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Tag: Olympics

  • Jenny Jones Wins Historic Bronze for Britian

    Jenny Jones waved emphatically to the scattered Brits in the Olympic crowd in Sochi on Sunday, after winning a historic bronze medal in the women’s slopestyle final, according to the AP.

    She is the first olympian from Britain to win a medal in snow sports, which is a generally American-dominated. The 33-year-old absolutely killed it on Sochi’s Rosa Khutor Extreme Park, claiming what ultimately amounted to a quarter of a point higher than fourth place.

    ”It feels incredible, absolutely incredible,” Jones said. ”I’m just in a moment right now.”

    Perhaps the Jenny Jones’ inspirational win can help repair the somewhat tarnished reputation that the British have on the snow. In the 2002 games in Salt Lake City, skier Alain Baxter won a bronze for Britain, but that was later stripped in shame due to a failed drug test.

    There was also the oddball performance in 1988 of Eddie ”The Eagle” Edwards who finished last in two ski-jumping events, all while sporting weird glasses and even weirder form. These dead-last runs and quirks endeared “The Eagle” to some, however, he also inspired the International Olympic Committee to write some new qualifying guidelines.

    Jenny Jones got her start, not on snow, but on a synthetic substitute that was covering a hill in her hometown of Bristol, west of London. The teenager then went on to work as a housekeeper at a ski resort so that she could be closer to snow and have more time to learn the sport. There weren’t any really good snowboarders to learn from in Britain until 1999.

    She won her first international title in snowboarding in 1999, then a decade later claimed slopestyle gold at the X games.

    ”When I first started there wasn’t a lot of us,” she said of her humble beginnings. ”I would travel a lot with girls from other nationalities, other parts of Europe. There’s been an increase of British riders.”

    Jones had a shaky start, scoring 73.00 to place fifth after the first round, just 4.25 points off the podium places, according to BBC. After an impressive second run she won the bronze when the final competitor, Austrian medal prospect Anna Gasser, fell.

    “It feels amazing,” added Jones. “I cannot believe it, I just can’t believe it. I knew I was going to drop [from first place] but I didn’t know how far. I am just so happy.

    “It was so difficult waiting. I thought I did my best run and landed it as best as I could.”

    Britain is not great on snow, but they have plenty to brag about on ice, where 22 medals had been won before Sochi in events such as figure skating, curling, skeleton, bobsleigh and, even ice hockey in much earlier games.

    Image via youtube

  • Stray Dogs In Russia & The Rush To Save Them

    Thousands of homeless dogs wander the streets of Sochi, begging for food. They live in the mud, and amid abandoned buildings and construction sites, without food or water, in the cold.

    With the winter Olympics opening ceremonies to start Friday, Russia is callously killing off its stray dogs in an effort to “clear the streets” of them to avoid bothering Sochi’s new visitors, avoiding the possibility of a wandering hungry dog into an Olympic event.

    Alexei Sorokin, director general of pest control firm Basya Services, told The Associated Press that his company had a contract to exterminate the animals throughout the Olympics.

    The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, who has worked hard to portray a friendly atmosphere during the Games, is tarnishing that image with the gruesome handling of these dogs.

    Locals say that many of these strays were once pets that were abandoned by the people whose homes were destroyed to make room for the Olympics. During that demolition, many of the residents were moved into apartments that frowned on pets.

    But, a dog shelter backed by a Russian billionaire is making a frantic effort to get to these dogs before the “exterminator” does, trying to save strays before facing their death sentence.

    Hundreds of dogs have already been killed, with their disposal unknown, and the reasoning has animal rights groups up in arms.

    “We were told, ‘Either you take all the dogs from the Olympic Village or we will shoot them,’ ” said Olga Melnikova, who is coordinating the rescue effort on behalf of a charity called Volnoe Delo (roughly, Good Will), which is financed by Oleg V. Deripaska, one of Russia’s billionaire leaders.

    Tamara Rumyantseva who heads the Volnoe Delo Foundation stated, “creation of the first dog shelter in Sochi is an important step as it shows that business is concerned about social responsibility and animal rights.”

    The dogs are being scooped up as quickly as possible using a golf cart to rescue and place them at the makeshift shelter on the outskirts of the city.

    All of the dogs that have been brought to the shelter are receiving medical care, food, and a warm place to lie down. They are all available for adoption, as the overwhelming numbers keep growing as groups scramble to save as many as possible.

    The Humane Society International also has a petition started in an effort to fight against the dog cull of Sochi.

    Image via YouTube

  • Hijacker Demands Pilot To Fly To Sochi

    Hijacker Demands Pilot To Fly To Sochi

    A man claiming to have a bomb on his person attempted to hijack a plane from the Ukraine en route to Turkey today, demanding that the pilots redirect to Sochi.

    NBC News reporter Richard Engel has been live-tweeting the incident as updates come in, saying it is an ongoing situation and that the pilots turned off their in-flight monitors so that they could safely land in Istanbul. The plane reportedly landed safely and was met with security.

