World records, cramp and crashes; Olympic velodrome’s got it all
Excited Britons Victoria Pendleton and Jessica Varnish interrupted their post-race media interviews to roar on four-times Olympic champion Chris Hoy after demolishing the women’s team sprint world record at the World Cup on Friday, one of four world-record breaking rides around the 2012 Olympics velodrome on day two of the test event’s competition.
Having sat down to avoid leg cramps, rather than standing like the other cyclists while reporters hustled them for a quick word, they paused as Hoy whizzed past at the Olympic velodrome amid a cauldron of noise and then promptly joined in.
“Go Chris!” they screamed at the top of their lungs, the pair having just slashed 0.074 of a second off the world record set minutes earlier by Australian world champions Anna Meares and Kaarle McCulloch.
“It’s just unbelievable, this track is amazing,” Varnish said as the partisan crowd cheered despite 10-times world champion Hoy only managing bronze in the men’s team sprint.
“We were pleased, weren’t we?” Pendleton said to Varnish as the gold medallists at the Olympic test event exchanged warm smiles after their blistering 32.754 seconds effort.
Defeated duo Meares and McCulloch remained upbeat and, judging by their reactions, a mighty gold-medal tussle can be expected at the Olympics on the same lightning-quick track.
“I think the experience we can take from this is riding against a very loud British crowd,” said Meares, emphasising just how raucous the 6,000 spectators in a capacity crowd became for a short while on Friday evening.
Choir singing ‘Cry me a river’ while a few cyclists pedal around the Olympic velodrome during the lengthy interval at #twclondon. Surreal.
Two crashes in the first two qualifying races at the Olympic velodrome. Carpenters working overtime #twclondon2012
Qatar rally star #NasserAlAttiyah on his #2012Olympics chances in shooting after equalling the world record – http://t.co/LIhnZKqY
Dakar Rally winner takes aim at fifth Olympic Games
LONDON (Reuters) – Disappointment in the deserts of South America has turned to Olympic delight on the shooting range for Qatar’s 2011 Dakar Rally winner and eagle-eyed marksman Nasser Al-Attiyah.
For had he not failed to defend his Dakar title last month, the 41-year-old rally driver would not now be contemplating his fifth successive Games.
That retirement — between Antofagasta and Iquique in Chile — from one of the most gruelling and dangerous events in motorsport allowed him to dash home and compete in the Asian shooting championships where he equalled the clay pigeon world record with a maximum 150 points from 150.
In a telephone interview with Reuters from Sweden, where this month he made his world rally championship debut in snow and ice for champions Citroen, Al-Attiyah said he was a very lucky athlete.
“No, no, no, no, no. My dreams will be over and not compete in Olympic Games,” the Qatari responded in halting English when asked whether, had he been leading the Dakar Rally, he might still have retired to ensure Olympic qualification.
“The situation was really not good in Dakar. It was a big mess. So I decided to stop on day nine. If I was not in Qatar on January 13 then I would have missed the Asian Shooting Championships.
“Sometimes you have to lose something to win another thing. It was my only way to compete in the Olympics. I was so lucky to have the last moment.”
Dakar Rally winner takes aim at fifth Games
LONDON (Reuters) – Disappointment in the deserts of South America has turned to Olympic delight on the shooting range for Qatar’s 2011 Dakar Rally winner and eagle-eyed marksman Nasser Al-Attiyah.
For had he not failed to defend his Dakar title last month, the 41-year-old rally driver would not now be contemplating his fifth successive Games.
That retirement — between Antofagasta and Iquique in Chile — from one of the most grueling and dangerous events in motorsport allowed him to dash home and compete in the Asian shooting championships where he equaled the clay pigeon world record with a maximum 150 points from 150.
In a telephone interview with Reuters from Sweden, where this month he made his world rally championship debut in snow and ice for champions Citroen, Al-Attiyah said he was a very lucky athlete.
“No, no, no, no, no. My dreams will be over and not compete in Olympic Games,” the Qatari responded in halting English when asked whether, had he been leading the Dakar Rally, he might still have retired to ensure Olympic qualification.
“The situation was really not good in Dakar. It was a big mess. So I decided to stop on day nine. If I was not in Qatar on January 13 then I would have missed the Asian Shooting Championships.
