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Eschewing delirious crowds at the airport, Olympic sprinting champion Usain Bolt returned to Jamaica in uncharacteristically low-key style.

There were no adoring throngs, none of his signature skyward points or other antics. There was just a quietly organised news conference yesterday at Bolt's restaurant and night club in Kingston with a few dozen journalists, business people, and politicians in attendance.

Bolt's publicist, Carole Beckford, said the 6-foot-5 superstar quietly returned home Saturday, and nobody but his inner circle knew he was back in his Caribbean homeland, which adores him yet wants a piece of him at almost every turn.

Last week in Belgium, hours after his last race of the season, Bolt said he was a bit nervous about returning to Jamaica, where his countrymen celebrated each of his three victories at the London Olympics with intense enthusiasm. Crowds of impassioned Jamaicans danced, shouted and embraced in the streets as he dominated the competition.

"I've seen what Jamaican fans are like when I go back home. That is more scary than anything else," he told reporters in Brussels.

At yesterday's news conference in Jamaica's capital, the world's fastest man thanked his coach, his family and his fervent fans for all their support, saying that "there were a lot of doubters" after a sometimes challenging season. Speaking to the cameras, a subdued Bolt added, "I have one thing to say: Never doubt a champion."

For weeks before the Olympics, Jamaicans had been debating whether Bolt or his rival and teammate Yohan Blake would win in London. Blake, Bolt's blisteringly fast workout partner, had beaten Bolt in the 100 metres and 200 metres finals at Jamaica's Olympic trials and Bolt's subsequent withdrawal from a meet in Monaco set up one of the most anticipated story lines of the 2012 Olympics.

But Bolt delivered electrifying performances in London, just as he did at the Beijing Games in 2008. He said he accomplished exactly what he hoped. He competed in three events—and won gold medals in all three: the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.

"I am the best and will always be the best," he said yesterday at Tracks & Records, his restaurant and night club, which features a DJ booth where he sometimes spins records, a 200-seat main floor with TVs, a bar, a few "VIP" areas and even a shop to buy Usain Bolt merchandise.

In more than a century of modern Olympics, no man had set world records while winning the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay—until Bolt did in Beijing in 2008. None had won the 200m twice, let alone completed a 100-200 double twice—until Bolt did it in 2008 and 2012.

Bolt repeatedly said his goal in London was to win three gold medals again and come home from London as nothing less than a "living legend".

Natalie Neita-Headley, Jamaica's Cabinet minister with responsibility for sports, compared him to the island's most revered son, reggae icon Bob Marley.

"Like Bob before him, he has achieved that legendary status," Neita-Headley said.

Asked if there is any downside to being a "living legend," Bolt responded: "I've just become a legend so I'll let you know in a few days."

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com

Rugby has the perfect opportunity to bottle the feel-good vibes coursing through London by announcing with immediate effect that it intends to use the Olympic Stadium as a venue for at least two high-profile matches in the 2015 World Cup, one of them being a semi-final.

Charles van Commenee is to step down as UK Athletics head coach after the team failed to meet his own medal target at London 2012, it has been announced.

The 54-year-old Dutchman, who had been in charge since 2009, will leave when his contract expires in December.

Van Commenee said he would quit as a "matter of creditability" unless the team hit a target of at least eight medals in athletics including a minimum of one gold.

Despite being widely praised, the team fell two short of that overall, though four of the six medals were gold thanks to Mo Farah winning the 5,000 and 10,000 metres, Greg Rutherford the long jump and Jessica Ennis the heptathlon.

Three of the gold medals - Farah's 10,000m, Rutherford and Ennis - came within an hour on what was dubbed "Super Saturday".

But some leading medal hopes failed to deliver - notably triple jumper Phillips Idowu who flopped terribly, failing to even reach the final of his event after a long-running feud with van Commenee.

Van Commenee's contract expires in December and UK Athletics' chief Niels de Vos and chairman Ed Warner wanted to offer him a new five-year one that would have taken him beyond the 2017 World Championships, which are due to be held in the Olympic Stadium in London.

De Vos and Warner had hoped that van Commenee would change his mind about quitting after a holiday but they failed to persuade him to change his mind.

A new coaching structure is expected to be announced next week.

Van Commenee had taken over the job after Dave Collins had been fired following the British team's failure to reach its target of five medals in Beijing four years ago.

He had previously worked for UK Athletics when he was the personal coach of Denise Lewis, who had guided to an Olympic gold medal in the heptathlon at Sydney in 2000.

"Charles has done an excellent job preparing British Athletics for the 2012 Olympic Games," said De Vos. 