    Sochi has been the subject of quite a bit of ridicule this week after stories began pouring in about the deplorable conditions awaiting visitors to the Olympic games. However, security has been the main issue after two back-to-back suicide bombings in December took the lives of over 30 people in Volgograd. Officials said they would be putting security measures into place in the mountains and surrounding towns outside Sochi as well as requiring every visitor to give passport details at arrival. However, many were skeptical that there wouldn’t still be some attempts at violence during the games.

    “There’s every belief they’ll make it secure and do whatever it takes to do that,” said an American senior law enforcement official. “But it is a large country, and these groups can get a lot of bang for their buck if they are able to do something in the country, wherever it is, during the Olympics.”

    Authorities said in January that they were looking for four women they call “black widows” who may be planning terrorist acts at Sochi after two men released a video claiming responsibility for the suicide bombings. The women may be used by the men to gain entrance to the games since they can easily alter their appearance with makeup and clothing.

    “That which we will do, that which we have done, is only a little example, a little step,” one the men, from the Islamist organization Anars Al Sunna, said in a video which was released last month.

    “We’ll have a surprise package for you,” the other man said. “And those tourists that will come to you, for them, too, we have a surprise.”

    This is an ongoing situation; we will update this article as we have more information.

    Image via Thinkstock

  • Olympic Charter Referenced With Google Doodle Supporting Gay Rights

    Google has a doodle up on its homepage throughout the world today celebrating the Olympic Games, but also making a statement in favor of gay rights.

    Olympic Charter

    Not only does the doodle resemble a rainbow flag, Google has actually quoted the Olympic Charter on its homepage underneath the search box. It says:

    “The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.” –Olympic Charter

    The link simply takes you to Google’s search results for “olympic charter,” which points to the document on Olympic.org as the top result underneath the news box. From there you can access it in PDF form.

    The quote Google uses appears as number 4 under “Fundamental Principles of Olympism”.

    The charter is the set of rules and guidelines for the games, and has been used throughout history to decide the outcome of various controversies. The organization has turned to it to rule on issues about citizenship, performance-enhancing drugs, and sexism, among other things.

    Obviously Google is aiming the doodle and message at Russian anti-gay law, and these appear on Google’s Russian homepage just like the rest of its international properties.

    Image via Google

  • Gracie Gold: Poised to Bring Home Gold

    Gracie Gold: Poised to Bring Home Gold

    Gracie Gold may very well be the United States’ golden girl of the Sochi Olympics. Some believe she will likely win significant gold during her time on the ice, too.

    Some of the biggest names in the Sochi Olympics for women’s figure skating are Yuna Kim, Mao Asada and Gracie Gold. The general consensus thus far, however, is that all eyes will remain on Gold–to win gold.

    Gracie won her first national championship in Boston last month. She will need to continue improving her game, however, as both Kim and Asada mean some incredibly stiff competition for the 18-year-old who seemingly came out of nowhere in the past two years and burst onto the U.S. figure skating scene.

    ”There are so many different variables, and the women’s field is so good this year,” Gracie said during a recent interview. ”Yuna Kim and Asada and then all the new kids on the block.

    ”I think the U.S. definitely has a strong team for the team event, definitely a chance to medal, if not win. I definitely think in singles I have a chance to medal; so do a lot of people. Who is going to leave everything out on the ice? The Olympics is about, ‘This is what I have, go ahead and beat it,”’ she added.

    Gracie Gold has an attitude that will be hard to beat.

    ”Going to nationals, I was not going to just participate, but to compete, going for the top spot, going for gold,” she said. ”I dedicated myself to that moment and I was able to hit it pretty well, and I am more than happy with that.

    ”I think the year is 2014 and it’s a new Gracie. With Frank (Frank Carroll is her coach) every day after I am done jumping, we just take time to appreciate the nuances and the music and connecting with the audience and judges and have that warmth with my skating, the things that light up the rink.”

    Right now Gold is enjoying the camaraderie of her U.S. Women’s Figure Skating team friends as they navigate the path that is the Sochi Olympics. There is definitely some fun to be had while at the Olympics.

    All work and no play–well, you know how that turns out.

    Will you be watching Gracie Gold at the Sochi Olympics? How many gold medals do you expect the golden girl might bring home?

    Image via YouTube

  • Ashley Wagner Makes Changes For Sochi

    Ashley Wagner Makes Changes For Sochi

    Many people wondered if Ashley Wagner would make it to the Olympics and when she did, many said she didn’t deserve to be there. Ashley has been in Sochi for a while now and as she waits to compete, she continues to practice and train more than ever. By now, Ashley has her routines down pat, but she still needs to perfect them. Ashley is a tough competitor and knows what it takes to win and if that means making some last minute changes, she will do just that.

    Ashley recently decided to change her music for Sochi to something she felt more comfortable with and was able to relate to better. She had originally decided to skate to Rome and Juliet but has now changed it to a song she used last year, Samson and Delilah.

