Sian Meades asked:


This summer, (exactly from July 17 to August 2) Rome will be hosting all the passionate swimming fans ready to attend the thirteenth edition of the FINA swimming championships. FINA is the organization that advertises acquatics sports in all its disciplines and organizes the international competitive activities of swimming, synchronized swimming, diving and water polo.

According to the organization but also the Rome tourist board, this will be the most important 2009 sports event in the city. These Championships, differentiated for the competitions held not only in pools but also for diving, synchronized swimming, swimming in open water and water polo, will travel to Rome 2.500 athletes, 1.500 coaches and representing managers of over 170 Countries from all over the world.

This special sport event, that was already hosted in Rome in 1994 at the Foro Italico, isn’t only important for the competitive expressions and for the great world and olympic champions that will take part, such as Alessia Filippi , Michael Phelps, Federica Pellegrini andTania Cagnotto, but will also be very important for the economic aspect of roman tourism. Many Rome Hotels will be waiting to host these fans in their facilities.

The Opening Ceremony will be taking place on the 18th of July at the magnificent Stadio dei Marmi, located in the heart of the Foro Italico. Those interested in this great sport event in Rome may carry out their own pre-emption purchase by filling out the booking form at the official website www.roma2009.com/?pag=tk&lang=en and then send it to :ticketingoffice@roma09.it.

Ticket sales for the Championships will start up on April 1st and there are 180 thousand total tickets available.

shijina asked:


Did you know that boxing is sometimes called as ‘pugilism’? And it is generally called as English boxing or Anglais boxing. This is a game of combat where two participants of similar weight fight against each other using their fists. Today Boxing is conducted in a regulated manner, normally in a series of one to three minute intervals know as ‘rounds’. The winner is chosen if any one of the player or boxer is knocked down and incapable to get up before the referee begins counts one to ten or if the opponent is deemed too tired or injured to go on. If the fist fighting never end before an agreed number of rounds, then the winner is chosen either by the judges’ score cards or by the referee’s decision. The ancient Greek people were the first to make a sport from fighting with fists, giving rules and even organizing tournaments with their experts. The birth of boxing was marked by its allowance in the game of Olympics as early as 688 BC. Modern boxing slowly evolved in Europe, principally in Great Britain, UK.

In certain countries with their own fighting sports, the game is known as English Boxing and in countries like France it’s called French boxing. There are many different forms of boxing played across the globe. For instance, boxing is shown in Sumerian relief arts during the 3rd Millennium B.C, while an ancient Egyptian relief at Thebes; it depicts the spectators with fist fighters, both arts depict bare fisted contests. In the year 1927 an archaeologist, Dr E.A Speiser discovered a stone tablet in Iraq showing two men gearing up for a fight, the stone is believed to be at least 7,000 years old. Boxing or Fist fighting is also described in various ancient Indian texts such as the Vedas, Mahabarata and Ramayana, as well as during the excavations made in Harappa and Mohenjadaro. The earliest confirmation for fist fighting with a kind of gloves can be found on Minoan Crete (1500 BC).

For the game of Boxing, there are two globally recognized boxing halls of fame; they are IBHOF – International Boxing Hall of Fame and WBHF – World Boxing Hall of Fame, the IBHOF is a widely recognized boxing hall of fame. In 1989, the International Boxing Hall of Fame was opened in Canastota. The first inductees in 1990 included famous boxers like Benny Leonard, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Henry Armstrong, Archie Moore, Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali. Other world class boxing figures are Roberto “Manos de Piedra” Duran, Eusebio Pedroza, Ismael Laguna, Carlos Monzon, Rocky Marciano, Azumah Nelson, Pipino Cuevas and Ken Buchanan. The Hall of Fame’s induction event is held every year in the month of June as part of a four day ceremony. Fans who visit Canastota for the Induction Weekend are treated to various events such as autograph sessions with the boxers, boxing exhibitions, a parade featuring present and past inductees and also an induction to the boxing ceremony itself.

Mariam Ma asked:


The Olympic Games are a time of celebration for incredible physical accomplishments. However, when a country hero wins a medal, we often wait with baited breath that the tests for performance enhancing drugs come back clean. Have we really become that jaded? Unfortunately for many of us, the answer is a depressing yes.

Be honest, how often when you watch an athlete perform an amazing feat that seems to defy human limitations, do we suspect that he/she is on performance enhancing drugs? Even though there have been great advancements in sports technology in how we train and feed our bodies, there is only so much we can push our bodies. This is the cynicism that lives inside us these days: our athletic heroes fall short and are far from perfect.

When we think about sports, we often think about the strength, the grace, the picture of perfect health of the athlete. But the mental game and the spiritual game also come into play as all three components need be unified: the mind, body and soul. For competitive athletes, it is often a more difficult task to achieve spiritual and mental greatness. There is so much at stake: endorsement contracts, state prize money, prestige and to be in the record books forever as an Olympic champion. These are factors that would test any human being. Therefore, it is not only the body that needs to be trained, but how to mentally and spiritually handle the pressure as well.

It is well known that the Olympic motto is faster, higher, stronger, but did you know this other well known ideal comes from the Olympic creed?

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”

Perhaps this is why the most compelling stories that come out of the Olympic games are not of the expected winners but those who have fought to attain their Olympic dreams.

There is also a lesson here for those of us who are not athletically gifted enough to compete in the Olympics: it’s the journey and the struggle that makes life more rewarding. For the future, instead of picking Olympic champions for motivational inspiration, we can be our own champions as we strive to triumph in our daily lives.

Gavin Stone asked:


In late 2002, Roy Jones Jr. signed to fight WBA Heavyweight world champion John Ruiz. Soon after questions arose about Jones, why is he doing it? And why would he risk it? Was it for the money, an estimated 10 million? Was it the irresistible urge that goes with having been a champion? Was it merely ego or a grab for a higher place in boxing history? Jones was already an established musician having established Body Head record label, a film actor and professional basketball player. To answer these questions, a look back is required at what makes the sometime enigma, and other time superstar of Roy Jones Jr.

Roy Jones Jr. was born on January 16, 1969, in the small Florida city of Pensacola, USA. At the age of 6 young Roy began boxing under the watchful eye of his father Roy Jones Sr. a Vietnam war veteran and small time pro boxer who came from a family of 13. As a youngster Jones was filled with serious potential due to a combination of physical ability, desire and the hard training regime his father had set. Jones worked his way up through the junior amateur ranks, and in 1988 earned a place in the United States boxing team for the Soul Olympic Games.

After fighting through the preliminary stages, Jones earned a place in the gold medal bout against Park Si Hun. Jones was in complete control of the fight, almost hitting the Korean at will with lead left hooks and counters, but in one of the greatest robberies in the history of the sport, the Korean received a gift decision- and along with it the gold medal. As a show of good faith, Jones received an award for the best boxer of the competition, presented at a special ceremony by 50 Korean monks. After an investigation, two of the judges that scored the bout were banned from officiating in competition again.

Subsequent of the injustice in Soul, Jones said he would never fight again. But after returning home to Pensacola to a heroes welcome, and receiving hounary gold medals from across his homeland: Jones made the decision to turn pro.

On the 6th May, 1989, Roy Jones Jr. made his professional boxing debut against Ricky Randall at the Pensacola Civic Centre. Jones weighted 157lb for the bout, and stopped Randall by TKO in round 2.

Although launching his professional career with a series of wins, Jones found himself in a position whereby his career was stalling- fighting in county fairgrounds and running at a financial loss. Jr. was being steered by his fathers cautious management, with title fights being offered but turned down, without Jr. knowing- it seemed Jones was watching the parade go by.

Things came to a head when Jones Sr. shot- and killed- one of Jones bull-terrier dogs after the passionate breed bit a little girl. Jr. instantly sacked his father as trainer and manager and proceeded to hire his former Olympic trainer Alton Merkerson, and decided to take care of managerial issues himself.

With Jones being his own manager via setting up promotional group Square Ring Inc., he secured a shot at the vacant IBF Middleweight (160lb) world title. Jones would take on future great, at the time 22-1, Bernard Hopkins. Without the press or publics knowledge, Jones entered the fight with a broken right hard, and despite his absence, Jones relied on his fathers character building training from early years to carry him through his most important bout thus far. Despite the injury, Jones proceeded to win a unanimous decision, 116-112 on all 3 cards to win his first world title.

