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Saturday, July 28, 2012

LONDON 2012 WOMEN'S SOCCER: Canada 3 South Africa 0


COVENTRY, ENGLAND—Few athletes here are as uncomfortable at being the centre of attention as Christine Sinclair. If she wants people to leave her alone, she needs to be less good at sports.
After drifting aimlessly at the front of the Canadian women’s soccer team for a game and a half, Sinclair finally arrived at this tournament on Saturday with two brilliant goals in a 3-0 win over South Africa.
Her first was a master-class in concentration. After teammate Lauren Sesselmann lofted in a petal-soft cross, Sinclair muscled her marker out of the way and rose to meet it.
Many pros — many very highly paid pros of both sexes — would have stopped to admire the ball as it headed goalward. Many more still would have reacted angrily as the ball hit the underside of the crossbar and appeared to bounce behind the goal-line before caroming back out of the net.
Sinclair did what you’re taught as a child — she followed her shot in and removed all doubt.
There had been a plan in this case. Saturday was her father Joe’s birthday (“I don’t think he’d appreciate me saying,” Sinclair mumbled when asked his age.)
She had a whole celebration planned. Instead, she wheeled away from the net and sprinted to the Canadian bench.
“I was going to do a little heart (sign) for him, and I totally forgot,” Sinclair said, kicking the ground in front of her like a thwarted child.
She forgot the second time, as well, as she barrelled in on the South African net on a breakaway and bent an achingly patient shot around the ’keeper. That second tally was the 139th goal of her career — third most in the history of the international women’s game.
“She’s a special player,” coach John Herdman said afterward.
A series of head coaches have been hitting that gong for years. And it’s true. She is. The problem with the Canadian women’s soccer team is that there are no other special players, too often leaving Sinclair isolated, underserved and demonstrably frustrated. Sesselmann’s fine cross broke that barren spell. It also may have changed everything.
When Sinclair plays as she played for that final half-hour here on Saturday, Canada is a completely different team. The entire squad exhales. There is a new, ominous looseness about them.
“She calms us down when we need to get calm,” teammate Desiree Scott said afterward. Christine Sinclair — the soccer whisperer.
Getting Sinclair to expand on anything is a chore. That little Nazi creep from Raiders of the Lost Ark could have spent weeks sweating her and come away only with a notebook’s worth of “Um. Yeahs.”
She doesn’t need to be a talker to lead. She needs to be a scorer. In order to do that, everyone around her must take more responsibility. They started doing that Saturday.
“In terms of pressure on myself, it’s not the same,” Sinclair said, staring at the ground.
Sunday morning, the team will wake up late and head to Herdman’s hometown, Newcastle. In all likelihood, Canada is probably through already — eight of the twelve teams will advance.
Beating their final opening round opponent, Sweden, next Tuesday (9:30 a.m. EDT) would seal things. The Swedes are very like Canada, but deeper and more experienced. A win against Sweden would remove world-number-one U.S.A. from their early playoff mix.
“I’d love to play the States in the quarter-finals,” Herdman said, smiling wildly.
No, no, don’t listen to John Herdman. He’s over-excited himself. Nobody should want to play the U.S. at that point. Canada has dropped in recent times from the top tier of international sides. Sweden is a different league. The U.S. is a league above that.
However, if Sinclair’s on point and involved, that strategic ground is back in play.
Perhaps we should make something of the attendance of chef de mission, Mark Tewksbury, at the game. On the first full day of competition, Tewksbury abandoned the Olympic Village and made the hour-long trek to Coventry.
As they played the last few notes of O Canada, Tewksbury was bopping up and down in the stands, fist pumping in the air.
The Canadian team, standing perhaps 100 feet away on the field, began giddily imitating him. A few minutes later, Tewksbury was pogoing in place again, waving the Maple Leaf like a man trying to put out a fire in his lap.
You may think you love Canada, but your love is a paltry thing compared to Mark Tewksbury’s. He and Canada are still in the making-out-in-public phase.
After it was over, Tewksbury was leaned over the railing above the Canadian bench like the world’s most pleasant stalker.
Maybe he knows something. Maybe this is finally the moment in which Canada takes advantage of the finest female team athlete we have ever produced.
From this point in, it’s Christine Sinclair’s tournament. Everyone else’s job is to make sure she has the space to enjoy it.
More:
Stunning photos from the Opening ceremonies


Thursday, July 26, 2012

LONDON 2012: Cinco cartas chilenas para Londres; las mejores posibilidades de ganar una medalla: Francisca Crovetto y Bárbara Riveros




Quiénes de los chilenos que competirán en Londres tienen mejores posibilidades de ganar una medalla: Francisca Crovetto y Bárbara Riveros.

Hay deportes, la mayoría, en los que no es posible la perfección. El fútbol o cualquier deporte colectivo tienen esa gracia. Se puede hacer poesía y elevar a categorías de perfección a equipos como Brasil 70, pero no, no es cierto: no hay tal. Una expresión humana que supone maniobrar un objeto redondo entre varias personas no califica para estos efectos. 

En otros deportes existe la fantasía del “límite humano”, ese extremo teórico que supone una barrera infranqueable para huesos y músculos. El atletismo siempre se usa para estos fines y cada cierto tiempo se deja caer un artículo que propone un tiempo mínimo, inexpugnable, para que un ser humano corra, por ejemplo, los 100 metros. Esa “barrera” ahora anda por los 9’’48; es decir, 10 centésimas menos que el récord de Usain Bolt, pero no hay que estrujar demasiado el seso para darse cuenta de que una vez alcanzada esa cota -y si es que el cálculo es correcto- los márgenes bajarán a milésimas y luego a diezmilésimas, y así.  ¿Récord del hectómetro en el año 2145? Pues 9’’4793. No hay límite.

Hay todavía otra categoría de deportes: los que funcionan con la lógica del jurado, como en un programa de talentos o un festival de la canción. Aquí entran la gimnasia artística, los saltos ornamentales y el nado sincronizado, actividades estas dos últimas donde la coreografía tiene un papel crucial. En este grupo de deportes la perfección existe en la medida que la apreciación -imparcial o no- de un lote de expertos determina que sí, que tal rutina es inmejorable, como le ocurrió a Nadia Comaneci en Montreal 76. Esto es discutible, y, de hecho, suele efectivamente discutirse y acaloradamente en cada Olimpiada. La probidad de los jueces, los que sean, vive en duda en este tipo de juegos. 

Pero no nos desanimemos: hay un grupo de deportes, pequeño, en que la perfección sí es posible. Se la puede hallar en deportes individuales de enfrentamiento (encuentras un triple 6-0 en el tenis, aunque hacerlo sin perder una pelota ya es más complicado), pero se da básicamente en el tiro, con armas de fuego o con arco. El segundo es sólo potencial, ya que no hay registro de atleta alguno que haya dado en el centro de la diana todas sus flechas; pero el primero es bien tangible: hay decenas de tiradores que han roto todos los platillos y otros tantos más que enviaron todas sus municiones al circulito más pequeño del blanco. Si andas en tu día, se puede.

Francisca Crovetto, por ejemplo, lo ha hecho: en 2010 completó 75 sobre 75. Puestos a dirimir quién de todos los chilenos que competirán en Londres tiene mejores posibilidades de ganar una medalla, pues no hay duda: Crovetto. En su deporte, roza la perfección; el problema es que varias más también.

Por las mismas razones, la segunda en la lista es una tiradora con arco: Denisse van Lamoen.  Pero a diferencia de Crovetto, en su deporte se juega por eliminación, con cuadro, y hay que ir matando rivales uno por uno. Ya lo hizo en Turín, el año pasado, siendo una completa outsider (era 68ª del ranking) y fue campeona mundial. ¿Puede repetir? Sí, pero necesitará más que un buen día y, especialmente, una muy buena ronda de clasificación, para no quedar emparejada con las primeras del escalafón en el arranque.

Con Kristel Köbrich el asunto es más radical. En la natación suele funcionar el efecto pares (mejoras si compites con los mejores), y ya sabemos que no hay límites, pero tampoco milagros: su mejor tiempo en los 800 libre -su prueba- está a casi 10’’ del tercer mejor crono del año (es decir, un podio es virtualmente imposible), pero a menos de seis del octavo y ahí está la jugada. Si logra meterse en la final habrá motivo suficiente para tirar serpentinas y celebrar como si fuese una medalla. En serio.

En cuarto lugar está Tomás González y no más arriba. ¿Por qué? Porque, como vimos, no está  en sus manos el resultado final. Depende de una serie de señores, entre los que habrá un chileno, que bien puede servir de consuelo. Igualmente, la opción de que se produzca una injusticia en Londres está latente.

La quinta y última carta es Bárbara Riveros, pero bien podría ser la primera. Su deporte, como el pentatlón moderno, como el biatlón invernal, como el decatlón, es una mezcla de disciplinas, simplificar sus dificultades es imposible y de perfección ni hablar: te puede noquear una patada en la natación, te puede traicionar el asfalto en el ciclismo, te puede matar el calor en los 10 kilómetros de trote, en fin. Pero ojo: estamos en presencia de una mujer que fue la número uno del mundo y por meses. Podría, perfectamente, ser la única que vuelva cargando una monedita de metal en la maleta.

Brownlee and Riveros Diaz win ITU World Sprint titles


Jon Brownlee wins in Lausanne - August 20, 2011. Photo by Delly Carr / ITURiveros Diaz wins in Lausanne - August 20, 2011. Photo by Delly Carr / ITU
Photo by Delly Carr / ITU

Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) and Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI) claimed the 2011 ITU Elite Sprint Triathlon World Championship titles at the Lausanne round of the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series round.
It was Brownlee’s second consecutive title, after he won the inaugural ITU men’s sprint distance race in 2010, but today was his first Dextro Energy Triathlon Series win. Riveros Diaz became the first Chilean triathlete to ever win an ITU World Championship.
ELITE MEN’S REVIEW
Jonathan Brownlee has successfully defended his ITU Elite Sprint Triathlon World Championship and claimed his first Dextro Energy Triathlon Series win in another brilliant day for the Brownlee brothers in Lausanne. While Jonathan held off Javier Gomez to second to claim the second elite sprint world title in history, Alistair Brownlee’s third placed finish was enough for him to take the lead in the overall 2011 ITU World Championship rankings in the penultimate series round.
The results in Lausanne mean that Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee will wear No.1 and No.2 respectively in the Beijing Grand Final in September, and that the men’s 2011 ITU World Championship is one step closer to ending up in the Brownlee household.
In the end it was Jonathan Brownlee’s day in Lausanne though, as he turned in a blistering 14 minute, 24 second run split to fend off Gomez over the 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run. The short swim didn’t do much to separate the field, but a quick transition helped a group of 14 that included Jonathan Brownlee, Alistair Brownlee, Gomez, Alexander Brukhankov, Sven Riederer, David Hauss,Frederic Belaubre and up and coming Namibian athlete Abrahm Louw. But before the end of the bike, the another chase group of 15 caught the leaders, to bring about 30 athletes into T2 before the 5km run.
The Brownlees, Gomez, Riederer and Brukhankov moved to the front quickly and about two kilometres in, Gomez and Jonathan Brownlee made the decisive break. In a thrilling final kilometre, Gomez tried to turn on the pace and get away, but Brownlee stuck to his heels and then sprinted away to finish with the day’s fastest run split which was almost 40 seconds faster than his run split in Lausanne last year.  Gomez took silver while Alistair Brownlee finished third. Canada’s Andrew Yorke finished 21st (53:30), and Andrew Russell 51st (55:12).
Overall Alistair Brownlee leads the overall Dextro Energy Triathlon Series rankings by 120 points, with 3085, while Jonathan Brownlee second at 2965 points. Javier Gomez drops to third with 2858. The Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series Grand Final Beijing is on September 10 and 11.
Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Lausanne - August 20, 2011
Final Results - Elite Men - 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run
Gold - Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) - 52:23
Silver - Javier Gomez (ESP) - 52:27
Bronze - Alistair Brownlee (GBR) - 52:38
4th - David Hauss (FRA) - 52:41
5th - Alexander Brukhankov (RUS) - 52:42
6th - Laurent Vidal (FRA) - 52:43
7th - Jonathan Zipf (GER) - 52:44
8th - Joao Silva (POR) - 52:52
9th - Christian Prochnow (GER) - 52:55
10th - Tony Moulai (FRA) - 53:02
21st - Andrew Yorke (CAN) - 53:30
51st - Andrew Russell (CAN) - 55:12
ELITE WOMEN’S REVIEW
In the women’s race that followed, Chile’s Barbara Riveros Diaz claimed her maiden ITU World Championship and second career series win with a thrilling come-from-behind sprint finish in Lausanne.
Riveros Diaz had dropped to fourth coming into the final kilometre, as Australian Emma Jackson looked like she had the race wrapped up ahead of New Zealand’s Andrea Hewitt and Great Britain’s Helen Jenkins. But Riveros Diaz cranked up the pace with about 500 metres to go, passed Jenkins and Hewitt and then took aim at Jackson. Last year’s Under23 world champion tried to stick with the pint-sized Chilean star, but couldn’t keep up as she crossed the line in a time 58 minutes, 35 seconds.
Jackson meanwhile celebrated her birthday with silver, while Hewitt overtook Jenkins in the final few hundred metres to claim bronze. Jenkins’ fourth placed finish was enough for her to claim the lead in the overall Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series rankings, meaning that she will wear the No.1 heading into next month’s Beijing Grand Final.
Jenkins dominated the early part of the race until fading in the late stages. Another British athlete, Lucy Hall, was first out of the swim and Jenkins was only a few seconds behind, and they had an almost 30-second lead on the main pack heading out of transition. Even after Hall dropped off, Jenkins still raced about half the 20km bike solo, before finally being caught by a pack that included Riveros Diaz, Hewitt and Jackson, as well as Nicola Spirig, Emma Moffatt, Gwen Jorgensen, Emmie Charayron, Lisa Norden and Sarah Groff.
From the start of the run, Jenkins  kept pushing the pace and together with Hewitt, Jackson, Riveros Diaz and Ashleigh Gentle broke to form a leader’s pack of five. That group then led unchanged for most of the run, before the final kilometre when Gentle dropped off and it came down to the tussle between Riveros Diaz and Jackson. It was Riveros Diaz’s second Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series victory, after she won the season opener in Sydney in 2010, also in a sprint finish. Australia ended up with three women inside the top 10, with Gentle in fifth and Felicity Abram in 10th, while the USA had two, with Gwen Jorgensen sixth and Sarah Groff seventh. It was Jorgensen’s third elite race in three weeks, after she won silver in London and then gold at the Tiszaujvaros World Cup last weekend. Canada’s Manon Letourneau finished 40th (1:02:43), and Chantell Widney 48th (1:03:49).
Overall Jenkins leads the overall Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series rankings by 201 points, with 2913, with Riveros Diaz second with 2712. Paula Findlay, who did not race in Lausanne, is in third with 2637 points. The Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Grand Final Beijing is on September 10 and 11.
Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Lausanne - August 20, 2011
Final Results - Elite Women - 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run
Gold - Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI) - 58:35
Silver - Emma Jackson (AUS) - 58:35
Bronze - Andrea Hewitt (NZL) - 58:37
4th - Helen Jenkins (GBR) - 58:40
5th - Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) - 58:42
6th - Gwen Jorgensen (USA) - 59:02
7th - Sarah Groff (USA) - 59:06
8th - Lisa Norden (SWE) - 59:07
9th - Emmie Chayaron (FRA) - 59:09
10th - Felicity Abram (AUS) - 59:09
40th - Manon Letourneau (CAN) - 1:02:43
48th - Chantell Widney (CAN) - 1:03:49









