Tag Archives: usain

Rio Ferdinand better off without England, says Harry Redknapp

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Snubbed Rio should forget England and focus on Manchester United, says Redknapp

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UPDATED:

09:45 GMT, 5 October 2012

Rio Ferdinand is better off without England, according to former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp.

Current England manager Roy Hodgson told punters on a London tube train that the Manchester United defender wouldn't make his current squad.

Redknapp doesn't think this is really a bad thing for the 33-year-old, telling The Sun: 'At this time of his life, does Rio really need trips with England

Winning on the road: Ferdinand celebrates United's Champions League victory against Cluj

Winning on the road: Ferdinand celebrates United's Champions League victory against Cluj

'I don’t think he needs all that aggro any more. He still has a couple of years left in him at the very top level — maybe more if he is not playing for England.

'And if he’s not wanted then he shouldn’t waste his time even thinking about England.

'Concentrate on playing for your club. Focus on that and he probably won’t miss England.

Blow: Ferdinand was criticised as Tottenham won at Old Trafford last weekend

Blow: Ferdinand was criticised as Tottenham won at Old Trafford last weekend

'He’s not exactly been a regular for a while now and has had his injuries.

'Were Rio in his prime then this would be a bombshell. But Rio should listen to his body.'

Ferdinand was criticised for his performance after last weekend's match against Tottenham.

Back in the day: Ferdinand in action for England in 2010

Back in the day: Ferdinand in action for England in 2010

But Redknapp hit back, saying: 'He has been called slow. Don’t be ridiculous.

'Rio could still take most players over 20 yards but in Gareth Bale he was up against the Usain Bolt of English football.'

Adam Gemili to target sprint double in Rio

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Britain's Bolt! Gemili plans to target sprint double at Rio Olympics

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UPDATED:

17:24 GMT, 11 September 2012


Olympic star: Adam Gemili

Olympic star: Adam Gemili

Teenage sensation Adam Gemili will bid to emulate Usain Bolt by targeting the Olympic sprint double in Rio.

The 18-year-old missed out on a place in the 100m final in London by just four-hundredths of a second.

Gemili opted not to compete in the 200m but has his sights set on both events in four years' time.

‘Next year I’m going to double up and do the 100m and 200m,’ the world junior 100m champion told Sportsmail. ‘It’s good for my fitness as well and hopefully if I go to Rio, I’ll be in contention [for medals] in both.

‘Usain Bolt is the best at what we do and the guy I look up to and try to be like. Everything he has achieved is everything I want to achieve.

‘I just want to keep working, progress slowly and hopefully be there one day. I was only going to London to compete so to get to the semi-final and come third was great. I definitely exceeded my expectations.‘

Gemili, part of the Aviva GB & NI
Team, will combine his training with a degree in Sports and Exercise
Science with Human Biology at the University of East London, which he
starts later this month.

And
the youngster admits his plate will be full as he looks to live up to
his burgeoning reputation as Britain’s next great sprint hope.

Bookworm: Gemili will combine his training with a university degree

Bookworm: Gemili will combine his training with a university degree

‘The World Championships and the European Under 23s are next year so they’re on my radar but I’ll need to sit down and look at the dates and see how they fit in with training and exams,’ he added.

Aviva has been backing British athletes and the GB & NI team for over 13 years. If you or your child have been inspired to get involved find out more about the Aviva Athletics Academy at http://academy.uka.org.uk/

Yohan Blake rings bell at Lord"s

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Blake Lord's it up as Jamaican sprint star is given honour of ringing bell at home of cricket

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UPDATED:

10:48 GMT, 16 August 2012

Olympic gold medalist Yohan 'The Beast' Blake was the given the honour of ringing the bell to signal the start of play in the third and final Test match between England and South Africa at Lord's.

The ringing of the bell at the Home of
Cricket is considered a huge honour and Blake – part of Jamaica's world record-breaking 4x100m relay team – is revelled in the limelight in the pavilion, sporting freakishly overgrown nails.

The Beast and the bell: Blake, sporting freakishly overgrown nails, rings the bell in the Lord's pavillion

The Beast and the bell: Blake rings the bell in the Lord's pavillion

Yohan Blake

Both Blake and countryman, close friend and training partner Usain Bolt are big cricket fans.

The 22-year-old World Champion finished second to Bolt in both the 100m and 200m finals at London 2012 and he should be in for a real treat at Lord's, where the winner of the match will decide who is ranked as the No 1 Test team in the world.

Stick to the day job, Vaughany: Former England captain Michael Vaughan (left) joins Blake out in the middle at Lord's

Stick to the day job, Vaughany: Former England captain Michael Vaughan (left) joins Blake out in the middle at Lord's

Meanwhile, Blake believes his time will come to take over from Bolt as the world's fastest man. He told Sky Sports News: 'When I beat him at the Jamaican trials that gave me a lot of confidence.'