"There is no doubt Charles has helped to transform our culture and we can now look forward to further success under the leadership of a new team."

Van Commenee claimed that his job needed a "new energy and approach" in the build-up to the 2017 World Championships.

"Niels and I have worked hard to implement accountability as it is vital to the culture of elite sport," he said.

"My decision has the interests of British athletics at it's heart in sustaining this culture.

"I am happy the future is looking promising with the talent that is about to break through now.

"But now it needs the new energy and approach by the new leadership team through to 2017.

"As CEO Niels has always had an eye on the eventuality of my leaving – indeed he and I have worked together to put in place an excellent succession plan for the sport.

"I look forward to seeing the future successes for the GB and Northern Ireland team through to Rio and the World Championships in London."

By Duncan Mackay

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

THIS year’s Pan American Men’s Kilometre Time Trial gold medallist, Quincy Alexander will be awarded two new road and track bicycle frames courtesy Mike’s Bikes at their headquarters corner of #21 O’ Connor Street and Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook, today, from 2pm.

The specially designed frames are expected to be presented to Alexander by former National cyclist, now owner and marketing manager at Phillips Promotion Michael Phillip.

Alexander, who is a members of the Beacon Cycling Team which is managed by Phillip and company, will also receive other assistance over the coming weeks as he prepares for a number of international events.

Also taking place at the presentation will be the official announcement of the eighth annual Newsday Republic Day Cycling Classic and Fun Run which now become a fixture on the local cycling calender.

The Newsday-sponsored event will be held Republic Day- September 24 at the at the King George V Park, St Clair, from 2 pm and a number of top local and international riders will be here.

There will be cycling races for all categories, aerobics warm-ups, and a 5K Fun Run/Walk which have, in the past, brought out some of the region’s best runners- both men and women.

In commemoration of Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott, this year, the Newsday-sponsored event will feature an inaugural javelin competition. All proceeds derived from this friendly meet will be put toward the Newsday’s “Save the Street Children Fund”.

Sponsoring the event will be Cole and Associates and H and G Aircon. For more information, contact 684-0615.

Source: www.newsday.co.tt

Taylor Townsend has a body like Serena…and that’s a problem.

Townsend, the number one junior women’s player in the world, nearly missed a spot in last week’s U.S. Open because U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) told her they weren’t going to finance her appearance in anymore tournaments until she got into better shape.

Like many black, female athletes, Townsend is not stick-thin. At 5’6”, she weighs about 170-pounds. Despite being the top-ranked player on the junior’s circuit and winning the Australian Open earlier this year, the brass at the USTA aimed to pull the teen from the U.S. Open and any other tournaments until she loses weight.

But should she?

Townsend said she was devastated when her USTA coaches told her she couldn’t compete in the U.S. Open.

“It was definitely shocking,” the teen said. “I was actually very upset. I cried. I was actually devastated. I mean, I worked really hard, you know, it’s not by a miracle that I got to number one. I’m not saying that to be conceited or anything, but it’s not just a miracle or it didn’t just fall upon me just because my name’s Taylor.”

After her Australian Open win, the Chicago teen who now lives at the USTA center in Florida, ditched fast food and incorporated running and weight-lifting into her training routine. But the wasn’t enough for Patrick McEnroe, the general manager of the USTA’s player development program. McEnroe explained why the USTA refused to finance Townsend’s slot in the Open.

“Our concern is her long-term health, number one, and her long-term development as a player,” he explained the Wall Street Journal. “We have one goal in mind: For her to be playing in [Arthur Ashe Stadium] in the main draw and competing for major titles when it’s time. That’s how we make every decision, based on that.”

But as the Bleacher Report points out, concerns about Townsend’s health didn’t prevent the USTA from allowing her to play in both the singles and the doubles competition in the Australian Open earlier this year, in which Townsend had to pull a double-header and play twice in one day.

So what gives?

According to Townsend’s mother—a former tennis player at Lincoln University—the USTA didn’t give them any specifics as to why her daughter was denied.

“I actually asked them if they would give me some specifics so that I can help facilitate helping her to understand what they were doing and the reasoning behind what they were doing,” Shelia Townsend told ABC News. “I never was able to get it.”

Instead, Townsend’s mother did what any committed parent would do: she paid the entry fees and financed her daughter’s way into the U.S. Open. With mounting pressure and amid the ire of her coaches, Taylor lost in the semi-finals, but brought home the double’s title with her partner, Gabrielle Andrews, making it her third Grand Slam doubles title this year.

