Bledman all should be in the mix for the final medal.
Gay, the world's second fastest man, has the speed to run with the best when healthy, but Greene said he was concerned about his hesitancy to go all out at the start because of hip surgery that kept him off the track for nearly a year.
Gatlin's tendency to rush his transition could cost the 2004 Olympic champion who served a four-year doping ban between 2006-10, Greene said.
Powell has the talent, but his poor record in major championships makes him suspect.
"If he is relaxed, he might beat everybody," Greene said.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/London_organisers__investigating_empty_seats-164166066.html
London organisers investigating empty seats
Story Created: Jul 28, 2012 at 11:42 PM ECT
l LONDON
London's Olympic organisers launched an investigation into empty seats on the first day of the Games yesterday.
On a school holiday and after months of public complaints over the inability of thousands in Britain to buy tickets, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, the minister responsible for the Olympics, said he was disappointed by the empty seats and that the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) were looking into it.
"LOCOG are doing a full investigation into what happened," Hunt told publicly-funded broadcaster BBC one day after a widely praised opening ceremony starring Queen Elizabeth, Paul McCartney and Rowan Atkinson.
Television coverage of events on Saturday showed and visitors to venues found scores of empty seats in the early part of the day at the aquatics centre, in the basketball arena and later on at Wimbledon for the tennis. There was also plenty of space to stretch out in the Olympic Park.
"We think it was accredited seats that belong to sponsors, but if they are not going to turn up, we want those tickets to be available for members of the public, because that creates the best atmosphere. So we are looking at this very urgently at the moment," Hunt said.
Sports Minister Hugh Robertson said he was surprised that the events were not full.
LOCOG became used to putting up the "sold out" sign within minutes of each tranche of tickets going on sale to the public.
On Saturday some ticket box offices at venues in the park still had queues of people seeking to buy tickets for selected sports.
"I've been trying and trying every day to get (soccer) tickets for Argentina," 34-year-old Argentinian electrician Lucas Lopez told Reuters on a stroll through the park.
"Where there are empty seats, we will look at who should have been sitting in the seats, and why they did not attend. Early indications are that the empty seats are in accredited seating areas, but this is day one, and our end of day review will provide a fuller picture," LOCOG said in a statement late on Saturday.
LOCOG declined to provide a figure for the number of people in the park on Saturday or how many tickets had been sold but said that 11 million people would attend the Games.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Daniel_deja_vu-164166096.html
Daniel deja vu
T&T shooter 36th again
By Kwame Laurence in London
Story Created: Jul 28, 2012 at 11:42 PM ECT
There was a bit of déjà vu for Roger Daniel at the Royal Artillery Barracks, here in London, England, yesterday.
Appearing in his third Olympic Games, Daniel duplicated his Beijing 2008 finish in the men's 10 metres air pistol, the Trinidad and Tobago shooter copping 36th spot with a total of 569 points. In Beijing, he totalled 571 to finish 37th but was later promoted to 36th following the disqualification of North Korean drug cheat, Kim Jong-su.
It was a South Korean that struck gold, yesterday, Jin Jong-oh topping the qualifying round with 588 points and then scoring 100.2 in the eight-man final for a total of 688.2. Italian Luca Tesconi (685.8) and Serbia's Andrija Zlatic (685.2) claimed silver and bronze, respectively.
Daniel was visibly disappointed at the end of the qualifying competition. He had just produced his lowest ever score in an Olympic 10m air pistol event. On his debut, at the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece, the soldier was 27th with 574 points.
"That's not a good show," Daniel told the Sunday Express. "The smoothness just wasn't there. Mentally I think I put pressure on myself, even though I knew what to do."
Daniel enjoyed a solid start, scoring 97 out of a possible 100 with his first ten shots. However, he followed up with 94, 94, 93 and 94 to slip out of contention for a place in the final. The 42-year-old shooter stepped up his game at the end, earning 96 points with his last ten shots, including four 10s on the trot to close off his London Games 10m air pistol campaign in style.
Afterwards, Daniel explained his strong finish.
"I was beating up on myself. I really said some choice things—'hey what it is you really…concentrate, you have to concentrate'. Despite what you're going through or what you're feeling, you have to put that aside, dig deep and go at it. You have to finish. Anyhow you take it, you start a match, you must finish."
The warm London weather that had greeted me on my arrival last Tuesday has since deserted me, the chilly conditions yesterday evoking memories of the London I endured while living here in 2008/2009.
In much the same way, Daniel's confidence deserted him, the confidence that had propelled him to multiple Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games titles, as well as Commonwealth and Pan Am Games podium finishes, and a personal best score of 586.
Unable to work out his problems, the T&T marksman, on more than one occasion, stepped away from his shooting position to seek the advice of his Mongolian coach Altansetseg Byambajav.
"She basically told me to concentrate on smooth triggering. But sometimes in these events, the body reacts a certain way. Yes, you're concentrating on all these nice things you plan and you're accustomed doing, but the reaction you get is a little different."
Byambajav was also disappointed with Daniel's performance.
"Today was not so good," she told the Sunday Express, "but normally he is a very good shooter. Little mistakes…normally, he can shoot 580 or more."
Daniel will be back at the Royal Artillery Barracks next Sunday, August 5, competing in the men's 50m pistol event.
"I'm going to recharge myself and get this out of my mind. I want to go into the 50 metres feeling much stronger. My performance in the 10 metres was not a good one, so I'm going to dig deeper and put out a much greater effort.
"I want to tell everybody," Daniel continued, "thanks for the support. We still have more. It isn't over as yet. Greater things may happen."
The greatest swimming achievement in T&T history came at the 2004 Games in Athens, George Bovell bagging bronze in the men's 200m individual medley.
Competing at his fourth Olympic Games, Bovell, 29, opens his London campaign today, at 6.06 a.m. (T&T time), in the men's 100m backstroke. He will swim in lane eight, in the second of six heats.
American Matthew Grevers, the 2012 world leader at 52.08 seconds, has been drawn in the sixth and final heat. His toughest challenge in that race is expected to come from Japan's Ryosuke Irie. Two other top contenders in the event, France's Camille Lacourt and American Nick Thoman, will swim in heats five and four, respectively.
Bovell's personal best in the 100 back is 55.65 seconds, which ranks him 40th among the 43 entrants in the event.
T&T's best ever swimmer, however, would not be concerned about that statistic, since he is using the 100 back and 100 freestyle as preparation for his medal bid in the 50 free.
At 21.89 seconds, Bovell is the ninth fastest swimmer in the 50 free field, and a genuine contender for precious metal.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-29/london-olympics-2012-here-we-are
London Olympics 2012, here we are
Published: Sunday, July 29, 2012
Alvin Corneal
Is it the tension which precedes the entry to our Olympic challenge, or are you mesmerised by the spectacular dressings of that great city called London where the Bridge, The Palace, the river Thames, and the bustling old-fashioned taxis which mix with buses, trains, subway and overhead, all fitting snugly into space that often appear insufficient on a normal day. And while the athletes from almost every country (204) in the world have presented an enthusiastic, scintillating and colourful entry into the Olympic stadium, the fans of every sporting discipline will be present to ensure that Olympic history in brought to life four years after Beijing 2008. In open bars, around the parks of central London, Hyde Park, St James Park, the so called soap box Parliament at Hyde Park Corner, human voices using various languages, each representing a nation with obvious dialect, come together to create an atmosphere reminiscent of a carnival without bacchanal, surrounded by an unassuming, but alert police presence. With the brilliant start which saw a brazilian dominace on the football field, where flair and creativity mesmerised the Cameroun Women and the following day, the pain of the Egyptian politics was not spared by the men’s version of football’s ingenuity when the enthusiastic Egyptians chased around a plush field for forty-five minutes in search of a ball that seemed harder for them to find than a needle in a haystack.
The resilience of the Mubarak stained country’s youth showed their fight and surprised south Americans with speed and lethal finishing which led us to believe that the commitment to the sport has surpassed the turmoil of the past year in Cairo. The enjoyment gained from such an exercise was enough for the fans to take a deep breath on the opening day and await more excitement in the days to come. Ironically enough, the chosen Olympic City is clustered with international Cricket, super exciting football from various parts of the world live on TV with teams like Manchester United, Chelsea, AC Milan, Manchester city and many other world Class teams. It appears contrary to what the British was trying to market and one day the financial statistics may reveal the details of the end result. Then there is the constant hum coming from the Jamaicans and fans as to which of their world Class sprinters will earn the gold medals in the sprints. All interpretations echoed different formulas as to Bolt’s fitness. Some claimed that he is now fit and ready to take on all comers, including Yohan Blake, and will keep his success trail as he did between London and Beijing. But, hold a minute! The people friendly triple Gold medallist of the Beijing Olympics, may well be jolted over the new of his close friend and schoolmate will not make the trip to London because of a charge of double murder which has been laid against him recently. If the reports are true about the closeness of these two individuals are correct, Usain may have a serious bug to remove from his mental frame.
Others silently saw his recent withdrawal from what would have been his final preparation before the start of his Olympic Gold chase as a significant piece of evidence that all is still not well and may be just hoping to devise a method of pacing himself from the first round to the final. Possible, but we all have to wait and see. Our women athletes keep sending us some positive messages, not only in Cardiff last week, but for the past three months, and it will be unwise to ignore them. Their opponents are concerned over the recent improvement of Kerry Ann Baptiste , Cleopatra Borell and others, because of the times and distances which are alongside their names at every event. The men’s optimism should not be underestimated although statistics do not quite reflect any level of exuberance other patriotism. The build leading up to the present time, exposes keston bledman and Ronerl Sorillo as the ones leading towards a well judged peaktime, while we all have to await the arrival of the Richard Thompson when he leaves his final technical training before arriving in London. Trinis who have made the trip to provide patriotic support for the Red/white. And black of T&T will hope to erupt and bring London to a liveliness which only exists at Nottinghill carnival.
A Few whispers are about our young and exciting sailor Andrew Lewis, our cycling medal contender Njisane Phillips , together our marksman Roger Daniel. The twin Island state has much to which we can look forward. The atmosphere is electrifying in the Land that was once associated with us. We treasured their guidance then, and we even offered our Olympic gem of that era McDonald Bailey to them. His success was our way of showing the extra ordinary talent of our people. Today, there are many ageing athletes of yesteryear from this blessed country who are eagerly awaiting those who will add to the medal cabinet. Oh, how will Lennox Kilgour, Rodney Wilkes, Wendell Mottley, Edwain Roberts, Kent Bernard, Ed Skinner, ( who is actually present in London), our Olympic Gold medallist Hasely Crawford , and Ato Boldon feel if Richard Thompson can inspire the group of contenders to another glorious moment to make this a wonderful gift to celebrate our fiftieth Anniversary of Independence. And if, like myself, you will be there to show support and allegiance to our country, our own Caribbean Airlines is ready to take you safely to the destination.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-29/spending-day-roger-daniel
OLYMPIC DIARY
Spending a day with Roger Daniel
Published: Sunday, July 29, 2012
Andre E Baptiste
When a man has been “shooting” for the “stars” in the last twelve years, one would expect him to be emotional in only his third Olympics, compared with 70 per cent of his competitors who have “shot” for over two decades and more. T&T’s Roger Daniel arrived at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich Arsenal, expectant and he started with an outstanding first round, but then he seemed to lose his stride and with it he lost momentum. He regained his touch late on the sixth and final round, shooting four consecutive inner circles perfect 10’s. However, it was all to late and he failed to qualify for the mens 10m air pistol final at the London Olympics. Daniel’s final score of 568, placed him in an overall position of 36th; uncannily, that was the same position he finished in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in this same event. His personal best of 586 would have qualified him for the quarterfinal, as the eight place finisher had a score of 583.
However, just as Daniel, this day had started off looking quite promising for me as well. I finally was able to get a good night’s rest even though it meant skipping breakfast. But that was okay...or at least so I thought. I followed a recommended route to Woolwich Arsenal, however, on this occasion the problem was not the recommender, but rather the number of stops and transfers from underground trains to overhead trains. In the end, it must have taken around 75 minutes from the hotel to the final stop. And just as I breathed a sigh of relief, the sign outside the train centre stated Royal Artillery—20 minutes away. In the end, after some twists and turns and with the help of a West Indian immigrant (I think), I was able to reach my destination.
Roger said, “Today I felt really positive before the event and I really hyped up myself to go and have a great performance. When I started I realised I could do this so I talked to myself positively. I really started off positively. During the shoot I encountered some challenges, and I was trying to adjust.” However, this strong man who is totally professional in his approach, appreciates he cannot change the past. His score (568) was way below his best effort. In the end, Jongoh Jin from the Republic of Korea, won with a score of 688.2, with Italy’s Luca Tesconi second with a score of 685.8 and Andra Zlatic of Serbia third with a score 685.2.
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Any live links for Olympic coverage?
VB
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Any live links for Olympic coverage?
VB
http://www.sportwebz.com/
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164082.html
Bovell fails to advance in 100m backstroke
Monday, July 30 2012
SWIMMER GEORGE Bovell III was eliminated in the first round of the men’s 100-metre backstroke yesterday, the second day of the 30th London Olympiad.
At the Aquatic Centre, Bovell, who will also be competing in the 50m freestyle and 100m freestyle, won heat two (of six heats) in 55.22 seconds, ahead of Colombia’s Omar Garcia (55.37) and Pedro Medel of Cuba (55.40).
But the 28-year-old was unable to progress to yesterday’s semi-final phase, as his time was the 29th fastest overall, with the top 16 advancing to the semis.
Bovell, on his Twitter page on Saturday, admitted that yesterday’s race was “just a warm-up” and urged his fans “don’t get too excited.”
After his first round elimination, he wrote, “new career best and national record. Showing nice early speed, a good sign for my 50 (freestyle) on Thursday.”
Today’s final will feature (semi-final times in brackets) Matthew Grevers of the United States (52.66), Camille Lacourt of France (53.03), Liam Tancock of Great Britain (53.25), Ryosuke Irie of Japan (53.29), Nick Thoman of the US (53.47), Feiyi Cheng of China (53.50), Helge Meeuw of Germany (53.52) and Hayden Stoeckel of Australia (53.74).
Sailor Andrew Lewis will also be among a field of 49 for the Men’s Laser Class at Weymouth and Portland, and he will be in action from 7 am today.
On his Twitter page, Lewis wrote yesterday, “had a great last day on the water today. Tomorrow, come na, am ready for you.”
Today will feature Races One and Two, tomorrow will have Races Three and Four, with Races Five and Six on Wednesday’s spotlight, Races Seven and Eight on Friday’s agenda and Races Nine and Ten will be staged on Saturday. And the medal race will take place on August 6.
In this category, points are awarded in each race, with the winner getting one point, the second getting two points etcetera.
After the 10th race, points from the worst races are discarded while the remaining points are added together.
The 10 best sailors will advance to the medal race, while their respective points are doubled (first place getting two points etc). The points total after the medal race determines the placings and the competitor with the lowest number of points will be adjudged the winner.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/USEFUL_SWIM-164223726.html
USEFUL SWIM
Bovell sets national 100 back record
By Kwame Laurence in London
Story Created: Jul 29, 2012 at 11:54 PM ECT
George Bovell opened his 2012 Olympic Games campaign with a national record at the Aquatics Centre, here in London, England, yesterday.
The Trinidad and Tobago swimmer topped heat two in the men's 100 metres backstroke in 55.22 seconds, improving on the 55.65 national standard he had established in March. Colombian Omar Garcia (55.37) and Cuban Pedro Medel (55.40) finished second and third, respectively.
The new T&T record earned Bovell 29th spot overall. The top 16 swimmers advanced to the semifinal round.
"It would have been nice to swim 54," Bovell told the Express, after his heat, "but I really don't consider myself a backstroker and I don't care about backstroke. It's just an opportunity to get in, see how I feel, see how the water is."
Bovell enjoyed significant gains in his Olympic opener. In addition to chopping 43-hundredths of a second off the T&T record, the country's best ever swimmer touched the wall ahead of seven men who had faster qualifying times coming into the London Games. In fact, he was 40th fastest of the 43 swimmers entered in the event, but had the satisfaction of a 29th-place finish.
Bovell's main focus at London 2012 is the 50m freestyle, an event in which he has a real chance of getting to the final.
"It's my best (100 back) time by a bit. I think I showed some good speed in the first half, so my 50 (free) should be alright."
Halfway through his 100m backstroke heat, Bovell was in front, covering the first 50 metres in 26.18 seconds--the 14th fastest split in the opening round.
The Athens 2004 200m individual medley bronze medallist is hoping to climb an Olympic podium for the second time. He said he's satisfied with his final preparations ahead of his 50 free medal bid, and is confident of diving under 22 seconds here in London.
"For sure, 21…21, whatever it takes. We'll see."
Andrew Lewis makes his Olympic debut from seven a.m. today (T&T time), at Weymouth and Portland, in Dorset--some three hours from London by train. The T&T sailor will be on show on the Weymouth Bay South course, in the first two races of the men's Laser class competition.
All 49 competitors will be on the water in ten races—six between today and Wednesday, two more on Friday and another two on Saturday. The top ten sailors on the standings will then compete in next Monday's medal race.
Lewis told the Express, yesterday, he is pleased with the build-up to his first ever Olympic appearance.
"Really, really good. Everything is falling into place with my fitness, weight management, and breaking in the boat and wetsuits. I've had good preparation for the Games. I'm ready. I sailed part of the course today (yesterday) in a practice race. It really went well, which is a good indicator."
Lewis' preparations for London 2012 included a one-week stay at the T&T camp, in Cardiff, Wales. He said the time he spent at the camp was very beneficial.
"After a month and a half in the boat, my coach and I decided to not be in the boat. I focused on fitness and recovery in Cardiff, and when I went back in the boat I felt really good."
The Laser class field is packed with quality. Seven of the top ten finishers at the 2008 Games, in Beijing, China, will be on the water today, including Great Britain's reigning Olympic champion Paul Goodison.
In stark contrast to Goodison, a 34-year-old veteran, Lewis is just 22 and in the fledgling stage of his career. While the Briton will compete with the burden of expectation, T&T's lone sailor here in London is placing no pressure on himself to perform.
"Of the 49 men in the event, I was the second to last qualifier, so I'll just do my best," Lewis ended, "sail as hard as I can."
MEDALS TABLE (AFTER DAY 2)
Rank Team Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 China 6 4 2 12
2 USA 3 5 3 11
3 Italy 2 3 2 7
4 S Korea 2 1 2 5
5 France 2 1 1 4
6 N Korea 2 0 1 3
7 Kazakhstan 2 0 0 2
8 Australia 1 1 1 3
9 Brazil 1 1 1 3
10 Hungary 1 1 1 3
11 Netherlands 1 1 0 2
12 Russia 1 0 3 4
13 Georgia 1 0 0 1
14 S Africa 1 0 0 1
15 Japan 0 2 3 5
Day 2 Medals
Swimming
Men's 100m Breast: 1. S Africa (Cameron van der Burgh) 2. Australia (Christian Sprenger) 3. USA (Brendan Hansen)
Women's 100m B'fly: 1. USA (Dana Vollmer) 2. China (Lu Ying) 3. Australia (Alicia Coutts)
Men's 4x100m Free Relay: 1. France 2. USA 3. Russia
Women's 400m Freestyle: 1. France (Camille Muffat) 2. USA (Allison Schmitt) 3. Great Britain (Rebecca Adlington)
Weightlifting
Men's 56kg (123 lbs): 1. N Korea (Om Yun Chol) 2. Wu Jingbiao (China) 3. Valentin Hristof (Azerbaijan)
Women's 53kg (117 lbs): 1. Kazakhstan (Zulfiya Chinshanlo) 2. Chinese Taipei (Hsu Shu-Ching) 3. Moldova (Cristina Iovu)
Diving
Women's sync 3m Springboard: 1. China 2. USA 3. Canada
Archery
Women's Team: 1. S Korea 2. China 3. Japan
Shooting
Women's 10m Air Pistol: 1. China (Guo Wenjun) 2. France (Celine Goberville) 3. Ukraine (Olena Kostevych)
Women's skeet: 1. US (Kim Rhode) 2. China (Wei Ning) 3. Slovakia (Danka Bartekova)
Judo
Women's Half Lightweight (52kg): 1. N Korea (An Kum Ae) 2.Cuba (Yanet Bermoy Acosta) 3. France (Priscilla Gneto), Italy (Rosalba Forciniti)
Men's Half Lightweight (66kg): 1. Georgia (Lasha Shavdatuashvili) 2. Hungary (Ungvari Miklos) 3. Japan (Masashi Ebinuma), S Korea (Cho Jun-Ho)
Fencing
Men's Individual Sabre: 1. Hungary (Aron Szilagyi) 2. Italy (Diego Occhiuzzi) 3. Russia (Nikolay Kovalev)
Cycling
Women's Road Race: 1. Netherlands (Vos Marriane) 2. Great Britain (Elizabeth Armitstead) 3.Russia (Olga Zabelinskaya)
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Dutch_woman_is_road_queen-164223586.html
Dutch woman is road queen
Story Created: Jul 29, 2012 at 11:54 PM ECT
l LONDON
Marianne Vos of the Netherlands won the gold medal in the women's road race yesterday in a rain-drenched sprint, leaving Britain's Elizabeth Armitstead with silver and the home country's first medal of the London Olympics.
Vos, the former world champion, made a daring move past Russia's Olga Zabelinskaya to emerge from the three-rider breakaway. She powered past a small group of fans waving the Dutch flag, then raised her arms in triumph as she crossed the finish line.
Zabelinskaya won bronze after a frantic finish through a driving rain that was reminiscent of four years ago in Beijing, when Britain's Nicole Cook pulled away late to win gold.
"It was a hard race today with the weather conditions," Vos said, "but then I felt good. We made the race hard with the Dutch squad, early attacks, and that was the plan."
Worked to perfection.
Nobody could blame Vos for the scream she let loose at the finish.
A former Olympic gold medallist in track cycling, Vos had grown accustomed the past few years to finishing just off the top step in major races. She's been silver medalist five straight years at the world championships, and had never stood on the podium in an Olympic road race.
Perhaps fittingly, the clouds broke and the sun shone for the medal ceremony.
"She is a machine," Zabelinskaya said, "and the rest of us are not yet at this high level."
Armitstead accepted the silver medal to cheers from her home crowd, delivering the podium finish that eluded Mark Cavendish and his teammates on the powerhouse men's team the previous day.
While the crowds that turned out didn't nearly reach the estimated one million fans who watched Saturday, they were still packed deep along the 87-mile route.
The riders started off on the Mall during one of one of the many showers that plagued the entire race, passing by Buckingham Palace and heading south of London.
Estonian rider Grete Treier was among several riders who crashed on the narrow, slick roads of London early in the race. There were also a number of punctures, including one that slowed reigning time trial silver medallist Emma Pooley of Britain.
Ellen van Dijk, the national time trial champion from the Netherlands, spent the first half of the race trying to open up gaps on the field. Every time she bounced off the front, though, a handful of riders were positioned right behind with orders to bring her back.
Just as in the men's race, Box Hill was where the race took shape.
The first of two trips up the punchy climb in the Surrey countryside broke the field into two groups. One of the riders dropped was Cooke, the defending gold medallist, who managed to race back to the peloton but was spent by the time the riders started up the climb again.
Reigning time trial gold medalist Kristin Armstrong of the United States crashed at the bottom of Box Hill, hampering the chances of the American team in the run-up to the finish.
Vos made her first big move on the final climb and was quickly joined by Armitstead. They went clear along with Sweden's Emma Johansson and American rider Shelley Olds, the group of four riders reaching more than 40 mph on the quick downhill.
Their gap was 18 seconds with about 25 miles remaining, and working together the trio managed to extend their advantage as another round of rain pounded the course.
Olds dropped away after puncturing her tire at the most inopportune of times, and the three riders remaining in the break carried on. Vos did most of the work at the front, pushing the gap to more than 30 seconds while a field led by the Italians and Americans frantically gave chase.
The wet roads didn't help their cause.
Every rider who moved to the front had to slow dramatically around the city's tight, narrow corners, and their lost momentum allowed the breakaway to build on its lead.
It reached 53 seconds as crowds choked the run-in to Buckingham Palace, and by that point it was clear the race would be decided among the three. Vos began her sprint with the finish line in sight, and Armitstead didn't have enough left to chase her down.
"With three, you know you have to keep on pushing to the finish, because it was our biggest chance for gold, or for a medal," Vos said. "I knew Lizzie was fast on the line, so I was not dead-on confident, but I knew I had a chance, and I knew I had a big chance."
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Putting_Phelps_in_perspective_-164223646.html
Putting Phelps in perspective
By Fazeer Mohammed
Story Created: Jul 29, 2012 at 11:54 PM ECT
How many times would you like to scale Mount Everest?
For some, once is enough to get to the highest point on the planet. For others, the motivation is different and they can retain the same level of energy, the same degree of desire and motivation to make all the necessary and time-consuming sacrifices to conquer the same dizzying summit over and over again.
Maybe for Michael Phelps, reaching the top of the mountain — in fact, reaching higher than anyone has ever reached in the history of competitive swimming — has been enough. And while he clearly still has more than enough ability and competitive drive to add a few more medals to his already staggering tally at the London 2012 Summer Olympics, it could be that the all-encompassing drive to establish a new standard that propelled him to a record-breaking eight gold medals in the pool in Beijing four years ago just isn't there this time around.
In finishing fourth on Saturday in one of his favourite events, the 400-metre individual medley, having just scraped into the final with the eighth fastest time, we in the media are having a field day on the "fall of Michael Phelps" or the "greatest is no more" and a whole heap of hyperbole along those lines. While such hysteria diminishes the achievement of Phelps' compatriot, Ryan Lochte, who romped to the gold medal, it also falls nicely into the characterisation of the media as an entity that builds you up with great gusto and fanfare…and then pulls you down with even greater relish.
I mean, come on! We're talking about a man who won six golds and two bronze medals at the Athens Games of 2004 and then, to the amazement of all of us, eclipsed Mark Spitz's standard of seven golds at a single Olympics in 2008. What else is there for a swimmer to achieve? At 27 years of age, Phelps is the holder of 14 Olympic gold medals, 13 more than this country has earned in attempt after attempt after attempt at 16 Summer Olympics since 1948.
Just think about it. All that effort, all that sacrifice, for what? He's done it already. No-one in London is going to match that standard. Phelps himself isn't competing in eight events this time around. It really is asking a lot of any person who has had to put aside everything else about his life to focus entirely on a particular pursuit, achieve it, and then retain the same level of intensity afterwards.
So instead of revelling in seeing the previously invincible Phelps beaten on a few occasions in London, we should be celebrating the new champions and appreciating that, even as the baton is being passed on to the next group of hungrier, more motivated swimmers, the American has left an indelible mark on Olympic history, one that could take more than 36 years to equal, and maybe much longer to surpass.
We often take for granted the amount of effort that goes into being an elite athlete. The dieting, the training, the constant practice between competition and the giving up of any sort of alternative recreation when friends are having a good time. And after all of that Spartan existence, all of that military-style regimen, what? In most cases, nothing, if we're talking about Olympic gold medals and World Championship titles.
Keep in mind that there are young people all over the world, with different levels of motivation, coming out of different circumstances, who are striving just as hard, or harder. At that level, when athletes are sacrificing everything to be at their physical and mental peak, it doesn't take much – maybe just a hundredth of a second or a millimetre — to miss out on golden glory, or even silver or bronze, or just to get into the final of their event.
But it's because we've become so accustomed to seeing these sporting superstars on our television screens year in year out - from Spitz to Phelps, from Rod Laver to Roger Federer, from Pele to Lionel Messi — we take it for granted and wait for the next sporting icon to come along so we can celebrate him or her, watch their inevitable decline and turn our attention to the next rising star. So the cycle will continue.
I recall tennis star Bjorn Borg, at the every height of his ice-cool powers in the later 1970's, once saying that his career would be over the sooner he started feeling for something or someone more than he felt for that little white ball (that was before they changed to the fluorescent lime ones). So said, so done. After five consecutive Wimbledon titles and six French Open crowns in a row, Borg's invincibility at the All England Club ended at the hands of the brilliant and fiery American John McEnroe in 1981.
Less than a year later he was walking away from the sport that had dominated his life up to that point. Turbulent personal relationships followed, and although the Swede tried to make a return ten years later, it only served to remind everyone of how outstanding he was in his prime and how difficult it can be for some who have given so much in a singular pursuit to have a broader and more serene perspective on life.
Sport, like life, is a relay race. At some point the baton will be passed. Whatever anyone else did before or does after, the quality of your leg will never change.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/N_Korean_lifter_impressive-164223666.html
N/Korean lifter impressive
Story Created: Jul 29, 2012 at 11:54 PM ECT
l LONDON
The North Korean, all of five feet tall, bent down to the 370-pound weight, then confidently executed the clean and jerk for an Olympic record. More impressively, it was three times his body weight — something only a handful of others have ever done.
And if that were not enough, Om Yun Chol was competing in the "B'' group with lower-ranked lifters. Medal contenders generally compete in the "A'' group.
The 123-pound athlete immediately gave all the credit to Kim Jong Il, the country's leader who died last year.
"How can any man possibly lift 168kg? I believe the great Kim Jong Il looked over me," Om was quoted as saying by the Olympic News Service.
Competing in the 56-kilogram class, Om lifted weights 160 and 165 kilogrammes on his first two attempts and got the crowd roaring when it was announced he would go for 168 kilogrammes — the Olympic record.
"I wanted to lift a big weight and make the other athletes nervous," Om said.
His successful lift broke the mark of 167kg set by Halil Mutlu of Turkey in Sydney in 2000.
Om then had to wait until later in the day to see if any lifters in the "A'' can match his 293-kilogram total.
Among the few lifters have cleared three times their body weight are Mutlu and Naim Suleymanoglu, also of Turkey, known as the "Pocket Hercules."
"I am very happy and give thanks to our Great Leader for giving me the strength to lift this weight," Om said. "I believe Kim Jong Il gave me the record and all my achievements. It is all because of him."
North Korean athletes have routinely praised Kim and the North Korean people whenever they win gold medals.
Also yesterday, North Korea got their first gold medal of the London Games when An Kae Um defeated Acosta Bermoy of Cuba in the women's judo 52-kg category.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/USA_start_with_comfortable_win-164223686.html
USA start with comfortable win
Story Created: Jul 29, 2012 at 11:54 PM ECT
l LONDON
The hiccups outnumbered the highlights, and for a while the US racked up fouls faster than points.
The opener wasn't artistic.
However, it was enough — easily enough.
Kevin Durant scored 22 points in his Olympic debut, Kevin Love added 14 and LeBron James had eight assists as the American men's basketball team overcame some sloppy moments with a 98-71 win yesterday over France.
"We know everybody else expects us to win by 40 points," said Carmelo Anthony. "For us, a win's a win. We expect every game to be like this one."
Seeking a second straight gold medal to match the redemptive one they captured in Beijing four years ago, the Americans expected a tough test from a French team featuring San Antonio guard Tony Parker and five other NBA players. And although the US were never in real trouble — they only led 22-21 after one quarter — there were enough flaws (14 turnovers, 26 fouls) to keep coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff busy and this superstar-laden squad from feeling too comfortable.
"It wasn't perfect," said James, who only took six shots while setting up his teammates. "We've still got room for improvement. We had too many turnovers, too many fouls and we had a couple of defensive rebounds we could have come up with. But overall, we played a pretty good game for as close to 40 minutes as possible."
Kobe Bryant had said this team could beat the 1992 Dream Team that changed international hoops forever at the Barcelona Games. That matchup is mythical, but the London Games aren't and this US team will have to play much better in upcoming games if it plans to maintain American dominance.
"We know we have to keep going for 40 minutes and play hard," said Bryant, who only played 12 minutes.
Afterward, Parker, who nearly missed these games after undergoing surgery for a freak eye injury, didn't want to concede anything to the Americans. But when asked if the US team can be beat, he took a contemplative pause before responding.
"They're going to be very, very tough to beat," Parker said.
Meanwhile, Pau Gasol had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead Spain to a 97-81 victory over China in the opener for both teams.
Spain got off to a slow start and held just a two-point lead at the end of the first quarter, 19-17. However, they went on a 7-0 run in the second quarter to give themselves a cushion and were never seriously challenged the rest of the game.
Spain were silver medalists at the Beijing Games four years ago and are the two-time European champions. They are expected to challenge for a gold medal here with their imposing front line of the 7-foot Gasol (Los Angeles Lakers), his 7-1 brother Marc (Memphis Grizzlies) and 6-10 Serge Ibaka (Oklahoma City Thunder) — who finished with 17 points.
Yi Jianlian of the Washington Wizards had a double-double for China, scoring a game-high 30 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.
But China had no answer to the depth of Spain, who had four players score in double digits — Juan Carlos Navarro had scored 14 points and Jose Calderon (Toronto Raptors) added 12.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-29/shooter-daniel-misses-medal-round
Shooter Daniel misses medal round
Published: Sunday, July 29, 2012
Rachael Thompson-King
Disappointment for T&T shooter Roger Daniel as he failed to advance out of the qualification round of the Men’s 10 metres air pistol at the Olympics Games at the Royal Artillery Barracks, here in London, England, yesterday. It was Daniels’ third try for glory in the event at the Olympics. He placed 36th overall from 44 competitors of which only the top eight progressed to the final round. Daniel, who was the first athlete on show for T&T at the Games, scored 568 points, failing to match either of his previous Olympic scores of 574 which placed him 27th in Athens in 2004 and 571 in Beijing, China ( 2008). Winning gold was South Korea’s Jin Jongoh, the world record holder with a score of 594, while Italian Luca Tesconi and Andrija Zlatic of Serbia, won silver and bronze respectively. The South Korean marksman overcame a nervy ending to improve on his silver in Beijing. Defending champion Pang Wei of China finished fourth.
Jongoh totaled 688.2 for his second Olympic gold. Tesconi rose from fifth to place second in his first Games, and Zlatic scored 685.2, just six-tenths of a point from matching Tesconi. Jongoh will attempt to defend his 50m pistol title Sunday. Daniel will go after him, looking to better his 33rd place (545) in Athens. Today, T&T’s attention will shift to the Aquatic Centre where swimmer George Bovell will be in action from 11 am (5 am T&T time). He will be seeking his second Olympic medal to add to his bronze which he won at Athens Olympics, in the 200m Individual Medley, finishing behind USA swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. Also in the event is Barbados’ Bradley Ally. He will swim in heat one while Frenchman Camille Lacourt, who holds the European record (52.11) , will compete in heat five. Bovell will take to the water in two other events at the London Games, the 50m freestyle and 100m free.
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
CYCLING (Final)
Men's Road Race: 1st- A Vinokurov (KAZ) 5:45:57, 2nd- R Uran Uran (COL) 5:45:47, 3rd- A Kristoff (NOR) 5:46:05
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL (First Round)
BRA 1 (Cristiane 86th) vs BRA 0
USA 3 (M Rapinoe 33rd, A Wambach 74th, C Lloyd 77th) vs COL 0
SWIMMING (Finals)
Men's 400m IM: 1st- R Lochte (USA) 4:05.18, 2nd- T Pereira (BRA) 4:08.86, K Hagino (JPN) 4:08.94
Women's 400m IM:1st- S Ye (CHIN) 4:28.23(WR), E Beisel (USA) 4:31.27, X Li (CHIN) 4:32.91
Women's 4x100m freestyle: 1st- AUS 3:33.15 (OR), NED 3:33.79, USA 3:34.24 (NR)
TODAY'S MAIN EVENTS
BASKETBALL (Men's preliminary rounds)
USA vs France- 9.30am
Spain vs China- 11.45am
CYCLING
Women's Road Race Final- 7am
FOOTBALL (Men's First rounds)
Brazil vs Belarus- 10am
Spain vs Hounduras- 2.45pm
SWIMMING
Men's 100m backstroke heats- 6.03am (w/ T&T's Bovell III), Semifinals- 3.28pm
Men's 4x100 freestyle heats- 6.56am, Final- 4pm
Men's 100m breastroke Final- 3.11pm
SPOTLIGHT: (SHIWEN YE)
China's 16-year-old SHIWEN YE set a World record (4:28.23) in the women's 400m Individual Medley (IM) final yesterday, erasing the previous time of 4:29.45.
QUOTE OF THE DAY (YI SILING)
"I was quite...excited the moment the competition came to an end… I can not control my emotion".
China's YI SILING after claiming the first gold medal of London Games yesterday in the women's shooting 10m air rifle event.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-30/bovell-warms-victory
Bovell warms up with victory
...but not good enough for backstroke semis
Published: Monday, July 30, 2012
T&T’s George Bovell swam a personal best time of 55.22 seconds in the men’s 100 metres backstroke to set a new national record at the Olympic Games, here in London, England, yesterday. Bovell, who was in lane eight, won heat two but his time was not good enough for him to advance to the next round. He placed 29th overall from 44 swimmers. Only the top 16 swimmers from the heats progress to the semifinals and the top eight then moves on, to the final. The 29-year-old yesterday confirmed that he did not put too much effort into the race but used it as preparation for his upcoming pet event, the 50m freestyle. “This is just a warm up event. It’s as if Usain Bolt went out and jogged an 800m. I don't really consider myself a backstroke specialist. “My event is the 50m freestyle on Thursday. If I had advanced to the semifinal I would have pulled out anyway so as to not tire myself out before my event. “Bovell looked at ease as he pushed off the wall, gaining an early advantage after only 25 metres out. By the time he made the turn, he was clear out front, splashing away to victory.
The Olympic bronze medallist previous best mark in the 100m backstroke was 55.65 which he achieved back in April when the local swimmer picked up a silver medal in the B-final at the Indianapolis Swimming Grand Prix held at the Indiana University Natatorium.
Despite not progressing, he was proud of his achievement in bettering the old mark. “A new PB and national open record isn't a bad way to start things off,” said Bovell. The only other Caribbean swimmer in the event was Bradley Ally of Barbados and he won the opening heat in 56.27 but his time also was too slow. Qualifying for the semifinals with the quickest time was USA’s Matthew Grevers, who topped heat six in a time of 52.92. Grevers is the Beijing 2008 silver medallist and holds the fastest time for the year so far with 52.08, a personal best he swam at the US Olympic trials last month. World champion Camille Lacourt had the fourth best time of 53.51. Tomorrow (Tuesday), Bovell will be back in the water when he competes in the 100m freestyle in lane two of heat four.
But today (Monday), T&T sailor Andrew Lewis makes his debut at the Games when he enters the laser event at Weymouth and Portland. Races one and two are scheduled for noon (7 am). Lewis sailed in to the hearts of T&T some time ago and will look to impress, even though he has already made history by being the first local sailor to represent the twin-island at the premier sporting event in the world. “I have worked very hard to get here, and I believe this is just the beginning of things to come. I remain positive and know that once I give a good effort, anything is possible,” said Lewis ahead of the start of the competition today. In this format of fleet racing, Lewis will compete in a series of races. Points are awarded in each race: first scores one point, second scores two points and so on. After 10 races, points from the worst race are discarded. The remaining points are added together. If Lewis is among the 10 best athletes then he will advance to the medal race which is scheduled for Sunday. Points are doubled, so first place gets two points, second gets four, and so on. The points total after the medal race determines the placings. The athlete with the lowest number of points is the winner. “My expectations are to go out and give a good showing so that I can be proud of myself and my country can be proud of me,” added Lewis.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-30/sunday-roast-warms-george
OLYMPIC JOURNAL - Day 4
Sunday roast warms George
Published: Monday, July 30, 2012
Andre Baptiste
It rained today. The sun shone brightly. The winds were very chilly. Yes it all happened. It’s Sunday here in London. The English are people who believe in irony and the fact that they generally wear the same expression day in, day out, negates any thoughts of reading their minds. So while the rest of the visitors to London, looked perplexed and bemused by the constant change from rain to sunshine and then more rain and then sunshine with some chilliness, the English, made it appear like an easy Sunday Morning stroll. I had not traveled with an umbrella but I was not alone neither did most of the other visitors/tourists, who were all being soaked wet by rain and then dried slowly by the sunshine.
I always knew that one day I would have a chance to use the advantage and experience of three and a half years of living in Hampstead, London. So I just stood and allowed the rain to fall, the sun to shine, the rain to fall again while I read a horse-racing guide to Frankel’s effort to win the Goodwood Cup on Wednesday. Eventually it was okay to venture outside and it felt good. While we are talking rain, today was also George Richard Bovell 111 first foray into the London Olympics and he looked comfortable as he made his way for his lane eight assignment for heat two, with the top 16 advancing to the semi finals. Bovell won fairly comfortably in a time of 55.22, but unfortunately when all the opening heats were concluded, his time placed him in 29th position overall. The objective for Bovell was to get acclimatised so this was a job well done by the bronze medal 2004 Olympian. It was always going to be difficult for Bovell in this event, given his recent form and his obvious concentration in the last few years on his speed in the freestyle. He will have two more opportunities for a medal tomorrow in the 100 metres freestyle and Thursday in the 50 metres freestyle.
Sunday has always been famous for roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, and it was no surprise to read the blackboards outside many pubs/restaurants all stating their versions of this meal which is a traditional stable diet for many. So even with the Olympics in the air, people were piling in for their Sunday meal. For me, I was more interested in the gymnastics and the movement of several of these athletes. They are so flexible, their movements look unbelievable. And the way the crowd was responding to the flips, turns and dismounts made all my cravings for some chocolate go away. Just for those who don’t know, I have given myself my very own Olympic test which is not to eat any chocolate for the entire Olympics, in any form, biscuits, bread (Yes there is bread with chocolate in London), I saw it, I even touched it but did not buy it). With all the top brands available, I am hoping that I will get my own gold medal when I return home because of my discipline and resistance to chocolate. As I left the Olympic Park today, I reflected on the tremendous image of Jamaica at these Games - all because of the success of their athletes. Sport continues to be the vehicle for unity and success. Jamaica have found a way to captivate the people. Let us hope before these Olympics are completed, that T&T can do likewise.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/31/oly-athl-m100m-package-penpix-day-idUSL4E8IM0AW20120731
Bledman on the radar!
KESTON BLEDMAN, Trinidad & Tobago, age 24, pb 9.86, sb 9.86
Bledman is an outside bet for a podium spot but appears to lack nothing in confidence after clocking a personal best 9.86 to win his national title on June 23.
He became the fastest non-Jamaican this year with that run although American Gatlin went faster a day later.
"No disrespect to Bolt, Blake, my training partner Tyson Gay but when I go to the Olympics, I'm going to win. I ain't going there to play around. I have at least 9.7 in me," he said after his scorching run in Port of Spain last month.Bledman is now joint second on the all-time Trinidad and Tobago performance list alongside quadruple Olympic medallist Ato Boldon.
Richard Thompson is number one with his 9.85 national record.
Bledman already has an Olympic medal in his collection after helping Trinidad & Tobago to silver behind the Jamaicans in the 4x100 relay in Beijing.
The 24-year-old will hope to make his mark individually on the big stage after only reaching the world championship semi-finals last year.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Chinese_men__repeat_with_gold-164352776.html
Chinese men repeat with gold
Story Created: Jul 30, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
lLONDON
When there's gold to be had, don't ever doubt the Chinese.
When it comes to silver and bronze, it can get tricky. It did at men's gymnastics yesterday.
The Chinese won their second straight Olympic title and third in four games, making anyone who wrote them off after a dismal performance in qualifying look silly. Their score of 275.997 points was more than four points better than Japan, who needed help from a DVR to finish second.
Britain were initially announced as the silver medallists, setting off raucous celebrations at the O2 Arena. The British don't have a proud history in gymnastics—they barely have any history—and this was their first men's team medal in a century. But Japan questioned the score of three-time world champion Kohei Uchimura on pommel horse, the team's very last routine.
While judges huddled around a video screen, Uchimura and his teammates sat stone-faced while the British partied. About five minutes later, Uchimura's score was revised and Japan were awarded the silver while Britain were bumped down to bronze.
It was of little consolation to the Japanese, who were bested by the Chinese yet again.
Just like everybody else.
China also won the last five world titles, and now have gone eight years without losing at a major competition.
The Americans, hoping for their first Olympic title since 1984 after finishing No. 1 in qualifying, lost all hopes for any medal with a dismal showing on the pommel horse, their second event. They rallied to finish fifth.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Teen_Franklin_boosts_US_stocks_in_pool-164352786.html
Teen Franklin boosts US stocks in pool
Lochte flops again in 200 free
Story Created: Jul 30, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
l LONDON
Michael Phelps has yet to win a gold medal, and Ryan Lochte's star is fading. So along came Missy Franklin to restore American swim hopes with a gutty performance at the Olympics yersterday.
Coming back less than 14 minutes after swimming a semi-final heat, the Colorado teenager won the first gold medal of what figures to be a dazzling career, rallying to win the 100-metre backstroke.
"Indescribable," the 17-year-old Franklin said. "I still can't believe that happened. I don't even know what to think. I saw my parents' reaction on the screen and I just started bawling. I can't even think right now."
Matt Grevers kept the gold medals coming in rat-a-tat fashion, following up Franklin's win with one of his own in the men's 100 back. For good measure, Nick Thoman made it a 1-2 finish for the red, white and blue by taking the silver.
Rebecca Soni nearly pulled out a third US gold, rallying furiously on the return leg of the 100 breaststroke. But she couldn't quite catch blazing Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte, a gold medalist at the tender age of 15.
Good thing for the US that Franklin and the other Americans are coming through.
Phelps missed the podium in his 2012 Olympic debut, and Lochte has turned two straight disappointing performances after opening the games with a dominant win in the 400 individual medley. He finished fourth and off the podium yesterday in the 200 freestyle, which France's Yannick Agnel won by a full body length against a field with gold medalists galore.
On Sunday, Lochte anchored the US in the 4x100 free relay, taking over with a seemingly comfortable lead. But Agnel chased him down on the final leg, giving France the gold.
Now, another defeat.
"I did my best," Lochte said. "I guess sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I gave it 110 per cent. There's probably some things I messed up on, but you live and learn. (Agnel is) a great racer. There's no doubt about it. He's quick and he showed it last night and tonight. I'm happy for him. He did good."
Franklin, who was rattled less than two weeks before the Olympics by the Aurora theatre shooting not far from her home, showed tremendous resiliency racing with such a short break following the semis of the 200 freestyle.
She barely advanced in the first race, qualifying for Tuesday night's final with the eighth-fastest time, but she was clearly saving something for the one with a medal on the line.
Australia's Emily Seebohm, the top qualifier, led at the turn and was under world-record pace, but Franklin showed a remarkable finishing kick. With her arms whirling, the 6-foot-1 swimmer passed the Aussie in the final 25 metres and lunged toward the wall for a winning time of 58.33 seconds.
She broke into a big smile but was clearly exhausted, her head dropping back against the wall. Seebohm settled for silver in 58.68 and Japan's Aya Terakawa took bronze in 58.83.
"You never know until you see that scoreboard, so I was just going as fast as I could until I got my hand on the wall," Franklin said. "It was 110 percent effort, and all the work paid off."
The six-foot-eight Grevers pulled off a similar rally on his return lap, winning the 100 back in 52.16 — the fifth straight Olympics, dating to the 1996 Atlanta Games, that the US men have won the backstroke. Thoman joined his teammate on the medal podium at 52.97, a finish they were thinking about all along.
"Going into the ready room, we were both just sitting there and we shared a look and shared a thought," Thoman said. "I think that was in both of our heads."
Japan's Ryosuke Irie was third in 52.97.
"I've been watching the Olympics for as long as I can remember," Thoman said. "The first one I really remember is the '92 Barcelona Games and just watching guys back then. Seeing Lenny Krayzelburg, my idol, and then Aaron Piersol, again my idol, who I got to train with for a little while. Just being able to carry on that tradition, it's a great thing."
Agnel showed that his brilliant swim on the Olympic relay was no fluke. The six-foot-six Frenchman did it again.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/American_women_dismiss_Angola-164352806.html
American women dismiss Angola
Story Created: Jul 30, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
l LONDON
The US women say they don't care about the final score. They just want to have least one more point than their opponents at the end of games in the women's Olympic basketball tournament.
That sounds like the right thing to say after Candace Parker had 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Americans to a 90-38 rout of Angola yesterday.
But the Americans aren't just being politically correct.
They know they are still a work in progress, having only been together training for two weeks, and are going to play some tough games during the tournament.
The game against Angola was expected to be an easy romp—and it was—with the US overwhelming the Olympic newcomers.
Parker finished with her second double-double of the tournament. She said her teammates did a good job of getting her the ball.
"The goal is to continue to get better every game and I think that was what we did" against Angola, Parker said.
The Americans (2-0) have won their last 35 straight games in the Olympics and four consecutive gold medals while Angola is looking for its first victory. The team lost its opener to Turkey by 22 points meaning African nations have only won one of their 25 games in the Olympics since Congo—formerly known as Zaire—first qualified in the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Nigeria own the only victory, beating Korea by four points in 2004.
The Americans had played African teams twice and routed them both. The US beat Zaire by 60 points in 1996 and then Mali by 56 at the Beijing Games in 2008.
Angola (0-2) did fare a little better than its continental neighbours. The team stayed close to the Americans for the first quarter, only trailing by 10 at the end of the period. Then the US put the game away outscoring the African country 19-6 in the second period. Parker hit two nifty reverse lay-ins in the quarter.
The Americans continued the rout in the second half, extending the advantage to as many as XX points. The strong crowd which had witnessed some very competitive games all day, emptied out early in the final period knowing the outcome wasn't in doubt.
Coach Geno Auriemma rested centre Sylvia Fowles, who has a sore left foot. It didn't matter as the six-foot-four Parker looked confident on the floor, demanding the ball in the post and running the floor for easy layups.
The game was a contrast for the US from its opener when the Americans struggled on offence for the first three quarters before pulling away from Croatia.
Despite the lopsided final score, Auriemma has been impressed in the growth he's seen in Angola and other African countries.
"Angola's one of those countries you hope, because of what's happened with the US and some other places in women's basketball, that other African countries pick up and say that could be us," Auriemma said. "Hopefully that's a country that becomes accustomed to playing in the Olympics. Hopefully they devote more energy and resources and they can come back to the Olympics on a regular basis."
Next up for the US are Turkey, who improved to 2-0 in pool play with a 61-57 victory over the Czech Republic. The Americans also will face China and the Czech Republic. The US beat the Czechs in the finals of the 2010 world championship to qualify for the London Games.
In other games Saturday, France shocked Australia 74-70 in OT. It was the first loss by the Aussies to anyone other than the US in an Olympic game since 1996. China routed Croatia 83-58; Russia beat Brazil 69-59; and Canada edged Britain 73-65.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Tough_day_on_the_water-164352996.html
Tough day on the water
Lewis 45th in Laser class after two races
By Kwame Laurence in London
Story Created: Jul 30, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
Andrew Lewis had a tough day in the water on his Olympic debut, on the Weymouth Bay South course, here in Dorset, England, yesterday.
Competing in the men's Laser class, the Trinidad and Tobago sailor is 45th in a field of 49 after the first two races.
Lewis became the sixth member of an elite club of T&T sailors who have appeared at the Olympics. He joined the Barrow brothers, Rawle and Cordell (1964), Richard Bennett and David Farfan (1972), and Jean-Marc Holder (1984). Bennett also competed at the 1960 Games as part of a British West Indies team.
But while his place in history is not lost on Lewis, the young sailor is not satisfied with mere Olympic qualification. He wants more.
"I'm trying to target the top 25," Lewis told the Express, after yesterday's second race, "and right now I'm very far off of that, but that's only two races out of ten. We have a whole different race course tomorrow (today), and it's going to be a whole different kind of sailing. Being 45th is not where I want to be. I have a lot of work to do."
In the opening race, Lewis finished 46th. He improved by three places in race two, copping 43rd spot for a two-race total of 89 points (the higher the total, the lower the placing).
On his second shot at conquering the Weymouth Bay South course, the 22-year-old T&T sailor fought his way to 37th, but lost ground in the second half of the race.
"Today was a really, really tough day for me on the water. I had an excellent start in the first race, and then I made a huge tactical error. But I managed to stay with the fleet. It could have been worse.
"In the second race," he continued, "I had a pretty good start. But I was feeling a bit tired out there. I wasn't getting the energy I had yesterday (Sunday), in the practice race. I fought till the end, though, and had a better race than I had in the first race. I fought hard. It wasn't a very good day for me, but the Olympics is where the best of the best are, and I'm in it…"
Lewis was not yet born when T&T last had representation in an Olympic sailing event, Holder finishing 20th in the Finn class at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, USA.
Lewis said he plans to make Olympic participation a habit.
"I'm not here to do one Olympics. I want to do at least three Olympics in my life, hopefully four. So being here is not just to play around. I set a goal for myself, the top 25, and I'm not making it right now, so I'm not very happy. But I'm definitely not going to give up.
"I'm very glad," Lewis continued, "and very grateful to be here in this level of competition. I worked really hard to get here."
The cold winds that penetrated my two layers of clothing on the upper deck of a media boat, yesterday, made it clear that sailing in Weymouth Bay South was no comfortable experience.
Lewis, though, did not make the conditions an issue.
"Yesterday (Sunday), I sailed in the same conditions in the practice race, and did a lot better. I couldn't get the boat going, so there was a lot of frustration. But I tried to channel that frustration into positive energy, and it did help in the second race."
Also on the media boat yesterday was Guatemalan journalist Fernando Lopez. The Prensa Libre writer was a very happy man. The Guatemalan sailor, Juan Ignacio Maegli is second after two races, with 11 points, after finishing first in the opening race and 10th in race two. Third-placed Tonci Stipanovic, of Croatia, also has 11 points.
Australia's five-time world champion, Tom Slingsby, leads the field with three points, after a runner-up finish in the opener and victory in the second race.
The 2008 Olympic gold medallist, Briton Paul Goodison, is 17th with 33 points.
Races three and four in the men's Laser class event will be contested today, starting at 9 a.m. (T&T time) and 10.30 a.m., respectively.
Lewis is hoping his second day on the water at Weymouth and Portland, here in Dorset, will be a big improvement on his first.
"That tactical mistake I made, I definitely can't make those kinds of mistakes again. I went to the wrong side of the course when I was doing really well. I need to have my eyes more open, have more of a trust in myself, and don't let any nervousness or second thoughts get to me—sail more on my instinct. I've been doing it for many years now."
George Bovell has been swimming for many years. He made his Olympic debut as a 17-year-old at the 2000 Games, in Sydney, Australia, and is hoping to claim his second Olympic medal at the 2012 London Games.
The 2004 men's 200 metres individual medley bronze medallist is targeting precious metal in the 50 free in London. He got his feet wet in Sunday's 100m backstroke event, finishing first in his heat and 29th overall in 55.22 seconds—a new national record.
Bovell will be back in the Aquatics Centre pool at 5.08 this morning (T&T time), swimming in heat four in the 100m freestyle. Of the 60 men in the field, the T&T swimmer has the 37th fastest qualifying time—49.94 seconds.
Also on show today will be T&T boxer Carlos Suarez. He squares off against Turkey's Ferhat Pehlivan, at the ExCel South Arena 2, in a men's light flyweight first round bout.
MEDAL Table (After Day 3)
Rank Team Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 China 9 5 3 17
2 USA 5 7 5 17
3 France 3 1 3 7
4 N Korea 3 0 1 4
5 Italy 2 4 2 8
6 S Korea 2 2 2 6
7 Russia 2 0 3 5
8 Kazakhstan 2 0 0 2
9 Japan 1 4 6 11
10 Australia 1 2 1 4
11 Romania 1 2 0 3
12 Brazil 1 1 1 3
12 Hungary 1 1 1 3
14 Netherlands 1 1 0 2
15 Ukraine 1 0 2 3
DAY 3 MEDALS
Swimming
Women's 100m Back: 1. USA (Missy Franklin) 2. Australia (Emily Seebohm) 3. Japan (Aya Terakawa)
Men's 200m Free: 1. France (Yannick Agnel) 2. China (Sun Yang), S Korea (Park Taehwan)
Men's 100m Back: 1. USA (Matt Grevers) 2. USA (Nick Thomas) 3. Japan (Ryosuke Irie)
Women's 100m Breast: 1. Ruta Meilutyte 2. USA (Rebecca Soni) 3. Japan (Satomi Suzuki)
Diving
Men's Sync 10m Platform: 1. China 2. Mexico 3. USA
Fencing
Women's Individual Epee: 1. Ukraine (Yana Shemyakina) 2. Germany (Britta Heidemann) 3. China (Sun Yujie)
Gymnastics
Men's Team: 1. China 2. Japan 3. Great Britain
Weightlifting
Women's 58kg (128 lbs): 1. China (Li Xueying) 2. Thailand (Pimsiri Sirikaew) 3. Ukraine (Yuliya Kalina)
Men's 62kg (137 lbs): 1. N Korea (Kim Un Guk) 2. Colombia (Oscar Figueroa Mosquera) 3. Indonesia (Irawan Eko Yuli)
Judo
Men's Lightweight 73kg (161 lbs): 1. Russia (Mansur Isaev) 2. Japan (Riki Nakaya) 3. France (Ugo Legrand), Mongolia (Nyam-Ochir Sainjargal)
Women's Lightweight 57kg (125 lbs): 1. Japan (Kaori Matsumoto) 2. Romania (Corina Caprioriu) 3. France (Automne Pavia), USA (Marti Malloy)
Shooting
Men's 10m Air Rifle: 1. Romania (Alin George Moldoveanu) 2. Italy (Niccolo Campriani) 3. India (Gagan Narang)
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Bovell did not start the 100 metre freestyle. Was this deliberate?
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-30/frustrating-day-tt%E2%80%99s-lewis
From the Olympic Village in London
Frustrating day for T&T’s Lewis
Published: Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Rachael Thompson-King
Forty-fifth (45th) spot was not the position T&T’s Andrew Lewis was hoping to be at the end of day one of his sailing event, yesterday at the London Olympic Games in England. It was a frustrating start for the local sailor, who is making his debut at the prolific sporting event. The blue skies, bright sunshine and the cold, crisp wind made it a perfect day for sailing at Weymouth and Portland in Dorset, a cool three-hour trip from London. Competing in the laser category—a men’s one-person dinghy event—Lewis finished race one in 46th place, improving somewhat in the race two, placing 43rd, giving him a total of 89 points at the beautiful secenic, Weymouth Bay South course. “I think it is best to say that I did not expect to do how I did today (yesterday). Yesterday (Sunday), I sailed the practice race and had a really good feeling for the boat. “I sailed really well and I thought I was going to sail like that today (yesterday) but I went out there and did not have two very good races,” said Lewis, who was visibly bothered by the outcome of the both races.
“The second race was better than the first race which shows I am improving. I had two good starts though, which indicates that I am starting better and I expect things to improve from here on.” Australian Tom Slingsby with a total of three points emerged the top performer for the day. Second was Guatemalan Juan Ignacio Maegli Aguero with 11 and third was Croatia’s Tonci Stipanovic (11). Cy Thompson, the only other sailor from the Caribbean competing in the men’s event, ended in 24th spot with a total of 46. Other sailors from the region who were on show were St Lucia’s Beth Lygoe and US Virgin Islands’ Mayumi Roller, who placed 37th and 41st, respectively in the women’s laser radial. Lewis will look to step up in races three and four of the 10-race series today.
The races will be on an entirely new course which Lewis feels more confident in his approach as he looks to finish among the top 10 in the coming races, to get a chance to compete in the medal round on Sunday. “It is going to be a little bit different conditions. I know this race course a little better and it will benefit me. “Basically, I have to not let those technical mistakes happen and not make those mistakes that I shouldn’t be making anyway after all these years competing,” shared Lewis. T&T ace swimmer George Bovell dives back into the pool today at the Aquatic Centre in Olympic Park, when he competes in the men’s 100 metres freestyle event. In the Olympic bronze medallist first outing at the Games, he set a new national mark in the men’s 100m backstroke, swimming a personal best 55.22 seconds to place 29th overall.
He merely used the event as a warm-up for his pet event, the 50m freestyle which is scheduled for Thursday. Bovell will swim in lane two of heat four. There will be eight heats in all which starts at 10 am (5 am T&T time). While Bovell will be aiming to add to his collection, T&T boxer 19-year-old Carlos Suarez will make his debut at the Olympic Games in boxing at Excel South Arena2. Suarez will fight out of the blue corner against Ferhat Pehlivan (23) of Turkey at 8.45 pm (3.45pm T&T time) in the light flyweight class round of 32.
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Stream to watch Suarez right now.
http://www.sportlemon.tv/v-4/2/106/v-430731.html
Pehlivan from Turkey won 16-6
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Stream to watch Suarez right now.
http://www.sportlemon.tv/v-4/2/106/v-430731.html
Pehlivan from Turkey won 16-6
Didn't realize that Suarez was so small! He's like 5'2''. He has a lot of heart though. He lost quite easily in the end but the crowd loved him!
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-07-30/surprise-exit-spain-china-moves
Surprise exit for Spain as China moves on
Published: Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Andre E Baptiste
I wish to sincerely apologise for the omission of some words in my column yesterday which implied that I accept the use of illicit drugs. What I actually meant to write was: “I accept any harsh punishment for those who use illicit drugs, knowingly or not, as athletes should know, that checking medication before, during and after their event is mandatory.” Having said that, the exit of Spain, the recent EURO champions and the 2010 World Cup, from the football competition has befuddled us all, especially those who have made some long term predictions that the Spanish will go to the home of the samba stars and win the tournament in 2014. Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise that Honduras defeated them at the right time and sent the signal to the world that a team is as good as their last match.
Surely the age group is different and it would even be considered illogical to judge the country’s success at this level. Maybe we could visualise that these are the players who will probably form the nucleus of Spain in Brasil 2014. We need to understand that all of Xavi Alonso, Busquet, Pique, and many others are either in their thirties or entering the twilight of their careers. But the show must go on and the country that is dancing to victory is China whose improvement in the swimming pool over the past decade has been overwhelming. As to our own performances so far, the absence of even a place in the top ten of any event in swimming, rifle shooting, sailing may have busted the bubble of the Bovell fans and to a lesser extent, Roger Daniel. Their recent results have indicated that they have been ahead of their game, but clearly, despite the national record set in the butterfly event, by the bronze medallist of 2004, and the points scored by Daniel in recent Continental tournaments seemed a fair distance from the reality of the world’s top marksmen.
I sympathise with young Andrew Lewis for his struggle in what is probably the most difficult event which our country has been entered. The winds, the quality of equipment and the experience which is needed to master the art of sailing, calls for more years than he catered for. However, there is no need to bend our heads in disappointment as the best is yet to come by in terms of our cycling, track and field and possibly our solitary boxer whom the experts claim could be a medal contender. As we search between the lines of action in London it is always amazing when some incidents tend to pass us by quickly amidst all the sporting performances, and the one that is more than bothersome is the sending home of the St Kitts/ Nevis sprinter Tamaka Williams for a drug violation.
Her local management team volunteered the information and acted intelligently regarding the incident, bearing in mind the repercussions which a 22-year-old could have for the future. With football taking the front in terms of crowd support, one cannot help but look closer at the quarterfinal onwards to attempt to guage the potential finalists for these games. Brazil will love to win their first gold medal in the sport and when one sees the likes of Nejmar, Oscar and Lucas, there is little that the others can produce to take them out of the race. Mexico has done really well and Honduras is getting support from connoisseurs of the game, so the Concacaf can be proud of their input. Uruguay to my mind was the biggest surprise. Their quality of play at all age group levels and their senior team in South Africa left me with a feeling that they will wind their way into the final four.
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Stream to watch Suarez right now.
http://www.sportlemon.tv/v-4/2/106/v-430731.html
Pehlivan from Turkey won 16-6
Didn't realize that Suarez was so small! He's like 5'2''. He has a lot of heart though. He lost quite easily in the end but the crowd loved him!
Yeah he's a character. A little too much playing around but I guess he realised he had no realistic chance.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-30/suarez-ready-waiting-for1st-london-test
OLYMPIC JOURNAL - Day 5
Suarez ready, waiting for1st London test
Published: Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Andre E Baptiste
T&T’s lone boxer, 19-year-old Carlos Suarez will head into the ring at 10 am T&T time today, in his first bout in the Round of 32.He will compete in the men’s lightweight division. When the draw was made, Suarez pulled 23-year-old Ferhat Pehlivan from Turkey. Pehlivan is 1.68 m (five feet six inches) tall and weighs 49 kg (110 lb). He won bronze medal at the 2008 European Amateur Championships held in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Pehlivan will have a height advantage over Suarez who is five feet two inches, which could prove to be critical. Carlos’s father, Joe, is part of the training team in London. He said yesterday that Carlos had settled in good.
“It is a great experience at these Games, seeing the worlds best and being here, knowing that you are going to compete with the world’s best and it was good to get in that camp in Cardiff, Wales. “We had a lot of good training in there, a lot of sparring and we got away from all of the negativity back in Trinidad,” said Joe. Joe said his son was confident: “We had a good training camp, every morning he was up there running. We had good nutrition and worked out during the evening and night. “It was a great camp.” He added he was happy with the opponent whom his son had drawn. “The draw is very important. You can draw the best guy the first day or you can get a weaker opposition. I am pretty happy,” stated a defiant Joe Suarez. “In terms of sparring, we spared with African boxers from Ghana and Cameroon.
“These guys were also older and stronger so he had to adjust and there were different styles of boxers as well. “Some were rude and crude. They fouled, they hit behind the head, so you have to get adjusted. We also sparred with one of the favourites for a medal and that was a real good technical work out.” Questioned on his son’s strength, he stated: “Carlos strength is his mind. He is a great boxer, his footwork, speed, his mental strength, he knows when to get in and get out.” Suarez, currently lives in the United States, but became eligible to fight for T&T because his mother was born in T&T. Joe said: “I met her at Wal-Mart. I walked up to her and start rapping to her and from that day on, some 20 years ago, I saw the Trinidad beauty....” On his son’s future, he noted: “He is going to take a break after the Games. He has been at this for the past eight months and even before so he deserves a break.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Phelps_makes_history_with_record_19th_medal-164538096.html
Phelps makes history with record 19th medal
Story Created: Aug 1, 2012 at 12:07 AM ECT
Michael Phelps won the right to call himself the greatest Olympian of all time when the US team destroyed the field in the 4x200 metres freestyle relay yesterday to hand him his 19th medal.
Chinese prodigy Ye Shiwen won her second gold of the Games, setting an Olympic record in the 200m individual medley, after stunning swimming pundits with her victory and world record in the 400 medley on Saturday.
But the night belonged to Phelps, who swam the anchor leg of a relay that the Americans dominated from start to finish after Ryan Lochte handed them a commanding lead.
It was a historic moment in the 116-year annals of the modern Olympic Games, and an emotional one for Phelps, still a powerful force but no longer the commanding figure who won an unprecedented eight golds at the Beijing Games in 2008.
His teammates flung their arms around him. "I thank those guys for helping me get to this moment," said the 27-year-old from Baltimore, who had 16 medals before the start of the Games.
Having picked up a silver in Sunday's 4x100 freestyle relay, he drew level with Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina's tally of 18 when he won silver in his first outing yesterday in the 200 metres butterfly.
The American led going into the last few metres of his favourite race, but was tiring rapidly and had to settle for second when South Africa's Chad Le Clos ploughed through to snatch it on the final touch.
Watching at poolside was Latynina, 77, who has held the record for decades with her haul from the Games at Melbourne (1956), Rome (1960) and Tokyo (1964).
Latynina told Reuters earlier this month she had no doubt Phelps would overtake her in London, adding: "I can only wish him well".
The entire audience in the 17,500-capacity Aquatics Centre stood to applaud Phelps' cumulative achievement in winning 15 gold medals, two silvers and two bronze. Latynina won nine, five and four respectively.
In other action on Day Four, Germany won its first two golds, in equestrian eventing, and France its fourth, in canoe slalom, but host nation Britain was still seeking its first.
China tops the overall medals table with 13 golds, followed by the United States with nine. Each has 23 medals in all.
The U.S. women's team stormed to the gymnastics gold - the country's first since 1996 - with dazzling performances from Jordyn Wieber and Gabby Douglas.
It was compensation for Wieber's disappointment at missing out on a spot in the all-around individual final, and for the U.S. men's slump to fifth place in their team event on Monday.
In the pool, 16-year-old Ye completed a medley double when she held off a late challenge from Alicia Coutts of Australia.
The teenager, who swam her last length on Saturday faster than Lochte did in winning the corresponding men's event, has been forced to fend off insinuations of cheating.
American John Leonard, executive director of the World Swimming Coaches Association but not on the U.S. coaching staff in London, told Britain's Guardian newspaper: "Every time we see something ... 'unbelievable', history shows us that it turns out later on there was doping involved."
The US Olympic Committee distanced itself from his comments, saying he was not associated in any way with the country's swimming or Olympic team.
Chinese officials hit back. "Ye Shiwen has been seen as a genius since she was young, and her performance vindicates that," Xu Qi, head of the Chinese swimming team, told the news agency Xinhua.
