tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91379950188252749212024-03-23T06:49:21.448+00:00Stephen's Sporting AlmanacThe sporting musings, writings and analysis of Stephen Glenn. Content © Stephen Glenn 2005-2016Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.comBlogger216125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-719097729990674572023-01-03T19:43:00.001+00:002023-01-03T19:43:04.652+00:00New Year Resolution<p> I've realised that I have neglected this blog a little in recent years. For 2023 in the run up to an Olympic year again next year and with the Women's Football World Cup, Men's Rugby Union World Cup and Ryder Cup all later this year I intend to back into doing some sports blogging.<br /><br />Stay tuned.<br /><br />And watch this space.</p>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-9461691915603135022018-01-22T16:51:00.001+00:002018-01-22T16:55:33.931+00:00Nigeria's Winter Olympic Debut #Pyeongchang2018<div>
The Nigerian flag will for the first time parade in an opening ceremony of a Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang on 9th February. Indeed they will have an all female team taking part in 2 events the women's bob and skeleton. </div>
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Sean Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere, and Akuoma Omeoga are the women of the Nigerian bobsleigh team. They reached the qualification standard in November but how to consistently remain the in the world top 60 until mid January to ensure their qualification.</div>
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The three are all former Athletes and indeed this will not be driver Sean Adigun's first Olympic experience, she took part in the 100m hurdles in the 2012 London Olympics but finished 4th in her heat and did not advance.</div>
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It was Seun who is studying for a Doctorate in Chiropractics in Texas who first experienced the sport getting involved as a brakewoman on the American programme. She realised that the sport could really develop into new areas and reached out to Onwumere who she used to coach who retired from athletics ahead of Rio 2016 and Omeoga.</div>
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Thirty years on from Jamaica's dramatic debut in Calgary, Africa can now say they have a bobsled team.</div>
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The rest of the Nigerian team is also a slider Simidele Adeagbo was born in Canada 36 years ago and was a NCAA champion Triple Jumper during her time at the University of Kentucky. She too had hopes of the Olympics gave up on her dream in 2008. However, when she heard of Seun's ambitions to get a bobsleigh to Pyeongchang she too became inspired by Seun and her team's dream. She went for try out for the Nigerian Bobsled and Skeleton Federation in Houston, Texas where her triple jump experience helped her get up to speed to hop unto a sled after 30 metres.<br />
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These are the first female competitors from Africa to take part in the sliding events and along with <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Ghana's Akwasi Frimpong, who moved to the Netherlands when he was eight, taking part in the mens's skeleton they are</span> the first African sliders since South Africa's Tyler Botha made Africa's only sliding appearance at Turin in 2006 in the Men's skeleton.</div>
Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-59853125892239279302016-07-29T09:00:00.000+01:002016-07-29T09:00:30.624+01:00George Lyon and Margaret Abbott #golf #olympicsI expect many people have never heard of George Lyon and Margaret Abbott two defending Olympics Champions the reason for this is that they won their St Louis in 1904 and Paris in 1900 respectively. Their sport is returning the Olympic schedule in Rio so the longest reign as a defending women's champion will come to an end for Miss Abbott.<br />
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Margaret Ives Abbott took part in the excruciatingly long and drawn out second Olympics. She was one of ten women who took part in a golf event at Compiègne over 9 holes. Her mother Mary was another of those in the field and they will still hold the record of being the only mother and daughter to have competed in the same event at the same Olympics: Mrs Abbott shot a 65 to come in 7th. Miss Abbott a 23 year-old student of art from Chicago shot 47 to win a prcelain bowl as no medals were presented in Paris.<br /><br />She had been over in Europe to study art under Edgar Degas in Paris and persuaded her mother to extend their stay so that they could enter this tournament. Her win may have been helped as she recalled by many of the players "misunderstanding the nature of the game...and turned up to play in high heels and short skirts."<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
However, Margaret Abbott until her dying day in 1955 never knew that she was an Olympic champion such was the confusion around the Paris Games that what sports had been part of the Games, many were not recognised by the IOC until long after the competitors had left and the publicity wasn't what it would be today.</div>
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Unlike Margaret George Seymour Lyon was aware that he was an Olympic Champion after his participation in St Louis in 1904. His early sporting prowess however was in Cricket in which he represented Canada 8 times at was at one time the holder of the highest score ever hit in Canada, 238 not out. He only took up golf aged 38 in 1896 but within 2 years he had won the first of his record 8 Canadian Amateur titles.<br />
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Thus is was at the age of 46 that he made his way south to St Louis where 75 golfers played first a 36 hole qualifier. He was one of only three who were not from the USA the other two being the fellow Canadian father and son pair of Albert and Bertie Austin. Lyon shot 169 six off the low score to be tied 9th in the qualification. The top 32 then progressed to a match play format over 32 holes a round.<br />
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In the first round Lyon beat John Cady, a great-grandson of Linus Yale the lock maker, 5&4. He then destroyed Stuart Stickney 11&9. In the quarter finals he faced Albert Lambert, the son of Jordan W. Lambert whose pharmaceutical company produced Listerine, he beat him 5&4. Lambert had been 8th at the Paris games. In the semi-finals he beat Francis Newton 1 up, but along with his bronze in the individual alon with Cady, Stickney and Lambert amongst their number Newton won team bronze with the Trans Mississippi Association.<br /><br />In the final Lyon was to face the US Amateur Champion of 1904, Chandler Egan. At 23 Chandler was exactly half the age of the Canadian. But and had actually been playing the sport for as long as his elder opponent. But in the end it was a 1up win that secured the medal for Lyon. He would travel to England for 1908 taking part in the Open but the Olympic tournament he came over hoping to defend didn't take place. He had been runner in the US Amateur title in 1906 after a second win for Egan in 1905.<br /><br />However, next month the 116 and 112 years reigns of Margeret Abbott and George Lyon as Olympic Golf Champions will come to an end, sadly Rory McIlroy will not only not be there but probably not watching either.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-83363609905422406332015-12-01T23:33:00.001+00:002015-12-01T23:33:48.458+00:00The other British Davis Cup winnersWith their first win in 79 years at the weekend Great Britain won their 10th Davis Cup in the 115 year history of the tournament but who were the other nine teams who lifted the cup.<br />
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When the tournament started in 1900 it was a match between the USA and Great Britain. It also initially wasn't annual with the USA winning in both 1900 and 1902. But from 1903-1906 Great Britain recorded their first four wins on the bounce.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Doherty Brothers</td></tr>
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Those first winners in 1903 had a lot in common with the team of 2015. It was comprised of the brother Reginald and Laurence Doherty. Both were Wimbledon Singles Champions and claimed the cup in Boston, Massachusetts. . But Reginald gifted the Americans the first game as a walk over. But the two managed to win all four of the remaining matches to bring the cup to Britain for the first time.<br />
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The following year the tournament took place outside the USA for the first time on the turf at Wimbledon. It also saw more countries taking part with France and Belgium playing off for the right to challenge the champions.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frank Risely</td></tr>
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Just like in 2015 it was Belgium that would face the British in the final. Reginald no longer took part in the singles his place taken by Frank Riseley who had been beaten by Laurence Doherty in the previous two Wimbledon finals. He secured the first rubber for the lose of just 4 game, Laurence took the second for the lose of just 6. It was then the Doherty brothers who sealed the defence with a 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 win in the doubles.<br />
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1905 saw the tournament return to the All England Club in Wimbledon. With the addition of teams from Australasia and Austria plus the return of the USA to the tournament. The other five nations played a challenger series for the to take on Great Britain in the final and it was the USA who for the first time earned the right to play the British for the title.<br />
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Frank Riseley was not present this time his place was by his partner in the doubles that would take on the Doherty brothers in every Wimbledon doubles final from 1902-1096, Sidney Smith. Smith himself had lost to Reginald Doherty in the 1900 Wimbledon singles.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sidney Smith</td></tr>
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This time it wasn't so much of a walkover the first match saw the reigning Wimbledon Champion (1905) Laurence Doherty take on the reigning US Champion (1904) Holcombe Ward. Ward took a two set lead 9-7, 6-4 before losing the final three 6-2, 6-1, 6-0. Smith then stepped up for his debut and took the better end of four tough sets against William Larned 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.<br />
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It was the Doherty brothers next who took five sets to overcome Ward and Beals Wright 8-10, 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 8-6. With the remaining two rubbers being dead it didn't stop Larned taking Laurence Doherty to his third five set rubber of the match before losing to the Brit. Larned didn't play the final rubber and Smith took an easy win over Goerge Clothier.<br />
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The following year saw an unchanged Great Britain team take on a USA team of Ward and Raymond Little who had made the trip to also take on the best at Wimbledon. The two American's lot all five of the rubbers taking only the first set in the doubles off the Doherty brothers and Little taking the first and third off Laurence in the final rubber before succumbing in five sets.<br />
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It was to the be the last of that era of played although when Great Britain next won some of the players then had been the young stars trying to make an impact against the Doherty brothers, Riseley and Smith.<br />
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One of them was Arthur Gore who only played in the challenger round in Folkestone and didn't make the trip to Australia for the final. Another was Herbert Roper-Barrett who had partnered Gore to the gold in the doubles at the 1908 Olympics and well as the following year's Wimbledon title, but by 1912 was the partner of the only British player to play in both the challenger and final series Charles Dixon.<br />
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Dixon made the trip to Australia he was to win the men's doubles at the Australian Open as part of that trip in what was an all British final. He also reached the quarter finals of the men's championship. His partner in that final was James Parke, who had won the men's singles as well, he teamed up for one of the beaten pair in that doubles final, Alfred Beamish, as well as playing the other single's matches in the final against the Australians. Beamish had actually knocked Dixon out of the Australian championship.<br />
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Parke took the first match in the final beating the 1911 Australian men's champion Norman Brookes in four sets. Dixon then took the second rubber with a win over the 1905 and 1910 Australian men's champion Rodney Heath also in four sets.<br />
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Parke and Beamish lost out in the doubles and Dixon experienced his only lose in 5 matches in the 1912 International Challenge to Brookes in the reverse singles. It all came down to the final rubber and a battle between the new Australian champion Parke of the British Isles and the previous year's champion Heath of Australia. In the end it was the easiest of the three British wins with the Irishman taking that final rubber 6-2 6-4 6-4. After a five year gap the Davis Cup was returning to Great Britian, little did the players then realise it would be another 21 years before Britain won it again.<br />
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The second phase of British dominance in the Davis Cup came in the 1930s. As has been mentioned many times during the recent run of the GB team it was a team with one of the best played in the world as its talisman.<br />
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Fred Perry was that talismanic figure in the British team of the 30. He played in 20 matches and his record was 34 wins from the 38 matches singles and 11 out of 14 doubles that he played in those matches. Andy Murray's current record is 27 wins from 29 singles and 7 out of 12 doubles matches is comparible.<br />
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But unlike Murray who was so far head and shoulders above any other singles player for his nation at the time throughout this period of British dominance Perry had an able spur in Bunny Austin who himself had been world number 2 in 1931 and reached at least the quarter finals in all four of the grand slam tournaments.<br />
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Between them Perry and Austin were two of the strongest singles players in the world at the time and were more than a match for any of the teams then met along the way. In 1933 they had to come through the Europe zone with wins over Spain, Finland, Italy, Czechoslovakia and Australia between 21 April and 15 July for the right to face the USA in the Inter-Zonal.<br />
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The Interzonal match was at Roland Garron on clay and came one week after the Europe zone final on the grass at Wimbledon and a week before the final also in Paris.<br />
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The Australian's had Jack Crawford who in 1933 won three of the four legs of the Grand Slam, only missing out in the final of the US championship. He beat both Perry and Austin in the Zone final, but the Brits won both their reverse singles against Vivian McGrath. Perry had paired up Patrick Hughes with whom he's won the French championship pairs that year to secure the vital other point.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pat Hughes with Fred Perry</td></tr>
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For the Inter-Zonal the USA has the 1932 Wimbledon and US Singles champion Ellsworth Vines and Wilmer Allison in the singles. The Brits started with Austin beating Vines and Perry beating Allison both in straight sets. The doubles team were the 1931 French and Wimbledon doubles champion pair of George Lott and John Van Ryn, the latter teaming up with Allison to take the US title as well that year. This pair took a straight set win over Perry and Hughes.<br /><br />Austin took on Allison in the first of the reverse singles and won it four sets. Perry v Vines was the battle of champions and though it may have been a dead rubber was hard fought. The score was 1-6 6-0 4-6 7-5 7-6 to Perry when Vines had to retired injured.<br />
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The final against France feature three of the famous Four Musketeers, the only one missing being the other player from the two nations with a later name in sportswear René Lacoste.<br />
Jean Borotra and Jacques Brugnon teamed up for the pairs and Henri Cochet took part in the singles along with André Merlin.<br />
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Merlin lost the first rubber to Austin in straight sets before a five set classic between Cochet and Perry which saw the Englishman triumph 8-10 6-4 8-6 3-6 6-1. Patick Hughes had been joined by Harry Lee in the doubles but the French duo won in straight sets. Cochet won the first of the reverse singles but only by taking the fourth and fifth sets 6-4. It teed up Perry the chance to regain the cup after 21 years and though he lost the first set 6-4 he won the next three 8-6 6-2 7-5.<br />
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The following year GB only had to take part in the Challenge round at Wimbledon, the same four players would take to the court. Again the British won both singles on the first day but lost the double. Perry was first up against Frank Sheilds who in 1931 at Wimbledon became the only Grand Slam finalist in history to default without hitting a ball due to injury. That match would have been against his Davis Cup team mate Sidney Wood. The fourth set went to 28 games but was enough to earn Perry a three sets to one win and Bunny Austin also won the dead rubber.<br />
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In 1935 there was one change in the GB team with Raymond Tuckey partnering Hughes in the pairs. The opponents were the same nation but Don Budge had taken Shields place in the singles and Wilmer Allison was now partnering John Van Ryn in the pairs. But the British whitewashed the Americans on the grass of Wimbledon.<br />
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Which brings us to 1936 and the last of those previous triumphs, it was to be an unchanged side from the year before up against the Australians Jack Crawford and Adrian Quist. Once more on day one the Brits took both rubbers, and once again lost the doubles.<br />
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On the final day Austin faced Quist first but lost in four sets so it was Crowford v Perry just as in the zone final that led to the start of the run. This time however it was Perry who had earlier in the month won his third Wimbledon title on the same court who came away victorious in a straight set win to give GB a 3-2 win.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-22259416826474845592015-10-26T10:00:00.000+00:002015-10-26T10:00:02.643+00:00The last "Irish" hockey team in the OlympicsYesterday I rather mistakenly said that it was the first time that Ireland took part in the Olympic Hockey tournament. I was wrong.<br />
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In fact in 1908 along with France and Germany there were representatives of the four nations of Great Britain and Ireland taking part.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://hockeygods.com/system/gallery_images/7569/normal.png?1325494018" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://hockeygods.com/system/gallery_images/7569/normal.png?1325494018" height="290" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ireland Hockey team at the 1908 Olympics</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The team was<br />
