Jessica Zelinka (CP)

Calgary's Jessica Zelinka 11th in Heptathlon at World Championships.
(With files from Athletics Canada)

Helsinki - Olympic champion Carolina Kluft of Sweden successfully defended her world title earning 6,887 points. Eunice Barber of France was second at 6,824 and Margaret Simpson of Ghana third at 6,375. Jessica Zelinka of Canada was 11th at 6,097.

Zelinka, who trains in Calgary under coach Les Gramantik, placed 12th overall in the heptathlon at the World Championships in Helsinki. After very narrowly missing the cut last year for the Athens Olympics. This is Zelinka's first major international competition.

Heptathlon consists of seven separate contests held on two consecutive days. Points are awarded for each event, and the overall score determines the winner. On the first day of competition, the athletes compete in the 60-meter dash, the long jump, the shot put, the high jump. On the second day, participants attempt the 60-meter hurdle race, the pole vault and the 1000-meter run.

The 7 events included two personal bests for Zelinka, in the shotput, and in the 800m, with a dramatic win in her heat to earn the 3rd best time overall. “The 800 is all about guts and I was so happy to finish with such a strong performance,” said Zelinka. “My goal was a top-12 finish and this was a stepping stone towards the 2008 Olympics. I’m at a stage right now where I have to be patient as I continue putting it all together.”

On Saturday, Zelinka finished the day in 8th spot, very impressive considering the field of Olympic and world medallists taking part in the competition. On Sunday, Zelinka was 20th in the long jump, 12th in the javelin and 3rd in the 800m.

Zelinka started competing in track and field at the age of 14, and began participating in heptathlons at age 16. She attended University of Western Ontario for her first university school year where she won Rookie of the Year, and won female athlete of the meet at the CIS championships. Jessica moved to Calgary shortly thereafter to train and attend the University of Calgary.

In 2004 Zelinka was named CIS Female Track Athlete of the Year and CIS Female Athlete of the Meet (third time in four years). She also broke the CIS pentathlon record. Zelinka was the 2000 recipient of the Bob Gage Award for the top female graduating athlete in London. She also holds the OFSAA record for most gold medals won by an individual athlete with 17, as well as the the Canadian junior record in the heptathlon with 5688 points, which is also a North American continental world junior championship record.

Jason Tunks (CP)

Canada’s Jason Tunks eighth in men’s discus at world track and field championships.
(Athletics Canada)

HELSINKI- Jason Tunks of London, Ont., injured his back on his third throw and took eight spot in the men’s discus final Sunday at the world track and field championships while Olympic champion Justin Gatlin of the U.S., won gold in the men’s 100-metre dash.

In the men’s 100 final, Gatlin clocked 9.88 seconds for the gold while Michael Frater of Jamaica and defending world champion Kim Collins of St. Kitts both clocked 10.05 with Frater getting the silver on the photo finish.

In the men’ discus, Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania, the Olympic and defending world champion, set a meet record reaching 70.17 metres on his sixth and final throw for the gold medal. Gerd Kanter of Estonia was second at 68.57 and Michael Mollenbeck of Germany took the bronze at 65.95.

Tunks, 11th at the 2003 worlds, threw 63.39 metres on his first toss and 63.77 on his second. On his third throw he suffered a back injury which hampered him the rest of the way as he fouled out his last four throws.

“I overpowered my throw on the third try,” said Tunks, who has had a history of back problems. “It’s a freak thing that’ll probably be better in a couple of days but when it hurts it affects my technique. I’m not upset about it. I wasn’t coming in here thinking about medals. I just wanted to continue a consistent season and the first two throws were very promising.”

In the women’s heptathlon, Olympic champion Carolina Kluft of Sweden successfully defended her world title earning 6,887 points. Eunice Barber of France was second at 6,824 and Margaret Simpson of Ghana third at 6,375. Jessica Zelinka of London was 11th at 6,097.

On Sunday, Zelinka was 20th in the long jump, 12th in the javelin and clocked a personal best 2:11.15 to win her heat in the 800, the third best time overall.

“The 800 is all about guts and I was so happy to finish with such a strong performance,” said Zelinka. “My goal was a top-12 finish and this was a stepping stone towards the 2008 Olympics. I’m at a stage right now where I have to be patient as I continue putting it all together.”

