News from around the world about Olympic athletes
On this blog, we cover a lot about American Olympics athletes, but sometimes the stories from other countries are so interesting I just have to share.
In the sad category, Cuban cyclist Pedro Pablo Perez is in a coma following a car accident on Monday. He will miss the Olympics. The Beijing Olympics would [...]
Dara Torres to skip 100 meters
Dara Torres qualified to swim in both the 50 and 100 meters competitions in Beijing. However, I guess even Dara recognizes that, at 41, she’s no spring chicken. She has opted to drop out of the 100 meters, so that she can concentrate on training for the 50. She may also be [...]
USA Swimming names Beijing Olympic Swim Team
Swimming is one of the more well-known summer Olympic sports here in the United States. It’s also one where we usually do well. Hopefully, the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing will be no exception. Yesterday, USA swimming posted the final roster of the swimmers who will be representing the United States in [...]
China officially unveils the “Watercube”
Officially known as the National Aquatics Center, the Watercube is a truly beautiful building. We posted a video about the construction of the Watercube and several other venues back in April. The completed product was revealed Monday. Below is a video about the unveiling.
Wu Peng Does Not Idolize Michael Phelps
Although Chinese swimmer Wu Peng looks up to Michael Phelps, he doesn’t consider him to be his idol. Wu Peng is one of China’s great hopes for a medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Recently, he won the 200 m butterfly at the Asian Games.
Ian Thorpe Quits Competitive Swimming
There will be no third Olympics for Ian Thorpe, as the two-time 24 year old Olympian officially announced his retirement from competitive swimming. Well, there’s always the possibility of a comeback for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I suppose, but Thorpe says that’s unlikely, and people close to him seem to agree that a comeback [...]
Texas Swimmers anxious for Beijing Olympics
I’m from Texas, so the Winter Olympics are pretty scanty on competitors from my home state (although we do turn out some pretty decent skaters— figure and speed— from time to time), but we’re much more likely to see competitors from our home state in the summer Olympics. Notably, I read this article about [...]
Will Ian Thorpe swim in Beijing?
Ian Thorpe, “The Thorpedo”, Australia’s Olympic champion swimmer, may not compete in Beijing. He hasn’t competed internationally since the Athens Olympics two years ago. After he moved to California for a change of pace, people began to questions whether he still has the hunger to return to Olympic competition in 2008. December [...]
Open Water Distance Swimming to debut in Beijing
In two years, at the Beijing Olympics, yet another new sport will be added— open water distance swimming. That means you get into a large body of water (I’m not sure if it has to be an ocean, or if large lakes count), and you swim a LONG way. The United States is [...]
2006 ConocoPhillips National Championships Broadcast Live
With less than two years to go until the 2008 Olympic Team, I thought you might want to see an early preview of some of the top swimmers from the US.
WCSN, a web-based sports broadcasting network, will be streaming FREE live coverage of the 2006 ConocoPhillips National Championships in Irvine, CA this Aug. 3-5. More [...]