athletics « Edmonton Sports Blog

Posts Tagged ‘athletics’

Thirteen Alberta natives at the Paralympic Games

Wednesday, August 29th, 2012

The 2012 Paralympic Games in London started today with the opening ceremonies.

Between now and September 9, more than a dozen Alberta natives will be representing Canada at the most prestigious international sports event for athletes with a disability.

Archer Kevin Evans of Calgary, might have the best chance of winning a medal. He is the 2007 and 2009 world champion.

Two cyclists meanwhile will also be in definite medal contention. Jaye Milley of Calgary is a World Cup champion and Brayden McDougall of Calgary has finished fourth three times at world championships.

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Tags: alister mcqueen, amber thomas, archery, athletics, basketball, boccia, brayden mcdougall, brianna jennett-mcneill, cycling, dressage, equestrian, jaye milley, jody schloss, kevin evans, kirstie kasko, monica martino, paralympic games, patrick anderson, Rugby, Swimming, tara feser, zachary mcallister, zak madell
Posted in Amateur Sports |

Bolt sets Olympic Record of 9.63 in winning Gold

Sunday, August 5th, 2012

Usain Bolt (Phil McElhinney, Wikimedia Commons)

On day nine of the 2012 Olympic Games, Jamaica went 1-2 in the men’s 100 metre dash.

Usain Bolt ran a time of 9.63 to win his fourth Olympic Gold medal of his career. The sprinter, who many in Jamaica call Lightning, beat eventual silver medallist Yohan Blake of Jamaica by 0.12 seconds. American Justin Gatlin ran a time of 9.79.

The final was remarkably fast with seven sprinters running under 10 seconds. Jamaican Asafa Powell, who ended up last with a time of 11.99, would have probably run under ten seconds as well, if he had not got injured during the race.

The 2012 Olympic Games in London will also be remembered from an athletic perspective as the Olympics swimming legend Michael Phelps of the United States retired. When Phelps helped the United States win the 4×100 metre medley relay yesterday, he recorded his 18th Gold medal of all-time, more than double of those Olympians who are second on the list.

Tags: 2012 olympic games, athletics, michael phelps, Swimming, usain bolt
Posted in Amateur Sports |

Fifteen Albertans to compete at the 2012 Olympic Games in London

Tuesday, July 17th, 2012

Erin McLeod (Wikimedia Commons)

Team Canada’s Olympic roster is set and there are 15 representing the province of Alberta out of the 264 athletes representing our nation.

Does that total seem rather low to you? That is only 5.7% of the total athletes representing Canada are Albertan. Should we be sending more? Possibly, but for now let’s celebrate the Albertans who are going.

Out of the 15, seven are from Calgary.

Kayaker Mark de Jonge has probably the best chance to medal. He finished in sixth place at the 2011 World Championships in the men’s 200m. De Jong will be joined by gymnast Nathan Gafuik, badminton player Grace Gao, track athlete Akeem Haynes, cyclist Monique Sullivan, swimmer Jillian Tyler (women’s 100m breaststroke), and Michael Tayler in kayaking slalom.

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Tags: 2012 olympic games, akeem haynes, athletics, badminton, basketball, canoeing, cycling, diving, eric sehn, erin mcleod, fencing, grace gao, gymnastics, hammer throwing, heather steacy, jillian tyler, jim steacy, mark de jonge, michael tayler, michelle plouffe, monique sullivan, nathan gafuik, paula findlay, richard hortness, sherraine schalm, Soccer, Swimming, triathlon
Posted in Amateur Sports, Soccer |

Petitclerc accepts position with Great Britain

Friday, December 9th, 2011

Chantal Petitclerc (Wikimedia Commons)

Canada’s most successful summer paralympic athlete ever has accepted a position with the United Kingdom Athletics.

According to the Globe and Mail, Petitclerc has been named a coach in their paralympic athletics’ program. Petitclerc’s coach during her athletic career, Peter Eriksson, is the head coach of the United Kingdom Athletics’ paralympic program.

The 2012 Paralympic Games will immediately follow the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Petitclerc, who has been featured in Prospect Magazine, is a 14-time Paralympic Gold medallist in athletics. Twice she won five Gold medals at a Paralympic Games– at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens and the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Her other two major accolades include winning the 2008 Lou Marsh Award, that is awarded to Canada’s top athlete of the year and being inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

Besides Eriksson, Petitclerc will be working alongside Kelly Smith, a Canadian silver medallist in the women’s marathon from the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens.

Tags: athletics, chantal petitclerc, kelly smith, peter eriksson
Posted in Amateur Sports |