LONDON 2012: SINGLES AND DOUBLES DRAWS SET FOR OLYMPIC GAMES: Canadian Milos Raonic gets tough draw at London Games



Milos Raonic gets tough draw at London Games

Canada’s Milos Raonic will meet Japan’s Tatsuma Ito in first-round men’s singles play at the London Olympics.
The draws for four of the five Olympic tennis events were released today at the All-England Club.
Raonic, the world No. 25 from Thornhill, Ont., is 44 positions higher than Ito in the latest world rankings.
Sixth-ranked Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France could be waiting for the winner in the second round. Tsonga opens against No. 40 Thomas Bellucci of Brazil.
The match schedule has not been finalized but first-round play begins Saturday.
The other Canadian in the men’s singles draw has a tough opening match. Vasek Pospisil of Vancouver will meet fifth-ranked David Ferrer of Spain.
Pospisil will also team with top-ranked doubles player Daniel Nestor of Toronto. The unseeded duo will open against Horia Tecau and Adrian Ungur of Romania.
In women’s singles play, Aleksandra Wozniak of Laval, Que., will play Marina Erakovic of New Zealand.
Wozniak will also team with Stephanie Dubois of Laval in women’s doubles against Yaroslava Shvedova and Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan.
The mixed doubles draw will be announced Tuesday.
Dubois, Nestor, Pospisil, Raonic, and Wozniak
will represent Canada in London

 

Montreal, July 26, 2012 – The singles and doubles draws for the 2012 Olympic Games were made on Thursday in London. Canada will have five representatives in the men’s and women’s events. 