On top of the world: Blake (bottom left) with the rest of the Jamaican 4x100m relay team

On top of the world: Blake (bottom left) with the rest of the Jamaican 4x100m relay team

London 2012 Olympics: Usain Bolt"s photos after 200m victory revealed

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Bolt's the photographer! Take a look at sprint king Usain's personal snaps after 200m win

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UPDATED:

00:36 GMT, 10 August 2012

Olympics fans across the world watched in awe as Usain Bolt added the 200 metre crown to his 100m title and then grabbed a photographers camera to take pictures of the celebrating crowd.

The Jamaican superstar sprinter surged to victory in Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London and began his usual celebration routine, before grabbing a waiting snapper's camera.

And the resulting photographs aren't too bad at all. Maybe he could take up photography when he hangs up his spikes

Say cheese: Yohan Blake strikes a pose showing off his muscles as his team mate Usain Bolt takes his picture after the 200m final

Say cheese: Yohan Blake strikes a pose showing off his muscles as his team mate Usain Bolt takes his picture after the 200m final

In a trademark act of showmanship, Bolt looked back across the track to countryman Yohan Blake, raised an index finger to his lips, did a couple of press-ups once he had come to a halt and then walked back to kiss the finishing line.

When he walked into the press conference room he called for a 'drum roll' and then he said: ‘I’m now a legend. I am the greatest athlete to live. To all the people who doubted me, who thought I would lose here, you can stop talking now. I am a living legend.’

Give us a wave: Spectators enjoy the party as Blake acts up for the camera

Give us a wave: Spectators enjoy the party as Blake acts up for the camera

Write caption here

He was asked if he was now on the same level as 'Ali, Jordan and Pele', before someone enquired as to whether he had superseded Bob Marley as 'the greatest Jamaican in history'.

'Ali was the greatest in his sport, Jordan the greatest in his, and I am the greatest in mine, so I guess I am at that level,' he said.

'I am in the same category as Michael Johnson too. Bob Marley I’m just carrying on his duty. We have the same goal, to make Jamaica a country that is loved around the world.'

Fans-tastic: Bolt then turned the lens on the crowd who had just watched him write a new chapter in the sprinting history books

Fans-tastic: Bolt then turned the lens on the crowd who had just watched him write a new chapter in the sprinting history books

London 2012 Olympics Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake qualify for 200 metre final

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It's the Bolt and Blake show again! Jamaican sprinters cruise into 200m final

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UPDATED:

19:31 GMT, 8 August 2012

Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake will go head-to-head in the 200 metre final on Thursday night after the Jamaica sprinters made light work of their semi-final heats.

More to follow…

Stroll in the park: Bolt eased in the final without breaking sweat

Stroll in the park: Bolt eased in the final without breaking sweat

Final countdown: Blake and Bolt will race for the 200m crown

Final countdown: Blake and Bolt will race for the 200m crown

London 2012 Olympics: Usain Bolt needs rope trick

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Rules leave Bolt in need of a rope trick… but he still eases through in 200m

PUBLISHED:

21:45 GMT, 7 August 2012

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UPDATED:

21:45 GMT, 7 August 2012

Olympics 2012

After easing through his 200 metres heat, Usain Bolt seemed more concerned with beating London 2012’s ‘weird rules’ than defeating compatriot Yohan Blake.

The 100m champion had his skipping rope confiscated once again but insisted he will try to smuggle it in on Wednesday night so he can warm up properly for his 200m semi-final.

Cruise control: Usain Bolt barely broke sweat as he eased through in the 200m heats

Cruise control: Usain Bolt barely broke sweat as he eased through in the 200m heats

'It's weird, some of the rules,' said the Jamaican. 'I had my skipping rope in my bag and they said I can’t bring it in. Next time I am going to stick it under my bag, at the bottom or something.'

Bolt's skipping rope was his only real worry as he jogged through his first-round race in his ‘favourite event’ in 20.39sec. Blake, the 100m silver medallist, was just as impressive during his 20.38 run in what he calls his ‘better event’.

The likes of Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre and the USA’s Wallace Spearmon are, you feel, battling it out only for bronze.

See you there: Yohan Blake was equally impressive in his hear, striding out to win comfortably

See you there: Yohan Blake was equally impressive in his hear, striding out to win comfortably

Great Britain’s Christian Malcolm, competing at his fourth Olympics aged 33, joined them after running 20.59 for second place. But James Ellington could only finish sixth in his heat in 21.23, his slowest time this season.

Ellington, so desperate to compete here that he auctioned himself on eBay to raise sponsorship cash, said: ‘I’ve jogged faster than that. I’m baffled — there is no explanation for it.’

London 2012 Olympics: Usain Bolt wins 100m first round heat

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Back with Bolt! Usain begins 100m title defence with comfortable victory in heats

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UPDATED:

12:31 GMT, 4 August 2012

Usain Bolt made a winning start to the defence of his 100 metre crown with victory in the first round of heats with a comfortable win in 10.02 seconds at the Olympic Stadium.

