retiring

Naoko Takahashi, the Japan athletic, has announced her retirement.

She has won the 2000 Olympic marathon champion and she was the first woman to break the magical 2:20.

She was planning to run the upcoming Tokyo International Woman’s marathon and was training, but she had to pull out because she wasn’t able to get into shape.

She felt she had to retire because she feels that she can no longer run like a professional runner.

A true athlete she has been, as she had set a national record back in 1998 when she ran for 2:21:47 in the Asian games in Bangkok.

In 2000 and 2001, she became one of the best marathon runner in the world, when she won the Olympic title in Sydney, before she ran for 2:19:46 (world fastest time), at the 2001 Berlin marathon. In 2005 she won what was her last marathon in Tokyo.

She has said that when she has retired, she isn’t going to stop running.

coming back

Paula Radcliffe won the Great South run last Sunday in a new British record time.

Paula broke Jill Boltz’s 17 year mile national best of 51:41 by 30 seconds. This Sunday, Paula will run in the New York marathon.

This race was an impressive return from the disappointment of the Beijing Olympics in the summer, where she was hit by a leg injury.

From all the injuries Paula Radcliffe has had, this could be the return we see and more will follow. There will be more marathons next year, for Paula to get fit and to get back to where she was before the injuries came. She is fit now, but we will see an improvement as the London 2012 comes.

2012 will see the return of Paula Radcliffe, and she could win the Olympic Marathon in Britain.

The road to London 2012

At the end of January next year, UK Athletics indoor programme will begin in Scotland, as the road to London 2012 begins.

These athletics that went to the Beijing Olympics back in the summer, will be looking forward to play at three different venues (Glasgow, Birmingham and Sheffield) after the New Year. It’s the road to London 2012. It may be a long road, but the journey will be see some talented young youths and experienced athletes coming through the ranks, and we might see them when the time comes in 2012.

Hard work in training will pay off in the UK Championship and other competitions these athletes compete in the world of athletics. 2009 looks to be exciting year when the European Indoor championships begin in March, where GB athletes topped the medal table last time. The World Championships will take place in August, so there are plenty of events to look forward to.

The one that starts at the end of January is in Glasgow and it will not only see GB and Northern Ireland, but USA, Germany, Sweden will take part in a commonwealth team in a one day event.

Drugs

It was revealed a fortnight ago, that US sprinter Tim Montgomery has been jailed for five years for dealing drugs.

The former 100m world record holder previously pleaded guilty to processing more than 100g of heroin with intent to distribute it.

It seems that these days some athletes, (not all) have to take so sort of drugs, so they can win a medal. But, is it right to take some kind of drugs, whether its tablets, or injection? It becomes clear that they get find out at the end of the day and the medal (if they have won any) is striped, and the athlete can get banned from the Olympics forever.

This has already happened to Montgomery as three years ago, he was found to have used steroids and he was awarded a ban that saw his 100m world record stripped.

With Montgomery, he is already serving four years in prison for fraud and conspiracy offences for his role in bogus cheques, so overall he will serve around 10 years for the two separate charges.

What will happen to the 100m ex-world record holder when he is released from prison? Will he continue in the sport that he loved doing or will find another career path in the sport?

Blood, sweat and tears of joy

I thought for the first ever blog, it would be best to start off mentioning the Beijing Olympic games that happened over the summer.

Just on Thursday 16 October, people turned up in their thousands to pay tribute to the athletes, who lit up the summer of 2008 with their inspirational and unforgettable performance that made it their best performance for 100 years.

Team GB finished in fourth place winning 19 gold medals, 13 silver medals and 15 bronze medals, making the total 47, but the Paralympics finished in second place winning 42 gold medals, 29 silver medals and 31 bronze medals, making the total 102.

The most medals were won in the cycling event in China, with Scotland’s Chris Hoy picking up three gold medals. Nicole Cooke, Victoria Pendleton and Rebecca Romero also picked up gold. Also Sarah and Barney Storey for the Paralympics picked up gold.

Also picking up the most medals in an event were the rowers. Paralympics Tom Aggar and Helene Raynsfors became the first athletes to win gold in rowing, when the sport was made debut this year. Also Ben Ainslie won three gold medals in sailing.

London’s Christine Ohuruogu won in the 400m race, with two time Paralympic gold medallist David Weir.

In the waters, 14 year old driving sensational Tom Daley did well to get to an individual final, but didn’t win a medal. For him, it will be a wonderful experience to learn how professionals do a good job to get high marks. It will make him strong when he comes back for the London 2012, and he might just win a medal.

Paralympian Eleanor Simmonds, who is just 13 years old, won gold in swimming. She was crying with joy after the race, she couldn’t believe that she won! Rebecca Adlington also won gold in swimming. (Not sure if she won two, think she did).

The success over the summer was brilliant to watch and read about, but with the London 2012 just another four years away, can the success be improved. The answer to that is yes. There was some disappointing results, like equestrian and athletics. There will be targets for the next Olympic and Paralympics for team GB to work on and improve and who knows London 2012 might, just might be the Olympics to remember.