In men’s singles, Milos Raonic (Thornhill, ON) will face Tatsuma Ito of Japan in the opening round. Raonic has won three of their four previous meetings. Fresh off his win in Granby last week, Vasek Pospisil (Vancouver, BC), who was granted a wildcard into the singles draw, drew fourth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain in his first match. The two players met last year at the ATP event in Valencia with Ferrer posting a straight sets win. Pospisil will also team up in doubles with Olympic gold medalist Daniel Nestor (Toronto, ON). The Canadian pair will open against the Romanian duo of Horia Tecau and Adrian Ungur. 

On the women’s side, Aleksandra Wozniak (Blainville, QC) will begin her Olympics singles campaign against Marina Erakovic of New Zealand. They have split their two previous meetings which both came in 2008. Wozniak will represent Canada in women’s doubles alongside Stéphanie Dubois (Laval, QC). The Canadians were drawn opposite Galina Voskoboeva and Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan in the first round.

Matches begin on Saturday at 6:30 a.m. E.T. on the grass courts of the All-England Club, site of Wimbledon. The opening ceremonies for the Olympic Games will be held on Friday.

About Tennis Canada
Founded in 1890, Tennis Canada is a non-profit, national sport association responsible for leading the growth, promotion and showcasing of tennis in Canada. Tennis Canada owns and operates two of the premier events on the ATP and WTA Tours; Rogers Cup presented by National Bank men’s and women’s events that rotate annually between Rexall Centre in Toronto and Uniprix Stadium in Montreal. In addition, Tennis Canada owns and operates seven professional ITF sanctioned events and financially supports nine other professional tournaments in Canada. Tennis Canada operates junior national training centres/programs at the Centre of Excellence in Toronto, Uniprix Stadium in Montreal and the North Shore Winter Club in Vancouver. Tennis Canada is a proud member of the International Tennis Federation, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the International Wheelchair Tennis Association, and serves to administer, sponsor and select the teams for Davis Cup, Fed Cup, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and all wheelchair, junior and senior national teams. Tennis Canada invests its surplus into tennis development. For more information on Tennis Canada please visit our Web site at: http://tenniscanada.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d329ef9f1d1bca85c44b72a8f&id=47829e88ab&e=3a4a38a850.

 

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Media Contacts:
Montreal
Louis-Philippe Dorais                                                           Valérie Tétreault
Director, Communications and Marketing                               Coordinator, Communications
514-273-1515, ext. 232                                                       514-273-1515, ext. 259
lpdorais@tenniscanada.com                                                 vtetreault@tenniscanada.com

Toronto
Sarah Grossman                                                                 Nicole Watts
Manager, Communications and Media Relations                     Coordinator, Communications
416-650-7922                                                                    416-665-9777 x4092
sgrossman@tenniscanada.com                                            nwatts@tenniscanada.com


 
POUR DIFFUSION IMMÉDIATE

LES TABLEAUX DU SIMPLE ET DU DOUBLE ONT ÉTÉ ÉTABLIS POUR LES JEUX OLYMPIQUES
Dubois, Nestor, Pospisil, Raonic et Wozniak représenteront le Canada à Londres
 

Montréal, le 26 juillet 2012 – Le tirage des tableaux du simple et du double a été effectué jeudi, à Londres, pour les Jeux olympiques de 2012. Le Canada compte cinq représentants dans les épreuves masculines et féminines. 

En simple masculin, Milos Raonic (Thornhill, ON) aura comme premier adversaire le Japonais Tatsuma Ito. Raonic a remporté trois de leurs quatre affrontements précédents. Fort de sa victoire à Granby la semaine dernière, Vasek Pospisil (Vancouver, BC), qui a obtenu un laissez-passer pour le simple, se mesurera à l'Espagnol David Ferrer, quatrième tête de série. Les deux joueurs se sont rencontrés l'an dernier, à Valence, et Ferrer avait alors eu raison du Canadien en deux manches. Pospisil participera également aux épreuves du double en compagnie du médaillé d'or olympique Daniel Nestor (Toronto, ON). Au tour initial, le tandem canadien sera opposé aux Roumains Horia Tecau et Adrian Ungur. 