After making a defence of his middleweight title against Thomas Tate, Jones next challenge would come in the form of IBF super middleweight champion James Lights Out Toney. Toney- at the time- was regarded as one of, if not the best, pound for pound fighters in the world. Jones went into the bout a certain underdog, but in the end defied all critics- and even non critics- predictions by making Toney look inferior on way to a unanimous decision to make Jones a now two time world champion.

Jones proceeded to defend his IBF super middleweight crown, and on June 15, 1996, completed the incredible feat of playing a minor league professional basketball game, and defending his boxing world title(against Canadian Eric Lucas) on the same day. Jones marked himself as being a supreme athlete, a black superman.

Jones next challenge was to move up to the 175lb- light heavyweight division. After defeating Mike McCallum to gain the WBC Interim world title recognition, Jones was scheduled to fight stocky, 26-0, Montell Griffin to allow a stamp stating three time world champion. What eventuated was a controversial and melodramatic two fight series. Jones would lose his undefeated record by hitting Griffin while the opponent was deemed down for the count, and therefore disqualified. Jones came out in the second fight possessed like one of his game fighting roosters(Jones breeds and trains fighting cocks), intent for revenge, and what resulted was pure **** fight, with Jones dismantling Griffin in 1 round leaving no doubt as to whom was the superior fighter.

After negotiations fell through to meet faded former heavyweight champion Buster Douglas, Jones decided to make a run at cleaning out the light heavyweight division. Before unifying titles, Jones took on a big light heavyweight, and former champion, Virgil Hill. Many expected Jones to be overpowered by Hill, but Jones stopped the fight in round 3 with a body shot reminiscent to that of the sound of a shot gun, and consequently breaking Hill’s ribs.

To unify the light heavyweight belts, Jones would need to get past WBA champion Lou Del Valle, in which Jones would go on to do- albeit after being put on the canvas by a shock knock down- in a unanimous decision.

On June 5, 1999 Jones would defeat Reggie Johnson to claim the undisputed- WBA, WBC and IBF- light heavyweight championship of the world. Jones won the fight by a 12 round decision, although after a stunning performance in the first two rounds it seemed Jones merely carried his opponent the distance- a habit which Jones would continually be criticised for.

Jones defended the undisputed title against a list of light heavyweight contenders, a group of fighters which critics labels no bodies. However, it was more a case of Jones making these world class fighters look like nobodies- such was Jones superiority.

After being urged on by not only the Jones naysayer, but a challenge to keep himself motivated, Jones took the ultimate plunge and announced that he would fight WBA champion John Ruiz for the heavyweight championship of the world. Jones, the former middleweight, would give up some 33 pounds to Ruiz, coming in as a virtual cruiserweight at a relatively small 193 pounds- many though that Jones would crumble after being hit by the punch of a heavyweight. Despite these thoughts, Jones went on dazzle the reigning heavyweight champion with pure handspeed that had arguably never been seen before in the heavyweight division. Jones defeated Ruiz by a unanimous decision, 116-112, 118-110 and 117-111 to claim the heavyweight world title. Along the way Jones became a four division world champion and the first middleweight claim the heavyweight title in over 100 years.

After reaching the boxing pinnacle, and cementing a place in history, Jones made the somewhat unusual decision to drain himself back down to light heavyweight to fight Antonio Tarver. Jones would defeat Tarver by a majority decision, and given that it was the closest that anyone had come to Jones: the result was publicly disputed.

In the late stages of his career Jones took a return match with Tarver. Whether by aging abilities, effected by weight loss or Tarvers right hard; Jones suffered the first real loss of his professional career via a second round knock out. Jones went on to suffer two more losses, a stoppage against Glengoffe Johnson and by decision in a third fight with Tarver.

Recently Jones started a comeback- still believing he had something to offer- with an impressive victory against Prince Badi Ajamu.

The legacy Jones leaves behind is that he will be remembered as the greatest natural athlete to ever lace on the gloves: exhibiting freakish speed, both of hand and foot, superb coordination and a near physically perfect physique.

Gary Hayduk asked:


From stumbles to victory, Apolo Ohno emerged as one of America’s first and greatest Olympic speed skaters

Apolo Anton Ohno was born on May 22, 1982 in Seattle, Washington. His father, Yuki Ohno, was a Japanese-American and his mother, Jerrie Lee, was a white American. They divorced when Ohno was still a baby and he was raised by his father.

