Olympic side stories

[Dutty]

Yuh know how every olympics does have a personal story about the competitors dat does be eyebrow raising

Like mih boy here from japan who compete in de 1964 Olympics...take ah rest  ...and decide to come back for 2008

http://2008gamesbeijing.com/meet-the-oldest-competitor-at-the-beijing-olympics/


...and ah now watchin Togo win dey FIRST ever olympic medal....in Kayaking of all tings 

[Peong]

See, ah was tellin muh wife dat ah could still make olympics
Ah havta show her this.

[weary1969]

Nice find Dutty congrats TOGO. Everytime we say T'dad and T'bgo in Germany peeps always said Togo so since dat all yuh on meh radar

[STEUPS!!]

it have a woman who competin in d womans gymnastics on d german team who is 33 years old, an d oman gettin orn rel bad. is she fifth olympics. she originally from an use to compete for d old soviet union.

she have a son who have leukaemia and she really couldn't afford d treatment an ting for him.

went to germany an ask for help. d women gymastics coach take her under her wing, help her train to get on d team. her son was able to get treatment and d cancer in remission.

allyuh cud look out for her competin in d vault competition.  doh know if germany made d team final, but if dey did allyuh look out for she. she gettin orn badder dan some ah dem 14, 15 an 16 year olds.

bless!!

[Bakes]

Yuh know how every olympics does have a personal story about the competitors dat does be eyebrow raising

Like mih boy here from japan who compete in de 1964 Olympics...take ah rest  ...and decide to come back for 2008

http://2008gamesbeijing.com/meet-the-oldest-competitor-at-the-beijing-olympics/


...and ah now watchin Togo win dey FIRST ever olympic medal....in Kayaking of all tings 

Ah man was just telling mih about this elsewhere... happy for pardna, and for Togo.

[weary1969]

Yeah heard bout she from dem NBC peeps go Germany u know we is your peeps now

[weary1969]

D man French oui. He fadder from Togo but he mudder French. A global village

[dinho]

 

ah now watching nbc wrap up there, a swedish greco roman wrestler loss and get a bronze medal. Well de man so vex with de judging he walk off de podium and fling he bronze medal yes...




Swedish Greco-Roman Wrestler Ara Abrahamian Throws Away Bronze Medal

http://machochip.com/2008/08/swedish-grecoroman-wrestler-ar-1.php

People claim the Olympic games to be something beyond medals and podiums, winning and losing. But for some people, winning a gold medal is all they care about. And how can you blame an athlete when endorsements, national pride and fame are destiny for a gold medal winner. So when Sweden’s Ara Abrahamian was held to a bronze after a semifinal defeat in the 84kg Greco-Roman competition, Abrahamian did what any crazy looking fool would do: he threw away his medal and left the podium before his nation’s flag was raised.

    Abrahamian, who won silver at Athens four years ago, had high hopes of winning the gold in the 84kg competition in Beijing, but was beaten in the semi-final by the eventual winner Andrea Minguzzi of Italy.

    The Swedish wrestler had to be restrained by team-mates as a row erupted with judges over the decision in the semi-final.
    He shouted at the referee and judges, then approached their seats to complain about the decision, angrily throwing off the restraining arm of a team official.

[weary1969]

He coulda not go 4 d ting

[Dutty]

All American girl playing basketball for the "commie reds" 


I hear on de radio she get death threats all kinda ting

http://www.doubleazone.com/2008/06/american_basketball_star_citiz.php


In July, South Dakota native and WNBA superstar Becky Hammon and two other WNBA players--Detroit's Deanna Nolan and Phoenix's Kelly Miller--will travel to Russia to try out for Russia's Olympic team. American athletes playing in the Olympics for their home country isn't new, but what makes Hammon's case unique is the fact that she is an American with no family connection or roots to Russia.

Hammon, who has been playing with club team CSKA Moscow over the summer, was overlooked by the U.S. Olympic team. According to an article in USA Today, "under Russian league rules, she was eligible for a Russian passport and to become a naturalized citizen. She received her passport in March. As part of her CSKA contract, her agent Mike Cound says, she agreed to participate in the training camp for Russia's Olympic team."

This story has drawn a good deal of national debate, prompting harsh words from U.S. Olympic coach Anne Donovan. In an interview with ESPN, Donovan said, "If you play in this country, live in this country, and you grow up in the heartland and you put on a Russian uniform, you are not a patriotic person in my mind."

