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  • Caroline Wozniacki Forgot To Take The Money, $1.45 Million!

    Tennis sweetheart Caroline Wozniacki, currently holding the seventh spot in the world rankings, was said to be more excited about New York Fashion Week than her U.S. Open runner-up winnings. She was apparently so excited that she left the tournament without claiming her $1.45M prize money.

    After losing to her close personal friend Serena Williams in the U.S. Open final earlier this month, she dutifully faced the press and then headed for home. About half an hour later, WSJ reports that she arrived back at the tennis center saying “I forgot to pick up my prize money.”

    The Danish-born Wozniacki apparently doesn’t concern herself much with money. Not only did she forget to claim her $1.45 million check, she also didn’t inquire about an extra $500,000 in sponsorship incentives that is due her for her strong showing in the Open.

    The fact that she earns over $10 million in annual endorsements may have something to do with her cool. But even her agent and manager, John Tobias, has stated that the 24-year-old star gives more weight to how she feels about a product rather than her potential earnings when discussing business particulars for her endorsements.

    “I have enough to eat, buy nice shoes,” Wozniacki told WSJ. “For me, it’s about the tennis and the trophies. I’m not motivated by money.”

    Wozniacki’s focus is set on winning a Grand Slam tournament. She definitely got far with rejuvenating her career with a 43-16 record this season. Fans expect a lot from this former world No. 1, who played her best tennis in years and made it back to her first Grand Slam final since 2009.

    It is said that her tennis declined in the past years that she was engaged to pro golfer Rory McIlroy.  Her comeback became apparent earlier in the season when Wozniacki won a tournament in Istanbul, which came after McIlroy broke off their engagement.

  • Amy Van Dyken Stays Positive After ATV Accident

    On June 6, former gold medal-winning Olympic swimmer Amy Van Dyken’s life changed forever following an ATV wreck in which she severed her spinal chord. While doctors were able to perform surgery to save Amy’s life, she was left paralyzed below the waist, with no feeling at all in her legs or toes. Despite the huge setback for such a successful athlete, Amy’s spirits have not dampened – in large part due to the outlet of social media.

    Before Amy had fully recovered and awoke from her surgery, her husband and former NFL kicker Tom Rouen placed her cell phone in her hands, knowing how important sharing her life through social media had become to Amy. Unbeknownst to Tom at the time, that small gesture may have made a world of difference in Amy’s route to recovery.

    ”She sends stuff out there and gets so much positive energy and positive feedback that I really think it helps her a whole lot. It’s also been good to be able to have a distraction with everything that’s going on,” stated Rouen.

    Simply hours after her initial surgery following the accident, Van Dyken was posting to her Instagram account, sharing a picture of her family and her dislike of hospitals with the rest of the world:

    Of course, Amy is not only benefitting through the catharsis of revealing her own thoughts and emotions to her fans. Van Dyken has been on the receiving end of many kind words and gestures, pieces of daily communication that Van Dyken no longer takes for granted: ”It’s blowing me away. It truly is. I’ve gotten a lot of messages sending me thoughts, prayers, positive vibes. I feel them. It’s helping me and I just want to say thank you to everyone.”

    So far, all the hard work and well-wishes have paid off, as Van Dyken heard perhaps her best news in quite some time on Tuesday:

    Image via Instagram

  • Ernests Gulbis Ends Roger Federer’s 9-Year Streak, Advances To Quarterfinals

    On Sunday, Latvian tennis pro Ernests Gulbis defeated Roger Federer and advanced to the quarterfinals. Gulbis also ended Federer’s 9-year streak of joining the final 8 at Roland Garros.

    After their match, which lasted 3 hours and 42 minutes, Gulbis said “I’ve been playing very well in France. I won tournaments in Marseille and Nice (in 2014). Hopefully Paris is the next one.”

    Federer felt regretful after losing, but also praised his opponent. “Gulbis did a good job of hanging around, and clearly coming back in that second set was crucial for him. I just with I could have played a bit better overall,” he said.

    The match ended with a tally of 6-4 (5), 7-6 (3), 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. During their match, Gulbis had fewer unforced errors, and hit more winners and aces than Federer. Federer finished the match having 42 winners and 59 unforced errors, while Gulbis had 53 winners and 53 unforced errors.

    Gulbis has been waiting for a win like this for a long time. He has improved his game and has gone from the top 130 to the top 20. However, he has never gone beyond the third round in all of the four major tournaments that he joined, and he was defeated by players who are beyond the top 50.

    Gulbis said that beating Federer is his biggest win in the entirety of his career. “Sorry I had to win. I know how everyone likes Roger. It was a tough match, but this is sport.”

    In 2013, Federer suffered back problems, which resulted in his worst season in 10 years. Despite the loss, he remains confident that he will be able to defend his grass-court title in Germany next week. He is also aspiring for his eighth title at Wimbledon, which will start on June 23. “I’m very excited about my chances for Wimbledon,” he said.

    Gulbis will face Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinal round.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Maria Sharapova Doesn’t Take Ernests Gulbis’ Sexist Remarks Seriously

    Ernests Gulbis from Latvia, 25, made sexist comments when reporters asked him about his two younger sisters who also play tennis. He said that he wishes his sisters would not pursue professional tennis, as it’s tough for a woman.

    “A woman needs to enjoy life a little bit more. Needs to think about family needs to think about kids. What kids you can think about until age of 27 if you’re playing professional tennis, you know. That’s tough for a woman, I think.” said Gulbis.

    The comments again came out when reporters asked 27-year-old Maria Sharapova about what she thought of Gulbis’ statement.

    Sharapova answered that people shouldn’t take everything Gulbis says seriously. “I mean let’s be honest with that. I think he’s great entertainment and we love to listen to what he has to say… in a way, I think he was joking, but he’s playing the sport, so how bad can it be?” She continued to say that if professional tennis were so bad, Gulbis wouldn’t be playing it even though he’s a man.

    Sharapova also said that playing professional tennis brings many opportunities to women, especially given her experiences. However, she also said that she wouldn’t wish the same experience for her kids.

    “But then when I’m playing the matches, I’m in front of thousands of people and the experience that this sport brings, I think, of course I want my kids to do this, this is such a huge lesson in life,” Sharapova said.

    Garbine Muguruza, 20, also disagrees with Gulbis’ statement saying that women should play tennis until they want, even if they pursue having a family. “You can play until you want to play,” she said.

    Gulbis’ comments may be sexist for some, but for others, he is only looking out for his younger sisters and being protective of them like a brother should.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Angelique Kerber Out Of French Open After Losing To Eugenie Bouchard

    On Sunday, Eugenie Bouchard propelled to the French Open quarterfinals when she beat Angelique Kerber of Germany with a score of 6-1, 6-2. The match was over in 52 minutes.

    After the match, Bouchard said, “I believe I can play with the best girls out there. She’s top 10, so I respect her. She can play some really good tennis. I was really mentally prepared for anything, for a battle.”

    On the other side, Kerber said, “I was not in the game. I was trying, but I had no rhythm. I don’t know. I make so many mistakes. I actually was not moving very good. So, yeah, I just can say that it was not my best day today.” Although she lost, Kerber still praised Bouchard saying that she played well.

    In the first 15 minutes of the match, Bouchard was already in the lead at 5-0. She only made 11 unforced errors throughout the game, and had 77 percent first serves in the first set. During the second set, she served 42 percent first serves, but was still able to win the round. Kerber, on the other hand, made plenty of unforced errors.

    Bouchard also said that she always tries to take control of the game with her serves and her returns and always makes it her goal to move forward.

    Bouchard practiced with her coach Nick Saviano in order to boost her game level. “Even if he’s in his 50s, he can still serve a few,” she said referring to her coach.

    Bouchard will play Carla Suarez Navarro, No. 14, at the quarterfinal round.

    “There is a lot of room for other players to move up. I think it just makes the draw really interesting when some of the top names are out and we see some new names that we haven’t seen that much,” Bouchard said.

    Image via YouTube

  • Serena Williams Demolished At French Open

    Serena Williams Demolished At French Open

    On Wednesday, Serena and Venus Williams both lost in the second round. They were looking forward to playing with each other, but it seems that they will both be going home early. Had they won against their opponents, they would have met at the third round.

    Garbiñe Muguruza is a 20-year-old Spanish-Venezuelan tennis player. She beat Serena with a score of 6-2, 6-2, which is one of the worst single losses the tennis champ has experienced. It is the earliest that Serena had to go home since losing in the first round at Roland Garros 2 years ago.

    Serena Williams vs. Garbiñe Muguruza: match highlights


    “It was one of those days. You can’t be on every day, and, gosh I hate to be off during a Grand Slam. It happens, you know. It’s not the end of the world. It’s what it is.”

    Serena Williams’ post match interview

    Venus was defeated by Anna Schmiedlova from Slovakia with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

    Muguruza has been a fan of the Williams sisters for quite a while. As a child, she studied tennis matches and aspired to play against Serena on the court. On Wednesday, her wish came true when she beat Serena. “So when you watch someone play, you know exactly what you need to do to defeat her,” Muguruza said.

    Muguruza said that it was difficult for her to go against Serena, as she is a big fan. “It was really difficult to be able to, O.K., be calm and say, ‘It’s another player,’” she said.

    It is only Muguruza’s second time at the French Open. Last year, she was eliminated in the second round. However, she was able to reach the third round at last year’s Australian Open.

    “It’s very difficult, because since I was a child when I turn on the TV, I see her play. Everything, when I’m practicing, okay, how Serena serves, how she plays a backend. I saw like 100 videos of her,” Muguruza said.

    Image via YouTube

  • Devon Baulkman Will Attend University Of Tennessee And Join Volunteer Program

    Junior college guard Devon Baulkman has officially agreed to attend the University of Tennessee and join the Volunteers basketball program headed by Coach Donnie Tyndall. Baulkman signed the paperwork on Tuesday.

    Baulkman, the 6’5” guard, has been attending the Gulf Coast State College for the past 2 years. He will be enrolling at the University of Tennessee for his junior year, making him eligible for 2 more years. Baulkman already signed to play with Southern Mississippi, but due to the coaching transition, he will now be with the Volunteers. He was granted the release after Coach Tyndall left Southern Mississippi. Four other basketball players were granted release after the coaching change.

    During his stay in Gulf Coast State College, Baulkman was able to reach an average of 1.8 steals, 2.4 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 15.5 points in his last season. Baulkman was also able to earn All-Panhandle Conference honors for two years in a row.

    Coach Tyndall said that Baulkman is a “versatile, long, athletic guy” that fits in with their system well. The coach also said that Baulkman is capable of playing three perimeter positions, which is an immediate advantage to their team.

    Aside from Baulkman, Ian Chiles, a transfer from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, is also joining the Volunteers.

    Chiles is a 6’1” guard that will be enrolling at the University of Tennesseee for his final year. The basketball player, who has averaged 15.8 points his last season at IUPUI, has confirmed through text that he will be signing with Tennessee. Chiles had an average of 10 points for every game he played for IUPUI the past three seasons. In the last season, he was the school’s leading scorer. Tennessee hasn’t made an official announcement about Chiles, since the paperwork is not yet complete.

    Other players joining the Volunteers include guard Kevin Punter, guard Detrick Mostella, and forward Jabari McGhee.

    Image via VolNation, Twitter

  • Lydia Ko: Golf Prodigy Wins Swinging Skirts World Ladies Masters

    One look at Lydia Ko, and you might not guess that this unassuming young woman is one of the top players in professional golf today.

    The Korean-born, New Zealander just turned 17 on Sunday when she claimed victory at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic. Shortly before that, Ko was included in Time Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People in the World.

    While this is Ko’s third win in the LPGA, it is the first time that she’s been allowed to collect money for her efforts (amateur golfers don’t win prize money). To add to her already stellar career stats, her recent win is her sixth in worldwide professional golf events.