“Sometimes you have to lose something to win another thing. It was my only way to compete in the Olympics. I was so lucky to have the last moment.”
Olympics-Dakar Rally winner takes aim at fifth Games
LONDON, Feb 16 (Reuters) – Disappointment in the deserts of South America has turned to Olympic delight on the shooting range for Qatar’s 2011 Dakar Rally winner and eagle-eyed marksman Nasser Al-Attiyah.
For had he not failed to defend his Dakar title last month, the 41-year-old rally driver would not now be contemplating his fifth successive Games.
That retirement — between Antofagasta and Iquique in Chile – from one of the most gruelling and dangerous events in motorsport allowed him to dash home and compete in the Asian shooting championships where he equalled the clay pigeon world record with a maximum 150 points from 150.
In a telephone interview with Reuters from Sweden, where this month he made his world rally championship debut in snow and ice for champions Citroen, Al-Attiyah said he was a very lucky athlete.
“No, no, no, no, no. My dreams will be over and not compete in Olympic Games,” the Qatari responded in halting English when asked whether, had he been leading the Dakar Rally, he might still have retired to ensure Olympic qualification.
“The situation was really not good in Dakar. It was a big mess. So I decided to stop on day nine. If I was not in Qatar on Jan. 13 then I would have missed the Asian Shooting Championships.
“Sometimes you have to lose something to win another thing. It was my only way to compete in the Olympics. I was so lucky to have the last moment.”
Barcelona eventually came alive in the #ChampionsLeague, another #LionelMessi masterclass – http://t.co/RUt0D7rH
Barca tired? Not on this evidence
Men tuning in for lots of action in Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 first leg ties would have rued the decision to stay in front of the TV on Valentines’ Night when Barcelona v Bayer Leverkusen and Olympique Lyon against APOEL Nicosia reached the 40-minute mark.
Both were 0-0. APOEL had not registered a shot on goal. Barcelona had dominated their German opposition with 78 per cent of possession, yet no opening score.
There have been reports of a tired Barcelona recently, justifiably. The La Liga and Champions League holders have slipped to 10 points behind arch rivals Real Madrid, who are about the strongest outfit left in Europe’s premier competition on current form.
Perhaps this woke Barcelona up as Alexis Sanchez netted a 41st-minute opener. Coach Pep Guardiola said afterwards: “I think for the spectators the second half was more fun to watch than the first.”
Barcelona scored two more goals, Lionel Messi came alive, and the Catalans conceded just one in a hugely improved second-half display, that led Leverkusen defender Vedran Corluka to say the tie was over. Few would argue with him.
More in the balance is Lyon’s tie with unheralded APOEL, who will head back to Cyprus with just a one-goal deficit. Can the Nicosia side make more history and reach the quarters?
In action on Wednesday will be Arsenal’s record goalscorer Thierry Henry when the London-club travel to the San Siro for their AC Milan clash, while Zenit St Petersburg host Benfica. Valentine’s Day will be over so let’s hope for romance on the pitch in the first halves.
McIlroy is as good as I’ve seen – Gary Player
LONDON (Reuters) – Gary Player spent much of his career in the shadow of record 18-times major winner Jack Nicklaus and the South African believes young Briton Rory McIlroy has as much natural talent as any golfer he has seen.
“Rory’s swing is so magnificent,” purred Player, slowing down his voice for emphasis.
“He’s got as much talent as anybody I’ve ever seen,” the 76-year-old told Reuters in an interview at a Laureus sports awards event at Championship (second division) soccer club Millwall in south London.
Player said the only imponderable about U.S. Open champion McIlroy, 22, was his desire.
“Nobody knows what’s inside of the man, how much passion he has,” said the nine-times major winner. “Is he prepared to go through the pain barrier?.”
Judging by McIlroy’s performance at the 2011 U.S. PGA Championship, where he injured his wrist on his third hole but plugged away to complete all four rounds, the world number two is a fighter.
The Northern Irishman also showed his battling qualities by winning the U.S. Open by a record eight-shot margin, just two months after suffering the heartbreak of letting slip a four-stroke lead in the final round of the U.S. Masters.
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