Ahead of the next Ryder Cup Which starts on the 30th of September 2016 through to October the 2nd 2016 at Chaska, Minnesota, US PGA captain Davis Love III has picked Tiger Woods alongside Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker as vice captains for the US team.
But its Tiger Woods Selection that’s creating all the Buzz, the former world number one who’s recently gone through surgery to correct a problem with his back as made a vow to play a part in helping the US team win the Ryder Cup, a feat that as becom difficult for the Americans in recent times based on the success of the Europeans.
The Europeans have won 8 of the last 10 Ryder Cup’s and Tiger want to contribute his quota not just as a ceremonial vice captain but actively as a player in 2016.
“This is something I want to do, I will continue to do whatever I can to help win the Cup back. Once I’m fully healthy, I’d like to try to make the team, too, but either way, I’m very excited to work with Davis, the other vice captains and the players to get a U.S. victory” He said in a statement.
If He eventually makes the cut, Woods will be competing in his 8th Ryder Cup tournament.
Led by intrepid two-time World All-around champion Simone Biles and returning 2012 Olympic champion Gabrielle Douglas, the U.S. women met their own expectations in surpassing the rest of the world during qualifications in Glasgow Saturday afternoon.
The American team combined for a total of 236.611 points, more than five points ahead of Russia, which took silver to U.S.’s gold at the 2012 London Olympics. They were more than nine points ahead of a rising British team that has so far given an inspired performance at its home World Championships.
The World champion vs. the Olympic champion
After a two-year absence from the sport, Douglas, who is trying to become the first woman since 1968 to successfully defend her Olympic All-around title, has so far made a promising return to World competition. In the meantime, however, Simone Biles has taken her place as the world’s top gymnast. Since 2013, Biles has won seven World titles and looks poised to win more: During Saturday’s qualification, she posted 61.598 points in the All-around, a whopping four points ahead of Douglas, who finished third. In addition, Biles earned the top scores on Vault, Balance Beam and Floor Exercise, meaning she will be present in every final except the Uneven Bars.
Simone Biles
The first eight nations qualify for Rio
Besides the U.S., Russia and Great Britain, China, Italy, Japan, Canada and the Netherlands will return for the women’s team final todday, October 27. By dint of finishing in the top eight, these countries have also qualified a five-person team to the Rio Olympic Games next summer. While the first seven nations were present in London four years ago, the Netherlands will be returning a women’s team to the Games for the first time since 1976.
Romania misses the first Olympic qualification….
The biggest surprise of the women’s competition so far has been the collapse of perennial medal contender Romania, which gave perhaps its worst performance ever at a World Championships Friday. Since 1976, the year Nadia Comaneci emerged as the embodiment of perfection, Romania has brought home a team medal from every Olympic Games and been a medal threat in every team final at the World Championships. Overwhelmed by nervousness and the pressure of upholding their dynasty, World no. 2 Larisa Iordache and her teammates simply crumbled. Romania finished 13th overall.
…but will get another chance at the Rio Olympic Test Event
All is not lost for the Romanians, however: although not among the first eight teams to qualify for the Olympics, they will get a second chance at the Olympic Test Event April 16-19 in Rio. Olympic host country Brazil, along with France, Belgium, Germany, Australia, South Korea and Switzerland will also be in Rio in the spring, aiming to advance a team to the Games. The eight teams will battle for the final four team berths for the Games.
Team Netherlands Celebrate
Aiming for the podium
In the shadow of Biles, European champion Giulia Steingruber (SUI), Pan American Games champion Elsabeth Black (CAN), and Youth Olympic champion Seda Tutkhalian (RUS) have all shown themselves to be solid contenders for numerous podiums in event finals. Lieke Wevers (NED), meanwhile, is proving that good execution can be just as valuable as difficulty in earning good scores. Though lost in the crowd in 16th, a classification that does not reflect her status as reigning World silver medallist, Larisa Iordache (ROU) can only do better in the final.
258 boxers from 74 countries have arrived in Doha for the first-ever AIBA World Boxing Championships held in the Middle East for the very first time, and with competition officially starting on Tuesday 5th october, the best boxers on the planet are raring to go.
Several of the leading contenders for world titles got to see the state-of-the-art Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena in Al Sadd for the first time on Saturday, the venue in which they will compete for gold medals and the ultimate prize of qualification to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games between 5-15 October.
GLOBAL BOXING ELITE: Germany’s Hamza Touba (left), next to Artur Biyarslanov and his coach from Canada, Egypt’s Hussein Bakr Abdin Hosam with his father and coach, Mohammed Flissi and his coach from Algeria, super heavyweight favorite Joe Joyce from Great Britain next to his coach, Qatar’s Hzam Nabah and coach Juan Carlos Gonzalez, and Team US far right, with Nico Hernandez in the middle behind the flag.