Ohno’s father was concerned with his son’s unsupervised time and got him involved in competitive swimming and in-line skating, both of which he excelled at. Ohno became interested in short track ice skating after seeing the sport on television. When he was 14 years old, his father sent him to the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center to train full-time. After training for just six months, he claimed his first overall title at the U.S. Championships.

In the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Ohno finished last in the trials, but went on to become the first American to be the overall World Cup champion during the 2000-01 season. Four years later, he qualified for the U.S. team in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Ohno quickly emerged as a popular athlete among U.S. fans for his cheerful attitude and casual style. He became the face of short track speed skating in the U.S., which was a relatively new sport at the time. Ohno earned two medals during the 2002 games, a gold and a silver. The gold medal was won after the leader, Kim Dong-Sung from South Korea, was disqualified for blocking Ohno. This decision resulted in a hailstorm of negative statements and even death threats from South Korean fans.

Ohno decided not to participate in the 2003 World Cup short track event in Korea for security reasons stemming from the 2002 Olympic games. He did, however, go to South Korea for the 2005 World Cup meet, where he won two gold medals, as well as the overall title.

Ohno got off to a rocky start in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, stumbling during a semifinal heat. He finished last in the 1500 meter, but went on to win the bronze medal in the 1000 meter, a gold in the 500 meter, and another bronze in the men’s 5000 meter relay.

So far in 2007, Ohno won his 8th U.S. National title in February, placing first in every event. During the World Championship in March, he won a gold and two bronze medals. On April 23, he announced that he will be competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.

On a personal level, Ohno was inducted into the Asian-American Hall of Fame on April 26, 2007. This honor is given to Asian-Americans who have contributed to their heritage by breaking new ground or achieving excellence in their field at both a national and international level.

2007 also saw Ohno as a contestant on ABC’s popular Dancing with the Stars. He and his partner, Julianne Hough, received the first perfect score of 30 for their samba on the April 16th show. Ohno and his partner eventually reached the show’s final round, alongside Laila Ali and Joey Fatone. Ohno and Julianne were named the season 4 winners on May 22, Ohno’s 25th birthday.

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Born: May 22, 1982

Died: –

Famous For: American short track speed skater.

Key Accomplishments: Five-time Olympic medalist; Reigning U.S. short track champion since 2001; Holds eight U.S. men’s titles; Youngest American to win a World Cup Event (at age 17).

Significant Quote: “Skating was a gift given to me, and it’s a sport I love. I go out there every single day and there isn’t a day I don’t want to be out there.”

Fun Quote: “I’m not a clotheshorse, but I do like to look good.”

Grant Eckert asked:


Although Carly Rae Patterson was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on February 4, 1988, she is now living in Allen, Texas with her mother and sister. Carly is an incredibly accomplished athlete for her age. She is a former Olympic all-around Champion for the United States 2004 Olympic Team in Athens, Greece.

Due to injuries in her lower back, Carly is unfortunately not scheduled to make an appearance competing in women’s gymnastics with the U.S. 2008 Olympic Team. However, while Carly is one of the world’s most talented gymnasts, she was not always on the path to greatness.

It was at a young cousin’s birthday party in 1994 that Carly’s true gymnastic talent was noticed by a coach at a gymnastic club. Carly’s cousin belonged to a gymnastic club which hosted the birthday party. At that time, the coach saw the then six year old Carly tumbling around and immediately noticed her natural talent. Just six years later, Carly competed in Belgium’s Top Gym Tournament winning the silver medal in the all-around and the bronze for balance beam, which is undoubtedly Carly’s favorite event.

One year later, Carly competed in the Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia. It was not her best performance, although she did rank second in the all-around competition before the final rotation. She was sick during the event and ended up finishing in seventh place. Despite an overall disappointing performance, her balance beam routine was almost flawless and featured what would become know as her signature move, “the Patterson”. This signature move is a double Arabian dismount from the balance beam.

By 2002, Carly Patterson became the U.S. Junior National All-Around champion and was considered to be one of the most important young female gymnasts of the time thus making her a viable candidate for the 2004 Olympic All-Around title. After her accomplishment in 2002, she went on to win almost every competition she entered. Unfortunately, due to a broken elbow in 2003, Carly had to sit out of the U.S. National Championships, but still went on to win the all-around silver medal at the World Gymnastics Championships in Anaheim, California making her the first American woman to achieve this accomplishment since 1994. This helped solidify her place on the 2004 U.S. Gymnastics Team.