    “This is the program that raises the hair on my arms,” she said, admitting she could not relate to Juliet’s character. “I’m so passionate about skating, and I just can’t imagine a single person in my life making me go that crazy for them,” Ashley continued. “She just seemed a little bit irrational to me. Juliet is delicate and soft and sweet. And I am not a sweet competitor. I’m vicious. I can be nice off the ice, but on the ice, that’s not where it’s time to make friends.”

    Ashley’s music isn’t the only thing that has changed for Sochi, she also changed her entire style of training, begging her coach to be hard on her.

    “After nationals, I said, `Tell me what to do, just make me someone worthy of being at the Olympic Games.” Ashley said.

    The hard work has paid off so far, and Ashley claims to have lost 3lbs already and is able to get hire on her jumps.

    Ashley is currently preparing for the short program which will take place this weekend.

    Do you think Ashley Wagner has what it takes to win the gold at the Olympics?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.

  • Julia Mancuso Says, For Her, Skiing Is “99% Mental”

    Julia Mancuso, the 29-year-old Olympic gold medalist in skiing, spoke to CBS News recently and said that she has finally discovered that for her, skiing is “99% mental,” a determination that will, hopefully, result in another gold medal for the World Cup alpine ski racer.

    Mancuso came to her newfound conclusion after a disappointing season last year, claiming not a single top-10 spot in her World Cup season. According to Mancuso, pitfalls involving her equipment, as well as lagging race times, caused her lackluster performances.

    Now, heading to Sochi, she is back in tip-top shape, having secured both her equipment and professional status by making the top-10 in two races in a row in Italy. She also pushed herself to become the fastest skier in World Cup downhill training in January, which she claimed.

    Mancuso says that her unique training schedule has played a big part in her climb back to the top, as she doesn’t take time away from her career and training when her competitors do, such as in April, one of the few months in which skiers take time away from their active schedules.

    Instead of hitting the couch, however, Mancuso hits the waves – literally. She says that every April, she heads to Maui to practice some alternative forms of training, doing her weight-lifting, sprinting, biking, and paddling all underwater.

    “It feels so good on your body,” the Olympian says. “Getting into underwater training has helped a lot with mental training…you have to really know your limits and then believe you can push yourself to that limit.”

    Main image courtesy @JuliaMancuso via Twitter.

  • Sochi Olympics: Will Security Be Tight Enough?

    The Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia are preparing to get underway as teams across the world begin competing for the gold, silver, and bronze on Thursday evening.

    Both snowboarding and team figure skating will be broadcast on Thursday, even though the Opening Ceremonies will not take place until Friday, February 7th at 7:30 p.m. EST. The Ceremonies will be held at Sochi’s Fisht Olympic Stadium.

    NBC is the official broadcasting network of the Games, and will stream coverage – everything except for the Opening Ceremonies – from Sochi on their website.

    Amid the excitement of the upcoming Games, one question is clearly on the mind’s of fans across the world; how secure will Sochi be? Ticket sales have proved to be dismal, with only 213,000 spectators expected in Russia. An estimated 10,000 of these travelers will be from the U.S.

    In light of the bombings at the Boston Marathon almost a year ago, many of the would-be travelers are avoiding the Games because of safety threats. Back in the summer, the leader of Caucasus Emirate, a terrorist group, implored fellow extremists to wreak havoc on the Games, according to reports from USA TODAY.

    As well, Russian forces have been relentlessly hunting a group of “black widows,” the wives’ of extremists who have been killed by the Russian military; three of these women are believed to have perpetrated two suicide bombings just 400 miles from Sochi two months ago. The deadly bombings, which took place in Volgograd, killed 34 people.

    However, amid the security threats of “black widows” and other radicals, the measures in place to prevent terrorism are numerous; the Russian military is on high-alert and well-staffed, already checking travelers at train stations and other transportation hot spots.

    The United States has prepared a Naval ship to be stationed nearby Sochi, on the Black Sea, to evacuate the thousands of American citizens attending the Games should the need arise. As well, former members of the special ops military group, Delta Force, founded a private security company that will be tracking its clients every move throughout the area, saying that they are able to locate a person within a 3-foot radius using their system. The firm, TigerSwan, is also working with Olympic officials and sponsors of the Games to provide tighter security.

    CEO of TigerSwan, James Reese, says that they also have an emergency assistance team armed and ready.

    Other officials and security experts are not quite as certain of the safety of fans at the Games, saying that while security may be tight at the events, it would be difficult to incorporate such a high level of the same security at all transportation meccas in the area. Also cited are the threats of terrorism that have already taken place.

    Bill Rathburn, a former Olympic security director recently said, “This is the only Games in history where there’s been an announced credible threat well before the Games. Since that threat was made last July, there’s been at least three terrorist incidents that have demonstrated their capability of carrying out that threat. So I think it’s very, very real.”

    Main image courtesy @Olympics via Twitter.