<br />
GK <b>Edward Peter Cowan Holmes</b> b 25 Apr 1880 in Carrickfergus, County Antrim. He played for the Cliftonville team in Belfast.<br />
<br />
Backs:<br />
<b>Henry Joseph Brown</b> b 1887 in Dundalk, Louth who played for Dublin University.<br />
<b>Walter Ernest Peterson </b>b 7 Nov 1883 in Blackrock, Dublin who played for the Monkstown club in Dublin.<br />
<br />
Half backs:<br />
<b>William Ernest Graham </b>b 29 Jan 1886 in Dublin, who was another member of the Monkstown club.<br />
<b>Walter Islay Hamilton </b><b>Verschoyle-Campbell </b>b 14 Oct 1884 in Dublin who was another from the Dublin University team. He went on to become a Civil Engineer in Woolwich.<br />
<b>Harold "Henry" Lawson Murphy </b>b 12 Dec 1882 in Notting Hill, London. Was a player for Three Rocks Rovers in Dublin.<br />
<br />
Forwards:<br />
<b>Charles Frederick Power </b>b 26 Aug 1887 in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, India was another from the Three Rocks Rovers team. In the official Olympic report he is mistakenly listed as E.F. Power.<br />
<b>Richard George Stanhope Gregg </b>b 9 Dec 1883 Portsmouth, Hampshire, England the third member of the Three Rocks Rovers team.<br />
<b>Edward Percival Allman-Smith</b> b 3 Nov 1886 in Balbriggan, Dublin he was studying medicine and playing for the Dublin University team at the time of the Olympics. He went on to a career as a soldier, serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps from 1912 though WWI and eventually retiring in 1949 with the rank of Brigadier after serving as Deputy Director of Medical Services from 1941-42 in Palestine and Trans-Jordan.<br />
<b>Frank Lubbock Robinson</b> b 1886 in Rathdrum, Wicklow he was playing for the Malone club in Belfast, he died on the island of Jersey in old age.<br />
<b>Robert Lindsey Kennedy </b> b 31 Jul 1880 in Edenderry, Lisburn. He played for Banbridge but later emigrated to Canada.<br />
<br />
Also listed as on the squad was <b>Jack Peterson</b> b 22 Jan 1880 in Dublin the elder brother of Walter who was also on the team.<br />
<br />
In total the team played two matches the first of which was a semi-final against Wales. It was the third match to be played on the grass in the centre of the White City Stadium on the 29th October the second for the Welsh who had got proceedings under way<br />
<br />
. The Official Olympic Report describes the match as follows.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In this match the Welsh halves and backs were seen to great advantage defence, especially during the early stages, Richards, Evans, Shephard, and Lyne being responsible for brilliant work. Turnbull also gave an excellent account of himself in goal, and despite clever combination on the part of the Irish forwards Wales held the lead until near the interval. When four minutes had elapsed the Welsh halves placed the forwards in possession, and good passing enabled Williams to reach the circle. Brown checked him, but before the ball was cleared Williams shot through. The Irish forwards then put their opponents to a severe test, and time after time Richards, Evans, and Shephard relieved their side. On one occasion Turnbull just managed to kick away from Gregg, who was close in, and a few minutes later a rush by the Welsh forwards was nullified by smart work by Holmes. Ireland continued to force matters, and a fine dribble, in which Gregg, Power, and Allman-Smith took part, ended in Turnbull saving at the expense of a corner, which proved futile. Then a penalty in front of the Welsh goal was cleared by Shephard, but Ireland quickly returned, and Robinson equalised from a pass on the right. This was quickly followed by another goal, a shot by Power glancing off Turnbull’s legs, so that at half-time Ireland led by two goals to one. On changing ends the Welsh forwards played well together, only to be intercepted by Peterson, Brown, and Campbell; and Holmes now and At the other end Robinson twice had an openagain saved fast shots. goal, and he missed the net by a few inches. Most of the play took place in the Welsh quarters, and, after Turnbull had kicked away from Robinson, Gregg credited Ireland with a third goal. From this point the game was of a more even character, the Welsh forwards passing in brilliant style, but there was no further scoring, and Ireland won by three goals to one.</blockquote>
<b>Final Score Ireland 3 Wales 1</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The final took place 2 days later on Halloween. Here is the report of that match:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
At a quarter to two of a brilliant afternoon, on October 31, some six thousand spectators gathered in the Stadium to watch the final of the Hockey competition between England and Ireland. The ground had been well rolled, but had naturally suffered both from the constant use of the last few days and from the firework displays in the evenings, but in spite of this surprisingly few mistakes were made.<br />
<br />
Ireland began in dashing fashion, and frequently looked dangerous, despite some splendid saving work by Noble. Five minutes passed by before England troubled their opposition for the first time, and then Logan shot wide from a good position. From the twenty-five yards’ bully Shoveller worked out to the right before hitting up a centre, which Logan just pushed out of the reach of Holmes, and registered England’s first goal. An Irish attack was broken up by Page, and at the other end a promising position for England was spoiled through Shoveller being penalised for turning in the ball—well inside the circle, too. Thirteen minutes from the commencement Robinson checked the Irish left wing beautifully, and going on, the Oxonian passed to Rees, who centred accurately for Logan to beat Holmes with a superb oblique shot. Nine minutes later Logan passed inside to Shoveller, who cleverly touched the ball for Pridmore to go through and find Ireland’s net at close quarters, England leading at half-time by three goals to love.<br />
<br />
England received a startling surprise in the first minute after changing ends. Freeman stopped a hit by Gregg with his shins, from whence the ball rebounded into touch. The umpire gave a free hit, and Graham directed this so accurately that Robinson was enabled to score with a shot that gave Wood no chance whatever. Three minutes followed, and then Pridmore gave Shoveller a lovely pass. The Hampstead centre went through and shot at Holmes. Holmes saved, but failed to get the ball far enough away, and Logan nipped in smartly to increase England’s advantage. Next came a wonderful goal by Pridmore at an apparently impossible angle, but by this time England had taken command of the game and won with eight goals to one.</blockquote>
<br />
<b>Final score England 8 Ireland 1</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Ireland as a result won the silver medal.<br />
<b><br /></b>
It was to be the first medal in Olympic history that could be credited to Ireland though others had been won by Irish competitors before then. Though officially in the records this silver medal is listed as being on the four that GB won in the Hockey in 1908 Olympics, with Wales and Scotland both picking up bronzes for being beaten in the semi finals.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-71602982570529550632015-10-25T13:56:00.000+00:002015-10-25T18:25:36.329+00:00Heading to Rio #TeamGB #TeamIrelandYesterday GB's women gymnasts finished <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/gymnastics/34629329">third in the team competition</a> in the World Championships in Glasgow behind only the US and Russia. It is a performance that secures the team that narrowly missed out on team medals finishing 5th in London 2012. The men <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/gymnastics/34632111">led the way</a> after completing their competition on Sunday but with other nations taking part on Monday their qualification will not be officially made until every nation has completed.<br />
<br />
Yesterday also say action at the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/canoeing/34627834">Lee Valley White Water Centre</a>. In the Olympic Trials David Florence took two wins in the C-1M and then pairing up with Richard Hounslow in the C-2M. It means that the pair who had the last run in the final in 2012 but were unable to unseat team mates Etienne Scott and Tim Baillie have provisionally booked the only spot in the event for Rio. The selectors will confirm the selection on 4 November.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile a win for <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/hockey/34627325">Australia today</a> was enough to see Ireland's men's hockey team jumping for joy. The win for Australia over New Zealand in the Oceania cup final today means that the highest ranked team from the Hockey World League semi-finals in July yet to qualify for Rio secure a slot. The 11th place that Ireland's men secured in that event mean that for the first time Ireland will be represented in Olympic hockey.<br />
<br />
Elsewhere, in <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/34631732">Frankfurt</a>, Scottish distance runner Callum Hawkins making his debut appearance in a Marathon finished 12th in a time of 2 hours, 12 minutes and 17 seconds. It means that he is only the second British man, along with Scott Overall, to have run under the Olympic qualifying time of 2 hours 14 minutes this year. Callum's elder brother Derek wore the blue of Scotland in last year's Commonwealth Games Marathon, while the younger sibling took part in the 10,000m. Derek, who is currently out with a foot injury will be inspired to have a chance of competing alongside his brother in Rio when he returns.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-40615091710568643212015-07-18T17:43:00.003+01:002015-07-18T17:43:44.489+01:00Jules Bianchi 1989 - 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://static.zigwheels.com/media/content/2013/Mar/jules-bianchi-marussia-main_560x420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static.zigwheels.com/media/content/2013/Mar/jules-bianchi-marussia-main_560x420.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_217207349"></span><span id="goog_217207350"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a>Jules Bianchi was not even five years old the last time Formula 1 witnessed a death of a driver in the top division of Motorsport. It speaks volumes that the 20 years between that fateful weekend at Imola until the crash at Suzuka some nine months ago is the longest in the history of the sport between fatal accidents.<br />
<br />
His career was more like that of Roland Ratzenberger the "other driver" whose live was lost at that May Day weekend in Imola seeing as he was at the start of his Formula 1 career rather than a success like Ayrton Senna. He has made his debut for Marussia in the Australian Grand Prix at the start of the 2013 season. His only point for his team had come in Monaco in May 2014 where he came ninth.<br />
<br />
However, his career in lower Formula had seen him win the 2009 Formula 3 Euro Series ahead of Valterri Bottas who was third and now races for Williams-Mercedes in F1 and Esteban Gutiérez (now Sauber) in ninth. The previous year he had been third in the same Formula when it was Nico Hülkenberg (now Force India-Mercedes).<br />
<br />
In 2010 and 2011 he moved unto Moto GP seen as the final testing ground in racing before earning a seat in F1. In 2010 he was third in the championship behind fellow graduates to F1 Pastor Maldonado (now with Lotus-Mercedes) and Segio Pérez (now Force India-Mercedes). The following season he was again third this time the winner was Romain Grosjean (now Lotus-Mercedes) who had been 14th the season before.<br />
<br />
The Japanese Grand Prix last year was Bianchi's 34th start in him embryonic Formula 1 career. His team Marussia were facing financial difficulties at the time he lined up in 20th place on the grid on the 5th October. Typhoon Phanfone was due to make landfall in Japan that afternoon and although the typhoon itself was to miss the circuit. The heavy rainfall from the northern edge did however mean that the race started under safety car only to be red flagged after a mere two laps, with the cars lining up in the pit lane instead of the gird as is normal bringing a fear of cancellation. But 20 minutes later the race was under way again, although once more initially under safety car after the ninth lap the racing was finally underway as the safety car was pulled in.<br />
<br />
It was an incident on lap 42 that was to prove fateful for Bianchi. It was the Sauber of Adrian Sutil that was had spun and crashed into the run off area on the outside of turn 7 the Dunlop curve. But on the following lap while Sutil's car was being removed from the track Bianchi came off at high speed at the Dunlop curve and collided with the crane involved in removing the damaged Sauber. He was unconscious as a result of the crash not responding to team radio and was rushed to hospital for surgery to reduce severe bruising to the brain. He was kept in an induced coma since the incident but died as result of those injuries last night.<br /><br />Shortly after the crash, it was announced that had Formula 1 allowed three cars a team this season that Bianchi was to have become the third driver for Ferarri. Marussia made their final appearance at a Grand Prix the following weekend at the inaugural Russian Grand Prix but failed to compete for the rest of the season. This season it has arisen as Manor-Marussia though has yet to register a point.<br /><br /><b>Jules Bianchi 3 August 1989 - 17 July 2015</b>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-32560058920396035812014-11-28T20:03:00.000+00:002014-11-28T20:03:14.779+00:00Jack Kyle 1926-2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.barbarianfc.co.uk/public/cms/221/477/13/94/6Gynna_web.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.barbarianfc.co.uk/public/cms/221/477/13/94/6Gynna_web.png" height="320" width="222" /></a></div>
Jack Kyle who passed away today was the last surviving Ulster player on the team that lifted Ireland's first Grand Slam in 1948. In all the trainee Doctor (pre-1951) and later surgeon made 46 appearances for Ireland from 1946-1958, and appeared 6 times for the British Lions on his only tour with them to Australia and New Zealand in 1950.<br />
<br />
As a result of that tour he was named one of the six players of the year in the 1950 <i>New Zealand Rugby Almanac </i>which said he was "<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">an excellent team man, faultless in his handling, able to send out lengthy and accurate passes, and adept at making play for his supports." </span></span>In 2002 he was named the <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20070619053654/http://www.irishrugby.ie/6855_1608.php">Greatest Ever Irish Rugby player</a>, the captain of that team a fellow doctor Karl Mullen was then named the Greatest Captain.<br />
<br />
At the time of the 1948 5 Five Nations series he was one of a number of student doctors on the team, he was to graduate from The Queen's University of Belfast in 1951. He at the time without the substitutions we know today he played from his international debut in 1947 for an impressive seven consecutive seasons without injury until he briefly was unable to play in 1954.<br />
<br />
After scoring one of his seven international tries in 1953 at Ravenhill one of the journalist immortalised the event in verse.<br /><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">They seek him here, they seek him there</i><i style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">Those Frenchies seek him everywhere</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">.</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">That paragon of pace and guile</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">,</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">That demned elusive Jackie Kyle</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">.</span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
After he retired from international rugby he embarked on humanitarian work using his medical skills first in Sumatra and Indonesia, then from 1966-2000 as a consultant surgeon in Zambia. Therefore as well as being installed in the IRB Hall of Fame in 2008 he also the year previously received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the <i>Irish Journal of Medical Science</i> and the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland.<br />
<br />
When Ireland won their second Grand Slam on 15 February 2009 Kyle was there to witness the passing of the flame. Seven other men from that original team 61 years earlier where still alive to see the day.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Karl Mullen the Leinster hooker survived just a couple of months dying on 29 April 2009</li>
<li>Leinster lock Colm Callan lived to see the next 6 nations but passed away 30 May 2010</li>
<li>Ulster lock Jimmy Nelson passed away on 13 June 2014 aged 92</li>
<li>Munster wing Bertie O'Hanlon turned 90 last month</li>
<li>Jim McCarthy the Munster Flanker turned 90 in June</li>
<li>Connaught centre Paddy Reid turned 90 in March</li>
<li>Leinster centre Mick O'Flanagan turned 92 in September</li>
</ul>
<div>
Other members of that momentous team included Des O'Brien the 1966 Lions manager, Billy McKay a fellow student doctor at Queens, Barney Mullan, John Daly.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Dr Jack Wilson Kyle - Ulster, Ireland and British Lions Rugby 10 January 1923 - 27 November 2014</b></div>
Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-51214080594685593232014-11-27T06:04:00.000+00:002014-11-27T07:04:57.647+00:00Phillip Hughes 1988-2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Clubs/Club%20Home/2009/3/6/1236363920609/Phillip-Hughes-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Clubs/Club%20Home/2009/3/6/1236363920609/Phillip-Hughes-001.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a></div>
The sad news to wake up to this morning is that Australian batsman Phillip Hughes who was hit on the head by a bounced while playing for South Australia against New South Wales has died as a result of the damage he sustained to a major artery as a result. He had been in an induced coma since an operation after he was rushed to a Sydney hospital following the incident.<br />
<br />
Although he was only 25 he made his test debut on 26 February 2009 against South Africa. Although in his first innings he was dismissed for a duck, he took a half century in the second innings. But in the second match in that series scored the first of what were to become 3 test centuries in the first innings with 115 to be followed up with he record test score 160 in the second. He was the youngest man in test history to take a century in both innings of a Test Match. <br />
<br />
In total he appeared in 26 Tests:<br />
<br />
2009 v <b>South Africa </b><br />
1st Test Johannesburg 0 and 75<br />
2nd Test Durban 115 and 160<br />
3rd Test Cape Town 33 and 32<br />
2009 v <b>England</b><br />
1st Test Cardiff 36<br />
2nd Test Lord's 4 and 17<br />
2009/10 v <b>Pakistan</b><br />
2nd Test Sydney 0 and 37<br />
2010 v <b>New Zealand</b><br />
1st Test Wellington 20 and 86no<br />
2010/11 v <b>England</b><br />
3rd Test Perth 2 and 14<br />
4th Test Melbourne 16 and 23<br />
5th Test Sydney 31 and 13<br />
2011 v <b>Sri Lanka</b><br />
1st Test Galle 12 and 28<br />
2nd Test Pallekele 36<br />
3rd Test Colombo 0 and 126<br />
2011 v <b>South Africa</b><br />
1st Test Cape Town 9 and 9<br />
2nd Test Johannesburg 88 and 11<br />
2011 v <b>New Zealand</b><br />
1st Test Brisbane 10 and 7<br />
2nd Test Hobart 4 and 20<br />
2012/13 v <b>Sri Lanka</b><br />
1st Test Hobart 86 and 16<br />