While the McEnroe later said the USTA’s refusal to fund Townsend’s birth in the U.S. Open had “nothing to do with weight; it has nothing to do with body type,” they have decided to reimburse Townsend’s mother, calling the entire situation a “miscommunication.”

Hearing of Taylor Townsend’s predicament conjured of thoughts of Serena and Venus Williams.

For years the sisters and their father have alleged that the USTA continuously overlooked racist incidents, and when the sisters first burst on the scene, Serena was seen as fat, out of shape, and too big to be a serious athlete (and the comments on many articles mentioning Townsend suggest the same).

If Taylor Townsend was overweight and unable to compete on the court, then I would agree that she needs to take some time off and focus on her fitness. But the USTA’s insistence that the teen lose weight, despite the fact that she’s the top ranked player in the world and is playing well (and many of the sport’s legends are outraged at her treatment), shows that some don’t quite understand that not all black women can simply fit into the stick-thin, cookie cutter mold of their mostly blonde competitors.

By Britni Danielle

Source: www.clutchmagonline.com

They're changing the guard at the British Olympic Association (BOA) but the search for a successor to Lord Moynihan as chairman of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) has far wider implications.

The standing of British sport within the international Olympic Movement is as high as it has ever been and Moynihan's seven years at the BOA helm has encompassed the most successful Olympic performances by a British team in over a century.

And Lord Coe's own leadership of the London 2012 Olympic Organising Committee must have given his Presidential ambitions at the International Association of Athletics Federations a tremendous shot in the arm.

Britain can also call upon one of the most powerful men in world sport: Sir Craig Reedie, a chairman of the BOA for 13 years who was elected to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board in 2009. At the IOC Session in London he was elevated to vice-president, the first Briton to hold such a post since Lord Burghley, Marquess of Exeter, did so in the Sixties, and will lead the Evaluation Commission which assesses the Candidate Cities for 2020.

Adam Pengilly, a skeleton racer, is part of the IOC Athletes' Commission for the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, emphasising growing British influence in the corridors of power of Lausanne. International Paralympic Committee chairman Sir Philip Craven is also an IOC member.

IOC President Jacques Rogge paid tribute to Britain's Olympic community at Royal Opera House when the IOC Session opened in July: "Great Britain is recognised as the birthplace of modern sport and it was here that the concept of fair play was codified across rules and regulations."

There had been British participation in three Olympics before the BOA was eventually formed in the spring of 1905, but Britons had already been closely involved with the foundation of the IOC. Amateur Athletic Association secretary Charles Herbert was described as part of "an immoveable trinity" by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the driving force behind the Olympic revival.

Lord Howard Vincent, a key figure in the development of Scotland Yard, the headquarters of London's Metropolitan Police, joined the IOC at the turn of the 20th century and was determined to set up a NOC for Britain. His efforts to organise something in time for the 1904 Games in St Louis came to nothing but that summer the IOC met in London and, shortly afterwards, Vincent put his name to a circular which appeared that September.

The document read: "It is proposed to form a British Olympic Association, consisting not only of those interested in athletics for their own sake, but also of those who, recognising the international significance of the Olympic Movement, desire to assist in promoting its success."

The first chairman was William Henry Grenfell, aka Lord Desborough and an MP for South Buckinghamshire. Still active as a sportsman at 50, he won a silver medal with the fencing team at the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens, held to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the revival of the Olympics.

Desborough and the new BOA took on the organisation of the 1908 Olympic Games with great energy. The representatives who sat on the NOC, often described as the British Olympic Council, set about running each of the sports at the Games.

He remained as chairman of the BOA until 1913 and De Coubertin was clearly sorry to see him go, setting great store by the work of his British colleagues. "None of the National Olympic Committees has fulfilled its duties towards the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Movement better than the British Olympic Council," wrote the Frenchman.

Desborough was succeeded by another member of the nobility: the Duke of Somerset. Already in his sixties, his time in charge coincided with the coming of World War One and it was also an era when British sport almost fell out of love with the Olympic Movement. Even before hostilities began, a fundraising committee including no less a figure than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the famous Sherlock Holmes novels, was given the task of raising money to ensure British teams were better prepared for future Games.

Conditioned to overwhelming success by the fabulous, but freak, results in the 1908 London Olympics, many people were disappointed by Britain's relative failure – just 41 medals including 10 golds – at the 1912 Games in Stockholm.

When the fighting stopped after four tragic years, veteran Olympic hands, such as BOA secretary Reverend de Courcy Laffan, persuaded the doubters that Britain should attend the 1920 Games in Antwerp.