    Ko had to go through some off-target drives during her last LPGA tournament, but she focused as she hit a perfect 6-foot birdie in the final hole for her first LPGA Tour win as a professional golfer. Ko beat 29-year-old American golfer Stacy Lewis and fellow Korean Jenny Shin and went on to win third place in the tournament.

    In a post-match interview, Ko said that she could not have had a “better birthday week” after her win, and that her birthday can be considered “sweet 17”.

    The victory earned Ko a total of $270,000 worth of winnings. Three days after her actual birthday, the gallery sang “Happy Birthday” at the first tee box.

    Born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in North Harbour, New Zealand, Lydia Ko was the top-seeded female amateur golfer in the world for a total of 130 weeks before finally turning pro in October of 2013. She earned the title of youngest person to ever win a pro golf tour event, as well as the youngest golfer to ever win an LPGA tour event.

    Ko’s exposure to the game of golf started when she was five years old. In an article by Time Magazine, eight-time holder of the LPGA Tour Player of the Year title Annika Sorenstam called Ko an “exceptionally talented” player who is “mature beyond her years”.

    Lydia Ko’s post win interview


    Image via YouTube

  • Elin Nordegren And Lindsey Vonn Getting Chummy

    After the messy and very public divorce between golf superstar Tiger Woods and former model Elin Nordegren, no one would have guessed that it was possible for his ex-wife to be friends with his current flame.

    This unlikely scenario is probably making life easier for Woods, whose career suffered significantly following his split with Nordegren. An insider told celebrity news magazine Us Weekly that Nordegren actually adores Vonn and the two women talk all the time. The source added that Nordegren is drawn to the fact that Vonn is a “strong woman.”

    The whole family – Woods, Vonn, Nordegren, and the children recently vacationed together, with the 29-year-old Olympic skier and the 34-year-old Swedish mother of two occasionally bonding with each other over drinks, while Woods was left to look after his six-year-old daughter Sam and five-year-old son Charlie.

    Nordegren discovered that both her and Vonn had a lot of similarities and common ground. The insider said that they talk and laugh “like they have been girlfriends forever.”

    However, E! News pointed out that the two ladies have not been seen together in public. Since the paparazzi hardly misses a celebrity spotting – especially a controversial one – there has been some skepticism about the alleged closeness of Nordegren and Vonn.

    While it may be considered absurd for Woods’ former wife to get close to any of the women he was – and is – involved with, Vonn spends a significant amount of time with Nordegren’s children, thus a reason for the two women to build a relationship.

    Vonn and Woods met in 2012 at the pro-golfer’s World Challenge Charity golf tournament, and officially became a couple in March 2013. Vonn’s divorce from fellow skier Thomas Vonn was finalized in January 2013, although the couple had been separated since late 2011.

    Meanwhile, Nordegren has been linked to coal billionaire Chris Cline, who was a neighbor of Nordegren and Woods when they were still together.

    Image via YouTube

  • Lance Armstrong Drops Names Of Persons That Helped Him Dope

    Lance Armstrong Drops Names Of Persons That Helped Him Dope

    Lance Armstrong, the celebrity cyclist, has for the first time, named the people who gave him, and helped him get illegal performance enhancing drugs for all seven of his Tour de France titles.

    In his public statement, he named the US Postal ex-team manager Johan Bruyneel, trainer Pepi Marti, Dr. Michele Ferrari, Dr. Pedro Celaya, and Dr. Luis Garcia del Moral.

    He went on to say that he paid for the substances, but that “other people” contributed financially. According to him, the drugs were delivered by Philippe Mair, mechanic Julien de Vriese, and masseuse Emma O’Reilly.

    The testimony also claimed that Armstrong did not pay anyone to keep his use of drugs a secret. He did, however, give benefits or contributions to people who may have suspected his drug use. The testimony maintained it was not a pay-off.

    He also claimed that he used the blood booster erythropoietin (EPO) as early as 1995. He said that he was in control the entire time, but the administration was sometimes supervised by Dr. Ferrari, Dr. Celaya, or Dr. del Moral.