Nico Hernandez (USA) and his teammates were impressed by the beautiful venue and training facilities. “I am here to fight and win. I am ready for my first fight on Tuesday. Everything has been done to provide optimal conditions for boxers to perform to the best of their ability”, says the bronze medalist at the American Confederation Boxing Championships in Vargas.
“We arrived 3 days ago and were amazed by the venue and the state of the art training facilities which will give us the perfect conditions to box”, says Hamza Touba (GER), 52kg who won the bronze medal at the European Games in Baku this. “I came here to win and to qualify to Rio”, adds the 23 years old boxer.
One of the highlights of Doha 2015 will be the bouts in the super heavyweight category. Joe Joyce, representing Team Great Britain, is chasing his country’s first gold medal since 2007 in Doha: “To walk in here and see the sheer scale of this arena is amazing. Everything here is top-notch, all shiny and spectacular. It’s going to be great to see this place packed with people, and I hope to put on a real show. Hopefully I’ll perform to my potential, and get to leave Qatar with a gold medal in the bag.”
Tickets are priced between QR10-50 and can be purchased online at http://www.virgintickets.qa and in Virgin Megastores in Villaggio Mall and Landmark Mall, as well as at the venue throughout the World Championships.
With the 5th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships currently underway in Singapore, history is in the making with already 6 World Junior Records established on Day 1 (4) and Day 2 (2) of the competition.
To highlight the importance of this event, the 5th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships was declared open by the President of Singapore, Tony Tan, as FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione greeted all 686 young swimmers coming from 88 nations, recalling the fond memories from 2010 when the swimming competitions of the 1st Youth Olympic Games were hosted in this city.
On Day 1, in the morning session, two World Junior Records were brought down in the heats. First Russia’s Anton Chupkov beat the junior global mark in the men’s 100m breast (1:00.12), then Australia’s Minna Atherton did the same in the women’s 100m back (59.83) – the latter was even more remarkable, considering that Atherton is just 15 years old (the age limit is 17 among the girls).
Later in the day, Romania’s Robert Glinta set a new Championship Record in the men’s 100m back (54.56) which had already been lowered twice in the heats by others.
Towards the end of the day, the Anglo-Saxons’ golden evening just continued: after a title for the US and Great Britain, Australia clinched two fine wins in the relays. First their men’s 4x100m free relay was more than a second faster to the US quartet (3:17.39), then the women’s 4x200m free relay triumphed in a tremendous race, with a new World Junior Record (7:56.68) – just beating Canada.
USA, Australia and Russia clinched two titles apiece on the second day of the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships, but a Romanian and a Turkish swimmer (Robert Glinta and Viktoria Gunes) also made the headlines after respective gold-medal winning performances. China entered the title-winners’ circle, too, on a day which also saw the fall of two more World Junior Records.
Worldwide and free of charge daily live streaming of the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships is available on FINAtv (local time 09:50 (01h50 GMT) and finals at 17:50 (09:50 GMT))
Watch daily Highlights on FINAtv – from 17:00-17:15 GMT and then on VOD
Nigeria rave of the moment in long distance race, Aderonke Olumudi, on Sunday in a telephone conversation with our correspondent confirmed her readiness to partake at the third edition of the annual Okpekpe 10km Road Race.
The Kogi-born athlete has been in a rich vein of form since moving to the United States of America, she recently won the 10km Women’s category of the third GE Irving Marathon race.
Olumudi, had earlier won women’s silver and bronze medals at the March 14 fifth Longview Marathon and the 21st March 13th Bearathon Marathon races both in US respectively.
“I am ready to race at the Okpekpe,” she said. “I was at the first edition of the competition, and I am ready to be the first Nigeria to win the race.
Aderonke Olumudi photo credit Aderonke Olumudi
“My target for now will be to perform well at the Lake Minneola Half Marathon billed for April 25, and hopefully take the form to Nigeria for the Okpekpe race.”
The Okpekpe 10km road race is organised by Pamodzi Sports Marketing, a leader in sports marketing, sponsorship, hospitality and Rights Acquisition business in Nigeria in conjunction with the AFN and Edo state government.
The previous editions of the race were dominated by East Africans with Kenya’s with Nigeria athletes yet to finish top five of the race.
Nigeria’s U-20 Women National Team star, Courtney Dike, has explained why she rejected bonus payments at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals in Canada.
The Oklahoma State University student wrote in a mail: “I would like to respond to what I have been reading on the internet about rejecting bonuses.
Courtney Dike, photo credit fifa.com
“I am delighted to play for Nigeria whenever called upon. I knew before leaving for the U-20 World Cup that I would not accept any bonuses. Acceptance of prize money is against NCAA regulations (the division 1 collegiate governing body) here in the US, so that is the main reason for rejecting it.
“Knowing this beforehand, I still chose to represent the country because I believed the experience would be more valuable than the money, and I was right.”
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