TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More! - TheFinalSprint.com is the Premier Destination for Track & Field, Marathon, Cross Country, Olympic and Road Racing Enthusiasts.

Lead Stories: Sunday, September 7, 2008

Pistorius Wins Appeal,
Debate Ensues

Posted May 20th, 2008 at 11:30 AM by Stephanie Lowe

Section: News & Results, Motivation, Success Stories, Track & Field, Olympics

After the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a ban Friday by the International Association of Athletics Federations, double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius can compete in the Beijing Olympic Games. What does this mean for the future of track and field?

Pistorius, 21, is a South African athlete who has excelled in Paralympic competition. He holds Paralympic world records in the 100, 200 and 400-meter events. His strongest event is the 400, in which he has a personal-best time of 46.56 seconds.

The Olympic “A” standard in the 400 is 45.55 seconds. After the debate over allowing Pistorius to compete against able-bodied athletes, will he even make the team? If not, he still has a shot at the South African 4×400-meter relay team, which does not require a qualifying time. He also plans to compete at the 2008 Paralympic Games, in Beijing, Sept. 6-17.
Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

ESPN, Nightline & GMA to Air Special Features, Present New Evidence in the Oscar Pistorius Controversy on April 15

Posted April 9th, 2008 at 4:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Motivation, Track & Field, Columns, Olympics, SPOTLIGHT

One of the most talked-about sports stories of the past year is the controversy surrounding Oscar Pistorius, the bi-lateral amputee sprinter who is trying to make a bid for the Olympics and is appealing the IAAF’s ruling that he has a technical advantage. Ossur, the maker of those Cheetahs, invites everyone to form their own opinion based on new information as presented by ESPN’s E:60, Good Morning America, Nightline, and ESPN Magazine.

Looking for insights into this game-changing issue that raises scientific, ethical and philosophical questions, and for the past three months, ESPN’s investigative journalists have traveled the globe to learn more. They interviewed Oscar, his family, coach, prosthetist, friends, competitors, lawyers, and Ossur, too. They also interviewed Professor Bruggemann, the German doctor who originally tested him on behalf of the IAAF.

What to see on April 15th:

• Good Morning America will air a segment between 7-9am
• ESPN’s E:60 will broadcast a 10-minute feature between 7-8pm.
• Nightline will look into the story at 11:30pm.

In addition, ESPN Magazine’s April 21st cover story will delve into Oscar’s case.
Read the rest of this entry »

6 comments, add yours | Permalink

Medals Unveiled for Paralympic Games of 2008

Posted November 14th, 2007 at 1:00 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Olympics

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) is honored to unveil the medals for the Paralympic Games of 2008.

Leading officials of BOCOG and the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, representative of athletes with a disability and representatives of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic medal sponsor BHP Billiton attended today’s press conference as mock-ups of the medals for the Paralympic Games of 2008 were on display at the Beijing Olympic Media Center.

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: SummerOlympian.com

One comment, add yours | Permalink

London 2012: New Era of Stadium Design Unveiled

Posted November 9th, 2007 at 9:28 PM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Olympics

The Olympic Stadium for the Games in 2012 has been unveiled at a ceremony in the London Olympic Park. The 80,000-seat stadium will be the centre-piece of the 2012 Games venues and will host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and athletics events. Once the Games are over, the arena will be converted into a 25,000-seat permanent stadium and will become a new home for athletics, combined with other sporting, community and educational uses.

Inspiring, Innovative and Sustainable

Commenting at the launch, the Chairman of the London 2012 Organizing Committee (LOCOG), Seb Coe, said:

“We talk a lot about milestones, but few will be more exciting than this, the unveiling of the Olympic Stadium, which will be the centre-piece of our Olympic Park. The stadium will stand for everything we talked about in the bid: it will be inspiring, innovative and sustainable – the theatre within which the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will be played out and will leave behind top class sporting and community facilities after the Games.”

Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

Wariner, Tibbs, and Karnazes receive ESPY Awards

Posted July 18th, 2007 at 7:45 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Track & Field

Jeremy Wariner and Casey Tibbs were the recipients of ESPY Awards earlier this week presented to the Best Track & Field Athletes of the Year and Dean Karnazes received the ESPY Award for Best Outdoor Athlete.

The ESPYs recognize outstanding achievements and performances by athletes during the previous year and include 19 “Best in Sport” categories, which pit athletes from different sports against each other, along with 17 individual sport categories and two sponsored awards.
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink