Thorpe Denies Comeback
May 3, 2010
Late Sunday Australian time reports were getting around that Ian Thorpe was considering a comeback to swimming. I wrote about this early Monday morning.
As I said we would see if he was serious about a comeback when the World Championship trials came around in 2011.
Much to my disappointment and probably thousands of swimming fans around the world Thorpe has come out and denied that he will be coming back to swimming.
Thorpe’s management team Grand Slam International released a statement today in which the five-time Olympic gold medal winner denied News Ltd reports that Thorpe was eyeing a spot in Australia’s 4x100m relay at the London Games.
“I have no intention of returning to competitive swimming,” Thorpe said in the statement.
“My position at the media conference in 2006 announcing the discontinuation of my competitive swimming career has not changed.
“At that conference I said when asked about a return, that it was highly unlikely.
“I really do appreciate the well wishes regarding a possible return to competitive swimming.
“But as I have just said, it’s highly unlikely.”
It was good while it lasted.
Ian Thorpe Making a Comeback
May 2, 2010
I just saw on the Today show an interview with Ian Thorpe’s former coach Tracey Menzies where she spoke about a comeback by Ian Thorpe. Yes that’s right it seems likely that the great Australian swimmer is set to return to competition with the aim of a 4x100m gold at the London Olympics.
Thorpe, now 27, announced his retirement from swimming in November 2006 and earlier in that year had missed the Commonwealth Games due to illness. Back then it was a lack of motivation that saw him walk away.
Do you think Thorpe should make a comeback?
I think he should as he has a lot to offer the sport. It will be great to see him racing again for Australia. We will see if it is really going to happen by the time the World Championship trials come around next year.
Sports Shorts – Swimming, Ronaldo and the Ashes
July 29, 2009
FINA Swimming World Championships
Michael Phelps lost for first time in a 200m freestyle race since Athens 2004. This came at the FINA world swimming championships in Rome. He lost to Germany’s Paul Biedermann, who had the race of his life and touched first in 1:42.00, demolishing the World Record established by Phelps at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Biedermann took 0.96 off the record.
After the race there was talk that Phelps is planning to boycott future FINA events until something is done about the swimsuit issue. Sadly the talk about super suits in Rome is overshadowing the efforts of the swimmers in the pool. There were four World Records in day three racing.
Ronaldo’s first goal for Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo playing in his third game for his new club has scored his first goal for Real Madrid. The goal came in a 4-2 victory over Liga de Quito in the Peace Cup on Tuesday night. He did all the work himself. It started with a dazzling run and a foul in the penalty box. Ronaldo then stepped up to take the shot and knocked it past the keeper for what will be the first of many goals with the big spending Spanish team.
Ashes third test
The ashes series between Australia and England starts on Thursday at Edgbaston. England has lost Kevin Pietersen for the remainder of the series after he underwent surgery on his troublesome archilles tendon. In the aussie camp all the talk is about out of form bowler Mitchell Johnson and if he will be dropped. With Brett Lee ruled out it appears that he will keep his spot. England lead the series 1-0.
Did D’Arcy Deserved to be Dumped Again?
April 8, 2009
If you are in Australia you no doubt heard the news about the swimmer Nick D’Arcy and his omission from the Australian swimming team for the upcoming World Championships.
Here is an excerpt from a story in the SMH.
“He was notified yesterday the Swimming Australia board was revoking his position on the team, under a “team by-law” which in part states it may: “terminate a team member’s membership of a team if the team member is convicted of a criminal offence”.
D’Arcy coach has come out and said he expects D’Arcy will quit the sport. Also today Nick D’Arcy father was quite vocal about the decision. He said his son knows what he did was wrong and he has completely changed from that fateful night.
What do you think about the decision by Swimming Australia to revoke his position on the team? I have to say I think he has been punished enough and deserves a chance to get on with life.
Love to read your comments below.
Nick D’Arcy Sentence Handed Down
March 28, 2009
Australian swimmer Nick D’Arcy has avoided jail after receiving a suspended sentence of 14 months and 12 days for his attack on former Australian swim team member Simon Cowley.