"Don't use your own suspicions to knock down others. This shows lack of respect for athletes and for Chinese swimming."
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Suarez__batters_Boxu-164538146.html
Suarez batters Boxu
By Kwame Laurence in London
Story Created: Aug 1, 2012 at 12:07 AM ECT
Carlos Suarez wants to turn pro by early 2013. He has no plans, though, of using Trinidad and Tobago as his base.
Following his opening round elimination at the hands of Turkey's Ferhat Pehlivan in the Olympic Games men's light flyweight (46-49 kilogrammes) division, at the ExCel South Arena 2, here in London, England, yesterday, Suarez launched a verbal attack on Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Board of Control (TTBBC) special adviser, Boxu Potts.
"In the pro game," the 19-year-old boxer told the Express, "Trinidad's horrible, because it's run by Boxu Potts. He's one of the worse managers I ever dealt with, one of the worst boxing people I've ever dealt with. He's a pure liar, and he did nothing but try to bring down my confidence."
Potts was at the ExCel South Arena 2, yesterday, for Suarez's first and last Olympic bout.
"Right after a fight," Potts told the Express, "you can talk to a fighter and their emotions can be high. Sometimes, fighters can say things they have to regret, because we are in the business of promoting and developing boxing, and they are a part of that development.
"I can advise him that he needs to train, he needs to work hard, he needs to use the basic fundamentals of boxing–food, exercise and rest. He needs to go back to the boxing school and learn his trade properly. He must learn to wake up early and go to bed early. I didn't fail Carlos Suarez. I brought him this far. He has failed himself by not living the life..."
Potts said if Suarez has a change of heart, he will not be turned away.
"If he wants to turn pro and he wants to be promoted in Trinidad and Tobago, our doors are always open. There are a lot of fighters that have criticised us before, and they come back and benefit from us–namely Wayne Braithwaite, namely Kirt Sinnette. A whole lot of other fighters in the past have done that, and they still have to come back."
But the American-born Suarez made it absolutely clear he is severing ties with T&T boxing.
"I have no intentions whatsoever–zero, negative 20 per cent–of turning pro or doing anything in Trinidad. But this was a great experience. It was a lot of hard work–I wouldn't say ups, a lot of downs. I have no regrets, though. I fought my heart out, tried to put on a show. From here on," Suarez ended, "I'm going to go pro."
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Suarez_eliminated-164538166.html#idc-container
Suarez eliminated
...but T&T boxer is people's choice
By Kwame Laurence in London
Story Created: Aug 1, 2012 at 12:07 AM ECT
Carlos Suarez lost his Olympic Games men's light flyweight opening round bout, but won the hearts of the spectators at the ExCel South Arena 2, here in London, England, yesterday.
Suarez went on the attack early in the first round and was busy again at the end. However, it was his Turkish opponent, Ferhat Pehlivan who did most of the scoring, taking a 5-2 lead.
Pehlivan also enjoyed the better of the second round, the southpaw stretching his advantage to 10-4.
The bout was not a great advertisement for amateur boxing. Pehlivan slipped to the canvas repeatedly, and produced little entertainment for the spectators. Suarez, on the other hand, did some showboating. The 19-year-old danced a bit and even eyeballed his opponent, in a display more suited to professional boxing.
The crowd, though, appreciated the Suarez Show, and cheered him on towards the end of the third and final round.
"Carlos, Carlos, Carlos."
There would be no big finish, however, from Suarez, Pehlivan winning 16-6 to advance to the round of 16.
"I didn't give up," Suarez told the Express. "I fought in the last round, maybe not as aggressive as I should have."
The T&T boxer described his defeat as a "horrible decision".
"This guy's in here slapping all the time. And he's falling over ten times in the fight, but I get a point taken away. Olympic boxing is not boxing. It's tag. Those aren't punches.
"I'm proud of my performance," Suarez continued. "At least I put on a show for the crowd."
T&T sailor Andrew Lewis enjoyed an improved showing on the second day of the men's Laser class event, on the Weymouth Harbour course, in Dorset.
Lewis finished 38th in race three and 40th in the fourth race to edge one spot up the overall standings, from 45th to 44th. On Monday, he was 46th and 43rd in the first two races.
Lewis has a four-race points total of 167, going into the third day of Laser action, on the Weymouth Bay West course, today.
Australia's Tom Slingsby finished second and sixth in yesterday's races to retain the overall lead. The five-time world champion has 11 points, while second-placed Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus won twice to jump from fourth to second, with 15 points. Sweden's Rasmus Myrgren (25) is third.
T&T's George Bovell was a non-starter in the men's 100 metres freestyle heats. Drawn to swim in heat four, the 2004 Olympic Games 200m individual medley bronze medallist opted to skip the event.
T&T chef de mission, Annette Knott told the Express Bovell is "saving his legs" for the 50m freestyle.
"Now that he's been in the pool, George is focusing on getting ready for the 50 free. He's confident he can reach the final."
The 50 free heats and semifinals will be contested tomorrow, while the final takes place on Friday.
Last Sunday, Bovell finished first in his heat and 29th overall in the men's 100m backstroke in a national record time of 55.22 seconds.
While Bovell is a veteran of four Olympics, many members of the T&T team here in London are debutants, including Suarez and Lewis.
Also on the list of first-timers are quartermilers Deon Lendore and Machel Cedenio and sprinter Jamol James.
Lendore, who will compete in the men's 400m and 4x400m events, said that being at the London Games is "a special feeling".
"Coming into the senior ranks," the 19-year-old athlete told the Express, "it wouldn't have been an easy task going to the Olympic Games. But I really tried hard to make this Olympic team. After getting a little experience with the (2011) Worlds team, I liked the feeling.
"The expectations right now," Lendore continued, "are to try to do the best that I could. I'm trying to take this experience, don't let it get the best of me, and try to turn this into a wonderful track meet."
Lendore enjoyed a successful freshman season at Texas A&M University, in the United States, improving his 400m personal best by more than a second, from 46.50 seconds to 45.13. He finished eighth in the one-lap final at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Outdoor Championships, in Iowa, USA, and then bagged bronze at the T&T Championships.
Also at the National Championships, in Port of Spain, he teamed up with Renny Quow, Lalonde Gordon and Jarrin Solomon for a three minutes, 00.45 seconds clocking in the 4x400m relay, the victorious T&T quartet breaking a 20-year-old national record.
"We're hoping to break it again. That's the only way we could make it past the rounds and get into the final. I'm looking forward to me and my teammates doing the best we can, hopefully break the record again and make our country proud."
Cedenio is also on the men's mile relay squad.
"We have a good enough team to win the 4x4," Cedenio told the Express. "My expectation is high for us to medal."
The 16-year-old athlete is excited about his first Olympic experience.
"I watched Usain Bolt at the last Olympics on TV. Now I get to see it in real. And Richard Thompson, our silver medallist, this is the first time I'll see him running on the big stage."
Cedenio is already looking forward to the 2016 Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
"My aim is to bring home a gold medal in the 400."
James is here in London as part of the men's 4x100m squad. The 20-year-old University of Tennessee student said he is enjoying being around his more experienced sprint relay teammates—Thompson, Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Rondel Sorrillo and Emmanuel Callender.
"Always good to be around the professionals. It's going to expand my artillery for next year. It's going to be awesome.
"This bridges the gap," James continued. "Bledman and everybody else would be on a different level, then there would be me, Moriba (Morain)…it's creating a chain line from up on top."
MEDALS TABLE
(After Day 4)
Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 China 13 6 4 23
2 USA 9 8 6 23
3 France 4 3 4 11
4 S Korea 3 2 3 8
5 N Korea 3 0 1 4
6 Kazakhstan 3 0 0 3
7 Italy 2 4 2 8
8 Germany 2 3 1 6
9 Russia 2 2 4 8
10 S Africa 2 0 0 2
11 Japan 1 4 8 13
12 Australia 1 3 2 6
13 Romania 1 2 2 5
14 Brazil 1 1 1
14 Hungary 1 1 1 3
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Today_s_key_Olympic_events-164538126.html
Today's key Olympic events
Story Created: Aug 1, 2012 at 12:07 AM ECT
Archery
Men's Individual Round of 64 (4 a.m.), Women's Individual Round of 32 (4.26 a.m.), Men's Individual Round of 32 (4.52 a.m.), Women's Individual Round of 32 (5.05 a.m.)
Badminton
Singles RD 16, all Doubles QF matches (4 a.m.)
Singles RD 16, all Doubles QF matches (7.30 a.m.)
All Singles RD 16, Women's Doubles QF (12 p.m.)
Basketball
Women's Preliminary
Group B–Canada vs France (4 a.m.), Australia vs Brazil (9.30 a.m.), Britain vs Russia (11.45 a.m.)
Group A—China vs Angola (6.15 a.m.), Croatia vs Czech Republic (3 p.m.), USA vs Turkey (5.15 p.m.)
Beach Volleyball
Women's Group Stage (4 a.m.), Men's Group Stage (6 a.m.)
Boxing
Men's Bantamweight Round of 16 (8.30 a.m.); Men's Heavyweight Round of 16 (9.30 a.m.); Men's Super Heavyweight Round of 16 (5.30 a.m.)
Cycling
Road: Women's Individual Time Trial (7.30 a.m.); Road: Men's Individual Time Trial (9.15 a.m.)
Field Hockey
Men's Group A: Spain vs Australia (3.30 a.m.), South Africa vs Britain (11 a.m), Pakistan vs Argentina (2 p.m.); Men's Group B: Belgium vs Netherlands (5.45 a.m.), New Zealand vs India (8.45 a.m.), Korea vs Germany (4.15 p.m.)
Gymnastics
Men's Individual All-Around (11.30 a.m.)
Judo
Men's 90kg Round of 32 (4.30 a.m.), Round of 16 (5.40 a.m.), Quarterfinals (6.36 a.m.), Bronze Medal Final (9.28 a.m.), Semi Finals (9.42 a.m.), Gold Medal Final (11.10 a.m.)
Women's 70kg Round of 32 (5.19 a.m.), Round of 16 (6.08 a.m.), Quarterfinals (6.50 a.m.), Bronze Medal Final (9 a.m.), Semi Finals (9.14 a.m.), Gold Medal Final (11 a.m.)
Sailing
Men's RS-X Race 3 (7 a.m.), Race 4 (8 a.m.); Men's 49er Race 5 (7 a.m), Race 6 (7.50 a.m.); Women's Laser Radial Race 5 (7 a.m.), Race 6 (8:30 a.m.); Men's Laser Race 5 (7.10 a.m.), Race 6 (9.40 a.m.); Women's Elliott 6m-Round Robin (9 a.m.); Women's RS-X Race 3 (9.30 a.m.), Race 4 (10.20 a.m.)
Shooting
Women's 25m Piston Qualification (4 a.m.), Final (10.30 a.m.)
Soccer
Men's Group C: Brazil vs New Zealand (9.30 a.m.); Egypt vs Belarus (9.30 a.m.), Men's Group D: Japan vs Honduras (12 p.m.); Spain vs Morocco (12 p.m.), Men's Group B: Mexico vs Switzerland (12 p.m.); Korea vs Gabon (12 p.m.), Men's Group A: Senegal vs UAE (2.45 p.m.); Britain vs Uruguay (2.45 p.m.)
Swimming
Women's 100m Freestyle Heats (5 a.m.), Men's 200m Backstroke Heats (5.21 a.m.), Women's 200m Breastroke Heats (5.43 a.m), Men's 200m IM Qualification (6.06 a.m.), Women's 4x200 Freestyle Qualification (6.26 a.m.), Men's 200m Breastroke Final (2.30 p.m.), Women's 100m Freestyle Semi-finals (2.38 p.m.), Men's 200m Backstroke Semifinals (2.49 p.m.), Women's 200m Butterfly Final (3.12 p.m.), Men's 100m Freestyle Final (3.20 p.m.), Men's 200m IM Semi-finals (3.41 p.m.), Women's 4x200m Freestyle Final (4.04 p.m.
Table Tennis
Men's Singles Quarterfinals (5 a.m.), Women's Singles Bronze Final (9.30 a.m.), Women's Singles Gold Medal Match (10.30 a.m.)
Tennis
Men's Singles 3rd Round (6.30 a.m.), Women's Singles 3rd Round (6.30 a.m.), Men's Doubles 2nd Round (9 a.m.), Women's Doubles Quarterfinals (9.30 a.m.), Women's Doubles 2nd Round (11a.m.), Mixed Doubles 1st Round (11.30 a.m.)
Volleyball
Women's Group A
Dominican Republic vs Japan (4.30 a.m.), Algeria vs Russia (6.30 a.m.), Britain vs Italy (11.45 a.m.)
Women's Group B
Serbia vs Turkey (9.45 a.m.), USA vs China (3 p.m.), Brazil vs Korea (5p.m.)
Water Polo
Women's Group A: Hungary vs China (9.10 a.m.), Spain vs USA (1.20 p.m.); Women's Group B: Italy vs Russia (10.30 a.m.), Britain vs Australia (2.40 p.m.)
Weight-lifting
Men's 77kg Group B (5 a.m.), Women's 69kg Group B (7.30 a.m.), Women's 69kg Group A (10.30 a.m.), Men's 77kg Group A (2 p.m.)
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164183.html
Disappointing day for TT trio
Wednesday, August 1 2012
IT WAS a disappointing day for Trinidad and Tobago at the 30th Olympiad in London, England yesterday, with contrasting results by the trio of swimmer George Bovell III, American-born boxer Carlos Suarez and sailor Andrew Lewis.
Bovell III left his fans bemused as he opted out of his 5 am (TT time) heat four in the Preliminary Round of the men’s 100-metre freestyle.
He later blogged on his Twitter page, “focused on the main event! Not racing today. My coaches (Mike Bottom of the University of Michigan) and Anil (Roberts) have seen everything they need to see. We are ready for the 50!”
And, in an article on Facebook, Roberts, who is also the Sports Minster, stated, “we pulled out immediately after the backstroke. The policy is to still leave (the) name and put DNS (did not start) next to it once you scratch any event after the technical meeting which is two days before the opening ceremony.
“He is in a brilliant state of mind that is one of the reasons why we did not need to swim the 100 free. Qualifying in backstroke was never on the cards. It was a training swim, a warm-up swim, a ‘welcome to the Olympics’ swim.
“Furthermore if by fluke we had made the top 16 (semi-finals) in the 100 back....we would have scratched that as well,” Roberts added.
Following yesterday’s semi-finals, James Magnussen of Australia (47.63), Nathan Adrian of the United States (47.97), Hanser Garcia of Cuba (48.04), Sebastiaan Verschuren of Netherlands (48.13), Cesar Cielo of Brazil (48.17), Brent Hayden of Canada (48.21), Yannick Angel of France (48.23) and Nikita Lobintsev of Russia (48.38) advanced to today’s final. The 19-year-old Suarez saw his medal hopes in the light flyweight (46-49 kilograms) end in a flash as he was thrashed 16-6 by Turkey’s Ferhat Pehlivan at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre.
Pehlivan had lopsided scorelines in the three respective rounds - 5-2, 5-2 and 6-2, while Suarez received a warning by the officials in the final round. In a report on the Associated Press yesterday entitled “A Boxing Beef”, Suarez was quoted as saying “that’s the problem with Olympic boxing. It’s not boxing. It’s tag.
“Those aren’t punches,” Suarez continued. “I didn’t feel none of his shots. I’m fed up big time.”
Lewis continued to struggle in the Men’s Laser Class, as he is currently in 44th position, of a field of 49, after a combined four races.
At Weymouth and Portland, Lewis got 38 points in Race Three and 40 points in Race Four, for an overall tally of 167 points.
According to the event’s format, the sailor with the lowest points will top the standings. Before the third race, Lewis tweeted, “got some great rest this morning as I have a 2 pm start. Feeling well rested and ready to go with all my heart again.”
He only improved one notch, from his overnight 45th on Monday.
Yesterday evening, he tweeted, “sailed really hard today but still could not get my ‘A’ race on. I will fight till the end. This is the Olympics right!”
Tom Slingsby of Australia remains as the overall leader with 11 points, having placed second in Race Three and sixth in Race Four.
Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus was the top performer yesterday, as he won both races to climb from fourth to second with 15 points. In third place is Rasmus Myrgren of Sweden, who was fourth in Race Three and fifth in Race Four to advance from fifth to third with 25 points.
Lewis will be the only TT participant today, as he goes up in Races Five and Six, from 7.10 am and 9.40 am respectively. Meanwhile, the Trinidad and Tobago team’s Chef de Mission, Annette Knott, said the athletes are anxiously awaiting their turn to hit the track later this week.
“The athletes are eagerly looking forward to the start of the athletics segment. We have no injuries, they are all fit and ready for their turn to make their country proud. They are focused and we anticipate a good showing from them,” she said.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164184.html
Frustrated Suarez turning professional
Wednesday, August 1 2012
ACCORDING to reports coming out of London yesterday evening, Trinidad and Tobago boxer, Carlos Suarez, has decided to turn professional following his 16-6 loss to Turkey’s Ferhat Pehlivan in the Light Flyweight division.
Suarez, who received a standing ovation from the mostly British crowd for his aggressive style and effort, expressed frustration with the Olympic style of scoring which does not suit him. According to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, Suarez was quoted as saying, “That’s the problem with Olympic boxing,” Suarez said. “It’s not boxing. It’s tag. Those aren’t punches. I didn’t feel none of his shots. I’m fed up, big-time.” Reynold Cox, coach of Suarez, confirmed that the 19-year-old is turning pro.
Meanwhile, I95.5FM’s Andre Baptiste who is in London covering the Olympics, reported yesterday that Suarez said he will not fight for Trinidad and Tobago when he turns professional but will continue to fight in the United States.
According to Baptiste, Suarez declared that he was not pleased with a certain high profile member of the local boxing board and how the member operates.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Britain_shock_Brazil___US_beat_North_Korea-164538006.html
Britain shock Brazil, US beat North Korea
Story Created: Aug 1, 2012 at 12:06 AM ECT
lLONDON
Britain secured a remarkable 1-0 win over Olympic gold medal contenders Brazil at Wembley yesterday in front of the biggest crowd to watch a women's football match in the country.
The victory, thanks to Steph Houghton's brilliantly-taken second minute goal, meant Britain finished top of the group, having won all three matches without conceding a goal, and will now face Canada in the quarter-finals at Coventry on Friday.
Brazil also qualified for the last eight and will play world champions Japan in their last eight match in Cardiff on the same evening.
The US also won 1-0 over North Korea thanks to a 25th minute goal from striker Abby Wambach.
Britain, who are also emerging as real medal contenders, took the lead 90 seconds into the game when Brazil failed to clear a corner and the ball eventually fell to Houghton, who showed some superb skill to turn the defender and score from an acute angle.
Left back Houghton also scored in the 1-0 win against New Zealand in Britain's opening game and in the 3-0 win over Cameroon.
Her goal against Brazil brought 70,584 fans to their feet—a record crowd for a women's match in Britain, beating the old record of 53,000 which was set at a women's club match 92 years ago.
It was also only 6,000 shy of the Olympic record of 76,489 set when the United States beat China in the 1996 final.
The atmosphere in the stadium was totally different to the usual one at either an England international or Cup Final and was far more relaxed, with the crowd largely appreciating the skills of both teams in a very sporting, Olympian manner.
And there was plenty to be impressed with as Brazil came back looking for an equaliser and going close when Alex Scott was forced to head against her own post after pressure from Marta and Cristiane.
Britain though, were often quicker to the ball than Brazil and should have doubled their lead after 56 minutes when Francielle tripped Eni Aluko to concede a clear penalty.
But Kelly Smith's left-footed spot-kick was a poor one, lacking pace and accuracy and Brazil keeper Andreia scrambled it away down to her left.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-01/sparks-fly-outside-ring-suarez-loses
Sparks fly outside ring as Suarez loses
Published: Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Rachael Thompson-King
Carlos Suarez’s career as a boxer for T&T came to a controversial end yesterday, but it was not in the ring. Actually it was after the bout that most of the sparks flew when Suarez unleashed an explicit attack on personnel attached to the T&T Boxing Association (TTBA), and the board itself in the aftermatch press conference. “Buxo Potts is one of the worst boxing people I have ever dealt with. He actually did nothing but try to bring down my confidence. And all the other people in TTAB (TTBA), they are liars.” Suarez’s venemous statements followed an opening bout 16-6 loss in the men’s light flyweight class (46-49 kg) to Ferhat Pehlivan of Turkey, in his debut fight at the Olympic Games, here in London, England. “I have no intention whatsoever of turning pro or doing anything in Trinidad,” said the American-born fighter when asked about his boxing future in T&T.
He was, however, thankful for the opportunity of fighting at the Olympics. “This was a great experience. It was a lot of hard work. A lot of.....,” he paused to wipe away sweat dripping down his face, then continued, “I wouldn’t say up, lots of downs.” Suarez said he had no regrets about wearing the red, white and black colours during the Games. “I don’t have no regrets though. I fought my heart out. I tried to put on a show. From here on, I am going to go pro,” he said. Despite going down by a huge margin, Suarez was clearly a crowd favourite. He was lustily cheered when his name was announced. One of the supporters was Minister of Sports Anil Roberts, who was fully outfitted in red, white and black.” Suarez attacked at the sound of the bell but he was outboxed by the Turkish boxer who was adjudged to have had the better of the opening round, 5-2. Pehlivan again enjoyed the better of the exchanges in the second round and the margin was again 5-2. By the final round, Suarez had lost most of his spark, as the winner was a foregone conclusion with Pehlivan tallying his largest number of points of the bout, six, compared to Suarez’s two. “I am proud of my performance. At least I put on a show for the crowd,” shared Suarez.
Earlier in the day, T&T swimmer George Bovell, not wanting to risk anything ahead of the 50 metres freestyle event, opted out of the 100m freestyle. Bovell was scheduled to compete in heat four of eight but instead chose to sit out the event. The decision to miss the 100m fell in line with Bovell’s previous remarks that his main focus is the 50m freestyle which he feels is his best chance of winning a medal. Bovell, who won bronze at the 28th Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, in the 200-metres individual medley (IM), remains one of T&T’s biggest prospects for a medal in the premier world event and will be back at the pool at the Aquatic Centre tomorrow. He will swim in lane three of heat six. Start time for the heats is at 10 am (5 am T&T time). The semifinals are set for later in the evening at 6.32 pm (1.32 pm) and the final is on Friday at 8.09 pm (3.09 pm T&T time). Andrew Lewis had a minute magnitude of improvement, on the second day of the men’s laser event at Weymouth and Portland, but the T&T sailor is placed on the lower end of the table. The 22-year-old moved up just one spot to 44th place from 45th placing on the opening day.
Race three proved to be his best thus far with him finishing 38th. He returned later in race four to place 40th. Combining the results from the two opening races on Monday, 46th and 43rd, respectively, his total points is 167 which is not a good sign for him as the higher the score, the lower the placing Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus won both races but the successes of Australian Tom Slingsby, a five-time world champion, in the first two legs gave him the overall lead with a minimal 11-point total. Kontides filled the second spot with 15 points while Swedish Myrgren Rasmus progressed to the third spot with 25 points. Great Britain’s Paul Goodison, the 2008 Olympic gold medallist, moved up from 17th spot to 12th with 51 points. He made the jump after a superb second race where he was second behind Kontides. US Virgin Islands sailor Cy Thompson dropped two places to 26th with 101. Among the women from the Caribbean, St Lucian Beth Lygoe is 37th with 141 and USVI’s Mayumi Roller remains last with 162 points in the women’s laser radial. Lewis will be back in the water today in races five and six, starting at the first race starting at 12.10 pm (7.10 T&T Time).
YESTERDAY’S MEDALISTS
CANOE
Men’s Slalom: (1) T Estanguet (FRA) (2) S Tasiadis (GER) (3) M Martikan (SVK)
DIVING
Women’s Synchronised 10m platform: (1) CHN (2) MEX (3) CAN
EQUESTRIAN (Eventing Jumping)
Individual: (1) M Jung (GER) (2) S Algotsson (SWE) (3) S Auffarth (GER)
Team: (1) GER (2) GBR (3) NZL
FENCING
Men’s Individual Foil: (1) S Lei (CHN) (2) A Aboulekassem (EGY) (3) B Choi (KOR)
GYMNASTICS (Artistic)
Women’s Team: (1) USA (2) RUS (3) ROU
JUDO
Men’s -81kg: (1) JB Kim (KOR) (2) O BISCHOF (GER) (3) I NIFONTOV (RUS)/A Fortier (CAN)
Women’s -63kg: (1) U Zolnir (SLO) (2) L Xu (CHN) (3) G Emane (FRA)/Y Ueno (JPN)
SHOOTING
Men’s skeet: (1) V Hancock (USA) (2) A Golding (DEN) (3) N Al-Attiya (QAT)
SWIMMING
Women’s 200m freestyle: (1) A Schmitt (USA) (2) C Muffat (FRA) (3) B Barratt (AUS)
Men’s 200m butterfly: (1) C Le Clos (RSA) (2) M Phelps (USA) (3) T Matsuda (JPN)
Women’s 200m IM: (1) S Ye (CHN) (2) A Coutts (AUS) (3) C Leverenz (USA)
Men’s 4x200m freestyle: (1) USA (2) FRA (3) CHN
WEIGHTLIFTING
Women’s 63kg: (1) M Maneza (KAZ) (2) S Tsarukaeva (RUS) (3) C Girard (CAN)
TODAY’S MAIN EVENTS
SPOTLIGHT
MICHAEL PHELPS became the most successful Olympic athlete when he won his 19th Olympic medal as the USA took gold in the 4x200m men’s freestyle.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Do I think I am still the greatest Olympian? Why yes, but that is my opinion.”
Russian gymnastics legend LARISSA LATYNINA on Michael Phelps surpassing her 48-year-old record for having the most Olympic medals.
QUIRK OF THE DAY
Visitors to the Games stood in queues for hours, begging for information and tramping from one box office to another yesterday, as organizers put unused tickets on sale to avoid the embarrassment of empty seats. Big gaps at many venues in seating areas, reserved for Games officials and their friends and family, have infuriated thousands of fans who desperately tried to get tickets under a complex ballot system. But confusion surrounded the system for recycling tickets, with guides at the Olympic Park giving conflicting information.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-31/losing-my-way-london
OLYMPIC JOURNAL
Losing my way in London
Published: Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Andre E Baptiste
Courtesy is one of the major watchwords at the London Olympics. It is evident in the work being done by the Organising Committee and is critical to the success of the Games. Prime Minister Dave Cameron has stated that he expects to generate revenue in the vicinity of £13 billion from these Games, and while the opposition Labour Party is calling it a pipe dream, there is merit, at least in the courteous nature of the thousands of volunteers. The volunteers caused me to scratch my head yesterday. It was 7.30am and I was on my way to the swimming at the Aquatic Centre and had to get something to drink. I wanted a particular type of drink which I had not yet seen in London over the past five days. I asked a long haired blonde with a beautiful smile who was simply no help. Then, there was the Spanish looking brunette who suggested I tried something else, since she too, had not seen what I was searching for. It was left to an old man in the group to tell me where I could get my drink. This was how it went: “Take a railway station in King’s Cross; go left for about 100 metres; take the first right by the second traffic light and walk for 200 more metres, before taking a right by the greengrocer; Walk 50 metres and you will find Sainsbury’s, where you will get your favoured drink.”
I thought long about the directions and looked into this aged gentleman’s eyes for any sense of West Indian trickery. I could find none. So I walked. I figured age was not as important as many think because we have a 71-year-old man from Japan, Hiroshi Hoketsu, who is taking part in the dressage. Hoketsu made his Olympic debut in 1964. The good news is that all Hoketsu has to do, is sit on his horse, Whisper, who is just 15-years-old. If Hoketsu’ participates at the Games in Brazil in 2016, he will succeed Oscar Swahn of Sweden who was 72 years old when he won a silver medal. Hoketsu will have to hope his horse is still up to it then. Anyway. I got lost in trying to follow the directions and by the time I arrived to watch George Bovell swim in the 100 metres, it was just in time to watch Lane 2 in Heat 4, empty. I realised I could have stayed longer and kept looking for my drink.
As it was chef de mission, Annette Knott, explained that all was well with Bovell who is not injured. A decision was for him to devote his energy and effort into the 50 metres. This was a good decision. Even if Bovell had made the qualifying time for the 100 metres freestyle semi finals, it would have been difficult to reach the finals today. And with the 50 metres due to start tomorrow, where Bovell has an outstanding chance, it was really a no-brainer. There was sad news for Caribbean athletes when St Kitts and Nevis female sprinter Tameka Williams was sent home after admitting to taking a banned substance. This is not good and will unfortunately only continue to heighten the talk about drugs and sports, particularly in light of the ranging questions over 16-year-old Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen. Anti doping officials have revealed that cleaners and security staff have been asked to spy on athletes and report anything suspicious. However, as I left the Olympic Park and headed out of Stratford, I could not help but remark on the need to find some peace and find this elusive “healthy” drink. So, I looked around for help and watched many courteous volunteers dressed in blue and pink and decided, enough was enough, that drink will have to come another day.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Peerless_Wiggins_roars_to_record-164693616.html
Peerless Wiggins roars to record
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 12:41 AM ECT
l England
Bradley Wiggins basked in glory, and a bit of sun, as Britain's most decorated Olympian after he hammered the field in awe-inspiring fashion to claim the London Games cycling time trial yesterday.
Wiggins, the first British Tour de France champion, surpassed rower Steve Redgrave's record of six Olympic medals by snatching his seventh on home soil amidst scenes of joy around Hampton Court Palace.
His Tour victory just ten days ago had already given a massive boost to his popularity in Britain. The man with the distinctive long dark sideburns was chosen to ring the bell at the start of the Olympic opening ceremony last Friday.
Winning an Olympic gold medal, his fourth, in London, will likely add to the Wiggomania.
"It's never going to be better. There was a slight melancholy on the podium. Nothing will top that now," he told reporters
"I'm certainly going to get a bit drunk tonight. I think I've earned it."
Asked if he would compete at Rio 2016, the 32-year-old added: "Yes, but not in this event. I couldn't endure four more years of this training. I could envisage going back to track pursuit but we'll see."
Wiggins, who already had six track cycling medals, made a cautious start on the 44-km course starting and ending at Hampton Court Palace before powering home with an average speed of more than 52 kph.
World champion Tony Martin of Germany took silver, a gaping 42 seconds behind, with Briton Chris Froome claiming bronze, 68 seconds off the pace.
"This year Bradley was unbeatable," said Martin, who has suffered a series of crashes and injuries this season.
"For me today it is like a gold medal. I was really happy to be here healthy."
A few hours after Helen Glover and Heather Stanning claimed Britain's first London gold in the rowing pairs, Wiggins was in a class of his own, his perfect position on the bike unmatched by his rivals.
The powerful Martin was five seconds ahead of Wiggins at the first time check after 7.3 km, with Fabian Cancellara one second further behind in a close race with the top five riders within ten seconds.
Luis Leon Sanchez's hopes of a podium finish vanished after just a few seconds when the Spaniard had to change bikes following a chain snap on the start ramp.
By the second time check, after 18.4 km, Wiggins was 11 seconds up on Martin and 23 on Froome, after defending champion Cancellara of Switzerland had cracked following a strong start.
Cancellara suffered a bruised shoulder in the road race on Saturday and had pondered his participation until the last moment. After crossing the line fifth, he sat for a long time holding his right shoulder, his face a mask of pain.
The course snaked through suburbia, past the famous horse race track at Sandown Park, close to the rugby stadium at Twickenham and even near Chelsea Football Club's training ground.
After crossing the line and walking towards the throne installed to welcome the race leaders, Wiggins got back on the bike, cycling on the course again, his arms raised in celebration.
He was quickly surrounded by dozens of fans before riding his way back towards the Palace, where he was awaited by his wife and two children.
Born in Belgium, Wiggins picked up his first Olympic medals in Sydney in 2000, where he took bronze in the Madison and team pursuit. Wednesday's gold made him the first rider to win Olympic time trial in the same year as the Tour. He also captured the Paris-Nice, Tour de Romandie and Dauphine stage races, making him the most versatile rider in cycling.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Coe__Ye_s_spurt_not_unthinkable-164693636.html
Coe: Ye's spurt not unthinkable
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 12:41 AM ECT
It is not unusual for teenage athletes to knock seconds off their fastest time, London Olympics chief Seb Coe said, adding he would prefer to "celebrate" Chinese Ye Shiwen's stunning performance in the pool rather than cast doubt on it.
The 16-year-old has been the focus of some unwelcome attention since her world record performance in the 400 medley, with a few critics questioning how she could have swum her final freestyle length faster than Ryan Lochte did in the men's event, also knocking five seconds off her personal best in that race.
Australian swimmer Alicia Coutts, who trailed behind her in second place in the 200 metres individual medley a few days later, also said she believed athletes should be treated as "innocent until proven guilty".
"It's not the first time teenagers have broken world records or won Olympic titles," Coe, a former middle-distance double gold medallist on the track, told reporters yesterday.
"You've got to be very careful when you suddenly assume that a massive and unexpected breakthrough in an event or a particular discipline is based on anything other than great coaching, extraordinary talent and all the other things."
He looked back to his late teens when, he said, he took 4.5 seconds off his best time in the 800 metres.
"So it's really not that unthinkable," he said.
The youngster's supporters have accused her detractors of racism, pointing out that far from appearing out of the blue, Ye, a world champion over the 200 medley last year, had been very much on the sport's radar for years.
Asked directly if she had ever used performance-enhancing drugs, Ye has answered through an interpreter: "Absolutely not."
She said the accusations were "a bit unfair", and put her success down to her hard work.
Coe, chair of the London Olympic organising committee (LOCOG), said he would prefer to give the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.
"So my inkling is to celebrate what was an extraordinary performance," he said.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Adrian_leads_US_gold_rush_in_pool-164693646.html
Adrian leads US gold rush in pool
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 12:41 AM ECT
l LONDON
Nathan Adrian claimed the title of the world's fastest man on water when he won the 100 metres freestyle gold medal by a fingernail at the London Olympics yesterday.
American teenager Missy Franklin then captured her second gold medal of the Games on a dramatic night of swimming that saw two world records broken and the host-nation make a rare appearance on the medal podium at the Aquatic Centre.
In a desperate finish to the 100 freestyle sprint, Adrian got his fingers on the wall ahead of Australian world champion James Magnussen by 0.01 seconds, the closest margin to a dead-heat in Olympic swimming.
It was impossible to split the pair with the naked eye but Adrian, the first American to win swimming's premier event in nearly a quarter of a century, was awarded the gold in a time of 47.52 seconds with Magnussen second in 47.53.
Canada's Brent Hayden was third in a classic race where the eight finalists were separated by less than a second.
"I almost started crying in the water. This is something that happens every four years," said Adrian, the first American to win the event since Matt Biondi in 1988.
"It's not who swims the fastest time this year but it's who can get their hands on the wall first here tonight."
Magnussen went into the Olympics as the favourite after winning the world title last year and boasting that he would win but said he had learnt a painful lesson.
"I just felt pretty much bullet proof coming into this Olympics and it is very humbling," he said.
"They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger so hopefully I can come out of this a better swimmer but most of all a better person."
Franklin, her excitement already overflowing after she received a personal tweet from Canadian singer Justin Bieber, enhanced her status as the new queen of the pool when she teamed up with Dana Vollmer, Shannon Vreeland and Allison Schmitt to win the 4x200 freestyle relay, ahead of Australia and France.
The 17-year-old, appearing in her first Olympics, also won gold in the 100 backstroke and a bronze in the 4x100 freestyle relay and is not finished yet.
Less than an hour before the relay, she booked her place in the 100 freestyle final as the third fastest qualifier and still has her favourite event, the 200 backstroke, and the medley relay to come.
The US have dominated the swimming events in London, winning medals in 17 of the 20 finals decided so far.
With three days to go the Americans have won eight golds and 18 medals in total.
China is second with four golds and medals in total after Jiao Liuyang stormed home on the last lap to win the women's 200 butterfly, four years after she finished second in Beijing.
Spain's Mireia Belmonte Garcia held on to take the silver after leading with one lap to go while Natsumi Hoshi of Japan was third.
Hungary's Daniel Gyurta broke the world record to win the 200 breaststroke final, denying the host-nation Britain their first male swimming champion since Adrian Moorehouse in Seoul.
Propelled by a deafening roar, Scotland's Michael Jamieson flashed home on the last length but could not quite reach Gyurta, who stopped the clock at 2:07.28 to shave 0.03 off the previous world record set by Australia's Christian Sprenger at the 2009 world championships in Rome.
"It was a really hard race. In the last 20 metres I saw Jamieson and the other British guy," Gyurta said.
"He was so fast the last 20 metres. It was really hard for me, but I did it."
Japan's Ryo Tateishi won the bronze ahead of compatriot Kosuke Kitajima, the two-time defending champion, bidding to become the first male swimmer to win the same event at three successive Olympics.
America's Rebecca Soni reclaimed her world record in the women's 200 breaststroke. The Beijing Olympic champion touched in 2:20.00 in her semi-final, wiping 0.12 off the previous mark set in Rome by Canada's Annamay Pierse.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Britain_sink_Uruguay_to_reach_last__eight-164693656.html
Britain sink Uruguay to reach last eight
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 12:41 AM ECT
lCARDIFF
Already-qualified title favourites Brazil and Japan were joined by hosts Britain, surprise qualifiers Egypt, Mexico, Senegal, South Korea and Honduras in the quarter-finals of the Olympic football tournament yesterday.
Britain beat Uruguay 1-0 in Cardiff to make it through to the last eight for the first time since 1956 and will meet South Korea in the last eight in the Welsh capital when all four games are played on Saturday.
Brazil will play Honduras at St James' Park in Newcastle; Japan, who qualified after their second match, will face Egypt at Old Trafford, Manchester; and Mexico will meet Senegal at Wembley.
Egypt, who endured a torrid start to the competition when they trailed 3-0 to Brazil in their opener, completed a remarkable recovery by reaching the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win over Belarus.
Brazil completed their perfect run of three straight wins when they beat New Zealand 3-0 at St James' Park, Newcastle to seal first place in Group C ahead of Egypt.
Four matches played in the afternoon produced only one goal when Mexico beat Switzerland 1-0 in Cardiff to win Group B.
The other games between South Korea and Gabon in Group B and Japan and Honduras and Spain and Morocco in Group D finished goalless with only South Korea and Japan advancing.
Spain, among the favourites before the tournament started, went out without scoring a goal.
There was huge and unexpected passion in Cardiff where the hosts Britain, back in the Olympics for the first time since 1960, overcame Uruguay with a goal on the stroke of halftime from Daniel Sturridge.
Fears that the Welsh crowd would boo the national anthem never materialised and they were screaming and cheering for the British team with all the passion reserved for Wales matches by the end of a thrilling clash.
Egypt, bedraggled and bewildered against Brazil at the start, finished that match narrow 3-2 losers and, inspired by that fight back, finished the group phase in some style by leapfrogging Belarus into second place.
But Egypt coach Hany Ramzy faces the prospect of losing Mohamed Aboutrika and Emad Meteab from his squad as they are due to return to their club Al Ahly before Saturday's match.
He said: "We have an agreement with Al Ahly they will fly back tonight but I am hoping Al Ahly understand the situation.
"We have an important match in three days and we needed the experience of these players, especially Aboutrika. The players have a connection with him and we need his experience in this important match."
Belarus just needed a draw to qualify but Egypt hit them with second-half goals by Mohamed Salah, substitute Marwan Mohsen and Aboutrika, whose third in the 78th minute sealed victory. Andrei Voronkov scored a late consolation for Belarus four minutes from time.
Brazil had their match against New Zealand wrapped up in the first 30 minutes.
Danilo and Leandro Damiao netted the first two and midfielder Sandro added a third six minutes into the second half.
But defender Alex Sandro will miss the quarter-final after being sent off for a second bookable offence 15 minutes from time.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Badminton_hit_by_scandal-164693676.html
Badminton hit by scandal
Wiggins tastes glory
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 12:41 AM ECT
l LONDON
Just ten days after triumphing in the Tour de France, Bradley Wiggins won the Olympic cycling time trial yesterday on a golden day for hosts Britain, but a badminton match-throwing scandal left a sour taste on Day Five of the London Games.
Hunched over the handlebars, the man with the trademark long ginger sideburns powered home a gaping 42 seconds ahead of Germany's Tony Martin to win his seventh Olympic medal, a record for a Briton.
In the pool, Nathan Adrian of the United States edged out Australia's James Magnussen by the smallest possible margin, 0.01 seconds, to win the 100 metres freestyle and the unofficial title of world's fastest swimmer.
The US women won the 4x200m freestyle relay, while Hungary's Daniel Gyurta broke the world record in winning the men's 200m breaststroke. China's Jiao Liuyang won the women's 200m butterfly.
But the Games were brushed by scandal when eight women badminton players—two top-seeded Chinese, two Indonesians and four from South Korea—were disqualified for deliberately trying to lose their matches on Tuesday night in order to get an easier draw in the knockout phase of the tournament.
The spectacle of players deliberately hitting shuttlecocks out of court and dumping serves into the net drew jeers from fans at Wembley Arena.
"I'm very, very sorry this has happened for both the players and for the sport," Badminton World Federation secretary general Thomas Lund said.
China remained atop the medals table at a Games already packed with incident and notable for US swimmer Michael Phelps' feat of winning his 19th Olympic medal, breaking the record of Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina that had stood since 1964.
Luo Yutong and Qin Kai ensured China remained on track for a clean sweep of Olympic diving titles as they won the men's synchronised three-metre springboard gold.
Li Xiaoxia won an all-Chinese women's table tennis final that left opponent Ding Ning sobbing and accusing an umpire of ruining her Olympic dream by imposing three penalty points—two for not throwing the ball up vertically on her service, and one for towelling herself down at the wrong moment.
"I didn't do very well today. I had an obstacle and not only from the opponent but from the judge," Ding said, trying to choke back tears.
Four years after letting the title slip through his fingers in Beijing, Japan's Kohei Uchimura finally won an Olympic gold medal in the men's all-around gymnastics to go with his three world crowns.
In the cycling time trial at Hampton Court, where King Henry VIII cavorted with his six wives, Wiggins cemented his own place in history by becoming the first rider to win the Olympic time trial and the Tour de France in the same year.
In the equivalent women's event, American Kristin Armstrong prevailed. The 38-year-old took time off after the Beijing Games in 2008 to start a family, and her son Lucas was there to celebrate the moment with his mother.
Britain won its first gold of London 2012 when rowers Helen Glover and Heather Stanning dominated the women's pairs before a screaming crowd of 25,000, including Princes William and Harry, and many more glued to television screens.
"Ecstatic!" Glover told reporters at Dorney Lake, west of London. It was only four years ago that she started rowing, and two since she teamed up with Stanning, an army captain who may be sent to Afghanistan next year.
Her exploits were cheered by fellow soldiers following the action at Camp Bastion in Helmand in the south of Afghanistan.
British Prime Minister David Cameron, during a visit to Northern Ireland, said he received the news after sitting on the "Wishing Chair" at Giant's Causeway, one of Northern Ireland's top tourist attractions.
"I was told I could make a wish," he told reporters. "I won't say what it was but as soon as I got back to my mobile phone I got the good news."
The flap over the badminton was a reminder of just how far some countries and athletes will go to win gold, even if the Olympic charter says the Games are about sport pursued in "a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play".
South Korea head coach Sung Han-kook admitted his two pairings attempted to throw their matches against China's world champion duo and the Indonesians, but said it was in retaliation against the Chinese team.
"The Chinese started this. They did it first," Sung told reporters through an interpreter.
He said the Chinese deliberately tried to lose the first of the tainted matches to ensure their leading duo of Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli could not meet the country's number two pair until the gold medal decider.
"It's a complicated thing with the draws. They didn't want to meet each other in the semi-final. So we did the same. We didn't want to play the South Korean team again", Sung said, referring to the knockout stages.
Several players and coaches pointed the finger of blame at the Chinese team for creating the scandal.
"I can say China has played dirty," said Poland's Korean head coach Young Man Kim. "They fixed the matches, that's why everything is messy here."
China's delegation said it fully respected the decision to disqualify the teams.
But players also slammed the BWF for instituting a format that was ripe for manipulation.
"Why would the tournament rules people have (a format) like this?" men's singles world number one Lin Dan told reporters. "If they just had a knockout round it would all be fine. You lose and that's it," the Chinese added.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/MIXED_BAG-164693696.html
MIXED BAG
Ups and downs for Lewis in Laser class
By Kwame Laurence
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 12:41 AM ECT
Andrew Lewis gave an improved showing in the fifth race of the Olympic Games men's Laser class event, in Dorset, England, yesterday.
However, the Trinidad and Tobago sailor missed out on a golden opportunity for significant upward movement on the overall standings when he failed to capitalise on a good start in race six, eventually finishing 47th in a field of 49. Instead, he gained just two places, moving from 44th to 42nd.
Lewis ended the day with a total of 242 points, but had his worst score—the 47 in yesterday's sixth race—deducted, for a net score of 195.
Lewis was 28th in race five, on the Weymouth Bay West course. He was actually 17th early on, but slipped to 29th, before earning a one-spot promotion following the disqualification of Greek sailor Vagelis Himonas.
And in race six, on the same course, Lewis again started well, but 12th spot turned into 17th, 22nd, 27th and then 31st. Had he remained 31st, Lewis would have jumped to 36th overall. However, his vessel capsized, the 22-year-old sailor losing valuable time and finishing 47th in the race.
Cypriot Pavlos Kontides was second and fourth in yesterday's races to claim the top spot from Australia's five-time world champion Tom Slingsby. Kontides has 12 net points, for a narrow one-point lead on Slingsby (13). Croatia's Tonci Stipanovic (19) is third.
Following the rest day, today, Laser class action resumes tomorrow with races seven and eight, on the Weymouth Nothe and Weymouth Harbour courses, respectively.
George Bovell opens his 50 metres freestyle medal bid at 5.11 this morning (T&T time), at the Aquatics Centre here in London, in the sixth of eight heats. The T&T swimmer has been drawn in lane three.
Of the eight men swimming in heat six, Bovell has the third fastest qualifying time—21.89 seconds. American Anthony Ervin is the fastest at 21.60, while Russia's Andrey Grechin is second best with a 21.82 swim.
Bovell is ninth fastest overall, and has a genuine shot at advancing to tomorrow's eight-man final. His first goal, though, is to secure a lane in the 2.32 p.m. (T&T time) semi-final round. The top 16 men in the heats will progress to the semis.
Of the 30 athletes representing T&T at the London Games, nine are women. All nine are on the track and field team. Four of them will see action tomorrow, at the Olympic Stadium.
Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Semoy Hackett and Michelle-Lee Ahye do battle in the 100m dash, and Ayanna Alexander competes in the triple jump qualifying competition.
Ahye, whose fastest time in the 100m is 11.19 seconds, told the Express she is targetting a new personal best and a top-three finish, here in London.
"From since I left the training camp (in Wales), I just blanked out everything. I said 'Michelle, I came here to compete'. I'm ready to be on that podium, for sure."
Ahye will run in the 4x100m as well. The sprint relay squad also includes Baptiste, Hackett, Kai Selvon, Reyare Thomas and Sparkle McKnight.
"Our expectation," Thomas told the Express, "is to go out there and at least win a medal. If it's gold, silver or bronze, once we're in the top three, that's what we're looking for."
McKnight was hoping to compete in the individual 400m, here in London. At the National Championships, she won the event in 52.44 seconds, missing out on the 52.35 "B" standard by nine-hundredths of a second.
"I'm disappointed about that, but I'm coming out here and looking at everybody performing. It's going to change my mentality, and hopefully at the next Olympics I would be there for sure representing in the 400 for the ladies."
Janeil Bellille flies the flag for T&T in the women's 400m hurdles. She will be in action on Sunday, in the opening round of the event.
"Basically, I'm trying to make it through the rounds. That's the most important thing. And once I'm able to get through the rounds and make it to the final, I could go all out.
"I'm just trying to keep focused," Bellille continued. "Around here, there are lots of distractions."
T&T will have two representatives in the men's 110m hurdles—national champion Wayne Davis II and Mikel Thomas. Round one is scheduled for next Tuesday, with the semis and final taking place on Wednesday.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Thomas made it to the second round.
"I definitely want to exceed what we've done last time," Thomas told the Express. "I made it two rounds last time, and there's only three this time. I'm hoping and praying and putting in the work necessary to make the final. It's all about executing it.
"The atmosphere," the sprint hurdler continued, "is totally different, compared to Beijing. Not only because it's an English-speaking country and we can actually communicate more, but just the vibe and what London has done to put on these Games. They have done an excellent job. The feeling, the atmosphere is great."
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-02/games-shaken-misconduct-badminton
Games shaken by misconduct in badminton
Published: Thursday, August 2, 2012
LONDON— The London Olympics were shaken yesterday by the disqualification of eight badminton players for throwing matches in the women's doubles, sparking harsh criticism from organisers, players and fans. The players from China, South Korea and Indonesia lost matches at the London Games to get easier rivals in the playoffs, the Badminton World Federation said. “Sport is competitive,” said IOC Vice President Craig Reedie, the former head of the international badminton federation. “If you lose the competitive element, then the whole thing becomes a nonsense.” China did not challenge the decision. South Korea and Indonesia appealed the disqualification, but the federation rejected the South Korean appeal and Indonesia withdrew its challenge. The Chinese were accused of starting the problem by deliberately losing a game Tuesday night. This led to other teams behaving in a similar way to try to force an easier quarterfinal draw. At one stage both teams appeared to be trying to lose a game. The crowd caught on, and booed.
“Depressing. Who wants to sit through something like that?” said Sebastian Coe, chairman of the Olympic organising committee. The International Olympic Committee said it would allow badminton’s ruling body to deal with the controversy. “We have full confidence in the federation to take any necessary steps,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said. “They have the experience to deal with such issues.” Teams blamed the introduction of a round-robin stage rather than a straight knockout tournament as the main cause of the problem. In the round-robin format, losing one game can lead to an easier matchup in the next round. The embarrassment was tempered by some good news for the host nation: British rowers Heather Stanning and Helen Glover won the country’s first gold medal in women’s pair, and Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins earned Britain its second in the men’s time trial a few hours later. China’s badminton players were not the country’s only athletes to face scrutiny, as Beijing objected to speculation that China’s newest swimming superstar Ye Shiwen was doping. The 16-year-old has come under suspicion after some stunning performances.
Ye’s father, Ye Qingsong, told Chinese media that western media are “always arrogant.” Olympic organisers in London also defended the Chinese swimmer. It was not all bad news for China, which took golds for diving, table-tennis yesterday. American Kristin Armstrong won her second straight Olympic time trial gold medal, covering the 29-kilometre (18-mile) course south of London in 37 minutes, 34.82 seconds. Judith Arndt of Germany took the silver and Russia’s Olga Zabelinskaya picked up her second bronze of these games. In Olympic basketball, Emilie Goubis scored 16 points and Isabelle Yacoubou added eight of her 14 in the fourth quarter to help France advance to the women’s quarterfinals with a 64-60 victory over Canada yesterday. In morning rowing, Princes William and Harry watched as Helen Glover and Heather Stanning won the first gold for the host nation. The athletes punched the air after they crossed the line, then cupped their mouths in disbelief. Australia and New Zealand followed for silver and bronze.
Germany’s powerful eight-man crew crossed the line first for its first win in the high-profile event since the country was unified in 1990. Canada took silver and Britain settled for the bronze. And New Zealand’s dominant men's pair, Hamish Bond and Eric Murray, qualified quickest from the semifinals at the Olympic rowing regatta at an overcast Eton Dorney, beating second-place Italy by nearly eight seconds. The British crew of George Nash and William Satch won the other heat. But Bond and Murray have not lost in four years as a pair, and anything other than a Kiwi win in the final would be a big surprise. Judo competitions yielded a gold for South Korea in the men’s 90-kilogramme category, and one for France in women’s 70-kilogramme category. North Korea took a gold medal in women’s 69-kilogramme weightlifting division. The English weather brought rain yesterday, as Roger Federer endured two delays before reaching the Olympic tennis quarterfinals when he beat Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 7-5, 6-3.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-02/phillips-pedals-mindset-success
Phillips pedals mindset of success
Published: Thursday, August 2, 2012
Alvin Corneal
I have no crystal ball, neither have I ever pedalled myself quicker than Granny Luces’ fastest running speed, but, with my experience around athletes of the highest level in many sports, I am enthusiastic about the chances of Njisane Phillips in both his events. He may well have been the best-prepared athlete in our national team in London. He has often been able to communicate his own progress from ride to ride very analytically, and knows what he has got to do to become better. Having seen the likes of Roger Gibbon, Gene Samuel, Leslie King, Ian Atherley at their best in tournaments across the world, give me credit for grasping the mindset of a budding champion. He has already claimed that the track here in London is excellent and with the wide turns, it suits his style of riding. Some claim that it’s the best cycle track they have seen and much is expected in terms of speed from the wheelmen. With butterflies starting their flight around in the stomachs of our track and field athletes, our country awaits patiently for satisfactory performances in the various events.
With the glamour of our silver medal thrust in Beijing four years ago, we should really have been grabbing at the bit to get into starting positions. Their camp in Cardiff brought some fine comments from the athletes that spoke to the media, but the heat during that period may differ a great deal with what presently exists in London. Yesterday, the thermometer showed 20.9 degrees, and many performers had to increase their warm up sessions before facing the starter. There have been rumours that our medal contender Kelly Ann Baptiste has been troubled with a slight Achilles tendonitis, albeit not yet inciting a default from her. She has been absolutely outstanding in her overall preparation over the past two years and her times over both the 100 and 200 metres, compare favourably with the best women sprinters at the games. Without having recorded any injuries in the men’s camp, it is difficult to make a confident case for too many of the guys. Keston Bledman, Rennie Quow and Rondel Sorrillo have been showing gradual improvement over the past six months. Bledman in particular has hit the 100-metre tape under ten seconds four or five times in the last year and a close look at his rippling muscles will tell its story of readiness. I will admit that together with Richard Thompson, Emmanuel Callendar, and the veteran Mark Burns, Bledman could take this group into the final of the relay.
Some may wish to claim a medal in advance for the quartet, but, unlike Jamaica, maybe Great Britain and the USA, the times run by our relay runners have not been startling. This simply means the need for a smooth handling of the baton and doing a bit better than their best times. Two years ago, the BBC made a documentary on the outstanding teenager Jehue Gordon, the 400-metre hurdler after witnessing his success at the youth international level. It did not surprise me. The guy has all the ingredients of a quality hurdler and he found the distance to his liking. He may not have had the exposure which some of his teammates were able to obtain. However, the past few weeks have shown that spark once more and if he can take the preliminary rounds to provide him with that extra zip in the final 50 metres over the hurdles, the results could be interesting. For Rennie Quow, that wonderful run in the final in Beijing has remained in the memories of many and they live with the hope that he will go one better. Injury was once a setback, but his times did not go much better than what he showed four years ago. However, he has the fighting spirit that tells me the field will have to be at their best to keep him out of the final. And while we struggle to show our country’s name on the medal scoreboard, China, USA and France are showing the world what excellence is all about. The Chinese are constantly causing chaos in the minds of those who are astonished by their 16-year-old female who broke two records by wide margins.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-02/bovell-gets-down-business
From the Olympic Village in London
Bovell gets down to business
Published: Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Rachael Thompson-King
T&T swimmer George Bovell has made it clear that he is here at London Olympic Games to win a medal. He zoned in on the 50 metres freestyle and his every move so far in England has been directed at accomplishing that goal. This morning, the best swimmers in the world will compete in the heats from 10 am (5 am T&T time) at the Aquatic Centre in Olympic Park, seeking to get to the final of the event tomorrow. The medal race is scheduled for 6.32 pm (1.32 pm T&T time). On the advice of his coach, Sports Minister Anil Roberts, he used the 100m backstroke on Sunday as a warm-up, meanwhile setting a new national mark in swimming a personal best time of 55.22 seconds. Bovell passed up competing in the 100m freestyle on Tuesday, to focus on his pet event, of course.
Well that day is here and the Olympic bronze medallist will swim in heat six against Hanser Garcia of Cuba, Sweden's Stefan Nystrand, American Anthony Ervin, Andrey Grechin of Russia, Hungary’s Krisztian Takacs, Adam Brown (Great Britain) and Norbert Trandafir (Romania). T&T will wait with baited breath to see if Bovell can execute his plan to capture his second Olympic medal. T&T sailor Andrew Lewis has been gradually improving each time he gets into to the water since his event, the men’s laser, started on Monday at Weymouth and Portland in Dorset. Yesterday after races five and six, he went up to 42nd spot with 243 points and net points of 196. Unfortunately the higher the sailor’s point the lower his place. After a much improved race five where he placed 29th, disaster struck in the following race six when he came in second-to-last in 47th spot.
“Well I was coming to the last part of the race flying down wind pushing the boat really hard and I lost control and turned over going from 31st to 47th. It was sad but I finished the race with my head up,” said Andrew after yesterday’s races.
Cyprus’ Pavlos Kontides, who has 21 points (net points 12) moved to the top with former leader Australian Tom Slingsby slipping to second with 22 points’(net 13). Third is Tonci Stipanovic of Croatia with 39 points (net 19). Among the other Caribbean athletes competing in sailing, US Virgin Islands (USVI) Cy Thompson moved up one spot to 25th. He finished with 139 points (Net 107). In the women’s laser radial, Beth Lygoe of St Lucia is 38th and Mayumi Roller (USVI) is 40th.
Today, the sailors get a rest day but will be back in action tomorrow from noon (7 am T&T time) seeking a spot in the medal round which is scheduled for Monday. Only the top 10 sailor advance to compete in the final round.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-02/boldon-eyes-three-medals-tt
OLYMPIC JOURNAL - Day 7
Boldon eyes three medals for T&T
Published: Thursday, August 2, 2012
The athletic section of the London Olympics is due to start tomorrow. What are T&T’s chances? Ato Jabari Boldon may have put on some weight, particularly around his waist, but he has not allowed this excess, or his increasingly grey look to stop him from talking a good talk. No wonder the NBC Network has engaged his services for yet another Olympics.
We chatted yesterday about T&T’s medal chances which Boldon described as good. “This team has a very good chance of winning some medals. It is one of the best balanced teams I have seen in a long time.” Boldon had an opportunity to meet with the T&T contingent during the pre-Olympic camp in Wales. He said he got a positive vibe from the group.
“Jehue Gordon has that look, I know it. He just seems to have that expression, that belief. He will surprise some people. He stood out. He has already decided in his mind the time he wants to achieve. He has gone so far as to write up times all over mirrors, walls in his room, his shoes. He is clearly showing that he is mentally focussed and understands what is needed both physically and mentally,” noted the four time Olympic medallist. Boldon expects the women’s 4x100 metres team to break into the medals. “They should have secured a medal in the past. This is their chance. If the men’s 4x100 metres team don’t medal, they would be very disappointed as would all of us. They have a very good team,” he said. Boldon described Keston Bledman and Richard Thompson as competitive guys who will go out hard: “But it will not be easy with so much competition.”
He warned against writing off Kelly Ann Baptiste: “A lot of people are writing her off because of her last few races. But she has an achilles problem, so she had to nurse herself through the last couple of weeks, so if she is at her best, anything can happen.” Boldon, who is coaching both athletes and professional footballers in the NFL in Florida, said: “If I go to sleep today and wake up in two weeks time and someone told me T&T won three medals, I would not be surprised. That is how much I am expecting it to happen,” said Boldon. He suggested a good performance for T&T could signal a renewal of interest in the sports: “It would be a good way to encourage youngsters to come forward.” For his part, Boldon says he feels he can still run a 100 metres but instead of 9.86 (his pb), he feels he can do 10.50. Some six months prior to the last Games, Boldon predicted a 100 metres win for Usain Bolt and second for Richard Thompson. He was right. Three medals for T&T this time. Let’s hope that once more, he is on target.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-08-02/sport-minister-anil-george%E2%80%99s-corner
Sport Minister Anil in George’s corner
Published: Thursday, August 2, 2012
Andre E Baptiste
Minister of Sports, Anil Roberts, has discarded his ministerial cloak to assist swimmer George Bovell here in London.
Roberts is Bovell’s official coach at the Games. T&T Olympic president Larry Romany confirmed yesterday that Bovell asked for Roberts to be accredited as his coach. “Each swimmer is allowed only one person on the deck and George wanted Anil, so we have done that and Anil is at the Games Village with the team,” said Romany. Romany said he expects Bovell to reach the 50 metres final tomorrow.
Bovell will compete in the heats, starting today at 5.12 am (T&T time). Roberts has been with Bovell from the start of the Olympics. When the first list was revealed by the TTOC, the Minister’s name was not on it, but Romany said Bovell was clear that he wanted the man who guided him to his bronze medal success in Athens 2004, to return to his corner. “George wanted him and we made sure that that is who he got.” Romany is pleased with the T&T athletes so far. “Last night, Carlos Suarez took the fight to his opponent. He was clearly the crowd favourite but the points system in boxing is not always easy to understand but he gave a good account of himself.”
He said shooter Roger Daniel had some problems which were not sorted out. “But he has gone back to work on his performance and is promising to do better in the 50m shot on Saturday. He is a very dedicated athlete,” added Romany. “We all knew it would be tough for Andrew Lewis, but this is about experience. He placed 29th and the TTOC is going to continue to support him.” Romany is looking ahead to the athletics and cycling from tomorrow. “We have a lot more to look forward to do with our athletes and with Njisane, who is looking very fit and ready. So there is a lot to expect,” noted Romany.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-02/blake-aims-extend-run-against-bolt
Blake aims to extend run against Bolt
Published: Thursday, August 2, 2012
LONDON— When Yohan Blake sprinted to the most recent major 100-metre title, at last year’s world championships, Usain Bolt was banished from the starting blocks because of a false start. When Blake beat the world-record holder in the 100 and 200 at the Jamaican trials for the London Olympics, Bolt attributed poor-as-can-be starts in both finals to hamstring problems connected to a bad back. Leave such details to others. As Blake put it yesterday: “A win is a win.” “I know what I can do, even though Usain Bolt wasn’t at his best,” Blake added, wraparound sunglasses perched on his forehead. “I really take confidence in everything that I do, so I'm bringing it to London.” And he’s anticipating more victories. In a video shown before his promotional appearance yesterday for shoe sponsor Adidas, Blake holds up three fingers and says, “Three gold, man.” To fulfill that goal in London, where the 100 heats begin Saturday, Blake will have to upstage teammate, training partner and pal Bolt yet again.
“I’m not really focused on Usain,” Blake insisted. “I’m just focused on good execution and a good race.” That might very well be true. Everyone else, of course, is focused on Bolt. That’s because Bolt is the reigning Olympic champion in the 100, 200 and 400-metre relay—and he won each of those races in unprecedented times four years ago in Beijing. So question after question posed to Blake involved his more-accomplished countryman. Do you discount your two victories at the Jamaican trials because Bolt wasn’t 100 per cent fit? Can you give one reason why you will beat Bolt in the 100? What’s your message to Bolt? If you could lock Bolt in the locker room for one final, would it be the 100 or 200? For the record, Blake declined to entertain that last query. “We’re just keeping our good chemistry going on into the Olympics, you know, but when we are lining up on the line, it’s going to be different. It’s going to all be business, each man to their self,” Blake said.
In 2008, he was back home in Jamaica, watching Bolt’s breakout performance on television. This time around, Blake will be making his Olympic debut. “One thing I really hate is (talk) about experience. Experience for me doesn't work. Everybody talking about experience this and experience that. For me, it’s all about going out there and keeping focused and getting the job done. It's not about beating Usain,” Blake said. “On the day, everybody wants the gold. To get the gold, you have to win, right?” Working together under coach Glen Mills—Blake calls him a guru—they push each other in practice. They want to beat each other in real races. Away from the stadium, though, they get along well. Blake’s intensity when they train prompted Bolt to dub his buddy The Beast, a nickname stitched onto the tongue of Blake's racing spikes for London. “We always train together. I know Yohan, he knows me,” Bolt said. “We know each other's strengths and weaknesses.”
One past 100-metre Olympic champion, Maurice Greene, is picking Blake to win the dash this weekend. Greene wonders whether Bolt can overcome the technical issues that have plagued the opening segment of his 100 of late. “Don’t get me wrong, Bolt can come out here and run something phenomenal. He is capable of that. He has done that before. It is possible,” Greene said. “But he’s nowhere near the shape he was in 2008 in China. He’s not that same guy. For the last two years, he’s been having a lot of technical problems.” As for Bolt himself, he insists his back is now fine. He also decided—at Mills’ urging—that the best approach is not to fret about whatever technical issues he might have. Bolt figures he needs to set that all aside and let his six-foot-five frame carry him past Blake and all other challengers, such as Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin of the US, and Asafa Powell of Jamaica. (CMC)
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-02/facial-hair-fad-and-new-unitard
Eyes on London
Facial hair fad and a new unitard
Published: Thursday, August 2, 2012
LONDON — Around the 2012 Olympics and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of the games to you:
Here Wiggo!
British cyclist Bradley Wiggins has inspired a nation—to don sideburns. Thousands of fans, men and women, boys and girls, taped fake hair to their cheeks in hopes of creating a winning karma for Wiggins, the Tour de France champ renowned for his scraggly sideburns. “We all love Wiggo,” said Wayne Coxon, a 39-year-old fan near yesterday’s finish line who had taped his own custom-made fur to his face for the occasion. “People have come from all over the country to be here.” Two rival British tabloids, the right-wing Sun and left-wing Daily Mirror, both sought to capture the British zeitgeist by turning their front pages into populist cut-outs of Wiggins’ facial hair. “HERE WIGGO! Help Bradley triumph by wearing his lucky sideburns with pride,” the Mirror declared on its front page featuring a lifesize cutout of Wiggins’ hair and ears. The Sun offered readers a pair of “24-carat” sideburns colored gold for the occasion. Its “furry simple” instructions advised readers to “Be a Hair-o” by cutting along the dotted lines and using tape — not glue — to affix gently to one’s cheeks.
—Shawn Pogatchnik
http://twitter.com/ShawnPogatchnik
Leyva’s towel
What’s the deal with that Danell Leyva and his ever-present towel? Call it superstition. The US gymnast likes to pull the grayish-blue towel with stars on it over his head between events so he can maintain his focus and not get distracted by everything else going on around him. He used to have two, but one ripped so now he carries the same one everywhere he goes (yes, he does wash it). Any doubts about the power of the towel were erased earlier this year at Winter Cup, a ranking meet for the US men. Leyva forgot to pack the towel and had one of his worst meets in a long time, falling on parallel bars, where he’s the reigning world champion, during qualifying, and high bar, his other best event. He wound up a distant fourth. The towel has become so “famous” it now even has its own Twitter account: http://twitter.com/leyvastowel.
— Nancy Armour
http://twitter.com/nrarmour
New kind of unitard
Ghada Hassine of Tunisia is now the first Olympic weightlifter to compete in a newly approved “unitard” that covers most of her body. Rules requiring lifters to wear a costume that doesn’t cover the arms and lower legs were changed last year. The US had petitioned for a change on behalf of a Muslim lifter. Hassine, 19, wore the unitard yesterday under the traditional weightlifting outfit and a hijab covering her hair as she participated in the “B’’ group of lower-ranked lifters in the women’s 69-kilogramme category. She cleared 102 kilogrammes in the snatch and 120 in the clean and jerk for a 220-kilogramme total, putting her in second place before the top medal contenders had competed in the “A’’ group.
—Karl Ritter
http://www.twitter.com/karl_ritter
Dressed down
It had to happen.
After a week of being asked about bikinis, Dutch beach volleyballer Reinder Nummerdor snapped at a reporter asking about the traditional women’s uniform. “I don’t want to talk about that,” he said with a dismissive wave of the hand. “It has nothing to do with our sport.” There has been a lot of attention on the women’s outfits, especially in light of a new FIVB rule that allows shorts and T-shirts for those whose cultural beliefs would prevent them from wearing bikinis. (It is unrelated to the longtime rule that allows them to cover up in cold weather.) The players have been largely tolerant of the questions. American Kerri Walsh Jennings says people might come for the scantily-clad women, but once they see the sport they understand they are looking at world-class athletes. But Nummerdor had enough, pointing out that the beach volleyball uniforms are not really any different than what sprinters wear and—as far as the men are concerned—much less revealing than the swimmers’ suits.
—Jimmy Golen
http://twitter.com/jgolen
Playing it safe
Over at the gymnastics, the public announcer wanted to make absolutely sure he’d got this one right. You know, there’s been enough confusion already about North and South Korean flags. As he introduced Kim Soo-myun, he hesitated, almost got it wrong—and then everything went silent. The crowd started to laugh and applaud.
Then, in an assured tone, the nationality was finally given: South Korea! “I am sure you would appreciate that i want to be absolutely sure,” said the announcer, to much amusement. He didn’t know, presumably, that the North Koreans aren’t even taking part in the gymnastics here. They were banned as punishment for a case of age falsification.