  • Sochi Olympics Not Winning Over Americans, Poll Says

    According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, 4 of every 10 Americans have unfavorable impressions of the upcoming Winter Olympiad in Sochi. Half of respondents had a favorable impression and 10 percent didn’t care either way. In comparison, the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics saw 72 percent approval and only 16 percent unfavorable impressions.

    This lukewarm reception likely stems from a mishmash of sources, from the mindboggling price tag (over $50 billion), concerns over security, and President Vladimir Putin’s anti-gay remarks and legislation.

    The Washington Post-ABC poll numbers are backed up by a Pew Research Center poll released Tuesday that showed a plurality of Americans believing that holding the Olympics in Russia was a “bad decision.” Respondents in that poll overwhelmingly cited security concerns.

    Fifty-three percent have favorable views on Russia’s anti-terrorism efforts, a tepid but generally positive assessment is strongly connected to how the games are viewed overall. Those who view Russia’s efforts on terrorism favorably likewise tend to see the games favorably by a 68 to 25 percent margin; those who have unfavorable impressions invert those figures, with 68 percent unfavorable to 29 percent favorable.

    American liberals are least enthusiastic—with only 44 percent favorable impressions—likely due to a series of rows over gay rights. Moderates weighed in at 57 percent and conservatives at 51. So, essentially, we’ve finally found a salve for American partisan bickering—everybody can dislike the Olympics at roughly the same proportion.

    But while Sochi lags well behind London in American hearts and minds, pollsters provided a frame of reference that takes out some of the sting. While Americans are collectively “meh”ing over Sochi, they gave President Putin a far worse evaluation at only 27 percent favorable impressions. And who do we hate even more than Putin? Tonya Harding, clinging to relevance in 2014.

    Here’s a sampling of Olympic-related poll numbers over the past 20 years:

      Olympic swimming (2012) 79% favorable, 16% unfavorable
      London Olympics (2012) 72% favorable, 16% unfavorable
      Nancy Kerrigan (1994) 54% favorable, 38% unfavorable
      Sochi Olympics (2014) 50% favorable, 40% unfavorable
      Dressage (2012) 47% favorable, 27% unfavorable
      Vladimir Putin (2014) 27% favorable, 58% unfavorable
      Tonya Harding (1994) 10% favorable, 78% unfavorable

    So apparently Americans disliked Tonya Harding as much as they liked Ryan Lochte. Go figure.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Gabby Douglas Biopic on Lifetime Saturday Night

    Gabby Douglas is featured in a biopic on Lifetime on Saturday night. Called The Gabby Douglas Story, the feature highlights the struggles the young girl faced that eventually resulted in her accomplishments during the 2012 Olympics. Douglas was known as one of the “Fierce Five” in the 2012 Olympics–lauded for her abilities as a top notch gymnast on the U.S team.

    In the biopic Gabby Douglas is played by two actresses as her life progresses–Imani Hakim and Sydney Mikayla. Her mom’s financial difficulties are depicted–how she paid for Gabby’s gymnastics costs while raising three other children as a single mom. Regina King stars as Gabby’s mother. King spent a considerable amount of time with Gabby’s own mom to prepare herself for the role.

    Gabby Douglas is already training for the next Olympics six days a week. She took time out, however, to meet with the writers of her biopic, to make sure everything was written authentically. Douglas was asked how it feels at age 19 to already have a biopic written about her life and featured on the Lifetime channel.

    “It’s just so crazy and insane but it’s also like an amazing feeling. I never would’ve thought I’d have a movie on TV about my life story,” she answered.

    Hopefully the biopic about Gabby Douglas might inspire other young Olympic hopefuls–as well as their families–who don’t believe that just anyone can reach for those proverbial stars. It might show them that there is almost nothing that can’t be overcome and that with lots of determination–and accepting the kindness that others are so often willing to give–it is possible to achieve one’s dreams.

    Do you think there will ever be another U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team like the one Gabby Douglas was such a huge part of? Will anyone ever replace the “Fierce Five?”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Winter Olympics Will See The Least American Visitors

    As we’re weeks away from this year’s Olympic games, it looks like Sochi will see the least amount of American spectators visiting an Olympic games in the last 20 years. US tour operators blame poor reception on several factors: terrorism fears, lack of hostels and resorts, and the difficulty of obtaining a travel visa to Russia. Now, there’s even been a travel alert issued, after two suicide bombings in nearby Volgograd killed 30 people.

    It’s been reported that Russia, who was expecting to do well with ticket sales, still has 30% of tickets unsold for the games. (The last Winter Olympics, held in Vancouver, sold 97% of their tickets.) Despite Putin’s promise that the games will be safe, along with thousands of police and security patrolling the area, the threats against the games feel very real and possible to many spectators.

    ”It doesn’t take an expert to look at that region and say the Olympics will be such a large target that insurgents will not try to do something,” says a security analyst for NBC. ”There has been an average of 10 to 15 attacks in North Caucasus every month in recent years. It’s just now the press is paying more attention to it.”