This means D’Arcy is now able to take his spot in the team to represent Australia at the swimming world championships in Rome in July, that is unless Swimming Australia steps in and dishes out further penalty. The judiciary panel meets next week.
Outside the court D’Arcy apologized to Cowley for what he had done and said he hoped that one day Cowley could forgive him. D’Arcy also apologized to the Australian public for what he had done. He also raised the topic of excess alcohol and how to behave when drinking.
Excess drinking is a big problem in Australian society and it is good that D’Arcy raised this problem.
In the court case details of the incident which took place outside the Loft Bar on King Street in Sydney showed that Cowley had first slapped D’Arcy across the face. D’Arcy then went on to punch Cowley. I think what D’Arcy did was wrong but you have to say Cowley’s actions were also inappropriate especially considering the influence of alcohol.
What do you think of the sentence handed down to D’Arcy? Leave your comments below.
Australia’s Jessicah Schipper splits with longtime swim coach
September 3, 2008
Jessicah Schipper and her longtime coach Ken Wood have parted ways after the Beijing Olympics. It has been reported that Wood sold a training program to the swimmer who ended up beating Schipper at the Olympics in the 200m butterfly.
Liu Zige had been on the receiving end of Wood’s assistance and she not only won gold at the Olympics she also took the world record. Schipper faded in the final and came in third.
The split was probably due to come with or without the help Wood gave to the Chinese as they have been together for more than a decade and Wood is 78.
Schipper still was able to come away from Beijing with one gold medal after she was part of the Australian 4x100m medley relay team.
Australia’s 4 x 200m women claim gold and smash world record
August 14, 2008
In what had not been a good day at the pool so far for Australia the 4 x 200m freestyle team has changed all that.
Australia were hoping for three gold medals in the pool today. They have had to settle for one.
Swimming a world record time of 7:44.31, down from the previous record of 7:50.09, the team of Stephanie Rice, Bronte Barratt, Kylie Palmer and Linda Mackenzie have triumphed over China. The winning margin was 1.62 seconds. The USA took bronze.
France narrowly lead after the first leg with Coralie Balmy just 0.03 ahead of Stephanie Rice after the French girl clocked 1:56.57. By the next leg Australia held the lead and never looked back.
Other teams had individuals who swam faster times than the Aussie girls however this is a team event and overall the combination was too strong for the rest of the field. It was China’s Pang Jiaying who swam the fastest individual leg as she anchored the Chinese team with a 1:54.39 leg.
Stephanie Rice has now bagged three gold medals following her two medley gold’s she won on other days at the Beijing Olympic swim meet. So far all of Australia’s gold medals have come from the swimming pool and all have been won by the women.
Mr Phelps is over the moon as USA win thrilling 4 x 100m freestyle relay
August 11, 2008
For a while it looked like Michael Phelps was not going to have a chance to win his eight Olympic swimming gold medals in Beijing.
France were the surprise leaders with just metres to swim in the exciting 4 x 100m men’s freestyle relay final. USA’s Jason Lezak swam an amazing anchor leg recording 46.06 to swim past France’s Alain Bernard in what was almost the last stroke. The winning margin was just 0.08
USA smashed the world record they set yesterday swimming 3:08.24 in today’s final. The previous world mark was 3:12.23.
Micheal Phelps swam the first leg for the USA and was second with a time of 47.51. Next up was Garrett Weber-Gale who swam 47.02. The third swimmer for the USA was Cullen Jones swimming a time of 47.65.
In a good showing for his individual swim Australia’s Eammon Sullivan broke the world record with a time of 47.24.
Australia took the bronze medal 1.67 seconds behind the USA team
News of the day from Beijing August 7
August 7, 2008
It is my mother-in-laws birthday today so I am off to dinner to celebrate. We are having Peking duck. Mmmm…
That means a change of plans. I was going to go to see the torch relay as it arrived at Ditan Park this evening. Instead I have been hanging out at home loading photos to my Flickr account and watching the latest Olympic news on CCTV here in Beijing.
