International Olympic Committee : News

Grainger and Watkins take gold - London 2012 - Rowing

8/3/2012 12:00:00 AM

The Great Britain crew dominated the field at Eton Dorney to add an Olympic crown to the two world titles they have won in two unbeaten years.

Grainger and Watkins led from the start and were roared on to a commanding victory, beating Australia by a length, with Poland taking a distant bronze.

Grainger punched the air as her boat crossed the line. She fell into an embrace with Watkins and acknowledged the 30,000-strong crowd after finally tasting victory at an Olympics.

Grainger had been Britain's first female Olympic Rowing medallist, at Sydney in 2000.

Four years ago she became the first British female athlete to win medals at three successive Olympic Games.

Those medals were all silver and Grainger was distraught at missing out on gold in Beijing, even considering retirement. But the lure of winning in London drove her on.

Grainger and Watkins, a bronze medallist from Beijing 2008, stormed to victory, as they have done for most of the last two years. After coming together in 2010, Grainger and Watkins have now won 23 consecutive races.

But none of them were as emotional as this with Grainger finally receiving the gold medal she craved.

She said, after embracing Steve Redgrave: 'Worth the wait. Steve promised me they'd be tears of joy this time, which they are.

'I feel this medal of all of them is the people's medal. I feel so many people have been behind me and supported me and wanted this for me as much as I have.'

New Zealand triumph in Single Sculls - London 2012 - Rowing

8/3/2012 12:00:00 AM

Silver went to Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic, who finished the final with a time of 6:59.37.

Drysdale finished in 6:57.82 and Northern Ireland's Alan Campbell won bronze for Great Britain with 7:03.28.

Germany win men's Eight gold - London 2012 - Rowing

8/1/2012 12:00:00 AM

Canada overtook the Great Britain crew in the final quarter of the race to claim silver.

That meant the Host Nation finished third and took a Rowing bronze medal to add to the gold won in the first final of today, the women's Pair.

Britain trailed by only half a canvas at the 1000m mark and gave triple world champions Germany a tough test.

But Germany began to pull clear in the final quarter of the race and eventually the British crew were pipped for silver by 2008 Olympic champions Canada.

Golden girls win for Great Britain - London 2012 - Rowing

8/1/2012 12:00:00 AM

The pair became the first British women to take an Olympic Rowing gold in front of an ecstatic crowd at Eton Dorney.

Australia pipped world champions New Zealand to win silver but neither crew was able to live with the blistering pace set by the British pair.

Ukraine's women's Quadruple Sculls team won gold in the second final of the day, they were followed across the line by Germany and the USA took silver.

The British pair made a blistering start to the Pairs final and had sprinted into a clear water lead over the Kiwis by the 500m time-check, an advantage they held through to the half-way mark.

When Glover and Stanning hit the wall of sound generated by 26,000 fans in the grandstands, they extended their lead to two lengths.

After crossing the line they hugged each other and saluted the crowd, which included the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry and the Princess Royal.

Stanning said: 'I'm absolutely shattered and absolutely ecstatic all at the same time. I want to collapse but I'm just so overjoyed, I just want to jump around at the same time. I'm probably talking rubbish now.'

In other Rowing action, Germany won men's Eight gold. Canada took silver and Great Britain were on bronze.

Netherlands make Eights final - London 2012 - Rowing

7/31/2012 12:00:00 AM

They held off a strong challenge from Romania to take the win as Australia came in third.

Great Britain finished fourth, a length behind Australia, to claim the last available place in Thursday's final.

The Great Britain men's Lightweight Four underlined their Olympic gold medal potential with a commanding semi-final victory.

They unleashed a powerful sprint for the line to surge clear of Switzerland in the final 500m.

The British crew won in 5:59.68 seconds, just quicker than the time posted by chief gold medal rivals Denmark in winning the second semi-final.

Elsewhere, the men's Double Scull of Bill Lucas and Sam Townsend finished third in their semi-final behind the Slovenian crew, who were Olympic champions 12 years ago, and Lithuania.