Another member of the 1908 Organising Committee, William Hayes Fisher, by now known as Lord Downham, had become the new BOA chairman but died a few weeks before the 1920 Olympics began. Laffan took over as emergency chief but these were uncertain times for the movement in Britain.

Many felt that the amateur regulations were being infringed by other nations, particularly through the practice of "Broken Time", an arrangement whereby competitors would be compensated for time away from their normal place of employment. Matters came to a head in the Twenties when there was a very real danger that the British might withdraw from the Olympic Movement altogether. That did not come to pass but footballers did not play at the 1924 or 1928 Games and the home associations also left FIFA, world football's governing body.

They returned in 1936, the year the BOA had a new and energetic chairman who would prove to be the longest serving of all. Already an IOC member and an Amsterdam 1928 Olympic champion over 400 metres hurdles, Lord Burghley was only 31 when he became BOA supremo in 1936; he remained in the role for 30 years and headed the Organising Committee for the 1948 Olympics. When he eventually stood down he became President of the BOA, one of a select few to take on both roles.

The position of BOA President had been introduced in the Twenties, but this peculiarly British distinction between chairman and President still causes confusion in the wider Olympic world. Indeed, to this day the official IOC directory lists chairman Lord Moynihan as President. In fact, HRH The Princess Royal has held that particular role since 1983; she remains an active advocate of the Olympic Movement, but the chairman has more often been in the firing line – none more so than Sir Denis Follows who was at the helm in 1980.

In the wake of the Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan, the British Government of the day, led by Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, tried to force the BOA to boycott the Olympics in Moscow. Follows, however, resisted, saying: "We believe that, despite its imperfections, sport is the greatest force for bringing nations together that exists in the world today. That force should be used as a bridge builder rather than a dam buster."

As a result of the efforts of Follows and others a British team did go to Moscow – among them middle-distance runner Sebastian Coe and rowing cox Colin Moynihan, both future Conservative members of Parliament.

Follows died in 1983, to be succeeded by Charles Palmer, a 10th dan judoka who had been the former's deputy at the time of the Moscow Games, and during his tenure the BOA developed into a much more modern organisation.

Palmer was, in turn, followed by Sir Arthur Gold who had spent his life campaigning against doping in sport; he was responsible for the introduction of a regulation which became known as Gold's Law and stated: "The BOA does not regard it as appropriate to select athletes or other individuals for accreditation to Team GB who have at any point committed a serious doping offence".

It was a rule which lasted for almost 20 years until the decision earlier this year to force its withdrawal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

This summer, HRH The Princess Royal told her fellow IOC members of "Games built on Britain's rich and proud heritage" but also reminded them: "These Games are also about advancing the Olympic Movement and sport in general in this country and beyond as well as the past."

When the euphoria over London 2012 recedes following today's victory parade through London the search for the 16th chairman of the BOA might prove to be one of the most far-reaching choices yet made by British sport.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

More than a third of top footballers have been riskily using food supplements to enhance their performance, according to FIFA, even though there is no scientific evidence to prove they have any benefit.

FIFA's chief medical officer, Jiří Dvořák, has warned that such behaviour can lead to players failing dope tests because of non-approved products being contaminated by banned substances.

Dvořák says around 35 per cent of players "at World Cup level" were regularly taking food supplements, with the figure rising to almost 50 per cent at under-17 and under-20 level.

"The marketing strategies of the producers of food supplements are influencing the behaviour of footballers and athletes in general," said Dvořák.

"From different surveys we know that about 60 per cent of under-16 athletes in the United States are using nutritional supplements daily and all of them believe they will increase their performance.

"This is definitely not based upon the scientific evidence or literature, which says the opposite."

Dvořák is alarmed that footballers are happy to take such supplements without first seeking specialist advice.

"The same scientific studies also show that 70 per cent of these young athletes do not seek adequate advice from a nutritional specialist physician, they just take it and believe it will improve their performance," he said.

"For me as a sports physician this is not only surprising, it is alarming."

More than 100 players at last year's Under-17 World Cup in Mexico failed dope tests due to the presence of the banned substance clenbuterol in contaminated meat.

"It is well established and proven that many of the food supplements are contaminated by prohibited substances such as anabolic steroids and other substances," said Dvořák.

"This is, of course, very dangerous because if the athlete is subject to a doping control test and is regularly using that kind of contaminated supplement, he or she can test positive for doping.

"Therefore, FIFA has issued a serious warning to football players not to take any food supplements that have not been passed by national drug and food administrations."

Contact the writer of this story at andrew.warshaw@insidethegames.biz

By Andrew Warshaw

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

Sebastian Coe looks certain to become the next chairman of the British Olympic Association (BOA) after he confirmed that he would stand for election to succeed Colin Moynihan, who is stepping down.