More to follow…

Lightning Bolt: Usain won his first round heat in the 100m

Lightning Bolt: Usain won his first round heat in the 100m

Star attraction: Bolt sealed victory despite a sluggish start - and was joined by Britain's James Dasaolu in the next round

Star attraction: Bolt sealed victory despite a sluggish start – and was joined by Britain's James Dasaolu in the next round

Star attraction: Bolt sealed victory despite a sluggish start - and was joined by Britain's James Dasaolu in the next round

Star attraction: Bolt sealed victory despite a sluggish start – and was joined by Britain's James Dasaolu in the next round

Stunning start: Team GB sprinter Gemili made it through to the next round

Stunning start: Team GB sprinter Gemili made it through to the next round

Mo Farah: Roar me to glory – London 2012 Olympics

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Roar me to glory, says Mo as British star eyes Olympic glory in 10,000m

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UPDATED:

22:21 GMT, 3 August 2012

The bell sounds on Saturday night, Mo Farah enters the final lap and he needs help. Yours, if you're lucky enough to be inside the Olympic Stadium.

He will do the running. He wants you to create the mother of all noises, a massive crescendo to carry him home in the 10,000 metres.

When he starts acting like a mini-Usain Bolt to blow away the opposition after 24 sapping laps of the track, he wants to hear you. Home advantage, Farah thinks, will be crucial.

Home favourite: Farah is bidding for gold at the London Olympics

Home favourite: Farah is bidding for gold at the London Olympics

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'What really gets me through is the crowd – having that energy from the crowd cheering you on,' he said.

'Crystal Palace last month was amazing, everybody cheering for me and at the end people shouting, “We want Mo”. I really enjoy it. That's the feeling that makes you want to work hard in training and want to do well.

'That last lap depends on how loud they are, the adrenaline produced. It makes a big difference. When that cheering is getting louder you want to do well and it gives you that bit more energy.'

Enlarge

Centre of attention: Farah can expect huge support from the mainly British crowd

Centre of attention: Farah can expect huge support from the mainly British crowd

Farah's stand-out opponent is Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia's defending Olympic champion.

Farah said: 'He is the one. He has more experience than anyone else. He has won more medals than anyone else and seems to get it right in the championships.

'But that's just one athlete and you can't just be concentrating on one. I have to think about the rest of the guys and come up with the best plan I can to try to win that race.'

London Olympics 2012: How does Usain Bolt hit top gear

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Who can stop the runaway Usain train Coach Mills and artist Trevillion analyse how Bolt hits top gear

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UPDATED:

22:49 GMT, 2 August 2012

The Usain train

Frankel can set gold standard at Goodwood

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Forget Bolt and Dream Team, Frankel can set gold standard at Goodwood

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UPDATED:

22:45 GMT, 31 July 2012

It's the one sporting event this week where a wide-margin victory will definitely not be questioned.

Unlike a certain Chinese swimmer, Frankel's position as the world's best racehorse means a thumping success is expected when he attempts to extend his unbeaten record to 12 races in the Qipco Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

Usain Bolt is a 4-6 chance to win the Olympic 100m, the USA's 'dream team' 1-10 to land Olympic gold in the men's basketball.

To be Frankel: Queally is expected to romp home at Goodwood

To be Frankel: Queally is expected to romp home at Goodwood

Both events are rated more of a contest than the Sussex with Frankel, last seen demolishing a stronger line-up by 11 lengths in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, trading at 1-20 to beat three rivals headed by Eclipse Stakes runner-up Farhh.

Jockey Tom Queally has attempted to dampen expectations but believes that, like an Olympic gold medallist, Frankel is in the prime of his career and a more formidable performer than the colt which won the Sussex by five lengths from Canford Cliffs last year.

Queally said: 'It is amazing to think that a horse so good can, like he showed last time, get even better. 'When you win the Queen Anne by 11 lengths, if that is not a peak I don't know what is.

'People talk about Frankel's physical side and he has a huge stride but he has the will to win like no other horse I have ridden. He puts his head down and gallops all the way to the line.

'Most horses would pull up, put their head up and think they have done enough. He just gallops right out – sometimes the biggest problem I have is pulling him up.

Dead cert: Frankel is more fancied to win than Kobe Bryant and Co

Dead cert: Frankel is more fancied to win than Kobe Bryant and Co

'But it's a Group One and there is no such thing as an easy or bad one. You try to find a horse to win one.'

With Cecil not well enough to attend Goodwood, the focus will be even sharper on the quietly-spoken rider. He admits it may only be after Frankel retires that he can appreciate the level of public adulation for the colt.

Queally said: 'Sometimes, it hard to grasp when you are that close to it but as time goes by I kind of get it a little bit more. I do appreciate it but you can't get too carried away.'

The Cecil-Queally combination dominated day one of Glorious Goodwood as Frankel's brother Noble Mission beat Encke by a nose in the Gordon Stakes and Chachamaidee won the Lennox Stakes by a length and half from Libranno.

Ladbrokes cut the St Leger odds of Noble Mission to 14-1 but first he'll run in the Great Voltigeur at York on August 22, the day Frankel is due to race over 10 furlongs for the first time in the Juddmonte International Stakes.