In the women’s 800 semifinal, Diane Cummins of Victoria clocked a season best 2:00.10 to finish fourth in her heat but it wasn’t enough to qualify for the final. At the 450 metre mark she was spiked by American Alice Schmidt.

“That probably cost me a second,” said Cummins, a finalist at the last two worlds. “It forced me to go around her and I wasn’t able to have a perfect race which is what I needed. Still I had a strong finish and I know that getting a personal best is achievable for me this season. I’m not disappointed at all.”

In the women’s hammer throw, Canadian record holder Dana Ellis Kitchener, Ont., advanced to the final, clearing 4.40 metres for fourth in her qualifying group and tied for eighth overall. Kelsie Hendry of Saskatoon was 14th in her group and eliminated.

“I was more nervous today than at the Olympics,” said Ellis, who cleared 4.15 and 4.30 on her first attempt, 4.40 on her second and missed three times at 4.45. “I’ve moved up in the world rankings this year and I’ve put expectations on myself. I probably spent too much time between jumps trying to keep warm and my run ups were not as good as I wanted them to be. I have to relax more for the final.”

Ellis, sixth at the Olympics last year, competes in the final on Wednesday.

In the women’s 100-metres, Toyin Olupona of Orillia, Ont., was eliminated in the quarterfinals placing seventh in her heat in 11.57.

In the men’s 3,000 steeplechase, Matthew Kerr of Elora, Ont., was 14th in his heat and eliminated.

On Monday, Canadians in action are Kevin Sullivan of Brantford, Ont., and Nathan Brannen of Cambridge, Ont., in the men’s 1,500 semifinals.

For full results and information please visit http://www.iaaf.org/wch05

Perdita Felicien (CP)

Canadian sprinter red hot entering worlds.
(The StarPhoenix - Saskatoon)
Source: The Canadian Press

Canada's entry at the world track and field championships features a defending world champion out to retain her throne and a young sprinter who's been turning heads on the international track all season.

Hurdler Perdita Felicien and sprinter Tyler Christopher headline a 32-member Canadian team that's a mix of veterans and relative newcomers at the IAAF world championships beginning today in Helsinki (CBC, 10 a.m.).

"This team represents the best talent of today and those who will be our top performers throughout the next four to eight years," said Canadian head coach Alex Gardiner. "For some, Helsinki will be a really tough test. This will allow those athletes and us to see where we are and what we need to do to strengthen our results in Beijing in four years."

The world championships at Helsinki's refurbished Olympic Stadium will feature 1,900 athletes from 209 countries.

Felicien, from Pickering, Ont., is on the rebound from her devastating fall at last summer's Athens Olympics, from which the lingering injuries kept her off the track for months and put a serious dent in her winter training schedule.

The 23-year-old is out to defend her title from the 2003 world championships in Paris.

Felicien is once again one of the favourites in a stacked hurdles field; her season's best time of 12.58 seconds is the fourth fastest in the world.

For Christopher, being one of the ones to beat is uncharted territory. Plagued by hamstring injuries the past two seasons, the 21-year-old sprinter from Edmonton didn't make the team for Athens, then burst onto the world scene this year with some big international wins, including a victory at the Golden League meet in Paris.

Christopher has broken the Canadian 400-metre record twice this season, his time of 44.69 putting him No. 5 in the world this year.

Christopher passed up the temptation of competing in numerous high profile Grand Prix events in Europe -- and the big bucks he would have earned -- to stay at home and focus on Helsinki.

If recent performances are a good indication, Canadian athletes are primed to compete well in Helsinki with numerous national records falling in recent weeks.

Victoria's Gary Reed lowered his Canadian 800-metre record for the third time at the Bislett Games last week in Oslo.

Reed's Canadian record of 1:44.54 is the ninth fastest in the world this year.

Pole vaulter Dana Ellis of Kitchener, Ont., has been the picture of consistency this season, bettering her own national record at the Canadian championships in Winnipeg, and proving she can hold her own against the world's best in her first season on the Grand Prix circuit.

Ellis, who was sixth at the Athens Olympics, won a bronze at the Super Grand Prix meet in London on July 22, where Russian Yelena Isenbayeva became the first woman to clear five metres.