    Lt. Col. Robert Schaefer, a who wrote on the conflict happening in the North Caucasus, says the biggest concern should be in the construction workers: “many of them foreigners, they could have taken bribes to look the other way while explosives were buried or caches of weapons stored in the frenzied buildup of facilities over the last few years.”

    The games were decided to be held in Sochi back in 2007, when a personal appearance by Putin, selling his scenic snowy mountains and resort town by the Black Lake, convinced the committee on the location over South Korea and Austria. Now it seems up to Putin onto hold that promise. Schaefer also says that this is Putin’s chance to show that’s he’s the president that can tame the rebellion. ‘What could sell the world more than anything else is he’s the guy who finally did what all Russian Czars couldn’t – he tamed the Caucasus,” Schaefer says. ”You have a large Olympics and you pull it off without incident, then you demonstrate to everybody that you’ve beaten them.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Winter Olympics- Are They Safe To Attend?

    Winter Olympics- Are They Safe To Attend?

    It’s time for the 2014 Winter Olympics and while athletes have already headed off the Sochi, where the Olympics will be held, many spectators are wondering if it’s safe to attend the sporting events. The Olympics have always been an easy target for terrorist attacks and although Sochi officials have said that they are doing everything possible to keep the games safe, several terrorist threats have already been made, one in the form of a video.

    In the video, two men who are believed to be responsible for the recent bombings in Volgograd, are shown making a bomb and calling it a gift that they plan to give to Sochi if the Olympics are held. These two men are believed to have been suicide bombers and are assumed dead. The bomb may be delivered by a group of women suicide bombers.

    Russian officials are currently searching for a woman they call the “Black Widow.” The woman’s real name is Ruzanna Ibragimova and she is the widow of a man who was killed last year by security forces. Several other women who are also believed to be widows are also being considered as threats.

    Officials have said that they have created a “ring of steel” around Sochi and believe the area is well protected. Some officials fear that one or more of the women may have already infiltrated the area before it was secure. Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin has said that he believes it is safe to have the Olympics in Sochi and said that as the host city, it is Sochi’s job to make sure that everyone participating in and visiting the games is safe.

    The U.S. military has sent two warships to the area and have several transport aircrafts on call in case a terrorist attack is launched and Americans need to be rescued.

    Do you think there will be a terrorist attack on the 2014 Olympics?

    Image via YouTube.

  • Vladimir Putin Defends Anti-Gay Law

    Vladimir Putin Defends Anti-Gay Law

    Russian President Vladimir Putin recently defended his country’s new controversial anti-gay law, and explained that it was not intended to discriminate against anyone.

    “It seems to me that the law that we have adopted does not hurt anyone,” he said during an interview in Sochi on Friday. “Moreover, individuals of non-traditional orientation cannot feel like second-rate humans in this country because they are not discriminated against in any way.”

    The new law was passed last year, and according to Putin, outlaws “propaganda” of “non-traditional sexual relations” around minors. However, many residents have realized that the law outlaws public homosexuality completely. “It has nothing to do with persecuting people for their non-traditional orientation,” Putin said. “My personal position is that society must keep children safe.”

    The most recent concern was that gay athletes would receive criticism at the Sochi Olympics. However, Putin assures us that that will not happen. “I couldn’t care less about their sexual orientation. We will welcome all athletes and all visitors to the Olympics,” he said. “None of our guests will have any problems.”

    “The Russian people have their own cultural code, their own tradition,” Putin said when he heard that several countries had considered boycotting the Olympics. “We don’t interfere, don’t stick our noses in their life and we ask that our traditions and culture are treated with the same respect.”

    Although President Barack Obama will not be attending the Sochi Olympics, he has picked several interesting candidates to send in his place as part of the presidential delegation. The delegation will include tennis player and LGBT activist Billie Jean King, and the openly gay hockey player Caitlin Cahow. Obama’s decision to send openly gay athletes is sending a clear message to Russia, regarding their new law.

    “Basically, the White House is highlighting Americans who know what it means to have freedoms and liberties under the Constitution. That’s really what we’re representing in Sochi and it’s not at all different from what’s espoused in the spirit of Olympism,” Cahow explained. “So I think it’s just a great group of people. I can’t believe I’ve been named one of them because it’s a remarkable roster and I just think that we’re going to represent what the best America can be. Hopefully, it will unify all of Team USA and send a message of love and acceptance to the world.”

    “Between major countries there certainly always are some common ground and points of tension,” Putin said. “With respect to athletes I’d recommend and advise them not to think about the political differences. Politics should not interfere with sports. And sports should impact politics.”

    What do you think about Russia’s anti-gay propaganda law? Leave your comments below.

    Image via YouTube

  • Miral Nagasu Suffers Olympic Snub

    Miral Nagasu Suffers Olympic Snub

    A spectacular performance by figure skater Miral Nagasu on Saturday was not enough to win her another coveted spot on the U.S. Olympic figure skating team.

