Christine Nordhagen will compete for gold and bask in the newfound respect Olympic status has conferred on her sport.
(CBC Online)

Christine Nordhagen knows she'll be part of something special when she steps onto an Olympic mat for the first time in Athens. She's aware of the impact her competing could have on future generations of Canadian women intrigued by sports that have been traditionally off-limits to women.

Since the first world championship in women's wrestling in 1987, national participation in the sport has shot up dramatically. But until a sport acquires the stature of Olympic sanction, it hasn't reached its pinnacle from the perspective of exposure and funding. That began to change in 2001, when the International Olympic Committee announced that women's wrestling would be part of the roster of events at the Athens Games.

Nordhagen, who lives in Calgary, started wrestling in 1991. Until this year, the big payoff for all her hard work has always been competing in the world championships. The Olympics, though, mean an exponentially larger audience, and Nordhagen appreciates the boost that will give her sport's visibility. "I think it's going to give our sport the respect that it deserves," says Nordhagen during an interview with CBC Sports Online. "The guys have had this forever, and it's about time that we get the same opportunity and respect.

"I think now that wrestling is in the Olympics, more countries that are in the developmental stages of wrestling are going to put more money into their national team and develop the sport even further."
A booming sport

Despite the long road women's wrestling took to finally reach the Olympics, Nordhagen always felt confident it would come to pass during her career. The sport met the IOC's criteria in all areas, and it also fell in line with the organization's attempt to evenly distribute Olympic sports between men and women.

All the IOC had to do was look at the increasing number of countries sending women to the world championship over the last 17 years. In 1987, only nine nations took part in the women's world championships. The number ballooned to 41 in 2003. In addition, 54 nations attended the qualification events for the 2004 Olympics, with 21 nations qualifying to send female wrestlers to the Athens Games.

The chance to compete for a medal in the Olympics is the main reason Nordhagen remains an active wrestler. A six-time world champion, Nordhagen battled injuries two years ago that would likely have otherwise ended her career.

And at 33, she's accomplished more than any other woman in the sport and is considered a legend by many wrestlers who have competed against her. "I think if it (women's wrestling) wasn't (an Olympic sport), I probably would have hung up my boots a couple of years ago," she says. "I had some injuries I was dealing with, and it was quite difficult to train. There's times when you think, 'Is it worth it, my body is breaking down,' but finding out that wrestling was going to be in the Olympics was something that motivated and pushed me."

After winning the 2001 world championships, the constant pounding Nordhagen endured over the years finally caught up with her. Training was increasingly painful, so she decided to have both knees scoped. Her doctor discovered that all her cartilage was gone, and the pain became too intense to continue. They attempted to create scar tissue as a substitute for the cartilage, but the procedure was unsuccessful.

"It's like arthritis," Nordhagen explains. "It was just starting to aggravate me, and it hurt a lot to get into a stance. It just took forever to warm up, and I just thought I had to deal with this so I could have time to recover and get into the best shape possible for the Olympics."

When her knees failed to respond to physiotherapy after five months, Nordhagen's doctor decided to give her an injection of Synvisc, a synthetic lubricant used to treat joint problems, every three-and-a-half months. Synvisc, which is used for patients with osteoarthritis, is injected in the back of the knee. It produces an artificial cushion that prevents bone-on-bone contact, a problem that was causing Nordhagen a great deal of pain. The product has been on the market for roughly 10 years and has allowed the Canadian veteran to continue her career. "Once I had these injections it was just like night and day," she says. "It was like, 'Wow, I can dance without pain.' "

Nordhagen's husband, Leigh Vierling, keeps her focus through the highs of the world championships and the lows of the nagging injuries and monotonous training. The former Greco-Roman wrestling national champion has been Nordhagen's personal coach since 1994 and became the women's national coach in 1996.

Nordhagen, who says she's completely healthy now, credits Vierling's coaching ability for molding her into a multiple world champion and doesn't quarrel when he gets on her to improve her performance. Vierling, who was known as a fierce competitor in his wrestling days, acknowledges that balancing his wife's wrestling career and a home life can be demanding at times. "I think both of us have a lot invested in this, so there's times when one person is really thinking about it, and the other one just wants a break," he says. "So we really have to be careful that we don't overdo it in some ways, but we've gone down this road a lot before so it's not unfamiliar territory for us. I think we have a great working relationship."

It's difficult to predict how Nordhagen will fare in Athens, but her strength and quickness in recent matches have reminded her fans and rivals alike of her past dominance. Nordhagen's chief rival in the 72-kilogram class is five-time and current world champion Kyoko Hamaguchi. The two have had some memorable battles, each winning three matches over the other in course of their rivalry.

Their styles couldn't be more different and always lead to close confrontations. Nordhagen is a very aggressive and offensive wrestler, while Hamaguchi grapples defensively and waits for an opening. Hamaguchi is bigger, but Nordhagen is quicker. At a World Cup event in Tokyo in October, Nordhagen defeated Hamaguchi in her own backyard with an unrelenting crowd cheering its hometown queen on. Nordhagen was behind in the match but put the defending world champion on her back in the final minute for the win.

