Read It In The News 2011

[Kermit]

Whoever is the strongest will win. People like to put the finger on the time, but the beauty of the event is that when you have people pushing each other, anything could happen. It might take only 51 seconds to win the Worlds - who knows?

Christine Ohuruogu

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/14141127.stm

[SteveK26]

Wouldn't it be nice to have a fully fit Christine on the plane to Daegu!!
An athlete of her quality could only be good for morale. I hope she runs a low 51 (or better) at the trials.

[d pickup]

Wouldn't it be nice to have a fully fit Christine on the plane to Daegu!!
An athlete of her quality could only be good for morale. I hope she runs a low 51 (or better) at the trials.

SteveK26
I'd like to second that. A bucketful of luck too for her - and all our W 400 runners. If everything could just come sweetly together at the individual level and the relay level.

[Kermit]

CHARLES van Commenee has drawn a line under his simmering row with world triple jump champion Phillips Idowu.

http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/athle ... -forgotten

[d pickup]

CHARLES van Commenee has drawn a line under his simmering row with world triple jump champion Phillips Idowu.

http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/athle ... -forgotten

One of the best bits of news of the week on the GBR front. Charles must be a strong leader, but he is dealing with young people, with all their energy, very-high ambitions, sometimes aggressive youthfulness ... so a bit of 'leaway', forgiveness ... on his part will show strength not weakness, and hopefully aid team togetherness. (yes I know Phillips is not so youthful, 32, and what really happened in the 'conflict' was not easy to unravel, if it ever was totally so, but good now that it is behind - totally hopefully).

[Geoff]

CVC had little choice no matter who was right or wrong. Both have to put this behind them but many are saying it is partly about athletes being bottled into a system and not allowing athletes and coaches to operate more independently. Not sure if this is right but is the view of some in the sport.

[Kermit]

Britain's athletes should be allowed to march in the Opening Ceremony at London 2012, the chairman of the International Olympic Committee Athletes' Commisssion Frankie Fredericks has claimed here

http://www.insidethegames.biz/olympics/ ... commission

[mump boy]

Of course they should athletics doesn't start till a week later

[SteveK26]

I agree totally that those that want to should take part.

[Kermit]

However, a functional body that helps you feel fast is something I have realised, after breaking my ankle, you can't take for granted

Stephanie Twell in her own words

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/others ... mpics.html

[d pickup]

'It's a race against time for Bekele brothers'

see
www.universalsports.com/news-blogs/blog ... e+brothers

[Kermit]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/23/sport ... .html?_r=1

Rupert Murdoch’s British newspapers could lose exclusive access to the country’s athletes as they prepare for next year’s Summer Games in London because of the phone-hacking scandal that led to the closing of the tabloid The News of the World and testimony before Parliament by Murdoch and his son James

.

[sidelined]

The Guardian was saying this a couple of days ago:

"News International's contract to be the exclusive media partner of Team GB's athletes in the runup to the London Olympics has been torn up in the wake of the hacking scandal."


http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/ju ... 2-athletes

I'm astounded that LOCOG were prepared to do that kind of deal with News International. It would have been outrageous to be forced to make a choice between giving Murdoch your money and not reading anything about GB athletes.

[Kermit]

All those Blackberry's vulnerable to hacking!

[Kermit]

DUO SUSPENDED OVER MONACO FIGHT http://www.runnerspace.com/news.php?new ... rting-Life

[Kermit]

the Games would be completed on time and on budget by July next year.

http://www.building.co.uk/buildings/spe ... 23.article

[LiamRiley]

'Jelimo to miss Kenyan nationals'

'suffered a series of injuries "and other matters which I cannot discuss in public". '

see
http://www.supersport.com/athletics/art ... ?Id=424951

I've a feeling that her career is coming to a close. There are clearly some personal issues affecting her on a long-term basis. She's achieved some awesome things and I'd like to see her back to her best, but sometimes life must take precedence over sport. I wouldn't want any world class athlete to compromise their happiness for what are often just number comparisons.

[Kermit]

Allyson Felix has confirmed that she will run both the 200m & 400m in Daegu

[SteveK26]

Kermit
........and both relays, I assume.

[Kermit]

Not sure Steve, I haven't checked out their relay squads. I know the preliminary squads were announced, but not sure of any confirmation.