    The talented skater Ashley Wagner placed lower than Nagasu during the 2014 World Championship, but received the spot Nagasu had hoped for leaving Nagasu to be satisfied with just skating one of her best performances in years.

    What made Miral Nagasu, the skater with natural talent and Olympic experience to boot, not good enough for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics?

    Nagasu’s recent inconsistency is likely the reason. USA Today tells us that the U.S. Figure Skating federation stated in regards to Nagasu that they do not just go by the last performance before consideration, but that it goes by a skater’s participation results for over the past years.

    Nagasu has seen her share of troubles since the devastating 2010 world championship loss– she lead the championships only to come in seventh at the end, and she has been struggling ever since.

    The exceptional Saturday performance hopefully is a promise of things to come, but for Olympic consideration, it just wasn’t good enough. Despite supporters declaring foul play:

    Nagasu gracefully accepted the decision, and while the U.S. Women’s team respects Nagasu’s talent, they feel confident about the third and final pick for their team.

    Image via Youtube

  • Gracie Gold Wins First U.S. Skating Championship

    On Saturday night, 18-year-old Gracie Gold won her first title in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

    Following in second place was 15-year-old Polina Edmunds and third was Mirai Nagasuf, a previous Olympian in 2010.

    Former two-time titleholder, Ashley Wagner, gave her titled away by falling twice during her performance, landing her in fourth place.  Ironically, in 2013 Gold was second to Wagner but has now improved immensely.

    Although Saturday wasn’t Gold’s best number, she was more than confident in taking the winning spot.

    “The nerves are something I’ve battled with and have let get in my head, but tonight I was strangely calm,” Gold told ESPN.

    Last year, Gold made one of the best decisions of her life. She moved to California from Illinois in September to start fresh training with a brand new coach.

    In a statement by Gold’s coach, Frank Carroll, he was happy to see his protégé overcome her slip-ups on the ice:

    “What made me happiest was to see her miss the [triple] flip a little bit. She didn’t go down, which she’s worked hard on. And then to go out and skate perfectly after that … I thought her performance was brilliant tonight, and I was so happy to see her overcome that little tiny flaw and not go bonkers.”

    Gold’s night ended very well with an outstanding score of 211.69 points.

    Now she has created her own winning headline: “Grace Gets Gold.”

    Decisions are still being considered by officials in regards to which three women will be heading to the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

    The officials plan to make their announcement Sunday. Looks like Gold will be in their top picks of potential candidates to bring back a gold for the U.S. Olympic team.

    Here is an interview with Gold about the skating trials that took place in Boston on Wednesday 8th:

    Image via Youtube

  • Lindsey Vonn Will Miss Sochi Olympics Due To Knee Injury

    US skier Lindsey Vonn will not take part in this year’s Winter Olympic Games to be held in Sochi due to a right knee injury.

    The 29-year-old skiing sensation from Vail, Colorado made the announcement on Tuesday. According to her spokesman Lewis Kay, Vonn is expected to have knee surgery shortly and therefore will not make the games.

    Via Facebook, Vonn told her fans that she is devastated to miss out on the Winter Olympics. “The reality has sunk in that my knee is just too unstable to compete at this level,” she wrote.

    In the last Winter Olympics, Vancouver 2010, Vonn won two medals (gold and bronze). She also boasts four World Cup ski championships, making her the most famous name in the Alpine skiing. If  Vonn was able to compete this time she would likely be the center of  U.S media attention during the Winter Games.

    Vonn’s knee troubles started last February when she tore two ligaments in her right knee during the World Championships. She was out of commission for 10 months before the injury was re-aggravated after she tore a ligaments in a training crash last November. Adding to her woes, Vonn sprained her MLC during a race in France in December, barely a month after returning to competition.

    “I did everything I possibly could to somehow get strong enough to overcome having no ACL,” Vonn wrote on her Facebook wall.

    In spite of the setback, Vonn is refusing to be discouraged. She said she has now set her sights on the World Championship to be held in February in her hometown of Vail. Vonn also thinks that her absence from the team is an extra opportunity for one of her teammates to step up and “go for a gold” medal.

    America is now left with Mikaela Shiffrin, who is the defending World Champion in Slalom and Julia Mancuso, who holds three Olympic medals. 

    Watch Lindsey Vonn Win

    http://youtu.be/t9Rrxpholrs

    http://youtu.be/fNhj932uRgU

    Image via YouTube

  • Nancy Kerrigan Not Stymied by Tonya Harding Attack

    Nancy Kerrigan certainly hasn’t forgotten her attack at the Winter Olympics in 1994, when Tonya Harding’s now ex-husband hired a hit man to beat her on the knee–but the act definitely hasn’t stymied the skater, mom, wife and daughter. Her life has moved forward throughout the past 20 years, and while at times she has endured unimaginable pain, including the loss of her father and the incarceration of her brother, she has emerged intact, fulfilled and still a skater.