2nd Test Melbourne 10<br />
3rd Test Sydney 87 and 34<br />
2013 v <b>India</b><br />
1st Test Chennai 6 and 0<br />
2nd Test Hydrabad 19 and 0<br />
3rd Test Mohali 2 and 69<br />
4th Test Dehli 45 and 6<br />
2013 v <b>England</b><br />
1st Test Nottingham 81no and 0<br />
2nd Test Lord's 1 and 1<br />
<b><br />
</b> It is a shame now in hindsight that his last outing in the baggy green cap of Australia was at headquarters and saw him only scoring a single in both innings.<br />
<br />
He was born in Macksville in New South Wales, for whom he made his senior debut in 2007 before moving to South Australia in 2013. He has also appeared for Middlesex, Hampshire and Worcestershire in England, Mumbai Indians in the IPL and for Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers in the Australian Twenty20 Big Bash League.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9arIpeD6I2eL2JuzKmG9fA6lCTipEsVFDAxLUo5kiysXTpFNNUeyeQKjeKWJ0DPlfoYU7yFOwW9cgRdtBMoPScTWF_A53pr6w20GeOAf27xNeLS2C3wzTxx12VG4ox8IU_oUGTFfL0pA9/s1600/phillip+hughes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9arIpeD6I2eL2JuzKmG9fA6lCTipEsVFDAxLUo5kiysXTpFNNUeyeQKjeKWJ0DPlfoYU7yFOwW9cgRdtBMoPScTWF_A53pr6w20GeOAf27xNeLS2C3wzTxx12VG4ox8IU_oUGTFfL0pA9/s1600/phillip+hughes.jpg" height="121" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
He was three days short of his 26th Birthday and had been scheduled to play in next week's test match against India. The current round of Sydney Cup matched have been cancelled and next week's test is now in doubt as it is suspected that very few of his international colleagues may be prepared to return to the field so soon.<br />
<br />
Here is the coverage of his greatest test performance that second test against South Africa in 2009<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/umD0QJQfxKg" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>Phillip Joel Hughes - Cricketer 30 November 1988 - 27 November 2014</b><br />
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<br />Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-75699066510419221222014-07-01T09:33:00.000+01:002014-12-01T19:51:44.085+00:00Olympians we have lost in 2014: Part 2 April - JuneContinuing my list of Olympic athletes who have died here is the next quarter of 2014. As usual they appear in bold either in the Olympiad they first medal in or if they never lifted a medal the one they first appear in.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>1936</b><br />
<b>Mary Lou Petty (USA) </b>5 Apr 1915 - 2 Apr 2014 <i>Swimming </i>4th women's 400m freestyle<br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>1948 </b><br />
<b>Alida van der Anker-Doedens (NED) </b>28 Jul 1922 - 1 Apr 2014 <i>Canoeing </i><b>silver medalist </b>women's k-500m<br />
<b>Alexis Guyodo (FRA) </b>19 Jun 1922 - 7 Apr 2014 <i>Athletics</i> 4th men's 3000m steeplechase<br />
<b>Ferdinando Terruzzi (ITA) </b>17 Feb 1924 - 9 Apr 2014 <i>Cycling </i><b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>men's tandem<br />
<b>Walter Walsh (USA) </b>4 May 1907 - 29 Apr 2014 <i>Shooting</i> 12th in men's free pistol (at time of death he was the longest lived Olympian both at the time and ever)<br />
<b>Nestor Jaconon (MLT) </b>15 Feb - 4 May 2014 <i>Athletics</i> took part in the men's 100m<br />
<b>Mel Patton (USA) </b>16 Nov 1924 - 9 May 2014 <i>Athletics </i><b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>men's 200m, <b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>men's 4x100m relay,<b> </b>5th men's 100m<br />
<b>Rafael Lecuona (CUB) </b>2 Jun 1928 - 7 Jun 2014 <i>Gymnastics</i> 81st men's all around, 14th team all alround<br />
<b>Clara Schroth (USA) </b>5 Oct 1920 - 7 Jun 2014 <i>Gymnastics</i> <b>bronze medalist</b> women's team<br />
<br />
<b>1952</b><br />
Alida van de Anker-Doedens (see above) <i>Canoeing </i>4th women's k-500m<br />
İsmet Atlı (see below)<br />
<b>Thomas Jacobs (USA) </b>14 Aug 1926 - 10 Apr 2014 <i>Nordic Skiing </i>21st in Nordic Combined, 66th men's 18km cross country<br />
<b>Werner Potzernheim (GER) </b>8 Mar 1927 - 22 Apr 2014 <i>Cycling </i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>men's sprint scratch race<br />
<b>Stanko Lorger (YUG) <i>Slovene</i> </b>14 Feb 1931 - 25 Apr 2014 <i>Athletics </i>semi-finalist men's 110m hurdles<br />
<b><b>Turhan Tezol (TUR) </b></b>9 August 1932 – 27 April 2014<b> </b><i>Basketball </i>lost to Egypt and Italy in the men's preliminary round<i> </i><br />
<b><b>Vujadin Boškov (YUG) <i>Serbian</i> </b></b>16 May 1931 - 27 Apr 2014 <i>Football</i> <b>silver medalist </b>men's team<b><b></b> </b><br />
<b>Claude Lavoie Richer (CAN) </b>22 Dec 1929 -18 May 2014 <i>Nordic Skiing</i> 52nd men's 18km<br />
<b>Per Rollum (NOR) </b>3 Dec 1928 - 18 May 1924 <i>Alpine Skiing</i> 8th men's slalom<br />
<b>Maurizio Mannelli (ITA) </b>1 Jan 1930 - 22 May 2014 <i>Water Polo </i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span></b> men's team<br />
Rafael Lecuona (see above) <i>Gymnastics </i>116th individual all around<br />
<b>Ida Schöpfer (SWI) </b>29 Oct 1929 - 7 Jun 2014 <i>Alpine Skiing</i> 10th women's downhill, 16th women's giant slalom, DNF women's slalom<br />
Clara Schroth (see above) <i>Gymnastics</i> 73rd women's individual all around, 15th women's team<br />
<b>Ken Doubleday (AUS)</b> 14 Feb 1926 - 8 Jun 2014<i> Athletics</i> 5th men's 110m hurdles, quarter finalist men's 400m hurdles, took part in men's 4x100m and 4x400m relays<br />
<b>Gyula Grosics (HUN) </b>4 Feb 1926 - 13 Jun 2014 <i>Football</i> <b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span></b> men's team<br />
<b>Magnus Wassén (SWE)</b> 1 Sep 1920 - 23 Jun 2014 <i>Sailing</i> <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span></b> 5.5m class<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>1956</b><br />
İsmet Atlı (see below) <i>Freestyle Wrestling</i><br />
<b>Mithat Bayrak (TUR) </b>3 Mar 1929 - 20 Apr 2014 <i>Greco-Roman Wrestling</i> <b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span></b> men's Welterweight (67-73kg)<br />
<b>Leonhard Pohl (GER) </b>18 Jul 1929 - 23 Apr 2014 <i>Athletics </i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>men's 4x100m relay<br />
Stanko Lorger (see above) <i>Athletics </i>5th men's 110m hurdles<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Jaroslav Cihlář</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>(CZE) </b>7 Apr 1924 - 2 May 2014 <i>Cycling</i> tied 5th in the men's 4,000m team pursuit, took part in men's individual and team road race but DNF</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Anwar Ahmed Khan (PAK) </b>24 Sep 1933 - 2 May 2014 <i>Field Hockey</i> <b>silver medalist </b>men's team</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b style="color: #252525; line-height: 20px;">Zbigniew Pietrzykowski (POL) </b><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #252525;">4 Oct 1934 - 19 May 2014</span><i style="color: #252525;"> Boxing </i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span></b><span style="color: #252525;"> men's light middleweight -71kg</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #252525; line-height: 20px;"><b>John McCormick (GBR) </b>9 Jan 1935 - 23 May 2014 <i>Boxing</i> </span></span><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 20px;"> men's light middleweight -71kg</span><br />
Rafael Lecuona (see above) <i>Gymnastics </i>52nd men's all around individual<br />
<b>David Tyshler (URS) </b>13 Jul 1927 - 7 Jun 2014<i> Fencing</i> <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span></b> men's team sabre<br />
Ken Doubleday (see above) took part in men's 110m hurdles<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>1960</b><br />
<b>İsmet Atlı (TUR)</b>1931 - 4 Apr 2014 <i>Freestyle Wrestling</i><b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>light heavyweigh (79-87kg)<br />
<b>László Felkai (HUN) </b>1 Mar 1941 - 10 Apr 2014 <i>Water Polo </i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>men's team<br />
Helga Mees (see below) <i>Fencing </i>4th women's team foil, Quarter Finalist women's individual foil,<br />
Mithat Bayrak (see above)<i>Greco-Roman Wrestling</i><b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b><men b="" kg="" s="" welterweight="">Bogdan Poniatowski (POL) </men>6 Nov 1931 - 24 Apr 2014 <i>Rowing </i>men's coxless fours<br />
Stanko Lorger (see above) <i>Athletics </i>semi-finalist men's 110m hurdles<br />
<b><b>Sandro Lopopolo</b> (ITA) </b>18 December 1939 – 26 April 2014<b> </b><i>Boxing</i> <b>silver medalist </b>men's lightweight -60kg<br />
<b>Ilija Ničić</b> <b>(YUG) <i>Serbian</i></b> 21 July 1922 - 27 April 2014 <i>Shooting</i> 25th men's free pistol 50m<b> </b><br />
<b>Frank Budd (USA) </b>20 Jul 1939 - 29 April 2014 <i>Athletics</i> 5th men's 100m, DQed in final of men's 4x100m relay<b> </b><br />
<b>Toimi Alatalo (FIN)</b> 4 April 1929 - 4 May 2014 <i>Nordic Skiing</i> <b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>men's 4x10km relay<br />
Anwar Ahmed Khan (see above) <i>Field Hockey</i> <b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>men's team<br />
<b>William Meyers (RSA)</b> 23 Jul 1943 - 7 May 2014 <i>Boxing</i><b> <span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span></b> men's featherweight -57kg<br />
<b>Pál Orosz (HUN) </b>25 Jan 1934 - 12 May 2014 <i>Football</i> <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span></b> men's team<br />
<span style="color: #252525; line-height: 20px;">Zbigniew Pietrzykowski (see above) <i>Boxing </i><b>silver medalist</b> men's light heavyweight -81kg</span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; line-height: 20px;">David Tyshler (see above) <i>Fencing </i>7th men's individual sabre, 5th men's team sabre</span><br />
<br />
<b>1964</b><br />
<b>Helga Mees (GER) </b>12 Jul 1937 - 11 Apr 2014 <i>Fencing</i> <b>silver medalist </b>women's individual foil, <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>women's team foil<br />
Anwar Ahmed Khan (see above) <i>Field Hockey</i> <b>silver medalist</b><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>men's team<br />
<b>Chet Jastremski (USA) </b>12 Jan 1941 - 3 May 2014 <i>Swimming</i> <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>men's 200m breaststroke<br />
<b>Anthony Villaneuva (PHI) </b>18 Mar 1945 - 13 May 2014 <i>Boxing</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>men's featherweight -57kg<br />
<span style="color: #252525; line-height: 20px;">Zbigniew Pietrzykowski (see above) </span><i style="color: #252525; line-height: 20px;">Boxing </i><b style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span></b><span style="color: #252525; line-height: 20px;"> men's light heavyweight -81kg</span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; line-height: 20px;">Edmund Bruggmann (see below) <i>Alpine Skiing</i> 19th men's giant slalom</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20px;"><b style="color: #252525;">Jaroslav Walter (CZE) <i>Czech</i> </b><span style="color: #252525;">6 Jan 1939 - 20 Jun 2014 </span><i style="color: #252525;">Ice Hockey</i><b><span style="color: #252525;"> </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b><span style="color: #252525;">men's team</span></span><br />
<br />
<b>1968</b><br />
Helga Mees (FRG) (see above) <i>Fencing </i>5th women's team foil, 2nd round women's individual foil<br />
Chet Jastremski (see above) <i>Swimming </i><b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>men's 4x100m medley relay<br />
<b>Valentin Mankin (URS) <i>Ukranian</i> </b>19 Aug 1938 - 1 Jun 2014 <i>Sailing</i> <b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span></b> men's Finn class<br />
Edmund Bruggmann (see below) <i>Alpine Skiing</i> 10th men's downhill, 12th men's giant slalom<br />
<b>José Gómez (SPA) </b>9 Jan 1944- 14 Jun 2014 <i>Cycling</i> 16th men's individual road race, 12th men's 100m team time trial<br />
<br />
<b>1972</b><br />
<b>Ghiţă" Licu (ROM) </b>1 Dec 1945 - 8 Apr 2014 <i>Handball </i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span></b> men's team<br />
László Felkai (see above) <i>Water Polo </i><b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist </span></b>men's team<br />
<b>Trine Krogh (NOR) </b>18 Jan 1955 - 3 May 2014 <i>Swimming</i> competed in women's 200m and 400m individual medley<br />
<b><b>István Major (HUN) </b></b>20 May 1949 - 5 May 2014 <i>Athletics </i>6th in men's high jump<br />
<b>Aurora Bréton (MEX)</b> 10 Jan 1950 - 27 May 2014 <i>Archery</i> 15th women's individual<br />
Valentin Mankin (see above) <i>Sailing</i><b> <span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span></b> men's Tempest class<br />
<b>Edmund Bruggmann (SWI) </b>15 Apr 1943 - 9 Jun 2014 <i>Alpine Skiing</i> <b>silver medalist</b> men's giant slalom, 8th men's slalom<br />
<b>Irene Forbes (CUB) </b>3 Apr 1949 - 14 Jun 2014 <i>Fencing</i> took part in women's team foil<br />
<b>James McEwan (USA)</b> 24 Sep 1954 - 14 Jun 2014 <i>Canoeing</i> <b>bronze medalist </b>men's C1 Slalom<br />
<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>1976</b><br />
Ghiţă" Licu (see above)<i>Handball </i><b>silver medalist</b> men's team<br />
László Felkai (see above) <i>Water Polo </i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>men's team<br />
István Major (see above) tied 24th men's high jump.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 20px;">Imre Gedővári (see below) <i>Fencing</i> tied 7th men's individual sabre, 4th men's team sabre</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 20px;">Valentin Mankin (see above) <i>Sailing</i> <b>silver medalist</b> men's Tempest class</span><br />
<br />
<b>1980</b><br />
<b>José Aguilar (CUB) </b>24 Nov 1958 - 4 Apr 2014 <i>Boxing </i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>men's light-welterweight<br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="color: #252525;">Imre Gedővári (HUN) </b><span style="color: #252525;">1 Jul 1951 - 22 May 2014 </span><i style="color: #252525;">Fencing</i><span style="color: #252525;"> </span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b><span style="color: #252525;">men's individual sabre, </span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span></b><span style="color: #252525;"> men's team sabre</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #252525;">Valentin Mankin (see above) </span><i style="color: #252525;">Sailing</i><b><span style="color: #252525;"> </span><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span></b><span style="color: #252525;"> men's Star class</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #252525;"><br />
</span></span></span> <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #252525;"><b>1984</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #252525;"><b>Panagiotis Pikilidis (GRE) </b>27 Feb 1965 - 23 May 2014 <i>Wrestling</i> 4th men's super heavyweight +100kg Greco-Roman, 8th men's super heavyweight + 100kg Freestyle</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #252525;">Aurora Bréton (see above) <i>Archery </i>9th women's individual</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="color: #252525;">Florica Lavric (ROM)</b><span style="color: #252525;"> 7 Jan 1962 - 20 Jun 2014 </span><i style="color: #252525;">Rowing</i><span style="color: #252525;"> </span><b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span></b><span style="color: #252525;"> women's coxed four</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span> <span style="color: #252525;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><b>1988</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #252525;">Imre Gedővári (see above) </span><i style="color: #252525;">Fencing</i><span style="color: #252525;"> </span><b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span></b><span style="color: #252525;"> men's team sabre, 17th men's individual sabre</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #252525;">Aurora Bréton (see above) <i>Archery</i> 29th in qualification for women's individual</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><b style="color: #252525;">Hubert Bourdy (FRA) </b><span style="color: #252525;">5 Mar 1957 - 25 Jun 2014 </span><i style="color: #252525;">Equestrian</i><span style="color: #252525;"> </span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b><span style="color: #252525;">team jumping, tied 8th individual</span></span><br />
<br />
<b>1992</b><br />
<b>Alireza Soleimani (IRN) </b>2 Feb 1956 - 21 May 2014 <i>Freestyle Wrestling</i> 6th men's 130kg<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 20px;">Panagiotis Pikilidis (see above) <i>Wrestling</i> 8th men's super heavyweight 130kg Greco-Roman</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 20px;">Aurora Bréton (see above) <i>Archery</i> 45th in qualification for the women's individual</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 20px;">James McEwan (see above) <i>Canoeing</i> 4th men's C-2 slalom</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #252525;">Hubert Bourdy (see above) </span><i style="color: #252525;">Equestrian</i><span style="color: #252525;"> </span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b><span style="color: #252525;">team jumping, DNF first round of final individual</span></span><br />
<br />
<b>1996</b><br />
<b>Rafał Sznajder (POL) </b>13 Oct 1972 - 13 Apr 2014 <i>Fencing</i> 7th men's individual sabre, 4th men's team sabre<br />
Valeri Goryushev (see below) <i>Volleyball</i> 4th men's team<br />
<b>Andrey Korneyev (RUS) </b>10 Jan 1974 - 2 May 2014 <i>Swimming </i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>men's 200m breaststroke<b> </b> <br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 20px;">Panagiotis Pikilidis (see above) <i>Wrestling </i>5th men's super heavyweight 130kg Greco-Roman</span><br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>2000</b><br />
Rafał Sznajder (see above) <i>Fencing </i>22nd men's individual sabre, 7th men's team sabre<br />
<b>Valeri Goryushev (RUS) </b>26 Apr 1973 - 28 Apr 2014 <i>Volleyball </i><b>silver medalist </b>men's team<br />
<b>Santiago "Yago" Lamela (SPA) </b>24 Jul 1977 - 8 May 2014 <i>Athletics </i>19th in qualification for the men's long jump<br />
<b>Anna Pollatou (GRE) </b>8 Oct 1983 - 17 May 2014 <i>Rhythmic Gymnastics</i> <b>bronze medalist </b>group all-around<br />
<br />
<b>2004</b><br />
Rafał Sznajder (see above) <i>Fencing </i>14th men's individual sabre<br />
Yago Lamela (see above) <i>Athletics</i> 11th men's long jump<br />
<br />
<b>2012</b><br />
<b>Elena Baltacha (GBR) </b>14 August 2014 - 4 May 2014 <i>Tennis </i>2nd Round Women's singles, beaten in first round of women's doubles<b> </b> <br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>2014</b><br />
<b><a href="http://siberiantimes.com/sport/others/news/russian-bobsledder-nikolay-khrenkov-killed-in-horrific-car-crash-in-krasnoyarsk/">Nikolay Khrenkov</a> (RUS) </b>15 Jul 1984 - 2 Jun 2014 <i>Bobsleigh</i> 15th men's four men<br />
<br />Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-59927981346900377602014-04-01T09:00:00.000+01:002014-05-06T02:01:57.300+01:00Olympians we have lost 2014: Part 1 Jan - MarThe following is the list of Athletes who have taken part in the Olympics who have passed away in the first quarter of this year. They are listed under the years in which they competed details are next to their first medal performance (or if they did not medal their first appearance).<br />
<br />
<b>1936</b><br />
<b>Halet Çambel (TUR) </b>27 August 1916 - 12 January 2014 <i>Fencing </i>women's foil individual, first Muslim women to compete at the Games<br />
<br />
<b>1948</b><br />
<b><b>Irma Heijting-Schuhmacher (NED) </b></b>24 February 1925 - 8 January 2014 <i>Swimming </i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>women's 4x100m freestyle relay<b>, </b>6th women's 100m freestyle<br />
<b>Ulysse Bozonnet (FRA)</b> 1922 - 13 January 2014 <i>Biathlon</i> 5th in Military Patrol (as the event was still called then) <br />
<b>Bennie Lands (CAN) </b>22 February 1921 - 13 January 2014 <i>Basketball </i>9th Men's team<b> </b><br />