Chez les dames, Aleksandra Wozniak (Blainville, QC) amorcera son parcours olympique contre la Néo-Zélandaise Marina Erakovic. Elles se sont affrontées à deux reprises en 2008, chacune signant une victoire. Au premier tour du double, Wozniak et Stéphanie Dubois (Laval, QC) croiseront le fer avec Galina Voskoboeva et Yaroslava Shvedova, du Kazakhstan.  

Les compétitions seront présentées à compter de 6 h 30 HE, samedi, sur le gazon du All-England Club, site des Championnats de Wimbledon. Les cérémonies d’ouverture des Jeux olympiques auront lieu vendredi.

À propos de Tennis Canada
Tennis Canada, dont les origines remontent à 1890, est une organisation sportive nationale sans but lucratif responsable du développement, de la promotion et de la mise en valeur du tennis au pays. Tennis Canada possède et administre deux des plus prestigieux tournois de l’ATP et du WTA Tour; les volets masculin et féminin de la Coupe Rogers présentée par Banque Nationale, dont la présentation alterne chaque année entre le Centre Rexall, à Toronto, et le Stade Uniprix, à Montréal. De plus, Tennis Canada possède et administre sept tournois professionnels sanctionnés par l’ITF et soutient financièrement neuf autres tournois professionnels au Canada. Tennis Canada administre des centres nationaux d’entraînement au Centre de l’excellence, à Toronto, et au Stade Uniprix, à Montréal, et au North Shore Winter Club, à Vancouver. Tennis Canada est membre de la Fédération internationale de tennis, du Comité olympique canadien, du Comité paralympique canadien et de l’Association internationale de tennis en fauteuil roulant. De plus, Tennis Canada administre, commandite et choisit des équipes pour la Coupe Davis, la Fed Cup, les Jeux olympiques et paralympiques et forme des équipes nationales pour les juniors, les vétérans et les joueurs de tennis en fauteuil roulant. Tennis Canada investit ses excédents budgétaires dans le développement du tennis. Pour obtenir plus amples renseignements sur Tennis Canada, visitez notre site Web sur http://tenniscanada.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=d329ef9f1d1bca85c44b72a8f&id=ffe8613e0e&e=3a4a38a850.

 

 
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Renseignements :
Montréal
Louis-Philippe Dorais                                                            Valérie Tétreault
Directeur, communications et marketing                                Coordonnatrice, communications
514-273-1515, poste 232                                                     514-273-1515, poste 259
lpdorais@tenniscanada.com                                                 vtetreault@tenniscanada.com

Toronto
Sarah Grossman                                                                 Nicole Watts
Gestionnaire, communications et relations médias                  Coordonnatrice, Communications
416-650-7922                                                                    416-665-9777, poste 4092
sgrossman@tenniscanada.com                                            nwatts@tenniscanada.com
 

 

LONDON 2012: Deportista de Malasia competirá en Londres con ocho meses de embarazo

















La malaya tiradora con rifle, Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi confía en obtener una medalla en los Juegos Olímpicos.




Un hecho curioso se dará en los Juegos Olímpicos de Londres 2012, puesto que la experimentada tiradora con rifle de Malasia, Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi, competirá con ocho meses de embarazo.
La ganadora de la medalla de oro en los Juegos de la Commonwealth en 2010 tiene previsto dar a luz en setiembre, pero antes deberá pasar una prueba de fuego en Londres.
"La mayoría de la gente dice que estoy loca o que soy egoísta porque estoy poniendo en juego la salud de mi hija", expresó la deportista de 29 años.
Sin embargo, no todos la reprochan. "Mi marido dice que lo aproveche porque ésta es una oportunidad excepcional que tal vez no se vuelve a presentar. Además, yo soy la madre. Sé lo que puedo hacer", manifestó Nur Suryani.
Si bien la tiradora con rifle a 10 metros, ya está marcando un precedente (será la mujer con mayor tiempo de gestación en unos Juegos), para ella lo más importante es buscar la primera medalla de oro para su país.
“Sólo quiero competir a mi mejor nivel en los Juegos Olímpicos. Si llega el oro, daré las gracias a Dios y a mi bebé. ¿Quién sabe? Los milagros pueden ocurrir”, concluyó.