During the 2004 Olympic trials, Carly did not perform to her best standards and had two falls during her balance beam routine, which dropped her to third place. It was because of this that she was not automatically placed on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, however there was no doubt that she would end up competing in Athens that year.

At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Carly Patterson proved just how good she was, despite that already being clear to the world. She and her teammates won the silver medal for the team competition. During these events, Carly also won a silver medal for the balance beam, which is only fitting since she takes so much pride into each balance beam routine. In addition to winning two silver medals during these games, Carly also set a record. She became the first American woman to win a gold medal in the all-around during a fully attended Olympic Games. Her performances at the 2004 Olympics have placed Carly in the history books and paved the way for a very exciting life.

Shortly after her great achievements in the 2004 Summer Olympics, doctors found several bulging disks in Carly’s lower back. Due to this health issue, she was forced to reduce the amount of time dedicated to gymnastic training; however it has not stopped her on any other level. Carly continues to make appearances on talk shows, game shows, and television shows as well as participating in many autograph sessions and interviews each year. Partly due to her grueling schedule, Carly retired from gymnastics in 2006 and will not be competing in the 2008 Summer Olympics, much to the disappointment of many gymnastic enthusiasts. She will, however, be honored at the 2008 games by being inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

Now that Carly has officially retired from the world of gymnastics, she continues to pursue many challenges. She recently served as the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Youth Ambassador for Give Kids a Smile (GKAS) as well as the ambassador for National Children’s Dental Access Day. She is one of many well known athletes to use her status in a positive way.

One of her current passions is her music career. In 2005, she discussed her wishes to pursue a career in music and announced that she would be working on a demo. That demo has apparently paid off as she has recently signed with Music Mind Records and will be releasing her first single, “Temporary Life (Ordinary Girl)” at the end of March 2008. Carly has also taken some time to write an autobiography discussing her life as a young gymnast through her Olympic competitions.

Roger Munns asked:


The 39th Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia-MAPFRE regatta will be held from March 15th to the 21st this year just prior to the 2008 Olympics. All eyes of the sailing world are on this regatta heading up to the competitions of this Olympic year. For many, this event will determine who sails for their Olympic team at the coastal city of Qingdao, China; the first time this city has hosted an international sailing regatta.

Competitors in Majorca will participate in eleven classes of sailing established by Olympic standards, plus the Dragon class; consisting of the ninety best sailors invited to participate. Olympic medalists from the 2004 Olympics in Athens, as well as the established champions from last year’s World and European competitions are expected to be in attendance.

The Princess Sofia Trophy is one of six Olympic-class events recognized by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) in their World Cup Series for sailing. The race was officially established in 2006 at the International Sailing Federation conference held in Helsinki, Finland.

Each year 1,300 to 1,700 sailors, including 1,000 vessels, participate in the 12 classes. As many as 52 nations have participated in the past and the exponential increase over the past few years could indicate even more international participation this year and in the future. The Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia-MAPFRE enjoys the highest international participation of any Olympic class event in Spain. It is the last chance for Spaniards to see their sailing team perform prior to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The Olympic sailing events at Qingdao are scheduled for September 6-17, 2008.

Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the island, is the central locale for this prominent sailing event.

Weather conditions for last year’s regatta proved challenging at times with periods of rain and changeable, insufficient winds, resulting in false starts. This prevented some races scheduled for certain dates. However, the characteristically exceptional weather conditions typical of the Bay of Palma returned for the imperative final races.

Majorca is part of the Balearic archipelago located off the eastern coast of Spain near Valencia. Since the middle of the last century it’s been a popular tourist destination for many, particularly Germans and Brits. The mild climate and islander state of mind still brings many visitors to Majorca, and more especially the Bay of Palma. Majorca, and sister islands Menorca and Ibiza, attract thousands of visitors each year and have become synonymous with holidays in Spain.

MAPFRE, the leading finance and insurance company in Spain based out of Madrid, will sponsor this event for the third year in a row. The event has a website for participants to sign up online and acquire important information on accommodations and vessel transport. This will be the first time that registering participants will be able to pay their fees online with a credit card, a novelty of the new site.

Actual racing begins with Olympic classes on Sunday, March 16th, with the Dragon class beginning on Monday, March 17th, 2008. The Medal Race, to be held on the final day of the regatta, March 21st, is unable to be discarded and counts for double in terms of scoring. The top ten classified sailors by this date participate in the Medal Race.