Moynihan took most people by surprise when he announced at the end of London 2012 that he was resigning after seven years leading the BOA. 

Coe, 55, is seen as the obvious candidate to replace Moynihan having overseen London 2012, which are being seen as the most successful Olympics and Paralympics in history. 

He has now officially confirmed that he is available and made the announcement after watching the parade in London to celebrate Britain's success at London 2012. 

"I have been asked and I'm happy for my name to go forward," he said.

"I was asked formally and on this day of all days why wouldn't you want to help."

"I wouldn't presume anything but I was asked, I thought about it, and I have always had a huge debt of gratitude to the British Olympic Association."

Coe was only able to win his first Olympic gold medal at Moscow in 1980 after the then BOA chairman, Dennis Follows, defied Margaret Thatcher's Government demand that Britain boycott the Games over the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.

"They fought to allow me to go to Moscow, and actually everything I have done in the last few years might not have been possible had I not had that Olympic experience, so it's an organisation I have a deep, deep commitment to," said Coe.

"The BOA is a fantastic organisation."

Coe has already made public his ambitions to stand for President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) when Lamine Diack steps down in 2015. 

David Hemery, the BOA vice-chairman, and Richard Leman, the President of GB Hockey and a BOA Board member, have both been touted as possible contenders to replace Moynihan.

But with Coe's popularity at an all-time high it is unlikely either would stand against him at the election in November. 

A number of British athletes have already backed Coe, who also won an Olympic gold medal in the 1500m at Los Angeles in 1984, taking over as head of the BOA, including the eventing silver medallist Zara Phillips, whose mother, the Princess Royal, is the President of the organisation.

"He's an athlete himself and he has done all this with the Olympics and made it what it was - I don't there is anyone else you could put there," said Phillips.

Contact the writer of this story at duncan.mackay@insidethegames.biz

By Duncan Mackay

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Rodolph Austin and Luton Shelton scored from free kicks as Jamaica beat the United States, 2-1, on Friday in a World Cup qualifier, giving the Reggae Boyz their first win over the Americans.

Clint Dempsey, playing his first competitive match in three months, put the U.S. ahead after just 35 seconds; the fastest American goal in a World Cup qualifier. But Jamaica, who had not won in 18 previous games against the U.S., scored in the 23rd and 62nd minutes.

Jamaica leads Group A with seven points, followed by the U.S. with four. Both have played three games. Guatemala, which has one point from its only game, was at home later Friday against Antigua and Barbuda, which has one point from two games.

The U.S. and Jamaica meet again on Tuesday at Columbus, Ohio. The top two teams from the group advance to next year's six-nation regional finals, which will produce three qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Missing injured Landon Donovan (hamstring) and Michael Bradley (thigh), the U.S. was dominated in the midfield and now has a record of four draws and a loss from five games at the Office, as Independence Park is known.

The U.S. went ahead when Maurice Edu played a through pass to Herculez Gomez, whose initial shot and follow-up were stopped by goalkeeper Dwayne Miller. The second shot rebounded to Dempsey, who scored from about 10 yards for his 28th international goal. He has scored in all three U.S. qualifiers this year.

Jamaica increasingly dominated the midfield, and the Reggae Boyz equalized after Kyle Beckerman's late tackle on Austin gave Jamaica a free kick about 28 yards out. Austin took the kick and his shot deflected off Beckerman's right foot on the defensive wall and past Howard.

Beckerman was replaced in the 58th minute by Danny Williams, who made his first competitive appearance for the U.S. Williams also had been eligible to play for Germany.

Dempsey nearly scored in the 44th minute. Michael Parkhurst crossed and Dempsey's sliding shot was stopped by Miller's sprawling save.

Jamaica took the lead after Austin was fouled by Edu. Shelton's free kick from about 25 yards went in just inside the post as Howard dived to his right. It extended Shelton's Jamaican tally to 34 international goals.

Right back Steve Cherundolo was left out because of a strained right calf, further depleting a the U.S. lineup. Captain Carlos Bocanegra, who transferred last week from fourth-tier Glasgow Rangers to Spanish second-tier club Racing Santander, was benched.

Dempsey's previous match was a World Cup qualifier at Guatemala on June 12. Dempsey had held the record for fastest U.S. goal in a qualifier when he scored 53 seconds in against Barbados in 2008. Dempsey moved from Fulham to Tottenham on Aug. 31 just before the transfer deadline closed and had missed the start of the English Premier League season while his club status was sorted out.