—Peter de Jong
Loosen up!
“Don’t be robotic!” That was the advice coming from Chinese basketball coach Bob Donewald to his players during practice yesterday. China has lost the first two games of the Olympics and Donewald is trying to get his players to loosen up and improvise as the game goes along. They play Australia today, and desperately need a win to start validating all the changes Donewald has made since taking over the program three years ago. “We need results,” he says.
—Jon Krawczynski
http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski
Quickquote: ‘True British hero’
“A true British hero. First the Tour (de France) and now Olympic Gold”—Prime Minister David Cameron hailing cyclist Bradley Wiggins on Twitter after he won gold on Wednesday.
—David Stringer
http://twitter.com/david_stringer
Help from a folklore legend?
Did Britain’s first Olympic gold medal come with a little help from Finn MacCool? Just before rowers Helen Glover and Heather Stanning won the final of the women’s pair, Prime Minister David Cameron wished for success at a famed spot at Northern Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway, a dramatic natural stairway of tens of thousands of basalt rocks that run into the Atlantic. Legend has it that the causeway was built by MacCool, a mythical Irish warrior, who fashioned a seat-like section of rock called the Wishing Chair. Visitors who recline in the alcove are reputed to have their wishes granted. “I’m not allowed to tell anyone what it was, but as soon as I got back and turned on my mobile phone I heard the good news,” Cameron said, after he visited the site early Wednesday.
—David Stringer —Twitter http://twitter.com/david_stringer
London 2102
Maybe the stencils got slightly mixed up. Or perhaps the person who stenciled “London 2102” on an umpire stand at Wimbledon, the Olympics venue for tennis, was guessing when a British man would finally take the Grand Slam title. Whatever the case, the transposing of numbers at the All England Club was realized Tuesday and has been corrected. Earlier this month, Andy Murray of Scotland became the first British man to reach the Wimbledon final since 1938. He lost in four sets to Roger Federer for the Swiss player’s 17th Grand Slam title. The last British champion was Fred Perry in 1936.
—Betsy Blaney
http://twitter.com/betsyblaney
Staying home
Before Dawn Harper got famous for winning an Olympic gold medal and Lolo Jones got even more famous for losing it, Michelle Perry was supposed to become the Next Big Thing in hurdling. It never happened. The best in the world in 2005, 2006 and 2007 tore her hamstring early in 2008 and couldn’t recover in time to make it to Beijing. She watched the Olympics on TV, and her story became another reminder that for every Jones and Harper who get their chance, there are dozens of athletes who put in all the hard work and never see the ultimate payoff. “I remember them announcing the Olympic hurdlers on TV,” Perry told me the other day. “The final sentence they said was, ‘And Michelle Perry won’t be making the Olympic team.’ “Had you told me I’d hear those words, you never could’ve convinced me it would’ve been true.” Perry does have her special Olympic moment of sorts: It was her shoes that crossed the finish line first in Beijing — albeit on Harper’s feet. Without a sponsor and unable to afford new spikes, Harper bummed a pair off Perry and wore them to her upset victory over Jones, who was leading when she tripped on the second-to-last hurdle. Perry learned that while training under the direction of the renowned coach Bobby Kersee: “The motto with Bobby has always been, ‘Help pull the next person up.’”
— Eddie Pells
http://twitter.com/epells
Editor’s note— Eyes on London shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-02/today-olympics
Today at The Olympics
Published: Thursday, August 2
Badminton
Men’s Doubles quarterfinals, 3 am
Women’s Singles quarterfinals; Mixed Doubles semifinals, 6.30 am
Men’s Singles quarterfinals; Women’s Doubles semifinals, 1 pm
Basketball Men
France vs Lithuania, 3 am
Australia vs China, 5.15 am
Argentina vs Tunisia, 8.30 am
Brazil vs Russia, 10.45 am
Spain vs Britain, 2 pm
US vs Nigeria, 4 pm
Beach Volleyball
Men’s and women’s Prelims (4 matches), 3 am
Men’s and women’s Prelims (6 matches), 8.30 am
Men’s and women’s Prelims (2 matches), lucky loser round (4 matches), 2 pm
Boxing
Men’s Lightweight (60kg) and Men’s Middleweight (75kg) round of 16, 8.30 a.m.
Men’s Lightweight (60kg) and Men’s Middleweight (75kg) round of 16, 2.30 am
Cycling (Track)
Men’s Team Pursuit qualifying; Men’s Team Sprint qualifying, semifinals, finals; Women’s Team Sprint qualifying, semifinals, finals, 10 am
Field Hockey Women
South Korea vs Japan, 2.30 am
Australia vs US, 4.45 am
China vs Netherlands, 8.45 am
South Africa vs Germany, 10 am
Belgium vs Britain, 1 pm
New Zealand vs Argentina, 3.15 pm
Gymnastics
Women’s Individual All-Around final, 8.30 am
Sailing
Men’s 49er, 470, Finn, Star; Women’s 470, Elliott 6m, 6 am
Shooting
Men’s 25-metre Rapid Fire Pistol qualification (Stage 1) and Men’s Double Trap qualification and final, 3 am
Swimming
Men’s 50 Freestyle, 100 Butterfly heats; Women’s 200 Backstroke, 800 Freestyle heats, 4 am
Men’s 50 Freestyle semifinals, 100 Butterfly semifinals, 200 Backstroke final, 200 Individual Medley final; Women’s 200 Backstroke semifinals, 100 Freestyle final, 200 Breaststroke final, 3.30 am
Table Tennis
Men’s Singles semifinals, 4 am
Men’s Singles bronze and gold medal matches, 8.30 am
Tennis
Men’s and women’s Singles quarterfinals; Men’s and women’s Doubles semifinals; Mixed Doubles quarterfinals, 5.30 am
Volleyball Men
Serbia vs Germany, 3.30 am
Australia vs Bulgaria, 5.30 am
Russia vs Tunisia, 8.45 am
Poland vs Argentina, 10.45 am
Brazil vs US, 2.pm
Britain vs Italy, 3.pm
Water Polo Men
Spain vs Australia, 4 am
Kazakhstan vs Greece, 5.20 am
Montenegro vs Serbia, 8.10 am
Romania vs Hungary, 9.30 am
Britain vs US, 12.20 pm
Italy vs Croatia, 1.40 pm
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I see Ato on NBC's Olympic day programming today. About 2-3 minutes
He commented about Bolt, Blake, Gay, Gatlin, Carmelita Jeter
Nice synopsis.
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Ato says 3 medals for T&T. I hope more.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-02/boldon-eyes-three-medals-tt
Boldon eyes three medals for T&T
Published:
Thursday, August 2, 2012
The athletic section of the London Olympics is due to start tomorrow. What are T&T’s chances? Ato Jabari Boldon may have put on some weight, particularly around his waist, but he has not allowed this excess, or his increasingly grey look to stop him from talking a good talk. No wonder the NBC Network has engaged his services for yet another Olympics.
We chatted yesterday about T&T’s medal chances which Boldon described as good. “This team has a very good chance of winning some medals. It is one of the best balanced teams I have seen in a long time.” Boldon had an opportunity to meet with the T&T contingent during the pre-Olympic camp in Wales. He said he got a positive vibe from the group.
“Jehue Gordon has that look, I know it. He just seems to have that expression, that belief. He will surprise some people. He stood out. He has already decided in his mind the time he wants to achieve. He has gone so far as to write up times all over mirrors, walls in his room, his shoes. He is clearly showing that he is mentally focussed and understands what is needed both physically and mentally,” noted the four time Olympic medallist. Boldon expects the women’s 4x100 metres team to break into the medals. “They should have secured a medal in the past. This is their chance. If the men’s 4x100 metres team don’t medal, they would be very disappointed as would all of us. They have a very good team,” he said. Boldon described Keston Bledman and Richard Thompson as competitive guys who will go out hard: “But it will not be easy with so much competition.”
He warned against writing off Kelly Ann Baptiste: “A lot of people are writing her off because of her last few races. But she has an achilles problem, so she had to nurse herself through the last couple of weeks, so if she is at her best, anything can happen.” Boldon, who is coaching both athletes and professional footballers in the NFL in Florida, said: “If I go to sleep today and wake up in two weeks time and someone told me T&T won three medals, I would not be surprised. That is how much I am expecting it to happen,” said Boldon. He suggested a good performance for T&T could signal a renewal of interest in the sports: “It would be a good way to encourage youngsters to come forward.” For his part, Boldon says he feels he can still run a 100 metres but instead of 9.86 (his pb), he feels he can do 10.50. Some six months prior to the last Games, Boldon predicted a 100 metres win for Usain Bolt and second for Richard Thompson. He was right. Three medals for T&T this time. Let’s hope that once more, he is on target.
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Damn, did not realize KAB has an achilles issue, hope she is as ready as she can be, as if she is, really, isn't bronze at least guaranteed? She is right in the CJ, SAFP league
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She is okay.
Surprised Ato hasnt released his predications as yet.. Here is my 8 for the womens final. No particular order:
Veronica Campbell Brown
Kelly Ann Baptiste
Allison Felix
Shelly Ann Fraser Price
Carmelita Jeter
Blessing Okagbare
Tianna Madison
Kerron Stewart
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KAB for gold. I dreaming big.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164263.html
Baptiste gets first taste of action
By JONATHAN RAMNANANSINGH Friday, August 3 2012
Trinidad and Tobago’s Kelly-Ann Baptiste will get her first taste of Olympic action today with the preliminaries of the Women’s 100m event taking off at 5.40 pm.
The red, white and black will be flown today by seasoned sprinters Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Michelle Lee Ahye, Semoy Hackett while 400m hurdler Jehue Gordon will be in action as well as triple jumper Ayanna Alexander.
Baptiste is considered TT’s best chance of a medal but a recent Achilles tendonitis injury at the pre-Olympic training camp in Cardiff, Wales, caused a bit of a panic.
Speaking with the manager of the national track and field Olympic team yesterday, Dexter Voisin revealed that Baptiste has been going through her normal training routines.
“With reference to Kelly-Ann and the rumours of an injury, all we can say is that she has continued to do her usual training and is coming along well. This injury that has been so rampant in the media was actually sustained before the National Championships in Trinidad. So there’s no new injury. What I can proudly say though, is that the medical teams have been very supportive and they are working with her and all the other athletes to ensure they are all in top-form ahead of their respective events. There is currently no concern here that Kelly-Ann is injured,” he explained.
“Kelly-Ann has displayed a lot of positive signs. She seems to be very relaxed and ready to perform on the Olympic track. It’s going to be a great event,” he added
The national team manager revealed that while most of the international focus is directed toward Baptiste, Ahye and Hackett should not be easily overlooked.
He continued, “The women have been coming along nicely and they are on course for tomorrow (today).
“Pertaining to injuries, all athletes always have a little something that can be a nag at times but we’re good thus far. Kai Selvon will not be competing in the 100m and I can safely say that the three other sprinters are ready for this event.”
Voisin also made particular mention of Gordon. Similarly, he indicated that the 400m hurdler is in good form and eagerly anticipates his Olympic-berth.
He stated that Gordon is among the top contenders expected to progress through the preliminary stages and into the semi-finals and finals.
TT will also be represented today by one field athlete, Ayanna Alexander in the Women’s Triple Jump qualifying round. On June 12, Alexander recorded her personal best distance of 14.14m at a meet in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164265.html
TT Olympians get advice on progressing
By JONATHAN RAMNANANSINGH Friday, August 3 2012
Five Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympians took part in a motivational session organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) on Wednesday to aid in their performance at the London Olympics currently underway.
The TTOC has now ensured that this is done 48 hours prior to any event being contested by a local athlete.
Former Olympic long jump gold medallist (1964) Lynn Davies of Great Britain and national 400m Olympian (1964) Edwin Skinner sat down with Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Michell Lee Ahye, Semoy Hackett, Jehue Gordon and Ayanna Alexander to impart some words of competitive wisdom. Speaking with the manager of the national track and field team in England yesterday, Dexter Voisin explained some of the topics that were touched by the highly experienced duo.
“We all sat down and had a detailed but very beneficial chat with the athletes competing tomorrow (today).
These sessions are being conducted so that athletes can voice their personal concerns and remove any extra anxiety in them, before they go out and compete. It was also designed to assist them in their final preparations,” Voisin stated.
The national Olympic team manager revealed that these five athletes were mainly told to veer their thoughts and focus away, from medalling. He stated that this was one of the major factors that indirectly hampered the progress of an athlete throughout the qualifying stages of any event.
“Davies and Skinner hit the nail on the head for these athletes. While everyone wants to win a medal, there is a very important qualification journey that one must overcome first, before the thought of a medal should enter the athletes’ mind. What these Olympians told our athletes was to take the preliminaries and qualifiers one event at a time. Simple,” he said.
Voisin continued, “Don’t worry about gold now. Focus on the event that’s at hand and move on from there.
Athletes must know that they should try to perform in relation to their training routines and not over exert themselves in the early stages.”
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/GO_GEORGE_GO_-164837516.html
GO GEORGE GO!
Bovell confident of winning second Olympic medal today
By Kwame Laurence in London
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
George Bovell is confident a second Olympic medal is within his grasp.
"Of course. Absolutely. Gotta believe it."
The 29-year-old Trinidad and Tobago swimmer booked his men's 50 metres freestyle championship race lane with a sizzling 21.77 seconds semifinal swim, at the Aquatics Centre, here in London, England, yesterday.
Bovell had produced the same time in the morning session to win his preliminary round heat, advancing to the semis as the fastest qualifier. He seized an early advantage in the race, and at the halfway mark was clear of the field. Anthony Ervin battled back, but could not catch his T&T rival, the American touching in 21.83—six-hundredths of a second slower than Bovell's 21.77.
Bovell is the national 50 free record holder at 21.20 seconds. That time, however, was achieved in a polyurethane suit. Such suits have since been banned by the International Swimming Federation (FINA).
Yesterday's clocking is the best time ever produced by Bovell in a textile suit.
"My form is looking good," he told the Express, after his opening round swim. "The best time in my career. But you got to keep in mind this is just a qualification for the semifinal. In the big picture, it means nothing. It's three battles to victory—one at a time."
Bovell successfully negotiated battle number two, the 21.77 swim earning him second spot in the second semifinal, behind Brazilian Bruno Fratus (21.63) and ahead of France's Florent Manaudou (21.80).
"Some things were really great," said Bovell, after the semis. "My stroke looked good, I felt good, but my dive wasn't as powerful as this morning. Honestly, tonight felt easier. I wasn't as tired at the end. I think I can get down to 21.5."
He might even have to go faster to challenge for the top spot in today's final.
In the opening semifinal, American Cullen Jones and Brazil's reigning Olympic champion Cesar Cielo were joint first, both swimmers touching the wall in 21.54 seconds. Ervin, who shared Olympic gold with his teammate Gary Hall Jr at the 2000 Sydney Games, copped third spot in 21.62.
Bovell was fifth fastest in the semis—a result he is familiar with. At the 2004 Athens Games, he was fifth best in the semifinal round of the 200m individual medley. In the final, though, he stepped up his game, finishing third to become the first ever T&T swimmer to climb an Olympic podium.
Bovell is certain history can repeat itself in today's 3.09 p.m. (T&T time) final.
"I'm here to do my best, and I wouldn't still be in the sport if I didn't think I had a chance to medal."
On Sunday, Bovell finished first in his heat and 29th overall in the 100m backstroke in 55.22 seconds—a new national record. He was scheduled to swim again on Tuesday, in the 100 free heats, but decided to skip the event.
"I'm a medal contender in the 50 freestyle. The 100 freestyle, a great swim takes me into a semifinal, but I don't believe I could have gone any further. We're here to get medals. If we have a chance to get a medal, do everything we can, so I pulled out of the hundred. Two 100 swims would have taken its toll on me physically."
In today's 50 free championship race, the 2004 200m IM bronze medallist will swim in lane two.
"We're sitting really good right now. I didn't want to be in the middle of the pool. My dive is one of the better dives, and if I pull up ahead, moving at this speed, people can actually draught off of me. For the first part of the race, hopefully I won't be pulling anybody."
What is certain is that Bovell will push his body to the limit in a bid to double his Olympic medal collection.
Editor's Note: Viewers can witness George Bovell going for his second Olympic medal exclusively on TV6 at 3.09 p.m. today.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Smiles_for_Douglas-164837576.html
Smiles for Douglas
...tears for Komova
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
l LONDON
The ear-to-ear smile of 16-year-oldAmerican Gabby Douglas and the tears of Russian Victoria Komova told the story of Olympic triumph and heartbreak in the women's all-around gymnastics yesterday.
As Douglas waved presidentially to family, friends and teammates cheering her coronation as the new first lady of gymnastics, Komova slumped into a chair and pressed her hands to her face to try to stem the tears that flowed for the loss of the gold medal.
Not satisfied with silver, world champion Komova removed the medal from around her neck between leaving the awards ceremony and getting to the exit door of North Greenwich Arena's competition hall.
"It was too heavy," she told waiting reporters via a translator, saying the medal had been consigned to the pocket of her red-and-white track suit.
Douglas, meanwhile, had barely stopped grinning since the giant scoreboard suspended in the middle of North Greenwich Arena had flashed up her new status.
"It just feels amazing to be called the Olympic champion; I'm so honoured to be named that," said the talkative teenager dubbed the "Flying Squirrel" for the shape she makes on her favourite apparatus, the asymmetric bars.
Douglas bounced down from the floor with a huge smile after finishing the evening with a storming routine which had the crowd clapping along. Komova, last up, thought she had done enough to overhaul the American but the scoreboard showed otherwise.
A tiebreak settled the bronze medal, with Russian Aliya Mustafina far happier with her lot than Komova after beating American Aly Raisman on a tally of their best three of the four apparatus scores.
In the space of five months, Douglas has upset the gymnastics order in the world and at home. Allowed to compete unofficially at the American Cup in March, she outscored all the established women. In the US trials last month, she pipped world all-around champion Jordyn Wieber to top spot for London.
Wieber, who came to London with high hopes, was reduced to a spectator on Thursday even though she had the fourth-best qualifying score for the final. With Douglas and Raisman above her, she fell foul of a rule that states that no country can put more than two gymnasts into the all-around.
With Wieber out, Komova, who took silver behind the American at last October's world championships in Tokyo, went into Thursday's event confident that she could get a gold to make up for Russia's second place behind the US in the team event--another outcome that produced a flood of tears.
Douglas, though, led from the start with a bit of luck on the vault. Though she hopped sideways slightly on landing, all her rivals did worse, with Komova ending up right off the mat.
Raisman banged her foot on one of the asymmetric bars, slipped to fifth place and began to look worried but, with Douglas and Komova clearly duelling for the gold, she got a sliver of bronze hope when her group progressed to the beam.
Mustafina, the 2010 world all-around champion, fell after attempting a twisting somersault and wobbled through the rest of the routine, looking miserable as she dismounted and scoring a low 13.633.
Raisman knew she could seize the upper hand but it was not to be. She managed to just save herself from toppling off the end of the beam, then wobbled badly on a spin.
In the final floor exercise, world bronze medallist Raisman outscored Mustafina but not by enough. The two women finished on equal points and the tiebreak rule gave the bronze to Mustafina.
The Russian, who has come back from knee surgery last year, can go home and compare her bronze medal with the one won by her father, Farhat Mustafin, who collected his for Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
China's Deng Linlin and Huang Quishuang finished sixth and seventh respectively, while Romanian team bronze medallist Sandra Izbasa was fifth despite the day's best score on the floor.
Hannah Whelan, competing at her home Olympics, ended the day in tears and in last place after falling face-first from the vault on her third rotation and getting a zero score.
The day, though, belonged entirely to Douglas, with her coach Liang Chow basking in more Olympic success after helping Shawn Johnson to win all-around silver at the Beijing Games.
US team co-ordinator Marta Karolyi confessed that, 10 days ago, she had harboured serious doubts about Douglas's ability to compete because she was not concentrating.
"I talked to Chow and said: 'We have to address that. Have a good talk with her, we have to turn her around because she's going in the wrong direction.' She just wasn't able to focus so much.
"We addressed that with her and she reacted very nicely and next day she worked excellent and everything went in a straight line from there."
Whatever Karolyi and Chow said to the teenager, it worked. If Douglas keeps her focus, she could collect more gold in the finals of the asymmetric bars and the beam on Monday and Tuesday. London, it seems, has not seen the last of that smile just yet.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Federer___Serena__through_to_semi-finals-164837586.html
Federer, Serena through to semi-finals
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
l LONDON
Wimbledon champions Roger Federer and Serena Williams were on course for further success at the All-England Club after booking their places in the Olympic singles semi-finals yesterday.
World number one Federer will face Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro for a place in the final, while Williams takes on top women's seed Victoria Azarenka in a repeat of her Wimbledon semi last month.
The two other semi-finals will pit Beijing bronze medallist Novak Djokovic against number three seed Andy Murray, and Russia's Maria Kirilenko faces her teammate Maria Sharapova.
Federer secured his place in the last four with a 6-4, 7-6 win over America's John Isner, snatching victory in the second-set tiebreak with a cheeky shot which bounced off the top of the net. "You just feel bad really. But relief because it's finally over...maybe I just got really lucky today," Federer told reporters.
"I don't want to say that I feel invincible right now, but I feel good," he added. "I'm not the only guy with confidence... It's a complete open tournament, I think. Everyone has a very good chance of going all the way."
Del Potro, who beat Federer in the US Open final in 2009, overcame Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-6 for his spot in the last four. "I am very happy to be in the semi-finals in my first Olympic Games. It is amazing. I don't have too many words to explain this moment," the eighth seed said after his win.
Second seed Djokovic dropped just one game in the first set of his quarter-final clash with France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who was exhausted from playing in both the doubles and singles on Wednesday after clocking up the longest three-set match in Olympic history a day earlier. Although the Frenchman took a 3-1 lead in the second, five-times grand slam winner Djokovic clawed it back to win 6-1, 7-5.
Watched by Prince William and his wife Kate, Britain's Murray eased to a 6-4, 6-1 win over injury-troubled Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, who received treatment on his right arm and shoulder after the first set.
In the women's event Belarusian Azarenka booked her place in the final four with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Germany's Angelique Kerber.
Russia, which made a clean sweep of the women's singles medals in Beijing, can be sure of taking home at least one in London, with Sharapova and Kirilenko both through to the semi-finals. The pair will play each other for a spot in the final after number three seed Sharapova ended Kim Clijsters's hopes of an Olympic medal before her planned retirement later this year, beating the Belgian 6-2, 7-5.
Having been broken in the second set, a valiant Clijsters battled back to level the score but was broken again and, with the Russian serving for the match, the Belgian ploughed a backhand into the net to hand her opponent the victory.
"Kim is so experienced, I knew that it would be really tough...it was such a tight second set, I was just happy to get through this one," Sharapova told reporters, excited that a Russian would reach the final. "No matter who's there someone will be getting a gold or silver medal. It makes me really happy that one of us will represent our country in the finals, going for gold," she added. "It's a pretty great honour not just to be here but to have a chance to win a gold medal. We're so happy."
Number 14 seed Kirilenko overcame Czech former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 7-6, 6-3, while American Williams made light work of Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki, dismissing the eighth seed 6-0, 6-3.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Phelps__completes__milestone-164837596.html
Phelps completes milestone
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
l LONDON
Michael Phelps became the first male swimmer to win the same event at three successive Olympics when he clinched the men's 200 metres individual medley gold medal at the London Games yesterday.
The American may no longer be the unstoppable force he was in Beijing four years ago but he still provided an everlasting reminder of his incredible talent and determination by winning the gruelling multi-discipline event.
Phelps led all the way and got his giant hands on the wall first in a time of one minute, 54.27 seconds, relegating compatriot and world champion Ryan Lochte to silver and Hungary's Laszlo Cseh to bronze.
"To be able to win the gold medal and repeat three times is something pretty special," Phelps said. "I'm pretty pleased with gold."
Lochte beat Phelps in the 400 medley on the opening night of the swimming competition but was close to exhaustion in their second highly-anticipated clash after competing in the 200 backstroke final half an hour before the medley.
"I can't complain. I'm bringing home five Olympic medals," said Lochte, who won two gold, two silver and a bronze in London. "I've had some ups and downs but I'll take it."
Lochte won both the 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley at last year's world championship but was unable to win either this time, finishing third in the backstroke behind another of his teammates.
Tyler Clary, who has spent most of his career swimming in the shadows of Phelps and Lochte, stormed home on the last lap to win gold in 1:53.41 ahead of Japan's Ryosuke Irie and Lochte, who faded on the final length after trying to lead all the way.
"It's complete redemption," said Clary. "It's a testament to me more than anything that I can handle anything that gets thrown at me."
Rebecca Soni broke the world record for the second time in 24 hours to win the 200 breaststroke as the US continued their domination in the pool, winning 11 gold medals in the first six days.
Soni surged away from her rivals on the final lap to win in 2:19.59, slashing four-tenths of a second off the record she set in the semi-finals, while Japan's Satomi Suzuki won the silver medal and the bronze went to Iuliia Efimova of Russia.
Soni also won the four-lap event in Beijing four years ago and by winning in London she became the first woman to successfully defend a breaststroke title at the Olympics.
Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands prevented an American sweep of the four golds decided on Thursday when she won the 100 freestyle final in 53.00 seconds.
After completing the first lap in fourth place, the flying Dutchwoman hit the accelerator on the last length, surging clear to win ahead of Aliaksandra Herasimenia of Belarus, who was joint world champion last year, and China's Tang Yi.
American teenager Missy Franklin finished out of the medals in fifth place but won a semi-final of the 200 backstroke to book her place in today's final.
Phelps also secured himself a spot in another final, the 100 butterfly, after posting the fastest semi-final time around 40 minutes after winning the medley.
Only two swimmers had ever won the same individual event at three successive Olympics, Australia's Dawn Fraser, in 100 freestyle in 1956, 1960 and 1964, and Hungary's Krisztina Egerszegi in 200 backstroke in 1988, 1992 and 1996.
It is a feat that had eluded generations of the best male swimmers but not Phelps, who now has a staggering total of 20 Olympic medals, including 16 gold, and the chance to win two more before his retirement at the end of the Games.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Putin__Phelps_show_golden_touch-164837666.html
Putin, Phelps show golden touch
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
l LONDON
Black belt Vladimir Putin cheered a Russian judoka to a gold medal at the Olympics yesterday, and American Michael Phelps hit new heights by becoming the first male swimmer to win the same event at three successive Games.
The futuristic velodrome witnessed six world cycling records, a double disqualification and golds for Britain's men and Germany's women in the team sprints.
Elsewhere, a 'play-to-lose' badminton scandal took a new twist when a disqualified Chinese player said she was quitting the sport.
Controversy also struck in boxing. A Turkmen referee was expelled for failing to stop a bout in which a fighter was knocked down six times, and an Angolan coach was deemed a "plonker" by his team chief for failing to present their only fighter for a weigh-in, thus getting him disqualified.
It was Russian President Putin who staged one of the day's most emphatic victory celebrations, leaping to his feet with both fists aloft when his countryman Tagir Khaibulaev defeated a Mongolian opponent to win Russia's third judo gold.
Putin, who cultivates a macho image based partly on his skills on the mat, slapped the victor repeatedly on the back and grabbed his cheeks with both hands.
In buoyant mood, he went on to suggest to Russian news agency Interfax that members of female punk band Pussy Riot, on trial for protesting against him in a Moscow cathedral, should not be judged too harshly.
Prime Minister David Cameron watched the judo with Putin and had reasons of his own to celebrate, as Britain rose to fifth in the medals table with golds in the men's cycling, double trap shooting and canoe slalom double.
In the scandal over match-throwing in the badminton tournament, disqualified Chinese Yu Yang announced she was quitting the sport in anguish.
"This is my last competition. Goodbye Badminton World Federation, goodbye my beloved badminton," Yu wrote on her microblog.
She was one of eight women, two each from China and Indonesia and four from South Korea, who were kicked out of the Games for playing to lose group matches in order to secure easier knockout berths.
The badminton debacle has been among the few sour notes of a Games distinguished by enthusiastic crowds, dismal British weather and the historic accomplishments of US swimmer Phelps.
Two days after breaking the all-time record for the most Olympic medals with 19, he added a 20th--and his 16th gold--by winning the 200 metres individual medley.
In their final duel before Phelps is due to retire, he pushed compatriot and world champion Ryan Lochte into second place.
Two female swimmers, Australia's Dawn Fraser and Hungary's Krisztina Egerszegi, had won the same individual event at three Games, but no man had previously achieved the feat.
It was a first individual gold of the London Games for Phelps, no longer the all-conquering figure who won an unprecedented eight gold medals four years ago in Beijing.
The United States also celebrated victories for its women's rowing eight and for 16-year-old Gabby Douglas in the all-around gymnastics, where she edged out Russians Victoria Komova and Aliya Mustafina.
"The all-round matters to me. People keeping saying I was the first black American to win the gold medal and I'm so honoured," Douglas, nicknamed Flying Squirrel, told reporters after claiming the biggest prize in women's gymnastics.
For the first time at these Games, the Americans drew level in the overall medals table with China, on 18 golds each. China has 34 medals in all, including 11 silver and five bronze, while the US has 37, with nine silver and ten bronze.
In the velodrome, dubbed the Pringle for its resemblance to a curvy potato snack, Britain's men beat France and broke the world record in the team sprint final.
"We gave it our all and it worked out," said Chris Hoy after picking up his sixth Games medal and fifth gold.
The Chinese and British women had also set world records. But the latter, strong medal contenders, were disqualified after Victoria Pendleton went too early on a change-over with teammate Jessica Varnish.
China were relegated for a takeover infringement in the women's final, ending with the silver medal as the German team celebrated their promotion to gold.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Wiggins_short-changed_with_golden_glow-164837676.html
Wiggins short-changed with golden glow
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
l LONDON
Some fans sported fake Bradley Wiggins sideburns while roaring on the Briton to gold in the Olympic time trial on Wednesday, while one could have been wearing the Tour de France champion's shorts.
Such is Wiggins's popularity in his homeland after he became the first Briton to win the Tour that his shorts were stolen on Tuesday while he was using the shower and sauna at the Foxhills hotel in Surrey.
Tired and a little distant after being crowned Britain's most-decorated Olympian earlier in the day when he carved around the 44km course in a little less than 51 minutes, Wiggins told a news conference the fan was welcome to his sweaty gear.
"It's only a bit of cycling kit. But you don't expect pilferers to do that in a five-star spa," he told reporters at the Olympic Park after he arrived without his gold medal, much to the dismay of photographers.
Earlier, a statement from the hotel said: "Upon returning back to the locker room it seems that cycling fever has well and truly hit the Surrey club as the Official Team GB training lycra were nowhere to be seen.
"It seems an over-zealous fan has scored a fantastic London 2012 souvenir."
Wiggins thought the smell of his kit would probably force the fan to sell it.
"Sweaty cycling kit is probably on eBay tonight," he joked, vodka and tonic nearby to help him see out a gruelling day.
"You start to get a bit frustrated and angry," he said when asked to sum up his emotions.
"It's ten past ten now. This is the part you don't prepare for. The minute you finish it's mad, it's the same on the Tour, the only difference there was they got me straight out of Paris on Sunday night to concentrate on the Games.
"But now the Olympics are done there's no excuse to do something else. A lot's changed. I never expected this to happen to me."
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Referee_expelled_from_London_Games-164837646.html
Referee expelled from London Games
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
l LONDON
Referee Ishanguly Meretnyyazov from Turkmenistan has been expelled from the London Olympics, the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) said yesterday.
A second referee, Frank Scharmach of Germany, was suspended for five days by AIBA and a technical official from Azerbaijan sent home following two controversial decisions at the Olympic competition on Wednesday.
"I deeply regret that we had to take these decisions," AIBA president Wu Ching-Kuo said in a statement.
"However, our main concern has been and will always be the protection of the integrity and fair-play of our competitions. I will take all possible steps to reinforce this."
He later told Reuters: "There is only one truth and we always get to the truth."
Meretnyyazov failed to stop a men's bantamweight bout despite fighter Magomed Abdulhamidov being knocked down six times in the final round. The referee was expelled with immediate effect and AIBA said he was on his way home.
Japan's Satoshi Shimizu, who went into the last round of the bout against the Azerbaijani trailing by seven points, lost the contest by five when all three rounds were scored.
AIBA later overturned the verdict saying Meretnyyazov should have given the Azerbaijani "at least" three standing counts which would have resulted in the contest being stopped.
Iran's Ali Mazaheri accused officials of "a fix" after being disqualified by referee Scharmach in the second round of his opening heavyweight bout against Cuban Jose Larduet Gomez following three warnings for persistent holding.
Mazaheri was leading by two points going into the second round but the Iran team did not appeal and under AIBA rules it is now too late to do so.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) restored ties with AIBA in 2006 after freezing some funds to the association over controversial scoring decisions at the 2004 Athens Games.
At the time, the IOC expressed concerns over the scoring process and the selection of judges and froze more than US$1 million in payments to AIBA.
The boxing tournament in Athens was marred by several controversial scores that angered spectators and fans.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Campbell-Brown_says_it_will_be_difficult_to_retain_200m_crown-164837606.html
Campbell-Brown says it will be difficult to retain 200m crown
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
Reigning Olympic 200 metres queen Veronica Campbell-Brown conceded Wednesday it will be difficult to successfully defend her crown at the London Olympics.
The 30-year-old has not been enjoying the best of seasons, suffering a string of defeats this year which have hinted at chinks in her armour.
She told journalists here that she had worked hard on her preparation for the Olympics, however, and would be giving the title defence her best shot.
"I put in all the work and I know it will be absolutely difficult for me to claim victory here in the 200m but anything can happen," she said.
"I prepared well and so I just have to keep my mental focus right and make sure that I get my race together. It will come down to execution and mental focus and I will go out there and I will give it my all and we will see what happens."
Campbell-Brown has run a season-best 10.82 seconds in the 100 metres for second behind Olympic champion and fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.70) at the Jamaica trials.
She was again beaten in the 200m at the trials, running 22.42 behind Fraser-Pryce and Sherone Simpson.
But the most notable of her defeats came in Lucerne on July 17, when she ran 22.70 for second behind American Charonda Williams (22.52).
Campbell-Brown, who will run both 100m and 200m races at the Olympics, agreed it had not been her best year but said she was remaining optimistic.
"I will not dwell on those (bad races) and look on those as something negative… I learned from those races and I am going into my competition here very confident," she said.
"I am going to go out there and give it my best and only God knows what the result will be. I have trained hard this season and not because I had a few races that did not went too well, I am not going to let that deter my confidence or allow it to let me feel weak or anything."
Campbell-Brown won back-to-back 200m titles in Athens and Beijing, on both occasions beating American Allyson Felix, a three-time world champion over the distance.
However, she won her first 200m world title last year in Deagu.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/IAAF_president___Bolt_can_run_9_40s_-164837616.html
IAAF president: Bolt can run 9.40s
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
Olympic champion Usain Bolt could lower his 100 metres world record to 9.4 seconds if in shape and the rain clouds stay away from London, International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) president Lamine Diack said.
"Anything is possible. I think if Usain Bolt is in shape possibly we will see 9.40-something (seconds) in the 100m," Diack told reporters on Tuesday.
Bolt's record-breaking 100m win in 9.69 stunned the world four years ago at the Beijing Olympic Games only for the 27-year-old Jamaican to better his time to 9.58 in Berlin at the world championships a year later. Bolt also holds the world record in the 200m set at 19.19 set in 2009 in Berlin as well.
In London, though, he has a new challenge from a familiar face in training partner and compatriot Yohan Blake, who beat Bolt in the 100m and 200m at the Jamaican trials and is the fastest man over the first distance this year.
"I am convinced that we are going to have extraordinary events and spectacles," Diack said. "For me the Games begin on the 3rd (when track and field starts)."
American great Michael Johnson said earlier this month that he too believed Bolt is capable of running 9.40 seconds if he can improve his starting position in races.
Diack also confirmed that the Federation would stick with its one false start rule, having recently clarified that athletes can twitch or flinch in the starting blocks without being disqualified as long as their hands do not leave the ground or their feet leave the blocks.
Bolt famously false started in the final of last year's world championship 100 metres, ending his chances of defending his title in South Korea.
The IAAF added that the dates for the world championships in London, 2017, had been approved as August 5-13.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Blake_downplays__experience__factor-164837626.html
Blake downplays 'experience' factor
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
l LONDON
World champion Yohan Blake has dismissed experience as a key factor in the contest this weekend that will determine the fastest man on the planet.
The 22-year-old is one of the favourites to win the Olympic 100 metres but will enter the competition with the odds stacked against him.
While he is the fastest man this year, the Jamaican is expected to face at least three others who over the years have run faster times.
Add to that, Blake is less experienced than his main rivals, something he does not feel will be that crucial on the big day.
"One thing I really hate is about (the term) experience," said Blake, who left tongues wagging in June when he twice beat reigning Olympic champion Usain Bolt at the Jamaica Trials.
"Experience for me, it doesn't work. Everybody talking about experience this, experience that, for me it's all about going out there, keep focused and get the job done.
"It's not about beating Usain. On the day, everybody wants the gold and to get the gold you have to win, so I am just focused on getting the job done."
Blake has run a season-best 9.75 seconds, when he beat Bolt in the 100m final in Kingston
However, Bolt is the world record holder with 9.58 seconds, American Tyson Gay is next best with 9.69 and Jamaican Asafa Powell, who held the world record for three years, is third on the list at 9.72.
Despite the hype surrounding the Olympic showdown, Blake said he was hardly thinking about the event.
"I don't really think about it. I spent my time watching cricket and I also watch the gymnastics and swimming but I try not to think about the Olympics, I just have fun, but when I am on the track I am in the beast mood," said the athlete who is nicknamed "the Beast".
Last year, Blake rose to stardom when he took gold at the World Championships in Daegu, but became a serious contender for the double in London since his 100-200m victory over Bolt at the Jamaica Championships.
While those victories put a different spin to the men's 100m race, Blake pushed backed on suggestions that he would be under pressure when the track segment opened.
"There is no pressure, as I said coach (Glen) Mills has been working with me over the years and it really paid off," he said.
—CMC
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/BAPTISTE_CHASES_HISTORY-164837706.html
BAPTISTE CHASES HISTORY
100 medal a realistic goal, says 'Torpedo'
By Kwame Laurence in London
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
Kelly-Ann Baptiste is hoping to become the first female athlete from Trinidad and Tobago to earn Olympic precious metal.
The 25-year-old track star will open her bid for a 100 metres medal this afternoon, at the Olympic Stadium, here in London, England. The first of seven heats is scheduled for 2.05 p.m. (T&T time). The draw, however, will not be made until the completion of the preliminary round, which will feature the slower women entered in the event.
Baptiste and her T&T teammates, Semoy Hackett and Michelle-Lee Ahye, are automatically through to the first round proper.
Baptiste already has a place in the history books, the Plymouth, Tobago lass bagging 100m bronze at the World Championships, in Daegu, Korea, last year, to become the first female T&T sprinter to earn a medal at a major senior global meet.
And Baptiste is only the second female athlete from this country to secure a top-three finish at that level, following in the footsteps of 2009 World Championship 400m hurdles bronze medallist Josanne Lucas.
Ayanna Alexander will be the first T&T track and field athlete to see action. She competes in the 5.25 a.m. (T&T time) women's triple jump qualifying competition. The 30-year-old athlete will jump in Group B, and needs to improve on her 14.15m national record to guarantee a berth in Sunday's final. The automatic mark is 14.40m.
Jehue Gordon has been drawn way out in lane nine in the fifth of six men's 400m hurdles first round heats. The heat five field also includes two-time Olympic champion Angelo Taylor (lane three), of the United States, South Africa's LJ Van Zyl (lane six) and Greek hurdler Periklis Iakovakis (lane eight).
The top three finishers in each heat will advance automatically to the semi-final round.
Taylor, Van Zyl and Iakovakis are all sub-48 one-lap hurdlers, while Gordon's personal best is 48.26 seconds, the time he produced in finishing fourth at the 2009 World Championships, in Berlin, Germany, as a 17-year-old.
However, of the eight men in the race, only Taylor and Gordon have dived under 49 seconds this season. Gordon's best 2012 clocking to date is 48.78 seconds, while Taylor's is 48.43.
For 20-year-old Gordon, facing the starter at the Olympics is a new experience.
Richard "Torpedo" Thompson, on the other hand, has been there, done that. At the 2008 Games, in Beijing, China, the T&T sprint star seized silver in the men's 100m final in 9.89 seconds, finishing second to Jamaica's Usain Bolt (9.69).
Thompson earned his second Olympic medal in the 4x100m relay, anchoring T&T to second spot, behind Jamaica.
In 2012, however, Thompson has had his challenges, battling to overcome an injury and some indifferent form on the circuit. Of the nine legal sub-10 runs he has produced in his career, only one has come this season—9.96 seconds in finishing second to Keston Bledman (9.86) at the National Open Championships.
"Being under the radar," Thompson told the Express, "is okay with me. It allows me to focus on the task at hand and not have to worry about outside distractions.
"Final preparations," he continued, "have been going well. All the hard work is behind me now. It's just a matter of staying sharp and getting sufficient rest, so I can perform at a high level. I feel really good. I'm just thankful to God to come into the meet confident about my health and lead-up preparations."
Tomorrow morning (T&T time), the 27-year-old athlete will open his bid for a second Olympic Games 100m medal.
"This is not going to be an easy task, but I have prepared my best and I think a medal is a realistic goal for me.
"The support from T&T has been overwhelming—the fans, other athletes, soca artistes and of course family and friends have truly extended their full support," Thompson ended. "That in itself is enough inspiration for me."
T&T cyclist Njisane Phillip will also be on show tomorrow morning. The 21-year-old Olympic debutant will do battle in the flying 200m—the qualifying event for the men's sprint.
"I don't want to be here," Phillip told the Express, "and say I'm just here for the experience. I actually want to do well. The aim is to get the gold medal, and just have fun doing it. There's definitely a possibility of medalling in the sprint event and the keirin event, but I know I can't make any mistakes."
Phillip is enjoying the Olympic experience.
"It feels great. Just being in the whole atmosphere is just a crazy feeling. It's not like Commonwealth or Pan Ams or CAC. It's a whole other level. You have the best of the best here. It's a great feeling."
Another Olympic debutant, sailor Andrew Lewis, will be back on the water today, following yesterday's rest day in the men's Laser class event.
Lewis is 42nd after six races, with a net score of 195.
At seven a.m. (T&T time), in Dorset, he will sail in race seven on the Weymouth Nothe course. And then, at 8.40, he will be on the Weymouth Harbour course, competing in race eight.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Today_s_London_Olympics_schedule-164837686.html
Today's London Olympics schedule - T&T Time
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
Archery (At Lord's Cricket Ground)
Men's Individual 1/8 eliminations, 4 a.m.
Men's Individual quarterfinals, semifinals, bronze and gold medal matches, 9 a.m.
Athletics (At Olympic Stadium)
Men's 400 Hurdles round 1, 3000 Steeplechase round 1, Hammer qualifying, Shot Put qualifying; Women's 100 classification heats, 400 round 1, Triple Jump qualifying, Heptathlon 100 hurdles, high jump, 5 a.m.
Men's 1500 round 1, Long Jump qualifying, Shot Put final; Women's 100 round 1, 10,000 final, Discus qualifying, Heptathlon: shot put, 200, 2 p.m.
Badminton (At Wembley Arena)
Women's Singles semifinals; Mixed Doubles bronze medal match, 4 a.m.
Men's Singles semifinals; Mixed Doubles gold medal match, 8:30 a.m.
Basketball (Olympic Park-Basketball Arena)
Women
Angola vs. Croatia, 4 a.m.
Russia vs. Australia, 6:15 a.m.
Brazil vs. Canada, 9:30 a.m.
Turkey vs. China, 11:45 a.m.
France vs. Britain, 3 p.m.
Czech Republic vs. United States, 5:15 p.m.
Beach Volleyball (At Horse Guards Parade)
Men's round of 16 (1 match), 4 a.m.
Women's round of 16 (1 match), 4 a.m.
Men's round of 16 (1 match), 8 a.m.
Women's round of 16 (1 match), 8 a.m.
Men's round of 16 (1 match) Noon
Women's round of 16 (1 match) Noon
Men's round of 16 (1 match), 4 p.m.
Women's round of 16 (1 match), 4 p.m.
Boxing (At ExCeL)
Men's Flyweight (52kg) and Men's Welterweight (69kg) round of 16, 8:30 a.m.
Men's Flyweight (52kg) and Men's Welterweight (69kg) round of 16, 3:30 p.m.
Cycling (Track) (At Olympic Park-Velodrome)
Men's Team Pursuit round 1, finals; Women's Keirin round 1 & repechages, round 2, finals; Women's Team Pursuit qualifying, 11 a.m.
Diving (At Olympic Park-Aquatics Centre)
Women's 3-Metre Springboard Prelims, 9:30 a.m.
Equestrian (Dressage) (At Greenwich Park)
Team Dressage: day 2, 6 a.m.
Fencing (At ExCeL)
Men's Team Sabre round of 16, quarterfinals, classifications (5th-8th places), semifinals, 5:30 a.m.
Men's Team Sabre bronze medal match, gold medal match, 1 p.m.
Field Hockey (At Olympic Park-Hockey Centre)
Men
Australia vs. Argentina, 3:30 a.m.
Netherlands vs. New Zealand, 5:45 a.m.
Germany vs. India, 8:45 a.m.
Britain vs. Pakistan, 11 a.m.
South Africa vs. Spain, 2 p.m.
Belgium vs. South Korea, 4:15 p.m.
Gymnastics (At Trampoline North Greenwich Arena)
Men's Trampoline qualification, final, 9 a.m.
Judo (At ExCeL)
Men's +100kg and Women's +78kg elimination rounds, quarterfinals, 4:30 a.m.
Men's +100kg and Women's +78kg repechages, semifinal contests, bronze and gold medal contests, 9 a.m.
Rowing (At Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire)
Men's Pairs classification and final, Single Sculls and Quadruple Sculls classification and final; Women's Double Sculls classification and final, 4:30 a.m.
Sailing (At Weymouth and Portland, Dorset)
Men's 49er, 470, Finn, Laser, Star; Women's 470, Laser Radial, 7 a.m.
Shooting (At The Royal Artillery Barracks)
Men's 25-metre Rapid Fire Pistol qualification (Stage 2) and final; Men's 50-metre Rifle Prone qualification and final, 4 a.m.
Soccer
Women
At Hampden Park, Glacgow
Quarterfinal, 7 a.m.
At St James' Park, Newcastle
Quarterfinal, 9:30 a.m.
At Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Quarterfinal, Noon
At City of Coventry Stadium
Quarterfinal, 2:30 p.m.
Swimming (At Olympic Park-Aquatics Centre)
Men's 1500 Freestyle, 4x100 Medley Relay heats; Women's 50 Freestyle, 4x100 Medley Relay heats, 5 a.m.
Men's 50 Freestyle final, 100 Butterfly final; Women's 50 Freestyle semifinals, 200 Backstroke final, 800 Freestyle final, 2:30 p.m.
Table Tennis (At ExCeL)
Women's Team first round, 5 a.m.
Women's Team first round, 9:30 a.m.
Men's Team first round, 2 p.m.
Team Handball (At Copper Box)
Women
Angola vs. Britain, 4:30 a.m.
South Korea vs. France, 6:15 a.m.
Croatia vs. Montenegro, 9:30 a.m.
Russia vs. Brazil, 11:15 a.m.
Spain vs. Sweden, 2:30 p.m.
Denmark vs. Norway, 4:15 p.m.
Tennis (At Wimbledon)
Men's and women's Singles semifinals; Mixed Doubles semifinals; Mixed Doubles semifinals, 7 a.m.
Volleyball (At Earls Court)
Women
Brazil vs. China, 4:30 a.m.
Japan vs. Russia, 6:30 a.m.
Turkey vs. South Korea, 9:45 a.m.
Britain vs. Dominican Republic, 11:45 a.m.
United States vs. Serbia, 3 p.m.
Algeria vs. Italy, 5 p.m.
Water Polo (At Olympic Park-Water Polo Arena)
Women
Spain vs. Hungary, 9:10 a.m.
Russia vs. Australia, 10:30 a.m.
Britain vs. Italy, 1:20 p.m.
China vs. United States, 2:40 p.m.
Weightlifting (At ExCeL)
Men's 85kg group B and Women's 75kg group B, 5 a.m.
Women's 75kg group A (medal), 10:30 a.m.
Men's 85kg group A (medal), 2 p.m.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-03/optimism-ignited-says-manager-voisin
OLYMPIC JOURNAL - Day 8
Optimism ignited says manager Voisin
Published: Friday, August 3, 2012
Andre Baptiste
George Bovell’s performances yesterday has ignited optimism in the T&T camp. Several of our athletes are tired of living in the shadows of their Caribbean counterparts, Jamaica, and Bovell’s cool demeanour as he qualified for today’s final, was certainly inspirational. On the verge of the track and field which starts today, I met with Dexter Voison, our athletic manager here in London, to find out how much Bovell’s performance has done to inspire the rest of the contingent. Voison looked measured and relaxed. “There is a quiet mood of optimism in this team and George only helped to fuel that atmopshere. We attended the Pre Olympic Games in Wales over two weeks ago and when we did our debrief, we discovered it was one of our better camps. The athletes and the technical staff all felt the same way. Clearly our objectives were met. The athletes bonded well.
The seniors, Kelly Ann (Baptiste), Richard (Thompson), Marc (Burns) and the younger athletes were all great. It was also the first time we were able to get our athletes to do relay practice before their individual event, and that was a plus for us at the camp.” Concerns about sprinter Keston Bledman were played down as Voisin said Bledman would be ready to take his place in his events. “The official report I had from Keston’s handler, Lance Brauman, is that he had a cramp while in the blocks at a recent meet. He attended the camp and went through his paces. He also trained with the relay team. From what I am seeing, he is fit.” With the relays a week away, Voisin said the highly favoured T&T team is working on passing the baton and general running. “So far the guys have been practicing with Richard Thompson as the lead off to Marc Burns to Rondel Sorrilo with Keston Bledman as the anchor. A decision will have to be made as we go through the different rounds. Whether we will use Callender in the semi finals is yet to be decided.”
Kelly Ann Baptiste, who won a bronze medal in the World Championships in the 100 metres, will be on the track today and Voison said Kelly Ann has been working with the medical team. “She has been moving around with some discomfort since June when we went to Bahamas to qualify for the women’s relay. She has been getting treatment on a regular basis.” Voison described the Olympic Village as massive. “The sleeping accommodation is very different from Beijing. We are a bit cramped in terms of space. The rooms are small but everybody has settled in. We cannot complain because all the other athletes are sleeping in the same rooms,” added Voisin.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-02/parties-pigeons-and-tax-breaks
Eyes on London
Parties, pigeons and tax breaks
Published: Friday, August 3, 2012
LONDON—Around the 2012 Olympics and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of the games to you:
Post-ride party
He rode. Then he cut loose. After winning the time trial for his seventh Olympic medal, cyclist Bradley Wiggins marked the moment by getting “blind drunk.” It was a very public binge, with Wiggins posting messages and pictures on Twitter as he celebrated gold near St Paul’s Cathedral. “Getting wasted,” he tweeted, accompanied by a picture in which he was posing with a drink and flicking the V for victory sign. And Wiggins wasn’t slowing down. Later, the Tour de France champion tweeted: “Blind drunk at the minute...it’s been emotional.” British Olympic chief Colin Moynihan says Wiggins was “thoroughly entitled to have a fantastic party.”
—Rob Harris
http://twitter.com/robharris
Flickering flame
The cauldron is burning bright at 80,000 seat Olympic Stadium, where athletics begins today and that famous flame is flickering everywhere around the arena, thanks to the video boards showing it. Apparently it’s not enough to just have the real deal on hand, standing at one end, where it was moved after being on the grass infield during the opening ceremony. The screens constantly carrying close-ups of the cauldron are reminiscent of the fake fireplace that NBC used on its sets for broadcasts from the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Trying to lend studio segments a warm and cozy feel, the network set up a screen that showed video of a fire, replete with wafting smoke.
— Howard Fendrich
http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich
All China final
Chuang Chih-Yuan of Taiwan played Thursday’s pingpong semifinal against Wang Hao of China. Chuang lost, meaning Wang will face compatriot Zhang Jike in an all-China final. Had Chuang won, it would have added a bit of politics into the mix. Taiwan is a self-governing democratic island, which split from China amid civil war in 1949. China, however, regards Taiwan as a renegade province. A final between China and Taiwan would have raised all kinds of interesting questions. For example: Large parts of the world would not have seen it as an all-China final, though that’s certainly how China would have seen it. Taiwan doesn’t even get to use its flag or real name in the Olympics, where it is identified as “Chinese Taipei.”
—Stephen Wade
http://twitter.com/StephenWade
Rower detained
A bit of trouble for an Australian rower yesterday morning: Josh Booth was detained by police for allegedly causing damage to a London storefront. Authorities say it was an alcohol-related incident, and it happened hours after he competed in the men’s eight at the Olympic rowing basin. Australian team chief Nick Green says Booth fainted while at the police station and was taken to the hospital. He was released a short time later and was not charged. Green, who says he received a call from police at 3 am yesterday about the incident, says he’ll make a decision on potential disciplinary action after he receives more information from the police and Booth. The 21-year-old Booth made his Olympic debut as the Australians finished sixth in the six-crew final of the eight at Windsor outside London on Wednesday.
—Dennis Passa
http://twitter.com/dennispassa
Photo on the fly
While his colleagues blogged, tweeted and filed stories with their smartphones and tablets from a media boat on Weymouth Bay during the London Olympics regatta, veteran British sailing scribe Bob Fisher regaled them with a yarn about how the games were covered 40 years ago.
Fisher recalled being on a media boat on the opening day of sailing at the Munich Olympics—the sailing venue was in Kiel—when a photographer from an evening newspaper in Copenhagen, Denmark, boarded with a wicker hamper.
“In it wasn’t his lunch,” Fisher said.
Turns out the hamper contained a carrier pigeon. Fisher said that after taking a picture of Denmark’s Paul Elvstrom at the start of the Soling race, the photographer put his camera in a changing bag, snipped off a negative, rolled it up tight and put it into a screw-top aluminum can. He strapped the canister to one leg of the carrier pigeon and released it.
“That picture appeared on the front page of the Copenhagen paper that evening,” Fisher said. “Here’s a guy who thought on his feet. Obviously he’d done it before, or had practiced it.”
Fisher has written 35 books and is working on three more books about the America’s Cup, including one titled, The Poisoned Chalice.
—Bernie Wilson
http://twitter.com/berniewilson
104 medal and counting
A rowing club founded nearly 200 years ago and located on the leafy banks of the River Thames is celebrating an extraordinary milestone achieved at the Olympic Games. Members of the Leander Club, which claims to be the most successful sporting institution in the world, had won 99 Olympic medals for Britain dating back to 1908 before the start of London 2012. Well, they’ve just topped the 100 mark. Five members of the Henley-based club were part of the British men’s eight that captured bronze in Wednesday’s thrilling final at Dorney Lake. That result sparked a mass clinking of glasses as the Leander officials who failed to land tickets for the race packed into the dining room and bar area at the club to watch it on giant TV screens. “Obviously it’s a significant milestone, but it’s part of our long-term plans to carry on being the main feeder club of new talent into the GB international system,” says Leander official Robert Treharne Jones. Heck, many countries haven’t won 104 Olympic medals. That’s not the end of the matter. There are still 14 Leander rowers involved in finals at Dorney Lake over the next three days .
—Steve Douglas
http://twitter.com/sdouglas80
She’s a spectator now
Five-time Olympian Natalie Cook was eliminated from the beach volleyball tournament, but expect to see the Australian around Horse Guards Parade for the duration of the games.
Cook has said she will retire from international play after London, but she said she wants to watch the beach volleyball competition through its completion.
Cook expressed her respect for two-time defending gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings, and said she considers them the favorites. The Americans lost their first set in three Olympics on Wednesday night.
—Jenna Fryer
http://twitter.com/jennafryer
Farewell badminton
A Chinese badminton star says she is calling it quits after being disqualified from the doubles tournament at the London Olympics for trying to lose. A comment on a verified account for Yu Yang on the Tencent microblogging service late Wednesday read: “This is my last game. Farewell Badminton World Federation. Farewell my dear badminton.”
Yu and Wang Xiaoli were one of four doubles teams which appeared to play poorly on purpose to secure a more favorable position in the next phase of the event.
— Scott McDonald
http://twitter.com/BeijingScotty
Two-for-one show
US gymnast Danell Leyva’s high bar routine is better than any circus act—a two-for-one show, actually. While Leyva dazzled the crowd with three release moves, his stepfather and coach, Yin Alvarez, was doing the routine right along with him down on the floor. Fans laughed as Alvarez dipped, swayed and gave little kicks of his feet, and he couldn’t contain himself when Leyva hit the mat with an emphatic THUMP! He jumped up and down and then grabbed Leyva in a bearhug, planting a kiss on the top of his head. When Leyva’s score flashed, guaranteeing he would win a medal, father and son celebrated again. Leyva won the bronze in the all-around competition.
—Nancy Armour
http://twitter.com/nrarmour
Olympic tax break
US Sen Marco Rubio wants to give America’s Olympic champions a tax break on their winnings. Americans who win gold, silver or bronze at the Olympics get a cash award from the US Olympic Committee of tens of thousands of dollars. The Republican lawmaker introduced a bill Wednesday that would exempt medal winners from paying taxes on the honorariums, calling the penalty ridiculous. The USOC says a gold medalist gets $25,000, a silver medalist $15,000 and a bronze winner $10,000. What about NBA stars on the basketball team like the Miami Heat’s LeBron James? Rubio’s office says that the Olympics are unique, with US athletes volunteering to represent the country, and that success should be celebrated, not taxed.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Eyes on London shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.
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Jessica Ennis does look fine dread. Fit body
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-02/campbell-brown-says-difficult-defend-crown
Campbell-Brown says difficult to defend crown
Published: Friday, August 3, 2012
LONDON— Reigning Olympic 200 metres queen Veronica Campbell-Brown conceded yesterday it will be difficult to successfully defend her crown at the London Olympics. The 30-year-old has not been enjoying the best of seasons, suffering a string of defeats this year which have hinted at chinks in her armour. She told journalists here that she had worked hard on her preparation for the Olympics, however, and would be giving the title defence her best shot. “I put in all the work and I know it will be absolutely difficult for me to claim victory here in the 200m but anything can happen,” she said. “I prepared well and so I just have to keep my mental focus right and make sure that I get my race together.
“It will come down to execution and mental focus and I will go out there and I will give it my all and we will see what happens.” Campbell-Brown has run a season-best 10.82 seconds in the 100 metres for second behind Olympic champion and fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.70) at the Jamaica trials. She was again beaten in the 200m at the trials, running 22.42 behind Fraser-Pryce and Sherone Simpson. But the most notable of her defeats came in Lucerne on July 17, when she ran 22.70 for second behind American Charonda Williams (22.52). Campbell-Brown, who will run both 100m and 200m races at the Olympics, agreed it had not been her best year but said she was remaining optimistic.
“I will not dwell on those (bad races) and look on those as something negative…I learned from those races and I am going into my competition here very confident,” she said. “I am going to go out there and give it my best and only God knows what the result will be. “I have trained hard this season and not because I had a few races that did not went too well, I am not going to let that deter my confidence or allow it to let me feel weak or anything.” Campbell-Brown won back-to-back 200m titles in Athens and Beijing, on both occasions beating American Allyson Felix, a three-time World champion over the distance. However, she won her first 200m World title last year in Deagu. (CMC)
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-02/all-set-run
From the Olympic Village in London
All set to run
Published: Friday, August 3, 2012
Rachael Thompson-King
“I was born ready.” These were the words of T&T hurdler Jehue Gordon ahead of the start of today’s track and field at the Olympic Games, here in London, England. The 20-year-old oozed confidence yesterday, not intimidated by the thought of facing some 53 other hurdlers who will be battling for a spot in the semifinals of the men’s 400 metres hurdles. Gordon, along with triple-jumper Ayanna Alexander, and sprinters Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Michelle Lee Ahye, Semoy Hackett and Kai Selvon will be in action today at the Olympic Stadium. Alexander will be first in action in group B of the women’s triple-jump starting at 10.25 am (5.25 am). She will have to be at her best to be among the top 12 from some 35 jumpers who will be looking for a place in the final round on Sunday.
Some 50 minutes later, Gordon, who has a personal best time of 48.26 seconds, will line-up, looking to get into the semi,final round on Sunday at 7 pm (2 pm T&T time). He will run in heat five. Gordon had only good things to say about his experience so far at his first Olympic Games. “Everybody here is supporting each other 100 per cent. We are feeling as one; feeling as a team. Everybody is here just to give their best,” said Gordon. Gordon feels that he and his teammates are sometimes underestimated and that will be a plus in their efforts to get precious metal for T&T. “Nobody really takes T&T seriously. That is what is giving us the edge right now. They are expecting the US and Great Britain, the more powerful countries, to dominate but we are not going down without a fight,” declared Gordon. In the evening session, the quickest women of T&T will be on show when they meet the rest of the world in the 100m heats, starting at 7.05 pm (2.05 pm). National champion, Baptiste will lead the quartet aiming for nothing less than semifinal spots which are scheduled for 7.35 pm (2.35 pm) tomorrow. This is Hackett’s second Olympic Games and she’s banking on reaching further than the last edition.
“The first time I competed at Olympics, I was 17-years-old, and now I am 23. I am more matured and understanding of the sport. I think I will do much better than I did a few years go,” stated Hackett. Manager of the track and field team Dexter Voisin is comfortable with his athletes and says they are ready. “We’re ready to go. We have been here about three weeks. We started off with a two-week camp in Wales. That camp was very successful,” said Voisin. He said the athletes bonded and fine-tuned. “We were able to practice baton passing—something that was never done before because most of the athletes concentrated on their individual events. So it was useful.” Over in Weymouth and Portland, sailor Andrew Lewis will feel revived after his day off yesterday and ready to battle the wind and water in races seven and eight in the men’s laser event. Lewis is currently in 42nd place and will be aiming to complete a perfect race to move up the standing, to get on course to make it to the medal round on Monday.
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http://www.london2012.com/athletics/
Today's London 2012 Olympics Athletics competition schedule
Red => T&T athlete(s) involved in event
Date / time Sport Venue
3 August 10:00 - 13:45 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 400m Hurdles: round 1
Men's 3000m Steeplechase: round 1
Men's Hammer: qualifying
Men's Shot Put: qualifying
Women's 100m: classification heats
Women's 400m: round 1
Women's Triple Jump: qualifying
Women's Heptathlon: 100m hurdles, high jump
3 August 19:00 - 21:55 Athletics Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium
Men's 1500m: round 1
Men's Long Jump: qualifying
Men's Shot Put: final
Women's 100m: round 1
Women's 10,000m: final
Women's Discus: qualifying
Women's Heptathlon: shot put, 200m
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Socapro, I sent a hug and a kiss for you. Check Weary..... ;D
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Didn't see the run, but not the fastest time...anyone can give commentary how Jehue looked?
Heat 4 Official
1 2743 CULSON Javier 48.33 Q + Reaction Time0.212
2 3212 CLEMENT Kerron 48.48 Q SB + Reaction Time0.175
3 1465 CISNEROS Omar 48.63 Q SB + Reaction Time0.206
4 1065 THOMAS Tristan 49.13 q SB + Reaction Time0.152
5 1843 WILLIAMS Rhys 49.17 q SB + Reaction Time0.217
6 1135 BULTHEEL Michael 49.18 q PB + Reaction Time0.147
7 2826 SAKAEV Viacheslav 50.36 + Reaction Time0.181
8 2714 PAULA Jorge 51.40 + Reaction Time0.160
9 1444 DAROUECHE Maoulida 53.49 + Reaction Time0.213
Heat 5 Official
Rk Bib Athlete Mark Qualification Mark +
1 3255 TAYLOR Angelo 49.29 Q + Reaction Time0.187
2 3043 GORDON Jehue 49.37 Q + Reaction Time0.161
3 3140 MELNYKOV Stanislav 50.13 Q + Reaction Time0.196
4 1921 SCHIRRMEISTER Silvio 50.21 + Reaction Time0.226
5 1981 IAKOVAKIS Periklis 50.27 + Reaction Time0.248
6 2791 VAN ZYL L J 50.31 + Reaction Time0.173
7 1522 PROROK Josef 50.33 + Reaction Time0.184
8 2270 LEPTIKOV Viktor 51.67
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Not as comfortable as the others. Sanchez and Culsen whatever he name is look dangerous
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Not as comfortable as the others. Sanchez and Culsen whatever he name is look dangerous
I hope iz just early nerves....
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Socapro, I sent a hug and a kiss for you. Check Weary..... ;D
Ok, thank you! :-*
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Ayanna just missed out....
top 12 advance, she was 14th, less than 3 inches from 12th
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20120803/SPORTS09/120803015/La-Tech-s-Ayanna-Alexander-finishes-14th-Olympic-triple-jump?odyssey=nav%7Chead
LONDON – Louisiana Tech alumna Ayanna Alexander competed in her first Olympic competition Friday, finishing 14th in the opening round of the women’s triple jump competition.
Alexander jumped 46-2.75 (14.09m) to finish 14th overall. The top 12 spots advance and she was less than three inches from the 12th place finisher (Slovakia’s Marija Sestak).
A 2005 graduate of Louisiana Tech, Alexander’s best mark in college was 43-9.75 (13.35m). She still holds the top four marks and six of the top 10 triple jump marks in Louisiana Tech history.
Her career best mark in the triple jump is 46-5.25 (14.15m) set in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago on May 19, 2012.
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KAB looks to be in Splendid form, and will be in the hunt for a medal. Semoy Hackett ran a new PB of 11.04 and looks to have more in the tank. She has a very good chance of making the final. Jeter looks beastly. That 10.83 was....ahmmm...well...yea :o
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TV6 people want to see track enough with the swimming. Hope they replay the 100m heats delayed
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Holy Shyte Dibaba....what a finish :o :o :applause:
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/aug/03/london-olympic-stadium-records-toe
London's Olympic stadium helps athletes go faster by power of little toes
Robert Booth
guardian.co.uk, Friday 3 August 2012 16.22 BST
Runners are smashing personal bests on London 2012 track thanks to new technology harnessing energy from side of foot.
Records and personal bests tumbled in the main stadium on Friday, thanks in part to a new track design that harnesses the power of the little toe.
The £1m track features technology that aims to rebound energy from the sideways movement of athletes' feet, including little toes and the side of the foot.
The previous Olympic track in Beijing was designed to maximise the rebound when runners pushed forward and backwards, but the inevitable sideways movement was effectively lost energy, the track designer told the Guardian. Joe Hoekstra, project manager for supplier Mondo, which also laid the track in Beijing, said a special underlay is patterned with rhombus-shaped ridges to increase the track's reaction to lateral movement and is in use for the first time in London.
"Since Beijing we realised we needed to make the material more reactive sideways, as well as forwards and backwards," he said. "We saw that sometimes the little toe touches first and there is a roll over. We have previously provided shock absorption and reaction in the straight line and we have been working on a material that is omnidirectional."
The top of the track has also been made softer than in Beijing to increase its ability to drive energy back into the athletes' feet. "It trashes the notion that hard is fast," he said.
The roof of the stadium was also designed to maximise track speeds. The stadium engineer ran wind tunnel tests to assess the impact of designs of winds at track level and decided on a partial roof to minimise wind on the track.
"We have already had 15 personal bests from the athletes who competed in those five heats and Jessica Ennis set a world record," said Debbie Jevans, Locog's director of sport. She added that the enthusiasm of the crowd could also be helping athletes produce top times. "I doubt that any of those athletes have competed at 10 o'clock in the morning in front of such a full stadium," she said.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164318.html
Gordon in today’s 400m hurdles semis
Saturday, August 4 2012
THE TRINIDAD and Tobago trio of Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Semoy Hackett and Michelle Lee Ahye all advanced to today’s semi-final Round of the women’s 100-metre sprint in the 30th Olympic Games in London, England.
In yesterday’s First Round phase at the Olympic Stadium, Baptiste, the national 100m queen, eased up near the finish line to claim victory in heat one in 10.96 seconds. The 25-year-old defeated France’s Myriam Soumare (11.07) and Germany’s Verena Sailer (11.12).
The 23-year-old Hackett clocked a personal best time of 11.04 to finish second in heat six, behind reigning Olympic title-holder Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica (11 seconds flat).
And Lee Ahye, the 20-year-old, was third in heat four in a time of 11.28 seconds, trailing Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare (10.93) and United States’ Tianna Madison (10.97).