There was a shock in the first heat with reigning Olympic champions Australia and world silver medallists Germany failing to qualify.

Alan Campbell moved smoothly into the semi-finals of the Single Sculls with a length victory over Germany's Marcel Hacker to underline further Great Britain podium credentials.

He said: 'I feel in very good form, but I've got to keep a lid on it, I don't want to get too over excited or anything else and when it comes to the final the gloves are off and we'll go out fighting.'

New Zealand's Mahe Drysdale remains the favourite to add Olympic gold to his five world titles and he won the first heat, ahead of Belgium's Tim Maeyens.

Lassi Karonen of Sweden is hitting form at the right time and he won the third quarter-final, while Ondrej Synek won his heat with reigning Olympic champion Olaf Tufte scraping through in third place.

British rowers shatter Olympic best - London 2012 - Rowing

7/30/2012 12:00:00 AM

The double world champions destroyed the previous mark, set by Germany in Barcelona 20 years ago, by nearly five seconds as they won their heat in 6:44.33.

It was a commanding performance from Grainger and Watkins, who left world bronze medallists New Zealand trailing home in second place around two lengths behind.

The British Double Scull pair are now unbeaten in 22 consecutive races and their victory will have laid down a marker to their nearest rivals Australia, who pushed them close in the final of last month's Munich World Cup regatta.

The Great Britain men's Eight qualified for the Olympic final with a victory over Canada and Netherlands in today's repechage.

The new-look Great Britain crew made a fast start and quickly opened a three-quarter-length lead over reigning Olympic champions Canada to take control of the race.

The Canadians, Holland and Australia all put the pressure on in the final stages and succeeded in closing the gap.

But Britain remained calm, rowing within themselves at 36 strokes per minute to seal the win and a place in Wednesday's final.

The British women's Quadruple Scull squeezed into their Olympic final after battling back from the brink of elimination to finish third in this morning's repechage.

They were trailing last in the six-boat field around the half-way mark before producing a strong push in the second 1000m.

Britain moved into the qualification places after the New Zealand crew developed a crab - where a rower's oar blade sticks in the water and acts as a brake - and then overtook reigning Olympic champions China to cross the line third, behind Australia and the USA.

USA cruise to heat win - London 2012 - Rowing

7/30/2012 12:00:00 AM

Host Nation Great Britain finished third after Australia withstood a late push. They expect to progress to the final from Tuesday's repechage.

Meanwhile, Great Britain's Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter delivered a powerful statement of intent as they roared back into form with victory over New Zealand in their Lightweight Double Sculls heat.

The reigning world and Olympic champions were at rock bottom just five weeks ago after finishing sixth for the second World Cup regatta in a row.

But Purchase and Hunter have built a reputation for peaking at the biggest events, having overcome turbulent seasons to win the World Championships in both 2010 and 2011.

And Hunter believes they are on the road to doing the same at London 2012 after beating the form pair of Storm Uru and Peter Taylor en route to the semi-finals.

'This is the Olympic Games and it was important to come here and kick off with a good start, put the doubters at rest and show that we're back,' Hunter said.

'We hate losing more than any others. We go away and work hard and come back again and that shows class in my eyes. There is a sense of pride there.

'We've had a pretty disappointing season so to go out there and execute like we did in the heat showed what we can do - and there's a lot more to come.'

The world champions led their chief rivals from the start and held off a late charge to win by half a length, in 6:36.

New Zealand also suffered defeat to Great Britain in the women's Lightweight Double Sculls heats.

Sophie Hosking and Katherine Copeland, World Championship bronze medallists last year, made a lightning start and pulled clear in the second 1000m in a supreme exhibition of sculling.

Excitement builds for London 2012 as triathlon, rowing and sailing events take place

8/8/2011 12:58:00 PM

Preparations for London 2012 have stepped up another gear, with major international sporting events taking place at the triathlon, rowing and sailing venues, as excitement continues to build ahead of next year’s Olympic Games.