Associated Press

Source: www.latimes.com

Two sporting extravaganzas, a record-breaking medal haul for Britain, disabled sport showcased as never before … no wonder even the Aussies say it was better than Sydney

Records have been smashed, expectations exceeded. Nations have roared and wept. London 2012 has been, by any standards, a Games-changer. After 27 days of world-class sport from 15,114 athletes, watched by billions across the planet, even Australians have admitted London 2012 trumped the triumph of Sydney, widely considered – until now – to be the greatest modern Olympics.

The naysayers queuing up to gripe beforehand were legion, but their grumbles have been silenced. They said the Games would bring London grinding to a halt, yet the city flowed with hardly a hiccup. They said security would be a nightmare; instead, smiling soldiers greeted crowds who stayed safe. They questioned how many people would want to watch the Paralympics, yet a record 6.7 million tuned in to see 19-year-old Jonnie Peacock striding to victory in the 100 metres. They said the British weather would put a dampener on proceedings; even that prediction was confounded as the last events end today in sunshine.

In the end, it was Oscar Pistorius, the face of the Paralympic movement, who got to have the last word in the Olympic Stadium. The South African took gold in the men's 400m T44 race, to roars from the crowd in the final athletics event of the Games.

After losing his 200m title to Brazil's Alan Oliveira earlier in the week and blaming the blades, this time there was no need for controversy. The fastest man on no legs proved he still was, running the race in 46.68 seconds and setting a new Paralympic record.

The last night in the Aquatics Centre saw a final showdown between Britain's golden teenager, Ellie Simmonds, and her rival, America's Victoria Arlen in the S6 100m. Arlen had to smash her own world record to beat 17-year-old Simmonds, who topped off her two golds and a bronze from London 2012 with a silver.

Simmonds had to push hard in the final length to keep the silver-medal position and her smile on the podium suggested she was happy to add it to her collection. She said: "I have completed the collection nearly. I've got two golds, a silver and a bronze and I've broken four world records."

Before the race, the swimmer from Swansea said the past few days had been so emotional that she had struggled to sleep, adding: "I've had the best time of my life so far, so I am just enjoying it all now."

Even yesterday, with the end in sight, David Stone did the impossible, powering his tricycle to gold in the T1-2 road race. Afterwards, the 33-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, summed up the feelings of athletes competing on a home stage: "That was so much better than winning in Beijing. I just wanted to win today."

Britain's Paralympic team goes into its final day of competition today sitting in third place in the medal table, having smashed its Beijing tally of 102 medals with 118 gongs, including 33 golds. Though Russia crept into second place yesterday evening, Britain were poised to take it back today with two gold medal hopes in the marathon. As the ParalympicsGB secretary, Tim Hollingsworth, put it yesterday: "We are very much where we would want to be."

Though it is nearly impossible to choose individual highlights from a seemingly endless stream of golden moments, two nights in the Olympic Stadium will remain for ever on Britain's sporting consciousness. The first was Super Saturday, when Mo Farah was roared to victory in the 10,000m at the end of a night that saw heptathlete and Games poster-girl Jessica Ennis and long jumper Greg Rutherford grab gold.

Nearly five weeks later, the crowd were once again roaring the home favourite to gold. On Thrilling Thursday, 100m sprinter Jonnie Peacock crossed the line first. Just minutes before, David Weir had raced his wheelchair to glory in the T54 800m, for his third gold of the Games.

Other moments include cyclist Sarah Storey taking her fourth gold medal in the road race; a tearful Chris Hoy showing once again that he was king of the Velodrome; and Brazil's Alan Oliveira showing that Oscar Pistorius could no longer assume he had a right to victory.

In the end, both the Olympians and Paralympians brought in a medal haul that few Britons had dared to hope for: with more than 60 golds between them.

"What an amazing 10 days we've had," Sebastian Coe said yesterday in an emotional press conference. "We've seen champions made. We've seen more records broken than ever before. We've had just an extraordinary level of engagement."

He could have been speaking about either Games – which have seen record upon record smashed and the rules on what humans are capable of torn to shreds. Asked how he was going to feel when it was over, Lord Coe said: "I guess a large chunk of what I'm going to feel is that I'm proud to have been part of it."

ParalympicsGB will now try to use the success of the Games to expand disability sport in Britain. A festival of Paralympic sport will take place around the country in December to encourage future athletes – and keen amateurs – to take sport seriously.

Mr Hollingsworth said yesterday, "We've got an incredible momentum coming out of London. The challenge now is to learn from all the positives and build on the momentum in this country."

With children back at school and Parliament in full swing, the end of London's most glorious summer of sport is in danger of leaving us all a little flat. It is back to business as usual. As Lord Coe quipped, "I'm really excited about the Home Affairs Select Committee on Tuesday."

