Archive for the ‘Athletics’ Category

Written on November 22nd, 2012 by Athletics Comments

Ultimate Challenge – Ultraman World Championship

Ultimate Challenge - Ultraman World Championship

Ultimate Challenge – Ultraman World Championship

By Zac Grace: The Ultraman World Championship is one of a kind of triathlon that puts the endurance level of the fittest athletes on test during the three days it is held. It is a race that covers 320 miles and stages the best athletes of the world in a rare event of its kind that is held annually in the island of Hawaii. The 28th Ultraman World Championship is about to start, it will be held November 23-25, 2012. So let’s get to know it a bit before we tune in.

Format: The basic format of the competition has been the same throughout the three decades the Ultraman Championship has taken place. It is divided among three stages. The first step requires the athletes to swim through ocean from Bay of Kailua to Keauhou Bay covering a distance of around 6.2 miles followed by a 9 mile bike ride that has to endure vertical climbs of around 6000 feet on the way.

Then come the second stage from the Volcanoes Park to the Kohala Village where the athletes need to ride their bikes through 4000 feet vertical climbs and finally the athletes need to cover a distance of around 52 miles in the third stage double marathon race.

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Written on October 15th, 2012 by Athletics Comments

Paula Radcliffe will not retire after losing Lotto funding

Paula Radcliffe will not retire after losing Lotto funding

Paula Radcliffe will not retire after losing Lotto funding

By Jason Edwards: Paula Radcliffe has lost her national lottery funding, but has ruled out retiring. Radcliffe who is the world record holder for the marathon is now 38 and is no longer seen as a genuine medal contender for the Rio Olympics in 2016. She was one of several big-name athletes to lose funding by UK Athletics as part of an overhaul of the World Class Performance Programme for 2013.

She missed the London Olympics with a foot injury and has only raced one marathon since 2009, some other high-profile athletes has also lost their funding including Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis who were both members of the Olympic gold medal-winning 4 x 100 metres relay team in Athens in 2004.

Other notable casualties include 2007 world 400m silver medallist Nicola Sanders, 2008 world indoor 60m silver medallist Jeanette Kwakye and Stephanie Twell, the 2008 world junior 1500m champion. Radcliffe today admitted she was not surprised about the decision after only raced four times since her return to competitive action in 2011 but she is determined to prolong her career.

She is currently recovery from surgery on the chronic foot problem that forced her to pull out of the London Olympics in August.

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Written on August 14th, 2012 by Athletics, Cycling, Horse Racing, Tennis Comments

2012 SPOTY Award Gathers Momentum

2012 SPOTY Award Gathers Momentum

2012 SPOTY Award Gathers Momentum

By Rod Crowley: In the wake of the hugely successful Olympic Games, attention has turned to who will win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award (SPOTY) where Mo Farah has received plenty of recent support to suggest that he can put in a serious challenge to favourite, Bradley Wiggins.

As far as the SPOTY betting is concerned, ‘Wiggo’ is a hot 4/7 odds on favourite with Ladbrokes, who have Farah at 2/1. They then go 6/1 about Jessica Ennis with men’s Tennis gold medal winner, Andy Murray, next at 25/1. Sir Chris Hoy is named as the next most likely but is odds of 50/1, suggesting that the race for this honour is to be between the top four in the betting.

Murray of course has a huge opportunity to bridge the gap between himself and the three in front of him by winning the US Open Championship next month.

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Written on August 6th, 2012 by Athletics, Olympics Comments

Algerian athlete will compete despite being thrown out for ‘not trying’

Algerian athlete will compete despite being thrown out for ‘not trying’

Algerian athlete will compete despite being thrown out for ‘not trying’

By Ed Syers: , an Algerian runner, has been allowed to compete in the men’s 1500m final on Tuesday despite being disqualified from all future events at the London games after failing to complete his 800m heat.

Makhloufi had lined up for the 800m qualifier on Monday morning having made the final of the 1500m in record time the night before, and commentators questioned whether the Algerian would have one eye already on Tuesday’s final. This appeared to be the case, as Makhloufi got off to a slow start in London. After just 200m of the heat had been completed, he stopped racing completely.

The athlete had originally intended not to race at all in the 800m heat following his success in the 1500m, but Algeria did not withdraw Makhloufi before the deadline on Sunday night, forcing him to race. Indeed, many were surprised to see the 24-year-old had opted to participate the day before the 1500m final.

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