<b>Nadia Boudesquo (MEX) </b>1917 - 17 January 2014 <i>Fencing</i> women's foil individual<br />
<b>Franz Gabl (AUT) </b>29 December 1921 - 23 January 2014 <i>Alpine Skiing</i> <b>silver medalist </b>men's downhill<br />
<b>Adegboyega Folaranmi Adedoyin (GBR) </b>(born in Nigeria) 11 September 1922 - January 2014 <i>Athletics </i>5th men's long jump, 12th men's high jump<br />
<b>Thomas Montemage (USA) </b>21 January 1927 - 31 January 2014 <i>Cycling </i>took part in Men's team pursuit <br />
Piero D'Inzeo (see below) DNF individual and team jumping<br />
<b>Roland Nilsson (SWE) </b>26 November 1924 - 21 February 2014 <i>Athletics</i> took part in men's shot putt<br />
<b>Andy Gilpin (CAN) </b>30 September 1920 - 1 March 2014 <i>Ice Hockey </i><span style="color: orange;"><b>gold medalist</b></span> men's team <br />
<b>Quinto Vadi (ITA) </b>13 September 1921 - 17 March 2014 <i>Gymnastics</i> 5th men's team all around, tied 45th men's individual all around, 13th pommel horse<br />
<b>Rodney Wilkes (TTO) </b><i>Weightlifting </i><b>silver medalist </b>men's featherweight 56-60kg<br />
<b>Lode Wouters (BEL)</b> 27 May 1929 - 25 March 2014 <i>Cycling </i><b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span><i> </i></b>team road race, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>bronze medalist</b></span> individual road race<br />
<br />
<b>1952</b><br />
Irma Heijting-Schuhmacher (see above) <b>silver medalist </b>women's 4x100m freestyle relay, 6th women's 100m freestyle, eliminated in heats of women's 400m freestyle<br />
<b>Eric Patterson (CAN) </b>11 Spetember 1929 - 14 January 2014 <i>Ice hockey<span style="color: orange;"> </span></i><b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>men's team<br />
<b>Holger Hansson (SWE) </b>26 January 1927 - 17 January 2014<b><i> </i></b><i>Football </i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>bronze medalist</b></span> men's teams<br />
<b>Sir Chris Chataway (GBR) </b>31 January 1931 - 19 January 2014 <i>Athletics </i>5th in men's 5,000m<br />
<b>Leen Jansen (NED) </b>3 August 1930 - 27 January 2014 <i>Boxing </i>QF men's middleweight<br />
<b>Tarit Kumar Sett (IND)</b> 15 January 1931 – 29 January 2014 <i>Cycling </i>men's 4,000m team pursuit<br />
Thomas Montemage (see above) took part in Men's team pursuit <br />
Piero D'Inzeo (see below) 6th individual eventing, DNF team eventing<br />
Roland Nilsson (see above) 5th in men's shot putt, 7th in men's discus<br />
<b>Wayne Frye (USA) </b>30 November 1930 - 26 February 2014 <i>Rowing </i><span style="color: orange;"><b>gold medalist</b></span> in men's eight<br />
<b>Alfred Post (GER) </b>20 August 1926 - 7 March 2014 <i>Football </i>4th in men's team <br />
Quinto Vadi (see above) 10th men's team all around, 114th individual all around<br />
Rodney Wilkes (see above) <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>men's featherweight 56-60kg weightlifting<br />
<br />
<b>1956 </b><br />
<b>Pedro Mayorgo (ARG)</b> 1921 - 6 January 2014 <i>Equestrian</i> 4th team show jumping, 17th individual<br />
<b>Reid Patterson (USA)</b> 2 July 1932 - 15 January 2014 <i>Swimming </i>4th men's 100m freestyle<b> </b><br />
<b>Cosimo Antonelli (ITA) </b>23 July 1925 - 16 Jan 2014 <i>Water Polo </i>4th men's team<b> </b><br />
<b>Paavo Kotila (FIN)</b> 26 August 1927 - 26 January 2014 <i>Athletics</i> 13th men's Marathon<b> </b><br />
Dave Power (see below) 7th in men's 10,000m<b> </b><br />
<b>Piero D'Inzeo (ITA) </b>4 March 1923 - 13 February 2014 <i>Equestrian</i> <b>silver medalist </b>team jumping, <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span><i> </i></b>individual jumping<b> </b><br />
Rodney Wilkes (see above) 4th men's featherweight 56-60kg weightlifting <br />
<br />
<b>1960</b><br />
<b><b>Gyula Török (HUN) </b></b>24 January 1948 - 12 January 2014 <i>Boxing </i><b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist </span></b>men's flyweight<br />
<b>Jan Pesman (NED) </b>4 May 1931 - 23 January 2014 <i>Speed skating<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>men's 5,000m, 12th men's 10,000m, tied 33rd men's 500m<br />
<b>Dave Power (AUS) </b>14 Jul 1928 - 1 Feb 2014 <i>Athletics</i> <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>in men's 10,000m, 5th in men's 5,000m<br />
<b>Ranjit Bhatia (IND)</b> 27 May 1936 - 9 Feb 2014<i> Athletics</i> 60th in men's Marathon, took part in men's 5,000m<br />
Piero D'Inzeo (see above) <b>silver medalist</b> individual jumping, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>bronze medalist</b></span> team jumping<br />
<b>Enyu Valchev (BUL)</b> 4 January 1936 - 15 February 2014 <i>Wrestling</i> <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>lightweight 62-67kg freestyle<br />
<b>Dezső Novák (HUN) </b>3 February 1939 - 26 February 2014 <i>Football </i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>bronze medalist</b></span> men's team <br />
<b>David Smith (USA) </b>31 October 1925 - 8 March 2014 <i>Sailing</i> <b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>mixed 5.5m class<br />
<b>Hans Fogh (DEN 1960-72, CAN 76-84) </b>8 March 1938 - 14 March 2014 <i>Sailing </i><b>silver medalist</b> mixed two person heavyweight dinghy<br />
<b>Carmelo Bossi (ITA) </b>15 October 1939 - 23 March 2014 <i>Boxing </i><b>silver medalist </b>light middleweight (-71kg)<br />
<br />
<b>1964</b><br />
Thomas Montemage (see above) DNF in men's individual road race<br />
Piero D'Inzeo (see above) <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>team jumping, 9th individual<br />
Enyu Valchev (see above) <b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>lightweight 63-70kg freestyle<br />
Dezső Novák (see above) <b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>men's football<br />
Hans Fogh (see above) 4th mixed two person heavyweight dinghy<br />
<br />
<b>1968</b><br />
<b>Jorge Jottar (CHI) </b>29 June 1929 - 1 January 2014<b> </b><i>Shooting </i>7th mixed skeet<br />
<b>Uroš Marović</b> <b>(YUG) <i>Serbian </i></b>4 July 1946 - 23 January 2014 <i>Water polo</i> <b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>men's team<br />
Piero D'Inzeo (see above) 5th individual jumping, tied 7th team jumping<br />
Enyu Valchev (see above) <b>silver medalist</b> lightweight 63-70kg freestyle<br />
Dezső Novák (see above) <b><span style="color: orange;">gold medalist</span> </b>men's football <br />
Hans Fogh (see above) 16th mixed two person heavyweight dinghy<br />
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<b>1972</b><br />
<b>Andy Holden (GBR) </b>22 October 1948 - 4 January 2014 <i>Athletics </i>eliminated in heat of men's 3,000m steeplechase<b> </b><br />
<b><b>Michał Joachimowski (POL) </b></b>26 September 1950 - 19 January 2014 <i>Athletics </i>7th men's triple jump<br />
Uroš Marović (see above) 5th in men's team Water Polo<br />
<b>Krzysztof Birula-Białynicki (POL) </b>15 August 1944 - 30 January 2014 <i>Ice Hockey </i>6th men's team <br />
<b>Wong Choon Wah (MAS) </b>31 March 1947 - 31 January 2014 <i>Football</i> 10th men's team<br />
<b>Jaime Huélamo (SPA)</b> 17 November 1948 - 31 January 2014 <i>Cycling </i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><strike>bronze medalist</strike></b></span> came third in the individual men's road race but was stripped of medal following a failed drug test<br />
<b>Amadou Meïté (CIV)</b> 28 November 1949 - 11 February 2014 <i>Athletics </i>took part in men's 100m and 4x100m relay<br />
Piero D'Inzeo (see above) <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>team jumping, tied 22nd individual jumping<br />
Hans Fogh (see above) 7th mixed two person heavyweight dinghy <br />
<b>Ben Staartjes (NED) </b>9th December 1928 - 17 March 2014 <i>Sailing </i>5th mixed two person keelboat<br />
<b>Nevio de Zordo (ITA) </b>11 March 1943 - 27 March 2014 <i>Bobsleigh </i><b>silver medalist </b>4-man<br />
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<b> </b><br />
<b>1976</b><br />
<b>Volodymyr Raskatov (URS) <i>Ukrainian</i></b> 23 October 1957 - 11 January 2014 <i>swimming</i> <b>silver medalist </b>men's 4x200m Freestyle Relay, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>bronze medalist</b></span> 400m Freestyle <br />
<b><b>Milan Kajkl (CZE) </b></b>14 May 1950 - 18 January 2014 <i>Ice hickey </i><b>silver medalist </b>men's team<b> </b><br />
Michał Joachimowski (see above) 13th men's triple jump<br />
Uroš Marović (see above) 5th in men's team Water Polo<br />
Amadou Meïté (see above) <i> </i>took part in men's 100m and 4x100m relay<br />
Piero D'Inzeo (see above) tied 9th team jumping, tied 25th individual jumping <br />
<b><b>Herbert Blöcker (FRG) <i>West Germany</i> </b></b>1 January 1943 - 15 February 2014 <i>Equestrian </i><b>silver medalist </b>team eventing, 13th individual eventing<br />
<b>Vasile Huţanu (ROM) </b>1 June 1954 - 24 Feb 2014 <i>Ice Hockey</i> 7th men's team<br />
<b>Doru Tureanu (ROM) </b>11 January 1955 - 11 March 2014 <i>Ice Hockey </i>7th men's team <br />
Hans Fogh (see above) 4th mixed two person heavyweight dinghy<br />
Ben Staartjes (see above) 8th mixed two person keelboat <br />
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<b>1980</b><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<b>1984</b><br />
<b>Zoe MacKinnon (CAN) </b>5 October 1959 - 29 January 2014 <i>Hockey</i> 5th Women's Team<b> </b><br />
Hans Fogh (see above)<b> <span style="color: #cc0000;">bronze medalist</span> </b>three person keelboat <b><br /></b><br />
<br />
<b>1988</b><br />
<b><b>Jürgen Brümmer (FRG)</b> <i>West Germany</i></b> 8 December 1964 - 25 Feb 2014 <i>Gymnastics</i> 12th men's team all around, 64th individual all around failed to qualify for any apparatus final<br />
<b>Evgeni Krasilnikov (USR) <i>Russian</i> </b>7 April 1965 - 8 March 2014 <i>Volleyball </i><b>silver medalist </b>men's team<br />
Doru Tureanu (see above) tied 7th men's ice hockey<br />
<b>Robert Billingham (USA) </b>10 December 1957 - 30 March 2014 <i>Sailing </i><b>silver medalist </b>soling class<br />
<br />
<b>1992</b><br />
Herbert Blöcker (see above) 1 January 1943 - 15 February 2014 <i>Equestrian </i><b>silver medalist</b> individual eventing, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>bronze medalist</b></span> team eventing<br />
Evgeni Krasilnikov (see above) 7th men's volleyball for the Unified Team<br />
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>1996</b><br />
<b>Biko (USA) </b>1984 - 29 January 2014 <i>Equestrian</i> <b>silver medalist </b>horse of Karen O'Connor<br />
Herbert Blöcker (see above) 16th individual eventing<br />
<b>Marek Galiński (POL) </b>1 August 1974 - 17 March 2014 <i>Cycling </i>29th men's Mountain Bike Cross Country <br />
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<b>2000</b><br />
Marek Galiński<b> </b>(see above) 21st men's Mountain Bike Cross Country<br />
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<b>2004</b><br />
Marek Galiński (see above) 14th men's Mountain Bike Cross Country <br />
<br />
<b>2008</b> <br />
Marek Galiński<b> </b>(see above) 13th men's Mountain Bike Cross Country <br />
<br />Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-30763212675034121002014-02-24T10:30:00.000+00:002014-02-24T10:30:00.028+00:00The candidate cities for the Winter Olympics 2022Last night at the closing the ceremony we heard the call for the young people of the world to meet again in four years time in Pyeongchang, South Korea, but the process is already underway for the Games after that.<br />
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Last November 6 applicant cities were presented to the IOC, by the 14 march they must present their application file to the IOC and then in 8-9 July the IOC board will meet and select the candidate cities to then present their candidate files and guarantees. So who are the six that are in the running at this stage.<br />
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<b>Stockholm, Sweden</b><br />
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The Swedish capital has hosted the 1912 Summer Games, this is one of two bids in the running to be<b> </b> the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Games. The ski resort of Åre 610km from Stockholm is looking to be the centre for the Alpine events. Åre together with nearby Östersund had considered putting in a bid to hold the 2014 Games, but failed to secure Government backing. Östersund with Åre had been ahead of Lillehammer in round 2 of the bidding in 1994 only to lose out in the final round. They combined to come third behind Nagano and Salt Lake City in 1998, and when the latter swept the first round four year later. But this time with the addition of Stockholm joining with Åre there is a metropolitan element to go with the trips to Swedish highlands.<br />
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<b>Kraków, Poland</b><br />
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The Polish NOC have actually joined up with Slovakia to<b> </b> put in a bid that would see the Olympics come to either country for the first time. It was a vision that the late Polish President Lech Kaczyński had for his nation shortly before he, the President of the Polish Olympic Committee and 94 others were killed in that horrific plane crash in April 2010. The cities bid teams up with the ski resort of Jasná to the south and across the border in Slovakia, with other resorts on the road to Jasná hosting the sliding events and cross country skiing. The furthest apart the venues will be is 175km. If this bid is successful it will be the first bid that sets out as being hosted in two nations.<br />
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<b>Oslo, Norway</b><br />
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The Norwegian capital is looking to host their second Winter Games following on from 1952. This is the fifth time the city had bid for the Winter Games after unsuccessful bids in 1936, 1944 and 1968. The resort of Lillehammer 190km away, which hosted the Games in 1994, would hold the Alpine and sliding events. If the Games were awarded to Oslo the Holmenkollbakken ski jumping hill would celebrate the 130th year of it's existence by crowning Olympic champions again.<br />
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<b>Almaty, Kazakhstan</b><br />
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The former Kazakh capital hosted the Asian Winter Games in 2011 and will be hosting the Winter Universiade in 2017. They had gone further than Åre for these 2014 Games and had been an applicant city then two. However, with structures in place now all within 40km of Almaty this is actually the most compact of all the bids.<br />
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<b>Lviv, Ukraine</b><br />
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The Eastern Ukrainian city's bid would involve three locations with ice events being based in a compact Olympic area around Arena Lviv which hosted three of the group games of UEFA Euro 2012. There are also plans to building an inner city sliding venue would complete the ice zone being entirely within the city boundaries. However, the snow events are having to be hosted elsewhere to the South. The Nordic events, freestyle and snowboard will take place in the established resort of Tysovets 130km south. But the altitude does not meet the IOC criteria for Alpine events so about 185km south from Lviv lies Volovets, which once had a ski ramp that Austria-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I used to visit when this was in the Empire.<br />
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<b>Beijing, China</b><br />
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The hosts of the 2008 Summer Games are the other applicant city looking to be the first to host both Summer and Winter Games. Zhangjiakou which is 190km North West of the Chinese capital is the mountain region at an elevation of 716m that is liable to host the snow events having an average high temperature close to or below freezing from December to February. One major factor that may be a disadvantage to Beijing is that it is only 700km away from Pyeongchang which will have hosted the previous Games.<br />
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<br />Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-75793485888404130322014-02-07T15:00:00.000+00:002014-02-07T08:22:40.339+00:00Flag bearers for the 2014 Winter Olympics: Part Four #Sochi2014The final group of nations leading up to the hosts who as tradition dictates will be the last to enter the stadium.<br />
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<b>Tajikistan - Таджикистан </b><i>Alisher Kudratov </i>is carrying the flag of his nation for the second Games in succession however this will be the first time that the Alpine skier will compete. He is taking part in just the men's slalom as his nation's only competitor in Sochi.<br />
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<b>Thailand - Таиланд</b><br />
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<b>Timor-Leste - Тимор-Лешти </b><i>Yohan Goutt Goncalves </i>born in France, the land of his father, the 19 year old Alpine Skiier will be representing the land of his mother. It is only the fourth time that the Timor-Leste flag will have been paraded at an Olympic Opening ceremony but the first time in the Winter Games. He will be taking part in the men's slalom.<br />
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<b>Togo - Того </b><i>Alessia Afi Dipol </i>born in Italy and previously representing India, although she has no family connections she will be carrying the flag for one of only two African delegations with more than one competitor. She is an Alpine skier taking part in the woman's slalom and giant slalom, while her team mate Mathilde-Amivi Petitjean<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 13.333333015441895px;"> who was born in Niger to a Togolese mother takes part in the women's 15km classical cross country event.</span></span><br />
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<b>Tonga - Тонга</b> <br />
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<b>Turkey - Турция</b><br />
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<b>Uzbekistan - Узбекистан</b><br />
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<b>Ukraine - Украина </b><i>Valentina Shevchenko </i>is a<i> </i>veteran cross-country skier is appearing in her fifth consecutive Olympics since her debut at Nagano in 1998. Her best Olympic performance was 5th in the Mass Start at Salt Lake City in 2002, but in 2009 she secured bronze in the 30km freestyle. At 38 these will probably be her last Olympics.<br />
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<b>Philippines - Филиппины </b><i>Michael Christian Martinez </i>wasn't even born the last time the flag of the Philippines entered a Winter Olympic stadium, that was 1992 and he was still 4 years away from entering the world. He is a figure skater who came 5th in the World Juniors last year.<br />
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<b>Finland - Финляндия </b><i>Enni Rukajärvi </i>is a 23 year old snow boarder who has been world champion and Winter X Games champion in the new Olympic event of slopestyle.<br />
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<b>France - Франция </b><i>Jason Lamy-Chappuis </i>the 27 year old ski-jumper and nordic skier is the defending champion in the men's 10km and normal hill. Born in Montana, USA where he lived until the age of five until the family moved to France the homeland of his father. He will not however be defending his title going instead in the large hill 10km combined. His cousin Ronan Lamy-Chappuis will be representing France in both the men's normal and large hill events.<br />
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<b>Croatia - Хорватия </b><i>Ivica Kostelić </i>is an alpine skier who is taking part in his fourth Olympics. He has three silver medals in the combined in both Turin and Vancouver, adding another in the slalom four years ago. He will be taking part in all the men's Alpine events with the exception of the downhill this time.<br />
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<b>Montenegro - Черногория </b><i>Tarik Hadžić</i> is the 19 year old alpine skier who will carry the flag for Montenegro's second Winter Olympics as an independent state.He is taking part in the men's slalom and giant slalom.<br />
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<b>Czech Republic - Чешская Республика </b><i>Šárka Strachová</i> was the first Czech Republic Alpine skier to medal when she took bronze in the slalom in her second Games four years ago. She is only the second ever Czech Alpine skier to medal in the Olympics. She will turn 29 on Tuesday which is the day before the women's downhill. She is taking part in all the women's Alpine events.<br />
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<b>Chile - Чили </b><i>Dominique Ohaco </i>is an 18-year-old slopestyle skier who although she has never won a medal in a world cup event has done well numerous times in qualification. Therefore if she does manage to gt the medal run going as some of her qualification runs she could be the first Chilean to win a Winter Games medal.<br />
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<b>Switzerland - Швейцария </b><i>Simon Ammann </i>has won the double double in ski-jumping winning both the normal and large hill events at Salt Lake City in 2002 and Vancouver in 2010, the only man to have acheived the feat at two different Games. This will be the 32 year old's fifth Olympics having made his debut as a 16 year old at Nagano in 1998.<br />
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<b>Sweden - Швеция<i> </i></b><i>Anders Södergrenc </i>will be taking part in his third Olympics and was part of the Swedish relay team that took bronze in the men's 4x10km in 2006 and gold in Vancouver 4 years ago. He has won medals in long distances, double pursuit and relays at world championships.<br />
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<b>Estonia - Эстония </b><i>Indrek Tobreluts</i> is a biathlete from Tartu who is taking part in his fourth Olympics. He won silver in last year's European 6km pursuit but the Olympic distance for that event is 12.5km.<br />
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<b>South Korea - Южная Корея </b><i>Lee Kyou-Hyuk</i> is taking part in his sixth Olympics having made his debut at Lillehammer in 1994 when he was only 15. He is a long track speed skater who specialises in the sprint events the 500m and 1000m the only events he is entered for in Sochi. His best Olympic performance was fourth in the 1000m at Salt Lake City. He was world champion at 500m in 2011<br />
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<b>Jamaica - Ямайка </b><i>Marvin Dixon </i>is the driver of the first Jamaican bobsleigh to qualify for the Olympics in 12 years. The 30 year old from Kingston has been competing since 2007 and managed to qualify on the last weekend of qualification this season. He along with brakeman Winston Watt are competing in the two-man bobsleigh.<br />
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<b>Japan - Япония </b><i>Ayumi Ogasawara </i>is the skip of the women's curling team, the position she also held in 2006 when although they came ninth secured a victory over Canada. After that season she and her third Yumie Hayashi both announced their retirement but in 2011 they formed a new rink which is the one that has qualified for Sochi.<br />
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<b>Russia - Россия </b><i>Aleksandr Zubkov </i>is the veteran slider of four Olympics having made his debut in the men's single luge at Nagano in 1998. He switched to driving the Bobsleigh for Salt Lake City four years later picking up the silver in Turin in the four man and bronze in Vancouver in the two man. He will be looking to complete the set on home ice this year after having the honour of carrying the hosts flag to mark the end of the parade of athletes tonight.<br />
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That completes the parade of Athletes you can watch the opening ceremony in half an hour ready for them starting their parade. Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-89817660004806971452014-02-07T13:00:00.000+00:002014-02-07T20:04:44.910+00:00Flag bearers for the 2014 Winter Olympics: Part Three #Sochi2014So we have got over halfway through the list of flag bearers for this afternoon's opening ceremony. After covering the previous half of the parade it is time to carry on.<br />
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<b>Malta - Мальта</b><i> Elise Pellegrin </i>French born Alpine skier with a Maltese grandfather the Mediterranean nation's first Winter Olympian will carry the Bandiera ta' Malta with pride. At 22 she is taking part in the women's slalom and giant slalom.<br />
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<b>Macedonia - Македония </b><i>Darko Damjanovski</i> is a cross country skier who is taking part in his third Olympics. He goes off in the men's 15km classical.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Winter_Olympics_Parade_of_Nations#cite_note-sochi2014ocfb-6"><span></span></a><br />
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<b>Morocco - Марокко </b><i>Adam Lamhamedi </i>was the first African to win an Olympic related medal in the Youth Olympics in 2012. While that gold was in teh Super-G he is only taking part in the slalom and giant slalom here.<br />
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<b>Mexico - Мексика </b><i>Hubertus von Hohenlohe </i>is a descendent of the rulers of a German principality though he was born in Mexico. At 55 he is the oldest competitor in Sochi and will be competing at his sixth Winter Olympics since his debut at Sarejevo in 1984. He missed the 2002 and 2006 but will take part in the men's slalom. Whether he goes on another four years to overtake Carl August Kronlund a 58-year-old curler from the First Winter Olympics at Chamonix 1924 to become the oldest ever we will have to wait and see.<br />
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<b>Moldova - Молдова </b><i>Victor Pinzaru </i>a 21-year-old biathlete whose birthday is four days way, is taking part in his second Olympics. However, he has not qualified in biathlon this time and is only taking part in the men's 15km classical cross country.<br />
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<b>Monaco - Монако </b><i>Olivier Jenot </i>will turn 26 at the end of the month, but made his debut as an 18 year old at Turin in 2006. He missed out on Vancouver due to a dislocated shoulder injury after he had qualified. He has qualified for all five of the Alpine skiing events including the combined at which he won gold at the Winter Universiade last year.<br />
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<b>Mongolia - Монголия </b><i>Bold Byambadorj </i>is a 22-year-old cross country skier who makes his Olympic debut in the men's 15km classical.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongolia_at_the_2014_Winter_Olympics#cite_note-sochi2014ocfb-1"><span></span></a><br />
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<b>Nepal - Непал </b>Dachhiri Sherpa<br />
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<b>Netherlands - Нидерланды </b><i>Jorien ter Mors </i>is a speed skater who will taking part both in the traditional long track as well as the short track events. She is taking part in all the short track individual events as well as the relay, and in the long track she is going in the 1,500m as well as the team pursuit. At only 24 this is her second Olympics and she has already won two silvers and a bronze at world championships on short track.<br />
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<b>New Zealand - Новая Зеландия</b><i> Shane Dobbin</i> is a speed skater who will take part in the longest disciplines on ice the men's 5,000m and 10,000m. he only took part in the former on his debut 4 years ago when he finished 17th.<br />
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<b>Norway - Норвегия </b><i>Aksel Lund Svindal </i>is an Alpine skier who brought home three medals (one of each hue) from the 2010 Games in Vancouver. He is a hot favourite to add to that tally having brought back a gold in each world championships or Olympics since 2007 the year after he made his Olympic debut. The only event he is not taking part in is the slalom.<br />
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<b>Pakistan - Пакистан</b><br />
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<b>Paraguay - Парагвай </b><i>Julia Marino</i> was born in Paraguay but adopted by an American couple at six months old. Until last year she competed for her adopted nation but switched to compete for the nation of her birth giving them their first appearance at the Winter Games. The 21-year-old is a medal contender in the women's slopestyle skiing.<br />
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<b>Peru - Перу </b><i>Roberto Cancelen</i> is a 43-year-old cross country skier who lives and owns a business in Seattle, USA. He was the first Peruvian to qualify and compete in the Winter Games in 2010 where he also had the honour of carrying his nations flag. he is taking part in the men's 15km traditional.<br />
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<b>Poland - Польша </b><i>Dawid Kupczyk </i>at 36 will be driving the two and four man bobsleighs in his fifth Olympics. Although at Nagano and Salt Lake City he was in the second seat in the four-man before stepping up to drive from Turin. In vancouver he achieved his best ever Olympic result with 14th in the four-man.<br />
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<b>Portugal - Португалия </b><i>Arthur Hanse</i> is the male half of Portugals's team who both go in Lapine skiing. He was born France almost 21 years ago, his birthday will be on Monday, to Portuguese parents. But he is the elder member of the Portuguese team by 3 and a half years.<br />
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<b>Romania - Румыния </b><i>Éva Tófalvi </i>is carrying the Romanian flag for the second consecutive Winter Games. At 35 she will be taking part in the women's biathlon events for her fifth Games. She came 11th in the individual event in both her debut at Nagano and last time in Vancouver and she is the only Romanian to have won a World Cup event in biathlon.<br />
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<b>San Marino - Сан Марино </b><i>Vincenzo Michelotti </i>at 17 and 86 days he may be the youngest flag bearer in the ceremony. He will take part in the men's giant slalom.<br />
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<b>Serbia - Сербия </b><i>Milanko Petrović </i>is 25 and was the first Serb to take part for his independent nation in biathlon at the 2010 Games in Vancouver. He is also the first Serb to have won World Cup points in his discipline so has a outside chance of medals in the men;'s individual and sprint events.<br />
<table cellpadding="2" class="infobox vcard"><tbody>
<tr><th><br /></th>
<td colspan="4"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Slovakia - Словакия </b><i><span class="vcard"><span class="fn">Zdeno Chára </span></span></i><span class="vcard"><span class="fn">the Boston Bruins defenseman will be captaining the Slovak men's ice hockey team in what is his third Olympics. He has two world silver medals in his possession from 2000 and and 2012 but he was also Captain for the bronze medal match four years ago which saw Finland score four unanswered goals in the final period to claim the medal 5-3.</span></span> <br />
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<b>Slovenia - Словения </b><i>Tomaž Razingar </i>is the 34-year-old left winger in the first Ice Hockey team to qualify for the independent Slovenia. <br />
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<b>United States of America - Соединенные Штаты Америки</b> <i>Todd Lodwick </i>is the 37 year old veteran of five previous Games starting in 1994 at Lillehammer. In 2009 he won the Nordic Combined 10km normal hill world championships along with the 10km mass start. He will be taking part in the normal and large hill individual events as well as the team event.<br />
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The largest team (only five more than the hosts) marks the end of the third segment of this run through the flag bearers of this afternoons Opening Ceremony. The final section will of course lead up to the arrival of the hosts.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-82247652416284064532014-02-07T12:00:00.001+00:002014-02-07T19:49:58.424+00:00Flag bearers for the 2014 Winter Olympics: Part Two #Sochi2014As you will have seen from part one the nations are not walking into the stadium in the order that an English speaker would expect because of the Cyrillic spelling of their nations name. In this part I carry on from that near neighbour Georgia who finished the first quarter of the 88 nations in the parade this evening. As I said last time I'm hoping my knowledge of the Russian alphabet is up to the challenge though I apologise if I have the name or order wrong.<br />
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So onwards with the second quarter of the parade of nations.<br />
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<b>Denmark - Дания </b><i>Lene Nielsen </i>at 27 is returning to the Games eight years after her debut and only appearance. Then she played second on Dorthe Holm's rink in the curling this time she is the skip of her nations team. For the last three year's she has come 4th in the European Championships.<br />
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<b>Dominica - Доминика </b><i>Gary di Silvestri</i> the husband of the husband and wife team will be taking the honour of carrying the flag of this debutant Winter Olympic nation. At 47 the cross country skier is also one of the oldest athletes in Sochi. The philanthropist skis in the men's 15km classical, his wife in the women's 10km version.<br />
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<b>Zimbabwe - Зимбабве </b><i>Luke Steyn </i>although born in his nation moved to Switzerland at the age of two where he got his bug for snow. He is the first person to represent Zimbabwe, a nation where it never snows, in the Winter Games and will take part in the men's slalom and giant slalom.<br />
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<b>Israel - Израиль </b><i>Vladislav Bykanov </i>is like the rest of the team born outside Israel, in his case in Ukraine. He is a short track speed skater who is the first Israeli athlete in that event to have qualified for the Olympics, he will be taking part in all of the individual events 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m.<br />
<br />
<b>Iran - Иран </b><i>Hossein Saveh-Shemshak </i>from Tehran is a
28-year-old alpine skier who along with his younger brother Pouria
formed their nations men's Alpine team in Vancouver in 2010. He is once
again taking part in the slalom and giant slalom, but this time
alongside Iran's first ever Asian Winter Games medalist Mohammad
Kiadarbandsari. <br />
<br />
<b>Individual Olympic Athletes - Индивидуальные Олимпийские Спортсмены </b>would far rather be carrying the Tiranga of India rather than the Olympic Rings into the stadium but elections for these three athlete's NOC are not taking place for another two days.<br />
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<br />
<b>Ireland - Ирландия </b><i>Conor Lyne </i>will turn 21 the day after the Games finish. The Irish skier is currently based in Utah (there not being a lot of snow in Ireland). He will be taking part in the slalom and giant slalom.<br />
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<b>Iceland - Исландия </b><i>Saevar Birgisson</i> is an Olympic debutant and will take part in the men's 15km classical cross country.<br />
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<b>Spain - Испания </b><i>Javier Fernández </i>the 22 year old figure skater from Madrid is a real medal contender for Spain. He is the current men's European champion and took bronze in the World Championship last year. If he does stand on the podium on Valentine's night it will be only the third Winter Olympic medal for Spain and the first since 1992 the year that Barcelona hosted the Summer Games and the last before the Winter Games broke from the same four year cycle.<br />
<br />
<b>Italy - Италия </b><i>Armin Zöggeler </i>at forty is looking to break an Olympic record for most medals in one individual event. He currently shares the record with fellow luger Georg Heckl and speed skater Claudia Pechstein (both of Germany). If he stands on the podium at the conclusion of the men's single luge on Sunday he will have set a new record with six medals stretching back to his gold at Lillehammer. He currently has two golds, a silver and two bronzes in his event.<br />
<br />
<b>Kazakhstan - Казахстан </b><i>Yerdos Akhmadiyev </i>is the 28-year-old cross country skier who was only starting to compete in his sport when the last Olympics took place.<br />
<br />
<b>Cayman Isles - Каймановы Oстрова </b><i>Dow Travers </i>is the only athlete from his nation to have represented them at the Winter Games having done so also in 2010. He also represents his nation in Rugby 7s so could dream of qualifying for that new Olympic sport in Rio. He takes part in the slalom and giant slalom.<br />
<br />
<b>Canada - Канада </b><i>Hayley Wickenheiser </i>was the captain of the gold medal winning women's ice hockey team on home ice in Vancouver four years ago. It was her third gold to add to a silver at Nagano 1998. The forward has twice been MVP of the Olympic tournament in the past and has the most goals for a female Olympian since the sport appeared in those 1998 Games. She also appears in the 2000 Summer Games in Softball.<br />
<br />
<b>Cyprus - Кипр </b><i>Constantinos Papamichael</i> is a 20-year-old Alpine skier. He will compete in the slalom and giant slalom.<br />
<br />
<b>Kyrgyzstan - Киргизия </b><i>Dmitry Trelevski </i>is taking part in his second Games. He will be adding the Super-G to the slalom and giant slalom that he competed in at Vancouver.<br />
<br />
<b>China - Китай </b><i>Tong Jian </i>together with her pairs partner and finacé Pang Qing won silver in the Figure Skating four years ago. At 34 she will also be the eldest of the 66 athletes from China who will cross the border to the Games in Russia.<br />
<br />
<b>Chinese Taipei - Китайский Тайбэй<i> </i></b><i>Sung Ching-yang</i> is actually an inline skater who has switched to long track speed skating. He is the first speed skater to represent his country in the Olympics and is taking part in the men's 500m and 1,000m.<br />
<br />
<b>Latvia - Латвия </b><i>Sandis Ozoliņš </i>announced his retirement from international Ice Hockey after his second Olympic appearance in 2006. But the former NHL defenceman annouced he was coming out of retirement to help Latvia qualify for Sochi. At 41 he is likely to announce his second and final retirement from international hockey at the conclusion of these Games.<br />
<br />
<b>Lebanon - Ливан </b><i>Alexandre Mohbat </i>is only 18-years-old. He is an Alpine skier and will take part in the men's slalom and giant slalom.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Winter_Olympics_Parade_of_Nations#cite_note-sochi2014ocfb-6"><span></span></a><br />
<br />
<b>Lithuania - Литва </b><i>Deividas Stagniūnas </i>an American based figure skater is finally making his Olympic debut. Along with his former Ice Dance partner American Katherine Copely they had qualified in 2010, but the IOC require competitors to be nationals of the country they represent and Copely application was turned down. This time after an intial rejection his partner another American Isabella Tobias was granted citizenship in December last year.<br />
<br />