But it isn't over quite yet. David Weir, whose golden treble and hard-man persona have already earned him the nickname the "Weirwolf", will try for his fourth gold today in the men's T54 marathon.

Tomorrow afternoon, the nation will acknowledge the London 2012 triumphs: central London will be taken over by 21 floats bearing some 800 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, through Trafalgar Square and down the Mall. As Bradley Wiggins tweeted from his celebrations after winning Olympic gold: "Thank you, everyone. It's been emotional."

By Emily Dugan

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Dope testers have achieved what appears to be a significant breakthrough after two Russian powerlifters competing at the London 2012 Paralympics were banned for two years following positive tests for human growth hormone (HGH), a drug which until now has been almost undectable.

Nikolay Marfin (pictured top) and Vadim Rakitin were caught  thanks to new testing methods introduced at the London Drug Control Centre in Harlow after each athlete returned adverse analytical findings in blood samples taken from tests conducted just days before the start of the Paralympics.

Both athletes were notified of their failed tests on September 4, the same day the King's College laboratory results were received by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and were immediately suspended.

HGH has widely suspected to be among the most abused drugs by some of the world's top athletes.

Testing for it has been in place for every Olympics since Athens in 2004 but this new technique is much more sophisicated.  

It does not detect HGH directly, but rather looks for an unnatural increase in two markers - insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and another substance, called P3NP, that is produced when bone or collagen is formed - that occurs after injection of HGH.

It is a major breakthrough because it demonstrates that pioneering scientists have developed a test which widens the detection window for the HGH from a few hours to a few weeks, which makes this new version one of the most important breakthroughs in the history of anti-doping.

The new test was only officially approved on the eve of the Olympics, where the only major competitor to be caught for drugs was Belarus' Nadzeya Ostapchuk, who was stripped of the gold medal she had won in the shot put after testing positive for anabolic steroids.

But this case, involving two relatively unknown Russians, will send shockwaves around the world.

"This case is a world-first as some of the latest testing methods were used which were only introduced prior to London 2012," said Toni Pascual, chair of the IPC Anti-Doping Committee.

"These new methods are able to detect misuse of human growth hormone over a span of weeks compared to previous methods used which only detected use over a shorter time period.

"These findings prove the efficiency and effectiveness of the IPC anti-doping programme in place for the Games."

Rakitin competed in the men's -90kg class at the Games, just prior to the test results being known, and finished seventh.

Marfin was due to compete in the men's +100kg class but, following publication of the results, was prohibited from taking part.

The suspensions will start from August 23, the date when the first blood samples were collected, while all competition results recorded on that date and beyond will be discounted.

A fine of €1,500 (£1,200/$1,920) has also been imposed on each athlete.

Contact the writer of this story at tom.degun@insidethegames.biz

By Tom Degun at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Sir Philip Craven tonight went a step further than his Olympic counterpart Jacques Rogge as he declared London 2012 had hosted "the greatest Paralympic Games ever" at a stunning Closing Ceremony here.

The Ceremony came less than a month after the Olympic Closing Ceremony at the same venue where the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President called London 2012 "happy and glorious" but refused to hail them as the greatest Games, which he has never done since taking the role from Juan Antonio Samaranch.

However, Sir Philip had no such reservations as he uttered the words that can have no real opposition following 12 truly spectacular days of Paralympic action.

"The Paralympic Games have truly come home and found their pathway to the future here in London," Sir Philip declared to the 80,000 in attendance.

"The Paralympic Spirit which saw its first sparks of life in Stoke Mandeville some 64 years ago has followed a super-charged and surreal existence over the last 12 days.

"This has made the London 2012 Paralympic Games unique and without doubt, in my mind and those of the athletes the Greatest Paralympic Games Ever."

His words were unsurprisingly greeted by a huge roar at director Kim Gavin's wonderful Ceremony – titled Festival of Flame – that was glued together by multi-award winning British rock band Coldplay.

Paying tribute to the United Kingdom as a nation famous for hosting festivals, Coldplay took the audience on a journey through autumn, winter, spring and summer.

It all began with a fitting tribute that honoured servicemen and women, particularly through the work of charity Help for Heroes, as double amputee Captain Luke Sinnott climbed to the top of the flagpole to fly the Union flag to the accompaniment of the National Anthem performed by Lissa Hermans, a blind autistic singer.

During a moving speech by Rory Mackenzie, who lost his leg on a patrol due to a roadside bomb, flags from the competing nations formed a heart shape on the field of play before the shape was burnt into the ground.

