Light the Torch – Beijing Olympics and Other Olympic News

Another Award for Bolt

Jamaican Olympic sprinter and “fastest man on earth,” Usain Bolt picked up another honor this past weekend when he was named the “Caribbean Man of the Year” for 2008. Organizers cited the worldwide attention that Bolt brought to the islands after his victories in Beijing last August.

Bolt wowed Olympic viewers with his easy victories in the 100m and 200m events. He also helped the Jamaica relay team earn Gold in the 400m relay.

The “Caribbean Woman of the Year” honor went to pop singer, Rihanna, who hails from Barbados.

^{(photo © Newscom)}

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Former US Olympic Swimmer Dies

Roy Saari, a Gold and Silver medalist in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, died suddenly on December 30 of congestive heart failure, according to the Los Angeles Times. Saari, the son of a southern California high school swimming and water polo coach, earned the Gold Medal as part of the US champion 800m relay team. He earned the Silver Medal in the 400 individual relay.

Saari, who become an attorney, real estate agent, and planning commissioner for his hometown of Mammoth Lake, California, was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1976. He is particularly noted for his unique kick and for being the first man to break the 17 minute barrier in the 1500m freestyle event. He is survived by his wife, two children, and several grandchildren.

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Olympic News to Look for in 2009

This year, 2009, may be an “off” year for the Olympics, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be plenty of news in the next 12 months to interest Olympic fans. With the Vancouver Winter Games scheduled to begin February 12, 2010, much of 2009 will be filled with winter athletes perfecting their skills on the international stage and with various Olympic qualifying events toward the later part of the year. In addition, we’ll get to see the Olympic venues and preparations in Vancouver and Whistler take their final shape.

The Olympic Torch relay leading up to the Vancouver Games will also begin in 2009. The 100-day, 45,000-kilometer, trek throughout Canada will begin in mid-November.

Lastly, look for news from the October meeting of the International Olympic Committee. This year’s meeting will choose the site for the 2016 Summer Games (Tokyo, Madrid, Chicago, and Rio de Janeiro are in the running) as well as vote on what new sport should be allowed in the Games (golf, rugby, softball, baseball, karate, and squash have presented their cases).

It should be an exciting year.

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Olympians Bolt, Isinbayeva Named International Athletes of the Year

The International Sports Press Association, which is made up of sports jounalists from 96 nations, chose their picks for International Athletes of the Year last week. The winners were sprinter Usain Bolt of Jamaica (who edged out swimming sensation, Michael Phelps by a narrow margin) and Olympic pole vault champion, Yelena Isinbayeva.

Bolt wowed Olympic viewers last summer in Beijing with his easy victories in the 100m and 200m events. He also helped the Jamaica relay team earn Gold in the 400m relay.

Isinbayeva, who is Russian, successfully defended her Gold Medal in the women’s pole vault event. She also set a slew of world records in 2008 and was undefeated for the year.

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Petitclerc Named CBCSports’ Canadian Athlete of the Year

Paralympian, Chantal Petitclerc has competed in each Paralympic Games since Barcelona in 1992…and she has 21 medals–14 of them Gold–to show for it. The 39-year-old wheelchair racer from Quebec lost the use of her legs in a childhood accident, but that hasn’t stopped her from achieving her goals. This week, she was named “Canadian Athlete of the Year” by CBCSports, an honor that has previously gone to speedskater Cynthia Claussen.

Petitclerc also recently received the Lou Marsh Trophy, given each year to the outstanding Canadian athlete of the year by the Canadian Sports Journalists.

Petitclerc says she intends to retire from racing and is considering a career in television journalism.

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Another China Olympics?

Just four months after hosting the spectacular 2008 Summer Games, China has set her eyes on hosting another Games–this time the Winter event. According to Reuters, Harbin (pictured above), the capital of China’s Heilongjiang Province in the northeastern part of the country, is considering bidding on the 2018 Games. Harbin, a bustling town of five million residents, had unsuccessfully bid on the 2010 Games, which were awarded to Vancouver.

Harbin will face competition from declared candidates, Munich, Germany and Grenoble, Nice, and Annecy in France.

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Olympians for Humanity

Lopez Lomong, the United States flag bearer in the Beijing Games opening ceremony, joined a group of fellow Olympians and Paralympians in Colorado this holiday season to help build homes for Habitat for Humanity. Joining him were volleyball Silver Medalist, Nicole Davis; cyclist, Michael Blatchford; pentathlete, Eli Bremer, and eight other Olympic athletes and coaches.

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Merry Christmas to All

Here’s wishing all “Light the Torch” readers a happy, safe, and enjoyable Christmas.

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Hoy Recommended for Knighthood

The “London Times” is reporting this week that British cycling Olympian Chris Hoy has been recommended to receive an Order of the British Empire for his Olympic accomplishments. The 32-year-old Hoy is young for this honor, which is traditionally bestowed to individuals of near-retirement age.

Fellow Olympian, Rebecca Adlington, who earned two swimming Gold Medals this summer in Beijing, has also been recommended for the honor. She is just 19 years old.

Hoy earned three Gold Medals in track cycling this summer in Beijing. He adds those to the Gold Medal he received in Athens and the Silver Medal he earned in Athens. Hoy has said that he looks forward to defending his Medals in his home country in 2012.

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Steiner, Steffen Named German Sportsman and Woman of the Year

German Olympians Matthias Steiner (weighlifting) and Britta Steffen (swimming) were awarded their country’s Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards on December 21 at a banquet in Baden-Baden.

Steiner won the Gold Medal in Beijing this summer in the 105kg class. Steffen won Gold in Beijing in the 50m and 100m freestyle events.

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