Here is a summary of what was making news
Hong Kong Jockey Club
Hong Kong Jockey Club are hosting the equestrian events for the Olympics. The horses are treated like royalty. The have a hospital, swimming pool and air-conditioned stables for the horses. I don’t know if the rider’s get it so good.
Michael Phelps’ turns the pressure down
Michael Phelps was shown in a press conference. Unlike some others I have seen the venue was packed. He was playing down his chances of winning eight gold medals in the Beijing Olympics. He said he is not thinking about it at all and it is just the press making a big story about him.
Michael Phelps also said he will not take part in the opening ceremony as he is resting for his first event on Saturday evening. He starts his Olympic campaign with the 400m individual medley.
The secrets of the opening ceremony
The opening ceremony is scheduled to commence at exactly 8.00pm on August 8. That is 25 or so hours as I write the post. There was a rehearsal on Tuesday and all is in place for the grand show tomorrow night.
Something that is still a secret is just who will be the person to light the Olympic cauldron. The person talking about this said it will be someone who has made a sporting contribution to China and has the standing to be worthy of such an important honor.
My tip for this is Li Ning. He is a famous gymnast for the days of the Los Angeles Olympics. He now has a very successful sporting goods company in China.
Traffic in Beijing
The Traffic Management Bureau is responsible for ensuring things move smoothly on the roads. For the Olympic games athletes there should be no problem as there is a dedicated Olympic lane on the roads using to transport them around Beijing. They said there are 285 special lanes in Beijing.
This on top of the odds and evens car restrictions should see smooth sailing on the roads during the Olympic period. The Traffic Bureau encouraged the general public to use the public transport.
Sailing in Qingdao
On Wednesday it was registration cutoff day for the Beijing Olympic sailing regatta to be held in Qingdao. 61 teams with 400 sailors are competing at the Olympic games in China.
An Australia pairing was interviewed. They said they will be travelling to Beijing for the opening ceremony ahead of their first day of competition on August 11. The Australians said Qingdao was like a second home to them as they have been in the city for nine months in the past four years. How is that for a detailed preparation?
The Chinese will be sailing for the countries first gold medal at an Olympic regatta. The best results in the past inclued a silver in Barcelona and Athens.
Men’s football kicks off today
There are eight matches scheduled for today in the Olympic men’s football competition. Matches take place at four venues around China.
At 5pm Australia takes on Serbia in Shanghai in a group A match. At the same time the USA faces Japan in Tianjin. Brazil plays Belgium in Shenyang and Honduras take on Italy in the last of the 5pm matches in Qinhuangdao.
Here is the full Olympic Football schedule.
Should the swimmers go back to wearing budgey smugglers?
August 6, 2008
The Beijing Olympic swimming program hits the water in just three days. Many are expecting this Olympics to see the most ever world records for one Olympic meet. Why? Because of the Speedo LZR suit. Since its introduction in February 2008 there have been 29 long course world records.
There has been a lot of talk about the merits of such a suit. Should it be banned from swimming? Australian Beijing Olympic swim team member Grant Hackett does not think so. He thinks the suit is just part of the evolution of the sport. He said noone said to ban Michael Jordan’s Air Nike’s or Lance Armstrong’s better bike.
Australian swim team coach Alan Thompson also thinks there is no problem with the Speedo LZR suit. He said there has always been advancement with swimsuits in the sport. Thompson said he hopes that the swimsuit does not take away the spotlight from the athletes and their performances in the water.
With a super suit like the Speedo LZR suit I have no problem with the swimmers wearing them so long as everyone has access to them.
Do you think the swimmers should be wearing the new swimsuits? Or should they return to the days of the speedo briefs or budgey smugglers as some people call them in Australia?
At the end of the day it still takes years of hard work and dedication to reach the top. Just putting on a Speedo LZR suit will not make you an Olympic champion.