It was then, following the presentation of the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Awards to Ireland's Michael McKillop and Kenya's Mary Zakayo, recognition of six new IPC Athletes' Council members and of the 70,000 Games Maker volunteers, that Coldplay were revealed on the central Sundial Stage to lead the celebrations with "Us Against The World" before they went through the four seasons.

Many of Coldplay's greatest hits were played across all four seasons but it was spring that caused a huge eruption from the crowd as a Barbadian pop star Rihanna was revealed on a Steamship truck for the performance of a "Princess of China" as a duet with Coldplay.

Rihanna stayed as the show entered summer to perform "We Found Love" before Coldplay finished the season with a performance of "Viva La Vida", the song which was performed by musicians simultaneously around Britain earlier at 2.00pm as part of Bandstand Marathon – the final event of the London 2012 Festival.

As the display of the four seasons ended, the Paralympic Flag handover took place as it was passed from the Mayor of London Boris Johnson to Sir Philip and finally to Mayor of Rio Eduardo Paes.

It was followed by a colourful segment by Rio 2016 featuring musical performances by Brazilian pop stars and playful dance battles with wheelchair dancers and visually impaired ballerinas.

London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe and then Sir Philip came before the Final Flame section to mark the last night of London 2012.

Thomas Heatherwick's Cauldron opened and as the Flame began to fade as British Paralympic champions Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock, two of the stars of the Games, arrived to a deafening reception to transfer the final Flame to a London Paralympic Torch.

They then proceeded to light hundreds of torches held by members of the cast as another huge roar came for 14-time Grammy award winner Jay-Z.

The American rapper arrived on stage with Rihanna to perform "Run This Town" followed by a reprise of "Paradise" by Coldplay with Jay-Z.

Coldplay made an emotional performance of "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" while the circular stages released fountains of water to finally extinguish the Paralympic Flame.

The Ceremony ended with a spectacular firework display over the Olympic Stadium as the worldwide broadcast left the Olympic Park to showcase a firework display along the River Thames, a stunning display lighting up the Paralympic Agitos on Tower Bridge and finally a projection on the Houses of Parliament of the words "Thank you London, thank you UK".

"Being asked to play at the closing celebrations for the Paralympic athletes in London is such a great honour for us," said Coldplay's lead vocalist Chris Martin.

"It was one of the biggest nights of our lives and we were excited to try to create a performance for the last night of the Games that will close London 2012 in style.

"We're a London band and we met here.

"It's where we all record, rehearse and live.

"These Games have been a chance to show London off to the rest of the world."

By Tom Degun at the Olympic Stadium in London

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe said that his organisation has delivered on the promise it made to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Singapore in 2005 when it was awarded the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Coe (pictured above) is widely credited as the man who spearheaded the London 2012 bid team to a narrow victory over favourites Paris.

With the Paralympic Closing Ceremony set to conclude the Games this evening, he said London 2012 has fulfilled everything it said it would.

"Seven years ago, we snuck across the line in Singapore and that was the day we were entrusted with the start of this journey," Coe said here today.

"I like to think that by the day and by the hour, we've delivered against what we said we wanted to do.

"So it's the final day of the Paralympics and we've had the most extraordinary summer of sport.

"We set a goal to raise awareness of the Paralympics and I think we've done that, not just in elite sport but by helping convert those talents into household names."

Coe also offered advice to cities that want to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the future.

"Really understand why you do this," he said.

"Not just the operational management, because if you create a vision early on, it's that visions that's important.

"Get the communications right and it is just about hard work.

"It's a bit like the daily routine of the athlete; you have to grind it out day after day.

"Know who your friends are and build great teams and the rest tends to follow."

The London 2012 chairman added that it will not be easy to sustain the feel-good factor across the United Kingdom that has been seen at the Games, but that it can be done.

"The real challenge going forward is to maintain a sustainable and meaningful change," he explained.

"It's the question everyone should be asking now and it's not easy.

"It's going to need political energy.

"That's where it begins and ends, both locally and nationally.

"We should think about bringing the cross-party approach to some of the big thorny, knotty issues.

"I hope Britain has recognised in future not to go into these great collapses of confidence, but that we are good enough to go out and do the things we set out to do.

"I hope we've moved away from that great ability to doubt our own ability and that our own domestic perception of ourselves is slightly more in alignment with what the rest of the world has always thought."

By Tom Degun at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

The summer of love has passed. This greatest of all sporting seasons closed with millions hoping the spirit set free by the Olympics and Paralympics can achieve a lasting hold in British life. At a minimum, they were days of boundless fun.