    The statement comes from a testimony the cyclist made in November last year, when Acceptance Insurance sued him to recover bonuses made from 1999 to 2001 worth $3 million for winning the Tour de France.

    The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court, but the testimony was kept as an exhibit for another lawsuit against Armstrong by former teammate Floyd Landis.

    The US Anti-Doping Agency, or USADA, has called Armstrong’s doping, “sport’s most sophisticated and successful” program.

    In 2013, Armstrong admitted in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that he used performance-enhancing drugs in all seven of his Tour de France victories. However, he did not name the people who supplied them to him.

    Lance Armstrong Confesses On Oprah Show

    Bruyneel, Marti, and Celaya denied the accusation and brought USADA’s case to an arbitration hearing. It was held last December in London. The other people named by Armstrong did not contest.

    According to Bruyneel, USADA’s accusation that he is the mastermind of the doping program is not true, also saying he is not a devil.

    Image via YouTube

  • Josh Gordon Tattoo: Number 12 Shows Off Elaborate Ink Job On Instagram

    Josh Gordon is no stranger to tattoos, but the recent additions to his skin art tops everything he previously had. The Cleveland Browns’ wide receiver has been working on back tattoo design for quite some time, and on Monday he visited his artist for another session to add more detail to the piece.

    Gordon, Number 12 for the Browns, first posted a photo of himself being inked on February 9 on Instagram. It showed him sitting in the bathroom with headphones on while a tattoo artist worked on his left side. The following day, followers got their first glimpse of his back tattoo. The Instagram photo showed him with his back turned toward the camera, giving viewers a good look at the tattoo in progress.

    The design showed Gordon’s jersey number, his last name, and a koi fish swimming upward by his left shoulder blade. Only the koi and the first three letters of his last name were done. If you take the koi out of the picture, it would look like Gordon’s ready to play wearing only his pants. He captioned the photo “A representation of yourself. It’s a lifestyle.”

    On February 13, Gordon updated his Instagram followers of the progress of the enormous tattoo on his back. The uploaded photo showed him seated and wearing a brown camouflage cap and red headphones as the gloved hands of the tattoo artist worked on the last three letters of his name. It also showed the outline of a geisha demurely hiding her face behind a fan.

    Gordon must have let his back heal for a while; the next update was posted on March 18, and showed the geisha’s fan getting details. In another photo posted later that day, he shows off the finished product. Aside from the koi and geisha, the other elements that can be seen are what seem to be marijuana leaves, and a Buddha head in quiet contemplation.

    Gordon captioned this last photo with “We just goin keep going til I run outta space..” True enough, for it shows his tattoo artist working on his right shoulder. His back piece is truly a work of art, but for the sake of his tattoo, here’s to hoping he gets to wear the same number if ever he makes the switch to another team.

    The Browns have a weapon

    Image via Josh Gordon, Instagram

  • Gabriele Grunewald Reinstated As US 3K Champ

    It’s official – Gabriele Grunewald is the US Indoor Women’s 3,000-meter champion, according to her reinstatement by USA Track and Field on Monday. Grunewald had previously won the 3K-meter run last Saturday in Albuquerque, New Mexico but was disqualified just hours after being proclaimed the winner.

    The quick decision change followed a complaint made by Alberto Salazar, the coach of fourth-placer Jordan Hasay. Salazar alleged that Grunewald made illegal contact with Hasay on the final lap of the race. Track and field officials initially dismissed Salazar’s claim, but the coach pressed on with his protest until Grunewald was stripped of her title, which was given to second-place finisher Shannon Rowbury.

    The controversial disqualification generated widespread criticism and protest throughout the track world. Several female contestants in Sunday’s 1,500-meter event locked arms after the race and started marching down the track as a symbol of their support for Grunewald.

    USATF spokesperson Jill Greer said that Salazar and the rest of Hasay’s camp withdrew their protest on Monday, prompting the USATF to revoke the disqualification. CEO Max Siegel spoke with Grunewald’s and Hasay’s representatives on Monday, according to the USATF.