"That was a little depressing, but yet inspiring for the rest of us," said Ellis. "The bar was raised to 4.60 metres after I cleared 4.47, and I was very close. My excuse is that I am saving it for Helsinki.

"I've been pretty consistent around the 4.50 mark this season, and when you start getting consistent at a height, it usually means the next height is about to come."

Also competing in pole vault is Kelsie Hendry of Saskatoon.

Among the newcomers, Nate Brannen of Cambridge, Ont., achieved the stiff qualifying standard for the men's 1,500 on the last possible day, in Stockholm on July 26.

Daniel Normandin (CP)

Wheelchair racer Daniel Normandin finishes fourth in 100-metres at world track and field championships.
(Athletics Canada)

HELSINKI- Daniel Normandin of Laval, Que., got Canada off to a great start at the world track and field championships on Saturday with a fourth place finish in the men’s demonstration 100-metre wheelchair race final.

David Weir of Britain won the gold medal clocking 14.15 seconds with Kenny van Weeghel of the Netherlands second in 14.19 and Leo-Pekka Tahti of Finland third in 14.22. Normandin clocked a personal best 14.84 while Colin Mathieson of Winnipeg was sixth in 15.15.

Normandin was a late addition to the team only learning on Wednesday there was a spot available for him in the race. He said he was still feeling jet lag on Saturday. Demonstration wheelchair events are also scheduled for later this week in the 200 and javelin.

Canada also performed well in official events Saturday.

In men’s discus, Jason Tunks of London, Ont., qualified for Sunday’s final throwing 64.02 metres to finish second in his group. Tunks, sixth at the Olympics, says his priority is to enjoy the competition but has put together a strong season so far and hopes to make some noise in the final.

Three Canadian runners advanced to semifinals.

In the women’s 800-metre, Diane Cummins of Victoria squeaked into Sunday’s semi finishing seventh in her heat in 2:01.71. Cummins, a finalist at the last two world championships, was in a fast heat which included defending world champion Maria de Lurdes Mutola of Mozambique.

Cummins says she is starting a new plan in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and is ready to try different strategies. On Saturday, she raced from lane one and her main priority was not to get boxed in. She’ll be in lane one again on Sunday.

Canada also enjoyed a great day in the men’s 1,500 heats as both Kevin Sullivan of Brantford Ont., and Nathan Brannen of Cambridge, Ont., advanced to Monday’s semifinal.

Sullivan was fourth in his heat clocking 3:36.80. He said his performance provided him with a lot of confidence for the rest of the competition.

Brannen was eighth in his heat in 3:40.69 and said he achieved his goal of reaching the semifinals.

In the men’s 100 sprint, Nicolas Macrozonaris of Montreal was eliminated in the quarterfinals clocking 10.48 seconds after a 10.40 in his opening heat. Pierre Browne of Mississauga, Ont., was eliminated in his first heat clocking 10.50.

This was only Macrozonaris’ third race this season. He has been hampered by a groin injury which has slowed his training. He said Saturday that he didn’t feel any pain but the form just wasn’t there.

In the women’s heptathlon, Jessica Zelinka of London, Ont., is in eighth place after four of seven events with 3,640 points. Eunice Barber of France leads the 26-women field at 3,973. Zelinka’s highlight was a personal best in the shotput at 13.64 metres which was the 10th best in the competition. She was also fourth in the 200, sixth in the 100 hurdles and tied for 13th in high jump.

Competition continues Sunday. Besides Tunks and Zelinka, Canadians scheduled to compete are Dana Ellis of Kitchener, Ont., and Kelsie Hendry of Saskatoon in the women’s pole vault, Matthew Kerr of Elora, Ont., in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase, and Toyin Olupona of Orillia, Ont., in the women’s 100 sprint.

Major competition starts at Canada Summer Games.
(CBC.CA News)

After a stirring opening day ceremonies on Saturday, it was time for the real competition to get under way at the Canada Summer Games.

Participants in basketball, baseball, softball, soccer and tennis got their first action on Sunday in official Day 2 action in Regina. As expected, there were some lopsided results. British Columbia beat Alberta 11-0 in men's baseball, while Ontario thrashed Newfoundland & Labrador 130-50 in men's basketball.