In today’s semi-final phase — scheduled for 2.35 pm - Baptiste was drawn in lane five of heat two (between US’ Allyson Felix in lane four and Fraser-Pryce); Hackett will be in lane five of heat one (Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown is in lane four while US’ Carmelita Jeter is in lane six); and Lee Ahye will face the starter’s gun in lane two of heat three.
The top two finishers in each heat, plus the fastest two losers, will progress to today’s Final, which is carded for 4.55 pm. Jehue Gordon will be involved in today’s 400m hurdles semi-final, from 2 pm - he will feature in heat one (of three heats), with the top two and the fastest two losers moving on to Monday’s Final.
In heat five yesterday, the 20-year-old clocked a time of 49.37 to finish second, behind American Angelo Taylor (49.29).
Today, he will feature in heat one, alongside the highly-rated trio of Trinidad-born American Kerron Clement, Great Britain’s David Greene and Dominican Republic’s Felix Sanchez.
Ayanna Alexander failed to progress to tomorrow’s Final of the women’s long jump - the top 12 jumpers moved to the deciding phase.
The 29-year-old was seventh in Group “B” with a best of 14.09m, the 14th best effort on the day.
Swimmer George Bovell III, in his last event of the Games, placed seventh in the 50m freestyle in 21.82 seconds.
Florent Manaudou of France clinched gold in 21.34, followed by Cullen Jones of the United States (21.54) and Cesar Cielo of Brazil (21.59).
In sailing, in the Men’s Laser Class, Andrew Lewis continued to find the going tough at Weymouth and Portland. Lewis placed 34th in Race Seven and 46th in Race Eight and, after entering the day in 42nd spot with 243 points, he dropped down three notches to 45th with 323 points.
Tom Slingsby of Australia regained the lead, after winning Race Eight but finishing 15th in Race Seven for a total of 38 points.
Overnight leader Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus was 12th in Race Seven and seventh in Race Eight for a tally of 40 points while Tonci Stipanovic of Croatia remained in third spot with 60 points.
Only the top 10 will advance to Monday’s final, therefore the 22-year-old Lewis’ participation at the Games will end today with Races Nine and Ten.
Similar to yesterday’s women 100m format, there will be four rounds in the men’s 100m. Today will be Preliminary Round for entrants without the minimum qualifying standard (5 am), the First Round (7.30 am), followed by tomorrow’s Semi Finals and Final.
2008 Olympic silver medallist Richard Thompson, national champ Keston Bledman, veteran Marc Burns and Rondel Sorrillo are the Trinidad and Tobago quartet expected to feature in the Preliminary Round.
The men’s 400m sprints will get going today with the First Round, from 5.35 am.
Renny Quow has been drawn in lane five of heat one, alongside South Africa’s “blade runner” Oscar Pistorius (lane six), while Deon Lendore is in lane three of heat two, with World Champion Kirani James of Grenada in lane six.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/US_top_medal_table-164972816.html
US top medal table
Dibaba takes 10,000m gold
Story Created: Aug 3, 2012 at 11:04 PM ECT
l LONDON
Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba powered away from two Kenyan rivals to capture the first track gold of the London Olympics in the women's 10,000 metres yesterday, while three wins in the pool propelled the United States to the top of the medals table.
Dibaba, the defending champion, surged clear at the bell and strode out to beat Sally Kipyego by about 30 metres, with world champion Vivian Cheruiyot taking the bronze.
Poland's Tomasz Majewski, also a victor in Beijing four years ago, hurled 21.89 metres to beat world champion David Storl of Germany by three centimetres in the shot put.
With flashbulbs popping, music blaring and 80,000 fans creating a deafening roar on the first night of action in the Olympic Stadium, British favourite Jessica Ennis captured the lead in a see-saw heptathlon contest and world champion Carmelita Jeter of the United States ran the fastest time in the women's 100-metre heats.
For the first time at London 2012, the United States overhauled China to lead the medals table by 21 golds to 20.
Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time who has said he will retire after the Games, won his 21st medal by claiming the men's 100 metres butterfly.
"This is my last individual event. It was awesome," Phelps said. "This swim was pretty important to me. I wanted to win."
Katie Ledecky, 15, took the women's 800m freestyle title and another teenage US swimmer, 17-year-old Missy Franklin, grabbed her third gold medal of the Games in the 200m backstroke, breaking the world record in the process.
Older competitors also had their day.
Sergei Martynov, a 44-year-old Belarussian, used a 13-year-old gun and bullets from the Soviet era to win the men's 50 metres prone rifle with a world record score.
With the start of the athletics, the jewel in the Olympic crown, excitement began to build towards Jamaican Usain Bolt's defence of his 100 metres title tomorrow and his 200 crown four days later.
Ennis, Britain's Olympic poster girl, set a world best time for a heptathlete in the 100 metres hurdles and followed with a solid high jump, but Lithuania's Austra Skujyte bettered her by more than three metres in the shot put to take the lead.
Urged on by the crowd, Ennis overhauled her in the last heptathlon event of the day, the 200m, with a time of 22.83 seconds compared with the Lithuanian's 25.43.
She takes a lead of 184 points into the second day of the event, which concludes with the long jump, javelin and 800m.
Jeter made a big statement of intent in the heats of the women's 100 metres, powering home in 10.83 seconds to set the fourth fastest time of the year.
Defending champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica looked in no mood to try to match Jeter but qualified comfortably, as did her compatriot Veronica Campbell-Brown and Allyson Felix, of the United States.
At Wimbledon, Roger Federer of Switzerland remained on course to repeat his heroics in the Grand Slam in July, beating Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in a marathon 19-17 third and final set for a place in the final.
Federer will now face local hope Andy Murray who rode a wave of British euphoria to beat Serbia's world number two Novak Djokovic 7-5, 7-5 and set up a repeat of last month's Wimbledon final against the Swiss maestro.
New Zealand struck gold twice on the water, with Mahe Drysdale taking the men's single sculls and men's pair Eric Murray and Hamish Bond cruising to victory in comprehensive fashion.
Britain's Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins triumphed before 25,000 ecstatic fans at Dorney Lake in the women's double sculls—a dream come true for Grainger after three previous silvers.
Germany powered to gold in the men's quad sculls, finally getting their revenge on the young Croatian crew who had beaten them all season.
But another German rower, Nadja Drygalla, who has already finished competing at the Games, voluntarily left the Olympic village following reports that her boyfriend was a far-right extremist.
In cycling, the British men beat Australia in the team pursuit, setting a world record, and Victoria Pendleton won the women's keirin, a day after being disqualified with Jessica Varnish in the team sprint.
Britain's men took cycling track team sprint gold on Thursday, but the taste of victory was soured when German-born rider Philip Hindes admitted to falling over on his bike on purpose in the heats to avoid being disqualified.
"I did it on purpose to get a restart...it was all planned really," he told reporters, prompting shock among British media and leading to calls for a change in the rules.
It also raised uncomfortable questions about gamesmanship at the Olympics, after eight badminton players were thrown out for deliberately losing matches to manipulate the draw.
British cycling officials later said Hindes' comments were lost in translation and the International Olympic Committee has no plans to investigate the incident "at present".
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/HIGH_HOPES-164972876.html
HIGH HOPES
T&T sprinters chase berths in Olympic finals
By Kwame Laurence in London
Story Created: Aug 3, 2012 at 11:04 PM ECT
Trinidad and Tobago track star Kelly-Ann Baptiste goes head-to-head with Jamaica's reigning Olympic 100 metres champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, at the Olympic Stadium here in London, England, today.
The Caribbean sprinters will clash at 2.43 p.m. (T&T time) in the second London 2012 women's 100m semi-final.
Baptiste secured her lane in the semis with a 10.96 seconds sizzler in round one, yesterday. Drawn in the opening heat, Baptiste won easily, the 2011 World Championship bronze medallist throwing down the gauntlet to the other title contenders.
There was an immediate response from world champion Carmelita Jeter, the American dominating her heat two rivals with a 10.83 scorcher.
There were also sub-11 round one victories for Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare (10.93), Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown (10.94), and Ivory Coast sprinter Murielle Ahoure (10.99). The other heats were won by Fraser-Pryce (11.00) and American Allyson Felix in a wind-assisted 11.01.
The other T&T sprinters in the event, Semoy Hackett and Michelle-Lee Ahye, will also be on show in today's semi-final round.
Hackett finished second to Fraser-Pryce in a personal best 11.04 seconds, and will square off against Jeter and Campbell-Brown in the opening semi (2.35 p.m.).
Ahye, meanwhile, runs in the third semifinal (2.51 p.m.). In round one, she clocked 11.28 to claim third spot in her heat, behind Okagbare and American Tianna Madison (10.97).
The final will be contested at 4.55 p.m.
The first men's 100m round one heat is scheduled for 7.30 this morning. T&T will be represented in the event by national champion Keston Bledman, 2008 Olympic silver medallist Richard "Torpedo" Thompson and Rondel Sorrillo.
At two p.m., Jehue Gordon will run in the first men's 400m hurdles semifinal heat.
The 20-year-old T&T athlete has been drawn in lane five, next to Dominican Republic's Felix Sanchez, in four, and T&T-born American Kerron Clement, in six. Great Britain's reigning world champion, David Greene will run in lane seven.
Gordon was impressive on his Olympic debut. Running way out in lane nine, the 2010 world junior champion clocked 49.37 seconds to cop second spot in the fifth first round heat in 49.37 seconds, securing an automatic berth in the semifinal round. The 2000 and 2008 Olympic gold medallist, Angelo Taylor won the race in 49.29.
Gordon, the 18th fastest hurdler in the opening round, looked strong coming home. Off the final turn, he seemed to be in a battle for the runner-up spot. On the straight, though, he showed his class, pulling away from the other contenders and gaining on Taylor.
"I felt good," Gordon told the Express. "Apart from the two hurdles that I messed up on, on the bend, seeing that the breeze kind of caught me off-guard, I had fun. I saw Angelo coming off the turn before me, so I just focused on my technique. I know what I'm about. It's just about executing your race to the best, and forget about the others.
"My overall goal," he declared, "is to go up to the top. It's not going to be easy, but I want to execute and have that faith that what we've been doing over the past years and past couple months is going to work out.
"I'm feeling ready," said a smiling Gordon. "I'm feeling good."
Ayanna Alexander was the first T&T athlete to see action in track and field, at London 2012. The 30-year-old produced a 14.09m effort to finish seventh in Group B and 14th overall in the women's triple jump qualifying competition, a commendable effort in an event that featured 35 athletes. The top 12 advanced to tomorrow's final.
Alexander missed out on 12th spot by just seven centimetres.
"I went out there," Alexander told the Express, "and gave it my best. I missed the final by two spots. It's tough but I can't beat myself up too much. I had a great season, the best season of my career. I broke the national record, jumped over 14 metres. I know this is the beginning of bigger jumps to come and bigger improvements."
Alexander set the current national record--14.15m—on May 19, at the Quantum Invitational, in Trinidad.
The US-based athlete said she was hoping to jump the automatic qualifying distance of 14.40m, in yesterday's competition.
"I wanted to hit the auto, I wanted to get into the final, like everybody else. I wanted to make the podium, but it's my first Olympics, first time Trinidad and Tobago has ever had a women's triple jumper in the Olympic Games, so it's a historical moment for me, as well as my event.
"I am an Olympian, yeah," said a beaming Alexander, contentment painted all over her face.
In the opening round of the men's 400m, today, Renny Quow runs in heat one against South African double amputee Oscar Pistorius and Dominican Republic's reigning world junior champion Luguelin Santos. The race is scheduled for 5.35 a.m.
Quow's T&T teammate, Deon Lendore will do battle in heat two (5.43 a.m.), squaring off against Grenadian world champion Kirani James. And in heat six (6.15 a.m.), national champion Lalonde Gordon takes on American LaShawn Merritt, the 2008 Olympic gold medallist.
Njisane Phillip will be at the Velodrome today, bidding to break the Olympic record in the men's flying 200 metres. The T&T cyclist is the Pan American record holder, at 9.775 seconds, while the Olympic record, established by Great Britain's sprint gold medallist Chris Hoy at the 2008 Beijing Games, is 9.815.
The flying 200--the qualifying event for the sprint--starts at five a.m., and Phillip will be the seventh man to race against the clock. Seventeen cyclists are listed to compete.
Andrew Lewis finished 35th in the seventh race and 46th in the eighth, in the men's Laser class competition, in Dorset.
At one stage, in race seven, the T&T sailor was 42nd, but battled back to secure the number 35 spot. In race eight, however, he languished in the 40s throughout.
Lewis has slipped three spots on the overall standings, moving from 42nd at the start of the day to 45th after race number eight. He has a net score of 276.
The ninth and 10th races will be staged today, starting at seven a.m. The top 10 sailors at the end of race 10 will compete in Monday's medal race.
Australian Tom Slingsby is first, ahead of race nine, with 23 net points. Pavlos Kontides, of Cyprus, is second with 28, while third spot is occupied by Croatia's Tonci Stipanovic (40).
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Today_s_London_Olympics_schedule-164972856.html
Today's London Olympics schedule
Story Created: Aug 3, 2012 at 11:04 PM ECT
Athletics
At The Mall
Men's 20km Race Walk, 5 p.m.
At Olympic Stadium
Men's 100 classification heats, round 1, 400 round 1; Women's 3000 Steeplechase round 1, Pole Vault qualifying, Heptathlon: long jump, javelin, 10 a.m.
Men's 400 Hurdles semifinals, 10,000 final, Long Jump final; Women's 100 semifinals and final, 400 semifinals, Discus final, Heptathlon: 800 (medal), 6:50 p.m.
Badminton (At Wembley Arena)
Men's Doubles semifinals and Women's Doubles bronze medal match, 9 a.m.
Women's Singles bronze and gold medal matches, Women's Doubles gold medal match, 1:30 p.m.
Basketball (Olympic Park-Basketball Arena)
Men
Tunisia vs. France, 9 a.m.
Russia vs. Spain, 11:15 a.m.
Lithuania vs. United States, 2:30 p.m.
China vs. Brazil, 4:45 p.m.
Britain vs. Australia, 8 p.m.
Nigeria vs. Argentina, 10:15 p.m.
Beach Volleyball (At Horse Guards Parade)
Men's round of 16 (1 match), 9 a.m.
Women's round of 16 (1 match), 9 a.m.
Men's round of 16 (1 match), 1 p.m.
Women's round of 16 (1 match), 1 p.m.
Men's round of 16 (1 match) 5 p.m.
Women's round of 16 (1 match) 5 p.m.
Men's round of 16 (1 match), 9 p.m.
Women's round of 16 (1 match), 9 p.m.
Boxing (At ExCeL (
Men's Light Flyweight (49kg); Men's Light Welterweight (64kg) and Men's Light Heavyweight (81kg) round of 16, 1:30 p.m.
Men's Light Flyweight (49kg); Men's Light Welterweight (64kg) and Men's Light Heavyweight (81kg) round of 16, 8:30 p.m.
Cycling (Track) (At Olympic Park-Velodrome)
Men's Omnium flying lap; Men's Sprint qualifying, 1/16 finals, 11:30 a.m.
Men's Omnium 30km points race, elimination race; Men's Sprint 1/16 finals repechages, 1/8 finals & repechages, race for 9th-12th places; Women's Team Pursuit round 1, finals, 4 p.m.
Diving (At Olympic Park-Aquatics Centre)
Women's 3-Meter Springboard semifinal, 2:30 p.m.
Equestrian (Jumping) (At Greenwich Park)
Individual Jumping First qualifier; Team Jumping qualifier for round 1, 10:30 a.m.
Fencing (At ExCeL)
Women's Team Epee round of 16, quarterfinals, classifications (5th-8th places), semifinals, 9 a.m.
Women's Team Epee bronze and gold medal matches, 6 p.m.
Field Hockey (At Olympic Park-Hockey Centre )
Women
Australia vs. South Africa, 8:30 a.m.
Netherlands vs. South Korea, 10:45 a.m.
Japan vs. Belgium, 1:45 p.m.
China vs. Britain, 4 p.m.
United States vs. New Zealand, 7 p.m.
Germany vs. Argentina, 9:15 p.m.
Gymnastics (At Trampoline North Greenwich Arena)
Women's Trampoline qualification, final, 2 p.m.
Rowing (At Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire)
Men's Fours classification and final, Lightweight Double Sculls classifications and final; Women's Lightweight Double Sculls classifications and final, Single Sculls classifications and final, 9:30 a.m.
Sailing (At Weymouth and Portland, Dorset)
Women's 470, Elliott 6m, Laser Radial, RS:X, Noon
Shooting (At The Royal Artillery Barracks)
Women's 50-meter Rifle 3 Positions qualification; Women's Trap qualification, 9 a.m.
Women's 50-meter Rifle 3 Positions final, 12:45 p.m.
Women's Trap final, 3 p.m.
Soccer (At Old Trafford, Manchester)
Men
Quarterfinal, Noon (At Wembley Stadium)
Quarterfinal, 2:30 p.m.
At St James' Park, Newcastle
Quarterfinal, 5 p.m.
At Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Quarterfinal, 7:30 p.m.
Swimming (At Olympic Park-Aquatics Centre)
Men's 1500 Freestyle final, 4X100 Medley Relay final; Women's 50 Freestyle final, 4X100 Medley Relay final, 7:30 p.m.
Table Tennis (At ExCeL)
Men's Team first round, 10 a.m.
Women's Team quarterfinals, 2:30 p.m.
Women's Team quarterfinals, 7 p.m.
Team Handball (At Copper Box)
Men
Tunisia vs. Britain, 9:30 a.m.
South Korea vs. Serbia, 11:15 a.m.
Sweden vs. Argentina, 2:30 p.m.
Croatia vs. Denmark, 4:15 p.m.
Iceland vs. France, 7:30 p.m.
Hungary vs. Spain, 9:15 p.m.
Tennis (At Wimbledon)
Men's Doubles bronze medal match, Women's Singles bronze medal match, Mixed Doubles bronze medal match, Men's Doubles gold medal match, Women's Singles gold medal match, Noon
Triathlon (At Hyde Park)
Women's race, 9 a.m.
Volleyball (At Earls Court)
Men
Germany vs. Tunisia, 9:30 a.m.
Britain vs. Poland, 11:30 a.m.
Australia vs. Italy, 2:45 p.m.
Russia vs. United States, 4:45 p.m.
Argentina vs. Bulgaria, 8 p.m.
Brazil vs. Serbia, 10 p.m.
Water Polo (At Olympic Park-Water)
Men
Polo Arena
Montenegro vs. Romania, 10 a.m.
Croatia vs. Australia, 11:20 a.m.
Greece vs. Spain, 2:10 p.m.
Italy vs. Kazakhstan, 3:30 p.m.
Hungary vs. Britain, 6:20 p.m.
Serbia vs. United States, 7:40 p.m.
Weightlifting (At ExCeL)
Men's 94kg group B, 3:30 p.m.
Men's 94kg group A (medal), 7 p.m.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164341.html
Port-of-Spain crowd heartbroken
By COREY CONNELLY Sunday, August 5 2012
Anticipation quickly turned to disappointment among sporting enthusiasts in downtown Port-of- Spain yesterday when local sprint queen, Kelly-Ann Baptiste, managed only to secure sixth place in the Womens’ 100 Metre Finals at the Olympic Games in London, United Kingdom.
Defending Olympic 100-metre champion, Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, won the race while the United States’ Carmelita Jeter and veteran Jamaican sprinter, Veronica Campbell-Brown, placed second and third, respectively.
Baptiste, 25, who clocked a time of 10.94 seconds, was the sole member of Trinidad and Tobago’s female track team to advance to the finals of the event.
Semoy Hackett, 23, and Michelle Ahye, 20, who had placed second and third, respectively in their preliminary heats on Friday, failed to qualify for yesterday’s highly-anticipated competition. Yesterday, Baptiste’s disappointing performance at the Olympic Stadium caused a hush among her adoring fans, many of whom had gathered on the Brian Lara Promenade to cheer her on.
However, the former Signal Hill Secondary student has still established a reputation as the first female sprinter from this country to feature in the prestigious 100-metre event.
“I really wanted her to medal. She looked good in the semi-finals. But she still has a good chance in the relay (Women’s 4x100),” said former Olympic quarter-miler, Anthony Myers.
A staunch supporter of TT’s track team in London, Myers was part of the Olympic team that participated in the 1976 Montreal Games in which Hasely Crawford delivered TT’s first and only gold medal in the Men’s 100-metre event.
Harkening back to those days, Myers said the quality of local athletics had improved considerably.
“We had a good time but this is a different generation,” he said, referring to retired Olympian Ato Boldon and current sprinters, Richard Thompson, Keston Bledman, Baptiste and others.
Myers proudly displayed a large photograph of the 1976 Olympic team, smartly-attired in red jackets and black trousers. Among those in the portrait were Crawford and former National Alliance For Reconstruction government minister Rawle Raphael and Charlie Joseph. Myers’ friend, Wayne Nelson, reflecting on Baptiste’s performance, accentuated the positive. “She was still great to reach where she is. She is the sixth fastest woman in the world,” he said. Nelson also believes both the women and men will medal in the relay competition.
As she did in her preliminary heat and semi-finals, Baptiste enjoyed a blistering start in Lane Two, and for much of the race, ran stiffly alongside the other heavyweights. Her loss came one day after another local hopeful, swimmer George Bovell III, placed a disappointing seventh in the Men’s 50 Metre Freestyle.
But all is not lost for the Tobago-born Baptiste, who is still to participate in the Women’s sprint relay competition, the heats of which are scheduled to take place this week.
The local men’s team, who had done the country proud at the Beijing Olympics, are also expected to medal in the 100-Metre event as well as the Men’s 4x100 Metre relay.
Double silver medallist Richard Thompson, Rondell Sorillo and Keston Bledman, who has been enjoying a splendid season, have already advanced to the semi-finals of the Men’s 100-Metre competition, which takes place today. The finals will also be held today, where they will face sprint heavyweights Jamaica and the United States.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164339.html
Fraser-Pryce wins Olympic gold
Sunday, August 5 2012
NATIONAL WOMEN’S 100-metre champion Kelly-Ann Baptiste won the hearts of many in the twin-island republic but Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce retained the women’s Olympic gold medal at the Olympic Stadium, London, England yesterday afternoon.
At 4.55 pm, the eyes of many sports fans, in Trinidad and Tobago and across the globe, were glued to their television sets for the women’s 100m final, with the 25-year-old Baptiste, who finished third in last year’s IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, drawn in lane two.
But all hopes of a first female TT track and field Olympic medal faded in the blink of an eye as Baptiste struggled throughout the race and ended in sixth place in a time of 10.94 seconds.
Fraser-Pryce moved ahead at the halfway stage and held on in a close finish to win in 10.75 seconds, becoming the first woman to retain the 100m crown since Gail Devers of the United States in 1992 (Barcelona, Spain) and 1996 (Atlanta, US).
American Carmelia Jeter got the silver medal in 10.78 seconds while another Jamaican, Veronica Campbell-Brown, took the bronze in 10.81 seconds. The United States pair of Tianna Madison (10.85) and Allyson Felix (10.89) were fourth and fifth respectively, followed by Baptiste, Ivory Coast’s Murielle Ahoure (11.00) and Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare (11.01).
There were three semi-final heats at 2.35 pm yesterday, with Baptiste placing third in heat two in 11 seconds flat, behind Fraser-Pryce (10.85) and Felix (10.94). The two other TT semi-final entrants flopped — Semoy Hackett (11.26) was fifth in heat one, with Jeter winning in 10.83 and Campbell-Brown second in 10.89 while Lee Ahye was last in heat three in 11.32; Okagbare and Madison were the joint winners in 10.92.
In a congratulatory message, acting Sports Minister Jack Warner stated, “our athletes continue to offer world-class performances, putting our twin-island nation in the spotlight and proving that we are among the best.
“They lift our hearts and unite our spirit every time they take to the field, every time they step onto the field of competition and, for this, we thank them. This alone is priceless.” Baptiste, the first TT female sprinter in an Olympic final, also received a number of messages on Twitter, commending her for her efforts yesterday.
The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee blogged, “sixth fastest woman in the world. Trinidad and Tobago loves you.”
Another blog, from the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago, read, “great run Kelly-Ann. Your place in history is assured.”
Fellow TT Olympian, sailor Andrew Lewis, stated, “well done Baptiste,” while soca artiste Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez, who have been a regular Twitter supporter of the national Olympic contingent, noted, “anyone want to ask me if I am proud of Kelly and her sixth position, I am dead serious.”
Baptiste will now turn her focus to the women’s 4x100m relay, with the First Round set for Friday and the Final due to be staged on Friday.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164340.html
All eyes on TT’s Njisane
By JONATHAN RAMNANANSINGH Sunday, August 5 2012
NJISANE “Jus Amazing” Phillip recorded the biggest win of his professional career yesterday when he blew past current world number one sprinter, Robert Forstemann (Germany) in the Men’s Sprint 1/8 finals at a packed Olympic Velodrome in London, England.
As the race began, Phillip ensured that he was in prime position to prevent any unexpected break-aways from the highly experienced German. The 21-year-old cyclist toyed with Forstemann in the opening lap and bobbed and wove himself into the lower section of the Velodrome track. As the duo crossed the one-lap mark, Forstemann attempted to overtake Phillip and take control of the race. However, the multiple national champion wasn’t having it and quickly shifted his handlebars to the left to cut in front of Forstemann.
Realising Phillip’s slight advantage, Forstemann began pedalling harder in an effort to force the local rider into an early sprint. Phillip meant business and began pumping his legs to seal the second lap victory. As he crossed the finish line, just slightly ahead of the world number one, Phillip powered up and pedalled his heart out in the remaining 50m to clinch a emphatic and much deserved win at the London Games.
Njisane’s manager, Peter Maharaj was then seen jumping with arms flailing in the air, in celebration of his rider’s historic and probably most memorable achievement so far. The audience at the Olympic Velodrome erupted in applause and shared their support toward the highly decorated cyclist.
Speaking after his blistering ride, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation Rowena Williams expressed elation with Phillip’s performance. “It was indeed a proud moment for us all. Njisane has proven that he can execute when it matters most. I’m so happy for him right now and the entire local cycling fraternity. What Njisane has done here today (yesterday) is truly a reflection of his journey to the Games. He worked hard and more than deserved that victory over the German.”
The high spirited Williams saw his 1/8 final win as historic, especially after blowing past the current world number one. However, she revealed that Phillip should not get ahead of himself just yet. In the first stage of competition, the 1/16, Phillip easily defeated New Zealand rider Edward Dawkins. Here, Englishman Jason Kenny set a new Olympic record with the fastest qualifying time, now set at 9.713 seconds.
“Njisane needs to keep his focus. It’s not over at all. We can’t base his victory now to what can happen in the later stages. It’s now that the competition has gotten tougher for all the riders. They all know that tomorrow (today) they will have to deliver their best performances. I must say though, that Njisane began his sprint in the correct time (on the track). If it were any later the results may have been different. He executed perfectly,” she added.
Also commenting on Phillip’s impeccable performance was former national cyclist and four-time TT Olympian, Gene Samuel. Samuel shared similar sentiments and openly acknowledged the Siparia rider’s dominant display.
“Sad to say but I didn’t see the race. But from what I’ve heard it was a very tactical and well-timed run by Njisane. His sprint technique seems to be up to par with the rest and he has produced very commendable results.”
The seasoned rider admitted that such a feat is deserving of a lot of praise from the young cyclist. Samuel is highly expectant and optimistic that Phillip has what it takes to pull off even better rides and eventually attain a coveted Olympic podium finish. “This is what he needs, to win. This is also what Trinidad and Tobago needs. It is indeed a historic moment for us seeing that our last Olympic cycling representative was way back in 1996. I’m fully supporting him for a place among the medals,” he added.
Samuel continued, “If he lost to Forstemann he may have drawn a tougher competitor for the quarter-finals. I’m not sure who he’ll be racing tomorrow (today) but his victory may see him go up against a weaker rider, which eventually makes it a bit easier for him to progress on to the finals,” he concluded.
Today’s quarter-final sprint will not be easy for Phillip. The local rider duels in heat four with Russian ace Denis Dmitriev, who is also a top-ranked international cyclist. Both athletes have a detailed history of victories and this event is billed to be one of the fastest leading up to the eagerly anticipated finals.
The other quarter-final races will see Jason Kenny (England) go up against Azizulhasni Awang (Malaysia); Forstemann squares off with Gregory Bauge (France) and Shane Perkins (Australia) will do battle against Jimmy Watkins (USA). Races commence from 11.15 am (TT time).
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Golden_day_for_Serena__Bryans_-165034746.html
Golden day for Serena, Bryans
Story Created: Aug 4, 2012 at 10:58 PM ECT
lLONDON
American Serena Williams won Olympic tennis singles gold yesterday, becoming the first player to win all four grand slams and an Olympic title in singles and doubles, with her US teammates Bob and Mike Bryan later taking the men's doubles gold.
Russia's Maria Sharapova took home the women's singles silver, while world number one Victoria Azarenka of Belarus won the bronze.
In the men's doubles, France claimed two medals, with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Michael Llodra winning silver and their compatriots Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet taking bronze.
Williams demolished number three seed Sharapova 6-0, 6-1 in just over an hour to complete her "golden slam", and could hardly contain her excitement, jumping up and down as she waited to step on to the podium to collect her medal.
"I didn't think I would be this happy. I'm so pumped," the 30-year-old said, laughing off a mishap which saw the US flag whipped off the rail by a gust of wind half way through the national anthem.
"I never thought I would have a gold medal in singles."
Williams, who already had two doubles gold medals with sister Venus, has surpassed the rare singles golden slam, a feat only achieved by Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi and Rafa Nadal.
"It's a great feeling. I never thought that it would happen to me. Steffi Graf was such an inspiration," she said. "I always thought the one person I wouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as was Steffi Graf. She's done everything."
The Bryan twins also secured a doubles "golden slam" with their 6-4, 7-6 win over France's Tsonga and Llodra.
"This is the biggest win of our career right here. Serena got everything rolling for the USA and we kind of got going on fire. It's unbelievable," said Bob, who has won 11 grand slam titles and an Olympic bronze in Beijing with his brother.
Belarusian Azarenka overcame a semi-final thrashing by Williams to win her country's first tennis medal with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Russian Maria Kirilenko, while France's Benneteau and Gasquet secured their bronze with a 7-6, 6-2 defeat of Spain's David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez.
"We have it, we have the medal, we have it for life, so it's something special. For me this is a very huge thing to have an Olympic medal. It's amazing," said Benneteau.
"For France it is a good day today."
Williams's win over Russian opening ceremony flag bearer Sharapova, who didn't even win a point until the third game of the match, was the most one-sided women's singles final in Olympic history.
Later she and Venus, who herself won singles gold in Sydney in 2000, booked their place in the women's doubles final with a much more closely fought 7-5, 6-4 win over Russia's Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova.
The Williams sisters will take on Czech duo Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka for the gold today, with the Americans bidding to become the first tennis players to win four Olympic gold medals.
Today will also see the final of the mixed doubles, which has returned to the Games for the first time since 1924.
Britain's Andy Murray and Laura Robson, who played both their quarter-final and semi-final matches on Saturday after rain delays squeezed the schedule, will face Belarus's Azarenka and Max Mirnyi in the final.
Murray will first have to take on world number one Roger Federer in the men's singles final.
Mike Bryan will also be back on court, this time with Lisa Raymond to play Germany's Sabine Lisicki and Christopher Kas for the mixed double's bronze.
Mike, who celebrated his men's double win by jumping on brother Bob for a bear hug, is hoping the excitement of winning the men's doubles gold will carry him through.
"That's the longest we've ever hugged," he said. "There hasn't been a more special feeling than this... I got to carry that into the mixed."
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/YOUNG_GUNS-165034856.html
YOUNG GUNS
Jehue, Njisane shine at London Games
By kwame Laurence in London
Story Created: Aug 4, 2012 at 10:58 PM ECT
Jehue Gordon is the first Trinidad and Tobago hurdler to qualify for an Olympic final.
The 20-year-old clocked a new national record at the Olympic Stadium, here in London, England, yesterday, getting to the line in a fast 47.96 seconds to secure second spot in semi-final number two and an automatic berth in tomorrow's London 2012 men's 400 metres hurdles championship race.
"I'm really happy with the time," Gordon told the Sunday Express. "Things are unfolding when they're supposed to."
Heading into the home straight, the 2010 world junior champion was in second spot. He stayed there, beating T&T-born American Kerron Clement (48.12) and Great Britain's reigning world champion David Greene (48.19) into second and third, respectively. Clement and Greene qualified for the final as "fastest losers".
Dominican Republic's Felix Sanchez was first to the line, the 2004 Olympic champion stopping the clock at 47.76 seconds—the fastest time in the semis.
The other semi-final races were won by Puerto Rican Javier Culson (47.93) and American Michael Tinsley (48.18).
Gordon was the fourth fastest man in the semis, behind Sanchez, Culson and USA's two-time Olympic gold medallist Angelo Taylor, the runner-up to Culson in heat two in 47.95.
The young T&T athlete is looking forward to the final.
"The expectation is to have fun. Anything could happen, once you believe in yourself, keep calm, keep focused and keep positive."
T&T track star Richard "Torpedo" Thompson has been drawn in the second of three semi-final heats in the men's 100m dash. At 2.53 this afternoon (T&T time), the 2008 Olympic silver medallist will square off against reigning champion Usain Bolt, of Jamaica.
The race will also feature American Ryan Bailey, who led all qualifiers into the semis with a 9.88 sizzler in the first round, yesterday.
Running into a 1.4 metres per second headwind, Thompson was second in his heat in 10.14 seconds, finishing behind American Tyson Gay (10.08). Bolt topped his heat in 10.09.
"I'm taking things one step at a time," Thompson told the Sunday Express, "just like I did in Beijing. There's no pressure on me, so I just have to relax and execute the race like I know how to."
National champion Keston Bledman will do battle with 2004 Olympic gold medallist Justin Gatlin, of the United States, and Jamaican Asafa Powell in the first semi-final. With only two automatic championship race berths up for grabs, expect fireworks. The race takes place at 2.45 p.m.
In his first round heat, Bledman was third in 10.13, behind Briton Dwain Chambers (10.02) and France's Jimmy Vicaut (10.11).
Bledman told the Sunday Express that the cramp he got in his hip while in the blocks at last month's Aviva London Grand Prix made him tentative in yesterday's race.
"I'm going back to the drawing board and coming back for the semi-finals a totally different Keston."
At 3.01 p.m., the other T&T sprinter in the 100m, Rondel Sorrillo squares off against Gay in the third semi-final. Also in the race is Jamaica's reigning world champion Yohan Blake.
In the first round, Sorrillo copped third spot in his heat, clocking 10.23 seconds to trail Gatlin (9.97) and Bahamian Derrick Atkins (10.22) to the line.
"The first 50 metres," said Sorrillo, "felt great. As I straightened up, though, everything didn't flow as I wanted it to. But I'll look to correct that in the semis."
The championship race takes place at 4.50 p.m.
T&T quarter-miler Lalonde Gordon faces Bahamian Demetrius Pinder in heat one in the men's 400m semis. The race is scheduled for 3.40 this afternoon.
In the opening round, yesterday, Gordon finished second in heat six in 45.43 seconds to book a lane in the semi-final round.
The other T&T quarter-milers, Deon Lendore and Renny Quow, are out of the event.
Lendore was fifth in heat two in 45.81 seconds—not fast enough to earn him a "fastest loser" berth in the semis. Quow, meanwhile, did not face the starter because of a hamstring injury.
T&T's Janeil Bellille will be on show at 2.24 this afternoon, in the opening round of the women's 400m hurdles.
Njisane Phillip became only the second T&T cyclist to reach the quarter-final round of an Olympic Games men's sprint event, when he upset Germany's Robert Forstemann, at the Velodrome, yesterday.
Maxwell Cheeseman finished eighth at the 1988 Games, in Seoul, South Korea. Phillip is hoping to improve on that performance, and will continue his bid for precious metal, against Russia's Denis Dmitriev, in the fourth quarter-final, today.
After beating New Zealand's Edward Dawkins in the opening round, the 21-year-old cyclist said he is ready to face any opponent.
"For me to get the gold, I've got to ride against everybody."
In his showdown with Dawkins, the T&T rider enjoyed a comfortable victory.
"I surprised myself," Phillip told the Sunday Express. "I got over the top, and I knew it was over. I just want to keep the energy rolling and pull it off again."
He did, the 2012 Pan American Championship gold medallist holding off a strong-finishing Forstemann to move into the last eight.
Earlier, Phillip clocked 10.202 seconds in the flying 200 metres—the qualifying event for the sprint. The ride earned him 10th spot in the 17-man field.
"I got really angry when I saw my time."
Phillip is the Pan American record-holder at 9.775 seconds. The clocking is faster than the previous Olympic record—9.815, set in Beijing, China by Great Britain's 2008 gold medallist Chris Hoy. The new record—9.713—was established yesterday by another Briton, 2008 silver medallist Jason Kenny.
The sprint quarter-finals start at 11.34 a.m.
T&T sailor Andrew Lewis enjoyed his best day on the water in the men's Laser class event, copping 14th spot in race nine and finishing 26th in the 10th and final race of the opening series.
Lewis finished with a net points total of 315, his efforts on the Weymouth Bay West course, in Dorset, yesterday, earning him a big jump on the overall standings, from 45th to 37th.
The top ten sailors in the opening series will compete in tomorrow's medal race. Australian Tom Slingsby has 25 net points and is well positioned to win the event. While points will count double tomorrow, Slingsby leads second-placed Pavlos Kontides, of Cyprus, by 14 points, and requires only a seventh-place finish to take gold.
T&T shooter Roger Daniel will be in action from four a.m. today, at the Royal Artillery Barracks, in the men's 50m pistol qualifying event. The final is scheduled to start at 7.30.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics/London-2012-LIVE-UPDATES-164860556.html
London 2012 LIVE UPDATES
Bolt repeats in Olympic record
Thompson runs fastest seventh place
By Kwame Laurence in London
Story Created: Aug 3, 2012 at 6:09 AM ECT
Click F5 to refresh (Most recent updates at the top)
Thompson 7th in 100 final
T&T's Richard "Torpedo" Thompson finished seventh in the men's 100 metres final in 9.98 seconds - the fastest time ever recorded for a seventh place finish at the Olympics.
Usain Bolt retained his title with a 9.63 seconds sizzler - a new Olympic record. Jamaica finished one-two in the final, Yohan Blake securing silver in 9.75. American Justin Gatlin clocked 9.79 to bag bronze.
Lalonde shocks 'em in 400 semis
Lalonde Gordon produced a shocker in the semifinal round of the men's 400 metres, stopping the clock at 44.58 seconds to progress to tomorrow's final as the fastest qualifier.
The T&T athlete topped heat one, forcing Bahamian Demtrius Pinder to settle for second spot in 44.94. Grenada's world champion Kirani James won heat two in 44.59. The winner of heat three was Dominican Republic's world junior champion Luguelin Santos (44.78).
Earlier today, T&T shooter Roger Daniel finished 35th in the men's 50 metres pistol with a score of 539.
Thompson chases another medal
Richard "Torpedo" Thompson will bid for another Olympic men's 100 metres medal. The 2008 silver medallist advanced to the 4.50 p.m. (T&T time) final as a "fastest loser".
Thompson was third in heat two in 10.02 seconds, and had to wait on the outcome of heat three to know his fate. The third-place finisher in the third heat clockd 10.06, and Thompson claimed the last spot up for grabs.
Keston Bledman, fourth in heat one in 10.04, was squeezed out of the final by Thompson. The third T&T sprinter in the event, Rondel Sorrillo was seventh in heat three in 10.31.
Earlier on, T&T's Janeil Bellille was eliminated in the opening round of the women's 400m hurdles. She finished seventh in heat four in 57.27 seconds.
Phillip vs Kenny
At 11 a.m., tomorrow, T&T's Njisane Phillip will do battle with Great Britain's Jason Kenny in the semifinal of the men's sprint. Phillip is already guaranteed to be the most successful T&T cyclist in Olympic history in the sprint event. Maxwell Cheeseman finished eighth at the Seoul Games in 1988.
Phillip got to the last four by beating Russian Denis Dmitriev in two straight rides, today.
Baptiste clocks 10.94
Kelly-Ann Baptiste copped sixth spot in the women's 100 metres final, the T&T athlete getting to the line in 10.94 seconds.
Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce retaind her title with a 10.75 run, forcing American Carmelita Jeter to settle for silver in 10.78. Another Jamaican, Veronica Campbell-Brown secured bronze in 10.81.
Baptiste in medal race
Kelly-Ann Baptiste will face the starter at 4.55 this afternoon (T&T time), in the women's 100 metres final. The T&T sprint queen finished third in the second semifinal in 11 seconds flat and had to wait on the outcome of semifinal number three to know if she would get in as a "fastest loser". She did.
The other T&T sprinters, Semoy Hackett and Michelle-Lee Ahye bowed out in the semis. Hackett was fifth in heat one in 11.26 seconds, while Ahye finished eighth in heat three in 11.32.
Jehue breaks national record
Jehue Gordon advanced to the men's 400 metres hurdles final. He finished second in the first semifinal, clocking a personal best 47.96 seconds - a new national record
Hamstring strain spoils Quow's Olympics
Renny Quow did not run in the opening round of the men's 400 metres event, today, because of injury.
The 2009 World Championship one-lap bronze medallist has a hamstring strain. T&T track and field manager Dexter Voisin told the Express that while warming up for his race, Quow decided not to run.
The 2008 Olympic champion, American LaShawn Merritt pulled up injured in heat six, ending his hopes of winning back-to-back titles.
Lalonde faces Pinder
T&T quartermiler Lalonde Gordon faces Bahamian Demetrius Pinder in heat one in the men's 400 metres semis, tomorrow. The race is scheduled for 3.40 p.m. (T&T time). In the opening round, today, Gordon finished second in heat six in 45.43 seconds o book his lane in tomorrow's semis.
The other T&T quartermilers, Deon Lendore and Renny Quow are out of the event. Lendore was fifth in heat two in 45.81 seconds - not fast enpough to earn him a "fastest loser" berth in the semis. Quow, meanwhile, was a non-starter in heat one.
Njisane in sprint quarters
Njisane Phillip produced a brilliant ride at the Velodrome to advance to tomorrow's men's sprint quarters. The T&T cyclist booked his last eight spot by beating German Robert Forstemann. Earlier today, Phillip got the better of New Zealand's Edward Dawkins in the opening round. In the flying 200 metres, the qualifying event for the sprint, Phillip clocked the 10th fastest time, 10.202 seconds.
Lewis 37th in Laser class
Andrew Lewis enjoyed his best day on the water in the men's Laser class event, copping 14th spot in race nine and finishing 26th in the 10th and final race of the opening series.
The T&T sailor finished with a net points total of 315, his efforts on the Weymouth Bay West course, today, earning him a big jump on the overall standings, from 45th to 37th.
Sorrillo battles Blake, Gay
Rondell Sorrillo will run side by side with Tyson Gay in the third men's 100 metres semifinal, at 3.01 p.m., tomorrow (T&T time). The T&T sprinter has been drawn in lane three, next to American Tyson Gay, in four. Also in the race is Jamaica's reigning world champion Yohan Blake.
In the first round, Sorrillo copped third spot in his heat, clocking 10.23 seconds to trail American Justin Gatlin (9.97) and Bahamian Derrick Atkins (10.22) to the line.
Bledman takes on Gatlin, Powell
National champion Keston Bledman will do battle with 2004 Olympic gold medallist Justin Gatlin, of the United States, and Jamaican Asafa Powell in the first of three men's 100 metres semifinal heats. With only two automatic championship race berth up for grabs, expect fireworks. That race takes place at 2.45 tomorrow afternoon (T&T time).
In his first round heat, Bledman was third in 10.13, behind Briton Dwain Chambers (10.02) and France's Jimmy Vicaut (10.11).
Thompson vs Bolt in 100 semis
Richard "Torpedo" Thompson has been drawn in the second of three semifinal heats in the OLYMPIC GAMES men's 100 metres dash. At 2.53 tomorrow afternoon (T&T time), the 2008 Olympic silver medallist will square off against reigning champion Usain Bolt, of Jamaica.
The race will also feature American Ryan Bailey, who led all qualifiers into the semis with a 9.88 sizzler in the first round, today. Thompson was second in his heat in 10.14, finishing behind American Tyson Gay (10.08). Bolt topped his heat in 10.09.
Bovell clocks 21.82
George Bovell finished seventh in the men's 50 free final, the T&T swimmer clocking 21.82 seconds.
France's Florent Manadou won in 21.34.
Hackett books semifinal berth
Semoy Hackett clocked a personal best 11.04 seconds to finish second in heat three in the women's 100 metres first round, securing a lane in the semis. All three T&T sprinters - Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Michelle-Lee Ahye and Hackett - are through to the penultimate round.
Ahye joins Baptiste in 100 semis
Michelle-Lee Ahye clocked 11.28 seconds to finish third in heat four in the women's 100 metres first round. The placing earned the 20-year-old T&T sprinter an automatic berth in tomorrow's semis.
Baptiste tops heat one
Trinidad and Tobago sprint queen, Kelly-Ann Baptiste won the opening heat in the women's 100 metres first round in an impressive 10.96 seconds. France's Myriam Soumare (11.07) and German Verena Sailer (11.12) finished second and third, respectively.
Jehue runs in first semi
Jehue Gordon has been drawn in the first of three semifinal heats in the men's 400 metres hurdles. Gordon will square off against Great Britain's reigning world champion David Greene, 2004 Olympic gold medallist Felix Sanchez, of Dominican Republic, and T&T-born American Kerron Clement, a two-time world champion. The race takes place tomorrow, at two p.m. (T&T time.
Baptiste in heat 1
Kelly-Ann Baptiste will run in the first of seven women's 100 metres first round heats at 2.05 p.m. (T&T time). Michelle-Lee Ahye is drawn in heat four (2.29 p.m.), and Semoy Hackett will do battle in heat six (2.45 p.m.).
Lewis 46th in race 8
Andrew Lewis had a tough time on the water in race 8. He was 46th, and now has a net score of 276 points. Lewis is 45th on the overall standings. The 9th and 10th races will be staged tomorrow. The top 10 sailors on the standings will sail in Monday's medal race.
Lewis 35th in race 7
Andrew Lewis finished 35th in the seventh race in the men's Laser class event. The T&T sailor was 42nd at one stage in the 49-man race, but battled back.
Alexander 14th
Alexander finished seventh in Group B and 14th overall in a field of 35 women with her 14.09 metres jump. The top 12 jumpers advanced to Sunday's final.
Jehue cruises into semis
Jehue Gordon made an impressive Olympic debut, finishing second in his men's 400 metres hurdles first round heat in 49.37 seconds to secure an automatic berth in the semifinal round. The reigning Olympic champion, American Angelo Taylor won the heat in 49.29.
Alexander over 14, but does not advance
Alexander improved to 14.09 metres in the third and final round of qualifying. The effort, though, did not earn her a spot in the final.
Alexander 14th after second jump
Alexander is 14th after her second jump. She produced a 13.92 metres effort in round two. To get into the final, she needs either a 14.40 metres jump, or a top-12 finish in the qualifying competition.
Alexander first on show
Good morning. Thanks for joining us for LIVE UPDATES from the OLYMPIC GAMES, here in London, England.
The first Trinidad and Tobago athlete on show on the opening day of the track and field competition is Ayanna Alexander. She's competing in the women's triple jump qualifying competition.
Alexander needs to jump 14.40 metres to qualify automatically for the final - 25 centimetres better than her 14.15 metres national record.
In the opening round, Alexander jumped 13.98 metres, into a 1.2 metres per second headwind.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-04/pres-richards-cheers-njisane-quarters
Pres Richards cheers on Njisane into quarters
Published: Sunday, August 5, 2012
Andre Baptiste
On a windy yesterday afternoon at the London Velodrome, a young man from T&T sent shivers down the spine of a few of his country’s citizens, including the President of the Republic George Maxwell Richards, with an awesome display of cycling class. That young man was Njisane Phillip, and after a stunning performance in the first round of the Match Sprint at the cycling velodrome on Saturday morning, he surprised everyone by returning in the afternoon in the second round to out pedal world ranked German Robert Forstemann in a battle of power which brought the house down. In the morning, Phillip, the youngest rider in the competition, had started slowly with the 10th fastest time. While he was disappointed, he managed to stage a daring come from behind victory over New Zealander Edward Dawkins in the first round of 16. Later in the afternoon though, he left the best for last in the second round of 12 when he was forced into the lead by Forstemann and then had to hold off the determined German for a lap and a half.
A clearly overjoyed Phillip told the Trinidad Guardian "I am good... one step at a time... it was a crazy race, he definitely threw me off my game plan and with a lap and a half to go, I had to push it "But I had the confidence to believe in myself and I stepped up today...I am going to get a rest and I will be ready for tomorrow, whatever it brings," he added Phillip, who was greeted in the media zone by T&T Olympic Committee Honary General Secretary Brian Lewis, also thanked his supporters. "I am enjoying all the support from home and especially today it is great to have the our President come here to support me, that really encourages me even more." "I want that gold medal. That is what I am chasing and that is keeping me focused. “I want to make the people of our country happy... I want to make T&T a household name... every year. “I am getting more and more respect out there from the other cyclists and today was good, but there's still a lot more to do." "I am already beginning to steal the crowd, with our Trini flavour... I am going to give everything all the time, that is just the way I am," he noted. The reward for Phillip’s victory is a place in the fourth quarterfinal against Denis Dmitrev of Russia at 11:34 am T&T time today.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics/BEST_EVER-165034646.html
BEST EVER
Baptiste tops all T&T women at London 2012 Olympics
By Kwame Laurence in London
Story Created: Aug 4, 2012 at 10:57 PM ECT
Kelly-Ann Baptiste produced the best ever Olympic performance by a woman athlete from Trinidad and Tobago, at the Olympic Stadium, here in London, England, yesterday.
But though she understands the significance of her sixth-place finish in the London 2012 women's 100 metres final, the 25-year-old sprinter was very disappointed.
"I know I got to put things in perspective," Baptiste told the Sunday Express. "It's something I wanted to achieve, but I consider myself a better athlete. Making the Olympic final is a great accomplishment and I will not take anything away from that. But it's disappointing to come here and not have my best race."
The World Championship 100m bronze medallist clocked 10.94 seconds, one-tenth of a second slower than her 10.84 national record.
Baptiste, though, was part of a special race, yesterday.
It was the first time in the history of the Olympic Games that as many as six women came in under 11 seconds in a 100m final.
Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce retained her Olympic title with a blistering 10.75 seconds run.
American Carmelita Jeter clocked 10.78 to snap up silver, while bronze went to Fraser-Pryce's teammate, Veronica Campbell-Brown (10.81).
Americans Tianna Madison (10.85) and Allyson Felix (10.89) were fourth and fifth, respectively.
"Everything happens for a reason," said Baptiste, "and I applaud Shelly-Ann Fraser. It just shows what champions are made of. To be able to win successive Olympic titles, that's no easy feat. Hats off to her."
Baptiste could not keep pace with the leaders in the second half of the championship race.
"It wasn't well put together. I'm hugely disappointed, and I'm really trying to contain myself. I know I'm a better athlete."
Drawn on the inside, in lane two, Baptiste did not have a feel for what was happening in the middle of the race.
"I couldn't see anyone. I just tried to run my own race."
In the semi-final round, Baptiste finished third in heat two in 11 seconds flat, and had to wait on the result of heat three to know her fate. She got into the final as a "fastest loser".
Baptiste has been attending to an Achilles injury this season, but insisted it did not affect her here in London.
"Not my performance at the Olympics, but preparations in between. That's not even an excuse because injuries are part of the sport, and that's something you have to handle and be mature about. I would never place that as a reason I didn't perform. It's just that I didn't put it together at the time. Winners and champions find a way to win, and clearly Shelly-Ann did."
Semoy Hackett was unable to reproduce her personal best 11.04 seconds clocking from round one, the T&T sprinter finishing fifth in the opening semifinal heat in 11.26.
"The race wasn't properly distributed," she told the Sunday Express.
"At ten metres I felt I was too low. I felt I was going to fall, so I tried to get up and sprint to catch the pack. It was not as good as I wanted the race to be. I was satisfied with the 11.04 from (Friday), and I was trying to execute this race the same way, but unfortunately I didn't do it.
"I'm trying to make the final for the 200," Hackett continued, "hopefully medal, and then go on to the relay."
Michelle-Lee Ahye also bowed out in the semifinal round of the 100m dash, the 20-year-old T&T athlete finishing eighth in semifinal number three in 11.32 seconds.
"My first Olympics…I'm young. So I'm not really worried. Bigger and better things for Worlds."
Baptiste is also hoping for an improved performance at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Russia.
"I have a lot to prove to myself. The battle is within me and my abilities, and what I think I'm capable of. World Championships next year, that's my aim," Baptiste ended. "I'm just going to keep on working harder."
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Congrats to all the athletes so far who gave their all for RBW. George, RT and KAB making the final was great. Unfortunately they came up short. I know George and KAB are very disappointment, but we know in we heart yhey have all the best intentions for TT. RT was always swimming against the tide. But his performance in the final was really inspiring. Some how it appears all our hope for at least one medal is slipping. But I have faith in the 2 Gordons, Jisane and the relay teams. Maybe Cleopatra will surprise us? I have not heard anything about Walcott. Good luck and God Bless. Thanks for the joys. Now onto Rio.
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Congrats to all the athletes so far who gave their all for RBW. George, RT and KAB making the final was great. Unfortunately they came up short. I know George and KAB are very disappointment, but we know in we heart yhey have all the best intentions for TT. RT was always swimming against the tide. But his performance in the final was really inspiring. Some how it appears all our hope for at least one medal is slipping. But I have faith in the 2 Gordons, Jisane and the relay teams. Maybe Cleopatra will surprise us? I have not heard anything about Walcott. Good luck and God Bless. Thanks for the joys. Now onto Rio.
Cleopatra is out.
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Cycling coming up in a few minutes
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Cycling coming up in a few minutes
Keep me updated I expect d Brits 2 show it but u neva know. I remain home 2 c this race.
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Phillip lose the first one against Kenny
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Philip can get a medal if he loses, this semi. The Australian looking ripe for a cut tail in the next heat. Philip needs to have a good lead on the brit to win.
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http://www.youtube.com/v/aT-DCTj7H0s
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Kenny too fast....
Phillip going for bronze
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Kenny too fast....
Phillip going for bronze
Yup, I think he can beat the Australian
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When is the bronze medal race?
Edit: 12:43 et.
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When is the bronze medal race?
12:45 pm
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http://www.youtube.com/v/aT-DCTj7H0s
If anyone is still in doubt as to the merits of this little flea looking shithound, then this video is all the proof you need...
Imagine he and his father STILL talking about the unfair nature of the scoring system at the Olympics??
Who's fault is it that they went to the Olympics not understanding the sport they were participating in --- On Trinidad's dime for that matter. They still talking about knock downs and hurting the opponent, and still fail to understand that the scoring system is about landing contact blows on the opponent to score points. Olympic boxing is more akin to fencing in that way, any casual observer who has seen it on TV already knows this, but these fools still talking about the force of the blows. You cannot go there with the mindset of a professional boxer and expect to win.
I want Mister "-20% chance of me representing Trinidad again" Suarez to turn pro, then let nuff boxers blaze he ass good and proper.
Schupid imps.
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Cycling on now!
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Perkins just edge out Phillip in the first race...
come on Phillip!
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Went too early
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Went too early
first Olympics I watch this event, and it's real pressure, speed and strategy...
I hope Phillip can re-gather and get er done
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Second race on now
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No medal. Stueps man give the man too much space for
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Nice run Philip
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Damn......
Man did us proud however, best T&T finish ever.
What in the water in Siparia that produces such fast cyclists?
Leslie Rawlins, Maxwell Cheeseman, and now Phillips - big up to the southland.
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Kelly beat Bauge in 2 straight rides, boy? Wow!!
Bauge has been a beast in recent years.
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Let's hope that new cycling velodrome in Trinidad creates more cyclist
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totally did us proud...
Represented the red, white and black well!
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Damn......
Man did us proud however, best T&T finish ever.
What in the water in Siparia that produces such fast cyclists?
Leslie Rawlins, Maxwell Cheeseman, and now Phillips - big up to the southland.
Yeah, he came out of nowhere and caught all of our attention, real proud of the youth.
The commentator mentioned during his last ride that he would tie Gene Samuel's 4th place finish the KM time trial in 84 olympics. So he's now tied for the best place ever by a TT cyclist at an olympics, according to the commentator
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Hard luck Jisane.oy like we blight this olimpic. We can get flippin bligh. On to Rio. He is going for the bronze or this is it.
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Hope that Margaret Ottley (sport psychologist) working overtime in the next few days.
Need to get our finalists focused on what they need to do regardless of the hype and grandeur, and awaken that killer instinct.
Afternoon session start, women's 200m heats in play on www.NBCOlympics.com. As usual NBC TV playing de arse viewing equestrian
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Semoy Hackett second in her heat behind Allyson Felix. Through to the 200 semis.
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Damn......
Man did us proud however, best T&T finish ever.
What in the water in Siparia that produces such fast cyclists?
Leslie Rawlins, Maxwell Cheeseman, and now Phillips - big up to the southland.
Yeah, he came out of nowhere and caught all of our attention, real proud of the youth.
The commentator mentioned during his last ride that he would tie Gene Samuel's 4th place finish the KM time trial in 84 olympics. So he's now tied for the best place ever by a TT cyclist at an olympics, according to the commentator
I had a Gene Samuel flashback 2days ago that materialize 2day.
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Anybody have a link to live BBC TV? I done with NBC!!
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Kai Selvon 4th in her heat. One of the fastest losers so far.
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Anybody have a link to live BBC TV? I done with NBC!!
Try this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/live-video/bbc_one_2012_hd
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http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/londonspy/us-audience-fumes-nbc-shows-equestrian-replay-instead-223035713.html
US audience fumes after NBC doesn't broadcast 100m final live
By Eurosport | London Spy
While as many as two billion people around the world were watching arguably the greatest 100m final of all time, most athletics fans in the US were being treated to a replay of the equestrian event.
NBC, who are the rights holders for Olympic broadcasts in the USA, have taken the decision throughout the Games to offer highlight packages of the day's action in their primetime slots.
They showed the London 2012 Opening Ceremony several hours after it had finished (and came under fire for cutting out a poignant tribute section to London terror victims), and have missed out on hundreds of hours of footage as it happens.
The decision will be hard to understand in the UK, where viewers have been treated to rolling live coverage throughout the day.
But despite the 100m final taking place at 1645 on Sunday on the east coast of the US, and around lunchtime on the west coast, the race was not shown until primetime.
"Dear NBC - you may have heard that we Americans occasionally watch live sports on Sunday afternoons. You incredible doofuses," tweeted Forbes contributor Tom Watson.
"Usain Bolt finished so fast, NBC's delay will only be 5 hours," joked Jennifer Healy.
"Shameful, selfish and stupid," was the verdict of Twitter user TLanceB.
NBC did offer a streaming service online for fans who wanted to see the race live — but that too was reportedly struck down at the crucial moment.
"Streaming the 100m final live online... buffering right as the runners get into their blocks," tweeted Jake Willis.
Matt Erickson added: "Tried to watch 100m final live online. Started buffering right before start... and picked back up right after finish. Thanks, NBC!"
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Kai Selvon 4th in her heat. One of the fastest losers so far.
She qualified for the semis.
J Gordon is up!
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f**king Sanchez silence the crowd
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Gordon 6th :(
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2 men run 47.
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f**king Sanchez silence the crowd
Legend!
2001 World Champion
2003 World Champion
2004 Olympic Champion
2012 Olympic Champion
Came back from Injuries...and now at 34 almost 35..."Super Felix", "the Invincible", "Superman", "the Dictator" has gold once more!
What a story.
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So where does J Gordon go from here >> he must have had high expectations ... he does not run smooth and these other hurdlers
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Ole man Sanchez yes.
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Good run Jehue!! He ran his heart out to make the finals but I guess there was not much left in the tank, and they gave him a really unfair lane based on his time and placing in the semis
But man can't we do better than 4th through 7th?
Mr. Lalonde on deck - someone please slap him and make him mad just before the race!!
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Good run Jehue!! He ran his heart out to make the finals but I guess there was not much left in the tank, and they gave him a really unfair lane based on his time and placing in the semis
But man can't we do better than 4th through 7th?
Mr. Lalonde on deck - someone please slap him and make him mad just before the race!!
yup that was a shit lane
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If he had run his time from the semis... bronze.
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http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/londonspy/us-audience-fumes-nbc-shows-equestrian-replay-instead-223035713.html
US audience fumes after NBC doesn't broadcast 100m final live
By Eurosport | London Spy
While as many as two billion people around the world were watching arguably the greatest 100m final of all time, most athletics fans in the US were being treated to a replay of the equestrian event.
NBC, who are the rights holders for Olympic broadcasts in the USA, have taken the decision throughout the Games to offer highlight packages of the day's action in their primetime slots.
They showed the London 2012 Opening Ceremony several hours after it had finished (and came under fire for cutting out a poignant tribute section to London terror victims), and have missed out on hundreds of hours of footage as it happens.
The decision will be hard to understand in the UK, where viewers have been treated to rolling live coverage throughout the day.
But despite the 100m final taking place at 1645 on Sunday on the east coast of the US, and around lunchtime on the west coast, the race was not shown until primetime.
"Dear NBC - you may have heard that we Americans occasionally watch live sports on Sunday afternoons. You incredible doofuses," tweeted Forbes contributor Tom Watson.
"Usain Bolt finished so fast, NBC's delay will only be 5 hours," joked Jennifer Healy.
"Shameful, selfish and stupid," was the verdict of Twitter user TLanceB.
NBC did offer a streaming service online for fans who wanted to see the race live — but that too was reportedly struck down at the crucial moment.
"Streaming the 100m final live online... buffering right as the runners get into their blocks," tweeted Jake Willis.
Matt Erickson added: "Tried to watch 100m final live online. Started buffering right before start... and picked back up right after finish. Thanks, NBC!"
The frustrating thing is, on www.nbcolympics.com the coverage starts to buffer as many more users jump on. Saw the men on their marks then the victory lap....steups
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Semis kill man, this new format is too much
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So where does J Gordon go from here >> he must have had high expectations ... he does not run smooth and these other hurdlers
Jehue has reached his apogee training in T&T. He needs to move on, get a new coach etc.
Loyalty to coaches should last as long as you winning.
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How Gordon get lane 7?
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Btw, Njisane Phillips will be up in the Kerin Sprints tmw (probably spelled that wrong) So he has another chance at medalling
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How Gordon get lane 7?
Britain's Greene who was lucky to get in as a slowest qualifier get a better lane than Jehue!
I think these Olympic officials are shitting with T&T and our useless NAAA just quietly swallowing all the biased treatment! :-\
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Btw, Njisane Phillips will be up in the Kerin Sprints tmw (probably spelled that wrong) So he has another chance at medalling
:beermug:
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When the other gordon runnin? 400m.
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Sanchez really Dominican ;D
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When the other gordon runnin? 400m.
4:30 PM
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Sanchez really Dominican ;D
Born in the Bronx to DR parents
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Medal!
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BRONZE!!!!
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Finally!! Thank the lord...Bronze!!!!
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Sanchez really Dominican ;D
Born in the Bronx to DR parents
Was making a joke about his emotions, all the guys I know from DR have machismo through the roof.
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WHAT A FREAKING RACE! This man is the real deal...watch him!!! he will soon be challenging them for gold and dominance!
This is no fluke!
ALMOST A SILVER TOO!
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Congrats Lalonde!! Well done
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Sanchez really Dominican ;D
Born in the Bronx to DR parents
So that makes two 400m medallists from the Bronx then? :whistling: ;D
Big Up Grenada! Awesome performance from Kirani, Grenada must be going crazy. And well done Lalande as well.
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PHEEWWW
at last.. I was getting worried ;D
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Is this the biggest surprise of the games? I think so..
Congrats Lalonde! I smell your next medal in the 4x400
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Sanchez really Dominican ;D
Born in the Bronx to DR parents
So that makes two 400m medallists from the Bronx then? :whistling: ;D
Big Up Grenada! Awesome performance from Kirani, Grenada must be going crazy. And well done Lalande as well.
The papers say the man from Tobago but please, do tell...
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Is this is probably the biggest surprise of the games? I think so..
Congrats Lalonde! I smell your next medal in the 4x400
Big surprise for some! After the National Championships I warned to watch Lalonde he on de up and up...I going and highlight that post now and change the color to red.
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Sanchez really Dominican ;D
Born in the Bronx to DR parents
So that makes two 400m medallists from the Bronx then? :whistling: ;D
Big Up Grenada! Awesome performance from Kirani, Grenada must be going crazy. And well done Lalande as well.
First non-US 400m runner under 44.00 - finally. And a high quality race, all but 1 man ran sub-45, with 8th in 45.14
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Finally. Thank you father! who came second?
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The litle fella from DR
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WHAT A FREAKING RACE! This man is the real deal...watch him!!! he will soon be challenging them for gold and dominance!
This is no fluke!
ALMOST A SILVER TOO!
Trini, you go thank the Lord? :praying: :praying: :praying:
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WHAT A FREAKING RACE! This man is the real deal...watch him!!! he will soon be challenging them for gold and dominance!
This is no fluke!
ALMOST A SILVER TOO!
Trini, you go thank the Lord? :praying: :praying: :praying:
You know who I celebrating with all now?? lol ;)
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Gordon beat Clement Heh
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Gordon beat Clement Heh
That same Gordon if he continues with his belief and dedication will soon be ebating EVERYONE!
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Congrats Lalonde!
the drought is over...you made us proud
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Congrats Lalonde!
the drought is over...you made us proud
Incredibly, the first and only other T&T 400m Olympic medal since Mottley's silver in 1964
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Congrats Lalonde!
the drought is over...you made us proud
Incredibly, the first and only other T&T 400m Olympic medal since Mottley's silver in 1964
Indeed, Almost 50 years later!
And an incredible run. He was in 5th or 6th in the last 130m and charged home for bronze...
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I seriously forgot bout Mottley silver. I was so traumatise bout morris.
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I seriously forgot bout Mottley silver. I was so traumatise bout morris.
You can go to this link to refresh your memory about our past Olympians: http://www.socawarriors.net/forum/index.php?topic=54969.0
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Lalonde Gordon must be our biggest surprise medalist ever.Only avid T&T sports fans would of known about him and even them including me didn't expect him to medal.All our previous medalist in weightlighting,track,and swimming they were pretty well known in Trinidad circles and most even on the world circuit
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Congrats Lalonde!
the drought is over...you made us proud
Incredibly, the first and only other T&T 400m Olympic medal since Mottley's silver in 1964
Indeed, Almost 50 years later!
And an incredible run. He was in 5th or 6th in the last 130m and charged home for bronze...
INCREDIBLE because before the recent surge in 100m OG showings by T&T, most of our OG T&F finalists and semi-finalists have been in the 400m and 4x400m relay, but we have been so unlucky just placing outside the medals; we even had 2 in the finals in 1980 - Mike Solomon (Jarrin Solomon's dad) and Mike Coombs (both from Trincity Striders)
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T&T Medals by sport
Sport Gold Silver Bronze Total
Athletics 1 4 5 11
Weightlifting 0 1 2 3
Swimming 0 0 1 1
Total 1 5 8 15
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T&T Medals by sport
Sport Gold Silver Bronze Total
Athletics 1 4 5 11
Weightlifting 0 1 2 3
Swimming 0 0 1 1
Total 1 5 8 15
Phelps have 21
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Aye I miss 100m hurdles this morning shite, i didn't see lolo run :(
Highlights?
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T&T Medals by sport
Sport Gold Silver Bronze Total
Athletics 1 4 5 11
Weightlifting 0 1 2 3
Swimming 0 0 1 1
Total 1 5 8 15
Phelps have 21
He actually has 22...18 Gold, 2 silver and 2 Bronze.
Not to mention he has won a total of 71 medals in major international long-course competition, 57 gold, 11 silver, and 3 bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific Championships.
He set 39 world records (29 individual, 10 relay).
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T&T Medals by sport
Sport Gold Silver Bronze Total
Athletics 1 4 5 11
Weightlifting 0 1 2 3
Swimming 0 0 1 1
Total 1 5 8 15
Phelps have 21
More than have de countries in de Olympics have less medals than Phelps
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Lalonde Gordon must be our biggest surprise medalist ever.Only avid T&T sports fans would of known about him and even them including me didn't expect him to medal.All our previous medalist in weightlighting,track,and swimming they were pretty well known in Trinidad circles and most even on the world circuit
Caught me and we by surprise. Nice surprrise though!!! Thanks Lalonde!
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what about Cleopatra and Walcott?
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what about Cleopatra and Walcott?
She is out , Walcott has not started yet
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Congrats Lalonde!
the drought is over...you made us proud
Incredibly, the first and only other T&T 400m Olympic medal since Mottley's silver in 1964
Indeed, Almost 50 years later!