    An entry in Hasay’s blog states that Hasay withdrew her protest despite her desire and determination to compete in Poland because she “did not want to make a national team under these circumstances”. Her coach declared in the USATF press release that his only intention was to fight for his athlete after seeing the illegal contact.

    Third-place finisher Sara Vaughn expressed her admiration for Hasay’s decision to withdraw her protest. She said that Hasay handled the situation well, but that more answers should be sought with regard to the reason behind the initial disqualification.

    Grunewald’s disqualification would have meant a spot for Hasay on next month’s IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland. However, Hasay announced her withdrawal from the team, thereby granting Grunewald a spot on the US team along with Rowbury.

    Image via Facebook

  • Vince Young: Another Professional Athlete Goes Broke

    It’s always hard to believe that even after earning millions of dollars, some people still find a way to go broke.

    It is startling to hear the large contracts signed by professional athletes, but it is even more shocking to learn that a whopping 78% of NFL players have to deal with serious financial crisis or bankruptcy within the first two years of leaving the game. About 60% of NBA players face the same troubles after 5 years.

    It is easy to blame them for the mess but the causes of the problem are varied. Family pressures, poor money management skills, big egos, thrill seeking, bad financial investments and so on, contribute to the bankruptcy epidemic that plagues pro athletes. We don’t know which of these apply to Vince Young.

    The once promising football star has now reached rock-bottom, a sharp contrast to eight years ago when he was on top of the world. Young has already filed for chapter 11 federal bankruptcy, just 2 years after leaving the NFL despite once signing a contract worth $26 million with the Tennessee Titans.

    Young was the starting quarterback for the Titans between 2006 and 2010. He then joined the Eagles in 2011 after being dumped by the Titans in the 2010 season.

    According to the Houston Chronicle, his attorney Brian Kilmer filed a petition in a Houston bankruptcy court that listed his assets to be worth between $500,001 and $1 million and liabilities between $1,001,000 and $10 million.

    It is alleged that his financial woes began, or was at least made worse, by a $1.8 million loan which he ultimately didn’t need. The loan has now grown to $2.5 million.

    According to a Pro Player Funding (a New York based company that granted the loan) attorney, a judgment against Young in favor of Pro Player Funding was passed by a New York Court.

    Meanwhile, Young has sued his financial adviser and former agent for trying to rip him off. He says they took the money he received from the Pro Player loan for themselves.

    Young is only 30-years-old, he could almost certainly play football for a few more years, so why isn’t he? After all, he could use the money.

    No one seems to have a clear answer for why he’s been ousted from the NFL. Young’s skills with money leave much to be desired but his skills on the gridiron are solid. Vince Young and his family and friends are perplexed as to why he hasn’t been signed. This has lead some to believe that he may have been blacklisted.

    http://youtu.be/AU7gOPQmPY0

    How Athletes Go Broke

    Image via YouTube

  • Jennifer Capriati Off The Hook For Battery And Stalking

    On Monday it was announced that Jennifer Capriati is off the hook for battery and stalking charges that were brought against her. The former tennis star was reportedly charged in 2013 after a confrontation with an ex-boyfriend.

    According to Mike Edmondson, a spokesman for the Palm Beach County State attorney’s office, the misdemeanor charges were dropped after Capriati completed 30 hours of community service and underwent four hours of anger management counseling sessions.

    Court documents reveal Capriati completed her community service at Pepin Heart Institute in Tampa, FL and attended anger management sessions last week.

    “Those are standard conditions for a deferred prosecution,” Edmondson said.

    On Feb. 14th, 2013 (Valentine’s Day), the 37-year-old Capriati is alleged to have repeatedly punched her ex-boyfriend Ivan Brannan at a gym and stalked him for months prior to that incident. A witness, who is also one of Brannan’s co-workers, told authorities that Capriati tried to enter a locked room at their place of business and sometimes called as much as 50 times a day.

    Capriati is an international tennis legend who began playing professional tennis at age 13. In the 1992 Barcelona Olympic, she won a gold medal. She also won the women’s Australian and the French Open. Capriati is one of the most accomplished professional women’s tennis players in the world, having won 14 singles tournaments in her tennis career.

    This was not the first time the International Tennis Hall of Famer found herself on the wrong side of the law. Her sporting career was briefly interrupted in the mid-1990s when she was arrested for shoplifting and marijuana charges.

    Efforts to trace her for comments were not successful.

    Here’s what led to the charges against Capriati

    http://youtu.be/rJEVrCUsrw0

    Image via YouTube

  • Lindsey Vonn Injured: Possible Setback For Sochi Olympics

    The reigning Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn got injured Tuesday in a training run in Copper Mountain, Colorado ahead of her anticipated return to racing in the World Cup competition next week in Beaver Creek, Colo. Vonn was just recovering from a major right knee surgery. Vonn was however, not admitted to the hospital. Instead, her injury is being evaluated by her doctor, Bill Sterett.

    “We have no reason to believe it’s anything significant right now,” read a statement from U.S. Ski Team spokesman Tom Kelly to the Associated Press. It is not clear whether her right knee was injured or not. She had torn her ligaments in the knee and fractured her tibia in a sickening crash in a high speed accident which occurred on Feb. 5. “We expect to have clarity on the situation in the next 24 hours,” Lewis Kay, a spokesman for Vonn, said.

    Vonn had actually felt that her knee was months ahead of the schedule and in recent weeks she repeatedly said that her right knee was fully recovered.  She thought about expediting her comeback to the season opening Giant Slalom in Soelden, Austria last month but she changed her mind. Opting instead to continue preparing. She had already indicated that the Sochi Olympics this coming February are her priority.

    It is unlikely that Vonn will have adequate time to prepare for the Sochi Olympics in 79 days following the setback. She had said before the season that her main focus was on the Olympics. “If I start off slow, it’s fine I just want to make sure that by the time I get to Sochi that I’m 100% in those events.” Vonn felt that she would have less pressure at the Sochi Olympics since she already has a gold medal. . “My childhood dream was to win the Olympics, and I’ve done that. Everything else is icing on the cake,” she said. “I feel like the pressure is off,”

    (image via Wikipedia)

  • Lolo Jones To Become Bobsled Champion

    Lolo Jones To Become Bobsled Champion

    It’s not unusual for athletes to excel in one sport and then transfer their energies to either learn another sport or diversify themselves within the originating sport. After becoming the name in basketball, Michael Jordan moved onto baseball for a period of time. Michael Phelps competed in multiple swimming competitions.

    So, the recent career switch for the talented Lolo Jones should come as no surprise. Lolo Jones has already competed in the Olympics through the track and field competition where she participated as a 100-meter hurdler in track. She is now competing in the bobsled sport. Her diet has been adjusted to consume 9,000 calories a day in order to gain thirty pounds.

    Lolo Jones understands the need to muscle and as an Olympic hopeful in the bobsled arena. “You’re with the bobsled at the truck and inhaling the smoke fumes from the exhaust pipe, just holding on. It’s a very blue-collar sport. It takes a tough person,” Lolo said.

    Lolo’s past athletic record and prowess has not gone unnoticed. “Transitioning to bobsled, having her speed and power, and also that experience as an elite athlete … she’s at the top of her game in her respective sport. So I think she brought a lot of knowledge and maturity that way and was super open to bobsled,” Jazmine Fenlator said.

    Bobsledding is a unique sport, which usually is not at the forethought of an aspiring athlete’s mind. Most bobsledding athletes have been actively involved in other sports. Elana Meyers, who is a U.S. pilot, explained the strength of this tendency where athletes from all different sports can use their knowledge and skills to advance the sport of bobsledding.

    “Whenever we bring in new people, we tell them to use their experiences from the previous sport and bring what they already know into our sport. That’s the thing, everybody from our sport comes from a different sport. Nobody grows up bobsledding,” Elana Meyers said.

    [Image Via Wikimedia Commons And Courtesy Of Erik van Leeuwen]