Despite the results, Canada Summer Games council chairman Larry Smith said it's about the camaraderie and the relationships formed with participating in a large scale event. "For a lot of them the Summer Games are the highlight of their careers," he said. "Thirty-eight per cent might go on to the Olympics. You wonder which one of these kids will be the next ones."

Smith, who is also president of the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, was in Regina on the weekend for the opening ceremonies and caught some action of the Games. "The real element of the Games is the Games itself," he said. "You get to see the fruition of all the work the volunteers have done."

Those volunteers have helped put together an event that will play host to 18 different sports featuring over 2,500 athletes.

No medals have been awarded yet.

Mike Brown (CP)

Second win for Canada’s Reimer at U.S. Nationals, Calgary's Brown earns silver.
(Canadian Sport News)

IRVINE, Calif.- Brittany Reimer of Surrey, B.C., earned her second win and third top-three finish this week at the U.S., Swimming Nationals on Saturday placing first in the women’s 400-metre freestyle while Andrew Hurd of Toronto and Mike Brown of Calgary were second in the men’s 400 freestyle and men’s 100 breaststroke respectively.

In the women’s 400 freestyle, Reimer, a double medallist at the world championships last week in Montreal, took the lead on the third length for the win. Double world champion Kate Ziegler of the U.S., was second and her compatriot Kelsey Ditto third. “This is my last race before I take a break and I really wanted to end it on a high note,” said Reimer, 17, who also won the 200 freestyle on Friday and was second in the 800. “It was also the first time that I beat Kate head on so that was big for me. But I’m feeling very tired right now after all this racing. I’m really looking forward to getting home.”

In the men’s 100 breaststroke, Matthew Lowe of the U.S., was the winner, Brown, second in the 200 breaststroke at the worlds, was second and Kevin Swander of the U.S., third.

“It was hard to do two meets back-to-back especially coming off the worlds where there was so excitement,” said Brown. “But still I did a decent swim tonight. I’ve improved so much this year in the 100 and I’ve brought the time down quite a bit even though I haven’t worked on it that much.”

In the men’s 400 freestyle, Klete Keller of the U.S., broke Michael Phelps’ meet record clocking 3:46.20. Hurd, who anchored Canada to silver in the 4X200 freestyle at the worlds, was second and Justin Mortimer of the U.S, was third. “I did what I wanted to do and my time was alright,” said Hurd. “I was hoping to lower the Canadian record this summer but still I’ve gained a lot of confidence for next year.”

In the women’s 100 backstroke, Erin Gammel of Calgary was fifth and Jenna Gresdal of Etobicoke, Ont., seventh; in the women’s 100 butterfly, Audrey Lacroix of Montreal was seventh and in the women’s 100 breaststroke Annamay Pierse of Vancouver won the B final for ninth overall;

Other Canadian results: Annamay Pierse of Vancouver was fourth in the women’s 200 IM and Brent Hayden of Vancouver fifth in the men’s 50 freestyle in a personal best 22.77. Hayden helped Canada to two silver medals in relays at the worlds and also broke national records in the 100 and 200 freestyle in Montreal.

Canada completed the meet with two first place finishes (both by double world championship medallist Brittany Reimer of Surrey, B.C., in the 200 and 400 freestyles), six seconds and a third.

Debt of '76 Games can't faze Montrealers.
(The Vancouver Sun)
Source: Canadian Press

MONTREAL -- Despite the fact they are still paying off the 1976 Olympics, Montrealers don't seem worried the city might bid for the 2016 Summer Games. "I think it's a good investment for the future of Quebec," said Francis St-Arnaud, a 26-year-old construction worker. "I think there should be more activities of that sort so that we come together. I think it would be good for the economy in the long run."

Speaking at the closing ceremonies of the World Aquatic Games last Sunday, Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay "Montreal will not wait another 30 years to renew acquaintances with the world."

Basking in the success of the aquatics event, Tremblay told reporters a decision on pursuing the Olympics would be made after a review of how the world championships were handled.

Despite Tremblay's good cheer, the aquatics championships left the city with a $4 million deficit, something the mayor vowed won't result in higher taxes.