    Tonya Harding, on the other hand, blames the attack, the people responsible for it and the media for ruining her life. She doesn’t skate any more, and even tried her hand at boxing in an attempt to earn a living. She denies any wrongdoing in the crime against Nancy Kerrigan–even two decades later.

    It’s certainly interesting how these two women–once both possible contenders for Olympic gold–have been changed by a crime that took place 20 years ago.

    “It’s amazing it was 20 years ago, it almost feels like a whole different person. It’s not something I think of daily, except when you’re asked about it. But it’s part of my life and hopefully people will remember me more for the skating…and not being just a victim in an attack,” Kerrigan said Monday during an interview with a Boston TV station.

    Tonya Harding claims she lost everything as a result of the attack. She was convicted of conspiring to hinder prosecution of the attackers and sentenced to three years probation, lots of community service and a very hefty fine.

    It was January 6, 1994 when Nancy Kerrigan was hit on the knee with something akin to a police baton. The attack took place back stage at the U.S. figure skating National Championships–the winners of which would go on to compete in the Olympics in Lillehammer. Both women competed at the Lillehammer Olympics, with Kerrigan winning a silver medal. Tonya Harding came in 8th.

    Tonya Harding went on to make a sex tape with then-husband Jeff Gillooly–the man who contracted the hit man to attack Kerrigan. She later wrote a book saying Gillooly raped her at gun point.

    Nancy Kerrigan wasn’t completely free from scandal in her years following Lillehammer. She started dating her agent, Jerry Solomon, shortly after the attack. Solomon was a married man at the time. He and Kerrigan wound up marrying after his divorce, and remain married to this day. The couple has three children.

    Do you think socio-economics played into Nancy Kerrigan surviving her attack and Tonya Harding sinking to unthinkable lows? After all, Harding was from Detroit and Kerrigan was raised in a solid middle class Massachusetts family. Or was Harding simply prone to hanging out with unsavory people and making poor choices–some that continued long after the attack?

    Regardless of the answers to these questions, it’s definitely interesting to see where each of these women is 20 year after this heinous crime.

    Image via Wikimedia

  • Suicide Bombings In Russia Lead To Security Changes For Olympics

    Two back-to-back suicide bombings in Volgograd have now claimed at least 30 lives and are believed to be acts of terrorism, and although no groups have come forward to claim responsibility for the attacks, officials say the bombs were the same.

    The first explosion rocked a large railroad station–at what investigators believe was outside security checkpoints–on Sunday, killing at least 15 people. The blast was caused by a shrapnel bomb which injured more than three dozen, and officials say they expect the death toll to rise as many of the victims are in critical condition. Early Monday morning during rush hour, a second bomber hit a trolley bus, killing 14 people.

    Investigators have not named a suspect, but according to the New York Times, Chechen rebel Doku Umarov swore earlier this year to bring violence to Sochi, where the Olympic games will be held in February.

    “They plan to hold the Olympics on the bones of our ancestors, on the bones of many, many dead Muslims, buried on the territory of our land on the Black Sea,” he said.

    According to Russian Olympic Committee chief Alexander Zhukov, every security measure that can be put into place at Sochi has been made, including drones which will patrol the Olympic facilities, boats to patrol the coast, and troops to keep watch in the mountains around the area. Anyone who purchases a ticket to the games will have to give their passport details and will be screened and checked in at arrival.

    “There’s every belief they’ll make it secure and do whatever it takes to do that,” said an American senior law enforcement official. “But it is a large country, and these groups can get a lot of bang for their buck if they are able to do something in the country, wherever it is, during the Olympics.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Maria Alyokhina Unimpressed with Pussy Riot Amnesty

    Maria Alyokhina, 1/5 of the group that may hold The Most Edgiest Name of All Time, has wasted no time in speaking her mind after being released from jail this Monday.

    Alyokhina and fellow Pussy Riot members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich all received two-year sentences for their profanity-riddled “punk prayer” at a Moscow cathedral in February 2012. Samutsevich was soon released, but the remaining two have just received their freedom papers earlier than scheduled by way of a recently adopted amnesty bill that frees non-violent offenders and mothers.

    This act by Pussy Riot’s longtime enemy, Russian president Vladimir Putin, does not impress Alyokhina at all– ITN London News tells us that she told Russian television stations that she would have turned down the offer of amnesty and served out the remainder of her sentence if she was given the choice.

    Maria Alyokhina is a 25-year-old mother who once attended the Institute of Journalism and Creative Writing. A committed vegetarian, the pleasant-faced, blonde rioter reportedly passed out from hunger during the trials instead of eating non-vegan jail fare. Imprisonment has now exposed her to the gritty experience of regular body examinations performed by Russian guards; during her interview she made sure to voice the need for prison authorities to be punished for exposing women to “endless humiliations” multiple times a week.

