An Olympic mishmash ...
Today on offer we’ve got an Olympic mishmash, a little of this and a little of that. Been a bit intimidated about posting ever since Chuck Hayden, father of Olympic swimmer Brent, showed me up with his first entry (see below).
Ferstle’s Follies: There’s an American journalist named Jim Ferstle who keeps many of us who cover international sport abreast of the latest doping news by culling newspapers all over the world and other sources and sending us a batch of daily e-mails.
Here’s one Jim sent along today from New Scientist that starts off: "Forget the steroid jabs or hormone therapy. My favourite example of an athlete taking short cuts has got to be Hermann Ratjen, who in 1936 bound up his genitals, walked into the Olympic stadium as "Dora" and competed in the female high jump."
Now that's "Dora" the Explorer!
Calling all Trackies: Athletics Canada has set up a sharp-looking Olympic website to keep Canadian track fans abreast of what’s going on in their sport during the Beijing Games. It’s definitely worth a look and gives fans a chance to show their support for the athletes on Facebook.
Perdita to Beijing: It turns out that Perdita Felicien is going to the Beijing Games after all – as a broadcaster. CBC has wisely signed her on to their commentating team for the track and field after she had to pull out last week because of her foot injury. Anyone who has ever interviewed or met Felicien knows that girl can talk!
Bewildering for Burnes: Just imagine that you’re archer J.D. Burnes of Toronto, just 18 years old, going to your first Games, and at yesterday’s news conference announcing the team the questions are focused on issues like terrorism and politics.
One would think it’d be a little overwhelming.
“I think every athlete coming up to their first Games is experiencing all this overwhelming excitement and joy and just don’t really know how to express it and handle it,” said Burnes. “I’m doing the best I can. I’m trying not to think about it. I’m trying to train as if I wasn’t on the team and pushing myself as hard as possible.”
What the Fazekas: His competitors must be happy that Hungarian discus thrower Robert Fazekas has been reinstated to compete by the Hungarian Olympic Committee for Beijing. He lost his gold medal from the 2004 Athens Games for doping. Good yarn here about how his countrymen supported him after Athens, making him his own gold medal.
Bewildering for Burnes: Just imagine that you’re archer J.D. Burnes of Toronto, just 18 years old, going to your first Games, and at yesterday’s news conference announcing the team the questions are focused on issues like terrorism and politics.
However absurd, that will surely be the most frequent asked questions of the participating athletes; Canadian or otherwise.
Posted by: lisen | July 27, 2008 at 07:16 PM