Event collaborators and organizers include Palma and Llucamajor City Councils, Consell de Mallorca, Port de Balears, Govern de les Illes Balears, Ultramar Express, Toyota, Club Nautic S

Arenal, Club Maritimo San Antonio de la Playa, Real Club Nautico de Palma and Escuela de Vela Calanova, among others.

Patrick Omari asked:


The subject of doping at the Olympic Games is a huge issue. The shadow of drugs loom over the event with Justin Gatlin, former world champion and 100m gold medalist from Athens 2004, currently banned after failing a drugs test. Recently, the entire Bulgarian weightlifting team were withdrawn from participating in the Beijing Games after testing positive for a banned substance. This issue that has clouded the Games in recent years suggests that the prospect of a drug-free Olympics seems doubtful.

The Olympic stage should be kept as a drug-free event, but maybe it’s time to give athletes using performance enhancing substances a stage to perform on. Modern drugs, such as Human Growth Hormone, have been enhanced so that they are becoming more difficult to detect. Yet, the testing techniques are being improved and it is possible to detect when using the correct tests. The main problem is that the testers are often one step behind the developers.

If athletes that use performance enhancing substances were given a stage to demonstrate their ability, then maybe they wouldn’t consider ‘cheating’ to enter the Olympics. A competition that had no restrictions would truly test the human body to its limits. I think everyone would be interested in how fast it is physically possible to run and how much the human body could possibly lift? This would clear the way to allow the Olympics to become a drug-free event testing the ‘un-altered’ human body to its limits.

Testing at Olympics would still have to remain strict yet the procedures are becoming more stringent. Recently Tyson *** has run the fastest 100m of all time. Yet his time of 9.68s was not a world record as the following wind was too strong. The United States Anti Drugs Agency have used him in ‘Project Believe’, promoting the American as a ‘natural’ role model. *** submits six blood and urine samples a fortnight, which allows a detailed profile of his chemical balance to be built. Taking drugs would demonstrate a drastic deviation from his baseline profile.

Gay, world record holder Usain Bolt and former record holder Asafa Powell could provide a memorable showdown in this years Beijing Games. The last real showdown in the mens 100m was in the 1988 Seoul Olympics between Carl Lewis and Ben Johnson. Twenty years ago Ben Johnson was infamously stripped of his gold medal and his 9.79s world record time after testing positive for steroids.

Michael Silver asked:


The following is an excerpt from the book Golden Girl: How Natalie Coughlin Fought Back, Challenged Conventional Wisdom, and Became America’s Olympic Champion

by Michael Silver

Published by Rodale; April 2006;$24.95US/$33.95CAN; 1-59486-254-0

Copyright © 2006 Michael Silver

Introduction

She came shooting off the wall like a human torpedo, gliding through the water with cold, relentless precision. Unleashing her incomparable, undulating dolphin kicks, Natalie Coughlin began to pull away from the field in the l00-meter backstroke, popping to the surface nearly a body length ahead of her closest pursuer. From that prime vantage point — with a picturesque view of the Athens sunset, a mere 35 meters between her and redemption — Coughlin was as good as gold.

The most talented female swimmer of her generation took a deep breath and closed in on the prize she’d been chasing for more than a decade. Six days shy of her 22nd birthday, Coughlin propelled herself backward through Lane 4, seven competitors and untold degrees of doubt, pain, and disappointment in her wake. Get to the wall, and she would forever be an Olympic champion, the haters and the traditionalists be damned. Just a dozen or so more strokes and she’d finish a 4-year struggle for self-determination that summoned every ounce of will in her being.

Just 25 meters to go, then 20, and the only question seemed to be whether Coughlin would break her own world record. Six thousand fans at the Athens Aquatic Center were cheering her home; tens of millions more would experience the suspense on television. And then . . . Oh, no. This cannot be happening. Coughlin felt an energy crash coming on — that insidious, instant loss of zip that every swimmer dreads. She grimaced as the lactic acid ripped through her leg muscles; instinctively, she bit down on her lower lip to combat the pain.