And an incredible run. He was in 5th or 6th in the last 130m and charged home for bronze...
It is reported that his coach told him to take it easy at first and use his speed at the end to finish......one more foot step and he would have had silver...... :applause: :applause:
I didn't know nutten bout he until the past few days when he started his heats. And to add to the surprise he from TOBAGO!!!!.....
<<<<<<BOOOOOMMMMM!!!>>>>>>>> :wavetowel: :wavetowel: :flamethrower: :cheers:
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Now to post about another Tobagonian. Renny Quow. What really happened there?
Ah hearing this evening during an Andre Errol Baptiste report on the phone from London, that Renny Quow was declared unfit just before he was to take the field to run in his heat for the 400m. It is now being alleged that he/the team knew that he was not fit before he left for London and possibly should not have made the trip at all.
He will not be in the 400 m relay. So he will take no part in these Olympics......Interesting.....very interesting.....
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I have been reading about him in the newspaper clips. But was not expecting him dey.
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Now to post about another Tobagonian. Renny Quow. What really happened there?
Ah hearing this evening during an Andre Errol Baptiste report on the phone from London, that Renny Quow was declared unfit just before he was to take the field to run in his heat for the 400m. It is now being alleged that he/the team knew that he was not fit before he left for London and possibly should not have made the trip at all.
He will not be in the 400 m relay. So he will take no part in these Olympics......Interesting.....very interesting.....
Stueps so ah man get a free ride, who will replace him?
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We have a fifth man in Machel Cedenio with a PR of 46.02, who would have run the semis to rest one of the other guys (Quow, Lendore or Lalonde), but as it stands the remaining 4 will have to run their liver string out to make the final, and if in the final, to medal. Their PBs all from this year are Gordon (44.52), Lendore (45.13), Solomon (45.31), and Cedenio (46.02).
In ONE race it is plausible for Cedenio to lead off in 46 or 45 high, Lendore and Solomon to split mid to high 44s, and Gordon to anchor in 44 flat or 43 high. On paper with clean exchanges, that can give us a 2:58 high to 2:59.
To do that twice is now a very tall order without Quow, and even a 2:59 is not assured a medal, even with a weakened US team (no Merritt).
There's the Bahamas sure to come out for redemption after not medalling with 3/2 guys in the semis/final, the US, The Belgians with the Borlee twins, Dominican Republic with Santos and Sanchez, UK, Russia, Poland, Kenya, and even Cuba and Venezuela - all capable of running right at 3:00 or under.
Maybe lightning will try twice for us and Lendore, Solomon or Cedenio would run above their form, as Gordon did.
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Jehue should be included in the 4X4.
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we will soon have to 200m men available
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We have a fifth man in Machel Cedenio with a PR of 46.02, who would have run the semis to rest one of the other guys (Quow, Lendore or Lalonde), but as it stands the remaining 4 will have to run their liver string out to make the final, and if in the final, to medal. Their PBs all from this year are Gordon (44.52), Lendore (45.13), Solomon (45.31), and Cedenio (46.02).
In ONE race it is plausible for Cedenio to lead off in 46 or 45 high, Lendore and Solomon to split mid to high 44s, and Gordon to anchor in 44 flat or 43 high. On paper with clean exchanges, that can give us a 2:58 high to 2:59.
To do that twice is now a very tall order without Quow, and even a 2:59 is not assured a medal, even with a weakened US team (no Merritt).
There's the Bahamas sure to come out for redemption after not medalling with 3/2 guys in the semis/final, the US, The Belgians with the Borlee twins, Dominican Republic with Santos and Sanchez, UK, Russia, Poland, Kenya, and even Cuba and Venezuela - all capable of running right at 3:00 or under.
Maybe lightning will try twice for us and Lendore, Solomon or Cedenio would run above their form, as Gordon did.
cedenio is young and ran a lot this season so his tank may be close to empty, i cant see him doing semis and finals. i think jehue will run 1 race and cedenio the other. i will go with cedenio in the semis and jehue in the finals since he is more experienced. i think cedenio will do a great job and surprise ppl, he is a future star.
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Just to get to the finals requires an A team from Trinidad. Cedenio's 400m PB is significantly better than Jehue's.
He also has enough 400m and 4x400m experience on a big stage - World Youth, World Juniors, and has run with the senior team several times this year. This is not the time to experiment with options. The team may have to break the national record just to make the finals so we have to go with our best talent.
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We have a fifth man in Machel Cedenio with a PR of 46.02, who would have run the semis to rest one of the other guys (Quow, Lendore or Lalonde), but as it stands the remaining 4 will have to run their liver string out to make the final, and if in the final, to medal. Their PBs all from this year are Gordon (44.52), Lendore (45.13), Solomon (45.31), and Cedenio (46.02).
In ONE race it is plausible for Cedenio to lead off in 46 or 45 high, Lendore and Solomon to split mid to high 44s, and Gordon to anchor in 44 flat or 43 high. On paper with clean exchanges, that can give us a 2:58 high to 2:59.
To do that twice is now a very tall order without Quow, and even a 2:59 is not assured a medal, even with a weakened US team (no Merritt).
There's the Bahamas sure to come out for redemption after not medalling with 3/2 guys in the semis/final, the US, The Belgians with the Borlee twins, Dominican Republic with Santos and Sanchez, UK, Russia, Poland, Kenya, and even Cuba and Venezuela - all capable of running right at 3:00 or under.
Maybe lightning will try twice for us and Lendore, Solomon or Cedenio would run above their form, as Gordon did.
In the 4x400m relay if you want to create you best possible chance of medalling then you need to establish a lead over your opponents from early in the race which means you need at least one of your two fastest runners on the opening two legs.
You then hope that the other two runners on legs 3 and 4 can run their skins off (PB's) to hold on to the lead you have established on your opponents. So we need Lalonde on either leg one or leg two and I would definitely put Jehue on the squad.
This was the order of the 4x400m relay squad when we set a new national record in June this year:-
Renny Quow >> Lalonde Gordon >> Jarrin Solomon >> Deon Lendore.
I would suggest keeping a similar order as near as we possibly can with the healthy 400m runners we currently have!
So here are some suggested relay orders for us to make the final and possibly medal.
4x400m relay Heats:
Lalonde Gordon >> Machel Cedino >> Jarrin Solomon >> Deon Lendore
4x400m relay Final:
Lalonde Gordon >> Jehue Gordon >> Jarrin Solomon >> Deon Lendore
Btw fellas, I've already created a special thread for the relays called London Olympics Men and Women's 4x100m and 4x400m Relay Thread! at this link: http://www.socawarriors.net/forum/index.php?topic=57606.0 so please post your ideas for our relay squads performing at their best in that thread.
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Phillips on now vs a Malaysian. Ok iz a group of them. The Spaniard had a small collision with Phillips it look like and the race paused. Race restartin.
4th. I think he still gets to compete.
Oh ok that was the repechages and that's it. Sprint cycling looks tough.
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he out
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has the minor final for placings..
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Phillip had a good ride ! finishes 7th in Kierin , won the race
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Aye! alyuh see that Chris Hoy fellah from GB just pedal there? lord!! f**king beast mode , man switch on a next gear again at the end
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Sally Pearson is an amazing hurdler
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Semoy just tied the NR of 22.55. She is currently the fastest of the 2 fastest losers. Let hope she makes it to the final.
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Semoy just tied the NR of 22.55. She is currently the fastest of the 2 fastest losers. Let hope she makes it to the final.
She through, congrats Semoy :beermug:
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Semoy makes it to the final as the fastest loser!!! :beermug:
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Fantastic! Well done
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Semoy makes it to the final as the fastest loser!!! :beermug:
Well done Semoy, great experience for you and of course anything can happen on the day, so run your heart out
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I miss the first two races :(
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Congrats Semoy!
FINAL: 4:00PM EST Wed, August 8
Lane Bib Athlete Country SB 2012 PB
2 1791 Myriam Soumaré FRA 22.56 22.32
3 3058 Semoy Hackett TRI 22.55 22.55
4 2197 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce JAM 22.10 22.10
5 2194 Veronica Campbell-Brown JAM 22.32 21.74
6 3313 Sanya Richards-Ross USA 22.09 22.09
7 3287 Allyson Felix USA 21.69 21.69
8 1402 Murielle Ahoure CIV 22.42 22.42
9 3299 Carmelita Jeter USA 22.11 22.11
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Sally Pearson. Love that woman what a great hurdler.
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Sally Pearson. Love that woman what a great hurdler.
Plus she is a virgin too, can you believe that? :devil:
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If she is a virgin, her husband is a eunuch
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If she is a virgin, her husband is a eunuch
Well apparently she is well known in America after making such a statement on Twitter according to Michael Johnson in his commentary after her race!
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Sally Pearson. Love that woman what a great hurdler.
Plus she is a virgin too, can you believe that? :devil:
You sure is not Lolo Jones?
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Sally Pearson. Love that woman what a great hurdler.
Plus she is a virgin too, can you believe that? :devil:
You sure is not Lolo Jones?
Maybe it was Lolo that MJ was referring to in his commentary.
Does Lolo profess to be a virgin by any chance?
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Sally Pearson. Love that woman what a great hurdler.
Plus she is a virgin too, can you believe that? :devil:
You sure is not Lolo Jones?
Maybe it was Lolo that MJ was referring to in his commentary.
Does Lolo profess to be a virgin by any chance?
yup ;)
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Sally Pearson. Love that woman what a great hurdler.
Plus she is a virgin too, can you believe that? :devil:
You sure is not Lolo Jones?
Maybe it was Lolo that MJ was referring to in his commentary.
Does Lolo profess to be a virgin by any chance?
yup ;)
She's obviously not hanging with fellas like me!
What ah waste of a fit body! >:(
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ahahahaha :devil: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: everybody saying the same thing
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Sally Pearson. Love that woman what a great hurdler.
Plus she is a virgin too, can you believe that? :devil:
You sure is not Lolo Jones?
Maybe it was Lolo that MJ was referring to in his commentary.
Does Lolo profess to be a virgin by any chance?
yup ;)
She's obviously not hanging with fellas like me!
What ah waste of a fit body! >:(
Yuh woulda suck out de virginity ent?
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Maybe if Lolo was taking Toto and did get put in some roast fowl she would be more limber and cruise over dem damn hurdles and have ah medal all now.
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we will see Lolo in Rio!
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Lolo need some comforting all now. If only Ato would pass a message to she and Brigitte Foster-Hylton for meh.
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Davis out. Nice try young man. 5th or 6th he finished.
13.49
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Semoy tried her best but she didn't stand a chance against this crop...Happy for Allison Felix...
Position Lane Bib Athlete Country Mark . React
1 7 3287 Allyson Felix USA 21.88 . 0.174
2 4 2197 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce JAM 22.09 (PB) 0.169
3 9 3299 Carmelita Jeter USA 22.14 . 0.167
4 5 2194 Veronica Campbell-Brown JAM 22.38 . 0.176
5 6 3313 Sanya Richards-Ross USA 22.39 . 0.171
6 8 1402 Murielle Ahoure CIV 22.57 . 0.161
7 2 1791 Myriam Soumaré FRA 22.63 . 0.157
8 3 3058 Semoy Hackett TRI 22.87 . 0.150
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That's ok she just has to bring it in the 4x100m.
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That start time crazy, though!
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It was but she was still a bit sluggish in the drive phase. She was definitely tired but it was a great experience for her so now she can build on that for next year. Im looking for KAB to be among these finalists at the next world champs or the one after. I would want her to be a consistent 22.2-22.3 sprinter and in championships be able to dip into the 22.0/22.1 range then she will be able to have a superb last 50 in the 100m.
All I can say is bring on the relays we can medal in all 3. Just a matter of the executing and having that killer instinct to get that medal.
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don't worry about coming last in test son, at least yuh was there
That was my friend's status on facebook and it was aimed at the public response to Semoy Hackett's 8th place finish. I've significantly reduced my comments to stuff people say because I am quick to argue a useless battle hard. I broke that by responding to that because on the one hand 8th place is last in the final, but on the other hand I felt his response belittled how difficult it was for her to get into the final in the first place. I figure if you don't think she deserves congratulations then it is better to say nothing to make light of her accomplishment. If it were that easy for female T&T athletes to get to the final, wouldn't we have seen more over the years? I got comparisons to beauty pageants, finishing 10th in the Premier League and references to Kirani James to show why he should say that.
How hard is it for us to set realistic expectations of our athletes at this elite level? Who determines what is realistic and where do we draw the line between mediocrity and a great effort just not being good enough? I don't think we should roll out the red carpet or give a million dollars every time an athlete achieves international acclaim, but surely it won't cost us much to appreciate a job well done - even if that job is 8th place.
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don't worry about coming last in test son, at least yuh was there
That was my friend's status on facebook and it was aimed at the public response to Semoy Hackett's 8th place finish. I've significantly reduced my comments to stuff people say because I am quick to argue a useless battle hard. I broke that by responding to that because on the one hand 8th place is last in the final, but on the other hand I felt his response belittled how difficult it was for her to get into the final in the first place. I figure if you don't think she deserves congratulations then it is better to say nothing to make light of her accomplishment. If it were that easy for female T&T athletes to get to the final, wouldn't we have seen more over the years? I got comparisons to beauty pageants, finishing 10th in the Premier League and references to Kirani James to show why he should say that.
How hard is it for us to set realistic expectations of our athletes at this elite level? Who determines what is realistic and where do we draw the line between mediocrity and a great effort just not being good enough? I don't think we should roll out the red carpet or give a million dollars every time an athlete achieves international acclaim, but surely it won't cost us much to appreciate a job well done - even if that job is 8th place.
What Wolf!!! you sound like an intellectual, dey!!
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No way she was medalling, she will get better and it's good experience.
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Dwolfman the people making those comments generally don't have a clue... its laughable. They don't know Semoy just came out of a rough season at college. After the ban- who knows how she was treated by her teammates and those around her, emotions may have been up and down. Then has an exhausting season outdoors for LSU- yet makes it through with a medal in the 100. Qualifies at our champs then at the Olympics runs 2 rounds in the 100 and 2 rounds in the 200 before the final at her first time in the event at the Olympics. All the other athletes she faced are pro athletes and many running under those circumstances for years... she's just come out of college what more do they want. It takes time, hard hard hard work, sacrifice, dedication and mental strength to develop into a medal winner. She surpassed many expectations in even being in that final.... when last have they seen a Tnt woman in a 200 final at the Olympics. Our athletes don't have the luxury of training at home under the guidance of a knowledgeable and experienced home coach like some if the others. They've made it thus far and will continue to grow and I applaud them!
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From Peter Smauel:
Before the start of the Ladies 200m Finals, I would like to put some things into prospective for you all.
Semoys first Olympic appearance was at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where at 18 she competed in the 100 metres sprint and placed fourth in her first round heat, which normally meant elimination. However, her time of 11.53 seconds was among the ten fastest losing times and she qualified for th
e second round. There she failed to qualify for the semi finals with a time of 11.46.
Now four years later at the 2012 Olympics in London, she again competed in the 100 metres sprint and ran her personal best (PB) of 11.04, which got her into the semi-finals. In the 200m sprint, she again ran her PB, a time of 22.55, equaling our National Record and advancing her into the Finals. The first Trinidad & Tobago female athlete to ever qualify for a 200m final at the Olympics.
In the finals she will be running against some of the best 200m runners the World has ever seen. Between them they have Nine Olympic Gold medals; Four Olympic Silver Medals and Three Olympic Bronze Medals. They also have Twenty World Championship Gold Medals; Twelve World Championship Silver Medals and Three World Championship Bronze Medals.
Semoy you are amongst the worlds best on the worlds biggest athletic stage. You have already done me PROUD, Win Lose or Draw ah have yuh back… Rep 868
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Dwolfman the people making those comments generally don't have a clue... its laughable. They don't know Semoy just came out of a rough season at college. After the ban- who knows how she was treated by her teammates and those around her, emotions may have been up and down. Then has an exhausting season outdoors for LSU- yet makes it through with a medal in the 100. Qualifies at our champs then at the Olympics runs 2 rounds in the 100 and 2 rounds in the 200 before the final at her first time in the event at the Olympics. All the other athletes she faced are pro athletes and many running under those circumstances for years... she's just come out of college what more do they want. It takes time, hard hard hard work, sacrifice, dedication and mental strength to develop into a medal winner. She surpassed many expectations in even being in that final.... when last have they seen a Tnt woman in a 200 final at the Olympics. Our athletes don't have the luxury of training at home under the guidance of a knowledgeable and experienced home coach like some if the others. They've made it thus far and will continue to grow and I applaud them!
:beermug:
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164530.html
Gordon bids for second medal
Thursday, August 9 2012
THE TRINIDAD and Tobago men’s 4x400-metre relay team, featuring 400m bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon, as well as the women’s 4x100m relay squad, will be in action in their respective First Round heats in the 30th Olympiad today at the Olympic Stadium, London, England.
The men’s 4x400m relay squad will feature in the First Round at 6.35 am and the women’s 4x100m quartet will be participating in their heat from 3.20 pm.
Both teams will be vying to ensure qualification for their respective Finals tomorrow.
With Renny Quow unable to recover from injury and out of the Games, Gordon will lead the charge for the TT men’s team along with Deon Lendore (who was eliminated in the 400m First Round) and the trio of United States-born 26-year-old Jarrin Solomon, 23-year-old Ade Alleyne-Forte and the 16- year-old Machel Cedenio, the youngest Trinbagonian on the 2012 Olympic team.
In heat one, Trinidad and Tobago will start in lane two, followed by (lanes three-nine) Great Britain, Belgium, South Africa, Cuba, Kenya, Germany and Poland while heat two will have Dominican Republic, United States, Australia, Venezuela, Japan, Russia, Bahamas and Jamaica.
In both 4x400m relays, the best-placed teams go through, as well as a set number of the fastest losing teams across all the heats. The following rounds run on the same format, until eight teams qualify for the respective Finals.
Semoy Hackett may feature in the TT women’s 4x100m relay team, less than 24 hours after she participated in the women’s 200m Final.
Kelly-Ann Baptiste, the sixth-place finisher in the women’s 100m Final, is also likely to compete, as well as Michelle-Lee Ahye, Kai Selvon and the unused pair of 24-year-old Reyare Thomas and 20-year-old Sparkle McKnight.
Trinidad and Tobago will run in lane four of heat one, with the United States in lane two, followed by Nigeria (three), Japan (five), Switzerland (six), Brazil (seven), Netherlands (eight) and Bahamas (nine).
The countries in heat two are Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Colombia, Jamaica, Russia, France and Germany.
Speaking from London on Tuesday, TT track and field squad manager Dexter Voisin pointed out, “the relay teams, we are preparing, we’re taking it step by step.
“The first thing we have to do is get to the finals. The relay (competitions) are also tough.
“All the countries participating for the relays are also tough. All our teams have to really put out to make the finals,” he ended.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164505.html
Kirani writes history with his feet
By Miranda La Rose Thursday, August 9 2012
No longer will tiny Grenada be known only for nutmegs and invasion, but it will now be known for producing an Olympic gold medallist, Kirani James, who has gone “from bare feet to golden feet” and from the “fishing capital of Gouyave to the highly cultured city of London.”
In his address at a rally on Tuesday evening at Gouyave, the fisher folk hometown in Grenada where James was born, Grenada prime minister Tillman Thomas told the people of Grenada that James “rewrote the history of Grenada with his feet.”
On Monday, James became Grenada’s first Olympic medallist with a golden win in men’s 400 metres final, in the which Trinidad and Tobago’s Lalonde Gordon won bronze and Lugelin Santos of Dominican Republic copped the silver medal.
Present at the rally–which was followed by cultural entertainment and a street party — were James’ mother, Annie James and father, Jurani Marshall whom Thomas congratulated and thanked “for bringing up such an exceptional son.”
He also expressed gratitude to James’ coaches, past and present, for the fantastic job they did in recognising his talent and preparing him for the world stage.
In spite of his latest achievement, he said James, known in his hometown as ‘‘The Jaguar’’, was a very humble person. “We are proud because Grenada has given to the world a model youth,” Thomas said noting that he could not help but express his admiration of the 19-year-old who exchanged his bib with Oscar Pistorius, the South African double-amputee athlete who ran the semi-finals with James.
Rather than basking in his own victory, James told the world, Thomas said, “of his admiration for Pistorius and pointed out that Pistorius was an inspiration for us all.”
Addressing James in his absence, Thomas said, “Your journey to these games has not only been a journey of personal sacrifice and commitment, but one of love and dedication to your homeland.
“You have made our country proud and for this we love, admire and thank you.”
James’ talent, he said, has challenged all citizens to become beacons of light for the younger generation.
Coming from a poor background, Thomas said James has challenged people to be the best they could be in spite of constraints, to be disciplined and focus, to be diligent and vigorous, to be humble in victory and embrace opponents, and to put country first and bring honour to the nation.
By his victory, Thomas said James did not only win the race, but he was the first non-American in over 40 years to run the 400 metres in under 44 seconds.
Meanwhile, Thomas said a deserving award to honour James was yet to be identified.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164501.html
AL HAIL TOCO BOY
By STEPHON NICHOLAS Thursday, August 9 2012
Nineteen-year-old Keshorn Walcott continues to create history for Trinidad and Tobago, advancing to the Olympic final of men's Javelin Throw with a herculean effort in his third and last attempt of the qualifying phase in London yesterday.
Needing a massive effort after registering throws below 80 metres, Walcott produced a huge 81.75 metres heave that sealed a historic spot in Saturday's final.
The Toco athlete finished tenth overall out of 44 competitors, bettering several more experienced and accomplished rivals including current world champion, Matthias de Zordo of Germany who failed to register a legal throw.
Czech Republic's Vitezslav Vesely is the undoubted favourite for the gold after a mammoth 88.34 metres personal best. Vesely is the current IAAF world number one and it would take a significant improvement from any athlete to keep him away from the gold.
Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway (84.47) and Finland's Tero Pitkamaki (83.01) have the next best two throws.
Competing out of Group “B” yesterday, Walcott failed to impress in his first two tries (78.91 metres and 76.44 metres) and was in danger of missing out on one of the 12 spots for the final.
But as he did last month to secure gold at the World Junior Championships in Spain, Walcott saved his best for last. His fans had missed his first two efforts due to the coverage of other events but for his last attempt, there was Toco's finest live on national television getting ready for history.
Unaware that his fans were finally getting to see him in action, the CAC Junior champion gave TT another finalist to cheer for with a powerful effort that was just shy of the automatic 82 metres distance but still over a metre short of his personal best of 82.83 metres.
Speaking with Newsday from London yesterday, an ecstatic Dexter Voisin, manager of the TT athletics Olympic contingent, hailed Walcott's achievement.
"It was a tremendous performance to go past that qualifying round. Javelin is mostly dominated by Europeans and it is not easy for a junior to come and do well. It's a great feeling for everyone and the coach and entire camp are very proud of him," Voisin remarked.
Voisin was also impressed with the way the TT athlete held his nerve under tremendous pressure on his final throw to come up with the goods.
"It shows that he is remaining focussed and listening to his coach," he said.
Yesterday, Walcott's cousin, Shaquille Roberts, who was in the spotlight recently for carrying the Olympic Torch on its way to the Olympic Stadium in London, expressed supreme confidence in his relative who he expects to give an even better showing in the final.
"I'm very excited because I think he would bring back a medal. I know he can do better than that," Roberts declared.
Councillor for the Toco area, Terry Rondon, who spearheaded the celebrations for Walcott after his gold medal in Spain at the World Juniors, was equally optimistic the teenager would place among the top three.
"God works in mysterious ways and we are all proud of him in Toco. Our prayers are with him and he is bringing gold to Toco. We are staying very positive and we know he will make us proud," he stated emphatically.
Meanwhile, former Soca Monarch, Bunji Garlin, congratulated Walcott via Twitter stating: "That boy is 19 years old (and) already a world junior champion and now an Olympics finalist."
Walcott's feat continued a remarkable effort from our local athletes who have reached an unprecedented seven finals while ace cyclist Njisane Phillip placed fourth in the Match Sprint and seventh in the Keirin.
Also yesterday, the American-based Wayne Davis crashed out of the men's 110 metres hurdles, finishing sixth in the semi-finals in 13.49 seconds. Davis got a decent start out of the blocks but fatally hit the first hurdle and never recovered.
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Our 4x400 just won their heat and broke the NR once again. 3:00:38!!!!!!!!!!! :beermug: :beermug: :beermug:
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Without Quow. Good sign.
What you guys think will be the final team.?
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Jamaica out. 4x400m
USA Bahamas Russia
2.58 winner
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Without Quow. Good sign.
What you guys think will be the final team.?
With Quow presumably not available, Jehue is likely to replace the weakest runner. Lalonde on 1st and lendore on last will be safe, so its somebody from 2nd or 3rd leg. Ade on 3rd relinquished the lead, so he might get clipped.
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Alright, I just pulled back my live feed and I got the splits using my watch
lalonde-45.12
Jarrin-44.60
Ade- 46.16 Thanks for the run yute, but time to make way for Jehue.
Lendore-44.48
My total time= 3:00:36, so I am not very far off.
I believe Jehue could split a second faster than Ade and put us in real contention for the bronze. Martin Rooney was not running all out, so the UK will go faster, so we will have to also.
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Good work aviator. Lane assignments out for the 4 x 100 men tomorrow. We have a good lane (lane 4) and we are contending with the US France and a German team that has run 38.0 for the season.
http://www.london2012.com/athletics/event/men-4x100m-relay/phase=atm401900/index.html
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Alright, I just pulled back my live feed and I got the splits using my watch
lalonde-45.12
Jarrin-44.60
Ade- 46.16 Thanks for the run yute, but time to make way for Jehue.
Lendore-44.48
My total time= 3:00:36, so I am not very far off.
I believe Jehue could split a second faster than Ade and put us in real contention for the bronze. Martin Rooney was not running all out, so the UK will go faster, so we will have to also.
Allyuh mad or what? Cedenio all the way. Jehue cannot run in his league at this point, and important for a 4x400m, Cedenio finishes his 400ms strong going into an exchange
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Alright, I just pulled back my live feed and I got the splits using my watch
lalonde-45.12
Jarrin-44.60
Ade- 46.16 Thanks for the run yute, but time to make way for Jehue.
Lendore-44.48
My total time= 3:00:36, so I am not very far off.
I believe Jehue could split a second faster than Ade and put us in real contention for the bronze. Martin Rooney was not running all out, so the UK will go faster, so we will have to also.
Allyuh mad or what? Cedenio all the way. Jehue cannot run in his league at this point, and important for a 4x400m, Cedenio finishes his 400ms strong going into an exchange
Has Cedenio ever split a 45 low or even a 44 mid like Jarrin did today in the 4x4 relay?
Guess he is improving all the time so is probably capable of doing it for the first time.
Guess it will be down to the relay team managment as to who would be the better option between young 16 year old Cedenio (who is improving all the time) and the older more experience Jehue.
Can we rely on Jehue to run a 44 mid relay split if required to do so to bring or keep T&T ahead on his leg in the relay or is Cedenio the better bet?
Whatever decision we make I hope it is in the best interest of the team and we put egos aside as we can now contend for a medal in the 4x400 relay if we get our line-up correct in the final!
Medals are going to be between Bahamas, USA, Great Britain, Belgum and T&T.
If we aim to match or beat the USA and Bahamas and can pull off good clean exchanges then I think we can medal God willing! :beermug:
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Alright, I just pulled back my live feed and I got the splits using my watch
lalonde-45.12
Jarrin-44.60
Ade- 46.16 Thanks for the run yute, but time to make way for Jehue.
Lendore-44.48
My total time= 3:00:36, so I am not very far off.
I believe Jehue could split a second faster than Ade and put us in real contention for the bronze. Martin Rooney was not running all out, so the UK will go faster, so we will have to also.
Allyuh mad or what? Cedenio all the way. Jehue cannot run in his league at this point, and important for a 4x400m, Cedenio finishes his 400ms strong going into an exchange
Has Cedenio ever split a 45 low or even a 44 mid like Jarrin did today in the 4x4 relay?
Has Jehue ever done this?? - don't think so. Cedenio's anchor at the National Championships was definitely in this range
Guess he is improving all the time so is probably capable of doing it for the first time.
Guess it will be down to the relay team managment as to who would be the better option between young 16 year old Cedenio (who is improving all the time) and the older more experience Jehue.
Can we rely on Jehue to run a 44 mid relay split if required to do so to bring or keep T&T ahead on his leg in the relay or is Cedenio the better bet?
Whatever decision we make I hope it is in the best interest of the team and we put egos aside as we can now contend for a medal in the 4x400 relay if we get our line-up correct in the final!
Medals are going to be between Bahamas, USA, Great Britain, Belgum and T&T.
If we aim to match or beat the USA and Bahamas and can pull off good clean exchanges then I think we can medal God willing! :beermug:
If we looking for experience then run Alleyne-Forte again, if we looking for speed run Cedenio, who by the way has enough experience in this event already
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Alright, I just pulled back my live feed and I got the splits using my watch
lalonde-45.12
Jarrin-44.60
Ade- 46.16 Thanks for the run yute, but time to make way for Jehue.
Lendore-44.48
My total time= 3:00:36, so I am not very far off.
I believe Jehue could split a second faster than Ade and put us in real contention for the bronze. Martin Rooney was not running all out, so the UK will go faster, so we will have to also.
Allyuh mad or what? Cedenio all the way. Jehue cannot run in his league at this point, and important for a 4x400m, Cedenio finishes his 400ms strong going into an exchange
Has Cedenio ever split a 45 low or even a 44 mid like Jarrin did today in the 4x4 relay?
Has Jehue ever done this?? - don't think so. Cedenio's anchor at the National Championships was definitely in this range
Guess he is improving all the time so is probably capable of doing it for the first time.
Guess it will be down to the relay team managment as to who would be the better option between young 16 year old Cedenio (who is improving all the time) and the older more experience Jehue.
Can we rely on Jehue to run a 44 mid relay split if required to do so to bring or keep T&T ahead on his leg in the relay or is Cedenio the better bet?
Whatever decision we make I hope it is in the best interest of the team and we put egos aside as we can now contend for a medal in the 4x400 relay if we get our line-up correct in the final!
Medals are going to be between Bahamas, USA, Great Britain, Belgum and T&T.
If we aim to match or beat the USA and Bahamas and can pull off good clean exchanges then I think we can medal God willing! :beermug:
If that is the case and Cedenio can produce another crazy run like he did at our National Champs on the 3rd leg then I say the 3rd leg should be his in that 4x400m relay final tomorrow! :beermug:
What scares me a bit is that Cedenio is still only 16! Can he deal with the pressure of this BIG occasion and the rough up he may get from the other runners who will try to push him around in the exchange zone? :-\
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Alright, I just pulled back my live feed and I got the splits using my watch
lalonde-45.12
Jarrin-44.60
Ade- 46.16 Thanks for the run yute, but time to make way for Jehue.
Lendore-44.48
My total time= 3:00:36, so I am not very far off.
I believe Jehue could split a second faster than Ade and put us in real contention for the bronze. Martin Rooney was not running all out, so the UK will go faster, so we will have to also.
Allyuh mad or what? Cedenio all the way. Jehue cannot run in his league at this point, and important for a 4x400m, Cedenio finishes his 400ms strong going into an exchange
Has Cedenio ever split a 45 low or even a 44 mid like Jarrin did today in the 4x4 relay?
Has Jehue ever done this?? - don't think so. Cedenio's anchor at the National Championships was definitely in this range
Guess he is improving all the time so is probably capable of doing it for the first time.
Guess it will be down to the relay team managment as to who would be the better option between young 16 year old Cedenio (who is improving all the time) and the older more experience Jehue.
Can we rely on Jehue to run a 44 mid relay split if required to do so to bring or keep T&T ahead on his leg in the relay or is Cedenio the better bet?
Whatever decision we make I hope it is in the best interest of the team and we put egos aside as we can now contend for a medal in the 4x400 relay if we get our line-up correct in the final!
Medals are going to be between Bahamas, USA, Great Britain, Belgum and T&T.
If we aim to match or beat the USA and Bahamas and can pull off good clean exchanges then I think we can medal God willing! :beermug:
If that is the case and Cedenio can produce another crazy run like he did at our National Champs on the 3rd leg then I say the 3rd leg should be his in that 4x400m relay final tomorrow! :beermug:
What scares me a bit is that Cedenio is still only 16! Can he deal with the pressure of this BIG occasion and the rough up he may get from the other runners who will try to push him around in the exchange zone? :-\
Soca.. Dont worry. We got this on lock.
We certainly need Cedenio. He currently has a better 400m time this year than Forte. I believe Cedenio will step up to the plate if given the chance.. If he does, he will run a mid to high 45s. I believe Forte split was 46.1s. Not the best especially considering that it is 4x400.
Good work by Solomon, Lendore and Gordon. Forte is a little behind right now. But excellent effort. Will be one for the future.
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DR's Santos is 18, Kirani is 19; no problem running them.
Cedenio ran in the World Juniors, Penn Relays, etc. What more experience does he need?
Incidentally, didn't he run the anchor for the T&T junior team at the Nat'l champs?
Run the man, if we want to contend for/win a medal - which is the goal.
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DR's Santos is 18, Kirani is 19; no problem running them.
Cedenio ran in the World Juniors, Penn Relays, etc. What more experience does he need?
Incidentally, didn't he run the anchor for the T&T junior team at the Nat'l champs?
Run the man, if we want to contend for/win a medal - which is the goal.
I agree STMB. Cedenio is the one for this. He has a bigger engine Forte.
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Me ent no track and field expert..
.. but I say let go de youth man on dem!
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Me ent no track and field expert..
.. but I say let go de youth man on dem!
Ok so the consensus seems to be to "Leggo Cedenio"!
Let's prayer that the youth man is up to this, remember he is still only 16!! :beermug:
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Me ent no track and field expert..
.. but I say let go de youth man on dem!
Ok so the consensus seems to be to "Leggo Cedenio"!
Let's prayer that the youth man is up to this, remember he is still only 16!! :beermug:
No worries. Brown was only 16 when he won a 4x100 medal at the World Champs in 2001. Our youths can perform when needed.
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Me ent no track and field expert..
.. but I say let go de youth man on dem!
Ok so the consensus seems to be to "Leggo Cedenio"!
Let's prayer that the youth man is up to this, remember he is still only 16!! :beermug:
I eh know nah ....although Cedeno is coached by kirani's coach he is still young. Forte is older and presently may run faster ...which is what matters . I dont see Jehue as faster than Forte over the flat 400
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What ever happened to Zwede Hewitt after the NCAAs?
He is a 45 point man and a great relay runner (44 point) for Baylor, but did not show in the Nat'l Champs final.
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What ever happened to Zwede Hewitt after the NCAAs?
He is a 45 point man and a great relay runner (44 point) for Baylor, but did not show in the Nat'l Champs final.
Whatever happened to Damien Barry, would've been a great addition to this team. Perhaps sponsorship?
VB
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Rudisha wins 800m final in 1:40.91 WR (no rabbit) - OMG
Imagine last place was 1:43.77
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Beast
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Warm weather in London, tailwind down the home straight, tough competition...dis world record is gonna go :challenge: :challenge:
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Warm weather in London, tailwind down the home straight, tough competition...dis world record is gonna go :challenge: :challenge:
Shit I feel so
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Expecting the ridiculous...
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Bolt won 200m Blake second..The man eased a bit at the f**king line 19.32
Jamaica 1.2.3
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Usa suck salt
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Carl Lewis head probably just exploded with that Jamaican 1-2-3 :rotfl:
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Congrats JA :salute:
On an unrelated note....shoutout to the American fella who ran half of his leg in the 4x400 with a BROKEN F**KING LEG and still ran 46 seconds. That is a team player :beermug:
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Dread Alyuh see the Tripple jumper who f**k up he knee dread? In the Tripple jump, I swear it broken or dislocated. Leevan Sands
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164579.html
Voisin happy with TT athletes
Friday, August 10 2012
DEXTER VOISIN, manager of the Trinidad and Tobago team at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England, stated his delight in the performances of the national athletes, in track and field as well as the other sporting disciplines.
In an interview from London on Tuesday, Voisin said, “we can safely say so far we are having one of the better Olympics in terms of the amount of finals that we are in.
“And not just track and field but the whole Trinidad and Tobago team,” he added. “Njisane Phillip (and) George Bovell reaching semi-finals (respectively in cycling and, in Bovell’s case, 50m freestyle final).
Voisin continued, “but if you focus on track and field, so far we had five finalists (up until Tuesday) and one bronze medal. That is a very good achievement so far.
“We have a couple of events to go, as recently as Semoy Hackett who made it to the 200-metre final, for the women,” he continued. “That’s a first, for a female, making it to the 200m final.
“The track and field team, we have been having some good performances. I’m not going to make any predictions. The first objective is to get to the finals.”
Looking at the opposition in the track and field arena, Voisin commented, “the competition, so far, in the Olympics has been very high, seven men in the 100m final going under ten seconds for the first time.
“The women 100m final was the fastest final ever. The competition is very high and our athletes are doing well so far. Some of the athletes have confessed they could have done much better. From my standpoint, we are doing well.”
He spoke briefly on men’s 400m bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon, who rose from obscurity to claim a medal in Monday’s Final. Voisin acknowledged Gordon’s low profile, stating, “everyone in the world is asking (who is Gordon), even in Trinidad.
“Coming into the Olympic Games, he was an unknown. Basically what he did was shock the whole world.”
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164559.html
Sprinters race for glory
Friday, August 10 2012
TRINIDAD AND Tobago advanced to a pair of Olympic relay finals, the men’s 4x400-metre and women’s 4x100-metre, which run off today in London.
At the Olympic Stadium yesterday, Trinidad and Tobago men’s 4x400-metre team edged Great Britain to win heat one of their first round race, though both teams clocked three minutes 0.38 seconds.
Lalonde Gordon, the 400 metres bronze medallist, ran a steady first leg but American-born Jarrin Solomon put the TT team ahead with a wonderful second leg. However, Ade Alleyne-Forte faltered badly in the third leg and was overtaken by the British and Cuban teams.
Trinidad and Tobago seemed destined for third place (the top three finishers automatically advance to the final), but Deon Lendore showed a late surge to fly past his Cuban rival, and was at full stretch to edge his British opponent for the win, in a new national record.
Cuba was third, with Belgium , Poland and Germany trailing.
South Africa, featuring the “blade runner” Oscar Pistorious, and Kenya did not finish the race, as Ofentse Mogawane collided with Kenya’s Vincent Kiilu.
But, on appeal, the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) ruled that Mogawane was blocked and the South Africans were reinstated to the final, while the Kenyans were disqualified.
Jamaica, in heat two, did not finish as Germaine Gonzales pulled up with a hamstring injury while, in the same heat, Venezuela successfully appealed their earlier disqualification for allegedly impeding the Australian team during a takeover.
Bahamas and the United States shared heat two with times of 2:58.87 each, followed by Russia, Venezuela, Australia and Japan, while Jamaica did not finish and the Dominican Republic was disqualified.
The final will run off at 4.20 pm today.
Trinidad and Tobago also progressed to the final of the women’s 4x100-metre relay, after finishing second in heat one, of the first round, in a national record time of 42.31 seconds.
The foursome of Michelle-Lee Ahye, Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Kai Selvon and Semoy Hackett (who later suffered a suspected asthma attack late yesterday) were unable to withstand the challenge of the United States, who clocked the fourth fastest time in history — 41.64 seconds. Netherlands, the third automatic qualifier, was timed in 42.45. In heat two, Ukraine prevailed in 42.36 seconds, ahead of Jamaica (42.37), Germany (42.69), Poland (43.07), Colombia (43.21), Russia (43.24) and Belarus (43.90), while France was disqualified.
In today’s final, scheduled for 3.40 pm, Trinidad and Tobago has been drawn in lane four.
The last of the three TT relay teams, the men’s 4x100-metre, will be in action today in the first round, from 2.45 pm, for a spot in tomorrow’s final.
Trinidad and Tobago (with any four of Richard Thompson, Keston Bledman, Rondel Sorrillo, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender and Jamol James) will be in lane four, in heat two.
Former national sprinter Alvin Daniel spoke at length about the men’s 4x400-metre team yesterday.
The 1992 Barcelona Olympics competitor, in the men’s 4x400-metre relay, said, “We have a very good team there. It’s a young team and they’re doing well. But we need to work a little strategy as how our third leg is slightly weak and maybe a little inexperienced.
“I saw he (Alleyne-Forte) allowed them to pass him on the back straight and then he tried to run them down, which don’t make sense at all. It’s a relay and, that stage of the race, you’re done running ‘scratch’ already, so you need to hold the inside as much as possible.
“Anybody who has to try and pass will either pass you on the straight or they try and pass you around (the bend) and they can do that around the bend, that means they will burn up a lot of energy. I feel we should try considering one of our sprinters who could give us an ‘alright’ 400 leg. Once we have the lead we could hold.”
Daniel continued, “We have Bahamas to contend with, you have the US, which isn’t that strong, they could be beaten, and Britain. Right now, I see (us) in the top three. It just depends on which one of the medals we want badly. If we set the team right, we can get a medal.”
With Renny Quow out of the Games with a hamstring injury, only 16-year-old Machel Cedenio is left in the reserves, but Daniel is calling for the inclusion of either Rondel Sorrillo or Emmanuel Callender (both 4x100-metre participants) in place of Alleyne-Forte for the third leg.
“They (TT coaches) should have looked at that. With Quow being out, they should have looked at getting in one of the sprinters,” Daniel pointed out. “Sorrillo (could) ran a good 4x400 leg, as well as Callender. That’s about the two that I see there (and) we could probably use one of them. You need a sprinter who can get around that bend as quick as possible, especially on the second leg.
“The other guys are real good. (Solomon) ran a beautiful leg, he (ran) real good. This is one of our best chances to get a medal in the 4x400-metre relay but it depends on how they set the team and what they do.”
Looking at the women’s relay squad, Daniel noted, “We have a strong women 4x100 team but I hope that the authorities will see that this is a very young team and we don’t wait for four years to see what they will do individually.
“I think we need to keep this team together as well as the others that’s coming along. We also need to start an early programme with the youths if we’re looking for future Olympics.
“We are losing out right now because not too many of the youths, from a very early age, are involved in programmes like this. So we’re more discovering them when they get big and then trying to see what they will do.
“I think that if we get together early, put the youths together and have (a) proper structure, we wouldn’t be just turning out finalists again, we’ll be turning out champions,” he ended.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164560.html
‘Go for gold, son’
BY RALPH BANWARIE Friday, August 10 2012
Every father wants his son to excel and Keshon King is no exception.
King is the proud father of Trinidad and Tobago’s first Olympic javelin finalist Keshorn Walcott, 19, who created history on Wednesday when he beat seasoned competitors, including the 2011 World Champion, to earn a place in tomorrow’s final in London.
And as all fathers do, King, a gardener, often offered advice to Keshorn and his two older sons, Treton and Elton as they grew up in the fishing village of Trois Roche, Toco, telling them to be the best in whatever they chose to do to be successful in life.
King said he was once a good athlete himself but was never had the opportunities to improve his skills as a young man, he revealed, as Newsday interviewed him and his wife Beverley Walcott at the Hallows, a hotel and restaurant where Walcott works in Toco, yesterday.
“I was not fortunate, but my baby son has done so for which his extended family is very proud,” King said.
Keshorn was also a determined and confident boy at Toco Composite School, where he and his brothers attended, as did their father. They all got involved in sports.
“They used to look at me running along the shore of Toco Beach on mornings and evenings and they also joined in and kept doing what their dad did. My boys are very discipline and occupy themselves in activities that can make life better for them,” the soft spoken King said.
His wife Beverley was at work at the Hallows, a hotel and restaurant in Toco, and spoke glowingly of their son Keshorn’s throw of 81.75 metres, for which he placed tenth overall out of 44 competitors including World Champion, Matthais de Zordo of Germany.
Walcott was at work and missed watching her son’s three throws and only learned he was a finalist when she got home. She got the news from her sister in England.
“It was a great, a great joy for me, quite nerve-wrecking, I nearly had a heart attack,” she said.
“As a mother I felt really proud of my baby son. I alone was at home when my sister called from England and gave me the good news of my son’s success.”
During the evening, she would be flooded with calls of congratulations from relatives and villagers. “I really wanted him to get to the finals,” she said.
Keshorn called her from London yesterday morning promising he would win a medal in tomorrow’s final.
“He seems to be in good spirits. We laughed and spoke for a while and said to me, “Mom I will make you proud on Saturday’,” Walcott said of their conversation.
Walcott said Kershon began throwing the javelin from an early age, but also played football and cricket at primary and secondary school.
A teacher saw him throwing the javelin during a sports and family day at Toco Composite School and the teacher continued training him along with a coach. The young athlete would later taste early success winning CAC Junior Championship, and more recently the World Junior Championship in Spain.
Thanking God, Walcott said Keshorn’s success is an achievement for Toco and the country, and was optimistic he would win a medal tomorrow.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/IOC__Crowds__atmosphere_above_expectations-165681706.html
IOC: Crowds, atmosphere above expectations
Story Created: Aug 9, 2012 at 11:06 PM ECT
The crowds and enthusiasm at the London Games have exceeded the expectations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the host nation enjoys its biggest medals haul in more than a century.
Britain has already won 24 gold medals and 51 in total with stadiums welcoming more than seven million spectators.
"The crowd and enthusiasm of the crowds exceeded my expectations," IOC president Jacques Rogge told a small group of reporters after watching the first women's boxing medals fights in front of yet another sold-out arena. "I did not expect this response (from the British public). "I think these Games could leave a great human legacy. You will see a big participation in sports clubs after Sunday," he said. "We will see a surge in participation."
While tickets have been all but sold out for the public, Games organisers have been criticised for allocating too many seats to federations, Olympic officials and sponsors. Organisers said venues and big screens around the country had attracted huge crowds, with 2.7 million attending London 2012 live sites. On August 4, dubbed 'Super Saturday', 350,000 turned out at the live sites, and an estimated 160,000 spectators took to the streets to watch Alistair Brownlee become Britain's first triathlon champion.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Rogge__Bolt_is_not_a_legend_yet_-165681716.html
Rogge: Bolt is not a legend yet
Story Created: Aug 9, 2012 at 11:06 PM ECT
lLONDON
Jamaica's Usain Bolt, who has won an unprecedented 100 and 200 metres double at two consecutive Olympics, is not yet a legend, International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said yesterday.
Bolt, who won the sprint double and the 4x100m relay in world record time at the Beijing Olympics, captured the 200m crown on Thursday after having also won the 100m title in London earlier in the Games.
"The career of Usain Bolt has to be judged when it stops," said Rogge, speaking to a small group of reporters, hours before Bolt's race. "(American) Carl Lewis competed in four consecutive games and won medals."
Lewis won the long jump event at four straight Olympics while also winning five other gold medals in the sprints and the 4x100 relays.
Rogge said "even if he wins the 200 metres" at two straight Olympics he did not consider Bolt a legend.
"Let Bolt be injury-free and keep his motivation and participate in three to four Games and then he can be a legend. He is already an icon," said the former Olympic sailor.
Bolt had said after winning the 100m on Sunday that also winning the 200m would make him a legend of the sport.
"Some of you guys doubted me. I just had to show the world I was the greatest," Bolt told reporters after winning the 100m. "It means I'm one step closer to being a legend."
Rogge's refusal to label the 25-year-old a legend is not the first disagreement the two men have had in the past four years.
After Bolt's spectacular 100m victory in Beijing--by far the most dazzling moment of the Games-- Rogge had said he was not happy to see him showboating so much.
"That's not the way we perceive being a champion," Rogge had said at the time. "I think he should show more respect for his competitors and shake hands, give a tap on the shoulder to the other ones immediately after the finish and not make gestures like the one he made in the 100 metres."
His comments angered many athletics fans who considered Bolt the Olympics' biggest attraction.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/James_wants_to_inspire_young_athletes_at_home-165681766.html
James wants to inspire young athletes at home
Story Created: Aug 9, 2012 at 11:06 PM ECT
l LONDON
World and Olympic 400 metre champion Kirani James says one of his goals is to help stop talented young athletes in Grenada from falling out of grace with the sport.
The country's most successful athlete says he has witnessed far too many young athletes in his homeland more talented than him fall by the wayside.
Addressing a news conference in London after comfortably winning the 400 metres to secure Grenada's first Olympic medal, James says he wants his success to inspire the country's youth.
"I have seen a lot more guys a lot more talented than me but they didn't have the determination and confidence to move forward," James told journalists in London.
"So one of my jobs is to not let that happen again in my country. To keep on inspiring the kids to be whatever they want to be. The best that they can be."
The 19-year-old surged to victory on Monday in 43.94 seconds to capture as well the first Olympic gold medal for the OECS sub-region.
The Olympic title is the latest addition to his collection of major meets which also includes world senior, junior and youth.
"There was one guy, who was faster than me, but he fell along the way," said James.
"It's sad to see now because he was way more talented than me."
James, who first dominated regional meets, including Carifta and CAC, said he is now in a position where he can create a positive path for these youngsters.
He said there are several things that can be done to let it work, among them he noted "is to get their confidence up and tell them to believe they can compete". —CMC
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Rudisha_breaks_world_record-165681776.html
Rudisha breaks world record
Story Created: Aug 9, 2012 at 11:06 PM ECT
l LONDON
Usain Bolt surged to the Olympic 200 metres title yesterday at the head of a Jamaican medal sweep to become the first man to win the 100 and 200m sprints at successive Games.
The race capped a historic night when Kenya's David Rudisha broke his own 800m world record, leaving the field trailing from the gun to become the first man under one minute 41 seconds.
Bolt's time equalled the fourth fastest ever run as he eased down in the last ten metres, sensing that he was not on course to break his own world record. Silver went to his main rival and training partner Yohan Blake, bronze to Warren Weir.
"I knew it wasn't going to be a world record when I came around the corner, I could feel it," Bolt said. "I really wanted to try to get a world record in the 200 metres but it was harder than I think."
Now unchallenged as the greatest sprinter of all time, Bolt could add a sixth gold medal if he can anchor Jamaica to a second successive Olympic 4x100m victory on Saturday, in the last athletics event.
Rudisha also had his eye on history from the gun on a warm, still night before 80,000 rapt spectators.
"I had no doubt about winning, but I was waiting for perfect conditions to break the record," he said.
London Games chief Sebastian Coe, himself a former 800m world record holder, added: "Instead of just doing enough to win the race, he wanted to do something extraordinary... Rudisha's run will go down in history as one of the greatest Olympic victories."
Elsewhere on the 13th day of competition in London, the US women's soccer team beat Japan 2-1 at Wembley Stadium to take revenge for their defeat in last year's World Cup final and claim their third straight Olympic gold.
Briton Nicola Adams became the first woman to win an Olympic boxing title in a thrilling flyweight bout against pre-fight favourite Ren Cancan of China at a packed ExCel arena.
The 29-year-old won easily on points in a four-round blizzard of punches, flooring her opponent once. Minutes later Irish lightweight Katie Taylor followed her to gold, and even louder roars, by narrowly beating Russian Sofya Ochigava.
Back in the stadium, world record holder Ashton Eaton of the United States won the decathlon ahead of his compatriot Troy Hardee.
There was another American one-two in the triple jump, where world champion Christian Taylor produced this year's biggest leap to take gold ahead of his compatriot Will Claye.
The Wembley soccer final drew an 80,000 crowd, an Olympic record for a women's match, underlining how popular the Games have been with the British public.
Inspired in part by the home team's gold medal haul, the best since 1908, venues have been packed with boisterous crowds, and 80,000 people again crammed the main Olympic stadium in the evening hoping to witness history.
Two golds on Thursday took Britain's total to 24, five better than Beijing in 2008 and their best performance since 1908, when London first hosted the Games.
They trail the US who have 39 golds and China with 37.
In addition to Adams, Charlotte Dujardin won the individual dressage event on her horse Valegro after a freestyle that celebrated British musical classic "Pomp and Circumstance".
But their men's hockey hopes were dashed when the team lost their semi-final 9-2 to the Netherlands. In the final, the Dutch will play the title holders Germany, who beat world champions Australia 4-2.
Olympic fever has spilled into the Paralympic Games, which run in London from August 29 to September 9. The 2.1 million tickets sold so far have surpassed the previous high for the event of 1.8 million in Beijing in 2008.
In the 4x400m relay, South African double-amputee Oscar Pistorius was denied the chance to run his team's third leg in qualifying when second-leg runner Ofentse Mogawane collided with Kenya's Vincent Mumo Kiilu, sending both crashing to the ground.
South Africa were given a place in the final on appeal.
Jamaica failed to qualify in the event after Jermaine Gonzales pulled up injured midway through his leg.
Over bumps and around steep banks of the BMX cycling track, there were bone-shaking wipeouts as well as comfortable winners in the men's qualifiers ahead of today's final.
Australia's recovery from a slow start to the Games continued on Thursday with gold in the men's K4 1,000m canoeing final on Dorney Lake outside London.
Other winners on the water included Hungary's Danuta Kozak, who added the K1 500m title to her medals cabinet, while Germans Peter Kretschmer and Kurt Kuschela snatched victory in the men's 1,000m canoe pair.
Belgian track cyclist Gijs Van Hoecke was sent home from the Games after photographs appeared in British newspapers of him apparently drunk and being carried into a taxi after a night out in London.
In a doping case dating back to 2004, American time-trial cyclist Tyler Hamilton will officially be stripped of his Athens Olympic gold medal today after he admitted to doping, a source at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said.
Retired Russian Viatcheslav Ekimov will move up to gold.
Attention began to turn to Sunday's Olympic closing ceremony, which will be titled "A Symphony of British Music" and feature a host of pop stars and some 4,000 local volunteers.
Music director David Arnold, who has devoted much of the last two years to the final act of the London 2012 Games, said he wanted it to be "the greatest after-party in the world".
George Michael, Ed Sheeran and Muse are among the acts who have leaked their participation ahead of time, and the music press is swirling with rumours that everyone from The Who to the Spice Girls, Madness or Adele could join them.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Bolt_blazes_to_sprint_double-double-165684886.html
Bolt blazes to sprint double-double
Story Created: Aug 9, 2012 at 11:39 PM ECT
l LONDON
Jamaican Usain Bolt etched his name deeper into Olympic folklore by completing an unprecedented sprint double in successive Games with a smooth 200 metres victory yesterday in the race he calls his "pet" event.
The world's fastest man, whose imperious performances in London have blown away any doubts that he deserves the unofficial title of greatest ever sprinter, stopped the clock at 19.32 seconds, the joint fourth quickest time ever run.
Bolt holds the world record with an eye-popping 19.19 at the Berlin world championships in 2009.
The showman again put compatriot and younger rival Yohan Blake, the pretender to his sprint throne, firmly in place and has now matched his stunning Beijing 100 and 200 crowns four years ago following his shorter-dash victory on Sunday.
Blake, as he did in the 100 behind his friend and training partner, took silver in 19.44 and Warren Weir completed a Jamaican podium sweep with bronze in 19.84. All three share the same coach—Glen Mills. Bolt crossed the line with his
finger to his lips before doing a handful of press-ups on the track. Then, taking a photographer's camera, he took snaps of the crowd and Blake who was posing as "The Beast", the nickname Bolt afforded his rival.
"I've got nothing left to prove. I've showed the world I'm the best," said the athlete who has lit up track and field since turning his prodigious talent into global dominance.
"This is my moment. I'll never forget this. I did what I wanted. I came out of a rough season and did what I had to do."
The 25-year-old, who came into the Games with lingering doubts over his fitness after a far from vintage season, was the first man to win two 200 Olympic golds and, as he did in 2008, he will look to complete the treble in the 4x100 relay.
Bolt's winning time matched that of American Michael Johnson who set a then world record of 19.32 to win Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996.
Bolt lowered that to 19.30 in Beijing before his 19.19 a year later.
On a warm and windless evening with the electric atmosphere inside an expectant Olympic stadium already raised by Kenyan David Rudisha's 800m world record less than an hour earlier, Bolt, relaxed and smiling in the preliminaries, flew out of the blocks.
Drawn towards the outside in lane seven, Bolt glided around the bend and kicking powerfully down the home straight was always ahead of Blake who could not match his exploits in the Jamaican trials when he beat Bolt in both sprint events.
"It's great. Of course. I want to thank Usain," said Blake.
"This is my first Olympics. I can't complain."
Weir edged Wallace Spearmon for third but the American hailed the performances of Bolt and Blake.
"Those guys are on another plant right now, congratulations," said fourth-placed Spearmon, hiding his disappointment at again missing out on a medal after being disqualified from third place in Beijing for stepping out of his lane.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/American_Mitchell_ran_4x400m_relay_with_broken_leg-165684856.html
American Mitchell ran 4x400m relay with broken leg
Story Created: Aug 9, 2012 at 11:39 PM ECT
America's safe passage into the men's 4x400 metre Olympic relay final yesterday morning was not as painless as it had first appeared after Manteo Mitchell revealed he broke his leg half way round the track but still managed to finish.
The 25-year-old 200 and 400-metre runner ran the first leg of America's heat on a blazing hot day inside London's Olympic stadium and although he finished with a limp there was no obvious sign of the pain he was feeling.
"I got out pretty slow, but I picked it up and when I got to the 100-metre mark it felt weird. As soon as I took the first step past the 200-metre mark, I felt it break. I heard it. I even put out a little war cry, but the crowd was so loud you couldn't hear it," Mitchell said.
"I knew if I finished strong we could still get it (the baton) around. I saw Josh Mance motioning me in for me to hand it off to him, which lifted me. I didn't want to let those three guys down, or the team down, so I just ran on it. It hurt so bad."
Mitchell's decision to go through the pain barrier allowed his US teammates to sprint to a joint finish with the Bahamas in identical times of 2 minutes 58.87 seconds, the fastest ever run in the first round of the relay at the Olympic Games. Mitchell, who ran his leg in 46.1 seconds, said that he had slipped on a stairway this week in the Olympic village but had completed workouts since, including a warm-up for Thursday's race. After the race an x-ray revealed he had broken his left fibula bone. The US team was already without 2008 Olympic 400m champion LaShawn Merritt, whose title defence lasted only moments last Saturday when he pulled up with hamstring problems.
The US, one of the favourites for gold, will name their final line-up today.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/US_set_pace_in__women_s_4x100_heats-165684876.html
US set pace in women's 4x100 heats
Story Created: Aug 9, 2012 at 11:39 PM ECT
l LONDON
The United States came within a whisker of breaking one of the oldest records in athletics when they set the fastest qualifying time in the heats of the women's 4x100 metres relay at the London Olympics yesterday.
With the stadium still buzzing after Kenya's David Rudisha broke the 800 metres world record, former world champion Lauryn Williams joined forces with Tianna Madison, Jeneba Tarmoh and Bianca White to anchor the American "B" team across the line in 41.64 seconds.
The time was 0.04 seconds outside the Olympic record set by East Germany at the 1980 Moscow Games and 0.27 outside the world record set by East Germany in 1985.
The Americans could threaten both records in today's final when world champion Carmelita Jeter and Olympic 200 gold medallist Allyson Felix will be called in to strengthen the team after skipping the preliminaries.
"I know they're going to get the gold tomorrow. All they have got to do is to get the sticks around tight," Williams told reporters.
"This is a great team we have put
together. Don't blink, you might miss the race."
Despite having more depth in women's sprinting than any other country, the US have not won the Olympic title since 1996.
They were beaten on merit Sydney 12 years ago but paid the price for messing up their baton exchanges at Athens and Beijing.
"We practised until we were blue in the face. Everybody practised every place in case of an emergency," Williams said.
"I've been practising in my sleep. I've been throwing back my hand all day long."
Jamaica, who loom as the biggest threat to the US, finished second to Ukraine, bronze medallists at last year's world championships in South Korea, in their heat and fourth overall after an awkward handover but got through unscathed.
Trinidad and Tobago posted the second fastest time behind the Americans and European champions Germany were sixth.
The only major casualty were Russia, gold medallists in Beijing four years ago when the US and Jamaica both fumbled the baton.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/GOING_FOR_GLORY-165681516.html
GOING FOR GLORY
T&T women in record run
By Kwame Laurence
Story Created: Aug 9, 2012 at 11:06 PM ECT
Michelle-Lee Ahye, Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Kai Selvon and Semoy Hackett are within touching distance of history.
Never before has a female Trinidad and Tobago athlete earned precious metal on the biggest sporting stage. There's a strong possibility four will achieve the feat in one race at the Olympic Stadium here in London, England, today.
At 3.40 p.m. (T&T time), the T&T quartet will do battle from lane four in the Olympic Games women's 4x100 metres final. And they will go into the race confident, following a record-breaking run in the qualifying round yesterday.
Ahye, Baptiste, Selvon and Hackett combined for second spot in heat one in 42.31 seconds, taking nine-tenths of a second off the 43.21 T&T record the same quartet had established in Nassau, Bahamas, on June 16. United States won the heat in a very fast 41.64.
At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, Baptiste was a member of the T&T 4x100m team that failed to get the baton round the track in the qualifying round. And four years later, the Plymouth, Tobago, sprinter was again on the T&T sprint relay quartet when history repeated itself at the Beijing Games.
After a storming run on the back straight yesterday, Baptiste ran into some difficulty in her efforts to pass the baton to Selvon. Thankfully, a hat-trick of disasters was averted.
"Me and Kai almost didn't get that stick around the track," Baptiste told the Express. "But thank God, we did not panic. With passes that weren't that great and to be able to still run that fast, I think that's a good sign.
"We just want to medal," she continued. "If we were to walk away here with a medal of whatever colour, we'd be really happy. That's our goal. We just want to stay focused, trust each other, trust that we get the stick around the track and come away with the medal."
Ukraine emerged victorious in heat two, clocking 42.36 seconds to edge Jamaica (42.37) into second spot.
The Jamaicans, however, will be much stronger today. Both back-to-back Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and two-time 200m gold medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown are expected to join the team for the championship race.
And the Americans will be boosted by the inclusion of Carmelita Jeter and newly crowned 200m champion Allyson Felix.
Baptiste acknowledges that United States and Jamaica are the top contenders for the Olympic sprint relay title.
"We know that there are two teams out there running for the gold medal, and realistically speaking, everybody else behind is running for the bronze. As much as we want to win, and we're going out there to win, we know that the bronze is our chance to grasp that medal," Baptiste ended, "and we're looking forward to it".
Today's T&T schedule (T&T time) 2.53 p.m. Trinidad & Tobago—men's 4x100 metres, round 1, heat 2 3.40 p.m. Trinidad & Tobago— women's 4x100 metres final 4.20 p.m. Trinidad & Tobago— men's 4x400 metres final See Team T&T in action, exclusively on TV6.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/SCENTING_SUCCESS-165684896.html
SCENTING SUCCESS
Record-breaking T&T 'sharks' in 4x4 final
Story Created: Aug 9, 2012 at 11:39 PM ECT
For the first time in 20 years, Trinidad and Tobago will compete in an Olympic Games 4x400 metres final. But the four men expected to represent the Red, White and Black in today's 4.20 p.m. (T&T time) championship race are not satisfied with mere participation.
In fact, Ade Alleyne-Forte believes that the Americans–gold medallists in the event 16 times–can be beaten.
"They're most definitely vulnerable. We're like sharks in the water. We're smelling the blood and we're trying to go get it, trying to get our food. We need to eat too."
At the Olympic Stadium, yesterday, men's 400m bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon, Jarrin Solomon, Alleyne-Forte and 19-year-old Deon Lendore, running in that order, combined for victory in the first qualifying heat in three minutes, 00.38 seconds–a new national record.
"I'm happy we came out on top," said Gordon. "Looking forward to the final."
After a good start from Gordon, Solomon continued the fine work, earning T&T a five-metre lead halfway through the race. But Alleyne-Forte, who came into the team as a replacement for the injured Renny Quow, found the going tough, slipping to third. T&T were still third when anchorman Lendore came off the final turn, but he produced a strong run on the home straight, leaning at the line to hand his team victory by the narrowest of margins.
Lendore, who bowed out of the individual 400m event in the opening round after finishing fifth in his heat in 45.81 seconds last Saturday, produced an impressive 44.49 seconds split in yesterday's relay.
"From the open four, I saw I wasn't really in the shape I thought I would have been in, so I came out in the relay to try to measure myself, so I'll go into the final a little more confident. I didn't get the first part of the race, so I had a lot to do coming home. I didn't want to come in two or three. I wanted the first place in order to get a good lane, so it could be better for us when we go into the final."
T&T will start in lane four in today's medal race. Great Britain finished second to T&T in yesterday's opening heat, also in 3:00.38, while Cuba clocked 3:00.55 to earn the third automatic qualifying berth up for grabs.
South Africa's second leg runner, Ofentse Mogawane, fell during the race, and his team did not finish. However, it was determined that Kenyan Vincent Mumo Kiilu had cut across Mogawane. The Kenyans were disqualified, while the South Africans were given a spot in the final by the jury of appeal. Solomon was superb on the second leg for T&T, combining with Gordon to lay a solid foundation for the record run.
"I'm feeling really good," Solomon told the Express. "My body's in the best shape of my life."
The second heat was also a close contest. Bahamas won in 2:58.87, the same time clocked by second-placed United States.
But though no T&T team has ever run under three minutes, Solomon is certain T&T will be in the hunt for gold.
"We ain't really care about time. We just want to get the medal, so as fast as it takes to get that gold medal, that is what we're going to do."
Lendore is also determined to climb the podium. "I'm inspired by Lalonde. He inspired the whole team to try and get a medal too."
At 2.53 this afternoon (T&T time), T&T will bid for a men's 4x100m championship race lane. The track and field team manager, here in London, Dexter Voisin, said that Richard "Torpedo" Thompson will run the leadoff leg, handing off to Marc Burns. Emmanuel Callender performs third leg duties, while the anchor leg responsibility is Keston Bledman's.
T&T will run in lane four in the second of two heats, next to France, in five. United States have been drawn in lane seven.
Heat one will feature reigning Olympic champions, Jamaica.
At the 2008 Beijing Games, Jamaica won in a then world record time of 37.10 seconds, while T&T clocked 38.06 to earn silver.
2012 Summer Olympic Medals Table
Nation G S B Total
United States 39 25 26 90
China 37 24 19 80
Britain 25 13 14 52
Russia 12 21 23 56
South Korea 12 7 6 25
Germany 10 16 11 37
France 8 9 12 29
Hungary 8 4 3 15
Italy 7 6 6 19
Australia 6 13 10 29
Kazakhstan 6 0 3 9
Japan 5 14 14 33
Netherlands 5 5 6 16
Iran 4 4 1 9
North Korea 4 0 1 5
Belarus 3 3 4 10
Jamaica 3 3 3 9
Cuba 3 3 2 8 New
Zealand 3 2 5 10
Ukraine 3 1 6 10
South Africa 3 1 1 5
Spain 2 7 2 11
Romania 2 5 2 9
Denmark 2 4 3 9
Czech Republic 2 3 3 8
Brazil 2 2 7 11
Kenya 2 2 3 7
Poland 2 1 6 9
Croatia 2 1 1 4
Switzerland 2 1 0 3
Ethiopia 2 0 2 4
Canada 1 5 10 16
Sweden 1 3 3 7
Slovenia 1 1 2 4
Georgia 1 1 1 3
Norway 1 1 1 3
Dominican Republic 1 1 0 2
Ireland 1 0 1 2
Lithuania 1 0 1 2
Turkey 1 0 1 2
Algeria 1 0 0 1
Grenada 1 0 0 1
Venezuela 1 0 0 1
Colombia 0 3 3 6
Mexico 0 3 2 5
Azerbaijan 0 2 3 5
Egypt 0 2 0 2
India 0 1 3 4
Slovakia 0 1 3 4
Armenia 0 1 2 3
Belgium 0 1 2 3
Mongolia 0 1 2 3
Estonia 0 1 1 2
Indonesia 0 1 1 2
Malaysia 0 1 1 2
Serbia 0 1 1 2
Taiwan 0 1 1 2
Thailand 0 1 1 2
Tunisia 0 1 1 2
Botswana 0 1 0 1
Bulgaria 0 1 0 1
Cyprus 0 1 0 1
Finland 0 1 0 1
Guatemala 0 1 0 1
Portugal 0 1 0 1
Greece 0 0 2 2
Moldova 0 0 2 2
Qatar 0 0 2 2
Singapore 0 0 2 2
Afghanistan 0 0 1 1
Argentina 0 0 1 1
Hong Kong 0 0 1 1
Kuwait 0 0 1 1
Latvia 0 0 1 1
Morocco 0 0 1 1
Puerto Rico 0 0 1 1
Saudi Arabia 0 0 1 1
Tajikistan 0 0 1 1
Trinidad & Tobago 0 0 1 1
Uzbekistan 0 0 1 1
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Today_s_London_Olympics_schedule-165684866.html
Today's London Olympics schedule
Story Created: Aug 9, 2012 at 11:39 PM ECT
Athletics At Olympic Stadium
Men's 4x100 Relay round 1, 4x400 Relay final, Pole Vault final; Women's 1500 final, 5000 final, 4x100 Relay final, 4x400 Relay round 1, Hammer final, 7 p.m. (2 p.m. T&T time)
Basketball At North Greenwich Arena
Men
Semifinal, 5 p.m.