<b>Liechtenstein - Лихтенштейн </b><i>Tina Weirather </i>is competing in her second Games after a debut in Turin in 2006 she damaged her ACL weeks before Vancouver when she had qualified for all four Alpine disciplines. At 24 she is in form this season with 9 podiums in the World Cup and is hoping to emulate her mother Hanni Wenzel who won two Olympic golds at Lake Placid in 1980 and uncle Andreas Wenzel who won silver there and bronze four years later in Sarejevo. She has once again qualified in giant slalom, super-G, downhill and combined.<br />
<br />
<b>Luxembourg - Люксембург </b><i>Kari Peters </i>is the first ever cross-country skier to represent Luxembourg. Of course they are more famous for the adoptive son Marc Giardelli who won two silvers in Alpine in 1992. <br />
<br />
<br />
That completes the first half of the nations entering the stadium, there are only another 44 delegations to come.<br />
<br />Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-22894085718626852702014-02-07T11:00:00.000+00:002014-02-07T19:27:53.752+00:00Flag bearers for the 2014 Winter Olympics: Part One #Sochi2014So later on today we have the Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony at the Fisht Olympic Stadium, one thing we do know is most of who the NOCs have nominated to carry their flag into the stadium ahead of their nation's competitors and coaches. The other thing is that this is the second Olympics in which the order of the nations will be determined by the Cyrillic alphabet.<br />
<br />
So in my attempt to tell you who is coming in next I am having to test myself on a language I had a vague knowledge off when I was there in 1989. So in order of appearance (I hope) here are the first batch.<br />
<br />
<b>Greece - <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps">Греция </span></span></b><i>Panagiota Tsakiri </i>is 23 and from Drama. But despite her young age this is her third Winter Olympics and she is contesting the women's 10km classical cross-country, although unlike in previous Games she's not doubling up with the biathlon. Greece of course traditionally lead the way as the inventors of the Games and first hosts of the modern Olympiad.<br />
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<b>Australia - Австралия </b><i>Alex Pullin </i>is the reigning snow boarder cross world champion. He took part in the 2010 Olympic but despite having the fastest time in qualification he failed to progress once the competition got underway proper. He fronts a reggae band <i>Love Charli</i> quite a character to be the second flag bearer into the Fisht Stadium.<br />
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<b>Austria - </b><b>Австрия </b><strike><i>Benjamin Raich </i>turns 36 just after the Games finish and is appearing in what is his fourth Olympics. He won two gold medals in Turin in 2006 in men's slalom and giant slalom, to add to his two bronzes in slalom and combined. He is likely to take part in the slalom, giant slalom, super-g and super combined once again.</strike> Benny Raich has delayed his arrival in Sochi and<i> Mario Stecher </i>was named instead who is a Nordic combined competitor who has taken part in the five previous Olympics going back to Lillehammer. He has twice help Austria to the 4x5km relay gold in 2006 and 2010 as well as bronze in 2002<br />
<b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps"></span></span></b><br />
<br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps"><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps">Azerbaijan - </span></span></b></span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps"><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps">Азербайджан </span></span></b></span></span><i>Fuad Guliyev </i>is
the Figure Skating Federation vice-President and will carry his
nation's flag into the stadium. His nations competitors are in the
alpine events and the ice dance, the latter of which starts in the
morning.<br />
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<b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps">Albania - </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps">Албания</span></span></b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps"> <i>Enjon Tola </i>aged 27 from Tirana, taking part in his third Olympics in the slalom and giant slalom.</span></span><br />
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<b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps">Andorra - </span></span></b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps"><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps">Aндорра </span></span></b></span></span><i>Mireia Gutierrez </i>is an Apline skier who is taking part in her second Games, after Vancouver. She is entered in all the women's Alpine events.<br />
<br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps"><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps">Argentina - </span></span></b></span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps"><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps">Аргентина </span></span></span></span></b></span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps"><i><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps">Cristian Simari Birkner</span></span></span></span></i><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps"> </span></span></b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps">is a veteran from three previous Games and also carried the flag in 2010. The 33-year-old from </span></span></span></span> San Carlos de Bariloche is entered in all the Alpine disciplines including the men's combined.<br />
<br />
<b>Armenia - <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="ru"><span class="hps">Армения </span></span></b><i>Sergey Mikayelyan </i>is the 21-year-old cross country skiier who will be taking part in his second Games. His events this time are the men's 15km classical, 30km skiathlon and 50km freestyle.<br />
<br />
<b>British Virgin Isles - </b><b>Британские Виргинские Oстрова </b><i>Peter Crook<b> </b></i>the
Caribbean Island nation is sending their second ever competitor to the
Winter Games and the 21 year old who has lived in the United States for
the last 13 years will take part in the skiing halfpipe. <br />
<br />
<b>Belarus - Беларусь </b><i>Darya Domracheva</i> the 27 year old cross-country skier and biathlete who took bronze in the 2010 women's 15km individual cross-country race. This year she is only taking part in the biathlon.<br />
<br />
<b>Belgium - Бельгия </b><i>Hanna Mariën </i>is at her second Olympics but first Winter Games. She was part of the women's 4x100m relay in the athletics at Beijing in 2008 which won the silver medal. In 2012 she switched to bobsleigh and will be the brake woman for Elfje Willemsen.<br />
<br />
<b>Bermuda - </b><b>Бермудские Oстрова </b><i>Tucker Murphy </i>is the sole Bermudan competitor. He is expected to appear in Bermuda shorts, but not when he is competing the men's 15km classical cross country skiing event.<br />
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<b>Bulgaria - </b><b>Болгария </b><i>Maria Kirkova</i><b> </b>at 28 is taking part in her third Winter Games. The alpine skier will be taking part in the women's slalom and giant slalom.<br />
<br />
<b>Bosnia and Herzegovina - Босния и Герцеговина </b><i>Žana Novaković </i>the 28 year old will be carrying her nations flag for a second consecutive Games. There is a little controversy that she was picked ahead of fellow Alpine skier Muslim-Croat Igor Laikert who had the better results. She will however be competing in slalom and giant slalom.<br />
<br />
<b>Brazil - Бразилия </b><i>Jaqueline Mourão </i>is a biathlete who will be carrying the flag of the host of the next Summer Games. At 38 she will taking part in her third Game since her debut at Turin 2006.<br />
<br />
<i></i>
<b>Great Britain - Великобритания </b><i>Jon Eley </i>the shot track speed skater from Solihull is taking part in his third Olympic Games. he came 5th in the 500m at Torino in 2006 and was part of the GB team that came 6th in the 5,000m relay in Vancouver 4 years ago. The 29-year-old is taking part in the men's 500m and 1,000m.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Hungary - Венгрия </b><i>Bernadett Heidum </i>the 25 year old short track speed skater from Budapest is making her Olympic debut. But she picked up two medals in the European championships earlier this year. She'll be competing in the 500m, 1,000m and the event she won silver at in Europe the 1,500m and joining the European bronze medal women's 3,000m relay team.<br />
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<b>Venezuela - Венесуэла </b><i>Antonio Jose Pardo Andretta </i>is the first ever of the five Venezualan Winter Olympians to qualify in a snow event. He will be taking part in the men's giant slalom.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Winter_Olympics_Parade_of_Nations#cite_note-sochi2014ocfb-6"></a><br />
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<b>Virgin Islands - </b><b>Виргинские Oстрова </b><i>Jasmine Campbell </i>is the daughter of Virgin Islands skier John Campbell who took park in 1992 at Albertville. Unlike her father she is only taking part in two events slalom and giant slalom, not adding the Super-G which he took part in.<br />
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<b>Germany - Германия </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Maria Höfl-Riesch </i>won double gold four years ago in her debut Games in the women's slalom and combined. Injury has forced the native of 1936 German Winter Olympic venue </span></span>Garmisch-Partenkirchen to missed the Games in 2006. She is entered in all the Alpine discipline and with medals at worlds and Olympics in most of them is a contender every time she leaves the start gate.<br />
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<b>Hong Kong - </b><b>Гонконг </b><i>Pan-To Barton Lui</i> the first
male Winter Olympian to represent Hog Kong will carry their flag on his
debut. The short track speed skater follows his female predecessors and
will skate in the 1,500m on Monday. <br />
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<b>Georgia - Грузия </b><i>Nino Tsiklauri </i>the Alpine skier is stepping up to the plate as figure skater Elene Gedevanishvili was originally names as the flag bearer, but her training schedule means she is not arriving until after the ceremony. So the 20-year-old who will ski in the women's slalom and giant slalom will carry her nation's flag into the stadium.<br />
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<br />
<br />
This is the first installment. As you can see the order will not be what you expect from an English language nation opening ceremony so pay attention if you want to see your nation arrive.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-2750719783034627602014-01-29T10:30:00.000+00:002014-01-29T10:30:00.575+00:00Smaller Winter Olympic delegations: 2 Asia #Sochi2014After looking at the debut Winter Olympic nations it is time to look at some of the smaller delegations, those with 5 or less athletics so I am looking at them continent by continent. Second up is Asia.<br />
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<b>Azerbaijan</b><br />
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Four athletes will represent Azerbaijan in two sports, but not one of them is born in Azerbaijan.<br />
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Russians Julia Zlobina and Alexei Sitnikov will be taking part in the Ice Dancing for their adopted nation they were 6th in this season's European Championships an improvement on 7th last season. They were also the silver medalists in last year's Winter Universiade. At 24 and 27 it is possible that they may continue for another Olympic cycle but having finished 16th in the world's last year they will be looking for any improvement on that position and a top 10 finish would be exceptional.<br />
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Patrick Brachner originally from Austria will take part in the men's giant slalom and slalom. He injured his left knee earlier on in the season but was back on the slopes ahead of the initial schedule determined to be in Sochi.<br />
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Gaia Bassani Antivari was born in Italy and first tried to compete in the 2002 Winter Olympics for Grenada, but they failed to compete the necessary paperwork. She did however take part under the Azerbaijan flag in 2010 finishing 57th in the Giant Slalom but skied out of the course in the first run of the slalom. She is only selected for the women's slalom this time.<br />
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<b>Hong Kong</b><br />
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Only one sport has ever had Hong Kong representation in the Winter Games since they first appeared in 2002, and only three athletes before have ever competed in Short Track Speed Skating. So the fourth competitor but in that sport is Pan-To Barton Lui who will be the first man to represent Hong Kong in the Winter Games.<br />
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He qualified in November last year at the World Cup series events in Turin, Italy and Kolomna, Russia. He has traveled to be able to train, while still at school moving to Vancouver and now basing himself in Korea to train alongside the best Asian short track stars.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>India</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Himanshu Thakur</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There will not be the Indian flag at the Opening ceremony of the 2014 Games due to the suspension of the nations National Olympic Committee in December 2012. Elections to replace the NOC committee take place 2 days after the opening ceremony so the Indian athletes will take part under the Olympic flag as Independent Olympic Athletes.<br />
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<br />
There will be three athletes across three disciplines.<br />
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Twenty-year-old Himanshu Thakur was up for the one Alpine slot against 2006 men's giant slalom competitor Hira Lal but the 34-year-old took his own name out of contention so that his younger first cousin who had the better performances over the qualifying period finishing ahead of his cousin on 8 of the 12 occasions that they both finished an event over the last 20 in the qualifying period. To qualify an athlete the men had to have a score of under 140 points on the FIS system, Thakur was on 111.20, Lal slightly worse on 111.43.So Thakur will compete in the men's slalom.<br />
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In cross-country skiing will see Nadeem Iqbal who serves with the High Altitude Warfare School of
the Indian Army at Gulmarg take part in the men's 15km classical. He took part in the Nordic World Championships in 2013 and sealed his qualification after a race in France in December.<br />
<br />
The final Indian participant is a veteran at the age of 32 he will be taking part in his fifth Winter Olympics. Shiva Keshavan first took part in the luge in 1998 at Nagano when he was the youngest ever luge competitor. His mother is Italian and he was approached to represent Italy in 2002 but insisted on retaining his Indian nationality for competition. Ironically then his best performance in the Olympics came in 2006 in Turino when he finished 25th.<br />
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<b>Iran</b><br />
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Iran secured a quota of five athletes for the 2014 Games three spots in Alpine and two in Nordic skiing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kiadarbandsari in action</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hossein Saveh-Shemshaki will be taking part in his second Olympics coming 41st in the men's slalom and 70th in the Giant Slalom in Vancouver, where he was part of a team that included his brother Pouria. He will take part in the same two events in Sochi.<br />
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He is joined this time by 24-year-old Mohammad Kiadarbandsari who took a bronze medal at the 2011 Winter Asian Games in the Super-G. This is the first medal won by Iran at that level. <br />
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There is a spot available in the women's slalom and although at the time of writing it has yet to be awarded. Although it is likely to go to Marjan Kalhor who was the flag bearer and first woman to compete at the Winter Games for Iran in 2010.<br />
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There are two skiers going in the Nordic events, first there is Sattar Seid who also took part in 2010 where he came 89th in the men's 15km freestyle cross-country. The following year he was a key part in the Iranian relay team in the Winter Asian Games that brought home a silver medal. He will be lining up in the men's 15km classical in Sochi.<br />
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For the women there is Farzaneh Rezasoltani who will be taking part in the 10km classical. She has dominated the domestic racing schedule this season with a week at Val de Fiemme her only international competition last February with her best result being 36th in the 5km.<br />
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<b>Israel<br /></b>Will take part in three sports with a total of 5 athletes, three born in Ukraine, one in the USA and the other in Luxembourg.<br />
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Their best performers are likely to come in the figure skating the pairs will see Andrea Davidovich and Evegeni Krasnopolski. American born Davidovich only teamed up with Krasnopolski, born in Kiev, Ukraine, last year after his partner Danielle Montalbano had an injury that ruined their 2012-13 season. It is the first time Israel will be represented in the pairs having previously only had competitors in Ice Dance and men's singles. So far this year they have managed a 7th place finish in the European Championships which is 4 places higher than Krasnopolski and Davidovich managed in 2012. They are tipped for a top 16 finish in Sochi.<br />
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Another Ukrainian born competitor is Alexei Bychenko also from Kiev who had competed for Ukraine until 2010 in the men's individual figure skating. He was only third in the Ukraine national championships in 2010 having been a silver medalist on two previous occasions, but there was only one spot open to the Ukraine that year. He came 10th in this year's European championship his best ever finish.<br />
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Vladislav Bykanov is the third Ukrainian born competitor on this team, although his family moved to Israel when he was five. He is the first Israeli male to qualify in short track speed skating and came 12th overall in the European Championships this season. He will be competing in the 500m, 1000m and 1500m. He is hoping to do better than Olga Danilov who failed to advance in two of the same three disciplines in the women's events in 2002.<br />
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The final member of the Israeli team is a 19-year-old born in Luzembourg, Virgile Vandeput. Although Israel have a quota of two spots for the Alpine Skiing events they have chosen to only fill one of them an that is for the men's slalom and giant slalom. But the 19-year-old who trains in France is a veteran on the circuit having first appeared in the 2010-11 season as a mere 16-year old. In the world championships last season he managed 48th in the slalom.<br />
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<b>Kyrgyzstan</b><br />
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Once again Kyrgyzstan will send Dmitry Trelevski to the Winter Games, but this time he is the sole qualifier from the Central Asian republic. He came 76th in the men's giant slalom but had failed to complete the first run of the slalom. At 28 he is taking part in his second Games and adding the Super-G to his itinerary. He is not a regular on the World Cup circuit and his best performance in the World Championships was in 2007 when he finished 45th in the slalom and 55th in the Giant Slalom.<br />