London’s Hyde Park played host to the world’s leading triathletes from 6-7 August as part of the ITU World Championship Series, while Eton’s Dorney Lake staged the Junior World Rowing Championships from 3-7 August. Elsewhere, the 2011 Weymouth and Portland International Regatta has brought elite sailors from around the world together to compete in 10 Olympic classes in Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour, which will host the sailing events during the Games next year.

All three events were being used by the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) to test crucial aspects of its Games-time operations. The events are also helping to build excitement among the general public by giving them the chance to enjoy the experience of watching world-class sport in Olympic venues.

Britain’s Alistair Brownlee triumphed in the men’s triathlon in Hyde Park and was impressed by the enthusiasm of the crowd as he crossed the finish line. The 2009 world champion is already looking forward to a similar response during the Games next year.

"It was one of the best receptions I've ever had and the whole event was a great experience," said Brownlee. "The run down the last stretch was incredible. I'm sure there'll be 10 times as many people in 2012."
The 14-day Weymouth and Portland International Regatta has seen 460 sailors descend on the Olympic venue in order to gain experience of the course ahead of London 2012. Finn competitor Pieter Jan Postma, from the Netherlands, is one of those who is pleased to have the opportunity to compete in Weymouth before the Games next year.

“It is good that we have a test event here to learn the conditions,” said Postma. “It's good to get familiar and know the surroundings.”

The Junior World Rowing Championships, at Dorney Lake near Windsor, saw almost 600 young rowing stars from 48 countries compete at the Olympic venue, giving LOCOG the chance to test important aspects of its Games-time operations, such as the sporting field of play and the results, timing and scoring systems.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see our work come to fruition and to see elite athletes competing on the lake,” said LOCOG’s Director of Sport, Debbie Jevans. “We can see how it will be in 2012. There is a view of Windsor Castle in the background, so it looks fantastic. It's one of the best rowing facilities in the world.”

Golden Opportunity: Katherine Grainger, rowing

4/19/2011 9:00:00 AM

Olympic Review continues its countdown to the 2012 Games with exclusive interviews with stars of the 26 sports on the programme, who are targeting gold in London. After winning silver at three consecutive editions of the Olympic Games, Katherine Grainger is confident she can finally land that elusive gold medal on home waters next year.

How did it feel to win world championship gold in the double sculls last year?
It was fantastic for Anna and I to win in New Zealand and complete an undefeated season in the double. And it was such a great experience to race in front of the incredible crowds at Karapiro.

Does being world champion add to the pressure?
I don’t think so, it’s a very special title to have and I value it hugely. I think it comes with a responsibility to try to be a better athlete in every way, but I don’t feel it adds any pressure.

Will home support help you win that elusive Olympic gold medal?
Let’s hope so! I have no doubt that the crowds in London will be an inspiration for everyone.

Which nations are going to be the strongest competitors?
It’s early to say, I think we’ll see what develops this season as people try for the Olympic qualification slots across different events. Usually the pre-Olympic year sees a healthy rise in numbers of crews and in the level of competition.

Team GB has a great tradition of Olympic champion rowers, what is it about British rowing that breeds this formula?
Inspirational athletes like Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent not only set the standard for other athletes but also showed just what was possible. Over the years, that success has spread to women’s and lightweight programmes and we are at a place now where we work with some of the best coaches in the world, plus the support staff and management are all exceptional. Success has certainly bred success and everyone continues to push each other’s standards up.

Did you always dream of being an Olympian?
I always loved watching the Olympic Games growing up but I didn’t see myself as a full-time athlete. I was probably like most kids and went through the stage of wanting to be things like an astronaut, a trapeze artist and a vet.

How does the average training week work?
Huge amounts of training and a little bit of social life – no surprises there then!

What is currently on your MP3 player?
An enormous range of music – I listen to it a lot, so variety really is the answer for me.

Enjoy the e-zine version of the March issue of Olympic Review magazine!