Semifinal, 9 p.m.
Boxing At ExCeL
Men's Light Flyweight (49kg); Men's Bantamweight (56kg); Men's Light Welterweight (64kg); Men's Middleweight (75kg) and Men's Heavyweight (91kg) semifinals, 1.30 p.m.
Men's Flyweight (52kg); Men's Lightweight (60kg); Men's Welterweight (69kg); Men's Light Heavyweight (81kg) and Men's Super Heavyweight (+91kg) semifinals, 8.30 p.m.
Canoe (Sprint) At Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire
Men's Canoe Single 200 heats, semifinals; Men's Kayak Single 200 heats, semifinals; Men's Kayak Double 200 heats, semifinal; Women's Kayak Single 200 heats, semifinals, 9.30 a.m.
Cycling (BMX) - At BMX Olympic Park
Men's and Women's semifinals, final, 3 p.m.
Diving At Olympic Park-Aquatics Centre
Men's 10-Meter Platform Prelims, 7 p.m.
Field Hockey At Olympic Park-Hockey Centre
Women
Classifications (5th-6th & 11th-12th places), 8:30 a.m.
Bronze medal match, 3.30 p.m.
Gold medal match, 8 p.m.
Gymnastics At Rhythmic Wembley Arena
Women's Individual All-Around qualification, rotations 3 & 4; Women's Group All-Around qualification, rotation 2, Noon
Sailing At Weymouth and Portland, Dorset
Women's 470 (medal race), Elliott 6m, Noon
Soccer At Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Men's Bronze medal match, 7.45 p.m.
Swimming At Hyde Park
Men's Marathon 10km, Noon
Synchronized Swimming At Olympic Park-Aquatics Centre
Women's Teams free routine (medal), 3 p.m.
Taekwondo - At ExCeL
Men's -80kg and Women's -67kg, preliminary round of 16, 9 a.m.
Men's -80kg and Women's -67kg, quarterfinals, semifinals, 3 p.m.
Men's -80kg and Women's -67kg repechages, bronze medal contests, gold medal, 8 p.m.
Team Handball - At Copper Box
Men
Semifinal, 5 p.m.
Semifinal, 8.30 p.m.
Volleyball -At Earls Court
Men
Semifinal, 3 p.m.
Semifinal, 7.30 p.m.
Water Polo - At Olympic Park-Water Polo Arena
Men
Semifinal, classification match (5th-8th places), 2.20 p.m.
Semifinal, classification match (5th-8th places), 6.30 p.m.
Wrestling (Freestyle) - At ExCeL
Men's 55kg and 74kg qualifications, 1/8 finals, quarterfinals, semifinals, 1 p.m.
Men's 55kg and 74kg repechage rounds, bronze and gold medal contests, 5.45 p.m.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/James_wants_to_inspire_young_athletes_at_home-165681766.html
James wants to inspire young athletes at home
Story Created: Aug 9, 2012 at 11:06 PM ECT
l LONDON
World and Olympic 400 metre champion Kirani James says one of his goals is to help stop talented young athletes in Grenada from falling out of grace with the sport.
The country's most successful athlete says he has witnessed far too many young athletes in his homeland more talented than him fall by the wayside.
Addressing a news conference in London after comfortably winning the 400 metres to secure Grenada's first Olympic medal, James says he wants his success to inspire the country's youth.
"I have seen a lot more guys a lot more talented than me but they didn't have the determination and confidence to move forward," James told journalists in London.
"So one of my jobs is to not let that happen again in my country. To keep on inspiring the kids to be whatever they want to be. The best that they can be."
The 19-year-old surged to victory on Monday in 43.94 seconds to capture as well the first Olympic gold medal for the OECS sub-region.
The Olympic title is the latest addition to his collection of major meets which also includes world senior, junior and youth.
"There was one guy, who was faster than me, but he fell along the way," said James.
"It's sad to see now because he was way more talented than me."
James, who first dominated regional meets, including Carifta and CAC, said he is now in a position where he can create a positive path for these youngsters.
He said there are several things that can be done to let it work, among them he noted "is to get their confidence up and tell them to believe they can compete".—CMC
Yes, Kirani!!! Dahis de drum to beat. Wuk.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-09/boldon-says-more-come-tt
Boldon says more to come from T&T
Published: Friday, August 10, 2012
Andre E Baptiste
Quadruple Olympic medallist Ato Boldon has described T&T’s performance at the Games here so far as one of the best ever performances by a T&T Olympic team. “We have not only done well in track, which has been where we have won our most medals, but we have done well in the other areas. Just look at the performances of Keshorn Walcott in the javelin and Njisane Phillips in cycling. Imagine this, their first Olympics and they did so well. That has to be historic,” said Boldon, who is working with NBC as an analyst during the Olympic Games. Boldon noted that most members of the team are young: “They can have multiple shots at future Olympics once we put everything in place to ensure they are well supported and well looked after. This has to be a good sign.
“I have always stated that this was one of the best balanced teams we ever had in any Olympics.” Boldon who visited the team at their training camp in Wales declared: “I am not surprised by the 4x400 metres men. I always felt that once they were healthy they would run well, and when you look at what they have achieved so far, setting a new national record without Renny Quow...they are going to give it everything.” Boldon predicted another two medals for T&T: “The way it is going, we could end up with at least two more medals in the remaining events, which would be great for T&T and sports.” This is Boldon’s sixth Olympics, his second as an analyst, and he was quick to add: “For me in terms of organisation and the weather and all the arrangements, this has been better than Beijing. I did not think coming here I would say that, but I have to give the credit to organising committee here in London. They have done a wonderful job.”
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Well Ato yuh pardner from Fatima is d Minister and d party yuh was a Senator for in power. D future so bright we all need shades.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-09/tt%E2%80%88sizzles-heats
From the Olympic Village in London
T&T sizzles in heats
Published: Friday, August 10, 2012
Rachael Thompson-King
In an already hot London morning, T&T 4x400 metres relay team made it even hotter when scorching the track at the Olympic Stadium, to win the first heat in 3:00.38, a new national record, yesterday at the Olympic Games in England. Some nine hours later, the 4x100m women’s team of Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Michelle Lee Ahye, Kai Selvon and Semoy Hacket, did the same, breaking the national record in a time of 42.31 and placing second in heat one, in the evening session, to also automatically qualify for today’ final at 3.40 pm (T&T time). The faces of Olympic bronze-medallist Lalonde Gordon, Ade Alleyne-Forte, Jarrin Solomon and Deon Lendore glowed with excitement after the accomplishment and the possibilities that exist in the final, set for today at 4.20 pm. Lendore ran a spectacular final lap, coming from third place with some 20 metres to go, to tie with Great Britain (3:00.38) for first place. “We had the right mindset to come in the top three. We went out there and everybody did the best that they could. We believed in each other and that helped us to come out with a new national record and first spot.” Not since the 1992 Barcelona Games has T&T had a 4x400m team qualify for an Olympic final.
The youngsters eclipsed the time of 3:01.05 achieved by Alvin Daniel, Neil De Silva, Patrick Delice and Ian Morris. Gordon, who gave the local team a strong start, had the day before, made a bold statement that he and his teammates will do well even in the absence of 400m specialist Renny Quow, who was forced out of the Games due to a hamstring injury. Yesterday he stayed firm in his belief that his unit can make it all the way to the podium. “We will get a medal, don’t worry,” said the always smiling Gordon. “I’m feeling great. I’m feeling that we will go a little faster tomorrow (today) because most of the guys haven’t run in weeks so after this first run their body wake up now so tomorrow we will go for a faster time.” Solomon, son of Michael “Mike” Solomon, a former T&T athlete, who had specialised in both the 400m and 4x400m relay, and Ade Alleyne-Forte agreed with Gordon. Alleyne-Forte said, “I felt a little rusty in my first run in about a month but we got the job done and that is the important thing and we are happy about it.” Solomon added, “Like myself and Ade, it’s our first race in about month. We have been training hard but I had to blow the rust off but I was ready to run. We’re hungry for a medal. We saw Lalonde get a bronze medal and we all want a medal too. We’re going to go as fast as we can to get a gold medal.”
The second heat of the event was as intense as the first. USA and Bahamas were also given the same time: 2:58.87, in the second semi-final, to qualify with the quickest times overall. Cuba and Russia will join the top four automatic qualifiers in the final after they also hit qualification times in the heats. Any hopes of Usain Bolt appearing in the finale were squashed when Jamaica’s Jermaine Gonzales pulled up injured on the third leg. A South Africa team featuring Oscar Pistorius also failed to finish their heat after Ofentse Mogawane crashed out. As Pistorius waited to collect the baton from Mogawane on the third leg, he collided with Kenya's Vincent Kiilu and was sent sprawling to the track, a shoulder injury leaving him unable to continue. The Kenyan team was disqualified and the South Africans lodged an appeal which they won. The jury of appeal met and agreed to advance the South African team to the final, even though they did not finish the race considering that their chances had been severely damaged in the incident with Kenya. The women team bettered the previous record of 42.50 which was established last year at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Lee Ahye ran the first leg, giving T&T a good start. She handed off to Baptiste, who stayed close to early leader Jeneba Tarmoh of the USA team.
The transition from Baptiste to Selvon was not the smoothest of handovers but the national 200m champion regained composure and had T&T in with a chance. By the time Hackett collected the baton, the Americans with Lauryn Williams, running the anchor leg, raced away to top the group with a season-best 41.64. Third was Netherlands in 42.45. The other finalists are Ukraine (42.36), Jamaica (42.37), Brazil (42.55), Germany (42.69) and Nigeria (42.74). Speaking on the behalf of the quartet, Baptiste said: “We’re happy. Hopefully we’ll get some great passes to put ourselves into contention to win a medal. That would be good. We did not have a good handover and still got a national record, it is a good thing." With two down and one to go, their male counterparts will be looking to follow suite when they line-up in the heats of the Men’s 4x100m relay event from 2.45 pm. The responsibility falls on Richard Thompson, Keston Bledman, Rondell Sorrillo, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender and Jamol James from which the final team will be picked. “I think we will do well in the 4x100m relay. The race that we put together in London shows that we are capable of running very fast because we ran 38.23 in the rain and in the cold. The conditions were poor and we were still able to put together a fast time without Bledman,” said Thompson, the double Olympic silver medallist. “With Bledman back in the mix it gives us a stronger chance of winning it all.”
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Ah ain't like this headline, T&T sizzles in heats.
With headlines like that, it is usually a bad omen. . .and could easily be completed to say, ". . .and Fizzles in the Finals"
Hope I'm wrong ;)
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Ah ain't like this headline, T&T sizzles in heats.
With headlines like that, it is usually a bad omen. . .and could easily be completed to say, ". . .and Fizzles in the Finals"
Hope I'm wrong ;)
Most of our T&T Newspaper sports journalists are clueless with their unjustified sensationalism! >:(
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-09/going-mad-cycling
OLYMPIC JOURNAL - Day 15
Going mad on cycling
Published: Friday, August 10, 2012
Andre Baptiste
I was crossing the road here in London, like a true Trini, when I was almost knocked over by a cyclist. Luckily, I jumped quickly to the pavement, and looked around disdainfully to see three more cyclists blowing past me. They seemed to be racing among themselves. That is when I knew it would be difficult for Njisane Phillip to compete against the British in cycling. This country has gone mad over cycling, with everyone believing they were either Sir Chris Hoy or Victoria Pendleton. The Chinese love to cycle but there is no way they love cycling more than the British. Whether on footpaths or on roads, or even in the Olympic Village, there are designated parking areas for cycles. Britain, it appears, has gone mad on cycling.
Given the weather conditions, it is amazing that so many persons like this activity. Perhaps it is because of the coldness and the desire to reach their destinations quickly. What is also interesting is the amount of technology and human resource the British have invested in this sport, from headwear and bicycles being manufactured to the body type of the specific cyclist. There is a also a full state-of-the-art trusting system in synchronised circumstances that allows the cyclists to experience various conditions. When you look at the number of officials connected to the cyclists here, they number around 12 persons. This includes coaching staff, analysts, nutritionists, therapists, physiologists and medical doctors. And there are some former cycling champions from Britain for good measure.
Phillip did not have even one-third of that support. Each member of their team were specialists, totally dedicated to the cyclists, while Njisane and all the athletes had to share services. This is clearly wrong. If we want to improve, we must support the likes of Fitzbert Alleyne, Zephyrinus Nicholas, Oba Gulston, Karielle De Bique and of course the indefatigable Ian Sharpe. As I reflected on the cycling here in London, I could not help but imagine how many youngsters have been inspired by Phillip. The challenge will be to use this success to inspire a nation to cycle and be fit and safe. Phillip’s performance must not fade. We must encourage other youngsters to get involved in the sport.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-09/hanging-our-hats-too-high
OLYMPIC JOURNAL - Day 15
Hanging our hats too high
Published: Friday, August 10, 2012
Alvin Corneal
To have expected anything more than was offered by our athletes who have advanced in their respective events would have been considered hanging our hats too high. Keshorn Walcott, the junior champion in the javelin, whose best distance ever was 82.83 metres, actually fell short with his decisive throw of 81.75. However, he was able to make the final because of the moderate distances that were thrown by all the competitors. This youngster is presently tenth going into the final and despite the maturity of his opponents, it would be unreasonable to doubt his final placing. Wayne Davis did not make it to the final in the 110-metre hurdle event, but his time in the semifinal was 13.49 seconds, much improved from his heat when he ran 13.52 seconds. Maybe not quite ready for the bright lights of an Olympics at such a young age, but one gets the impression that a bright future is ahead, especially if he is given the technical and financial support for the entire period.
Before the start of the track and field events, many felt that our women will be our main strength, and while we cannot fault Kelly Ann Baptiste in her effort to win a medal in the 100-metre final, the rest of the group did not seem to have the stamina and footspeed to match the likes of Allyson Felix, Shelly Ann Frazier Pryce, Carmelita Jetter and Sanya Richards-Ross. Semoy Hackett can vouch for that, as she saw five world-class athletes streaming towards the finish line. T&T did not have a qualifier in the final of the men’s 200-metre and maybe just as well. There was hardly ever anyone who could challenge the Jamaican athletes Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Warren Weir for the final. Bolt ran his semifinal as though it was an afternoon trot around the park. He did not whistle and that would have been insulting the opponents.
Although we were able to witness pride among the British fans who walked around London as if they wanted to send a signal to those who did not expect Britain to win so many gold medals. They deserve their success and when matched with their excellent organisation in all areas, they may have sent some valuable lessons on sports management to the other countries of the world especially the Third-world minors. The Concacaf countries can be very pleased with the performances of Mexico and Honduras, their two qualifiers. Not only did the latter reach the final eight succumbing to Brazil, but Mexico worked their way to the final against the samba lads. This means that football’s gold medal will go to a country which has never won one. Congrats to both these countries and the quality of play has certainly been appreciated.
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WHy Alvin eh retire?
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Socapro ah cyah believe yuh fnck up de board with that corneal article
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Socapro ah cyah believe yuh fnck up de board with that corneal article
:rotfl:
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WHy Alvin eh retire?
He cyah spell it so d editors and dem need to do it.
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I have had enough me eh watching no more. damn. I sick. me head giddy!!!!
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vb Turkey 1st and 2nd in women's 1500 meters, their first gold medal in athletics
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What the javelin boy come?
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What the javelin boy come?
The Javelin final featuring Walcott is tomorrow Weary! :beermug:
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What the javelin boy come?
The Javelin final featuring Walcott is tomorrow Weary! :beermug:
AH ANXIOUS plus I eh get no REM sleep since July
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What the javelin boy come?
The Javelin final featuring Walcott is tomorrow Weary! :beermug:
AH ANXIOUS plus I eh get no REM sleep since July
Aye miss lady, you gave Socapro mih hug and kiss?? :)
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Socapro ah cyah believe yuh fnck up de board with that corneal article
:rotfl:
ent, socapro did an outstanding on the T&F forum only to spoil it with corneal article. ;D
come like yuh cook ah pelau, it smelling real good, man mouth watering then yuh buss ah shit on it.
corneal real annoying
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164652.html
Excitement for Walcott builds
Saturday, August 11 2012
THE excitement is building in Trinidad and Tobago and in particular east Trinidad ahead of the Olympic Men’s Javelin final today where Keshorn Walcott will be in action.
The Toco athlete is continuing to make his nation proud and Councillor for Toco/Fishing Pond, Terry Rondon, is adamant that he will be bringing home a medal on his return tomorrow.
On Thursday an excited Rondon was in a jubilant mood at the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation and even created a song.
“Keshorn, Keshorn, bring back gold for we nah son!” Rondon exclaimed, much to the delight of his fellow Councillors who were getting ready for a meeting.
Rondon, who last month met with Walcott at him home in Toco to offer words of support and encouragement ahead of his trip to Spain for the World Junior Championships, is supremely confident in the teenager’s abilities.
The Councillor is also planning a gala celebration for Walcott on his return regardless of his performance at the Olympics. Rondon explained that there is much to celebrate from the 19-year-old who not only is a World Junior champion but also this country’s first Olympic javelin finalist. Big screens will be erected throughout Toco today where his hometown fans will be able to see him in action.
The Men’s javelin final will get underway at 2.20pm today with each athlete getting three throws. Walcott’s personal best is 82.83m which may not be enough for a medal but the teenager has shown an ability to step up for the big occasions and will be expected to do the same.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164656.html
Morris says London 2012 is TT’s best Olympics
By KEVIN SUNICH Saturday, August 11 2012
DESPITE not being able to claim numerous medals, the Trinidad and Tobago 2012 Olympic athletes continue to be praised for their efforts.
The latest to express this sentiment is former World Indoor 400m silver medallist and two-time Olympian Ian Morris. “I have one word to describe this years’ performance and that is excellent. It is the first Olympic Games that I could remember that we have had so many athletes reaching the finals of their individual events”, said Morris.
So far out of seven individual finalists Lalonde Gordon has been the only one to claim a medal with bronze in the Men’s 400m. Then he returned with the 4x 400m relay team along side Deon Lendore, Jarrin Solomon and Ade Alleyne-Forte to claim another bronze for TT.
However there is still some hope for TT to do better in the medal count as the Men’s 4x100m relay team will compete in today’s final along with 19-year old World No 1 ranked junior Keshorn Walcott who will contest the final of the javelin today as well.
Yesterday in the 4x400 metres final Bahamas claimed an historic win ahead of the USA in a time of 2:56.70. The American quartet secured the silver in 2:57.05 while TT got their second medal of the Olympics in a time of 2:59.40.
TT’s 4x100m relay team of Richard Thompson, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender and Keston Bledman will also go after gold after they finished third in the heat yesterday.
Youth sensation Keshorn Walcott who secured the number one position among the juniors in the world at the Carifta Games in April carries high hopes of a medal today.
The boy from Toco advanced to the final on his last throw on Thursday with a distance of 81.75 metres. And yesterday Morris, a former quarter miler for TT, said the Olympic Games are not all about the medals although the TT public would love to see their athletes on the medal podium. “We cannot just look at the fact that they did not win medals. The bigger picture is that they made it to the finals, and that in itself is a big accomplishment for us as a small nation.
“Yes we would have liked for a few more of those finalists to produce some medals, but we have to be proud of what they have done for our country.
“They have all done creditably well and I am proud to be a Trinbagonian right now”, said Morris.
The TT Sports Hall of Fame 2004 inductee said the future looks bright for our country. “This shows that something is being positive way right now. We just have to push some more and get the athletes to come out and represent their country in the various disciplines.
The fourth place finisher at the 1992 Olympics called for the TT public to be more supportive of their athletes despite their performances. “We need to go all out for our athletes and we must be 100 percent behind them. The Jamaicans don’t hold back when it comes to their athletes and they give them maximum support. That is what we need, and it will go a far way” Morris said.
He however, feels that corporate TT must also play a bigger role and not just rely on the government to bring our athletes to the forefront.
So far TT have kept the trend of claiming at least one medal at every Olympics since the 1996 Atlanta Games, where four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon claimed bronze in the 100 and 200 metres.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164619.html
Cubans back TT’s javelin finalist
By STEPHON NICHOLAS Saturday, August 11 2012
Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott will be hoping to create further history today when he competes in the Olympic men’s javelin final which gets underway at 2.20 pm at the Olympic Stadium, London, England.
Already the first person from this country to reach a javelin final, Walcott is surely not content with that and will be keen on taking home a medal in his first appearance at the Olympics.
The 19-year-old has been receiving tremendous support, not only from TT, but from other Caribbean countries, among them Cuba, following his powerful 81.75-metre throw that hurled him into today’s final but will have his work cut out against a very experienced field.
Czech Republic’s Yitezslav Vesely was the most impressive in the qualifying rounds on Wednesday, justifying his number one IAAF ranking with a mammoth 88.34-metre throw that was almost four metres more than his nearest rival.
In Walcott’s humble village of Trois Rouche in Toco, the anticipation is boiling over with his friends, family and fans all eager to see him bring home a medal.
The Sangre Grande Regional Corporation has also arranged for big screens to be set up at several venues in Toco today for the community to gather and cheer their hometown hero.
Speaking to Newsday yesterday, John Andalcio, coach of Toco TAFAC and the man responsible for helping Walcott hone his craft, expressed great pride and joy in what his former student has been able to achieve.
The current World Junior champion, who began taking javelin seriously at around 16 years old, spent three years under Andalcio’s tutelage before Cuban coach Ismael Lopez Mastrapa took over.
Andalcio was hesitant to predict a medal for the teenager but believes he will improve on his personal best of 82.83 metres in the final.
“I am extremely proud of him. He’s a guy who is strongly motivated and has already achieved everything he has set out to do this year (CAC Junior and World Junior gold medals) so he will be throwing with a free mind. He doesn’t have that pressure on him anymore,” he explained.
Commenting on Walcott’s performance in the qualifying round, Andalcio believes nerves played a part in the young athlete’s first two throws which were below 80 metres before getting it together on his final attempt.
“When I went to Beijing (for the Olympics) in 2008, I came back with video footage of the javelin event. In the prelims on Wednesday he was a little overawed by competing against some of the guys he’s been accustomed seeing but he is in the final and does not have that ‘jumbie’ over him anymore,” he continued.
Andalcio explained from the very first time he saw Walcott, he realised he was going to be something special.
“We love javelin throw in this area and one day we just said, ‘Keshy come and take a throw’, and he threw over 50 metres in the first time he ever threw a javelin,” he revealed.
Tributes and words of encouragement continued to pour in on Walcott’s facebook page with even his peers congratulating him.
Cuban javelin thrower, Victor Orozco, hailed Walcott as the man to look forward to in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil and is also not ruling out a surprise today.
He posted, “Awesome man, you are the future of javelin! Bring it on in the finals, you can do it.”
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164616.html
TT stands by relay women
Saturday, August 11 2012
A FAILED baton exchange between Michelle-Lee Ahye and Kelly-Ann Baptiste cost Trinidad and Tobago a chance of a medal in the women’s 4x100-metre relay final at the 30th Olympiad in London, England.
At the Olympic Stadium, Baptiste took off too early in the second leg, and she was out of her designated area when she was handed the baton by Ahye.
As a result, Kai Selvon, the assigned third leg runner, and Semoy Hackett were left as mere spectators as the United States won the race in a world-record time of 40.82 seconds, lowering the previous mark of 41.37 seconds set by East Germany in 1985.
The quartet of Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter were followed across the finish line by Jamaica in 41.41 seconds, with Ukraine third in 42.04.
The US team had failed to reach the final at the Beijing Olympics but after qualifying fastest for the 2012 final, Madison gave the US an electric start, with Felix and Knight maintaining the lead before 100 metres silver medallist Jeter stormed down the straight to capture the gold.
The Jamaican quartet featured 100 metres champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and bronze medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown, but they could not match the fierce pace of the world champions.
Manager of the Trinidad and Tobago team, Dexter Voisin, commented yesterday, “it was a bitter-sweet day for us, with the unfortunate situation with the women (who) did not get the baton around. We felt they could have medalled.”
He continued, “They have worked hard. As a matter of fact, in practice, all their passes were on top. It’s unfortunate, this is athletics, these things could happen and we can’t dwell on this.”
Former national sprinter Ayanna Hutchinson tweeted, “my Trinbago ladies. I still love you guys. Never doubt I support you wholeheartedly, win, lose or draw.”
The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee added, “we are still extremely proud of our 4x100-metre girls for making it into the finals.”
And cyclist Njisane Phillip also wrote on his Twitter page, “these things happen in sport, support all the way not half way. Am proud of them.”
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164617.html
Bronze is gold
Saturday, August 11 2012
BRONZE IS GOLD.
This is how local fans felt about the Olympic medal the men’s 4x400-metre relay team won in London yesterday.
The normal Friday after-work lime for Trinbagonians turned into celebration as men and women stood with their eyes glued to big screens in their favourite liming spots anticipating a win for TT. People were screaming and shouting praises to sprinters Lalonde Gordon, Jarrin Solomon and Ade Alleyne-Forte before the baton was passed to fourth runner Deon Lendore, who raced to the finish line giving the team and TT a third place win. In bars, fans sang and danced to celebrate Trinidad’s second bronze medal for the London Olympics after Gordon won the first medal in the men’s 400 metres on Monday.
Limers at Pancho’s Restaurant and Bar, Queen Street, Port-of-Spain, said they were there all day waiting for the final and were not disappointed.
“Bronze is excellent, that is like gold for us, they did their best and we have to celebrate that, and I believe there are more medals on the way for TT,” said Kevin Prudhomne.
Many patrons at the D Bocas, Independence Square, Port-of-Spain, sang praises as well.
Ashmeed Hamid, all dressed in his work suit, with a group of friends at a table lined with empty beer bottles said, “That win is well deserved for us, they worked hard and competed with the best, we are proud and we are celebrating it.”
He also commented on the women’s 4x100 metre relay team where Kelly-Ann Baptiste, on the second leg, was out of the transition area when receiving the baton from Michelle-Lee Ahye. He said maybe it was nerves but it was disappointing the women did not make a win.
Bernard Persad, who saw the race at MovieTowne, Mucurapo with friends, said, “Bronze is gold for us, this is very exciting, Trinidad is in high celebrations because of this.”
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164618.html
Race for gold
Saturday, August 11 2012
TRINIDAD AND Tobago will be aiming for back-to-back relay medals at the Olympic Games in London, England today.
On the heels of the bronze medal success in the men’s 4x400-metre relay yesterday, at the Olympic Stadium, Trinidad and Tobago booked a spot in today’s final of the men’s 4x100-metre relay. The final is scheduled for 4 pm.
Richard Thompson, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender and Keston Bledman — all members of the 2008 silver medal squad at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China — finished third yesterday in the second semi-final heat in a time of 38.10 seconds, behind the United States (37.38) and Japan (38.07).
Thompson, had a decent first leg but Burns was tested by the challenge of the Americans and managed to remain in second position, but Callender faltered slightly on the third leg and was overtaken by his Japanese rival.
Bledman had a lot of ground to make up to get third place, and an automatic spot in the final, and he managed to do so, ahead of France and Australia on the line.
Dexter Voisin, manager of the TT track and field team, said yesterday, he expected the team to discuss their approach to today’s relay with their coach.
“I definitely think they would have to reconsider the order that has been working for us in recent times and definitely go out there and perform to their best,” he added. “They definitely weren’t at their best (yesterday).”
And former Olympian Alvin Daniel admitted, “we always had a very good chance of getting a medal.
The problem we encounter is the changeover. Once we could get the stick around, Trinidad always stand a very good chance of winning or getting a medal, at any major championships.
“I’m not even looking at the US quite clearly,” he added. “The US always have a problem with the baton (passing). Apart from that, they always have a sort of rumbling in their camp.
“Whenever it comes to these major meets, they never get it right. If they do, in fact, get the stick around, we would have some problems.
“Jamaica is the most balanced team, I think, in the history of putting out a team together. The only thing that can beat Jamaica on that track is if they drop the baton, or injuries.” Trinidad and Tobago has been drawn in lane nine of today’s final.
In the first semi-final, Britain, who finished second, were later disqualified due to poor change-over in the final leg.
Jamaica, the defending Olympic champions, won in 37.39 seconds, followed by Canada (38.05) and Netherlands (38.29).
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164613.html
Bahamas wins gold
By Stephon Nicholas Saturday, August 11 2012
Bahamas continued the domination of the Caribbean on the track yesterday with a gold medal victory in the men’s 4x400-metre relay final at the London Olympics.
The quartet of Chris Brown, Demetrius Pinder, Michael Mathieu and Ramon Miller shattered their national record with a time of 2:56.72 seconds to leave Americans Bryshon Nellum, Josh Mance, Tony McQuay and Angelo Taylor with the silver after clocking 2:57.05.
The Trinidad and Tobago team of Lalonde Gordon, Jarrin Solomon, Ade Alleyne-Forte and Deon Lendore took the bronze in a new national record of 2:59.40.
The Bahamas victory effectively ended the dominance of the Americans who have won gold in that event in a remarkable six of the previous seven Olympics. But with not a single American in the men’s 400 metres final, that era has certainly passed and the Caribbean teams are now coming to the fore.
Bahamas went into the final with the fastest qualifying time (2:58.87) while the US were second with 2:58.87 and TT third (3:00.38).
Led by a superb final leg from Miller, the Bahamas ensured the medals would be distributed in that very order. Miller got the baton some five metres behind US anchorman Angelo Taylor, but never lost his composure and sped by the American in the last 50 metres to burst to the finish.
Brown, the veteran, had earlier given them a very good start, which Pinder built on before Mathieu lost the lead. Luckily, Taylor, of the US, could not finish strongly under strong pressure from Miller in the stretch.
“We owe it to the Lord,” an ecstatic Brown said.
“It was not just the Bahamas we did it for, we did it for the entire Caribbean, all those who came before us and those who trying to go and do what we did tonight.”
He continued, “It was tough for us because we ran the same four guys as we did in the heats. They (US) brought in two fresh legs and we still came out victorious so we owe it to God to bless us with this talent we have.”
Pinder added, “It’s history. No one ever did it before so we were ecstatic, which led to the celebration at the end.”
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164612.html
VALIANT RACE
By STEPHON NICHOLAS Saturday, August 11 2012
Less than an hour after seeing the national women’s 4x100-metre team fail to finish their race, the men’s 4x400-metre team eased the pain of the nation with a battling bronze medal performance that turned faces of sorrow into joy.
The effort took Trinidad and Tobago’s (TT) Olympic medal tally from the London Games to two which has already equalled the quota of Beijing 2008 with Keshorn Walcott, men’s javelin, and the men’s 4x100-metre team still to come in their respective finals today.
Led off by the 2012 Olympic 400-metre bronze medallist, Lalonde Gordon, 23, the TT quartet which also included Jarrin Solomon, 26, Ade Alleyne-Forte, 23, and Deon Lendore, 19, smashed the national record yet again to cross the finish line third in 2:59.40 seconds.
The gold was won by Bahamians Chris Brown, Demetrius Pinder, Michael Mathieu and Ramon Miller who broke their national record in a sizzling 2:56.72 seconds ahead of the highly fancied Americans, Bryshon Nellum, Josh Mance, Tony McQuay and Angelo Taylor, who had to settle for second in 2:57.05.
It was a valiant effort from the TT foursome who had to dig deep to come away with a medal.
After winning their semi-final race on Thursday, nothing less was expected of the TT team who went into the final with the third fastest qualifying time behind the Bahamas and US.
The race started with Gordon on the opening leg but after running three rounds in the individual 400 metres and also in the relay semi-final, the 23-year-old looked tired and handed off the baton to Solomon in about sixth place. Solomon was in no mood to settle for less than a medal and ran a brilliant second leg before passing smoothly to Alleyne-Forte. The San Fernando resident, already trailing the US and Bahamas, maintained the distance between the chasing pack as he passed the baton to Lendore for the final lap. The 19-year-old was well behind the top two runners but by then all TT wanted was a medal and Lendore obtained it with a nerve-wrecking final leg.
There was a bit of a scare going into the straightaway as Lendore seemed to fade a bit but the TT runner found a last burst of speed to hold off Great Britain’s Martyn Rooney to hang on to third. “Everybody came on top of the game,” Gordon said.
Lendore added, “Coming out here we had it in our minds that we have to do our best to get a medal. The world may be surprised, but as a team, watching our own performances throughout the year, we knew we would have given the teams here strong competition and take a medal.”
It was an effort that typified sheer determination and hunger from the TT team who celebrated the bronze by laughing and piling on each other on the ground while at home their fans applauded their brilliance.
TT’s former World Indoor silver medallist, Ian Morris, was in tears yesterday when contacted by Newsday and could not contain the happiness of seeing the local quartet bring glory to this country.
Morris was part of the 4x400-metre relay team that placed seventh at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and was also edged out of a medal in the 400 metres with a fourth place finish that saw him return home empty-handed.
“I am overjoyed. Tears are in my eyes still because these guys ran excellent,” Morris declared, “We haven’t done this in years and I think this Olympics is for the Caribbean,” he continued.
Morris revealed he had reservations of Alleyne-Forte running the third leg but acknowledged his concern may have been without merit following his superb effort which maintained TT’s third place.
Speaking to Newsday yesterday as well, Alleyne-Forte’s father, Learie, was bursting with sheer excitement following the race and stated the bronze medal was the culmination of years of hard work put in by his son.
“I am very proud of him and the entire Trinidad and Tobago team. These guys, especially Ade, have been working toward this from since a young boy and here he is today. He has achieved his lifelong dream and I’m so happy for him. The guys went out and executed to their best ability,” Learie declared. He noted that he was sure the team would medal and was not surprised with their performance yesterday.
“They can’t have their best race everyday but I was fully confident that they would have delivered — so said so done. The guys held their own and Trinidad and Tobago should welcome them into their arms. They have done exceedingly well,” he exclaimed.
The relay team was a hot topic on Twitter yesterday with several popular local personalities congratulating the quartet on their feat.
Former Soca Warrior, Shaka Hislop, expressed his delight on obtaining a medal, stating “Congrats to the 400 metres relay team, and medal, another reason to feel proud!”
Local cyclist, Njisane Phillip, who just missed out on an Olympic medal with a fourth place finish in the Match Sprint, was still elated that his compatriots were able to achieve what he could not.
“Sweet! Another medal!” he tweeted.
TT’s Olympics athletics manager, Dexter Voisin, also hailed the relay team for stepping up at sport’s biggest showpiece and writing their names into history.
“Coming into this meet here, these guys did not make the ‘A’ qualifying standard but that did not deter them. They continued to train hard and prepare themselves for the relay,” he stated. Earlier yesterday, TT fans across the country were talking about the possibility of picking up two medals with the women’s 4x100-metre team going into the final with the second fastest qualifying time.
It was not be, however, as TT’s race ended in calamity with Michelle Lee Ahye and Kelly-Ann Baptiste unable to exchange the baton. It was a sad end for the TT team which also included Semoy Hackett and Kai Selvon. For Baptiste and Hackett it was a repeat of the 2008 debacle where they also experienced baton transition problems and failed to finish their race.
Also yesterday, the men’s 4x100-metre team sealed a place in the final with a third place finish in their semifinal. The team of Richard Thompson, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callendar and Keston Bledman, who copped silver four years ago clocked a season best of 38.10 seconds behind the US and Japan.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/BRONZE_BOYS-165818466.html
BRONZE BOYS
T&T strikes third spot in men's 4x400m Olympic final
By Kwame Laurence
Story Created: Aug 10, 2012 at 11:54 PM ECT
Deon Lendore ran his heart out for Trinidad and Tobago at the Olympic Stadium, here in London, England, yesterday, battling to the line to earn his team bronze in the London 2012 men's 4x400 metres relay.
Lendore had to contend with thousands and thousands of screaming Britons, determined to push their anchorman Martyn Rooney into the bronze medal position. But the 19-year-old T&T quartermiler was even more determined than the partisan crowd, holding off Rooney to finish the job that had been started by Lalonde Gordon, and continued by Jarrin Solomon and Ade Alleyne-Forte.
"I don't think I ever ran so hard in my life," Lendore told the Express. "It was a wonderful feeling. I may have cried if he passed me.
"Seeing that we ran a new national record," he continued, "and seeing my teammates running up to me, it was a very emotional moment."
The T&T quartet returned a time of two minutes, 59.40 seconds, smashing the 3:00.38 national record they had established in the qualifying round, on Thursday.
There was also a national record for Bahamas, but more importantly the Bahamians struck gold, Chris Brown, Demetrius Pinder, Michael Mathieu and Ramon Miller combining for a 2:56.72 clocking. The United States, champions in the event 16 times, were forced to settle for silver on this occasion, in 2:57.05.
Yesterday's championship race appearance was the seventh for T&T in an Olympic Games men's 4x400m event. It was only the second time, though, a medal was bagged.
At the 1964 Games in Tokyo, Japan, Edwin Skinner, Kent Bernard, Edwin Roberts and Wendell Mottley earned bronze. Forty-eight years later, Skinner is here in London as a member of the T&T coaching staff.
"Mr Skinner," Solomon told the Express, "showed a few of us the (1964) bronze medal run when we were in Wales in the Cardiff camp. Just to see how happy they were and how hard they worked we wanted to come out and emulate that same thing. And we knew we had the team to bring home a bronze medal, if not a gold, so we came out here confident and ready to deliver."
Gordon ran three rounds in the individual 400m, culminating with bronze in the final in a personal best 44.52 seconds. He also competed in the qualifying round of the 4x4. The opening leg in yesterday's final was his fifth time round the Olympic Stadium track, but the 23-year-old athlete dug deep into his reserves to put his country in contention for precious metal.
Solomon continued the good work, and T&T were in the bronze medal position when he handed the baton to Alleyne-Forte. Obviously rusty in the qualifying round, Alleyne-Forte stepped up his game in the final, staying in third to set the stage for Lendore's anchorleg heroics.
"It was a much better effort than yesterday (Thursday)," said Alleyne-Forte. "I hadn't competed in a while, prior to yesterday. I told these guys after the race it was going to get better. It got better, and I'm pretty satisfied.
"Thank you T&T for all the support. We came out here to represent you all, and my honest hope is that we did it to our best."
Virtually unknown coming into the London Games, Gordon is now the proud owner of two Olympic bronze medals.
"Words can't explain; just a wonderful feeling. Thank God man, thank God.
"I felt I could have done a little better," he continued. "I didn't really feel the power getting out the blocks, but it was a good run."
Yesterday's bronze was the second global 4x4 success for T&T in 2012. On March 11, Gordon, Renny Quow, Jereem Richards and Solomon teamed up for bronze at the World Indoor Championships, in Istanbul, Turkey.
"Two or three years ago," said Lendore, "I would not have thought of being an Olympic bronze medallist. But during this year I had the thought. Seeing how my teammates all progressed greatly, I knew that we had a chance to do anything in this Olympic Games."
For Solomon, the podium finish had special significance. His father, Mike Solomon represented T&T with distinction, appearing in two Olympic 4x400m finals—1976 and 1980—as well as the individual 400m championship race in 1980. On each occasion, sixth spot was the senior Solomon's fate.
"I know he really wanted to medal," said Jarrin. "In '84 he was supposed to run, and he didn't get the chance to go to the Games, so this was very important to me, to go out there, give my best, and bring home a medal for the family. We've been to three Olympics already. I think it was due time to bring home a medal."
After spending more than a fortnight in cool, and sometimes cold London, Gordon is looking forward to some warmth.
"We coming home for doubles," he declared.
The hunger for precious metal already satisfied, the double Olympic bronze medallist is eager to celebrate not only with his teammates but with all of T&T.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Bahamas_end_US_4x400_dominance-165821776.html
Bahamas end US 4x400 dominance
Story Created: Aug 11, 2012 at 12:46 AM ECT
l LONDON
America's 28-year domination of the men's Olympic 4x400 metres relay ended in thrilling fashion yesterday when the Bahamas overhauled them to snatch gold in a pulsating final leg.
Chris Brown, Demetrius Pinder, Michael Mathieu and Ramon Miller sped home in a Bahamian record time of two minutes 56.72 seconds, Miller passing American Angelo Taylor with just 50 metres left to huge roars from the crowd.
"Miller had a phenomenal leg. I really feel bad for these guys (teammates). I really didn't hold up the tradition," Taylor told reporters. "I felt pretty good for 300 (metres), then I tried to hit it and I just didn't have it."
Bryshon Nellum, Joshua Mance, Tony McQuay and Taylor claimed silver for the US with a season's best time of 2:57.05, ending a run of seven successive golds in the event.
The gold was a first in men's track and field for Bahamas.
"It is great, we finally got the gold over the US," the Bahamas' Mathieu said. "The streak is finally gone, we finally got them."
Trinidad and Tobago's Lalonde Gordon, Jarrin Solomon, Ade Alleyne-Forte and Deon Lendore won bronze with hosts Britain just outside the medals in fourth.
The US had finished ahead of the Bahamas in Beijing four years ago to take gold in an Olympic record time of two minutes 55.39 seconds—the second fastest performance ever—but their team in London was much weaker.
American 2008 Olympic 400m champion LaShawn Merritt, a first-choice relay option, injured his hamstring moments into his title defence on Saturday and pulled out of the Games, while Manteo Mitchell suffered a broken leg during the relay heats.
Double US relay gold medallist Jeremy Wariner was also unfit to run in London.
The US still remained favourites for gold and their chances looked to have been bolstered on Thursday when medal contenders Jamaica crashed out in qualifying after Jermaine Gonzales pulled up injured and ended their race.
The world's fastest man Usain Bolt had said there was a slim chance he might have run the final if Jamaica had got there.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Coe__Rudisha_s_world_record_win_a_stand_out_moment_-165821826.html
Coe: Rudisha's world record win a stand out moment
Story Created: Aug 11, 2012 at 12:46 AM ECT
Kenyan David Rudisha's win in the 800 metres in a world record time was the "stand out performance" of the London Olympics, Games chairman and former record holder Seb Coe said yesterday.
The London Games have seen several great performances, including Usain Bolt's sprint double, as well as many British golden moments in the host country's best medal haul since 1908.
But Coe, who won two Olympic 1,500m golds and held the 800 world record between 1981 and 1997, especially praised the Kenyan's run on Thursday.
"I am probably biased and I would say this, but I think...that will be the stand out performance of these Olympic Games," he told reporters.
Rudisha, who romped to gold in one minute 40.91, had said he had wanted to come to London and make his good friend Coe proud.
"I'm very proud that David ran the way he did, I thought it was an extraordinary piece of racing," Coe replied when asked if Rudisha had achieved his aim.
"This was in an Olympic final. To basically express such physical and mental confidence that you take an 800m out in an Olympic final from gun to tape (is remarkable)."
Rudisha, the world champion, dazzled the 80,000-strong crowd in the Olympic stadium to beat the mark of 1.41.01 he set two years ago in Italy.
Coe never won an Olympic gold in his favoured 800.
He described Rudisha's run as "simply an unbelievable performance".
"Instead of just doing enough to win the race he wanted to do something extraordinary," Coe said.
"I feel privileged to have witnessed it in London."
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/US_women_smash_relay_record-165821906.html
US women smash relay record
Story Created: Aug 11, 2012 at 12:46 AM ECT
l LONDON
America's women left their great Jamaican rivals trailing to storm to gold in the Olympic sprint relay yesterday, running a perfect race to smash one of the oldest world records in the book.
On a dramatic night on the track, Ethiopia's Meseret Defar surged to victory in the women's 5,000 metres to deny her compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba a historic second double of Olympic distance titles.
And the Bahamas, silver medallists four years ago, ran down a weakened US quartet in the home straight for gold in the 4x400m, denying the Americans an eighth successive Olympic title.
On a day when former drugs offenders won gold in the women's 1,500m and hammer throw and the men's 10km swim, there was news of two new doping suspensions in distance running.
Elsewhere, the Netherlands won the women's hockey tournament, Australia asserted their dominance in sailing, and Olympic minnows Colombia and Latvia won golds in BMX cycling.
The US reigning Olympic basketball champions, featuring LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, set up a repeat of their 2008 final against Spain by brushing aside Argentina 109-83. Spain beat Russia 67-59.
The penultimate day of track and field competition in London, England, brought high drama in the relays.
Bungled handovers had denied the American women 4x100m gold at the last three Games, but Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter combined slickly to run 40.82 seconds, beating East Germany's 1985 world mark by more than half a second.
Jamaica finished second in a national record, only 0.04 seconds outside the old world record of 41.37.
Jamaica and the United States have carved up all the sprint golds between them so far in London, and Jamaica's 100m bronze medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown praised her rivals.
"I feel females don't get as much respect as their male counterparts. We need to get more records.... The result was phenomenal," she said.
In the women's 5,000, Dibaba was unable to reproduce the scintillating last lap that won her the 10,000m a week ago.
Having failed to shake off her main rivals, the "baby-faced destroyer", winner of the 5,000 and 10,000 in Beijing, China, faded at the end to be outsprinted by Defar, the 2004 champion, and Kenyan world champion Vivian Cheruiyot.
Asli Cakir Alptekin, who served a two-year doping ban from 2004 to 2006, won Turkey's first-ever athletics gold in the 1,500, leading the field in a storming last lap after a painfully slow first 1,200m.
Russia's Tatyana Lysenko, who watched the 2008 Olympics on television while serving a two-year doping ban, won the women's hammer.
Mathew Kisorio of Kenya, the world's great middle- and long-distance power alongside Ethiopia, was confirmed to have tested positive for a banned substance in June.
Kisorio told German television that blood-doping and steroid use were widespread in Kenya, but officials dismissed the allegation while acknowledging there had been other cases.
"We don't joke with doping matters. This year alone, we have banned four athletes," said David Okeyo, secretary general of Athletics Kenya.
French 5,000m runner Hassan Hirt failed a test for the banned blood-booster EPO (erythropoietin) prior to competing in London, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said.
France's 3,000m steeplechaser Nour-Eddine Gezzar had also been suspended for using EPO in the run-up to the Games.
Tunisia's Oussama Mellouli, who served an 18-month ban in 2006-2007 for using banned stimulants, won the men's swimming marathon through the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park to become the first swimmer to get medals in the pool and open water.
Earlier in the week, Victor Conte, convicted owner of a now-defunct laboratory at the centre of a global steroid scandal, said it was easy to cheat at the Olympics by using drugs.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) dismissed his comments as being "like a poacher criticising a gamekeeper".
France's European champion Renaud Lavillenie produced an Olympic record jump of 5.97m to win gold in the men's pole vault after Australia's defending champion, Steve Hooker, went out of the competition early on.
But there was better news for Australia in sailing where they are set to finish as the leading country. They won their third gold in the men's 470 class and look all set to win another in the women's Elliott 6-metre keelboat today.
In hockey, the Netherlands beat world champions Argentina 2-0 in the women's final—and will go for the double when their men play Germany in what could be a classic final today.
Mariana Pajon, Colombia's flag-bearer at the opening ceremony, won her country's first gold medal of the Games when she thundered to victory in the BMX cycling where competitors race over bumps and around banked corners.
Latvia's Maris Strombergs, who cried when he first saw a BMX race at the age of five, remained the only men's Olympic champion in the discipline when he retained his title.
In handball, three-time men's silver medallists Sweden gave themselves a chance of a first Olympic gold by beating Hungary.
In the final they will meet France, the title-holders, who beat twice winners Croatia in their semi-final.
The United States stood atop the overall medals table with 41 golds to China's 37.
The two have been neck-and-neck throughout London 2012 in the race for Olympic bragging rights. Whoever wins, the home nation will certainly be celebrating their best medals haul since 1908 when London first hosted the Games.
Britain's 25 golds puts them behind China in third place and easily surpassed their 2008 total of 19.
That golden glow has helped fuel the popularity of the Games among a public that has packed many venues and lifted athletes with deafening cheers.
IOC president Jacques Rogge gave the London Games a lavish endorsement, telling the city's Evening Standard newspaper: "The superlatives created here in London will live on long after the cauldron is finally extinguished.
"In the true spirit of Britain, huge crowds have cheered on not just their athletes but those of the world, and sent an echo that resonates in every home across the globe," he added.
Before the baton is passed to Rio de Janeiro, which hosts the first South American Olympics in 2016, the world will witness a closing ceremony celebrating British music, with the Spice Girls, The Who and Brian May among those set to perform.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Today_s_London_Olympics_schedule-165821916.html
Today's London Olympics schedule
Story Created: Aug 11, 2012 at 12:46 AM ECT
Athletics
At The Mall
Men's 50km Race Walk, 9 a.m.
Women's 20km Race Walk, 5 p.m.
At Olympic Stadium
Men's 5000 final, 4x100 Relay final, Javelin final; Women's 800 final, 4x400 Relay final, High Jump final, 6:45 p.m.
Basketball - At North Greenwich Arena
Women—Bronze medal, 5 p.m.
Gold medal, 9 p.m.
Boxing - At ExCeL
Men's Light Flyweight (49kg); Men's Bantamweight (56kg); Men's Light Welterweight (64kg); Men's Middleweight (75kg) and Men's
Heavyweight (91kg) finals, 8:30 p.m.
Canoe (Sprint) At Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire
Men's Canoe Single 200 final; Men's Kayak Single 200 final; Men's Kayak Double 200 final; Women's Kayak Single 200 final, 9:30 a.m.
Cycling (Mountain Bike) At Hadleigh Farm, Essex
Women's Cross-Country race, 12:30 p.m.
Diving At Olympic Park-Aquatics Centre
Men's 10-Metre Platform semifinal, 10 a.m.
Men's 10-Metre Platform final, 8:30 p.m.
Field Hockey At Olympic Park-Hockey Centre
Men
Classifications (5th-6th & 11th-12th places), 8:30 a.m. Bronze medal match, 3:30 p.m.
Gold medal match, 8 p.m.
Gymnastics At Rhythmic Wembley Arena
Women's Individual All-Around final, 1:30 p.m.
Modern Pentathlon
Men
Fencing (At Olympic Park-Handball Arena), 8:45 a.m.
Swimming (At Olympic Park-Aquatics Centre), 1:20 p.m.
Riding (At Greenwich Park), 3:20 p.m.
Combined Event (At Greenwich Park), 6:45 p.m.
Sailing At Weymouth and Portland, Dorset
Women's Elliott 6m (medal race), Noon
Soccer At Wembley Stadium
Men's gold medal match, 3 p.m.
Taekwondo At ExCeL
Men's +80kg and Women's +67kg preliminary round of 16, 9 a.m.
Men's +80kg and Women's +67kg quarterfinals, semifinals, 3 p.m.
Men's +80kg and Women's +67kg repechages, bronze and gold medal contests, 8 p.m.
Team Handball At Copper Box
Women
Bronze medal match, 5 p.m.
Gold medal match, 8:30 p.m.
Volleyball At Earls Court
Women
Bronze medal match, 11:30 a.m.
Gold medal match, 6:30 p.m.
Wrestling (Freestyle) At ExCeL
Men's 60kg, 84kg and 120kg qualifications, 1/8 finals, quarterfinals, semifinals, 1 p.m.
Men's 60kg, 84kg and 120kg repechage rounds, bronze and gold medal contests, 5:45 p.m.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/T_T_goes_after_medals_in_men_s_4x100m_relay__javelin_at_Olympics_today-165821926.html
T&T goes after medals in men's 4x100m relay, javelin at Olympics today
By Kwame Laurence
Story Created: Aug 11, 2012 at 12:46 AM ECT
With tears rolling down her cheeks, Kelly-Ann Baptiste lamented her cruel fate.
For the third time in as many Olympic Games, a baton bungle ended Trinidad and Tobago's women's 4x100 metres campaign. On each occasion, Baptiste was part of the team.
"I can't explain it," she told the Express. "It's hard, because we all trained really good and wanted to come out here and have a good performance. To feel like you've done all you could in practice, and to train so hard and to come up short is just disappointing."
Michelle-Lee Ahye ran the leadoff leg for T&T in yesterday's final, at the Olympic Stadium, here in London, England. At the changeover, Baptiste reached for the baton, and reached again, but the exchange was never completed, and the country's hopes of a first-ever Olympic medal in a women's event were dashed.
"I don't have anything to say," said Baptiste. "We didn't make the handoff. I really couldn't tell you (what went wrong). I just didn't get the stick. "I can't question God," she continued, "so I'm just going to keep my head up and keep pushing."
Third leg runner Kai Selvon and anchorwoman Semoy Hackett watched on in agony, powerless to change T&T's fate.
United States struck gold, obliterating the world record in the process. Tianna Madison, 200m gold medallist Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter got the baton round the track in a jaw-dropping 40.82 seconds, slicing more than half a second off the 41.37 standard, established way back in 1985 by East Germany.
Jamaica picked up silver in a national record time of 41.41 seconds, while bronze went to Ukraine in 42.04—also a new national standard.
At four o'clock this afternoon (T&T time), Richard Thompson, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender and Keston Bledman will bid for honours in the men's 4x100m final.
In the qualifying round, yesterday, the T&T quartet finished third in heat two in 38.10 seconds to secure an automatic berth in the championship race. United States produced a new national record, 37.38 seconds, to win the race, beating Japan (38.07) into second spot. Jamaica topped heat one in 37.39 seconds.
Thompson ran the leadoff leg for T&T, yesterday, handing the baton to Burns. Callender had third leg responsibilities, and Bledman anchored. The same quartet earned silver for T&T at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Four years ago, however, Bledman led off and Thompson anchored.
"We all have faith in the leg that we're running," Thompson told the Express, "and we believe this is the best order for us to win a medal. We know our chances are strong, so we just have to execute properly. I feel like the execution could have been a little better , so as long as everything is cleaned up tomorrow (today), there's no doubt in my mind that we could win a medal.
"With a relay, anything can go wrong, anything is possible, so it was just about getting the stick around. We thank God we were able to do that, and have a berth into the final."
Burns said he is pleased to be in the medal race.
"We made it to the next round, and that's all that matters. Each of us know what's at stake and the adjustments we need to make for the final. But we'll be okay."
Callender is confident of earning a second Olympic sprint relay medal.
"One hundred per cent. In all things, just having faith in God, anything is possible."
Bledman had some work to do on the home straight, yesterday, to ensure T&T claimed one of the three automatic qualifying berths up for grabs in heat two. "This is the first time we ever tried this order, but we trust in the team and trust in God. Tomorrow (today) is a different day. We're going to go out even tougher."
T&T have been drawn way out in lane nine for today's championship race. Defending champions Jamaica will run in lane six, next to United States, in seven.
Keshorn Walcott will be at the Olympic Stadium today, for the 2.20 p.m. (T&T time) men's javelin final. When he takes his first throw in the competition, the 19-year-old will become the first male field athlete from T&T to compete in an Olympic final.
2012 Summer Olympic Medals Table
(Ordered By No. of Medals)
Nation G S B Tot
United States 41 26 27 94
China 37 25 19 81
Russia 15 21 27 63
Britain 25 15 17 57
Germany 10 18 14 42
Japan 5 14 16 35
Australia 7 14 10 31
France 9 9 12 30
South Korea 13 7 7 27
Italy 7 6 8 21
Netherlands 6 5 8 19
Canada 1 5 11 17
Hungary 8 4 3 15
Ukraine 3 1 9 13
Spain 2 8 3 13
New Zealand 4 3 5 12
Brazil 2 2 8 12
Iran 4 5 1 10
Jamaica 3 4 3 10
Belarus 3 3 4 10
Cuba 3 3 4 10
Poland 2 2 6 10
Kazakhstan 6 0 3 9
Romania 2 5 2 9
Denmark 2 4 3 9
Czech Republic 2 3 3 8
Kenya 2 3 3 8
Colombia 1 3 4 8
Sweden 1 3 3 7
North Korea 4 0 2 6
Ethiopia 3 0 3 6
Azerbaijan 0 2 4 6
South Africa 3 1 1 5
Turkey 2 2 1 5
Mexico 0 3 2 5
Croatia 2 1 1 4
Georgia 1 2 1 4
Argentina 1 1 2 4
Slovenia 1 1 2 4
Ireland 1 0 3 4
India 0 1 3 4
Mongolia 0 1 3 4
Slovakia 0 1 3 4
Switzerland 2 1 0 3
Norway 1 1 1 3
Tunisia 1 1 1 3
Lithuania 1 0 2 3
Armenia 0 1 2 3
Belgium 0 1 2 3
Uzbekistan 0 0 3 3
Dominican Republic 1 1 0 2
Latvia 1 0 1 2
Egypt 0 2 0 2
Bulgaria 0 1 1 2
Estonia 0 1 1 2
Indonesia 0 1 1 2
Malaysia 0 1 1 2
Serbia 0 1 1 2
Taiwan 0 1 1 2
Thailand 0 1 1 2
Greece 0 0 2 2
Moldova 0 0 2 2
Qatar 0 0 2 2
Singapore 0 0 2 2
Trinidad & Tobago 0 0 2 2
Algeria 1 0 0 1
Bahamas 1 0 0 1
Grenada 1 0 0 1
Venezuela 1 0 0 1
Botswana 0 1 0 1
Cyprus 0 1 0 1
Finland 0 1 0 1
Guatemala 0 1 0 1
Portugal 0 1 0 1
Afghanistan 0 0 1 1
Bahrain 0 0 1 1
Hong Kong 0 0 1 1
Kuwait 0 0 1 1
Morocco 0 0 1 1
Puerto Rico 0 0 1 1
Saudi Arabia 0 0 1 1
Tajikistan 0 0 1 1
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-11/tt-relay-men-snatch-bronze-london
T&T relay men snatch bronze in London
...Two medals in the bag so far at Olympic Games
Published: Saturday, August 11, 2012
Rachael Thompson-King
Beautiful bronze came T&T’s way again yesterday in the men’s 4x400 metres final of the 2012 Olympic Games when the quartet of Lalonde Gordon, Jarrin Solomon, Ade Alleyne-Forte and Deon Lendore for the second straight night broke the national record for the event.
In the feature race of the evening, T&T crossed the line in 2:59.40, to place third behind the Bahamas, which stopped the clock at 2:56.40 and also set a new national record, to claim gold after overtaking USA in the home straight. The Americans got the silver in their season’s best 2:57.05. Gordon, who is making his debut at the games, is so far, the most celebrated local athlete at the 30th Olympiad, copping his second bronze medal. He was third in the men’s 400m final on Monday.
The Tobagonian, always short with words said, “I feel good. Thank God. I just want to say thanks for the support from T&T. I’m just glad to make the country proud and make the flag fly high again.” Gordon ran the first lap and just like in the semifinals, he gave T&T a good start, staying among the leaders who comprised Bahamian Chris Brown and USA’s Bryshon Nellum, before handing off to Solomon.
Solomon completed an impressive second leg again and was right in the mix with the Joshua Mance (USA) and Demetrius Pinder (Bahamas). By the third lap, Alleyne-Forte had pushed T&T to third as American Tony McQuay and Michael Mathieu (Bahamas) began pulling away, to make it a two-country race. In the final lap, USA, through Angelo Taylor, was clearly ahead with Ramon Miller gaining with every step. Lendore, meanwhile, kept T&T a distant third.
Heading down the straight, Miller caught up with Taylor, who despite his best effort was passed some ten metres from the line with the Bahamian going on to give his country its first gold of the London games. Lendore did just enough to hold off Great Britain’s Martyn Rooney, who sprinted the final 30 metres but in vain. The Britons placed fourth in a season’s best 2.59.55.
“The feeling haven’t kicked in 100 per cent yet but right now watching how everything turned out, just making the victory lap and hearing everybody cheering for us, it was a very excellent feeling,” said Lendore after the exceptional performance. “It even made me want to cry just knowing we came out here as a team and did the best that we could and it just got us a bronze medal at the Olympics.” Similar sentiments were shared by his teammates Solomon and Alleyne-Forte.
Solomon said: “This is the best feeling in the world right now. I prayed hard over the last two days. We just went out there and did our best and the best was the national record and a bronze medal so we can’t ask for much more than that.” Alleyne-Forte expressed some relief in improving from his previous performance in the semifinals.
“I told you I was going to get better. And I proved it. It was rough yesterday (Thursday) coming off not competing in a while, but coming out tonight, we got together and did all the necessary things and executed,” said Alleyne-Forte.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-08-11/tt-women-blunder
T&T women blunder
Published: Saturday, August 11, 2012
T&T will have to wait another four years for a chance at its first female Olympic medal after the 4x100m relay team blundered in the final, at the London Olympics, yesterday in London, England. The local team never made it around the track after messing up the first hand over between Michelle Lee Ahye and T&T’s most experienced women’s sprinter Kelly-Ann Baptiste. The transition failed to be completed. Ahye struggled to get the baton to the outstretched hand of Baptiste, who got off quickly as her teammate approached. A distraught Ahye slammed the baton on to the surface of the track as she saw T&T’s best chance for a medal slip away. All Kai Selvon and Semoy Hackett, who was to run the anchor leg, could do, was stand and watch their Olympic experience come to a devastating end without even getting chance to challenge for a spot on the podium.
USA team of Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter raced away to cop the gold in 40.82 seconds, a new world record. The Jamaicans ran a national record of 41.41, to take the silver while Ukraine bagged the bronze in 42.04. Baptiste could not hold back the tears as she commented: “It was really hard. We trained hard. It feels like you trained hard and came up short. It’s just really disappointing. “I can’t question that (the failed hand-over) right now so I’m just going to keep my head up right now and keep pushing.” T&T had high hopes of being among the top three finishers after breaking the national record, the previous evening with a time of 42.31 in placing second in heat one, to also automatically qualify for the final. Baptiste could not explain what went wrong. “I just couldn’t tell you I just didn’t get the stick.” The quartet dropped their heads as they walked away from the Olympic Stadium, clearly devastated by the outcome.
Women’s 4 x 100m Relay Final
1 United States 40.82
2 Jamaica 41.41
3 Ukraine 42.04
4 Nigeria 42.64
5 Germany 42.67
6 Netherlands 42.70
7 Brazil 42.91
DNF Trinidad & Tobago
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-11/walcott-goes-olympic-glory-today
Walcott goes for Olympic glory today
...Toco lad takes aim in javelin final
Published: Saturday, August 11, 2012
Kevon Felmine
It was his dream to compete on the world’s biggest sporting stage and now that he has achieved it javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott should feel no pressure heading into today’s final at the 2012 London Olympics in England. At the age of 19, many believe the Toco lad can write his name into the history books by becoming Trinidad and Tobago’s first athlete to win an Olympic medal in the javelin event and one of those people expecting him to write history is his former coach, John “Slim” Andalcio.
So at 2.15 pm (T&T time), when he takes centre stage at the Olympic Stadium in London, he will be hoping for a repeat, this time against more accomplished and experienced throwers. Walcott left it late on Wednesday when he qualified for the final on his last throw with a distance of 81.75 metres in heat two, finishing in 10th place overall. He will go up against the likes of the Czech Vítezslav Vesely who qualified for the final with a throw of 88.34 metres and Norwegian Andreas Thorkildsen who has a personal best of 91.59 metres set in 2006.
From throwing bamboos and sticks on the beaches of Trois Roche, Toco where he grew up, Walcott is now a three-time winner in the Under-20 javelin throw at the CARIFTA Games, setting a new North, Central American and Caribbean Junior record earlier this year. He improved this record on May 27, with a throw of 80.11 metres in Havana, Cuba—a feat that Andalcio is confident that his former protege will exceed.
Tents have already been pitched and television sets are expected to be placed at several beaches in Toco for the village’s Fishermen’s Fete today. Walcott’s parents, Beverly Walcott and Endy King have made plans to be among close family when the last child of their three children, makes the throw of his life.
“It was one of Keshorn’s dreams to reach the Olympics from the time he made it on world youth team. He came back from that competition and said he wanted to be the best in the world,” Andalcio said on Thursday. But with no proper facilities and interested sponsors, he has had to fight an uphill battle. And the question has been asked: What made Walcott so focused to be successful? Andalcio’s simple answer was, “Keshorn’s work ethic is amazing.”
He has been coaching the sport for over 30 years and explained the journey which began when Walcott was 16 years old and was more inclined towards playing cricket rather than throwing the javelin. “ At age 16, I recognised his potential. He was into cricket but we encouraged everyone to get into javelin. But it was amazing. The first time he tried, he threw over 50 metres and that was very good. From there, he loved the sport at that point,” Andalcio said.
Despite the youngster coming up against the best in the world, the coach said that in javelin, anything can happen. He said Walcott has the ability to raise his standard on each occasion, going into the Games ranked at position 18 but is now the tenth best thrower in the world.
“He will just want to throw his personal best and that can propel him to a medal. He went into competition ranked 18th and he has risen to 10th and this has always been his ability, to raise standards at every competition. If you have noticed his progress over the years, he has been amazing. Definitely there is more to come,” Andalcio predicted.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-11/tt%E2%80%99s-olympic-relay-bronze-brings-joy
T&T’s Olympic relay bronze brings joy
Published: Saturday, August 11, 2012
Kevon Felmine
Sport Minister Anil Roberts burst into loud screams yesterday when he saw sprinter Deon Lendore crossing the finish line to give Trinidad and Tobago the bronze medal in the final of the men’s 4x400 metres relay. So passionate were the screams, Roberts said, he is sure that his neighbours thought he was losing his mind. He said so during an interview with the T&T Guardian yesterday.
Roberts returned home earlier this week after attending part of the Olympic Games in London where he also helped coach T&T swimmer George Bovell III. “At first, it was pure silence, looking at everything—the strides, the baton-passing—but then in that last 100 metres, when Lendore was running, and I saw the Brits coming, who had an advantage of over 83,000 supporters, I start to make noise. I started to scream, I’m sure the neighbours heard me and thought I was going mad,” Robert said.
Still sounding full of excitement, the minister said it was a fantastic accomplishment, which has been on the cards since last year. He said the athletes had been running consistent times in the relays, and even without local powerhouse Renny Quow, who bowed out the Games owing to injury, they were able to break two national records, while en route to the bronze medal.
Roberts praised the quartet of Lendore, 400-metres bronze-medallist Lalonde Gordon, Jarrin Solomon and Ade Alleyne-Forte, saying they ran a blistering race. He said the men ran with pride and passion for their country, and thanked the coaches for the strategic placement of the athletes. He was however sympathetic to the women’s 4x100 relay team, which was disqualified after dropping the baton after the first leg in the final.
“Our women, three of them, did not get to run in the finals, and it is very sad, but we knew that they would have gotten the bronze medal and they would have been sub-42. We want them to keep their heads high and stay focused for the World Championships next year, where the pain will be turned to glory. “We congratulate our women and we understand that it is part and parcel of relay running. The very Jamaicans and Americans who were are seeing on the podium suffered that same fate in past Olympics.”
Commenting on the accomplishment of the men, secretary of the National Association of Athletic Administration (NAAA) Allan Baboolal said,“ We are excited and very happy that they were able to win a medal after the disappointment by the women. I think they did exceptionally well.” Speaking of the women, he said, “Again we had a very strong team. These things happen sometimes, the baton doesn’t go all the way around. Today was one of those days. It’s tough luck, but we have to move on from that.”
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Sally Pearson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Pearson).
Female Athlete of the Year (http://www.smh.com.au/sport/athletics/pearson-wins-female-athlete-of-the-year-20111113-1ndu6.html).
World Junior Champion (2003), 100M Hurdles. Commonwealth Champion (2010), 100M Hurdles. World Champion (2009), 100M Hurdles. World Indoor Champion (2012), 60M Hurdles. Olympic Champion (London 2012), 100M Hurdles. Silver medalist, Beijing Olympics 2008, Gold medalist in London.
(http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2012/08/08/1226446/246051-sally-pearson.jpg)
Sally Pearson, an athlete worthy of honour.
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Nice tribute.
However our umbilical cords bury in T&T so please big up T&T athletes!!
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National Record!!!!
Man come out with a beast of a throw on his first try. How he learn to pelt like dat?
The website sayin 83.51, he's on top so far.
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83.91 metres I think wow
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83,51
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thanks couldnt remember the number
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National Record!!!!
Man come out with a beast of a throw on his first try. How he learn to pelt like dat?
The website sayin 83.51, he's on top so far.
Toco boy, we have to send some scouts.
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AND HE BETTERS HIS FIRST THROW!!!! Wdf
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84.58 WOW
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OMG Wallcott rocking the house 84.58!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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he going to medal
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toco!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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He could medal with 88+ meters
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He's in 1st place after 2 throws, 4 more to go
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:praying: :praying: other fellas will have to have a bad day , i know a few can throw further
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Follow the results for javelin here live
http://www.london2012.com/athletics/event/men-javelin-throw/phase=atm053100/index.html
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Ukraine come close there.
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lets hope he pulls out another big one
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exact half way pt and he's still in the lead but only just, fouled on the last throw, 3 more to go, toco fish time!!