The last time this happened, in the final individual race of Coughlin’s unmatched collegiate career, she had appeared so dead in the water that her father, Jim, a police sergeant in her working-class northern California hometown of Vallejo, had barely fought back the urge to race from the stands to rescue his little girl. On that March 2004 in College Station, Texas, site of the NCAA Championships, Coughlin had been passed by two swimmers down the stretch of the 200-meter backstroke — the only time in 4 years the University of California, Berkeley, superstar had lost a meaningful race. Now, 5 months later, the nightmare was happening again.

Nooo! the voice inside Coughlin’s head shrieked. Not this! Not now! Her arms felt like redwood stumps, her legs like jelly. She veered close to the lane line, her normally perfect technique beginning to give way to panicked thrashing. She was holding on, but for how long? No one in her line of vision was making a charge — certainly not Haley Cope, once her close friend and Cal teammate, now just another obstacle between Coughlin and her rightful gold. It had to be hers, after all she’d been through; after all she’d sacrificed to swim this race on this warm Monday night.

The threat, Coughlin knew, was unseen. Over in Lane 1, blissfully shielded from the wind-induced currents rippling through the pool, was Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry, the very same Auburn University swimmer who had caught Coughlin on that awful night in College Station. Coventry was coming, hard, as Coughlin figured she would be.

The previous night, in her semifinal heat, Coughlin had eased up to win in 1:00.17, setting an Olympic record. She was the only woman ever to have gone under a minute in the event, had held the world record (59.58) the past 2 years, and owned the four fastest times in history. Now, however, it wasn’t about the clock. It was about finding a way to get to that wall before her worst fear was realized.

Fifteen meters to go, and Coughlin perceptibly slowed. She was sinking like the Titanic, and no lifeboat loomed. Her parents, Jim and Zennie, gripped each other’s hands tightly, their stomachs in knots. Coughlin’s sister, grandparents, and boyfriend watched beside them in agony; there was nothing they could do but pray. Coventry was edging closer, and Coughlin seemed to be coming back to the field as if hindered by an underwater rope.

This isn’t happening, she thought. Please, don’t let this be real. Were the gods of swimming this cruel? Were they taunting her once more? They’d given her talent, drive, and intelligence, along with an uncanny ability to feel the water that most sharks would have envied. Her “physical IQ,” in the words of one stroke guru, was astoundingly high, meaning she was able to comprehend and effect specific technique alterations in a manner of seconds. Yet at so many key moments before the 2000 Olympic Trials, when her shoulder gave out, and at the 2003 World Championships, when her fever spiked and her body collapsed — fate had conspired against her.

Now, once again, everything was falling apart — and oh, how this would hurt. She could see the headlines (“Coughlin Comes Up Short”) and anticipate the disparaging words that would be whispered in Athens and on pool decks across America. She could picture the tears running down the face of her coach, Teri McKeever, who was crouching in the stands behind the finish line, too nervous to watch with the rest of the US delegation. She could imagine the legions of traditionalists weighing in on McKeever’s methods and how they had doomed Coughlin to failure. And, clear as day, she could envision her former youth-club coach, Ray Mitchell, and hear him bellowing, “I told you so.”

It was all unthinkably devastating, and for a split second, Coughlin felt herself go numb. And then, in an instant, the fire returned. ***** that. This is my moment. For the first time in her life, she had total, unequivocal clarity. Ray’s not in charge anymore. I am. I decide how this ends, and I choose victory. I’m in control now.

Coughlin jerked her right arm up from the water, rotated backward, and slapped it back to the surface. Her kicks became steady and vigorous. She no longer saw Mitchell’s face — nor could she see McKeever’s, or those of her Cal or US teammates, or her friends or sister or parents. In her head there was only darkness, the shade of the predawn sky in Concord, California, when, as a teenager, she’d arrive at the pool before Mitchell and her Terrapins Swim Club teammates and sit in her car for 10 minutes, staring into nothingness and getting her mind ready for the task at hand. Then Coughlin would get out of the car, unlock the gate, and unravel the pool cover, shattering the early-morning silence by diving into the water and beginning another grueling practice.

Alone in the dark, Coughlin had been in control of her destiny — before the shoulder had given out and the rumors cropped up and the thoughts of quitting had begun to fill her mind. Saved by McKeever’s intuitive touch, Coughlin and her coach had created an alternative model for success; yet even now, after all her triumphs, there were doubters — including some of her trusted college teammates — who expected her to choke when it mattered most.