Singapore 2010 adopts new sport formats

8/12/2010 3:39:00 PM

The first Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore will feature all 26 sports currently on the programme of the London 2012 Olympic Games. What will differ in some cases are the disciplines and format, such as 3 on 3 street basketball, a mixed gender relay in the swimming pool, a medley relay on the track or events in which athletes from different National Olympic Committees compete on the same team. Read on to see what your favourite sports will consist of in Singapore...

Aquatics (diving and swimming)

Aquatics comprises diving and swimming. There will be two diving events for both men and women, 3m springboard and 10m platform. Swimming events include freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and medley, both individual and relay. As a first, a mixed gender event for 4 x 100m freestyle relay and 4 x 100m medley relay is included.

Archery

Archery will feature individual men, women and mixed team competitions. The distance that athletes will be shooting is 70m.

Athletics

Athletics comprises a total 36 events for both men and women. The track events will include 1000m and 3000m races as well as a 2000m steeplechase and a medley relay. There will be eight field events (four jumps and four throws).

Badminton

Badminton will feature men’s and women’s singles events in Singapore.

Basketball

Basketball 3 on 3 will be played at the YOG. There will be two teams of three players on court at any one time. This fast-paced game is played on a half court, with one basketball hoop. It includes two periods of five minutes each. The winner is the first team to score 33 points, or the team that is leading the game at the end of the fifteen minutes of play.

Boxing

Boxing will feature men’s events. There will be 11 different weight categories, ranging from 48kg to the 91kg+ division.

Canoe-Kayak

Canoe-Kayak will feature four events for men and two for women. Both will race
in head-to-head sprints and obstacle slaloms in the kayak category. The men will also compete in the same events in canoes.

Cycling

The Cycling competition will involve teams. Each team consists of three men and one woman. The three men are required to compete in one discipline each (BMX, MTB and Time Trial), while the woman has to compete in all three disciplines. All male riders also have to compete in the Road Race.

Equestrian

In Equestrian, only the jumping events will take place (team and individual). The Organising Committee will provide the horses, which will be assigned to riders by draw. For the team event, there will be six teams representing each FEI regional zone.

Fencing

Fencing will feature individual competitions in the foil, epée and sabre for men and women, and a mixed team competition.

Football

Football will consist of a six-team competition, representing all continents, for both men and women.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics is split into artistic and rhythmic, as in the Olympic Games. The artistic competition will feature eight individual men’s events and six individual women’s events. The rhythmic competition consists of two events – individual and team – for women.

Handball

Handball is a six-team tournament, representing all continents, for men and for women.

Hockey

Hockey is the same as football and handball – a six-team competition, representing all continents for both men and women.

Judo

There are a total of eight weight categories for both men and women in the Judo competition. There is also a mixed team event.

Modern Pentathlon

The Modern Pentathlon competition consists of four of the five modern pentathlon disciplines: fencing, swimming, running and shooting. The fifth discipline, riding, will not be competed at Singapore 2010. The run-shoot format will be competed. In the Combined event, laser shooting is being used for the first time.

Rowing

Both the men and women will compete in two events in Rowing – single sculls and pairs.

Sailing

The Sailing competition comprises four events, with men and women sailing in either the one person dinghy or the windsurfing.

Shooting

In Shooting, the men and women will compete in both air rifle and air pistol.

Table Tennis

Table tennis will consist of men’s singles, women’s singles and a mixed team competition.

Taekwondo

Taekwondo will see athletes competing in five weight categories per gender.

Tennis

There will be both men’s singles and doubles and women’s singles and doubles in the Tennis tournament.

Triathlon

The Triathlon competition format for individual competitions includes a 750m swim in open water, a 20km cycle ride and a 5km run. The 4 x mixed team relay competition includes a 250m swim in open water, a 7km cycle ride and a 1.7km run.

Volleyball

Volleyball is a six-team men’s and women’s competition.

Weightlifting

Weightlifting sees men competing in six weight categories, while women will compete in five weight categories. The combined results of the Snatch and the Clean & Jerk will produce the champion of each weight category.

Wrestling

The Wrestling competition will see men compete in Greco-Roman (five weight categories) and freestyle (five weight categories) and women in freestyle (four weight categories).