    With three members of the group now released and two others presumably free (authorities could never find them), it looks as if Pussy Riot’s anti-Putin movement will resume right where it was halted. Time will only tell if imprisonment has convinced them to attempt tactics that will get their point across without getting arrested.

    Image via Youtube

  • Lindsey Vonn Suffers Setback with Injured Knee

    World Cup alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn suffered another setback on Saturday when she competed at the Alpine World Cup event in Val d’ Isere, France.

    Vonn said her injured right knee caused her to miss a gate and veer off course in a downhill at the event.

    “Unfortunately I have no (anterior cruciate ligament) and it gave out on me. My knee is loose and it’s not stable and that’s the way it’s going to be from here on out. I just have to get used to it.”

    The trouble started back in February when Vonn crashed in the super G at the 2013 World Championship in Schladming, Austria and had to be airlifted off the mountain.

    Despite the injuries she suffered in Austria – she broke her right leg and tore her ACL and MCL – Vonn vowed to be ready for the 2014 Winter Olympics:

    “I have no doubt I will be ready for Sochi,” she said. “Honestly, in a worst-case scenario, if I trained a week before the Games, I’d be fine.”

    Vonn underwent surgery and spent the next few months in physical therapy.

    Post by Lindsey Vonn.

    In November, she re-injured her knee in a crash during a training run at Copper Mountain in Colorado.

    Post by Lindsey Vonn.

    On Saturday, Vonn said she hadn’t sustained further injuries in Austria.

    “I didn’t hurt myself more than I’m already hurt … It was a small compression, and it was fully loaded on the right ski and my knee just completely gave out. I tried to pressure the ski again and it gave out again. I had no chance of making that gate, unfortunately.”

    Everything that Vonn does between now and February will be carefully thought out with Sochi in mind:

    “As much as time as I can give myself to really get as strong as I can, like I said, one maybe two races before the Olympics. That’s it,” she said. “I’m going to play it safe and race minimal races, so I can get the confidence and the timing and the feeling of racing again. I’m really going to be safe and smart as I can.”

    Post by Lindsey Vonn.

    Image via Facebook

  • Vladimir Putin Signs Pardon for Mikhail Khodorkovsky

    In an act that surprised the world, Russian President Vladimir Putin pardoned former billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky at the end of his annual press conference on Thursday.

    Some have speculated that the pardon was an attempt by Putin to appease world leaders who have expressed concern over Russia’s human rights record prior to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

    Leaders such as US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have denounced a law that Putin signed in June banning “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations.”

    Although no one knows exactly how the law will effect participants and spectators at the Winter Games, it is seen as further censorship and persecution of gays in Russia and has sparked tension worldwide as the Olympics draw closer.

    Khodorkovsky, considered a political prisoner by critics of Putin and the Kremlin, has spent more than a decade behind bars.

    Khodorkovsky is the former head of Yukos Oil and was once the richest person in Russia – and no. 15 in the world. He and his business partner were convicted and imprisoned on charges of fraud and tax evasion in 2003. In December 2010, just before they were due to be released from prison, they were convicted of embezzlement and money laundering. The second conviction increased their prison sentence.

    Critics believed that Putin and his allies were behind the sentencing. When Putin came into power in 2000, he offered an informal deal to the Russian oligarchy: they could keep their wealth with the provision that they stay out of politics. Khodorkovsky flaunted the rules by speaking out against what he considered corruption in the Kremlin and using his riches to fund opposition political parties.

    Despite the fact that Khodorkovsky had vowed not to ask for a pardon lest he appear to be admitting guilt, Putin said on Thursday that he’d received a request signed by Khodorkovsy, who was scheduled to be released from prison in August 2014:

    “Not long ago he appealed to me for a pardon. He has already spent 10 years behind bars – it’s a serious punishment. He mentions humanitarian considerations, as his mother is ill. Given all this, the correct decision should be taken and a decree on his pardoning will be signed very soon.”

    After his attorneys initially denied that Khodorkovsky had made any such appeal, it surfaced that he had been visited in prison and urged to sign a request for pardon based on this mother’s failing health and the possibility that new charges were being prepared against him.

    Khodorkovsky joined his mother in Germany after being released from prison and issued the following statement:

    Dear friends,

    On November 12, I asked the president of Russia to pardon me due to my family situation, and I am glad his decision was positive.

    The issue of admission of guilt was not raised.

    I would like to thank everyone who has been following the Yukos case all these years for the support you provided to me, my family and all those who were unjustly convicted and continue to be persecuted. I am very much looking forward to the minute when I will be able to hug my close ones and personally shake hands with all my friends and associates.

    I am constantly thinking of those who continue to remain imprisoned.

    My special thanks is to Mr Hans-Dietrich Genscher for his personal participation in my fate.

    First of all I am going to repay my debt to my parents, my wife and my children, and I am very much looking forward to meeting them.

    I will welcome the opportunity to celebrate this upcoming holiday season with my family. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

    Mikhail Khodorkovsky


    Image via Wikimedia Commons