Hammon's interest in playing for the Russian team began only after Donovan passed on her for the 23-player squad. Hammon claims that it was always her dream to play in the Olympics, and since the US team did not want her, she found a team that does. She describes herself as "All-American," and says her decision isn't a knock against America--she's simply playing ball.

What do you think? Do you support Becky Hammon playing on the Russian national team?

[WestCoast]

She describes herself as "All-American," and says her decision isn't a knock against America--she's simply playing ball.
What do you think? Do you support Becky Hammon playing on the Russian national team?

personally it kinda weird but is her choice.....she has to take the ole talk for her decision

I goin an ask meh step family in California what they think....I suspect that they would dislike her decision also

[Dutty]

She describes herself as "All-American," and says her decision isn't a knock against America--she's simply playing ball.
What do you think? Do you support Becky Hammon playing on the Russian national team?

personally it kinda weird but is her choice.....she has to take the ole talk for her decision

I goin an ask meh step family in California what they think....I suspect that they would dislike her decision also

just as an aside wasnt me that ask the question...that was part of the article

If de gyirl decide to do ah lap dance in de middle of red square at noon, dais she business

[WestCoast]

She describes herself as "All-American," and says her decision isn't a knock against America--she's simply playing ball.
What do you think? Do you support Becky Hammon playing on the Russian national team?

personally it kinda weird but is her choice.....she has to take the ole talk for her decision

I goin an ask meh step family in California what they think....I suspect that they would dislike her decision also

just as an aside wasnt me that ask the question...that was part of the article

If de gyirl decide to do ah lap dance in de middle of red square at noon, dais she business

duly noted
that is how I took it, as being part of the article

[Dutty]

No story here per se

I jus like sayin she name fas fas

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/MYA/Lai+Lai+Lai+Lai+Win/206162;_ylt=AuRoKUvtAaLPwr87y_a3G.USv5V4

[cocoapanyol]

No story here per se

I jus like sayin she name fas fas

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/MYA/Lai+Lai+Lai+Lai+Win/206162;_ylt=AuRoKUvtAaLPwr87y_a3G.USv5V4

Boy Dutty ...whey you does find dese tings!!    She name like ah song eh.

[asylumseeker]

Then there are these 4 well-paid jokers:

Brasilians Geor and Gia fly New Flag

BEIJING (Reuters) - From Pele to Ronaldo, Brazilians often take nicknames for their sporting careers so when Renato Gomes and Jorge Terceiro started their latest ventures in beach volleyball they went for "Geor" and "Gia."

Odd decision? Not if you have just taken double citizenship in Georgia.

The former Soviet state is competing for the first time in the immensely popular Olympic beach volleyball with a lot of help from a country that has perfected the sport.

Geor and Gia are flying their adopted flag in the men's tournament while Cristine "Saka" Santanna and Andrezza "Rtvelo" Martins qualified for the women's event just before the deadline last month.

Sakartvelo means Georgia in Georgian.

"I have to say I don't speak much Georgian but everyone there speaks English," Saka said after a training session in Beijing.

"I've been there a few times and it seems everyone is supporting us … and back in Brazil, when we play, they shout for Georgia all the way," said Saka, who is married to Brazilian beach volleyball player Harley Marques.

Sport is dotted with athletes born in one country competing for another. Georgian-born weightlifters and judo fighters picked up medals for Greece in the last few Olympics.

IMPORT TEAM

Levan Akhvlediani, president of the Georgian volleyball federation, had the notion of importing a beach team in 2001.

"Every business needs success so I looked for the shortest way to success," he told Reuters. [Questions, Alvin?]

He approached a coach in Brazil and together they picked players who were unlikely to make the big time there and who could afford to sit out of international competition for two years to meet citizenship requirements.

The teams went back on international tour in 2006, just in time to start picking up Olympic qualification points.

"I was going to retire," said Geor, now 27. "I never dreamed of being at the Olympics and here I am now."

Both teams start the pool rounds of their first Olympics on August 9.

Akhvlediani hopes that live coverage of his two teams in Beijing will encourage young athletes to start playing beach volleyball on Georgia's Black Sea coast and attract sponsors.

Saka, 29, shares the dream, but with a twist.

"Georgia can be very cold. I want to get more young Georgian girls down to Brazil to learn how to play. That would be great.

***

Geor and Gia finished 4th in the medal race, losing comprehensively to the 2004 gold medallists 21-15; 21-10