Well, she had a surprise for them, for Mitchell, and for everyone who’d ever questioned her mettle: That wasn’t going to happen. After thousands of miles’ worth of laborious laps to prepare for this moment, she could gut out these last 10 meters. Yes, she wanted to win for her country, her family, her school, and, most of all, McKeever. But the last 10 meters would be for her, and her alone.

Slap. Her left arm hit the water, then her right arm. I will not lose. One stroke to go, maybe, if she could time it right. Her left arm reached backward and extended, glided through the water, and touched the wall.

Coughlin’s heart was racing. This was the moment that would define her as an athlete, and she’d never wanted anything so badly. With her right hand, she pulled off the outer swim cap she’d worn over her Team USA model, then lifted her goggles and looked to the scoreboard. She squinted upward, her eyes disbelieving. Fourth? I got fourth? That can’t be right.

She scanned to check her time: 1:00.37. It wasn’t a great effort by her standards, but fourth? She closed her eyes and took another look. Five seconds passed — not an especially long time, except when you’re thinking your dreams have been dashed. Then, finally, Coughlin saw it: a big number “1″ on the right of the scoreboard. Now she understood: The “4″ had been a trick of the light. Normally, the scoreboard at a swim meet instantly rearranges itself at the completion of a race to rank the finishers from top to bottom. In Athens, for whatever reason, there had been a delay, meaning Coughlin, who’d raced from the fourth lane, was still fourth on the board when she’d looked up.

Now, at long last, the board rearranged, and her name was on top. That “1″ was the loveliest, most comforting numeral she’d ever seen.

All the muscles in Coughlin’s body relaxed in unison. Eyes closed, she raised her fist to the sky, then lifted it again, and again, and again. Her face was a mixture of resuscitated relief and unfettered joy. She had become the first US woman in Athens to capture a gold medal, and she had done it her way. Six thousand fans were on their feet cheering while tens of millions of viewers across the globe sat on their couches, watching her pretty face beaming across their television sets.

None of them, not even the people closest to her, could see the scars. But that didn’t matter. Not now. As the sun went down on Athens and Coughlin’s star began to shine, the healing process officially began.

Reprinted from: Golden Girl: How Natalie Coughlin Fought Back, Challenged Conventional Wisdom, and Became America’s Olympic Champion by Michael Silver © 2006 Michael Silver. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098. Available wherever books are sold or directly from the publisher by calling (800) 848-4735 or visit their website at www.rodalestore.com.

Camilla Mancini asked:


By Camilla Mancini

The Cycling Pro Tour of Lombardy was raced during last Saturday, 14th October. After the 245 kilometers traveled, in the one-day race, the winner was the World and Olympic Champion, Paolo Bettini, also known as “Il Grillo” (the cricket) for his sprinting style.

Bettini reached the line with eyes full of tears, as he pointed to the sky and kissed his rainbow jersey. But his tears weren’t only for the joy of winning his ninth race for the 2006 season; it was the nostalgia for the recent loss of one of the people that supported him all his live.

Sauro Bettini (42), Paolo’s older brother was killed in a car accident near La California-Bibbona in Italy, on October 2nd, 2006.

Il Grillo admitted on Friday that following his brother’s accident, he even considered withdrawing from the races, but his father convinced him to stay in the tracks and to compete on this tour.

“After winning the world title, I was still on in shape, but I wasn’t sure how mentally strong I was,” said Paolo.

Paolo was the first to attack at the Madonna del Ghisallo climb, at 45km distance from the end, and attacked again in the climb of Civiglio 18km away from the finish line at Lake Como.

On the twisted descending it seemed he was worn-out and for a moment was caught by the German, Fabian Wegmann. But at San Fermo della Battaglia climb, Bettini attacked one more time and left his adversaries behind him.

The Spanish, Samuel Sanchez grasped the second place and Wegmann the third.

The Giro di Lombardia was as exciting as it was expected, celebrated a 100 years of competitions and gave an excellent closure to the 2006 European cycling season.

But for anyone wasn’t as important as it was for Paolo “Il Grillo” Bettini, as due to this race, and especially with his conquest, he honored his beloved Sauro.

“During the race, I felt good and so decided I wanted to win to remember Sauro… I wasn’t riding on my own today… The person who used to cheer me from the roadside can’t do it anymore, but he was with me today. I didn’t win by chance”, explained Il Grillo.