[Kermit]

As I had just finished my last post on the matter I came across this piece in the Chicago Tribune that says she is likely to run both relays

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/gl ... 322.column

[jjimbojames]

Given that they need Felix for the 4x400m, and the fact that the 4x100m is the last event, I would imagine she's a definite for the 4x400m, and pencilled in for the 4x100m, with a back-up waiting in the wings if she's too tired

[Kermit]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympi ... isers.html

When the respondents of the ICM poll – which comprised 2,000 people of varying ages – were asked if London 2012 would inspire them to become more active, just 21 per cent said it would, while two-thirds (67 per cent) said it would not inspire them to be more active at all.

[Kermit]

“If you’re not focused there is brain space to be nervous. You shouldn’t have that. I find it quite unprofessional actually, athletes who are nervous. They’re not prepared.”

Charles van Commenee

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-spor ... -23299616/

[SteveK26]

Consider this Charles, do you think Cathy Freeman was nervous as she stood on the start line in 2004?
I suppose not. She only had the expectations of the entire Australian nation sat on her shoulders (as well as her own)!!

Is Mr. Van Commanee becoming more bizarre as time goes on? I dread to think what he'll be coming out with as we get closer to the opening ceremony.

[srb]

I believe it is CVC's psychology. A bit like his comment about a number of athletes need to up their game as they have not been performing upto standard.
A bit one size fits all and broad brush. I'd have thought that it would need to be more one to one to be effective.
But I guess it is only to keep him in the limelight and to show the public/SportUK that he is doing something.
To be machiavellian-perhaps it is to lower expectations.
I note that PI has not drawn a line under the twitter feud.

Do I not like public posturing! But that is probably my age. At times it seems that he is the story...

[fangio]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/8663949/London-2012-Olympics-Daily-Telegraph-poll-will-cause-grave-concern-among-Games-organisers.html

When the respondents of the ICM poll – which comprised 2,000 people of varying ages – were asked if London 2012 would inspire them to become more active, just 21 per cent said it would, while two-thirds (67 per cent) said it would not inspire them to be more active at all.

Very surprised ICM asked such a useless question. How active were the 21% already, and more importantly how active were the 67% who said it would not increase their activity levels. I currently play 3 sports competitively, had to give up a 4th as I can't fit it in these days, so I don't think London 2012 will make me more active, so I would show up as a it not inspiring me to be more active. So how relevant is the stat?

[d pickup]

“If you’re not focused there is brain space to be nervous. You shouldn’t have that. I find it quite unprofessional actually, athletes who are nervous. They’re not prepared.”

Charles van Commenee

www.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-sport/athle ... -23299616/

Kermit
(one trusts the Mirror has not misquoted CVC)

It might be / could be / is an interesting comment about nervousness, though if you said to me 'athletes are nervous before an event' my reaction would be 'of course; a necessary hangover from the survival "instinct" of our earliest ancestors' - or something like that. Some great athletes are very nervous before their effort. Apparently 2ml WR-holder Komen was never nervous.

CVC should give a lecture on it to a gathering of coaches and there be a full discussion afterwards.

Finally CVC should be a strong leader but he has a mix of types of athletes to deal with, whether cocky ones like Idowu (he may not be, but I'm trying to illustrate a point) or very polite ones like Clarke (with his Etonian background?), and certainly I've never seen anyone even murmer that Ennis is any trouble at all on the athletics front (whatever goes on in her head as to what she really thinks about CVC).

CVC needs to walk the tighrope between leadership & recognising individuality; CVC don't be nervous.

[jjimbojames]

Has this been reported - 3 of the 4 women in India's 4x400m have now failed drug tests
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14022296

Coaches also being punished (readtherules - take note) - and England look likley to get lifted to Gold Medal

[sidelined]

Finally CVC should be a strong leader but he has a mix of types of athletes to deal with, whether cocky ones like Idowu (he may not be, but I'm trying to illustrate a point) or very polite ones like Clarke (with his Etonian background?), and certainly I've never seen anyone even murmer that Ennis is any trouble at all on the athletics front (whatever goes on in her head as to what she really thinks about CVC).

CVC needs to walk the tighrope between leadership & recognising individuality; CVC don't be nervous.

d pickup, in my limited experience Etonians have been trained to be extremely polite AND extremely cocky. The first attribute often disguises the second.

I think you have to take all CVCs pronouncements like this with a large pinch of salt. The Mirror were no doubt just looking for a story, and he gave them one.