The last time Montreal hosted the Olympics it prompted the International Olympic Committee to re-examine how the Games were run. In Montreal, costs ballooned out of control and construction delays were frequent.

Jean Drapeau, who was then the mayor, had boasted the Olympics could no more have a deficit than a man could have a baby. It wasn't long before cartoonists had a field day depicting a pregnant Drapeau.

More than $2 billion will have been spent on Montreal's Olympic debt by the time the last payment is made in 2006, a good chunk of that coming from taxes on cigarettes.

But deficits didn't deter Nicole Bigras from believing the 2016 Olympics would be a catch for the city. "It's always like that with organized games," said the stock exchange employee. "There's always a debt to be paid afterward. We already live with it."

She said bringing the Olympics back to Montreal is an "interesting" idea that shows "vision for the city of Montreal."

Ordinary Montrealers weren't the only ones ready to entertain the idea of another Olympics.

Richard Pound, a member of the International Olympic Committee and chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency, said Montreal might suffer because the decision on 2016 would be made in 2009, one year before the Vancouver Games in 2010. But Pound said Montreal could make money if it succeeded in getting the Games because the facilities are already there.

"We've got all of the major infrastructure already," he said. "We had to put in our subway and extend our road systems and build a whole bunch of facilities that now wouldn't have to be rebuilt. They'd have to be fixed up a bit but that's a whole lot cheaper than starting from ground zero."

Isabelle Hudon, president of the Montreal Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, estimated the economic benefits from the aquatics championships at between $40 million and $60 million. She wasn't worried about the $4 million shortfall. "We look at that money as an investment and not an expense," she said.

She said there are certainly lessons to be drawn from the positive experience of the aquatics championships, noting, "we have experience with the Olympics in Montreal." "I don't think we can just go by our success of the last two weeks to say we'll jump into the Olympic adventure," she said. "But why not look at the idea of offering our candidacy?"

A spokesman for provincial Sports and Recreation Minister Jean-Marc Fournier said the Quebec government recognizes the success of the aquatics event, but is taking a wait-and-see attitude on any future efforts.

Gaetan Simard said the government is awaiting the report of a panel of experts set up to look at how international sports events should be managed. "We're very happy with its (championship's) success, however the process to get it going was difficult," he said, alluding to funding difficulties that temporarily took the event away from Montreal.

"We're going to wait for the report of our committee of experts." That report should be ready in the fall.

Pierre Emmanuel Paradis, an economist with the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, said, "No taxpayer wants to revisit the nightmare of 1976." However, he added if the bid is carefully crafted, a fiscally viable Olympics is "possible."

Paradis also agreed it would offer positive economic benefits to business. "Owners of small- and medium-sized businesses know about taking calculated risks," he said. "The support of the population depends on the quality of the project. If the project is well prepared and is profitable, why not?"

BEIJING 2008 Update: Four More Cities For 2008.
(©Getty / Guang Niu)

The Organising Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad – Beijing 2008 (BOCOG) has announced that partnership agreements have been signed with the four cities, outside Beijing, that will host the football preliminaries during the 2008 Games. The four cities in question are Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao.

Effective Systems
During the signing ceremony, which was attended by the Vice-Mayors of the four cities in question, BOCOG President Liu Qi requested that BOCOG, the municipal authorities and the organising offices in these co-host cities set-up an effective command system, so that they are better able to communicate with each other during the preparatory work.

Construction On Schedule
The construction of the venues in these four cities is well on track, with the construction work on the Tianjin stadium having started earlier this year and the work on the Qinhuangdao stadium having finished on 30 July last year. The venues in Shanghai and Shenyang already exist but will be renovated for the Olympic Games.

Overall Development
BOCOG President Liu Qi commented on the partnership with these four cities, “We hope that the foreign media and visitors can better see the overall development of China, when these other cities hold some of the Olympic competitions.”

BEIJING 2008
The Games of the XXIX Olympiad – Beijing 2008 will take place from 8 August 2008 until 24 August 2008. The Games in Beijing will play host to the 28 summer sports currently on the Olympic programme. Approximately 10,500 athletes are expected to participate in the Games with around 20,000 accredited media bringing the Games to the world.