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He proudly carried his nations flag into the Opening ceremony in Vancouver four years ago and as the only representative this time will be doing so once again in Sochi.<br />
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<b>Lebanon</b><br />
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There will be two competitors for Lebanon in Sochi a single competitor in both the men's and women's slalom.<br />
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Jacky Chamoun at 22 is returning for her second Winter Games. She placed 54th in the women's slalom four years ago.<br />
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She will be joined by Tarek Fenianos who is 13 months older than the veteran Olympian. He finished 46th in the slalom at last year's World Championships. <br />
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<b>Mongolia</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinbat Otgontsetseg</td></tr>
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With the exception of 1976 when they sent no team and 1994 when there was only a short track speed skater Mongolia has been represented in the Cross-Country skiing every Olympics since 1964. This year they are no different.<br />
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In the shortest women's classical race the 10km they will be represented by 22-year old Chinbat Otgontsetseg. She was 91st in last season's World Championships at 10km Freestyle. Although she hasn't competed on the World Cup stage since she made two appearances in the 2009-10 season. <br />
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In the men's 15km classical she is joined by Bold Byambadorj. The
22-year-old has been based in Europe this season after coming 138th in
the 15km Freestyle World Championships last year, to gain more international experience.<br />
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Both of them took part in the Universiade in Trentino in November last year as part of a four strong. Otgontsetseg had a best of 52nd in her Olympic discipline, Byambadorj came 61st in the 30km classical.<br />
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<b>Nepal</b><br />
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Nepal are only competing in their fourth Winter Olympics and for two of the previous Games their representative this year, Dachhiri Sherpa, was also their sole representative. Now aged 44 the man who holds the Ultra Marathon record for the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc is taking part in his third Winter Games. He was 92nd in 2010 better than, his 94th from 2006 in the men's 15km classical cross country.<br />
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At his age he is bound to be one of, if not the oldest competitor at this year's Winter Olympics. But as well as being a recognied trail runner around Europe in 2003 he decided he wanted to show off his country and to do that he took up cross country skiing. He is still superbly fit and do not rule him out of appearing in the next Games at an incredible 48.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karim with Air Marshal Khan head of the Ski federation</td></tr>
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<b>Pakistan</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>Having sorted out the dispute between the Pakistan Olympic Committee and the Pakistan Government Mohammad Karim and teenage skier will be able to take his place in the men's slalom and giant slalom. He is only 18 and already leaps and bounds ahead of Pakistan's only previous Winter Olympian Mohammad Abbas. He is one of the growing number of young people from the Naltar region who the Pakistan Air Force are taking from the wooden skis that they start on to progress through international competition to enhance the nation's ski programme.<br />
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<b>Philippines </b><br />
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The sole representative for the Philippines wasn't even born when they last took part in their last Winter Games, the last time they were held in the same year as the Summer Games at Albertville in 1992. Indeed it would be almost five years before Michael Christian Martinez came into the world. At 17 it is only last year that he landed his first triple Axel. But last year he was 5th in the World Juniors, two of those above him were in the top four of this year's USA Championships and another won the Chinese Men's but has not been selected this time. The year before he was 7th in the Youth Olympic Games.<br />
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He is the first figure skater to ever represent his nation, as the only previous competitors have been in Alpine skiing or luge.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Chinese Taipei<br /></b>There are two 21-year-old athletes from different backgrounds representing Chinese Taipei in both the speed skating disciplines.<br />
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The elder but just over 3 weeks is native born Sung Ching-yang who started out as an inline skater in which he won 2 gold medals in the 2010 Asian games in the 300m time trial and 500m sprint. He converted to long track speed skating and had success in last year's Universiade taking bronze in the 1000m. He will be competing in the two sprint disciplines 500m and 1000m at the Adler Arena Skating Centre. He is the first competitor from his nation to take part in the long track speed skating<br />
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The other is Canadian born Mackenzie Blackburn whose mother hails from the island. He grew up in Quebec surrounded by ice and snow in winter and coached by his parents in the short track version of speed skating. Like Sung Ching-yang he is a speed merchant and will only be taking part in the sprint events over 500m and 1000m. When he was only 16 he managed to come 14th in the 500m at the World Junior Championships. In an event where sometimes chance can have and impact he is capable of semi-final and quarter final results so anything could happen.<br />
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<b>Tajikstan</b><br />
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For the fourth Winter Games in a row Tajikstan are sending one man to the Games and that man is Andrei Drygin. He is the only person to have represented his adopted nation in the Winter Olympics, he was born in Russia. His best performance was when he came 44th in the Super-G in Vancouver 4 years ago., but he also has a best of 51st the Downhill in 2006 and 57th in Giant Slalom in 2010. He will be 36 this year when he arrives in Sochi to take part in the Super-G and Giant Slalom.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Thailand</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn</td></tr>
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With two competitors it will no doubt be Kanes Sucharitakul who is taking part in the men's giant slalom and slalom who will be overlooked. The French based 21 year old student will pale in comparison to the media interest of the woman competing in the giant slalom. Although she is competing as Vanessa Vanakorn she is best known as Vanessa Mae the violinist. She will be making her Olympic debut at 35 after securing the Olympic qualifying standards on the last eligible day 19 January. They will follow in the ski tracks of Prawat Nagvajara who competed at Salt Lake City in 2002 and Turin in 2006.<br />
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<b>Uzbekistan</b><br />
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There will be three athletes representing Uzbekistan in Sochi.<br />
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The first the eldest at 26 is also the only woman Kseniya Grigoreva who is appearing in her second Games. She unfortunately did not finish the first run of the women's slalom four years ago but came 58th in the Giant Slalom. This year she is doubling up adding Giant Slalom to her itinerary<b>. </b>She did not finish in either event in last year's world championships but two years earlier she was 44th in the slalom and 72nd in the Giant Slalom.<b> </b> <br />
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Joining her in the Alpine disciplines in 20-year-old Artem Voronov who in last year's world championships came 44th in the men's slalom. In the world juniors the year before that he came 16th in the combined which suggests that in the future he may do more than simply the slalom and giant slalom which is all he has qualified for this time around.<br />
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The final member of the Uzbek team is yet another Russian born skater, Misha Ge. He is 22 years old but for most of his life has been training away from his homeland. At the age of ten he moved to China to start training and since 2009 has been training in the USA.<br />
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This explains why he was 6th in the Chinese national championship in 2009 before winning the Uzbek national title the following two years. However, in the 2011 Asian Games he finished 6th the last continental wide event he took part in. But in the last three Four Continents Tournaments (bring together the non-European skaters) he has been in the top 12 on each occasion. In last year's World Championships he recorded his best ever finish of 16th. But earlier this season he recorded his second silver medal performance in the Asian Cup only being beaten by Japan's Tatsuki Machida who secured Japan's second slot for the Olympics and Worlds this season.<br />
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<b>Timor-Leste </b>appears in my blog post about <a href="http://stephenssportingalmanac.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/debut-nations-at-2014-winter-olympics.html">debut nations</a>. Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-74357171094307639572014-01-28T10:30:00.000+00:002014-01-28T10:30:00.496+00:00Smaller Winter Olympic delegations: 1 Africa #Sochi2014After looking at the <a href="http://stephenssportingalmanac.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/debut-nations-at-2014-winter-olympics.html">debut Winter Olympic nations </a>it is time to look at
some of the smaller delegations, those with 5 or less athletics so I am
looking at them continent by continent. First alphabetically is Africa.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khelfi in action</td></tr>
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<b>Algeria</b><br />
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Twenty one year old Mehdi-Sélim Khelfi will enter the stadium as the first Algerian to take part in two Winter Olympics. He will once again take part in the 15km cross-country skiing. Though this time he will be taking part in the classical rather than freestyle version. He finished 84th in Vancouver 4 years ago, but has a career best finish from that year of 26th in an individual sprint event from Germany in 2010<b> </b>.<br />
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Born in France he made his debut on the world cup circuit last season having qualified in 2010 from the lower ranking events. He of course carried the flag into the stadium four years ago with only Greece and Albania going before and will most likely be repeating that honour when the Games come to Sochi, so he will be one of the first athletes to be seen on TV screens once again.<br />
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<b>Morocco </b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lamhamedi winning gold in the Winter Youth Olympics</td></tr>
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Neighbouring Algeria to the west is Morocco is sending two teenage skiers to take part in the Alpine events. The first is 17-yeare-old Kenza Tazi who is currently at high school in Albertville doing a sports studies course. It was here that she developed her interest in skiing and she will take part in the women's slalom and giant slalom.<br />
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The other Moroccan competitors is Adam Lamhamedi who was born to Canada to an Algerian father. In 2012 at the Youth Winter Olympics he won the boy's Super-G. This made his the first African athlete to win a winter related Olympic medal. He has largely been competing on the junior men's circuit in Canada this season but raking in the top six in all but one of the races he has taken part in against the best of Canada and the USA's young skiers. At eighteen he is already shown a natural ability for the sport and may well be one to look out for in Pyeongchangfour years from now.<br />
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<b>Togo</b> and <b>Zimbabwe </b>are also sending small delegations from Africa but they are featured in the <a href="http://stephenssportingalmanac.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/debut-nations-at-2014-winter-olympics.html">debut nations</a> blog post from earlier this month.<br />
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<br />Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-6145321914319857662014-01-25T14:27:00.001+00:002014-01-25T14:27:56.487+00:00South Africa not sending athlete to SochiFor the first time since they returned to the Olympics at the 1992 Summer Games South Africa will not be sending an athlete to Sochi. This is despite the fact that when the quota allocation was finalised on Monday they were allocated one spot in Alpine Skiing.<br />
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However, Sive Speelman who was the skier whose performances that quota spot was based on will not be packing his bags from the ski slopes of Europe where he has been gaining points to head to the Black Sea city that is hosting the 2014 Winter Games.<br />
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The last quota from the IOC is to award the unused positions based on countries who had yet to fill a position or those who were not using their full criteria, when they were awarded multiple spots, freeing up spots. The standard for the quota list released in December was based on skiers achieving a average score of less than 140 points based on five FIS events. As of earlier this week Speelman had a score of 140.126 only just missing out on achieving the B standard as of right. However, as explained above the IOC were filling up the spots for the men's slalom which will take place on the 22nd February and this was good enough to be part of that day.<br />
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Yesterday the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) said that they would not be taking up the spot saying they would only be sending their best athletes to the Olympics.<br />
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However, a quick look at Sive's FIS page indicates that the earlier of these five races used to get that average was on 9 April 2013. There is a race three days earlier which he also picked up points which if used as a average of his best five scores over the last 12 months actually comes to 134.97.<br />
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So you can understand the disappointment of the 18 year old from Barkly East with his local Olympic Committee. However, looking at every South African Winter Olympic team since 1994 they have one thing in common that Sive Speelman cannot provide. There is at least one white South African in each of their previous five Winter Games teams.<br />
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With the refusal to send Speelman as a one man team there will be international scrutiny on the subject of race on this decision denying the one invitee from the IOC for South Africa to send to the Games in a fortnight's time.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-7943696396206061852014-01-14T23:24:00.001+00:002014-01-15T12:50:23.535+00:00US Skating Federation break their selection criteria for the sponsors dollarAnyone who is anyone in sport will tell you that US Olympic selection is rigid. If you want to take one of the three spots your nation has in that sport you have to be in one of the top three spaces in that sport's trial or national championship.<br />
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With winter sport and the threat of injury for most of them there have been the odd exception made, but only for the issue of injury. For figure skating there have only ever been four exceptions, the first was in 1992 when Todd Eldredge the two time US Champion and bronze from the previous year's worlds was unable to compete due to a back injury, he was selected but came a lowly 10th. In 1998 it was pairs skaters Jenni Meno and Todd Sand who benefited by an ankle injury to Meno forced them to withdraw during the nationals, they were 8th in the Olympics but unlike Eldredge recovered to take silver in the Worlds. Michelle Kwan was selected for the 2006 Games after chronic injuries had forced her to miss the entire season but in the end she had to withdraw from the Games and normality was resumed.<br />
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The only other time was the infamous 1994 when Nancy Kerrigan replaced Kwan after the incident involving her rival Tonya Harding's ex-partner and a police paton on the eve of the championships. Kerrigan alone of the replacement pics medaled.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Podium from the US Championships with Wagner on 4th step</td></tr>
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This year there was no injury issues and the third place finisher in the Ladies was the only of the top four who had previous Olympic experience coming 4th in Vancouver four years ago. She stayed on her feet, with a substantial lead and a harder programme then the skater in fourth, who actually feel twice in the free programme. She is also coming back from a tough season last year, she is the sort of story of American grit that sponsors would love. But the sponsors have already investing in advertising in Ashley Wagner who came fourth who is signed with Nike, Pandora Jewelry and Cover Girl for her blond hair and blue eyes. The women who came third and is now only the alternate for the Games is Mirai Nagasu the daughter of Japanese immigrants who run a sushi bar in California. In 2008 she was the second youngest ever US national champion.<br />
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In another twist to the who story Wagner was born in Heidelberg, Germany while Nagasu is Californian born. Although to be be fair Wagner was born on the US Army Base in Heidelberg. <br />
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Here's the routine that everyone thought at the time earned Mirai her return to the Olympic stage.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rg7T76ZWsuA" width="560"></iframe>Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-66038169749380040412014-01-10T22:45:00.001+00:002014-01-10T22:45:19.810+00:00Dukurs brothers reign supreme at home of SkeletonThe sliders of Winter sport have moved to the last hand made track this weekend and that means St. Moritz. First up up? What else but the men's skeleton the event that before 2002 had only appeared when the Olympics of 1928 and 1948 were held in this high altitude Swiss resort.<br />
<br />
In the first of two men's events here this weekend it was this seasons top four in the standing who were the four fastest after heat 1. For the Lativian Dukurs brothers younger brother Thomass had the better of the four time world cup winner, looking for his fifth in a row, older brother Martins on the first run. Behind them Matthew Antoine USA had the edge over Alexander Tretiakov RUS but there was only 0.17 seconds covering the top 4 and only 0.03 separating 2nd from 4th. So it was all to play for on the second run.<br />
<br />
