Dan Carter at the press conference in which he announced he would have no further part to play in the Rugby World Cup. AP photo.
Neutrals will always want to see the best players play at any World Cup, whether it be Argentina’s football superstar Lionel Messi, India’s cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar or the All Blacks’ flyhalf Dan Carter.
Just as the 2011 Rugby World Cup was gearing up for the quarter-finals came the news out of the New Zealand camp that the world’s best No 10 would play no further part in the tournament after Carter sustained a groin injury practising his kicks on Saturday.
It is a huge blow for the Kiwis, and the tournament.
I wonder how Colin Slade feels right now. Continue reading ‘Confidence vital for All Blacks, with Carter now a cheerleader’
There is so much to admire about Alex Ferguson’s current Manchester United team. Blessed with pace and power, refreshed with young faces and playing without fear, the Red Devils deserve all the praise coming their way.
They have won five out of five in the Premiership, scored 21 goals and blitzed two of their traditional rivals, Arsenal and Chelsea, along the way.
This is United’s best run since the 1985-86 season when they won their first 10 league matches under Ron Atkinson.
If United fans are struggling to keep their feet on the ground right now, if they need reminding no trophies are handed out in September, then they should revisit that campaign 25 years ago, when the team eventually finished fourth and Liverpool claimed the title. Continue reading ‘Feet on the ground time for Man United and their hordes’
It was electrifying watching Usain Bolt close track and field’s World Championships on Sunday night in Daegu, South Korea. He propelled the Jamaican 4x100m men to a world record, the only one in nine days of competition.
High-stepping, arms pumping, the 25-year-old charged for the line, dipping for the finish powerfully.
Rarely does Bolt pull out the stops towards the end of a race, but after his disqualification in the 100m, I got the sense he wanted to end on a special note, and the time of 37.04sec frozen on the board trackside was indeed magical.
The Americans reaffirmed their strength in track and field by finishing at the top of the world championship standings with 12 gold medals, and 25 in total.
Kenya, traditionally always powerful in the middle and long distances, were even better in Korea and finished with seven golds to lie third in the standings, behind the Americans and the Russians (9 golds).
Continue reading ‘Asia embarrassed at World Athletics Championships in Daegu’
She was 23 when she won Olympic gold in 2008, at the time she was known as Valerie Vili and she hit a distance of 20.56m in Beijing to claim shot put glory for New Zealand.
On Tuesday, the Kiwi, now 26 and known as Valerie Adams, claimed her third successive world title in the event with a throw of 21.24m, posting a new personal best. Barring injury or a dramatic loss of form, she is almost certain to win gold next year at the London Olympics.
I wonder if Zhang Guirong has heard of Valerie. I can’t help but feel the story of Singapore’s shot put champion is a sad case of what might have been.
Continue reading ‘Zhang’s unfulfilled talent a truly sad tale’