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Leading after 3 rounds. Hope he can go above 85/86 on the 4th round
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Follow the results for javelin here live
http://www.london2012.com/athletics/event/men-javelin-throw/phase=atm053100/index.html
:beermug:
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So do they have to record a new good throw or do those previous throws count in this round as well?
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So do they have to record a new good throw or do those previous throws count in this round as well?
i believe its the best throws for each person count. in terms of ranking
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So do they have to record a new good throw or do those previous throws count in this round as well?
the best throw counts regardless of round in the final.
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off topic , is caster seymenyer , what ever the name is running not to come first? her runs seem as if she doesn't want to win
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80.64 4th throw still leading 2 throws to go
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off topic , is caster seymenyer , what ever the name is running not to come first? her runs seem as if she doesn't want to win
Or is bad strategy, she made that second look so easy.
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off topic , is caster seymenyer , what ever the name is running not to come first? her runs seem as if she doesn't want to win
charged at the end for 2nd....i felt the same way
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80.64 4th throw still leading 2 throws to go
still in 1st place by 7cm to be exact after 4 throws. Only top 8 throwers throwing from throws 4 through 6 and the order adjusts in order of those w/furthest throws, so he knows exactly what he has to beat, right now it's himself
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2 round to go. Come on Walcott!!!!!!
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off topic , is caster seymenyer , what ever the name is running not to come first? her runs seem as if she doesn't want to win
charged at the end for 2nd....i felt the same way
She eh doin herself no favors because the talk will now be how she could have come from so far 2 get silver
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off topic , is caster seymenyer , what ever the name is running not to come first? her runs seem as if she doesn't want to win
charged at the end for 2nd....i felt the same way
She eh doin herself no favors because the talk will now be how she could have come from so far 2 get silver
maybe she should have settled for bronze ;D
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Come on get 85+ on this one.
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This javelin have eh real nervous. :frustrated: :nailbiting:
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X on 5th throw
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My gosh last round, could we dare to dream!!!!!!
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Last round, still in lead from his 2nd throw....
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My gosh last round, could we dare to dream!!!!!!
dream big!
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last few throws now
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watch this fella he seems to be the main thread PYATNYTSYA Oleksandr
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Ni
Last round, still in lead from his 2nd throw....
nick man yuh cudders munt ah texting yuh
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Walcott broke the NR in Round 1.
He broke it again twice with his first two throws. How many more recs. can he break?
His throw right now is a lot less than the other guys can do. But it's who throws best TODAY.
Good luck yute.
VB
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This javelin have eh real nervous. :frustrated: :nailbiting:
Yeah man I real anxious especially as you only see where each throw reach right before it lands.
My feet and hands sweatin now.
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84.58 WOW
What amazes me is the javelin WR record by Jan Zelezny.......and the fact it still stands.
Walcott continues to amaze though.....big up!! :beermug: :beermug:
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Wait nah he at least have the bronze so far
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he next he needs a big throw
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mih nerves ...mih nerves...pressah.
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GOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!
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f**kING GOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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gold in dey muddah c**t
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GOLD!!!!!!!!! Medal!!!!
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f**kING GOLD IN YUH MUDDER c**t!!!
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WHAAYYYYYYYYYYY GOOOOOOLLLLDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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AH CRYING!!
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GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD!!!!!! Take a bow Keshorn Walcott. :wavetowel: :wavetowel:
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:wavetowel: :wavetowel: :wavetowel: :wavetowel: :wavetowel:
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:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
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Toco having a big mash up all now, well done yute, 19 years old, doh look back, well done man, happy for you, done yoursefl, family, loved ones and country real proud, boom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Once again the Blackman has made history for Trinbago
First Trini to win a Javelin
First Junior champion to go on and win Gold at the Olympics
Frist Caribbean to win a Javelin
First African descent to win a Javelin
Big day for Trini-Caribbean history
Big day for African history..
Congrats Keshorn
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GOLDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :beermug: :beermug: :beermug: :beermug:
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OH GORM WE NEED GOOD NEWS AFTER D FLOODIN 2DAY
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:beermug: :beermug: :beermug: :beermug: :beermug:
Ah going crazy here! :beermug: :beermug: :beermug: :beermug:
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CONGRATS.... :beermug: :beermug: :beermug: :wavetowel: :wavetowel:
well done, field events are the most neglected events in trinidad but you proved with hard work, dedication and belief u can do it.
congrats to his coach as well.
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Bling!!!!!
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3rd ever TT athlete to compete in a field event @ the olympics yes? Borel-Brown, Candace Scott and now him? Unbelieveable
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Walcott !! Congratulations you have made Trinidad & Tobago Very Proud.
:beermug: :beermug: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :wavetowel: :wavetowel: :wavetowel: :wavetowel:
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(http://cache1.asset-cache.net/gc/150162106-keshorn-walcott-of-trinidad-and-tobago-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=GkZZ8bf5zL1ZiijUmxa7QeeULXeVT2qxKJsZydYg4gxUu270skp2OWUBiSIYLREeHxJR7qM7fufQWdPsUTl0AA%3d%3d)
(http://cache3.asset-cache.net/gc/150162219-keshorn-walcott-of-trinidad-and-tobago-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=GkZZ8bf5zL1ZiijUmxa7QcCyfppFNp4p8XZuk8gPv30910OT1yRqFKP93q0UwSfJsgEN7WzTv3kWrNRlJXvOsQ%3d%3d)
(http://cache1.asset-cache.net/gc/150162099-keshorn-walcott-of-trinidad-and-tobago-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=GkZZ8bf5zL1ZiijUmxa7QcrD8vJVzY%2fxFIA3zYKBaPa5xhKryz3IjjQDAlJk0NuM42dI59J17%2faB%2f4N6x3bISg%3d%3d)
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Allyuh realize we going to hear we ANTHEM??? LAWD THIS TING SWEET!!!
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CONGRATS.... :beermug: :beermug: :beermug: :wavetowel: :wavetowel:
well done, field events are the most neglected events in trinidad but you proved with hard work, dedication and belief u can do it.
congrats to his coach as well.
Someting goin on in Toco and field events they need to keep at it u know bein so close to POS they gettin nuff help.
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Anthem at 4:15, any links?
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Allyuh realize we going to hear we ANTHEM??? LAWD THIS TING SWEET!!!
FUH REAL.... ah have to have a drink for that :beermug:
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Allyuh realize we going to hear we ANTHEM??? LAWD THIS TING SWEET!!!
FUH REAL.... ah have to have a drink for that :beermug:
Then post in on youtube right after so I will c it
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Allyuh realize we going to hear we ANTHEM??? LAWD THIS TING SWEET!!!
FUH REAL.... ah have to have a drink for that :beermug:
Thank GOD my wife is going out. She would not see me cry ;D
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Allyuh realize we going to hear we ANTHEM??? LAWD THIS TING SWEET!!!
FUH REAL.... ah have to have a drink for that :beermug:
Thank GOD my wife is going out. She would not see me cry ;D
You serious?? i jealous @ the ppl who have the patriotic gene yes, jah knows i eh have that much love of any piece of land, or geographic location. congrats to the yute.
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I feeling bad for Canada eh....
But not too bad!
:wavetowel: :wavetowel: :wavetowel: :wavetowel:
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I feeling bad for Canada eh....
But not too bad!
:wavetowel: :wavetowel: :wavetowel: :wavetowel:
i sitting in Toronto and i shouting TnT...
I not feeling bad, make up for our ladies yesterday
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3rd ever TT athlete to compete in a field event @ the olympics yes? Borel-Brown, Candace Scott and now him? Unbelieveable
wendell williams was a long jumper that competed at the Olympics. I am sure we had other field athletes besides borel, williams and scott.
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3rd ever TT athlete to compete in a field event @ the olympics yes? Borel-Brown, Candace Scott and now him? Unbelieveable
wendell williams was a long jumper that competed at the Olympics. I am sure we had other field athletes besides borel, williams and scott.
:beermug: thanks
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3rd ever TT athlete to compete in a field event @ the olympics yes? Borel-Brown, Candace Scott and now him? Unbelieveable
wendell williams was a long jumper that competed at the Olympics. I am sure we had other field athletes besides borel, williams and scott.
I know 1 olympics he get a free ride as d time was not accepted.
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Does anybody know why Canada DQ'd?
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Does anybody know why Canada DQ'd?
3RD leg mash the line
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3rd ever TT athlete to compete in a field event @ the olympics yes? Borel-Brown, Candace Scott and now him? Unbelieveable
wendell williams was a long jumper that competed at the Olympics. I am sure we had other field athletes besides borel, williams and scott.
I know 1 olympics he get a free ride as d time was not accepted.
1996 he couldnt compete cause we didnt translate his stuff from german into english (the efficient NAAA)...he competed in 2000.
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3rd ever TT athlete to compete in a field event @ the olympics yes? Borel-Brown, Candace Scott and now him? Unbelieveable
wendell williams was a long jumper that competed at the Olympics. I am sure we had other field athletes besides borel, williams and scott.
I know 1 olympics he get a free ride as d time was not accepted.
1996 he couldnt compete cause we didnt translate his stuff from german into english (the efficient NAAA)...he competed in 2000.
yea i google it
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FYI, we've had long jumpers in the OG since 1972.
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FYI, we've had long jumpers in the OG since 1972.
thxs
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Allyuh realize we going to hear we ANTHEM??? LAWD THIS TING SWEET!!!
FUH REAL.... ah have to have a drink for that :beermug:
Thank GOD my wife is going out. She would not see me cry ;D
You serious?? i jealous @ the ppl who have the patriotic gene yes, jah knows i eh have that much love of any piece of land, or geographic location. congrats to the yute.
So a country is a piece of land? You must be out here lookin for an argument.
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Allyuh realize we going to hear we ANTHEM??? LAWD THIS TING SWEET!!!
FUH REAL.... ah have to have a drink for that :beermug:
Thank GOD my wife is going out. She would not see me cry ;D
You serious?? i jealous @ the ppl who have the patriotic gene yes, jah knows i eh have that much love of any piece of land, or geographic location. congrats to the yute.
So a country is a piece of land? You must be out here lookin for an argument.
Read his post and choose to ignore it.
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Does anybody know why Canada DQ'd?
3RD leg mash the line
when I see that mash,I feel TT should handover that medal..they go be better remembered for doing that, than having earned it..
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Does anybody know why Canada DQ'd?
3RD leg mash the line
when I see that mash,I feel TT should handover that medal..they go be better remembered for doing that, than having earned it..
why? and remembered by whom?
a rule is a rule, and most of the time it falls against TnT, first time it fell in our favour. Enjoy the moment, every dog has his day, and today it's ours!
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Does anybody know why Canada DQ'd?
3RD leg mash the line
when I see that mash,I feel TT should handover that medal..they go be better remembered for doing that, than having earned it..
why? and remembered by whom?
a rule is a rule, and most of the time it falls against TnT, first time it fell in our favour. Enjoy the moment, every dog has his day, and today it's ours!
Exactly, Remember what happened to us last year in the World Championships.
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Does anybody know why Canada DQ'd?
3RD leg mash the line
when I see that mash,I feel TT should handover that medal..they go be better remembered for doing that, than having earned it..
why? and remembered by whom?
a rule is a rule, and most of the time it falls against TnT, first time it fell in our favour. Enjoy the moment, every dog has his day, and today it's ours!
Exactly, Remember what happened to us last year in the World Championships.
Only we remember dat evtybody else will google d results and there would b no notes 2 d results like it have in accounts.
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Does anybody know why Canada DQ'd?
3RD leg mash the line
when I see that mash,I feel TT should handover that medal..they go be better remembered for doing that, than having earned it..
What madness you talking
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Does anybody know why Canada DQ'd?
3RD leg mash the line
when I see that mash,I feel TT should handover that medal..they go be better remembered for doing that, than having earned it..
What madness you talking
I know. Hand it over to who? Canada cant accept it under IAAF rules. If they tied and Trinidad decided to give it up.. Then thats a different thing.
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Placing Table
RANK COUNTRY GOLD SILVER BRONZE 4TH 5TH 6TH 7TH 8TH POINTS
1 UNITED STATES (USA) 9 13 7 8 7 6 2 3 298
2 RUSSIA (RUS) 8 4 6 2 6 4 0 3 177
3 JAMAICA (JAM) 4 4 4 2 1 1 2 2 107
4 KENYA (KEN) 2 3 4 4 3 1 1 1 99
5 GERMANY (GER) 1 4 3 1 5 4 1 2 95
6 ETHIOPIA (ETH) 3 1 3 3 4 3 0 1 90
7 GREAT BRITAIN & N.I. (GBR) 4 1 1 3 3 2 2 3 85
8 PR OF CHINA (CHN) 1 0 4 4 2 2 2 0 70
9 UKRAINE (UKR) 0 1 2 4 1 0 2 0 47
10 FRANCE (FRA) 1 1 0 1 0 5 1 2 39
11 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO (TRI) 1 0 3 0 0 2 1 1 35
12 CZECH REPUBLIC (CZE) 1 0 1 1 0 2 2 1 30
13 AUSTRALIA (AUS) 1 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 27
14 CUBA (CUB) 0 1 1 1 0 2 0 1 25
15 CANADA (CAN) 0 0 1 0 2 1 2 1 22
16 POLAND (POL) 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 21
17 TURKEY (TUR) 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 20
18 BAHAMAS (BAH) 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 19
18 BELGIUM (BEL) 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 19
20 SOUTH AFRICA (RSA) 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 3 17
21 BELARUS (BLR) 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 15
21 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (DOM) 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 15
21 ITALY (ITA) 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 2 15
24 NETHERLANDS (NED) 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 13
25 BOTSWANA (BOT) 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 12
25 SPAIN (ESP) 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 12
27 MOROCCO (MAR) 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 11
28 FINLAND (FIN) 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 10
28 JAPAN (JPN) 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 10
30 BAHRAIN (BRN) 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 9
30 LITHUANIA (LTU) 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 9
30 NIGERIA (NGR) 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 9
30 SLOVENIA (SLO) 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 9
34 ALGERIA (ALG) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8
34 CROATIA (CRO) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8
34 GRENADA (GRN) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8
34 HUNGARY (HUN) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8
34 KAZAKHSTAN (KAZ) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8
39 COLOMBIA (COL) 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
39 GUATEMALA (GUA) 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
39 ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN (IRI) 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
39 NEW ZEALAND (NZL) 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
39 NORWAY (NOR) 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 7
39 TUNISIA (TUN) 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
45 ESTONIA (EST) 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6
45 LATVIA (LAT) 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 6
45 PUERTO RICO (PUR) 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6
45 QATAR (QAT) 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6
45 SWEDEN (SWE) 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 6
50 BRAZIL (BRA) 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5
50 ERITREA (ERI) 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 5
50 IRELAND (IRL) 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 5
50 IVORY COAST (CIV) 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 5
54 BARBADOS (BAR) 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4
54 GREECE (GRE) 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 4
54 MEXICO (MEX) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 4
57 ARGENTINA (ARG) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3
57 INDIA (IND) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3
59 BURUNDI (BDI) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2
59 ECUADOR (ECU) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2
59 PORTUGAL (POR) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2
59 SERBIA (SRB) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2
59 SLOVAK REPUBLIC (SVK) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2
59 SUDAN (SUD) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2
59 UZBEKISTAN (UZB) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2
59 VENEZUELA (VEN) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2
67 AUSTRIA (AUT) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
67 MOLDOVA (MDA) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
So its official. 11th in placing. Trinidad's best performance at a global track and field event. We beat out a lot of countries that went with bigger teams. Congrats to the athletes. Happy Independence T&T.
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How I saw it..Canada beat we...buh doh study me, man..
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That may be so, but they broke the rules. Is a tough loss because that small step aint really make a difference, but that's how it goes
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That may be so, but they broke the rules. Is a tough loss because that small step aint really make a difference, but that's how it goes
Scientifically it does. Think about it. He shortened his race by stepping on/over the line. That could equal a hundredth or tenth of a second.
But we shouldn't have been in the place where we were towards the end of the race.
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How I saw it..Canada beat we...buh doh study me, man..
When the TnT women dropped the baton yesterday... they shoulda keep running ent?
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How I saw it..Canada beat we...buh doh study me, man..
When the TnT women dropped the baton yesterday... they shoulda keep running ent?
Huh? Nah, dey shouldn't ah even bother waiting to pass it, just let all 4 legs run same time, the gun go..as a matter of fact, Doh even wait for the gun. ...just run :D
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vb Turkey 1st and 2nd in women's 1500 meters, their first gold medal in athletics
Ah watch that thing repeatedly ... real feel Uceny should have completed that event.
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3rd ever TT athlete to compete in a field event @ the olympics yes? Borel-Brown, Candace Scott and now him? Unbelieveable
wendell williams was a long jumper that competed at the Olympics. I am sure we had other field athletes besides borel, williams and scott.
I know 1 olympics he get a free ride as d time was not accepted.
1996 he couldnt compete cause we didnt translate his stuff from german into english (the efficient NAAA)...he competed in 2000.
yea i google it
Looking fwd to the day we have pole vaulters.
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Looking at the medal table ... Brazil could be such a player on the stage.
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FYI, we've had long jumpers in the OG since 1972.
talked to my brother who is a track fanatic and off the top of his head he named some field athletes that he recalls representing us in the OG in addition to those already mentioned.
rhonda watkins (long jump), kirt thompson (javelin), lejuan simon (triple jump).
i am sure flex or tallman probably have a list somewhere.
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vb Turkey 1st and 2nd in women's 1500 meters, their first gold medal in athletics
Ah watch that thing repeatedly ... real feel Uceny should have completed that event.
Agree 100%
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Some interesting stats here..
http://www.medalspercapita.com/#medals-per-capita:2012 (http://www.medalspercapita.com/#medals-per-capita:2012)
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164666.html
Caribbean Spice
Sunday, August 12 2012
Interestingly, Caribbean athletes have won more medals in the premier track and field events than the United States in the 2012 Olympics in London.
The events that are regarded as premier and attract the largest crowds, the biggest viewing audience and are the most eagerly anticipated of any Olympics are the 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres. In these three events the Caribbean won 11 medals and the USA 6.
The table below shows the figures:
In the Men’s 100 metres, Jamaica won both Gold and Silver.
In the Women’s 100 metres, Jamaica again won two medals, Gold and Bronze.
In the Men’s 200 metres, Jamaica swept the field winning Gold, Silver and Bronze.
In the Women’s 200 metres, Jamaica won Silver.
In the Men’s 400 metres, the Caribbean achieved a full sweep with Grenada winning Gold, Dominican Republic winning Silver and Trinidad and Tobago winning Bronze.
In the Women’s 400 metres, USA won Gold, Jamaica won Silver and USA won Bronze.
In comparison the USA won 6 medals in the three premier track and field events. The USA won no medals in the Men’s 200 metres event, all three going to Jamaica.
In addition another medal came from the Dominican Republic when Felix Sanchez won Gold in the men’s 400 metres hurdles.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164663.html
WALCOTT CLAIMS TT SECOND OLYMPIC GOLD
Sunday, August 12 2012
KESHORN WALCOTT shocked not only his fans in the twin-island republic but the entire track and field fraternity by claiming gold in the men’s javelin yesterday on the penultimate day of the 30th Olympic Games in London, England.
The 19-year-old, who is the national, Carifta (Caribbean Free Trade Area) and World Junior champion, brought a virtual ray of sunshine on a gloomy Trinidad and Tobago yesterday, with an epic performance at the Olympic Stadium.
Following news of at least two deaths in the Diego Martin region, after hours of heavy downpours yesterday morning, the local sports fans were glued to their televisions, or on the worldwide web, to either witness or follow the performance of the Toco-born San Juan resident on the world stage. And Walcott, with his second throw of 84.58 metres, not only bettered his national record of 83.51 (which he set with his first throw), but became the second Trinidad and Tobago Olympic gold medallist, after Hasely Crawford, in the men’s 100-metre sprint, at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada.
Walcott fouled on his third and fifth throws, though he registered a distance of 80.64 on his fourth of sixth throws.
His main rivals Oleksandr Pyatnytsya of Ukraine (84.51m) and Antti Ruuskanen of Finland (84.12m), who finished second and third respectively, had already completed their six efforts and it was left to Vitezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic, the last of 12 throwers to feature in Round Six, to halt his gold medal quest.
After Vesely had his best effort of 83.34m, Walcott was all smiles as he rushed to his Cuban-born coach Ismael Lopez Mastrapa in the crowd to embraced him in delight.
Andreas Thorkildsen, who was vying for his third straight Olympic javelin throw, was sixth with 82.63m.
“I told myself that once I work hard I would be successful,” said the soft-spoken Walcott after his gold-medal efforts. Steve Backley, triple Olympic javelin medallist, said on BBC, “a surprise win for Keshorn Walcott. Everyone else struggled with the wind and he has walked away with the gold medal.”
John Andalcio, coach of Toco TAFAC club and the person instrumental in guiding Walcott from obscurity to national fame, commented, “I feel especially good for the country that we’ve gotten another gold. I feel especially good for all field athletes that (a) field athlete has gotten a gold. We showed that we can do that. We’re especially proud of Keshorn because of his work ethic and ability to rise to the occasion.”
Asked how he felt the moment he knew the result, Andalcio replied, “I was ecstatic yes. But it’s something that we, who are into javelin throwing, know could happen. As a matter of fact, Keshorn’s (local) training partner Hakim Smith predicted exactly what Keshorn would throw.
“Ismael used to train Hakim Smith also, some excellent work were done there. We know how the javelin competition could go. You noticed that, to the people from Toco, it wasn’t as big a surprise as everybody else. We know that if he go inside there, he has nothing to lose.”
Andalcio continued, “he could put questions to them and have them under pressure.”
Referring to Thorkildsen, Andalcio noted, “the man who was throwing 88 (metres) every single day, he can’t throw it, because he’s under pressure. Keshorn didn’t have that pressure, so he could put pressure onto them and they can’t respond.”
Looking at Walcott’s immediate future, Andalcio stated, “the plan wasn’t for this Olympics. The plan this year was World Junior gold (in Barcelona, Spain last month).
“He done get Olympic gold, we get bonus already. Rio (2016 Olympic venue) is what we were planning for. That’s what the plan was for.
“We’re ahead of the plan, we’re four years ahead of the plan. He’s 19 years old. He must be have three more Olympics (again) and he have an Olympic gold. Barring injury and God’s willing, more golds are possible.”
Dexter Voisin, manager of the TT track and field team in England, admitted, “right now, we’re still in a bit of shock too, you wouldn’t believe.”
At the time of the interview from London, Voisin noted that Walcott was undergoing his mandatory doping test at the Stadium, so they were unable to get a feedback from the teenager.
He continued, “everybody is, words can’t describe it. It’s a real joyful (mood). To crown it off with the 4x100m bronze. Definitely this has been a tremendous Olympics.”
Voisin emphasised, “praises must go out to the support staff. For far too long, they have been forgotten. Yes, the athletes perform but the staff has been with them throughout, supporting them, managing their performance. The medical team, all the coaches, they’re really working hard since we arrived here in the UK. Some credit must go to the support staff.”
The world of Twitter was abuzz with congratulatory messages to Walcott.
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,164671.html
Athletes need mental training
By COREY CONNELLY Sunday, August 12 2012
United States sprinter Tyson Gay turned to music for comfort ahead of his semi-final heat in the Men’s 100-Metre event at the Olympic Stadium in London, United Kingdom, early last week.
Pacing the warm-up track, Gay was spotted with headphones swaying to a tune, either as a means of soothing his frayed nerves or to inspire him to greatness.
It may well have been that the music also served as a distraction from preparations for his hope — for qualification to the Men’s 100-Metre finals in which he was yet to win an Olympic medal.
Gay, who had been dogged by injury within recent years, eventually placed fourth in the competition, but still left the Olympic Stadium in tears.
Gay’s long time rival, veteran Jamaican sprinter, Asafa Powell, meantime, who also ran in the Men’s 100-Metre final, slumped to the ground in pain — the result of a groin-related injury — metres away from the finish line. A bewildered look on his face, Powell’s dream of acquiring an Olympic medal, too, had been dashed.
Alternatively, a once injury-plagued US quarter-miler, Sanya Richards-Ross, shed tears on the podium after a narrow win the Women’s 400-Metre race, a victory which had eluded her at the Beijing Olympics four years ago.
The Dominican Republic’s, Felix Sanchez, had a very personal agenda when he set out to win the Men’s 400-Metre hurdles. With a photograph of his late grandmother affixed to his chest, ran the race of his life in complete dedication to her.
Sanchez, who had won the event in the 2004 Athens Olympics, had failed to repeat the feat in Beijing when he woke up on the morning of his preliminary heat to the news that his grandmother, who raised him, had died.
The Olympic Games enjoys its “last hurrah” today but the apprehension, nostalgia, triumph and agony, synonymous with international sporting meets of this stature, will forever be remembered by the athletes who experienced these emotions over the past few weeks.
Trinidad and Tobago’s athletes are no exception. Despite swimmer George Bovell 111’s seventh place finish in the Men’s 50-Metre Freestyle and TT’s botched handover on the second leg of the Women’s 4x100 relay — which many felt could have been an easy medal — and Njisane Phillips spirited cycling sprint (although he did not receive a medal), the country still delivered gutsy performances alongside the best in the world.
Nineteen-year-old Keshorn Walcott yesterday registered TT’s second gold medal in Olympics history with an outstanding win in the Mens Javeling, days before Lalonde Gordon, who came into the Games as a virtual unknown, received a bronze medal after placing third in the Men’s 400-Metre event. He later joined fellow athletes Jarrin Solomon, Ade Alleyne-Forte and Deon Lendore to secure another third place finish in the Men’s 4x400 Metre relay on Friday.
Dexter Voisin, manager of the TT team, said last week he was proud of the team’s accomplishments in London.
“We can safely say, so far we are having one of the better Olympics in terms of the number of finals that we are in. And, not just track and field, but the whole Trinidad and Tobago team,” he said.
“Njisane Phillip (and) George Bovell reaching semi-finals (respectively in cycling and in Bovell’s case, 50 metre freestyle final).
Several former athletes have also said this year’s performances were TT’s best to date.
The reality, though, is that performing at the Olympic Games, regarded as the pinnacle of sporting excellence, requires tremendous commitment and perseverance both on the part of the athletes, staff and their supporters.
Psychologist Laila Valere said in order for athletes to perform at their peak, training must go beyond physical activity into the realm of psychological, mental and emotional discipline. “These are very important, but I feel very sad to say that Trinidad is yet to fully embrace this concept,” she told Sunday Newsday during an interview on Friday.
Valere lamented that mental and emotional training in this country was being done in an almost piecemeal approach quite unlike developed countries in which sporting programmes are regarded as incomplete without such emotional and psychological preparation.
“So that the gymnast who falls off the beam can jump right on again because they know what they have to do,” she said.
“In the same way, in Trinidad, we have some ongoing, regular training in sporting skills but there is not the ongoing mental and emotional training available to our athletes. This one-and-done programme will not suffice.”
Referring specifically to mental training, she said, “They have to be able to control their thoughts and inner dialogue so that it would be positive. They have to be able to do mental rehearsal, through visualisation and imagery to build their confidence.
“They have to do attention control training. Those things are essential as well as being able to control their emotions.”
She added that athletes must also be able to control their stress, anger, frustration and other anxieties.
“Those are essential if they want to become a professional athlete but we do not do that sort of training in Trinidad which is really a pity,” she said.
Valere, who had done extensive pyschological training with the members of the senior West Indies cricket team more than a decade ago, said the managers of the team had seen the benefits of the exercise.
She said, “Cricket was leading the way in that (mental training) a long time ago. It started in 1997 when they took the senior West Indies cricketers. I designed a programme for them. This was in the time of Alloy Lequay who had the foresight and the vision that this is the concept we have to use.”
Valere said the players had undergone a six-week retreat programme, where, apart from mental, emotional and spiritual training, they also received assistance in financial planning.
“I don’t know if that was ever continued,” she said, alluding to subsequent teams.
“After Alloy left I think all those things fell down because he had extended that programme to the Under-13 cricketers as well as the Under-15, 17, 19.
“In the Under-15, we had won the regional tournament for four years. And the first time the Under-15 won the World Cup in England was after they were mentally trained consistently.”
Another psychologist, Courtney Boxill, said it was quite possible that local athletes were not being exposed to much science and technology when preparing for major international sporting engagements.
Failure to adopt this practice, he said, will lead to sub-standard performance among local athletes.
Boxill told Sunday Newsday: “If a company or individual is using science and technology and the company or individual’s competitors are not using science and technology, the company or individual who is using science and technology will always do better than the company or individual who is not using science and technology. It is very likely that our athletes are not using enough science and technology and that is very important.”
Boxill said research indicated that an athlete performs at his or her best if he or she is in an ideal performance state.
“At present, so-called developed countries are using machinery to get athletes into his or her ideal performance state. If an athlete is in his ideal performance state, then he is likely to be competing in his zone,” he observed.
Claiming that many sporting administrators were not aware of this concept, Boxill said Sports Minister Anil Roberts was the exception.
He said, however, Roberts had not put the structures in place to allow for athletes to be in their ideal performance state. “Fortunately, our Minister of Sport, knows about the ideal performance state and whereas he has been commended for ensuring that villages have adequate grounds for cricket, track and field, football, my complaint is he is not providing the infrastructure for our athletes who have to perform internationally.
“It’s time that he provides these structures so that when we go to international meets we can perform at our very best,” he said.
Like Valere, Boxill also made a plug for visualisation as a vital ingredient in an athlete’s regimen.
“The evidence is that most, if not all top athletic performers are very good at visualisation,” he said, citing former West Indies batting star Brian Lara as an example.
“Most top athletes use it because it can point our errors better than the camera and then they can seek to correct it when they have identified their errors through visualisation.”
Reviewing the performance of the Jamaicans, who dominated several major events at the Olympics, including the Men’s 200-Metre race, Boxill said he was surprised to learn from a commentator at the Games that the country had a sports science centre where it groomed athletes.
“We don’t have that. What are we waiting on? We have plenty more money than Jamaica.” he said of TT.
Boxill, a retired senior lecturer in psychology at the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies, urged Roberts to initiate the process in establishing a similar facility locally.
“I am pleading with Anil Roberts who knows about these things to bring these things here,” he said.
“We will be able to pay for it through sport tourism because athletes from all over the Caribbean would come here to prepare for athletic events. We have to provide the infrastructure for our athletes to achieve their potential. Without that, we will remain Third World in our preparation of our athletes.”
The psychologists also shared strategies for helping athletes cope with defeat and tragedy either during or before an event.
Valere said she has often used what she called confidence recovery strategies to assist the athletes by way of recalling their past successes.
“One of the things they could do is to recall their best ever performances and that will help them to make a recovery. They have to manage their self-thought so it is not negative. That will help to motivate them after the defeat,” she said.
Also, Valere noted that most athletes usually enjoy a short professional career and many of them should think seriously about life after the sport.
She said, “There is an expiry date as an athlete so they have to plan their life after the sport to be able to motivate themselves to move on. They must decide whether they want to stay in the sporting field or move somewhere else.”
Nervousness is also a common trait among many athletes. And, believe it or not, even the indomitable Usain Bolt experiences pre-race jitters.
“I was really under a lot of pressure,” Bolt had told reporters after delivering a 9.63 seconds win in the Men’s 100-Metre competition, alluding to the back problems he experienced and which had hampered him during the Jamaica Olympic trials in June.
Valere again suggested that athletes use imagery to stay calm.
“Once they have developed their energy and skills, they can be able to recall good performances and anchor them. They have to have positive self-thought. They have to keep things in perspective by knowing it is not a matter of life and death,” she said.
Valere also advocated deep relaxation routines, such as effective breathing techniques.
“This will determine how they manage their anxiety,” she said.
She said anxiety is contagious and athletes should try to stay away from people who display this tendency.
On the issue of financial and emotional support, Valere said apart from the Government, the corporate community, as well as citizens, also needed to do much more to assist athletes.
“The corporate community can do more to sponsor some of our athletes by facilitating the kind of training they would need,” she said.
“We have to plan and develop something more comprehensive to support our athletes and follow them through. We have to be able to identify those that need extra training. That is what needs to be done.” Boxill said it appeared as though the Jamaican team had a tremendous support system both through the Government and its citizens.
“That, to me, is one of the reasons why Jamaica is where Jamaica is (in athletics). When you have an athletic event in Jamaica, its stands are filled to capacity. In Trinidad, the stands are ten percent filled. In Jamaica it is 100 percent. That kind of support is reflected in how the Jamaicans perform. We do not seem to be as patriotic as the Jamaicans and that is important,” he said.
Another psychologist, who wished to remain anonymous, minced no words in saying that maximum performance was required of all athletes at every level.
“Maximum performance can be the mastering of athletic, physical, technical and mental strengthening,” he told Sunday Newsday on Friday via an e-mail.
He said there were many ways in which athletes could motivate themselves, particularly in defeat.
“The very basics would be to remain firmly committed to their short, medium and long term goals and achieving them,” he said.
The psychologist said the athletes’ supporters also had a responsibility to them.
“Society can aid by always positively supporting their athletes through all elements of their progress and development. One way in which persons can be more supportive is by educating themselves on the facts and knowledge of the sport.”
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http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,164697.html
Second relay bronze for TT
Sunday, August 12 2012
THE QUARTET of Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender and Richard Thompson copped Trinidad and Tobago’s fourth and final medal in the 30th Olympiad in London, England yesterday, as they teamed up to get the bronze in the men’s 4x100-metre relay at the Olympic Stadium.
The result came less than an hour after Keshorn Walcott captured gold in the men’s javelin and on the heels of a pair of bronze medals for TT - Lalonde Gordon in the men’s 400m sprint and the 4x400m relay outfit.
Ironically, the Bledman-Burns-Callender-Thompson group took silver, behind Jamaica, in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. That time, Callender replaced American-born Aaron Armstrong for the final.
Yesterday, TT made an alteration to their line-up, with Thompson anchoring the group and Bledman starting proceedings.
Bledman and Burns had good displays in their respective first and second legs, but Callender were unable to maintain the pressure and, when he handed the baton to Thompson, Trinidad and Tobago were in the pack, with the United States having a slight advantage over Jamaica.
But Usain Bolt, who anchored the Jamaican team, overtook US’ Ryan Bailey to cross the finish line in 36.84 seconds, smashing the previous World record of 37.04 (in 2011) and Olympic record of 37.10 (in 2008) — both held by Jamaica.
The US were second in 37.04 seconds while Trinidad and Tobago, who completed the distance in 38.12, were promoted from fourth to third after Canada were disqualified, when Jared Connaughton, on the third leg, was ruled to have stepped inside his lane, mere metres before the final change-over.
After the Canadians’ appeals were rejected, a visibly stunned TT quartet were recalled to the track to celebrate their bronze medal feat.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/GOLD_-165884446.html
GOLD!
Keshorn Walcott is youngest ever Olympic javelin champion
By Kwame Laurence
Story Created: Aug 12, 2012 at 12:02 AM ECT
Keshorn Walcott produced a shocker at the Olympic Stadium here in London, England, yesterday, becoming only the second Olympic gold medallist from Trinidad and Tobago.
The 19-year-old from Toco emerged victorious in the men's javelin, hurling the spear 84.58 metres in the second round to upset a strong field, including Norway's two-time Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen.
At the 1976 Games in Montreal, Canada, Hasely Crawford struck gold for T&T in the men's 100 metres dash. It took 36 years for the country's second Olympic gold.
But it was worth the wait. The Trinbagonians at the Olympic Stadium yesterday savoured the moment, singing along lustily as "Forged from the Love of Liberty" blared from the speakers during the victory ceremony.
"I'm more than stunned," said Walcott, after receiving his medal. "I just went into the final to enjoy it, so to come out with the gold medal is a feeling I can't describe right now.
"I know everyone is proud of me," he continued. "I'm just thankful for all the support. I'm going back to the Games Village to celebrate with the team, and we're leaving (today), so we'll celebrate in Trinidad too. I know they're going mad in Toco."
The newly crowned Olympic champion is expected to touch down at Piarco International Airport close to midnight, tonight, on Caribbean Airlines flight BW903.
Walcott opened yesterday's competition with a new Pan American junior and national open record, landing the spear 83.51m to move from fifth to fourth on the all-time world junior (under-20) list. There was a big smile from the reigning world junior champion as he took an early lead.
It was a lead Walcott would never relinquish. In round two, he produced the big one, the 84.58m effort moving him into second spot on the all-time junior list, resetting his records in the process. The teenager could not contain himself. Another huge smile broke out, he spread his arms wide and he hit his chest.
Though he fouled on his third attempt, Walcott remained in the gold medal position.
Already in the history books by becoming the first male field athlete from T&T to appear in an Olympic final, the four-time Carifta Games champion was threatening to write an even bigger story.
An 80.64m effort in the fourth round was followed by a foul in round five. The T&T thrower, however, was still in pole position.
It was do or die for Thorkildsen and company in the final round. Well, any hopes of removing the youngest man in the competition from the top spot died. There was no one to match the 84.58m throw.
Walcott was exultant, T&T's second Olympic gold medallist racing over to his coach, Cuban Ismael Lopez for a tight hug. The celebration had begun.
"I want to thank my mom for believing in me throughout; my coach who has been guiding me, doing a great job. And thanks to the entire country for believing in me and supporting me."
Walcott told the Sunday Express he could not believe he had emulated Crawford's historic feat.
"I can't really believe it right now. Knowing that Mr Crawford was the biggest name in track and field when I was small, and remembering when I was hoping to meet him…"
Ukraine's Oleksandr Pyatnytsya earned silver, yesterday, with an 84.51m effort, while bronze went to Finland's Antti Ruuskanen, who threw 84.12m. Thorkildsen had to settle for sixth spot, the Norwegian's hopes of completing a hat-trick of Olympic triumphs dashed when he could only manage a best effort of 82.63m.
The Olympic men's javelin event has been dominated by Europeans. In 23 previous competitions, between 1908 and 2008, European throwers won 22 times. The only blemish on that record came in 1952, in Helsinki, Finland, American Cy Young claiming the top spot.
Sixty years later, Keshorn Walcott has brought the title to the western hemisphere for only the second time in Olympic history, the T&T golden boy's heroics creating one of the biggest stories of London 2012.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Walcott_takes_fast_track_to_javelin_glory-165884536.html
Walcott takes fast track to javelin glory
Story Created: Aug 12, 2012 at 12:02 AM ECT
l LONDON
Trinidad and Tobago's first Olympic gold medal in a field event was forged in the unlikely setting of an old school field by a teenager larking around with his cousins.
Less than four years on and still not yet out of his teens, Keshorn Walcott became Olympic javelin champion yesterday with a victory that surprised himself, let alone the sporting world and beyond.
More surprising was that the winner, only 19, hails from a nation and region, Cuba aside, not usually associated with field events.
Trinidadian sprinters? Yes. Think 1976 Olympic champion Hasely Crawford, Trinidad's first and only other Games gold medallist.
Trinidadian cricketers? Yes. Think former West Indies captain Brian Lara. Even footballers. Tobago-born Dwight Yorke who enjoyed a stellar career with Aston Villa and Manchester United.
Javelin throwers? Not until Walcott first picked up a javelin for fun as a 16-year-old and launched it 55 metres.
His rise to the top has come at a phenomenal rate and reached a crescendo in the Olympic stadium when, with no expectation of success despite being crowned world junior champion last month, he upstaged the sport's biggest names.
A sporty youngster who enjoyed cricket and football, Walcott said he realised quickly he was not cut out for the track.
"I was never really any good at sprinting so I didn't stick with that. I tried triple jump because my brother does that...I was doing that along with the javelin so I needed to make a choice. I was always better at javelin," Walcott said smiling, the gold medal proudly around his neck.
"In my first year I just went out there for fun."
His first major competition was the 2010 world juniors in which he flunked. But it hardened his attitude and resolve to come back a better athlete.
"I was 16th or something. I said to myself I would come back hard and better things will come."
His desire to improve paid off. Success came at regional level and then in Barcelona last month he became world junior champion.
His work ethic and endless hours put in at a pre-Games training camp in Wales paid off on Saturday, first setting a personal best with his opening effort of 83.51 metres, then bettering that with 84.58 on his next attempt.
One by one, his rivals tried to go longer. Each time they failed.
"Most of the other guys were under pressure coming into the competition because of the expectations on them," he said.
"There wasn't any on me and I was relaxed. After the fourth round and I was still in the lead, I thought 'things are coming close now'.
"The fifth and sixth throws I was really frightened. Then it hit me when the second guy (in silver medal position) threw and I told myself 'I just won gold'...I couldn't believe it."
Worryingly for his rivals, Walcott said deficiencies in his throwing technique meant "he had not been doing it right".
"I've got a lot to work on with my technique. The next few years I will hopefully get things right, get a lot stronger. I would like to throw over 90 metres...get into that bracket."
Expectations will be high for the future, he acknowledged.
"We will go back to the drawing board. Go home...hopefully my coach will allow me some rest, then we'll start again.
"I'm not famous. I'm proud of myself and hopefully everyone back home is proud of me."
Walcott now hopes to meet triple Olympic javelin champion and world record holder Jan Zelezny before he returns home to Trinidad.
Czech Zelezny, coach to women's javelin gold medallist Barbora Spotakova, dominated the sport for a decade, winning Olympic gold in 1992, 1996 and 2000.
"I only learned of him when I got into the javelin," Walcott said.
"I saw him over here (in London). I was shocked at his size. I look up to him as the best javelin thrower ever. Hopefully someday I'll get up to that standard."
In another sign that the sport has truly expanded beyond its traditional European heartland, Kenyan Julius Yego also made the final, finishing 12th of 12.
"The two of us...from different parts of the world, mixing with the Europeans... I don't think we were looked at (as finalists). Making the finals itself was a big achievement," Walcott said.
Jamaica, through the exploits of Usain Bolt and others, has evolved as a powerhouse of sprinting but they could also have a potential Olympic field event champion in future years in world junior discus champion Frederick Dacres.
"Hopefully, more and more people (from the Caribbean) will push forward into these events," said Walcott, who has been offered college scholarships in the United States but plans to continue working in Trinidad with his Cuban coach.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Jamaica_break_relay_record-165884726.html
Jamaica break relay record
Story Created: Aug 12, 2012 at 12:03 AM ECT
l LONDON
Usain Bolt and Jamaica's speedsters smashed the 4x100 metres world record, Britain's Mo Farah brought London to its feet with another golden distance win and Mexico broke Brazilian football hearts in a thrilling penultimate day of Olympic action.
But yesterday's sporting highs were tempered by news that a Syrian runner was expelled from the Games for doping and a South Korean football player was barred from a medal ceremony for staging a political protest after a bronze playoff with Japan.
In a day brimming with golden opportunities—32 titles were up for grabs— Bolt kissed off his one-man Olympic show to lead Jamaica home for gold in a blistering relay that brought London's track and field events to a shimmering close.
Bolt added that title to the 'double double' he won in the 100m and 200m, defending both after his Beijing triumphs and writing his way into Olympic history as one of the finest—and zaniest—sprinters the world has known.
As he crossed the line, Bolt cupped his hands in an 'M' shape above his head—a nod to Farah who had earlier run away from the pack to win the hosts' first men's 5,000m gold.
"It's always a beautiful feeling to end off like this," Bolt said. The quartet of Bolt, Yohan Blake, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter darted around the track in 36.84 seconds, beating their own record and leaving the United States trailing in their wake.
Farah, who snatched the 10,000m crown in London just days ago, is the seventh man to win both races at the same Olympics and the trailblazer of a British team that has claimed more medals than at any Games in more than a century.
"I wanted a gold medal for each of my two girls on the way," said the 29-year-old, whose wife Tania is heavily pregnant. "They could come any day now."
Russia's world champion Mariya Savinova saw off South African Caster Semenya to win the women's 800m, the US triumphed in the women's 4x400m relay and Trinidad and Tobago's Keshorn Walcott struck a surprise gold in the javelin.
The final few moments of Olympic glory in track and field bring a close to an eventful penultimate day of the Games in which startling athletic prowess did not always dominate the headlines.
Syrian athlete Ghfran Almouhamad, who competed in the women's 400 metres hurdles, was the 11th athlete to be thrown out of the Games since the start of the Olympic period, which began on July 16, after testing positive for a banned substance.
The 10-strong Syrian team has attracted considerable media attention during London 2012, less for its sporting achievements than the bloody conflict raging at home between rebels and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
Politics also crashed the party when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) called for a South Korea football player to be banned from a medal ceremony after he held up a poster referring to his country's long-running territorial dispute with Japan—after the two teams had just battled for the bronze.
Five-time world champions Brazil's long quest for Olympic football gold continues after Mexico stunned the usually stylish South Americans with a 2-1 win.
Oribe Peralta put Mexico ahead after just 28 seconds and added their second in the 75th minute with a header before Hulk replied for Brazil in stoppage time in front of a London Games record crowd of 86,162 at Wembley Stadium.
The Brazilians, glittering with the considerable talents of Neymar, Hulk and Oscar, had been favourites for the title but failed to threaten a more direct and efficient Mexican side.
Brazil's women provided some consolation, beating the United States to gold in the volleyball.
The upsets spread to the pool where Chinese divers Qiu Bo and Lin Yue could not better the efforts of American David Boudia in the 10m event. Qiu won silver and Britain's Tom Daley, cheered on by English football player David Beckham, took bronze.
But there was no surprise in the women's basketball where the US claimed a fifth straight gold by thrashing France 86-50 to extend their Olympics winning streak to 41 games.
In the ring, Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk claimed the men's heavyweight crown while classy light-welterweight Roniel Iglesias Sotolongo won Cuba's first boxing gold in eight years and Britain's Luke Campbell took the bantamweight title.
The hosts have claimed 28 gold medals, comfortably beating their Beijing tally of 19. It puts them third in the overall medals table, which the United States top on 44 to China's 38.
With one day of Olympian effort left, today's highlights include the toughest running event—the marathon—and the showcase men's basketball final, which sees pre-tournament favourites the US taking on a dangerous Spain side.
Organisers have less than 24 hours to prepare the stadium for the closing ceremony, which artistic director Kim Gavin said would celebrate British pop music from the last 50 years.
The Spice Girls, One Direction, George Michael and The Who are expected to perform as London prepares to bid goodbye to what the Guardian newspaper dubbed the "feelgood Games".
Games chief Sebastian Coe declined to compare London with other Olympics, but said simply: "I'm pretty pleased with the way we've delivered."
"Party, party, party," he told a news briefing when asked to describe the closing concert ending a drama-filled few weeks.
Forecasters point to a warm and dry day in London to bring to a close a festival of sport that has helped to lift the gloom in recession-hit Britain.
As well as a "hit list" of more than 30 popular songs, the closing ceremony will feature thousands of athletes and performing volunteers as well as a section devoted to the next summer Olympic hosts, Rio de Janeiro.
"I think it's a gift that we've got Rio next because their eight minutes is so wonderful and really full of that samba beat," Gavin said of the 2016 hosts.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Pound__Jamaican_sprinters__should_expect_more_drugs_tests-165884606.html
Pound: Jamaican sprinters should expect more drugs tests
Story Created: Aug 12, 2012 at 12:03 AM ECT
l LONDON
Jamaican athletes, who have dominated the sprint events at the London Olympics, should now expect more visits by drugs testers, former anti-doping chief Dick Pound said yesterday.
Usain Bolt stormed to victory in both the 100 and 200 metres with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce snatching gold in the women's 100 as the Caribbean island consolidated its domination of the blue riband events.
"No, they are one of the groups that are hard to test, it is (hard) to get in and find them and so forth," former World Anti-Doping Agency chief Pound told Reuters Television when asked whether he was happy with the way Jamaica tested its athletes.
"I think they can expect, with the extraordinary results that they have had, that they will be on everybody's radar," said Pound, an International Olympic Committee member.
Jamaica won a clean sweep in the men's 200 with Yohan Blake and Warren Weir winning silver and bronze behind Bolt.
Blake was also second to Bolt in the 100 and the duo also combined with Nesta Carter and Michael Frater to retain the 4x100 relay title in a world record time. It was Bolt's third gold for the second successive Games.
Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica also claimed bronze in the women's 100m behind Fraser-Pryce.
Pound said the IOC was still a long way away from winning the fight against doping with 11 athletes being expelled from the Games since the start of the Olympic period on July 16.
"I think it is too soon to say. I think we are gaining and getting better at science," said Pound, WADA's first president.
"We are starting to get better at smart testing. But there is a long way to go yet. In Churchillian terms, it is not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning."
Victor Conte, convicted owner of the now-defunct BALCO laboratory that was at the centre of a global doping scandal, had said last week that 60 per cent of athletes at the Games were on drugs.
"He is probably more likely to know than we are. I hope it is not 60 per cent, but it is certainly a lot more than we are catching," Pound said.
"The drug testing that will be done here is first class. I would not expect many cases at the Olympics because if you test positive here you fail not a drugs test but an IQ test."
The IOC will run more than 5,000 tests at the Games that end today.
More than 100 athletes were also caught using banned substances in the months leading up to the Games following increased testing by national and international anti-doping agencies, designed to root out cheats before they arrived in London.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Best_Olympics_ever-165884736.html
Best Olympics ever
Sprint relay bronze makes four medals
By Kwame Laurence
Story Created: Aug 12, 2012 at 12:03 AM ECT
"With darkness there is always a ray of sunlight. And this day in sport I hope is the ray of sunlight for the country."
Marc Burns had just helped Trinidad and Tobago earn bronze in the Olympic Games men's 4x100 metres relay, here in London, England. But the veteran sprinter took time out from celebrating to commiserate with the flood victims back home.
"Disheartening news. Anyone who lost valuables…the man who passed, our condolences go out to his family."
The "ray of sunlight" referred to by Burns came in the form of men's javelin gold from Keshorn Walcott and the sprint relay bronze.
Keston Bledman, Burns, Emmanuel Callender and Richard "Torpedo" Thompson, running in that order, finished fourth in the 4x100 final. The Canadians, however, were disqualified and T&T were promoted to third.
The bronze always looked on the cards, but on the final handover, Thompson had to pause and then reach for the baton. Callender eventually got the stick into the anchorman's hand. Thompson battled valiantly on the home straight, throwing himself over the line in a desperate attempt to secure bronze.
But there was disappointment, T&T finishing fourth in 38.12 seconds.
Jamaica won in a world record 36.84, beating United States into second spot. The Americans clocked a national record time of 37.04.
After sorrow, however, there was joy for T&T, thanks to the disqualification of third-placed Canada.
"We moved from being so sad and down," Thompson told the Sunday Express, "to being on the next end of the spectrum. We give God thanks, and we give him all the glory. Without him we wouldn't be able to claim the bronze medal today."
Callender said that Walcott's golden throw was a fillip for the relay team.
"Everyone was motivated by Keshorn."
Though he was battling with hip and groin injuries, Bledman decided to run in yesterday's final. He gave his heart and soul, his leadoff leg setting the stage for Olympic bronze.
Afterwards, Bledman paid an emotional tribute to his late grandmother.
"I dedicate this race to God, my fans and my grandmother that passed away. I wanted to give up at a point in time, and she told me to do it for her, so I dedicate this race to her."
The sprint relay bronze was T&T's fourth medal at London 2012. Walcott was the star of the show as the country earned one gold medal and three bronzes in its best-ever Olympic performance.
T&T's biggest haul before London 2012 came at the 1964 Games, in Tokyo, Japan—one silver medal and two bronzes.
Yesterday, at the Olympic Stadium, Walcott and the sprint relay men added to Lalonde Gordon's men's 400m bronze and the bronze earned by Gordon, Jarrin Solomon, Ade Alleyne-Forte and Deon Lendore in the 4x400m.
"Big, big day in sport for Trinidad and Tobago," said Burns. "Bronze from the 4x1 team, gold from Keshorn, anthem being played. Words can't describe that feeling."
2012 Summer Olympic Medals Table
Nation G S B Tot
United States 44 29 29 102
China 38 27 22 87
Britain 28 15 19 62
Russia 21 25 32 78
South Korea 13 7 7 27
Germany 11 19 14 44
France 10 11 12 33
Italy 8 7 8 23
Hungary 8 4 5 17
Australia 7 16 12 35
Japan 6 14 17 37
Netherlands 6 6 8 20
Kazakhstan 6 0 4 10
Ukraine 5 4 9 18
New Zealand 5 3 5 13
Iran 4 5 3 12
Jamaica 4 4 4 12
Cuba 4 3 5 12
North Korea 4 0 2 6
Spain 3 9 4 16
Brazil 3 4 8 15
Belarus 3 4 5 12
Czech Republic 3 3 3 9
South Africa 3 2 1 6
Ethiopia 3 1 3 7
Romania 2 5 2 9
Denmark 2 4 3 9
Kenya 2 3 4 9
Poland 2 2 6 10
Azerbaijan 2 2 5 9
Turkey 2 2 1 5
Croatia 2 1 1 4
Norway 2 1 1 4
Switzerland 2 1 0 3
Canada 1 5 12 18
Colombia 1 3 4 8
Mexico 1 3 3 7
Sweden 1 3 3 7
Georgia 1 3 2 6
Ireland 1 1 3 5
Argentina 1 1 2 4
Lithuania 1 1 2 4
Slovenia 1 1 2 4
Serbia 1 1 1 3
Tunisia 1 1 1 3
Dominican Republic 1 1 0 2
Trinidad & Tobago 1 0 3 4
Uzbekistan 1 0 3 4
Latvia 1 0 1 2
Algeria 1 0 0 1
Bahamas 1 0 0 1
Grenada 1 0 0 1
Venezuela 1 0 0 1
Thailand 0 2 1 3
Egypt 0 2 0 2
India 0 1 4 5
Mongolia 0 1 3 4
Slovakia 0 1 3 4
Armenia 0 1 2 3
Belgium 0 1 2 3
Finland 0 1 2 3
Bulgaria 0 1 1 2
Estonia 0 1 1 2
Indonesia 0 1 1 2
Malaysia 0 1 1 2
Puerto Rico 0 1 1 2
Taiwan 0 1 1 2
Botswana 0 1 0 1
Cyprus 0 1 0 1
Gabon 0 1 0 1
Guatemala 0 1 0 1
Montenegro 0 1 0 1
Portugal 0 1 0 1
Greece 0 0 2 2
Moldova 0 0 2 2
Qatar 0 0 2 2
Singapore 0 0 2 2
Afghanistan 0 0 1 1
Bahrain 0 0 1 1
Hong Kong 0 0 1 1
Kuwait 0 0 1 1
Morocco 0 0 1 1
Saudi Arabia 0 0 1 1
Tajikistan 0 0 1 1
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Today_s_London_Olympics_schedule-165884706.html
Today's London Olympics schedule
Story Created: Aug 12, 2012 at 12:03 AM ECT
Athletics At The Mall
Men's Marathon, 11 a.m.
Basketball At North Greenwich Arena Men
Bronze medal, 11 a.m.
Gold medal, 3 p.m.
Boxing At ExCeL
Men's Flyweight (52kg); Men's Lightweight (60kg); Men's Welterweight (69kg); Men's Light Heavyweight (81kg) and Men's Super Heavyweight (+91kg) finals, 1:30 p.m.
Cycling (Mountain Bike) At Hadleigh Farm, Essex
Men's Cross-Country race, 1:30 p.m.
Gymnastics At Rhythmic Wembley Arena
Women's Group All-Around final, 1:30 p.m.
Modern Pentathlon
Women
Fencing (At Olympic Park-Handball Arena), 8 a.m.
Swimming (At Olympic Park-Aquatics Centre), 12:35 p.m.
Riding (At Greenwich Park), 2:35 p.m.
Combined Event (At Greenwich Park), 6 p.m.
Team Handball At Copper Box
Men
Bronze medal match, 11 a.m.
Gold medal match, 2:30 p.m.
Volleyball At Earls Court
Men
Bronze medal match, 9:30 a.m.
Gold medal match, 1 p.m.
Water Polo At Olympic Park-Water Polo Arena
Men
Classification matches (5th-6th, 7th-8th places), 10:20 a.m.
Bronze and Gold medal matches, 2:30 p.m.
Wrestling (Freestyle) At ExCeL
Men's 66kg and 96kg qualifications, 1/8 finals, quarterfinals, semifinals, 8:30 a.m.
Men's 66kg and 96kg repechage rounds, bronze and gold medal contests, 12:45 p.m.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-12/biggest-olympic-surprise
Biggest Olympic surprise
Published: Sunday, August 12, 2012
Rachael Thompson-King
Keshorn Walcott’s gold medal may have been the biggest surprise of the Olympic Games in London, England. Yesterday, Walcott shocked everyone at Olympic Stadium when his second throw of 84.58 metres topped the Men’s Javelin event, less than a month after he became the world junior champion. He astonished himself also, saying, “I’m surprised I even made the final. I just went out there to relax and enjoy it and it worked out. “It means everything to me. This is what it’s all about.” Walcott, from Toco, pushed T&T’s medal count to three before the men’s 4x100m relay team of Richard Thompson, Keston Bledman, Emmanuel Callender and Marc Burns added a bronze medal to make it four—T&T’s best medal haul at an Olympic Games.
The others came from Lalonde Gordon, who won bronze in the men’s 400m on Monday, and the the men’s 400m relay final. The local men finished fourth in the men’s 4x100m relay, but were promoted after Canada, which was originally third, was disqualified for stepping out of lane. But yesterday clearly belonged to Walcott, who made it the second time in the history of the Olympics that T&T’s anthem was played and its flag lifted above all others during the medal ceremony. The first was sprinter Hasely Crawford, who won gold in the Men’s 100m final in the 1976 Montreal Games in Canada. Walcott gave T&T its first victory in an Olympic field event and also became only the second non-European athlete to take the crown in 100 years of the Olympic Games. “Honestly, I was just glad to make it into the final. I was just looking to do a personal best,” said the soft-spoken Walcott.
He established the lead in the opening round with a throw of 83.51 metres, to break his own national record of 82.83, and increased it in the second round with 84.58 which proved enough to win on the night. The only other thrower who came close was Ukraine’s Oleksandr Pyatnytsya, whose third effort, of 84.51, was some seven centimetres short. Finland’s Antti Ruuskanen was third with a throw of 84.12. “My heart was beating really fast going into the last throw. I knew these guys were experienced. But I’m so happy now.” Defending Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen from Norway and Czech Republic’s Vitezslav Vesely, who threw 88.34 metres in qualifying, were the favourites coming into the final. Thorkildsen had to settle for sixth place with his attempt of 82.63. “I just trained my hardest and tried to enjoy every time I come out,” Walcott said. He had only great things to say of his mother, Beverly, and his coach, Ishmael Mastrafa Lopez. “I want to thank the entire country. Firstly my mom, she believed in me throughout from since I started. My coach had been guiding me. “I just want to say thanks again to the entire country for supporting me and believing in me,” said the golden Walcott.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-12/disappointment-jubilation-relay-men-grabs-bronze
Disappointment, jubilation as relay men grabs bronze
Published: Sunday, August 12, 2012
Rachael Thompson-King
It was a delayed celebration for the T&T men’s 4x100 metres relay team, who escaped with a bronze medal after Canada was disqualified in the final event yesterday in the Olympic Games in London, England. The quartet of Richard Thompson, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender and Keston Bledman crossed the line in fourth place in the time of 38.12 seconds and, for a moment watched, as Jamaica celebrated its gold medal, USA, the silver and Canada, the bronze. But disappointment turned to jubilation when the replay of the race showed the left foot of Canada’s most veteran runner, Jared Connaughton, making contact with the inside lane marking, as he rounded the curve before handing the baton to anchor man Justyn Warner. T&T was already heading off the track at the Olympic Stadium while the Canadians had grabbed their flags to begin their celebratory lap, when the message appeared on the scoreboard indicating that they were disqualified. Their joy turned to despair and they dropped to the track in tears. Thompson, who ran the anchor leg, said: “When we crossed the line in fourth, my emotions went from two extremes, from sad to ecstatic.”
Canada appealed the disqualification, but it was denied, and T&T was awarded the bronze. “It was a good feeling. We knew what was on the line. We did our part and the results did the rest,” said Burns His teammate Bledman added, “We put our hearts into it. This is the greatest team. I just can’t explain this feeling,” said Bledman, who seemed to be in extreme pain after the race. “I wasn’t even sure I could run today (yesterday). My leg was cramping and I was getting a pain in my hips but I decided just to leave it out on the track.” The quartet fed off the success of T&T’s second Olympic gold medal which was achieved earlier in the day by javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott, who beat a more experienced field to follow up his success earlier this year when he won the event at the World Junior Championships.
However, they had no answer for Usain Bolt and his Jamaican teammates who destroyed their own world record by fully 2/10th of a second, running a remarkable 36.84 seconds while the Americans, which included Trell Kimmons, Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay and Ryan Bailey, equalled the former world mark of 37.04, a new national record. Olympic 100m and 200m champion Bolt and his teammate Blake, double-silver medallist, did not disappoint as the latter ran a blistering third leg to set up the victory. This was after Nesta Carter and Michael Frater produced excellent first and second legs, respectively. Bolt pulled away to leave Bailey in his dust, to delight of the capacity crowd. Callender on behalf of the unit sent out appreciation from to T&T for the support and also included his fellow teammates who did not run but played a great part in the team’s success. “I must mention Jamol James and Rondel Sorrillo because they supported us. They didn’t get a chance to run but they had an important role in us going out there and running our hearts out.” He also went on to thank Aaron Armstrong for also being supportive of the group.
Results
Men's Javelin Throw
1 Keshorn Walcott, TRI 84.58
2 Oleksandr Pyatnytsya, 84.51
3 Antti Ruuskanen, FIN 84.12
4 Vitezslav Vesely, CZE 83.34
5 Tero Pitkamaki, FIN 82.80
6 Andreas Thorkildsen, NOR 82.63
7 Spiridon Lebesis, GRE 81.91
8 Tino Haber, GER 81.21
9 Stuart Farquhar, NZL 80.22
10 Roderick Genki Dean, JPN 79.95
11 Ari Mannio, FIN 78.60
12 Julius Yego, KEN 77.15
Men's 4 x 100m Relay
1 Jamaica 36.84
2 United States 37.04
3 Trinidad & Tobago 38.12
4 France 38.16
5 Japan 38.35
6 Netherlands 38.39
7 Australia 38.43
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This Olimpic squad is far more crazy than a roller coaster at disney. You talk about highs and low. Jeez. A GOLD medal from Keshorn. Never in my dream I would have expected this. The man is just a junior. But faith does do funny things with your life. Yes, we all agree about his potential. But not now. Rio, yes. But yesterday!! ?? No way!!. Yesterday was just his day. Congrats, Yute. You have delivered.You can pump your chest just like Crawfie. Maybe the PM will name she helicopter after you. I serious, eh. From underachievers to overachievers in such a short space of time will drive any prognosticator bazodie(deservedly so).
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-08-12/olympics-draw-close-mega-party-weekend
Olympics draw to a close with mega-party weekend
Published: Sunday, August 12, 2012
LONDON—The Olympic finishing line is almost in sight. With just a few events to go, athletes and Londoners alike are set for the mother of all celebrations—the finale to a weekend of gold-medal parties and a pop-tastic closing ceremony. It’s about time, say some social observers, who claim that London’s party scene has been muted during the games, dragged down by economic recession and a downturn in central London businesses as a result of the games further east.
Britain’s economic gloom means nightclubs and pop-up venues have had to work to lure athletes and celebrities. But they are giving thanks for Olympic swimmers, whose events ended last weekend, leaving them free to party. The paparazzi were also thankful, filling newspaper pages with party-hardy Olympians. US champion Michael Phelps—who ended his Olympic career with 22 medals, 18 of them gold—has been spotted in London’s Soho nightlife district.
Teammate Ryan Lochte was photographed leaving the Chinawhite nightclub—long a favourite of partying British royalty. This time around, the club has drawn athletes in droves by offering gold medallists a free Golden Cocktail—a concoction of champagne, cognac and real gold flakes priced, for the rest of us, at £2,012 (US$3,150). Lochte emerged looking a bit bleary-eyed, but it could have been the chlorine. Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II and a member of Britain’s silver medal-winning equestrian eventing team, was spotted drinking champagne and dancing shoeless at the club.
“I’ve heard it’s not been easy for a lot of venues in London, but we’ve been very lucky,” said Chinawhite club manager James Spallone. He said the venue was designed to be “a safe haven for athletes to let their hair down.” “They are amongst their peers. They know everybody,” he said. “It’s fun. It’s like a prom.” Swimmers have not been the only athletes blowing off steam. Cyclist Bradley Wiggins tweeted pictures of himself celebrating with a drink in front of St Paul’s Cathedral after winning gold in the road race. “Getting wasted,” he tweeted.
Another cyclist—20-year-old Gijs van Hoecke of Belgium—was sent home after photos appeared of him looking very drunk while leaving a London nightclub. Still, that was all prologue to the final weekend blowout, which certainly won’t be confined to Olympic athletes. Some of the action will centre on national hospitality houses set up by the Dutch, the Russians and the French, among others. A lucky elite, however, will take to the water for a handful of yacht parties. Nearly a dozen of the world’s most luxurious vessels, including the 413-foot Octopus, owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, are docked in east London near the Olympic site.
On land, Olympic sponsors such as Adidas and Omega plan parties at invitation-only pop-up clubs set up for the games. Omega hosted a Brazilian night last Friday to celebrate Rio’s turn as host of the 2016 Games, while Adidas is sponsoring a closing-night party with DJ team Livin’ Proof on the decks. Sportswear rival Puma—Usain Bolt’s sponsor—plans a closing-night celebration at its Jamaica-themed venue in London’s Brick Lane.
Budweiser is sponsoring Club Bud, transforming the Roundhouse music venue in north London into a party destination expected to draw US athletes—including its biggest stars, the basketball team—as well as big-name hip-hop artists. More accessibly, London’s Hyde Park is the location for a closing-night outdoor concert featuring Blur, New Order and The Specials.
For some 80,000 spectators inside Olympic Stadium and millions of television viewers worldwide, the celebrations will include watching an Olympic closing ceremony that music director David Arnold promises will be “the greatest after-party in the world.” “If the opening ceremony was the wedding, then we’re the wedding reception,” he told the Daily Telegraph.
Between director Danny Boyle’s emotion-churning opening spectacle and the record medal haul for Team GB, these games have left Britain revelling in a warm bath of patriotism. That looks set to continue with the closing ceremony, billed as “a symphony of British music” and celebration of the nation’s creativity in design and the arts. There will be a few solemn ceremonial elements, including an athletes’ march, the raising of the flags of Greece—birthplace of the Olympics—current host Britain and 2016 games’ host Brazil, speeches and the extinguishing of the Olympic cauldron, marking the handover of the games to Rio.
But the main event will be a mashup of music, theatre, circus and hit parade, created by a team used to creating rock spectaculars. Director Kim Gavin has overseen tours for the band Take That and directed London’s 2007 Princess Diana memorial concert. Designer Es Devlin has created sets for everyone from Lady Gaga to the Royal Opera. As with the opening ceremony, London is aiming for a plucky, irreverent tone far removed from Beijing’s 2008 Olympic closer, which was heavy on precision displays of fireworks, acrobatics and dancing.
“Hopefully it will wrap up the spirit of what these games have been, which is slightly anarchic, slightly mischievous, funny, heartwarming, emotional, inspiring, and uniquely British,” Arnold said. The Daily Mail newspaper published photographs of what it said was the set, involving reconstructions of London landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge. The show also features thousands of volunteer performers, and Allen says it will include about 30 British hit singles from the past five decades.
Organisers are doing their best to keep the lineup of closing ceremony live artists under wraps, but the Muse, The Who and George Michael have all said they will take part. Tips and photos have leaked out of the rehearsal venue, an old car plant in east London. So will the The Spice Girls sing Wannabe? Quite probably. Will Ray Davies of The Kinks perform his London ballad Waterloo Sunset? Very likely. Will there be members of Queen for the old-timers and acts like Jessie J and Tinie Tempah for the kids? Definitely maybe. Whoever is on the bill, one thing is certain—it will end with fireworks.
Olympic fire sale: A price list
A partial list of the items up for sale from the 2012 Summer Olympics in London:
Athletes’ Village beanbag chair
— £15 (US$23.50)
Purple branded sun umbrella
— £39 (US$61)
Olympics world map coffee table
— £29 (US$45.50)
Single mattress — £49 (US$77)
Desk lamp — £7 (US$10)
Stripey deck chair — £29 (US$45.50)
Chaise longue and ottoman
— £299 (US$470)
Changing bench & three hooks
— £49 (US$77)
Large pebble pattern rug
— £99 (US$155)
Reception desk (walnut)
— £575 (US$902)
Bookcase — £9 (US$61)
AP
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-08-12/gold-36-years-later%E2%80%94worth-wait
Gold 36 years later—worth the wait
Published: Sunday, August 12, 2012
Alvin Corneal
Who would have thought that Keshorn Walcott, a 19-year-old would have toppled the world in throwing the javelin, one of the most challenging field events in the Olympic Games. Yes, we had taken note of his Carifta success, his World Youth Championships victory and now the greatest prize of all, an Olympic gold medal. All of a sudden, we begin to reminisce about the year 1976, when Hasely Crawford produced a wonderful run to bring T&T its first gold medal. The people of this state were overjoyed by that day when the fastest man in the world was from our industrial capital San Fernando. Today, the people of Toco must take a bow. The country must recognise the brilliance of Walcott and the NAAA must immediately return to the drawing board in preparation for Brazil 2016.
This is not to say that we must underscore the bronze medals by our Lalonde Gordon, and our two men’s relay teams. It shows that there was consistency.
One may say that despite the fact neither George Bovell III and Njisane Phillips were among the medals, reaching the final in their events was commendable and it demonstrated that they all entered the Olympics with adequate preparation. In the case of the young cyclist, maybe it was his inexperience or just the physical pressure of having to ride his races in such proximity that his young muscles may not have been able to recover fully to ensure his best result. No doubt Wayne Davis II and Jehue Gordon have also done reasonably well and have left us with the belief that a full year of regular scientific training and the ultimate exposure can find the names of these athletes in medal places in Brazil 2016.
Of course there are Commonwealth Games, Pan Am Games, World Championships and CAC Games all to show our mettle before Brazil, and it will probably be a most enjoyable period of sports enjoyment for the people of T&T. For the entire Caribbean, the joy of success was even greater, especially since our Jamaican friends brought glory to their own country and the region as well, with some scintillating performances, by both their men and women. The organisation and management committees of the British Olympic committee must be pleased with the results on and out of the stadia. They created an atmosphere which was conducive to traveling and walking around the venues safely. Their volunteers were not only helpful with the answering of questions about transport, historic sights but almost any others which were thrown at them. Their medal haul was better than they ever had and it is with great appreciation that the sporting world can comfortably say many thanks to London for a marvelous experience.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-12/farewell-lessons-london
OLYMPIC JOURNAL—DAY 17
Farewell lessons from London
Published: Sunday, August 12, 2012
The London Olympics Games have been quite revealing. Sports is no longer part time. It is no longer a casual fellow or just by the way. It is no longer a passing moment, a pastime or a hobby. Sports now is serious business. British Prime Minister David Cameron announced yesterday that sports is a great way to unify people. Perhaps he is not alone. In T&T, we only have to look at the Strike Squad and Soca Warriors in football and our T&T cricket team at the Champions League, to understand the unbridled joy which sports bring to the nation.
Prime Minister Cameron is planning several changes: “If we want to have a great sporting legacy for our children, and I do, we have got to have an answer that brings the whole of society together.”
He noted that the problem, as far as sports goes, was not simply one of money, but of “some teachers not wanting to join in and play their part.” Do we have that same problem in T&T? Because most sporting organisations complain that it is hard to make inroads in schools for one reason or the other. In that regard, our sports and education ministries need to work together. We need to ensure that our teachers understand their role in this. We must build on the success of this 2012 Olympic group—12 finals, one gold and three bronze medals. The spirit and feeling of unity in the nation could be felt throught the country.
Just as Deon Lendore said after the 4x400 metres relay team won bronze: “When I looked to the ground in the home straight and saw the shadow of the British runner, I said to myself: ‘No Way, No Way he is going to pass me now...” These are telling lessons on the desire to succeed. It is this attitude we must adopt. We have learned of the outstanding support given to some of the foreign performers—Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny in cycling are the best example. There are 12 backroom staff with these cyclists. Our own Njisane Phillips participated in both the match sprint and keirin. He had two support staff. We must understand that to achieve what we did, with the little we had, was a tribute to our young athletes.
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So I hope we can all realize the key to Keshorn's success, his coach.
Through providence, an IAAF-certified, Cuban coach, married to a Trini ended up coaching Keshorn, a young man with a healthy upbringing, right attitude, and thirst for success, who initially tried track, then the triple jump, and found the javelin. This is almost a lottery sequence of events.
But we should not have to rely so heavily on providence. We need to have all the building blocks in place, so that should any elements appear (talent, coaching, meets, facilities, etc) the chances of success can be maximized. Talking about:
(i) a more frequent program of caravans for T&F promotion,
(ii) a program to develop certified coaches to demonstrate the crafts, guide and coach athletes (without them all talent in the world can't be developed),
(iii) the sponsorship and commitment from both the government and private sector (with incentives for the latter to get involved),
(iv) a frequent program of clinics by event groupings (sprints, hurdles, middle distances, long distances, jumps, throws) in case athletes cannot find the coaching expertise in their clubs,
(v) guaranteed access to strength, hill work, and track, jumping and throwing facilities,
(vi) construction of more rural training facilities (not expensive "bobol" stadia, just tracks and field event locales),
(vii) financial support for sending contingents to a healthy itinerary of local, regional, and US T&F meets (other than just Carifta and CACs) for the athletes to test their progress and get "big meet" exposure and experience
(viii) an 8 year/2OG cycle goal for a gradual increase in targeted medal count at junior and senior meets,
(ix) a funding strategy for existing pros, returning collegiate athletes replete with checks and balances for fair determination of funding for the deserved
(x) an incentive structure for medalling performance
(xi) a serious drug testing program to weed out those lured more by rewards than hard work and national glory
(xii) programs to develop skills in the supportive areas - sports management and administration, T&F meet officiating, T&F meet technical expertise (timing/starting/wind gauge/electronic board systems), sports promotion, sports agency, physio/psycho-therapy and sports science, facilities and equipment management
(xiii) Government/private sector co-promotion of at least 2 IAAF-level meets annually to bring international talents to our shores (without the funding strappings that challenge the likes of a single club ie Hampton Games for example)
(xiv) a cascading strategy to evolve athletes from primary to secondary to club to national level selections, or some hybrid.
Some of these elements are already in place, some in rudimentary stages, some more mature, but there needs to be a synergistic, over-arching, multi-year strategy and "project" in place with goals for so many OG gold, silver, and bronze by 2020, interspersed with goals for Carifta and junior/senior CAC medal hauls in 2-4 years, Commonwealth, Panam, NACAC U-23 and World Champs medals in 4-6 years, and finally OG medal count in 8 years. Intermediate marker/goals would be set to gauge progress.
It is time we get past the age of surprise/unexpected medals, and get to a level of full expectation of performance excellence in most or all levels and events of T&F.
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So I hope we can all realize the key to Keshorn's success, his coach.
Through providence, an IAAF-certified, Cuban coach, married to a Trini ended up coaching Keshorn, a young man with a healthy upbringing, right attitude, and thirst for success, who initially tried track, then the triple jump, and found the javelin. This is almost a lottery sequence of events.
But we should not have to rely so heavily on providence. We need to have all the building blocks in place, so that should any elements appear (talent, coaching, meets, facilities, etc) the chances of success can be maximized. Talking about:
(i) a more frequent program of caravans for T&F promotion,
(ii) a program to develop certified coaches to demonstrate the crafts, guide and coach athletes (without them all talent in the world can't be developed),
(iii) the sponsorship and commitment from both the government and private sector (with incentives for the latter to get involved),
(iv) a frequent program of clinics by event groupings (sprints, hurdles, middle distances, long distances, jumps, throws) in case athletes cannot find the coaching expertise in their clubs,
(v) guaranteed access to strength, hill work, and track, jumping and throwing facilities,
(vi) construction of more rural training facilities (not expensive "bobol" stadia, just tracks and field event locales),
(vii) financial support for sending contingents to a healthy itinerary of local, regional, and US T&F meets (other than just Carifta and CACs) for the athletes to test their progress and get "big meet" exposure and experience
(viii) an 8 year/2OG cycle goal for a gradual increase in targeted medal count at junior and senior meets,
(ix) a funding strategy for existing pros, returning collegiate athletes replete with checks and balances for fair determination of funding for the deserved
(x) an incentive structure for medalling performance
(xi) a serious drug testing program to weed out those lured more by rewards than hard work and national glory
(xii) programs to develop skills in the supportive areas - sports management and administration, T&F meet officiating, T&F meet technical expertise (timing/starting/wind gauge/electronic board systems), sports promotion, sports agency, physio/psycho-therapy and sports science, facilities and equipment management
(xiii) Government/private sector co-promotion of at least 2 IAAF-level meets annually to bring international talents to our shores (without the funding strappings that challenge the likes of a single club ie Hampton Games for example)
(xiv) a cascading strategy to evolve athletes from primary to secondary to club to national level selections, or some hybrid.
Some of these elements are already in place, some in rudimentary stages, some more mature, but there needs to be a synergistic, over-arching, multi-year strategy and "project" in place with goals for so many OG gold, silver, and bronze by 2020, interspersed with goals for Carifta and junior/senior CAC medal hauls in 2-4 years, Commonwealth, Panam, NACAC U-23 and World Champs medals in 4-6 years, and finally OG medal count in 8 years. Intermediate marker/goals would be set to gauge progress.
It is time we get past the age of surprise/unexpected medals, and get to a level of full expectation of performance excellence in most or all levels and events of T&F.
Great stuff! It’s people like you that need to be hired by our NAAA as you obviously have your head screwed on the right way about implementing a strategic plan to see T&T, discover, develop and nurture more athletic talent and win many more medals at future Olympics than we did this time round.
It's a pity those dinosaurs at the NAAA, etc keep chasing away those with fresh progressive ideas and the right skills and know how to offer to implement them like Ato, etc.
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Well I have a lot of experience working with "dinosaurs" albeit in other industries.
The trick is to have a solid framework in mind, then be careful to weave some of their ideas into the solution to stroke their egos, while making them feel that they came up with the solution themselves. But it's all for the greater good in the end.
T&T is small so I am sure somebody in here knows people in the NAAAs and Ministry of Sports, so this is my 2-cents that they can shelve, take bits and parts, or adopt as they wish, with valuable contributions from others in the forum as well.
It is just hard watching our potential go to waste or get there only part way, for too long. While we celebrate our best OG showing we have to recognize that we are much better than this and we should be dominant in the sport.
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Well I have a lot of experience working with "dinosaurs" albeit in other industries.
The trick is to have a solid framework in mind, then be careful to weave some of their ideas into the solution to stroke their egos, while making them feel that they came up with the solution themselves. But it's all for the greater good in the end.
T&T is small so I am sure somebody in here knows people in the NAAAs and Ministry of Sports, so this is my 2-cents that they can shelve, take bits and parts, or adopt as they wish, with valuable contributions from others in the forum as well.
It is just hard watching our potential go to waste or get there only part way, for too long. While we celebrate our best OG showing we have to recognize that we are much better than this and we should be dominant in the sport.
:beermug:
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Does Alvin Corneal know the meaning of the word underscore??? Man his writing is puerile...shimps why de f**k he eh jes go away now?
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OC withdraws gold medal from shot put athlete Nadzeya Ostapchuk
13/08/2012
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced that it has disqualified, withdrawn the medal from, and excluded Belarus’s Nadzeya Ostapchuk (athletics, women’s shot put) from the Games of the XXX Olympiad in London.
The athlete was first requested to provide a urine sample for a doping control on 5 August. She competed the next day in the women’s shot put event, where she placed first, and was asked to provide a sample straight after her competition. Both samples indicated the presence of metenolone, which is classified as anabolic agent under the 2012 Prohibited List.
Upon the recommendation of the IOC Disciplinary Commission, composed for this case of Thomas Bach (Chairman), Denis Oswald and Frank Fredericks, the IOC Executive Board decided:
I. The Athlete Ms Nadzeya Ostapchuk, Belarus, Athletics:
(i) is disqualified from the women’s shot put event, where she had placed first;
(ii) is excluded from the Games of the XXX Olympiad in London in 2012;
(iii) shall have her medal, diploma and medallist pin in the above-mentioned event withdrawn;
(iv) shall have her Olympic Identity and Accreditation Card immediately cancelled and withdrawn.
II. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.
III. The NOC of Belarus is ordered to return to the IOC, as soon as possible, the medal, diploma and medallist pin awarded to the Athlete in relation to the above-noted event.
IV. The IOC administration is instructed to reallocate the medals, diplomas and medallist pins to the athletes who finished behind Ms Nadzeya Ostapchuk in the above-mentioned event, the first three being:
- Valerie Adams, New Zealand, first
- Evgeniia Kolodko, Russian Federation, second
- Lijiao Gong, People’s Republic of China, third
V. The NOC of Belarus and LOCOG shall ensure full implementation of the Executive Board decision.
VI. This decision shall enter into force immediately.
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OC withdraws gold medal from shot put athlete Nadzeya Ostapchuk
- Valerie Adams, New Zealand, first
- Evgeniia Kolodko, Russian Federation, second
- Lijiao Gong, People’s Republic of China, third
V. The NOC of Belarus and LOCOG shall ensure full implementation of the Executive Board decision.
VI. This decision shall enter into force immediately.
Happy for the Chinese athlete... talk about a roller coaster of emotions. The Russian chick was disqualified or she had a foul throw or something so, but then they reverse theyself and reinstated her attempt, right after medals were decided. The poor Chinese girl was half way around the track celebrating with fans in the stands when they come and tap she on she shoulder telling she "oops, we reinstate the third place finisher so you ent getting a medal after all". She was very gracious in accepting it, after initial sadness and bewilderment, and went up and congratulate the three medalists. Happy that she got her bronze medal after all.
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OC withdraws gold medal from shot put athlete Nadzeya Ostapchuk
- Valerie Adams, New Zealand, first
- Evgeniia Kolodko, Russian Federation, second
- Lijiao Gong, People’s Republic of China, third
V. The NOC of Belarus and LOCOG shall ensure full implementation of the Executive Board decision.
VI. This decision shall enter into force immediately.
Happy for the Chinese athlete... talk about a roller coaster of emotions. The Russian chick was disqualified or she had a foul throw or something so, but then they reverse theyself and reinstated her attempt, right after medals were decided. The poor Chinese girl was half way around the track celebrating with fans in the stands when they come and tap she on she shoulder telling she "oops, we reinstate the third place finisher so you ent getting a medal after all". She was very gracious in accepting it, after initial sadness and bewilderment, and went up and congratulate the three medalists. Happy that she got her bronze medal after all.
Actually the event you were referring to was the women's hammer throw final won by Tatyana Lysenko of Russia. The athlete who was reinstated to bronze was Betty Heidler of Germany and the displaced Chinese athlete was Wenxiu Zhang
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Nice tribute.
However our umbilical cords bury in T&T so please big up T&T athletes!!
Mine does too. However, my adult body resides in Australia. I have been following T&T athletes through the Olympics, but specifically Track & Field. I still have a lot of catching up to do on the results as I haven't had the time (because of work) to watch everything. I ask the same question I do of Australia in regard to T&F - What happened? The '50s, '60s and '70s seemed to be a better and more productive era, generally speaking. Jamaica has always excelled. I watched Ed Roberts run a virtually effortless 20.5 200M on the grass track at Point-a-Pierre at the Southern Games in the mid-'60s, and as a teenager attended a half-day clinic coached by Wendell Mottley, two who sort of epitomise that era, though it was still not as great as the Jamaican dominance, eventually with sprinters like Don Quarrie. Most of the "up and coming" T&T sprinters always seem to fade away, while we see occasional flashes of brilliance in-between (even that can't be said for Australian male T&F athletes, and the women still "carry the flag").
Is it something they eat (or smoke) in Jamaica?
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Nice tribute.
However our umbilical cords bury in T&T so please big up T&T athletes!!
Mine does too. However, my adult body resides in Australia. I have been following T&T athletes through the Olympics, but specifically Track & Field. I still have a lot of catching up to do on the results as I haven't had the time (because of work) to watch everything. I ask the same question I do of Australia in regard to T&F - What happened? The '50s, '60s and '70s seemed to be a better and more productive era, generally speaking. Jamaica has always excelled. I watched Ed Roberts run a virtually effortless 20.5 200M on the grass track at Point-a-Pierre at the Southern Games in the mid-'60s, and as a teenager attended a half-day clinic coached by Wendell Mottley, two who sort of epitomise that era, though it was still not as great as the Jamaican dominance, eventually with sprinters like Don Quarrie. Most of the "up and coming" T&T sprinters always seem to fade away, while we see occasional flashes of brilliance in-between (even that can't be said for Australian male T&F athletes, and the women still "carry the flag").
Is it something they eat (or smoke) in Jamaica?
They have a proper structure and plan. Therefore they will always produce athletes. And alot of hard work
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They have a proper structure and plan. Therefore they will always produce athletes. And alot of hard work
I think we have that too - AIS (http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/visit) - but there's a lot of "introspection" going on even in regard to swimming. One controversial theory was aired in the media:
Australian swimming boss Leigh Nugent blames 'easy life' blamed for medal dive (http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/london-olympics/australian-swimming-boss-leigh-nugent-blames-easy-life-blamed-for-medal-dive/story-fn9dirj0-1226442766416)
"We live in a society where people look for the easy way," Nugent said.
"We do have people prepared to work, but the coaches have to sell the whole package to them.
"We don't have 1.3 billion people like China. We have a small population and most sports are looking for the same thing we are looking for in terms of athletes. Those taller, leaner men, especially the 200m freestyler's physique ... AFL and rugby union love that mould. It's very competitive for body types."
Wood, Leisel Jones's first coach in Brisbane, works with top Chinese swimmers at his academy in Queensland.
His volatile comments - that Chinese swimmers work far harder than their Australian counterparts - is a broadside: "Fat cats don't fight; they sleep in front of the fire. And there are no fat cats in China.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/London_s_top_ten-165941256.html
London's top ten
Story Created: Aug 13, 2012 at 12:42 AM ECT
l LONDON
The top 10 memorable moments from the London Olympics:
1. CROWNING THE GREATEST OLYMPIC ATHLETE OF ALL TIME
Michael Phelps ended his remarkable swimming career by winning four gold and two silver medals in London. He is now the most decorated Olympian ever, with a career total of 22 medals, 18 of them gold. In his final swim, he helped the US reclaim the lead in the 4x100-metre relay, and afterward he got a special trophy from swimming officials that said: "To Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympic athlete of all time."
2. BOLT ADDS TO THE LEGEND
The speed. The medals. The poses. It could only be Usain Bolt, who electrified the London Games by becoming the first man to win the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay golds in back-to-back Olympics. Even IOC President Jacques Rogge, who initially balked at giving him "living legend" status, conceded that the six-time gold medallist "is the best sprinter of all time."
3. GABBY LEADS THE FIERCE FIVE
Gabby Douglas rocked the O2 Arena with her electric floor routine, her vaults, her leaps high above the balance beam. The 16-year-old won two gold medals, including the all-around, and the rest of the Fierce Five — Jordyn Wieber, McKayla Maroney, Kyla Ross and Aly Raisman — gave the United States its first Olympic team title in women's gymnastics since 1996.
4. BRITAIN'S GOLDEN NIGHT
Three British athletes won gold medals in Olympic Stadium in 44 minutes on Saturday, Aug. 4, to produce the signature night of the London Games: Jessica Ennis won the heptathlon, Greg Rutherford won the long jump, and Mo Farah won the 10,000 metres. (The Somali-born Farah also won the 5,000 metres on the final Saturday.) Counting two golds from the rowers and another from women's track cycling, Britain's total for the day was six.
5. PUTTING THE BAD IN BADMINTON
They played to lose. The top-seeded women's badminton pair from China, two pairs from South Korea and one from Indonesia were disqualified from the Olympics after they intentionally lost their matches in order to secure a more favorable draw in the quarterfinals. Olympic officials wanted team coaches, trainers or officials of the four doubles pairs to be punished if they encouraged or ordered the eight players to lose intentionally.
6. THE "BLADE RUNNER" MADE THEM ROAR
Oscar Pistorius described his journey from South Africa to the London Olympics as "amazing," and it was. The double-amputee known as the "Blade Runner" because he runs on carbon-fibre blades had the 80,000-strong crowd roaring as he anchored the South African team in the 4x400-metre relay final. It didn't matter that he finished eighth. He can add "Olympic finalist" to his long list of unprecedented achievements.
7. WOMEN'S BOXING A HIT
Women's boxing was a big hit in its first Olympics, and it produced three memorable champions: Claressa Shields, the 17-year-old middleweight with the vicious right hand who established herself as the future of the sport; lightweight Katie Taylor of Ireland, the Bray Brawler whose bouts had thousands cheering with Irish pride; and Nicola Adams, the British flyweight who won the first gold medal.
8. RUNNING ON A BROKEN LEG
American Manteo Mitchell heard a pop in his left leg with 200 metres to go in his segment of the 4x400 relay preliminaries, and the sprinter knew it was not good. If he stopped, he would lose the race, so he finished the lap, then limped to the side to watch his teammates complete the relay. The United States eventually made it into the finals and won the silver behind the Bahamas.
9. HISTORIC OLYMPICS FOR WOMEN
It lasted only 82 seconds, but it will be long remembered: Young judo fighter Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani became the first Saudi woman to compete at an Olympics. Wearing a modified hijab, Shahrkhani drew roars from the crowd as she stepped on the mat against Puerto Rico's Melissa Mojica, who quickly defeated her. Saudi resident Alaa Al-Mizyen said afterward: "Wojdan remains a winner to me and millions of men AND women around the world." Qatar and Brunei also sent female Olympians for the first time.
10. HER MAJESTY'S A PRETTY NICE ACTRESS
The Olympics kicked off with a royal command performance. At the opening ceremony, a short film on the stadium's big screen showed actor Daniel Craig as James Bond driving to Buckingham Palace and meeting Queen Elizabeth II, who played herself. "Good evening, Mr. Bond," she said. Next they were shown flying in a helicopter over Olympic Stadium, where stunt doubles parachuted in.
WORLD RECORDS BROKEN
ARCHERY
Men 72 Arrows Ranking Round - Individiual — Im Dong Hyun, South Korea, 699, July 27 (Previous Record: Im Dong Hyun, South Korea, 696, May 2, 2012).
216 Arrows Ranking Round - Team — South Korea (Im Dong Hyun, Kim Bub-min, Oh Jin-hyek), 2,087, July 27 (Previous record: South Korea - Im Dong Hyun, Kim Woojin, Oh Jin-hyek, 2,069, May 2, 2012).
ATHLETICS
Men 800m — David Lekuta Rudisha, Kenya, 1:40.91, Aug. 9 (Previous Record: David Lekuta Rudisha, Kenya, 1:41.01, Aug. 29, 2010).
4x100m Relay — Jamaica (Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt), 36.84, Aug. 11 (Previous Record: Jamaica (Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt), 37.04, Sept. 4, 2011).
Women 4x100 Relay — United States (Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight, Carmelita Jeter), 40.82, Aug. 10 (Previous Record: East Germany Silke Gladisch, Sabine Rieger, Ingrid Auerswald, Marlies Gohr, Oct. 6, 1985, 41.37).
20km Race Walk — Elena Lashmanova, Russia, 1:25:02, Aug. 11 (Previous Record: Vera Sokolova, Russia, 1:25:08, Feb. 26, 2011).
CYCLING TRACK
Men Team Pursuit (qualifying) — Britain (Edward Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Steven Burke, Peter Kennaugh), 3:52.499, Aug. 2 (Previous Record: Britain (Edward Clancy, Steven Burke, Peter Kennaugh, Geraint Thomas), 3:53.295, April 4, 2012).
Team Sprint (qualifying) — Britain (Philip Hindes, Chris Hoy, Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny), 42.747, Aug. 2 (Previous Record: Germany (Rene Enders, Maximilian Levy, Stefan Nimke), 42.914, Dec. 1, 2011).
Team Sprint (Final) — Britain (Philip Hindes, Chris Hoy, Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny), 42.600, Aug. 2 (Previous Record: Britain (Philip Hindes, Chris Hoy, Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny), 42.747, Aug. 2, 2012).
Team Pursuit (Final) — Britain (Edward Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Steven Burke, Peter Kennaugh), 3:51.659, Aug. 3 (Previous Record: Britain (Edward Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Steven Burke, Peter Kennaugh), 3:52.499, Aug. 2, 2012).
Women Team Sprint (qualifying) — Britain (Victoria Pendleton, Jessica Varnish), 32.526, Aug. 2, (Miriam Welte, Kristina Vogel), 32.549, April 4, 2012).
Team Sprint (qualifying) — China (Gong Jinjie, Guo Shuang), 32.447, Aug. 2 (Previous Record: Britain (Victoria Pendleton, Jessica Varnish), 32.526, Aug. 2, 2012).
Team Sprint (First Round) — China (Gong Jinjie, Guo Shuang), 32.422, Aug. 2 (Previous Record: Britain (Victoria Pendleton, Jessica Varnish), 32.526, Aug. 2, 2012). Team Pursuit — Britain (Dani King, Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell), 3:15.669, Aug. 3 (Previous Record: Britain (Dani King, Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell), 3:15.720, April 5, 2012).
SHOOTING
Men 25m Rapid Fire Pistol — Alexei Klimov, Russia, 592, Aug. 2 (Previous Record: Alexei Klimov, Russia, 591, Oct. 6, 2006).
SWIMMING
Men 100m Breaststroke (Final) — Cameron van der Burgh, South Africa, 58.46, July 29 (Previous Record: Brenton Rickard, Australia, 58.58, July 27, 2009).
200m Breaststroke (Final) — Daniel Gyurta, Hungary, 2:07.28, Aug. 1 (Previous Record: Christian Sprenger, Australia, 2:07.31, July 30, 2009).
1500m Freestyle — Sun Yang, China, 14:31.02, Aug. 4 (Previous Record: Sun Yang, China, 14:34.14, July 31, 2011).
Women 400m Individual Medley (Final) — Ye Shiwen, China, 4:28.43, July 28 (Previous Record: Stephanie Rice, Australia, 4:29.45, Aug. 10, 2008).
100m Butterfly (Final) — Dana Vollmer, United States, 55.98, July 29 (Previous Record: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden, 56.06, July 27, 2009).
200m Breaststroke (Semi) — Rebecca Soni, United States, 2:20.00, Aug. 1 (Previous Record: Annamay Pierse, Canada, 2:20.12, July 30, 2009).
200m Breaststroke (Final) — Rebecca Soni, United States, 2:19.59, Aug. 2 (Previous Record: Rebecca Soni, United States, 2:20.00, Aug. 1, 2012).
200m Backstroke (Final) — Missy Franklin, United States, 2:04.06, Aug. 3 (Previous Record: Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe, 2:04.81, Aug. 1, 2009).
4 x 100m Medley Relay (Final) — United States (Missy Franklin, Rebecca Soni, Dana Vollmer, Allison Schmitt), 3:52.05, Aug. 4 (Previous Record: China (Zhao Jing, Chen Huijia, Jiao Liuyang, Li Zhesi), 3:52.19, Aug. 1, 2009).
WEIGHTLIFTING
Men 62kg (Total) — Un Guk Kim, North Korea, 327, July 30 (Previous Record: Zhang Jie, China, 326, April 27, 2008).
77kg Lu Xiaojun, China, 175, Aug. 1 (Previous Record: Lu Xiaojun, China, 174, Nov. 24, 2009).
77kg (Total) — Lu Xiaojun, China, 379, Aug. 1 (Previous Record: Lu Xiaojun, China, 378, Nov. 24, 2009).
94kg (Clean & Jerk) — Ilya Ilyin, Kazakhstan, 233, Aug. 4 (Previous Record: Szymon Kolecki, Poland, 232, April 29, 2000).
94kg (Total) — Ilya Ilyin, Kazakhstan, 418, Aug. 4 (Previous Record: Akakios Kakhiashvili, Greece, 412, Nov. 27, 1999).
Women 53kg (Clean & Jerk) — Zulfiya Chinshanlo, Kazakhstan, 131, July 29 (Previous Record: Zulfiya Chinshanlo, Kazakhstan, 130, Nov. 6, 2011).
+75kg (Snatch) — Tatiana Kashirina, Russia, 151, Aug. 5 (Previous Record: Tatiana Kashirina, Russia, 149, Aug. 5, 2012).
+75kg (Total) — Tatiana Kashirina, Russia, 332, Aug. 5 (Previous Record: Zhou Lulu, China, 328, Nov. 12, 2011).
+75kg (Total) — Zhou Lulu, China, 333, Aug. 5 (Previous Record: Tatiana Kashirina, Russia, 332, Aug. 5, 2012).
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Curtain_comes_down_on_London_2012-165939346.html
Curtain comes down on London 2012
Story Created: Aug 12, 2012 at 11:51 PM ECT
lLONDON
With a little British pomp and a lot of British pop, London brought the curtain down on a glorious Olympic Games yesterday in a spectacular, technicolour pageant of landmarks, lightshows and lots of fun.
The closing ceremony offered a sensory blast including rock 'n' roll rickshaws, dustbin percussionists, an exploding yellow car and a marching band in red tunics and bearskin hats.
The Spice Girls staged a show-stopping reunion, and Monty Python's Eric Idle sauntered through "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"—accompanied by Roman centurions, Scottish bagpipers and a human cannonball.
It all made for a psychedelic mash-up that had 80,000 fans at Olympic Stadium stomping, cheering and singing along. Organisers estimated 300 million or more were watching around the world.
What a way to end a Games far more successful than many Londoners expected. Security woes were overcome, and traffic nightmares never materialised.
It all came with a price tag of $14 billion—three times the original estimate. But nobody wanted to spoil the fun with such mundane concerns, at least not on this night.
"We lit the flame, and we lit up the world," said London organising committee chief Sebastian Coe. "When our time came, Britain, we did it right."
International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge declared the Olympics over with praise for the athletes.
"Through your commitment to fair play, your respect for opponents, and your grace in defeat as well as in victory, you have earned the right to be called Olympians," he said, adding: "These were happy and glorious games."
But the night was about splash more than speeches.
Festive and fast-moving, the ceremony opened with pop bands Madness, Pet Shop Boys and One Direction, a shout-out to Winston Churchill and a tribute to the Union Jack—the floor of Olympic Stadium floor arranged to resemble the British flag.
The night ended with the extinguishing of the multi-petaled Olympic cauldron and a supercharged rendition of "My Generation" and other classics by The Who that had the crowd dancing in the aisles. Confetti rained down, and fireworks lit up the sky.
Prince William's wife, Kate, and Prince Harry took seats next to Rogge. They sang along to "God Save the Queen." There was no sign of the queen herself, who made a memorable mock parachute entrance at the July 27 opening ceremony.
Following Olympic tradition, the 10,800 athletes of the London Games marched in as one rather than with their nations, symbolising the harmony and friendship inspired by the games.
As the crowd cheered their heroes and flashbulbs rippled through the stadium, the Olympians cheered back, some carrying national flags, others snapping photographs with smartphones and cameras. They held hands, embraced and carried each other on their shoulders, finally forming a human mosh pit on the field.
Eight minutes were turned over to Brazil, host of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, which delivered an explosion of samba, sequins and Latin cool. Following tradition, the mayor of London handed the Olympic flag off to his Rio counterpart.
Britons seemed exhausted and exhilarated after two glorious weeks in the world's spotlight, and just months after the country celebrated the queen's 60th year on the throne with a magnificent pageant and street parties.
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Had some nice songs in the closing ceremony
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Kenyans to investigate poor track showing
Reuters
Posted at 08/14/2012 9:08 AM | Updated as of 08/14/2012 9:08 AM
LONDON - Kenyan authorities are frustrated that foreign athletes who train in the country turned the tables on the east African nation, whose disappointing track and field performance at the London Olympics has kicked off a storm of protest back home.
Kenya finished 28th in the overall medal table with two gold, four silver and five bronze medals, compared with 13th in Beijing four years ago when they won six gold, four silver and four bronze.
Their only two golds this time came from Ezekiel Kemboi in the 3,000 metres steeplechase and David Rudisha with his world record run in the 800m.
Mo Farah, the British double Olympic distance champion and Uganda's Stephen Kiprotich, who won the men's marathon, train at the Iten High Altitude Training Centre near Eldoret, known as the world's capital of distance running.
Kiprotich is managed by Dutch company Global Sports Management, which also looks after Kenyan Asbel Kirui who came second in the marathon.
"You could see they were talking during the race. They were behaving as if you are helping their Ugandan rival in an Olympic race," said Kenya's Minister for Sport, Dr Paul Otuoma, who has been in London since the Games started on July 27.
He said an independent committee would be set up when the team returned home on Wednesday to give a report on why the performance was poorer than expected.
"It was a fiasco. The performance was terrible," Otuoma told Reuters at his London hotel a day after the Games ended.
The Minister said once the report is out, the recommendations would be implemented.
"I want a thorough audit of all sections so that we implement the recommendations and begin work for Rio 2016 now," said the minister.
Kip Keino, head of the country's National Olympic Committee, cited technical flaws in the team that might have affected their performance.
He said they were not properly prepared for the fast-finishes of the longer races, in which they often lost out during the Games.
"The coaches did not take them through the required intervals, which could have sharpened their sprint power," he said.
He also blamed the performance on late arrivals in Britain, saying due to weather differences athletes needed to come earlier to adjust to the local conditions. (Editing by Ed Osmond)
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So keshorn GOLD was not good enough to be one of the most memorable in London. An unknown 19 yr old beating seasoned pros in javelin? But don't worry. We got the GOLDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-13/happy-glorious-games-says-rogge
Happy, Glorious Games says Rogge
LONDON—The London 2012 Olympics closed on Sunday night with IOC president Jacques Rogge proclaiming: “These were happy and glorious Games.” At the closing ceremony in the Olympic Stadium, Rogge paid tribute to the London 2012 organisers and volunteers, and to the spectators, for their contribution. He also said the Games would leave a lasting legacy in terms of infrastructure and by inspiring young people across the world to take up sport. Rogge said: “These were happy and glorious Games. The legacy of the Games of the XXX Olympiad will become clear in many ways. “Concrete improvements in infrastructure will benefit the host nation for years to come. “The human legacy will reach every region of the world. “Many young people will be inspired to take up a sport or to pursue their dreams.” Rogge said the 17 days of the Olympics had been “unforgettable” and he paid tribute to London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe. “The organising committee, well supported by the public authorities, did a superb job,” he said.
“We will never forget the smiles, the kindness and the support of the wonderful volunteers, the much-needed heroes of these Games. “You, the spectators and the public, provided the soundtrack for these Games. “Your enthusiastic cheers energised the competitors and brought a festive spirit to every Olympic venue. “You have shown the world the best of British hospitality.” Lord Coe spoke of his pride in pulling off an event that has won plaudits around the world. Coe said: “On the first day of these Games I said we were determined to do it right. I said that these Games would see the best of us. “On this last day I can finish with these words: “When our time came—Britain we did it right. Thank you.” The London 2012 chairman, himself a two-time Olympic 1,500m champion, recognised the athletes for their world-beating performances, but spoke of how Britain had backed the Games. He added: “Today sees the closing of a wonderful Games in a wonderful city. "We lit the flame and lit up the world.” The success can be traced back to the people who built the stadiums and the Olympic Park from where was speaking that was once a disused and deprived district through to the organisers and the sports stars.
He told the packed stadium: “And thank you to the people of this country. The British people got behind London’s bid and they got behind London's Games. Our opening ceremony proclaimed that these would be a Games for everyone. At our closing ceremony, we can say that these were a Games by everyone. “London 2012 has played host to some incredible sport. To awe inspiring feats, that are the result of incredible dedication and skill by the world's great sports men and women. “To all the Olympians who came to London to compete—thank you. Those of us who came to watch witnessed moments of heroism and heartbreak that will live long in the memory. “You have our admiration and our congratulations.” The closing ceremony itself was another night of thrilling British eccentricity. And a final theatrical flourish saw a flaming phoenix rise above the Olympic cauldron as the flame was extinguished while ballerina Darcey Bussell flew from the roof and Take That played at the other end of the Stadium. The packed stands joined in with a rousing rendition of The Who’s My Generation before streaming out into the London night with the Games over after a wonderful 17 days.
In a guide to the ceremony, Prince Harry, who attended with the Duchess of Cambridge, said London 2012 had been an “extraordinary” event which had touched people's hearts and captured their imaginations. US President Barack Obama echoed that view, calling David Cameron to “congratulate him and the people of the United Kingdom and London on an extremely successful Olympic Games,” the White House said. As the world bade farewell to London, the host city gave the concert of a lifetime as stars such as Annie Lennox, The Spice Girls, Madness, Queen and Take That took to the stage. The party marked the end of British sport’s most successful Olympic Games in more than a century which saw a final medal tally of 64—an incredible 29 golds, 16 silvers and 19 bronze. Athletes from all nations paraded through the Stadium taking with them their own memories of a Games which has been universally acclaimed. After the Games showed off the best of British sport, the closing ceremony was designed to show off the best of Britain’s past and present music scene, culminating with a glimpse of the carnival that awaits in Rio in 2016.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/olympics/2012-08-12/london-wraps-dazzling-olympics
London wraps up dazzling Olympics
Published: Tuesday, August 14, 2012
LONDON—Usain Bolt made himself a living legend—just ask him. Michael Phelps swam a last lap into history. A man ran on carbon blades. Two track stars and a long jumper produced perhaps the greatest night in British sports history. Take a victory lap, London.
The nightmare that was supposed to be the 2012 Olympics—gridlock and chaos Underground and overground, a city locked down by terrorist threats, day after day of gray and drizzle—simply never materialised. Instead, London threw a five-ring party. “Nobody wanted to sit this dance out,” said Sebastian Coe, the two-time Olympic 1,500-metre champion and chief of the London organising committee. “Everybody has wanted to be involved.” Or, as the stately Economist said: “Britain looked at itself and liked what it saw.” The games were not without controversy. Eight badminton players were sent home in disgrace for trying to lose—doing it to gain a better draw in their tournament, but violating the Olympic spirit of competition.
Organisers scrambled to sell last-minute tickets, and ended up giving some to the military, after unsightly photos of empty seats were splashed across the famously cantankerous British press. Some moments were downright ugly. A Greek triple jumper made a racist joke on Twitter. A Swiss football player used a slur to describe the South Koreans who had just won, and said that they “can go burn.”
At what were called the first social media Olympics, both remarks made it around the world in seconds. The punishment came almost as quickly: Go home. The athletes who misbehaved were drowned out anyway. Tens of thousands of people flocked daily into Olympic Park. They filled Olympic stadium for morning heats. They gave the handball arena a new name: The Box That Rocks. They camped out on the grass to watch the action on big screens. Flags—the Union Jack most prominently—became shirts and shorts, caps and capes, earrings and nail polish. Fans wore their national colours proudly, and literally. And what a show they saw. Bolt, the Jamaican track sensation, blew away the field in the 100 metres in 9.63 seconds and the 200 in 19.32, becoming the first athlete to win both sprints at consecutive Olympics.
He was so dominant that sometimes the question was not just whether he would win but whether he would run at full speed to the finish line—and what theatrics he would produce to celebrate. He did pushups on the track. He struck the pose of an ancient, triumphant Olympian, or perhaps a superhero. “I am now a living legend,” he said. “Bask in my glory.” Bolt struck a third time on the next-to-last night of the games, running a blistering anchor leg to set a world record in the 4x100 relay for his third gold. He was so good that track officials let him keep the baton. Elsewhere on the track, Kenya’s David Rudisha led for the entire race in the 800 metres and broke his own world record by a tenth of a second. The standout performance of the games, proclaimed no less a track star than Coe himself. Carmelita Jeter anchored the American 4x100-metre relay team to a winning time of 40.82 seconds, more than half a second better than a mark that had stood for more than a quarter-century. The United States used a dominant showing in track and field to blow past China and lock up the races for total medals and for golds. In the pool alone, they won 31 medals. And Michael Phelps, in a dazzling farewell, became the most decorated Olympian of all time. He came away with four golds and six overall to eclipse not just his contemporary rival, Ryan Lochte, but Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who held the previous record for most Olympic medals, with 18.
Phelps has 18 golds alone to show for his career, and 22 overall medals. He left just as another American swimmer, 17-year-old Missy Franklin, was stepping into the spotlight. She captured four golds, equaling the US mark for a female swimmer. She was only one star at a breakout Olympics for women. Gabby Douglas, the 16-year-old American gymnast, won two gold medals, including the all-around—and got to meet Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, to boot. Six women’s world records were set in the pool. Alex Morgan scored a late header that sent the US women’s football team to a semifinal victory against Canada and propelled them to an eventual gold. Serena Williams won golds in women’s singles and in women’s doubles with sister Venus. Women’s boxing made its debut, and was a huge hit. Britain’s Nicola Adams, Ireland’s Katie Taylor and US teen Claressa Shields became stars in their gold-medal bouts. Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor did what they always do—own the sand. They won their third straight gold in beach volleyball and did it at perhaps the best setting of the games—within a long serve of 10 Downing St.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei sent female Olympians for the first time. Saudi judo fighter Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani lost, in a headscarf and in less than 90 seconds. But she drew an ovation and made a statement just by being here. So did Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee from South Africa with carbon-fiber blades who ran both the 400 and the 4x400 relay. He reached the semifinals in the 400 and ran anchor on the relay team that finished last in the final. Nobody minded. “When I left the stadium last night I just turned around and looked at the crowd, and it’s something I will definitely remember for the rest of my life,” Pistorius said. By the tens of thousands, Londoners shared the sentiment. For the host nation, a cast of athletes cemented their place in British lore. Bradley Wiggins followed up his victory in the Tour de France with gold in the time trial and became the most decorated British Olympian. Track cyclist Chris Hoy won his sixth career gold. Ben Ainslie sailed to his fourth. Andy Murray finally won a title at Wimbledon, thrashing Roger Federer in straight sets on Centre Court—just a month after losing to him in the Wimbledon final. Britain piled up 28 gold medals and will finish third in the table. Not since another London Games, in 1908, has Britain performed so well. It peaked on a Saturday night, when Britain won three gold medals in track and field in less than an hour—Jessica Ennis in heptathlon, Mo Farah in the 10,000 metres and Greg Rutherford in long jump—to a deafening roar inside Olympic Stadium.
The reserved president of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, made no secret of his delight at it all. “For two weeks,” he said, “the Olympic Park has been the beating heart of the world.” Normally reserved Britons embraced, put down their newspapers and spoke to each other on the Tube, and reveled in sports like never before. “The doom mongers said it couldn’t be done,” said London Mayor Boris Johnson, who was responsible for one of the few mishaps of the games—getting himself stuck on a zip line. “Well, they were wrong,” he said. “It was done, it was stunning, and it will live long in the memory.” After three-time host London, the Olympics will move to new territory—Sochi, Russia, for the 2014 Winter Games; Rio in 2016; and Pyeongchang, South Korea, for the 2018 Winter Games. London spent about $14.5 billion in public money on its Olympics. The project has regenerated East London, and organisers have pledged a long-term legacy with no white elephants. For now, though, no one in London is worried about that. It’s been a jolly good show.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-08-13/world-sport-not-waiting-tt
Things That Matter
World of sport not waiting on T&T
Published: Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Brian Lewis
So London 2012 is over and Trinidad and Tobago has come away from the Games of the 30th Olympiad with a four-medal haul. In total there were 12 top eight performances. Unprecedented, certainly. Many persons will claim credit and seek to bask in the glory of it all. Whatever rewards Keshorn receives for his gold medal are well deserved. The real challenge for the 19-year old will be keeping everything in perspective. At such a young age and having won an Olympic medal, his future is very bright. London 2012 was a great Games for T&T in many ways—some obvious and others not so obvious. Listening and reading all the comments can be worrying as some may be wide of the mark. Our track record as a country celebrating sporting success is always wonderful to see, hear and watch. However caution is necessary. Having waited 36 years for a second Olympic gold medal, the euphoria is understandable. Celebrate and acknowledge the world-level achievements but remember the harsh light of reality will soon shine. Delivering on the new expectations requires meticulous planning and an intense focus on delivery and implementation.
Many calls have been made for government to pump more money into sports. Simply doing that will be a huge mistake. First there must be candid assessment and discussion about where T&T is really at, and what is needed. If the right approach and conversations aren’t undertaken, the wait for another gold may be even longer. The world of sport is not standing still nor will it wait on T&T to get it right. The performances of our supremely talented young men and women who made up the London 2012 Olympic team was a fantastic advertisement for T&T. Should T&T not build on the London 2012 advances and achievements it certainly will not be the fault of the athletes. Now is as good a time as any to say that the leaders of local sport have before them a golden opportunity but it can all come to nothing if the conversations aren’t focused on what must be done. A top down attitude to sport development will not provide the athletes with the foundation and platform they require. In the absence of physical education in primary schools, vibrant sport and community clubs and initiatives that inspire adults and children to go out and participate in various sporting activities, there will not be sustainability and consistency. Finger pointing, score settling, ego and personality battles, imposing hobby horses will be a certain pathway to unmet expectations.
When a country can continue to produce and develop athletes who qualify not only for the Olympic Games and World Championships, but make it to the finals, rest assured, medals will be won. T&T, following London 2012, is on the cusp of a golden era at the Olympics. It was way back in 1997 that the TTOC executive first sat down and did a strategic planning session and discussed future Olympics. Getting to the podium is never the work of any one individual or group. It takes a lot of unsung heroes—beginning with parents, family and volunteers—to create podium success. On the topic of unsung heroes, members of the T&T Olympic team returned home yesterday. The fact that Caribbean Airline flight 903 was a pleasant experience came about because of the great work of Aileen Reid, the Gatwick station manager and Keith Horsford training officer. The flight crew, in particular the flight attendants were wonderful. Why are they being singled out as unsung heroes? Their efforts made the world of difference between an unpleasant and pleasant experience.
Brian Lewis is the Honorary Secretary General of the T&T Olympic Committee www.ttoc.org The views expressed are not necessarily those of the TTOC.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Rio_takes_Olympic_baton_-166066866.html
Rio takes Olympic baton
...as sceptics fear it will fumble
Story Created: Aug 13, 2012 at 10:59 PM ECT
l RIO DE JANEIRO
As the calm settled over London's Olympic Stadium after closing ceremonies on Sunday, the pressure was mounting in Rio de Janeiro, host of the 2016 games.
When Rio was awarded the games three years ago, it was hailed as a rite of passage for Brazil, Latin America's biggest country and an economy that is now the world's sixth largest.
Along with the football World Cup, to be held in Rio and 11 other Brazilian cities in 2014, the Olympics would show that Brazil was finally reaching long-elusive, first-world goals.
But the exuberant celebrations which greeted the decision to award Rio the games are giving way to trepidation in this seaside metropolis of 6.5 million people.
Construction delays, cost overruns and overburdened airports, roads and subway lines give locals a sense that Rio, the first South American city to be awarded the Olympics, has a long way to go if is to stage the event as seamlessly as London.
Part of the unease has to do with the sense that Rio, despite its long history as a global attraction, is still playing catch-up with the developed world.
Even after a recent economic boom in Brazil, soaring investment because of the sporting events and an ongoing rush to develop massive new offshore oil fields due south of the city's beaches, Rio remains pock-marked by poor development.
"Brazil and Rio have four years to do all those things that have not been done in 400," said Alberto Murray Neto, a Sao Paulo attorney and past member of Brazil's Olympic committee.
The task is huge. Brazil's tourism ministry expects almost 400,000 foreign tourists for the games, in addition to hundreds of thousands of Brazilians who themselves will add to the crush on airports, hotels, roads and other infrastructure.
Meanwhile, costs for Olympic projects are soaring, as the investment boom and Brazil's high taxes and labour costs, known locally as the "Brazil Cost", inflate the price of everything from construction cranes to beachside coconuts.
The cost of the games, critics fear, could far exceed initial estimates of 29 billion reais (US$14.4 billion).
Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes, who landed from London with the official Olympic flag yesterday, said in a recent briefing that an updated budget isn't possible yet.
Luis Fernandes, executive secretary of the Brazilian sports ministry, also sidestepped the issue, telling reporters in London yesterday: "We can only disclose the cost of the Olympics when everything is ready.
"In this budget, there are certain aspects we have to take note, when it comes to sporting venues that will be prepared and constructed," he said through a translator.
"Our horizon is to base ourselves in the main, original programme we proposed."
So far, very little is ready. During their last visit in June, members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said "the timelines for delivery are already very tight and the amount of work to be completed is considerable".
Most troubling, said the IOC, is that Rio has yet to begin building the Olympic Park and complex of buildings that will host most competitions and media facilities.
Paes and other city officials remain upbeat. Leonardo Gryner, chief of the Rio organising committee, in London last week said all sports facilities would be ready by 2015 with ample leeway for testing.
Rio is no newcomer to big events.
The city's famed carnival celebrations attract more than 800,000 revellers each year. Big concerts and New Year's festivities on Copacabana beach have attracted over one million.
Rio hosted the 2007 Pan American Games, though critics recall that event was also marred by cost overruns and a lack of lasting improvements.
Today, O Globo, Rio's biggest daily newspaper, featured a photograph of a dirty and tattered flag over a Pan American memorial, calling it "a portrait of abandon".
Maracana, Rio's main football stadium, was rebuilt for the occasion, only to be razed again to be re-constructed for the 2014 World Cup.
Rio officials tout ongoing efforts to spruce up the city after decades of disrepair.
Until Brazil's recent boom helped begin reviving its fortunes, Rio suffered from a lack of investment, soaring crime rates, and the encroachment of favelas, the city's well-known shantytowns, into its verdant hillsides.
And despite recent progress, development hurdles remain.
Rio's airports, like those elsewhere in Brazil, are notoriously crammed and have strained with air traffic growth.
Plans for a high-speed rail link between Rio and Sao Paulo, Brazil's biggest city, are so far behind schedule that officials concede it won't be running in time for the games.
The line would be a major step forward for a country with few long-distance passenger rail links and where long bus and car journeys, often over rickety roads, are the only alternative to flying.
And Rio's streets, already constrained by its hills and a wraparound waterfront, are clogged daily by traffic.
"Moving around the city is nearly impossible under normal circumstances," said Christopher Gaffney, an urbanism professor at Fluminense Federal University. "I don't see how they expect to add users."
So scarce are the city's hotel rooms, even after an additional 10,000 are built for the games, that officials plan to use cruise liners for extra accommodation. Hotel operators, like other industries hurt by Brazil's poor school system, are scrambling to find skilled workers.
Consumers, meanwhile, worry about price gouging.
Brazil's government this year had to step in and force Rio hotels to cut prices ahead of a major United Nations environment summit. Before the June summit, hotels were charging as much as five times the normal room rates.
Social problems also complicate planning.
New roads and rail lines being built to reach Olympic venues, in the city's far-flung southern suburbs, will run right through some of Rio's poorest neighbourhoods.
Residents of Vila Autodromo, a favela of 500 families, are among tens of thousands who could be evicted by construction of Olympic projects.
While a security crackdown has reduced violence in many neighbourhoods, the improvements are mostly along the coastal corridor where most of the Olympic-related activity will take place, displacing the problems to formerly quiet corners.
Gryner, the Rio committee chief, said that Rio had learned "a lot" from the London Games. "We are taking that back to our teams," he said, "we are improving our planning processes."
But critics fear only so much can be carried over from a first-world city to one where basic public services are often lacking.
"We are comparing a developed country with an under-developed country, which still has a lot to do," said Murray Neto, the former Brazilian Olympic official.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Caribbean_leaves_unique_mark-166066856.html
Caribbean leaves unique mark
...as 30th Olympiad makes glamorous end
Story Created: Aug 13, 2012 at 10:59 PM ECT
l LONDON
London said an emphatic farewell to the 30th Olympiad with a spectacular farewell ceremony here Sunday, capping two weeks of intense competition across the historic city with the Caribbean yet again scaling new heights and leaving an indelible mark on the showpiece.
The Olympic Stadium, constructed at a cost of 500 million pounds sterling, was transformed into a sea of British culture highlighted largely by pop acts such as George Michael, Spice Girls and Take That, in a glitzy three-hour gala.
New generation group One Direction and the enduring Pet Shop Boys added to the star-studded cast as Britain put its vast musical treasure trove on show for a global viewership estimated to be more than 300 million.
British super model Naomi Campbell made an appearance along with another model, Kate Moss, as the country's extravagant fashion was also given centre stage.
"Today sees the closing of a wonderful Games in a wonderful city. We lit the flame and lit up the world," said Lord Coe, chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee. "When our time came, Britain, we did it right."
International Olympic Committee chief, Jacques Rogge labelled the London Olympics as "happy and glorious".
"The legacy of the Games of the 30th Olympiad will become clear in many ways," he said.
"Concrete improvements in infrastructure will benefit the host nation for years to come. The human legacy will reach every region of the world.
"Many young people will be inspired to take up a sport or to pursue their dreams."
In a formal procedure marking the end of the Games, the Olympic flag was passed on to Eduardo Paes, the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, the magical Brazilian city which will host the Olympics in four years time.
Rogge declared the Games closed, the Olympic flame was extinguished and a stunning fireworks display began over the east London venue.
The stadium in recent days was the scene of several magical moments as the Caribbean ignited fireworks of its own. Led by sprint powerhouses Jamaica, CARICOM nations broke several barriers and recorded their highest-ever medal haul.
In the end, the region won seven gold, four silver and seven bronze medals with Jamaica leading the way with four gold, four silver and four bronze.
Trinidad and Tobago, through teenager Keshorn Walcott, picked up one gold and added three bronze while Grenada and the Bahamas each won a gold medal.
The Games were again headlined by the peerless Usain Bolt who became the first man to win back-to-back 200 metres titles and also defend a sprint double title.
He also created another first by anchoring Jamaica to a world record 36.84 seconds, as they became the first sprint relay team in history to run under 37 seconds.
Countrywoman Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also defended her 100m title, winning in 10.75 seconds, while Veronica Campbell-Brown finished third in 10.81.
The women's 4x100m team, Fraser-Pryce in the 200m and Yohan Blake, who was second in both sprints, accounted for Jamaica's silver medals.
Warren Weir, the little known Jamaican, ensured an historic clean sweep in the men's 200m for Jamaica while Hansle Parchment landed bronze in the 110m hurdles.
Jamaica's women's 4x400m relay team won the other bronze medal.
Grenada, thanks to world champion Kirani James, won their first-ever Olympic medal when he raced to gold in the men's 400m, becoming the first ever non-American to run beneath 44 seconds with a clocking of 43.94.
Grenada, who made their debut at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, sent a record ten athletes to London 2012.
Trinidad and Tobago were also part of history with a record four medals, beating the previous best of three, achieved in Tokyo 1964.
Walcott became the first athlete from the English-speaking Caribbean to win gold in a javelin event and the first in 60 years from the Western Hemisphere.
The medal was T&T's second-ever Olympic gold medal behind the legendary Hasely Crawford, who won the 100m at the 1976 Montreal Games.
Walcott, at age 19, took with him his own national record with his winning throw of 84.58m.
Lalonde Gordon was another unlikely hero, adding to Trinidad and Tobago's historic moment when he became the first to win a medal, bronze, in 44.52 behind James in the 400 metres.
He later helped the 4x400m team to another bronze medal, with the other bronze coming in the men's sprint relay.
In the 4x400m relay, the Bahamas upset the United States to claim the country's first-ever men's gold medal as the quartet of Chris Brown, Demetrius Pinder, Michael Mathieu and Ramon Miller ran a national record two minutes, 56.72 seconds for gold.
–CMC
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Memories_are_made_of_this-166210996.html
Memories are made of this
By Garth Wattley
Story Created: Aug 14, 2012 at 10:56 PM ECT
So what are your Olympic memories made of?
I'm sure they include Keshorn Walcott and his javelin. Mine too.
But like every Olympics that I have viewed, this one in London produced some striking scenes of human beings at their physical and mental best, leaving us in awe.
Usain Bolt was one of the big men of the London Games, not just because of his six-foot five-inch frame and long, sinewy legs that hustled him to two more 100 and 200 metres Olympic titles and a second straight gold in the 4x100m.
Bolt was even more brilliant for the way he was able to deal with the enormous weight of expectation that his own talent–and words--had placed on him.
To become a "living legend" as was his stated aim in going to London, Bolt had to do what had never been done before in the history of Olympic sprinting, against the fastest crop of sprinters in the history of the sport.
And having been in Jamaica that Independence week when the 100 was run off, Bolt, more than Yohan Blake, carried the hopes of the people of that island. He was the one that could make them "legend" in 2012. But Bolt handled that pressure as easily as he did the zillions of cameras and fans who wanted a piece of him. There were less obvious heroes that registered with me, too.
The United States would not have got on the rostrum in the 4x400 relay had it not been for Manteo Mitchell. In the semi-finals, he broke a fibula in his foot and still ran out his first leg to ensure that his teammates got a chance at a medal.
That man had belly!
Some might want to call him foolish for continuing on what turned out to be a bad injury. But, at the time, he couldn't know for certain what had gone wrong, except that something had snapped. But his team spirit gave him the courage to run on. I guess they would call that part of the Olympic spirit. For the same reason, I have new appreciation for Keston Bledman.
Watching him hobble back onto the track after Trinidad and Tobago had been awarded bronze in the 4x100, it was clear that he had been running hurt–with a hip injury, as it turned out. I heard Emmanuel Callendar say on TV that Bledman had been prepared to "blow out" the hip to give the team a medal shot. And his pain was not in vain!
Success often does not come without some suffering. But success definitely won't come without perseverance.
Thanks Keston.
Kirani James, blasting the 400m field at only age 19, was also a sight to behold. The powers of youth! But the race of the Games for me was–apart from the Michael Phelps/Chad Le Clos duel in the 200 metres butterfly–the women's 100 metres hurdles.
Australia's Sally Pearson just held on for the gold despite a desperate lunge from Dawn Harper of the United States just before the line. It was a finish that made a great picture. It was one of those sights that captured in microcosm the tremendous mind and body effort that athletes in all disciplines make as they strive to get the top prize.
Happily, there were hundreds who left London with something/things to show for their four years of sacrifice. But I also remember the others, whose sacrifice and dedication was just as great but who, for one reason or another, did not get onto the medal rostrum.
The Canadian 4x100 men were crushed to have the bronze stripped from them because of a lane violation on the final leg. The offending runner was inconsolable when the bad news came.
Those four would have found companions with the T&T 4x100 women's quartet after Michelle Lee Ahye and Kelly-Ann Baptiste ended up in baton confusion and Kai Selvon and Semoy Hackett could only watch in hopeless despair while the race went without them.
Relays can be cruel boy!
At moments like that, four years must feel like a long time to wait for redemption.
In contrast, Keshorn Walcott had to do no waiting at all. His had to be one of the stories of these games.
To conquer the world so young was eye-catching. But to do it as a rank outsider in a discipline in which the Caribbean region, not to mention Trinidad and Tobago, has no history of success at Olympic level was the stuff of "Nancy" stories.
Except this was no folk tale. Keshorn Walcott is very much for real. Despite my disbelieving eyes Saturday afternoon, I could recognise that.
The image of images from London was his almost disbelieving smile, arms spread out after the last competitor fell short of his 84.58 metres throw. That was the throw to change a life.
Before Saturday, I had been wondering how long it would be again before T&T would ever get Olympic gold and along comes that throw.
The coming days and weeks will be something else for the young man. The riches he has already been granted will take a while to wrap his mind around. But this is the time in which he must do his clearest thinking.
We are very good in this place at getting carried away; of forgetting that there is life after the party.
At 19, things have happened so quickly that adjusting to his new status, and the not always helpful attention he will receive, could be a challenge for the Toco lad.
After he broke Sir Garry Sobers' world record of 365 back in 1994, Brian Lara took some time to get his focus back completely. He complained about not being prepared for success. A similar challenge could face young Walcott now.
Just by way of perspective, the javelin world record is set at 98.48 metres by triple Olympic champion Jan Zelezny of the Czech Republic. And Antti Ruuskanen of Finland, who was third on Saturday, has a personal best of 87.33 metres. Walcott's throw also would not have been a season's best in any of the last 25 years.
Point is, Olympic champion or not, the T&T boy has much growing still to do in the sport. His Olympic throw and CAC and Junior World titles prove he has the game to get much better.
Just hope he is given the time, and the right kind of support, that will allow him to keep on the straight path. And create even better memories.
garth.wattley@trinidadexpress.com
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Full length replays of all athletic events can be found on the Olympics Youtube page. They have full session replays for athletics and other sports. You can also find individual videos for whatever races or throws ;) , you would like to see.
http://www.youtube.com/user/olympic?feature=watch
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Full length replays of all athletic events can be found on the Olympics Youtube page. They have full session replays for athletics and other sports. You can also find individual videos for whatever races or throws ;) , you would like to see.
http://www.youtube.com/user/olympic?feature=watch
Yeah, nice one! :beermug:
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-08-16/most-satisfying-flight-london
A most satisfying flight from London
Published: Thursday, August 16, 2012
Alvin Corneal
By now I should have become accustomed to being in the midst of great athletes from different parts of the world and in various sporting disciplines. But my Caribbean Airlines flight home on Monday was filled with an extraordinary type of satisfaction which was brought upon the other passengers and myself by the presence of some of the officials and T&T Olympians, including the gold medallist Keshorn Walcott. Like a little child, my anxiety to meet and speak with anyone of these performers and coaches who were guiding them through to their events, was not different to the times when I intermingled with the likes of people like the legendary Pele, Diego Maradona, Sir Bobby Charlton, Michel Platini and Carlos Alberto Parreira. It started at the Gatwick Airport when we were informed that the Caribbean Airlines scheduled flight would have been late on arriving in London and passengers were asked to check in to the Hilton Hotel at the airport for a night’s rest until 5.30 am the following morning.
Disappointment, because I had already begun to miss my family, but my distressed stroll to rearrange my luggage had promptly disappeared when this young solidly built athlete wearing the shirt used by members of the National Olympic team drew near me. Gold medallist, Keshorn Walcott, was just casually strolling past me, seemingly going nowhere in particular. I could not help but introduce myself to the now-popular athlete, whose mildmannered acceptance of my outstretched hand for a congratulatory salutation was well received. His shyness was accompanied by a soft voice, which one would hardly associate with tall, strong athletes. He responded humbly to his short, but successful career and quietly admitted, that its only after being a lover of cricket, that he decided to take up javelin throwing. He accepted a request from my wife and I to take a picture, one which will take a strategic place in my album of pictures with other successful sportsmen. The morning arrived far too early and the hustle to get onto the aircraft was uncomfortable even to the special guests from our team.
However, all boarded the flight, where the flight attendants welcomed the team, describing them correctly as special guests.
There was speculation as to the location of the gold medallist, simply because many were planning to meet and personally greet the young man. The flight was no more than two hours in the air when the announcement came from the cockpit that Keshorn will be allowed to walk through the aircraft so that the admirers will take pictures and the numbers were enormous. By then, the tinkling glasses began, the voices became louder and the creation of a most-pleasant atmosphere unfolded. Peace and quiet had suddenly changed into regular chatter among the lucky ones who had the satisfaction of meeting the athletes, mainly Keshorn and Njisane Phillips. The latter happened to be, in my opinion, the man who showed the world the direction from which our country’s next Olympic gold medal will come. Phillips had done all that any youngster could do in a sport which is often filled with more experienced cyclists, all with regular races in different parts of the world and opponents who are as cunning as they can be.
Do not forget the name Njisane Phillips. The guy is a class act and has the temperament which makes great athletes successful. The presence of the country’s Soca Monarch champion for the past few years, Machel Montano, also gained the attention of the travelers, who also stood in line to meet and greet him. No. He did not sing because he was having a problem with his throat. I have to admit that my little chat with him was inspirational and it clearly demonstrated some of his spiritual beliefs. No wonder he is such a winner. Another interesting personality sitting next to me on the flight was Edwin Skinner, the former Olympic 400-metre bronze medallist of 1964. His assessment of the athletes and their performances was literally a lesson in the development of athletes. His hobby, which is coaching, has brought him much satisfaction, especially when he groomed the youngsters for many years. The sport needs that type of guidance for our athletes to take that step further towards more medals, and Ed has maintained that he will continue to do his best to bring the desired results through the athletes under his care.
The arrival of the flight at Piarco indicated that the large crowd was at the end of a long wait to welcome the successful team and its officials. Keshorn was the man of the moment. He deserved the kudos given by the politicians and the public.
His gifts have suddenly turned him into a millionaire and his family towards a better standard of living. This array of goodies should now serve as a precedent for the future, and the thirst for winning medals will increase in the future athletes.
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-08-19/d%C3%A9j%C3%A0-vu-olympics-gold-all-over-again
Like déjà vu Olympics gold all over again
Published: Sunday, August 19, 2012
Colin Croft
Credited with magnificently golden soliloquies including “I really did not say anything that I said” and “it ain’t over until it’s over”, Lawrence “Yogi” Berra, former New York Yankees baseball player and manager extraordinaire also suggested, germane to this situation, reference London 2012 Olympics, especially for T&T and Uganda; “It is déjà vu all over again!” Believe it! Like many, I feel completely depleted, debilitated, now that London Olympics is actually over. I am sure that I am experiencing, from legal and illegal drug circles, “Severe Withdrawal Syndrome!” London Olympics was the best sporting extravaganza I have had in my 59 years. “Yogi” is correct. As was the case after Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008, this feeling is déjà vu, all over again! Confirming that feeling, T&T’s first gold medal came in 1976 Montreal, Canada when Hasely Crawford, ranked as the greatest outsider of all, won the 100-metre dash in 10.06 seconds. Had he run at London 2012, he would not have qualified for the final, where seven of eight finalists ran sub-10’s.
Crawford’s compatriot Richard Thompson was the slowest qualifier for the final in 10.02. Great Britain’s Adam Gemili, 19, the World Junior 100m champion, whom we must see again in Rio 2016, clocked “Crawfie’s” Montreal time of 10.06 and was only third in his heat. Crawford was in lane one, probably the worst lane for sprinting - very little vision out to lane eight - if you have any time to look. Jamaica’s Donald Quarrie, who was second, Russia’s Valeriy Borzov, placing third, and even USA’s Harvey Glance, who finished fourth, were all highly favoured on the books, ahead of Crawford. Noteworthy here too, the only time that Olympics javelin title had been won by anyone outside of Europe was by American Cyrus Young, 60 years ago, Helsinki 1952 -Games of the XV (15th) Olympiad. Ironically in Olympiad XXX (30th), 36 years after Crawford, between Mo Farah creating history by winning the 5,000m to go with his 10,000m gold and later that evening, Usain Bolt getting a third gold, confirming legendary status and the world record too in the 4x100m relay; 19-year-old Trinidadian Keshorn Walcott showed why, per “Yogi,” “anything that is impossible is possible! You have to believe!” “Yogi” would also say: “What is really for you, is for you!”
In the preliminaries, T&T’s Walcott qualified tenth of 12, 81.75m his best attempt. Czech Republic’s Vitezslav Vesely threw 2012’s leading distance of 88.34m, heading all qualifiers but could only get 83.34m when it mattered most in the finals. Even Ukraine’s rated Oleksandr Pyatnytsya and Finland’s Antti Ruuskanen could not beat Walcott’s best final effort, 84.58m. Walcott’s unlikely but believable triumph summed up how brilliant but utterly unpredictable athletic competitions in especially Olympics could be. No-one, except perhaps Crawford, gave the young man from Toco, 200-1 outsider, any chance. London 2012 made more folklore than could not be scripted! USA’s “Fierce Five”—women’s gymnastics team—delivered gold, its first time since Atlanta 1996. McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Jordyn Weiber and Kyla Ross were very good but pertinently, it was precocious, better-than-great 16-year-old Gabrielle Christina Victoria “Gabby” Douglas, first black young woman, who led the way with individual gold. Bela Karolyi, Rumanian coach that produced country-woman Nadia Comaneci’s magnificence at Crawford’s 1976 Olympics and USA’s Mary Lou Retton’s Los Angeles 1984 all-around gold, simply beamed: “I have always wanted to get African Americans into this sport-so much potential!” Too true!
True too was that Uganda’s John Akii-Bua, the ill-fated long-legged 400m hurdler, who was only 47 when he died in 1997, had won his countr’s only gold medal before London 2012, in Munich 1972. He won that one-lap sprint cum jump with then world record, 47.82, another great achievement. T&T and Uganda have so much in common when it comes to the London Olympics, for it was at the really spectacular XXX that both countries managed to get only their second gold medals overall. Strangely, had he been running at London 2012, with that same time, Akii-Bua would have won silver to Dominican Republic’s Felix Sanchez’s gold, whose 47.63 was the world-leading time for 2012, to edge out USA’s Michael Tinsley (47.91) and Puerto Rico’s Javier Culson’s 48.10. Like T&T, Uganda got its second Olympic gold from a source not altogether expected at all. Stephen Kiprotich, clocking 2:08.01 for 26 miles 385 yards, won London 2012 marathon by a mammoth 26 seconds, beating highly favoured Kenyans Abel Kirui (2:08.27) and Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich (2:09.37), into second and third places. Not only named like Kenyans, Stephen Kiprotich also trained with them too! Yogi, 87, will smile if he hears it. Yes, London 2012 was déjà vu all over again, for a second gold! Enjoy!