Sunday, October 7, 2012

Novak wins again...........In China........

English: Djokovic with the Australian open trophy
English: Djokovic with the Australian open trophy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Novak Djokovic beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets to win tennis’s China Open for a third time in four years, while top-ranked Victoria Azarenka won the women’s title.
Serbia’s Djokovic, No. 2 in the ATP World Tour rankings, beat his French opponent 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 in Beijing to claim a 32nd career title and fourth this year.
“I think the first set was really even, and maybe a couple points decided the winner there,” Djokovic told reporters. “When you’re getting to the second set with the advantage, mentally it is much more encouraging for you and then you try to play on that confidence run that you have.”
Djokovic, 25, now has an 8-5 record against the seventh- ranked Tsonga, who today was able to convert only one of his six break points. That break came in the 65-minute opening set, which was decided in a tiebreak when Tsonga hit a backhand slice into the net.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Post Olympics.....the Blues.......

The Olympics have come & gone & the Paras too. We did well, some would say brilliantly. I'm still reeling from some of the wins, the wonderful atmosphere and the spirit of the Games..............
Enhanced by Zemanta

Thursday, August 2, 2012

How many medals..........???


Olympics athletics: Pundits pick who will star for Great Britain

British athletics head coach Charles van Commenee has set a target of eight medals at London 2012.
The last time GB won eight athletics medals was back in 1988 in Seoul and he target is double what was achieved in Beijing four years ago.
So what gives Van Commenee such confidence this time out?
Britain has enjoyed a flurry of success on the global stage in the past couple of seasons, including two golds and seven medals in total at last year's World Championships in Daegu.
That was followed by second place in the medals table at the World Indoor Championships - Britain's highest ever position.
But can Britain do it on the biggest sporting stage of all? BBC Sport's athletics expert give their verdict.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Good Old Lennox!


London 2012 Olympics: Lennox Lewis offers to mentor Team GB boxers in bid for gold

Lennox Lewis, the former undisputed world heavyweight champion and two-time Olympian who won the gold medal in Seoul in 1988, has volunteered his services as a mentor to the British team at this year’s Olympic Games.

London 2012 Olympics: Lennox Lewis offers to mentor Team GB boxers
Proven winner: Lennox Lewis wants to pass on his experience to Team GB's young fighters at London 2012 Photo: GETTY IMAGES
Lewis, born in West Ham but who competed for Canada after his mother had emigrated there when he was 12, said: “An Olympics on your home turf is so important.
"I went to two Olympic Games, and I know what it’s like when the home fighters get the support of their own fans and families in the audience. I experienced that at my first Games in LA. The Americans had so much support.
“My feeling is that the athletes at a home Games feel responsibilities as a result of that groundswell of support, and they feed off that, which I think makes them a winning force. The British public’s support will give the team such a boost.
“When I boxed in Los Angeles, in 1984, I was 18 and I felt that lack of experience. I lost to the American Tyrell Biggs, who had a lot more international experience than me, in the quarter-finals.”
Biggs went on to become Olympic champion.
“I should really have got a silver medal there in LA. But I was still young, and decided to continue to the 1988 Olympics, where I did win gold.
"I’m glad I took the time to go to two Games, because I gained all the experience I needed in the intervening four years to win the gold the second time around. By the time those four years were up, I really was on top.”
Lewis has wise counsel for Anthony Joshua, Britain’s rising 22-year-old super-heavyweight who surpassed expectation by winning the silver medal at the World Amateur Championships — in only his second major tournament — three months ago in Azerbaijan.
“I have seen Anthony Joshua, and I think he’s got a lot of talent; he’s still a little bit raw but I think he’s got a good chance of winning the Olympics in London,” Lewis said.
“There are a couple of things he needs to work on, but he has time. Getting the silver in the worlds is real momentum for him. Everyone is going to be looking at him because he’s coming off that success.
"Boxing is not only a physical sport, it’s a mental sport as well, and as long as he is strong mentally, he can make it his Games.”
Lewis believes he can bring his vast experience to bear with Joshua and the rest of the team.
“It’s interesting – Audley Harrison won the Olympics [in Sydney in 2000] and I remember speaking to him right before he went into the ring and he came out on top.
“I’m pretty excited about the Olympics coming up, and yes, absolutely, I’d like to be involved with the British team. They will
have a big push behind them. I’m definitely going to be involved in the Olympics in one way or another this year. I’ve been around the world, I was the best in the world, and I believe I have great advice I can pass on to the British crew.
"I will look to do whatever I can to help the team to be successful in the Olympics, in the professional game afterwards, or even in life. It’s all connected.”
In response to Lewis expressing his wish to advise the GB team, Derek Mapp, chairman of the British Amateur Boxing Association, toldTelegraph Sport: “It is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of [head performance coach] Rob McCracken and all of our boxers that a figure like Lennox Lewis has been following the progress of the GB Boxing squad and enjoying its success over the last two years.
“The boxers will be pleased to know their successes have been cheered on by such a well respected figure and they will all be looking to emulate his achievement of winning Olympic gold when the London Games get under way later this year.”

    Enhanced by Zemanta

    Sir Chris Hoy & Co.........


    London 2012 Olympics: Sir Chris Hoy heads up strong Great Britain team for track cycling test event

    Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton head up a strong Great Britain team for next month's London World Cup, which is doubling up as the track cycling test event for the London 2012 Olympics.

    London 2012 Olympics: Sir Chris Hoy heads up strong Great Britain team for track cycling test event
    Big names: GB will give their stars an outing at the Olympic test event Photo: AP
    The tournament, which will be the first competitive cycling staged at the brand new 6,000-seater Olympic velodrome, will see the likes of Hoy and Pendleton lock horns with their Australian rivals and should be a fascinating insight into the full-blown Olympic event this summer.
    British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford said: "The World Cup in London has added significance given that it's the first major event to be held at the Olympic venue.
    "We are using the test event as a learning opportunity for our Olympic preparations and have selected a full-strength squad accordingly.
    "The riders and staff are looking forward to gaining race experience at the London Velodrome and it's always fantastic for us to have the support of a sell-out home crowd."
    Hoy and Jason Kenny are joined in the sprint group by Ross Edgar and Matt Crampton, while alongside Pendleton in the women's equivalent is Jess Varnish.
    Geraint Thomas and Ed Clancy have been joined by Team Sky duo Pete Kennaugh and Ben Swift, plus Steven Burke and Andy Tennant, in the men's endurance group which will compete in the four-man, four-kilometre team pursuit and the omnium.
    The women's endurance group is comprised of Wendy Houvenaghel, Dani King, Joanna Rowsell and Laura Trott.
    Great Britain team for the February 17 to 19 test event
    Sprint
    Matt Crampton (representing Sky Track Cycling)
    Ross Edgar
    Sir Chris Hoy
    Jason Kenny
    Victoria Pendleton
    Jess Varnish
    Men’s Endurance
    Steven Burke
    Ed Clancy
    Pete Kennaugh
    Ben Swift
    Andy Tennant
    Geraint Thomas
    Women’s Endurance
    Wendy Houvenaghel
    Dani King
    Joanna Rowsell
    Laura Trott
    The action will be shown live on BBC TWO on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with additional coverage on the Red Button.

      Enhanced by Zemanta