Tag Archives: Olympics

Oh my.

Not since Jessica Rabbit has a cartoon stirred Ewok more.

Brendan O’Rourke writes:

Here are 2 cartoons (see also below) I did for an IABA [Irish Amateur Boxing Association] fundraising effort (1 of the Irish Olympic Boxing squad, and 1 of Katie Taylor). The IABA are hoping to raise some money for the upcoming European Schoolboy and European Women’s Youth and Junior Championships. The canvas versions have been autographed by the boxers and are now for sale. Prints are also for sale here.

 

Hang on. They can’t all be hot?

Sprinter and ‘Cadbury Ambassador Athlete’ Paul Hession (200m) with miracle mini-marathon runner Rosanna Davison at the “two week countdown” to the Cadbury-sponsored RTE Sport coverage of the London 2012 Olympic Games” in Dublin earlier. Paul has just recorded his second fastest time since the last Olympics. Still .10 seconds off Rosanna’s best time.

(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)

THE IRISH boxing team lined up shoulder to shoulder on the stage at the National Stadium for the final curtain call before moving to Assisi, Italy, for their last training camp. The only missing face was the star turn herself. Mindful of responsibilities, Katie Taylor provided a statement apologising for the no show.

“My sincere apologies,” said the statement. “Every session is crucial . . . Each day between now and my first contest in the Olympic Games has been planned to the last detail . . . I am aware of the expectation that is on me . . . For me a medal in London will be another gift from God in a life so full of blessings.”

A medal at the Olympics may mark both the high point and the end for Ireland’s modest boxing star if her father and coach Pete has his way – Pete hopes his daughter will retire after London.

Mmf.

Olympics Could Be Final bow For Taylor (Johnny Watterson, Irish Times)

(Mark Stedman, Photocall Ireland)

Irish swimming is celebrating on the double as both Sycerika McMahon and Melanie Nocher (above) became the third and fourth Irish swimmers to qualify for the London Olympic Games,

 

Sycerika McMahon And Melanie Nocher Reach London 2012 (RTE)

Pic via MelanieNocher.com

What a joke. Those wonderful ‘international athletes’ Jedward are to carry the Olympic torch in Dublin while our greatest Olympian, Michelle Smith, is once again ignored. Our only winner of three gold medals, plus a bronze, who always tested clean of drugs during her career, is ignored while a silver medal winner is lauded as a hero and asked to carry the torch. Once again, all I can say is, what a joke.

Vincent Ryan
Navan, Co Meath

Golden Girl (Irish Independent Letters)

(Photocall Ireland)

An east London estate, where 700 people live, has received leaflets saying a “Higher Velocity Missile system” could be placed on a water tower.

A spokesman said the MoD had not yet decided whether to deploy ground based air defence systems during the event.
But estate resident Brian Whelan said firing the missiles “would shower debris across the east end of London”.

Novelist and blogger Charles Stross adds:

If one of those things is ever fired, either in anger or by accident, it’ll shower white-hot supersonic shrapnel across the extremely crowded residential heart of a city.

Go Team GB!

London 2012: Missiles May Be Placed At Residential Flats (BBC News)

boingboing

All [Martin] Fagan could think about was his next race, looming on the calendar: the Houston Marathon, January 15th, 2012 – probably his final chance to qualify for London, and perhaps finally break the vicious circle.

“And I started panicking. I just felt so committed to that race, that it was my last chance. I was so stupidly stubborn about it, and that was my downfall. But I was very confused. I know that’s no excuse, but I was only semi-knowing of what I was doing. I was not in the right state of mind. That’s when I should have reached out. But that was my only reality, I was in a dark place, and knew it. I can only ask myself how I ever got there.”

Where he is now is back in Mullingar, and tomorrow in Dublin he will attend an adjudication hearing before Athletics Ireland and the Irish Sports Council to account for the positive test he gave for EPO in Arizona in December: that’s the easy part because he’ll readily admit everything, doesn’t want to know about testing the B-sample, and will openly accept the two-year ban they’ll inevitably throw at him.

“This positive test, the ban, is only the small issue. The bigger issue for me right now is getting myself mentally right again. I know that’s going to take time but I know I’m around the right people now, my family, and friends.”

 

‘Injecting Myself, Thinking This Is How The Junkie Feels’ (Ian O’Riordan, Irish Times)

Pic: Melissa Dunstan