Before the contest at the fast end of the first run, German Frank Rommel put in a great performance the first man to record a time of over 101 km/h in the last speed trap all day which saw him rise into the top 10. Britain's former World Champion Kristan Bromley also but in a good run, recording one of the fastest times at the speed guns and indeed his time of 1:10.21 was only to be beaten by those top 4 sliders as well as thew unfortunate USA slider Eric Neilson who had a big hit near the end which saw he drop down to 9th having been 5th at the end of the first run. Bromley's run would eventually see him climb to 7th overall.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijokgpt8SLwscZd7_SzBnAjBxeqHojTIDkmJmWT4AmHgoGbauN3V2z5eF_mNER-c7ZPTloW6fDlxeiIGjs8Fug83Moqlcq1KAo-jYmUWzQfLGTwWiPjhM6EYXht17O9yU_e01WNdP584Xs/s1600/Martins+Dukurs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijokgpt8SLwscZd7_SzBnAjBxeqHojTIDkmJmWT4AmHgoGbauN3V2z5eF_mNER-c7ZPTloW6fDlxeiIGjs8Fug83Moqlcq1KAo-jYmUWzQfLGTwWiPjhM6EYXht17O9yU_e01WNdP584Xs/s1600/Martins+Dukurs.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martins Dukurs <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture captured from Bobsleigh and Skeleton TV</span></td></tr>
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Tretiakov didn't manage to be the first man to go under 1:10 twice, so when Antoine did he was able to retain at least a podium spot, but he then had the pair who were one-two last weekend in Winterberg and in last year's World Cup to come after him.<br />
<br />
Martins Dukurs set a new track record of 1:09.30 while his brother was preparing in the start gate. Thomass came down in the second fastest time of the day, but it was only 0.04 seconds faster than his previous run, a full 0.4 seconds down on the track record set moments before and 0.26 second behind his brother, who win took him back to the top of the world cup standings.<br />
<br />
<b>Result</b><br />
<br />
1. Martins Dukurs LAT 1:09.88 + <b>1:09.30</b> (TR) = <b>2:19.18</b><br />
2. Thomass Dukurs<b> </b>LAT <b>1:09.74</b> + 1:09.70 = 2:19.44 +0.26<br />
3. Matthew Antoine USA 1:09.90 + 1:09.97 = 2:19.87 +0.69 <br />
4. Alexander Tretiakov RUS 1:09.91 + 1:10.07 = 2:19.98 +0.80<br />
5. Kyle Tress USA 1:10.22 + 1:10.28 = 2:20.50 +1.32<br />
6. John Fairburn CAN 1:10.28 + 1:10.31 = 2:20.59 +1.41<br />
7. Kristan Bromley GBR 1:10.39 + 1:10.21 = 2:20.60 +1.42<br />
8. Alexander Kroeckel RUS 1:10.37 + 1:10.25 = 2:20.62 +1.44<br />
9. Eric Neilson USA 1:10.18 + 1:10.46 = 2:20.64 +1.46<br />
10. Eric Rommel GER 1:10.58 + 1:10.24 = 2:20.82 +1.64<br />
<br />
<b>World Cup Standings</b><br />
<br />
1. Martins Dukurs LAT 1045<br />
2. Alexander Tretiakov RUS 1037<br />
3. Thomass Dukurs LAT 988<br />
4. Matthew Antoine USA 985<br />
5. Frank Rommel GER 816 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-40375259058379258842014-01-10T01:42:00.003+00:002014-01-10T01:42:59.242+00:00First 2014 Cycling national championsThe traditional first national jerseys to be decided are in the Green and Gold of Australia. First up on Wednesday were the Time Trials.<br />
<br />
Orica-GreenEDGE and Orica-AIS riders were defending both the men's and women's jerseys. For the women Shara Gillow was looking for her fourth title on the run and for the men Luke Durbridge was looking to become only the second Aussie to win more than twice with his third win in a row.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ridemedia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/_MG_5519-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.ridemedia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/_MG_5519-3.jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wardlaw in action on Wednesday</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the women's race Gillow was coming back from illness and hadn't been on a bike for two weeks in the build up to the event. She still managed to see off almost every female cyclist in the field, the one exception being a 36-year-old Victorian who is only in her second full time season on the roads. Felicity Wardlaw had come third last year clocked 38:46.64 for the 28km course at Burrumbeet, near Ballarat in her home state.<br />
<br />
Gillow who had come 13th in the Time Trial at Hampton Court during the London Olympics came in 32.2 seconds down, while 2008 champion returned to the podium a further 37.1 seconds slower.<br />
<br />
In the men's race Orica-GreenEDGE had reigning World Team and Individual Pursuit champion on the track, Michael Hepburn, along with world U-23 World Time Trial Champion Damien Howson competing against their champion Durbridge. There was also Garmin-Sharp rider Rohan Dennis to contend with, however a puncture followed later by a fall caused by a gust of wind meant that Dennis did not complete the course.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d4nuk0dd6nrma.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/IMG_7818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://d4nuk0dd6nrma.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/IMG_7818.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">l to r: Durbridge, Hepburn, Howson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hepburn the 22-year-old World pursuit champion "captured" nine other riders, but unlike on the track he had to keep pedaling which he did posting a time of 56:25.90 on the 45km course. He was 2 minutes 6.3 seconds faster than Howson and with Dennis having a day to forget there was only his team mate wearing the number 1 as defending champion who could unseat him. But Durbridge lost out to the man who is only 130 days older than Hepburn missed out by 11.6 seconds. But Orica-GreenEDGE filled the podium.<br />
<br />
The Road Race champions will be decided at the weekend.<br />
<br />Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-80607967705947200182014-01-06T22:01:00.003+00:002014-01-06T22:01:52.179+00:00Newcomer soars to Four Hills TriumphAustria's Thomas Diehart had only taken part in four World Cup ski jumping events before Christmas. But it was the 4th and 6th place in the Englebert rounds just days before that would have alerted others to his potential.<br />
<br />
However, since he has gone on a remarkable run. On the 29th December he lined up for his first appearance in a Four Hills event. In the first round he jumped 139m the same distance as Simon Ammann SWI, for the second longest distance of the round, in the second round he equalled the distance as his countryman Thomas Morgenstern 134.5m. His style marks weren't the best but with the top 5 only divided by 5.1 points overall he slotted in at equal 3rd claiming his first World Cup podium, behind Ammann.<br />
<br />
New Year's Day saw him soar out beyond everyone else his 141m in round 1 was 2 metres further than Morgenstern and a full 7.5 metres further than Ammann. In round 2 he cleared 140.5m in what was to be the only time someone jumped 140 in both rounds of any hill, this was 1.5m further than both Morgernstern and Amman, giving him 9 points more than his compatriot and almost 17 more than Amman.<br />
<br />
Saturday saw the weather foreshortened Innsburck hill which was cut short after the first round. Diehart was in 5th after that having jumped a mere 126.5m but everyone was shorter as a result of the weather. Only Ammann of him main rival was able to gain any ground on him overtaking Morgenstern to go second in the standings as a result of his second place leap but he only pulled back 3.6 points leaving the 21-year-old Austrian with an eleven point lead with just one round to go the following day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cdn.salzburg.com/nachrichten/uploads/pics/2014-01/showdown-in-bischofshofen-diethart-kaempft-um-sieg-41-50491685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.salzburg.com/nachrichten/uploads/pics/2014-01/showdown-in-bischofshofen-diethart-kaempft-um-sieg-41-50491685.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
Bischofshofen yesterday saw the final round of the 62nd Four Hills Tournament to end just over a week of exceptional jumping (bar the one weather affected hill). Peter Prevc of Slovenia jumped furthest in the first round 139.5m but Diehart was second with 138.5. Then in the seventh and final round of this year's Four Hills he jumped another 140m jump, only Morgenstern was able to surpass that, but by a margin of 1.7points the younger Austrian had recorded his second World Cup win of the week and his life to secure the Four Hills title by a margin of 18.3 points from Morgenstern and 20.2 over Ammann.<br />
<br />
<b>Result</b><br />
<br />
1. Thomas Diehart<b> </b>AUT<b> </b><br />
297.3 (3) + <b> 296.1</b> (1) + 122.7 (5) + <b>296.5</b> (1) = <b>1012.6</b><br />
2. Thomas Morgenstern AUT<br />
296.8 (5) + 285.1 (2) + 118.8 (8) + 293.6 (3) = 994.3<br />
3. Simon Ammann SWI<br />
<b>301.9</b> (1) + 278.5 (3) + 126.3 (2) + 285.7 (4) = 992.4<br />
4. Peter Prevc SLV<br />
297.3 (3) + 257.1 (18) + 122.1 (6) + 294.8 (2) = 971.3<br />
5. Noriaki Kasai JAP<br />
294.5 (6) + 265.3 (6) + 121.3 (7) + 281.0 (5) = 962.1<br />
6. Anders Bardel NOR<br />
297.9 (2) + 260.6 (13) + 113.7 (14) + 278.4 (6) = 950.6Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-33073540921948178292014-01-06T11:13:00.000+00:002014-01-06T11:13:29.660+00:00Norway historically fill podium for women's Tour de SkiThe Tour de Ski is a discipline roughly based on the grand tours of cycling testing cross-country skiiers over various disciplines. This year's event consisted of six stages.<br />
<br />
This year the event started in Oberhof, Germany on 28th December for the first of two stages. The first was a short individual start free technique race over 3km for the women and 4.5km for the men. The following day there was a sprint over 1.4km again using the free technique.<br />
<br />
On New Year's eve the event had moved on to Lenzerheide, Switzerland for a second sprint round. The the following day the new year was welcomed in with a mass start classical event over 10km for women and 15km for men. The Italian resort of Cortina-Toblach held the longest stage of the race on the 3rd of January with a 15km for women 35km for men free technique pursuit.<br />
<br />
The final two days over the weekend brought us to Val di Fiemme in Italy. Saturday say the final Classical style race of the Tour with an individual start over 5km for women and 10km for men. But yesterday saw the tough mountain climb of Mount Cermis over a 9km route where the skiers set off based on their accumulated time from the previous events in pursuit once more.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img2.custompublish.com/getfile.php/2496378.92.quvvbuevxb/500x0/5383274_2496378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://img2.custompublish.com/getfile.php/2496378.92.quvvbuevxb/500x0/5383274_2496378.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johaug crossing the line in triumph</td></tr>
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Yesterday in the women's event Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen of Norway who had been consistently in the top five on each stage, bar the second, went off first. But behind her was her compatriot Therese Johaug who had been second twice and third once in the previous three Tours. On each of those three previous occasions it had been Johaug who had proven strongest pulling back at least 40 seconds on every other skier each year. Jacobsen only had a 23 second lead over Johaug.<br />
<br />
Once again the final stage was to prove to be Therese Johaug's strength in the end she pulled back all of the 23 second deficit and opened a lead of 20.4 seconds to win Norway's first Tour de Ski. Almost three minutes back in third came a third Norwegian Heidi Weng. It was the first time that one nation has taken all three podium spots in either the men's or women's Tour de Ski events since their inception in 2007.<br />
<br />
<b>Overall result</b><br />
<br />
1. Therese Johaug NOR 2:04:16.4<b> </b><br />
2. Astrid<b> </b> Uhrenholdt Jacobsen NOR +20.4<br />
3. Heidi Weng NOR +2:50.4<br />
4. Krista Lähteenmäki FIN +2:56.1<br />
5. Kerttu Niskanen FIN +3:18.1<br />
<br />
6. Anne Kyllönen FIN +3:50.2<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ww2.hdnux.com/photos/25/53/24/5682489/3/628x471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ww2.hdnux.com/photos/25/53/24/5682489/3/628x471.jpg" height="219" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sundby powering up Mount Cermis for his victory</td></tr>
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For the men there was to be more Norwegian celebrations. Martin Johnsrud Sundby had a 30 second start lead over his fellow countryman Petter Northug and fellow countryman Chris Jespersen, who was making his debut in the Tour de Ski, going off third.<br />
<br />
Northug has been second three times and third once so people were wondering if he could have the same fairy tale ending as Johaug had earlier in the day. However, Sundby was to stay in front for the entire race to secure the second Norwegian victory on the Cermis. Jespersen was to climb up to the second step on the podium and starting from fifth behind four Norwegians, Johannes Dürr of Austria was to spoil the party and prevent all six medals of the day heading to Norway. <br />
<br />
<b>Overall result</b><br />
<br />
1. <b> </b>Martin Johnsrud Sundby NOR 3:05:55.2<br />
2. Chris Jespersen NOR +36.0<br />
3. Johannes Dürr AUT +1:05.9<br />
4. Petter Northug NOR +1:49.5<br />
5. Sjur Røthe NOR +1:55.7<br />
6. Alexander Legkov RUS +2:33.6 Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137995018825274921.post-80708521514824392332014-01-05T20:32:00.001+00:002014-01-05T20:32:43.115+00:00Lars van den Haar stays the course to extend his lead in World CupUnlike the earlier women's race in Rome of the Cyclo-Cross UCI World Cup the men's standings were a lot closer heading into the penultimate race and first of the new year. Going into race 6 the standings were<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 Lars van den Haar NED 337</li>
<li>2 Philipp Walsleben GER 304</li>
<li>3 Klaas Vantornout BEL 279</li>
<li>4 Kevin Pauwels BEL 275</li>
<li>5 Niels Albert BEL 273</li>
<li>6 Bart Aernouts BEL 227</li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2PSI0ZnefaDbppvYYhzUrDVu25YACzE54L26G3P1YZ3WhLVXN6HTigXsXdFKMOxzwN_WsnXmWhGeMbCE2e4zgDu893bkRiD6Ryfn0vxT8QJXTBZqk_RD4recrTPqSK7YSEbcVFeyQ4a-/s1600/switch+backs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2PSI0ZnefaDbppvYYhzUrDVu25YACzE54L26G3P1YZ3WhLVXN6HTigXsXdFKMOxzwN_WsnXmWhGeMbCE2e4zgDu893bkRiD6Ryfn0vxT8QJXTBZqk_RD4recrTPqSK7YSEbcVFeyQ4a-/s400/switch+backs.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The switch backs on lap 2 showing the leading groups</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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The 80 points on offer for winning would be a great prize for any of the top 5 and give any of them a great chance of winning. Walsleben of course would be looking to finish ahead of van den Haar because if the Dutchman having won rounds 1,2 and 5 could be almost unsurpassable were he to get his fourth win of the season on the Race course outside Rome today.<br />
<br />
Walsleben it was who went straight to the front to avoid carnage at the first sharp bend and he was joined by the Czech rider Martin Bina. At the first hurdles van den Haar was some distance back from the leaders. Crossing the line at the end of the first lap Bina had just taken up the pace from Walsleben, closley followed by Niels Albert BEL and Francis Mourey FRA. A further nine seconds back there was a group of three W Bosmans and Bart Wellens of Belgium and Corne van Kessel from the Netherlands. In a large group about 16 seconds back was the World Cup leader van den Haar in 13th place.<br />
<br />
Mourey started to struggle on lap two and get distanced from the other three leaders., he found himself 10 seconds down. Up to 9th now was van den Haar but some 29 seconds behind the group containing Walsleben. On the third lap Albert put in a bit of a kick and Bina and Walsleben were not able to respond immediately, so the gap continued to grow, especially when Bina hit a rut on the turn after the off camber section. The wind and rain started up again during lap 3 making an already tough course even harder. Albert had opened up a 13 second lead by the end of that lap but Mourey had caught the other two up. The chase group behind them was now up to four having been joined by Dutchman Thijs van Amerongen, but just 4 seconds behind them was Lars van den Haar looking to limit and indeed reduce his loses to Walsleben and Albert.<br />
<br />
The group containing Lar van den Haar had caught the second group on the switch backs and he was was soon up into 5th place on the fourth lap before they tackled the hurdles. Soon he was kicking on by himself chasing after Bina and just ahead of him Walsleben.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0avadk8TAINysx5bX-V1t6MpOW5la0zigxyxf0oQYcde_IRyGl8AfkM1IylNG7kdrznnSnwViYJhpNVb51v4FQJomh46yIW2vqmocyTZes8JaSovq841omx_zPyH2UzH1imYlv-7wJlr/s1600/Walsleben+van+den+Haar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0avadk8TAINysx5bX-V1t6MpOW5la0zigxyxf0oQYcde_IRyGl8AfkM1IylNG7kdrznnSnwViYJhpNVb51v4FQJomh46yIW2vqmocyTZes8JaSovq841omx_zPyH2UzH1imYlv-7wJlr/s320/Walsleben+van+den+Haar.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walsleben fourth pursued by van den Haar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
However, by the them they next took the hurdles Bina had been wheeled back in my Mourey and Walsleben but worringly for the German his Dutch nemesis was on his wheel. Shortly after though Mourey put in an attack and only Bina could stay with him, but van den Haar survived better than Walsleben. But the Dutchman was not giving up and Bina soon lost the wheel of Mourey and then was passed by van den Haar. Walsleben meanwhile continued to drop back into the field. At the line at the end of the lap Walsleben had lost half and minute and was now 7 places behind van den Haar, with three laps to go.<br />
<br />
On the next lap as Walsleben dropped the group that had caught up with him on the line van den Haar went away from Mourey but the Frenchmen would let him get away and they crossed the line about 2 seconds loser to Albert than the lap previously. Next lap in it was Mourey's turn to have a little dig, and the World Champion Sven Nys was now up to fourth place having caught and dropped Bina.<br />
<br />
Taking the bell Albert recorded a slightly slower lap, and was only 13 seconds ahead of Mourey who was only 4 seconds ahead of Nys and van den Haar and the chase was on to see if they could catch Albert. They were closing and closing but in the end the Belgian hung on my five seconds as van den Haar just took Nys in a photo.<br />
<br />
<b>Result </b><br />
<br />
1. Niels Albert BEL 1:06:33<br />2. Lars van den Haar NED +5<br />3. Sven Nys BEL+5<br />4. Francis Mourey FRA +11<br />5. Martin Bina CZE +41<br />6. Rob Peeters BEL +46<br />7. Thijs van Amerongen NED +51<br />8. Tom Meeusen BEL +1:02<br />9. Corne van KesselNED +1:16<br />10. Bart Wellens BEL +1:20<br />11. Philipp Walsleben GER +1:33<br />
<br />
So Lars van den Haar who took the leaders jersey of the world cup after the first race will wear it through to the last race, extending his lead. Niels Albert's win leapfrogs him into second place in the standings and Sven Nys has earned his first podium wearing his rainbow jersey. However, only a disaster will surely deny Lars van den Haar the World Cup win when they travel to Nommay, France for the final round on 26th January; indeed there are only 3 riders who even stand a chance.<br />
<br />
<b>World Cup Standings</b><br />
<br />
1. Lars van den Haar NED 407<br />2. Niels Albert Bel 353<br />3. Philipp Walsleben GER 344<br />4. Kevin Pauwels BEL 313<br />5. Klass Vantornout BEL 279<br />6. Francis Mourey FRA 270<br />7. Thijs van Amerongen NED 267<br />8. Sven Nys BEL 264<br />9. Bart Aernouts 264<br />10. Rob Peeters 248Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com0