In January the two squared off in Athens and, true to form, Hamaguchi returned the favour in another close battle. With the match coming down to the final minute once again, Hamaguchi took Nordhagen down with an arm bar to seal the victory. "It is fun because I know it's going to be a good match every time. It's always been close and we go back and forth," says Nordhagen.

"I'm really looking forward to wrestling her."

Canadian rowers grab 5 medals at World Cup.
(Tony Care, CBC Sports Online)

If Sunday's results at the Lucerne World Cup are any indication, Canada's rowing team is on the path to success for this summer's Athens Olympic Games. The Canadian squad won five medals, including two gold, at the event in Switzerland, showing they are ready to improve on the one Olympic medal they won four years ago in Sydney.

"Two gold, two silver and a bronze is a good day's work," Canadian head coach Brian Richardson said. "This is a very pleasing position to be in going into our campaign to win medals in Athens. The athletes are in a good frame of mind."

Leading the way for Canada in Sunday's finals was the men's eight boat, which chased down a German squad to win the race. "We knew the Germans had a tough crew, but when we got behind we didn't panic," crew member Joe Stankevicius of Dundas, Ont., told CBC Sports Online. "We found our rhythym and took control, and that got us out in front."

At the Munich World Cup in May, Canada jumped to an early lead and held off the Germans to win. Sunday's race was a unique test for the team. "It was a race where they had to come from behind," said Richardson. "It's a good experience to fight back for a lead. They'll be stronger and better in Athens."

The men's eight represents one of Canada's best chances for a gold medal in Athens. The team, which has won the last two world championships, is comprised of Stankevicius, Jeff Powell of Winnipeg, Andrew Hoskins of Edmonton, Adam Kreek of London, Ont., Chris Jarvis of St. Catharines, Darren Barber of Victoria, Kevin Light of Sidney, B.C., Scott Frandsen of Kelowna, B.C., and coxswain Brian Price of Belleville, Ont.

"We haven't had the perfect race yet," said Price. "But our aim is to have that in Athens."

Fiona Milne of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., and Mara Jones of Aurora, Ont., led from start to finish in winning gold in the lightweight women's double. Milne and Jones crossed nearly two seconds faster than the second-place Romanians. "It feels fantastic," Milne said. "It gives us a good seeding going into Athens, but more importantly, it gives us confidence to know that we can do it."

The lightweight foursome of Gavin Hassett and Jon Mandick of Victoria, Iain Brambell of Brentwood Bay, B.C., and Jon Beare of Toronto started off slowly in their final, sitting sixth out of six boats at the midway point, but came on strong in the final 1,000-metres to take the silver. It was redemption for the lightweight four, who a month ago in Munich had finished a disappointing seventh.

The men's four of Tom Herschmiller of Comox, B.C., Jake Wetzel and Cam Baerg of Saskatoon, and Barney Williams of Salt Spring Island, B.C., also took home a silver medal. The Canadians led the entire way only to have an American crew catch them in the final 500 metres. "It's always good to get a bit of a wake-up call," Herschmiller said. "This is a good position to be in going into the Olympics. You have to be a gold-medal contender to have any hope for a medal at the Games."

Dave Calder of Victoria and Kyle Hamilton of Richmond, B.C., scooped up the bronze medal in the men's pair. Italy and Croatia finished first and second, respectively. It's the second straight bronze medal in World Cup competition for Calder and Hamilton. They also finished third at the World Cup in Munich.

In other Canadian results, the women's pair of Karen Clark of Delta, B.C. and Darcy Marquardt of Richmond, B.C., finished fourth in their final. The Canadian women's eight also placed fourth. That team included Sarah Pape (cox) of Toronto, Karen Clark of Delta, B.C., Romina Stefancic of Victoria, Sabrina Kolker of West Vancouver, B.C., Roslyn McLeod of Burlington, Ont., Andreanne Morin of Montreal, Jacqui Cook of Burlington, Ont., Pauline Van Roessel of Bow Island, Alta. and Anna-Marie DeZwager of Victoria.

All seven of Canada's entries at Lucerne will be participating in Athens. The team will spend the next five weeks training in Canada before returning to Europe to prepare for the Olympics.

CBC will televise the Lucerne World Cup regatta on June 26.

Malindi Elmore hits Olympic Standard in Prefontaine Track Meet.

If you missed it on TV or on the net, Malindi Elmore, a 24 year old Masters student at the University of Calgary who is currently living and training in Calgary, ran 4:04.06 in the 1500 meters at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday.

1. Yelena Zdorozhnaya Russia 4:02.15
2. Kelly Holmes Great Britain 4:03.73
3. Malindi Elmore Canada 4:04.06

4. Marla Runyan U.S.A. 4:06.37


This time betters the Olympic "A" standard of 4:05.80 and moves her to #1 in Canada in this event in 2004. It is the 6th best-ever time by a Canadian woman.

She finished 3rd to Russian Yelena Zdorozhnaya (4th place in the 5000 m. and 8th in the 1500 m. at the 2003 World Championships and who has a lifetime best of 3:59.94. in the 1500 - currently ranked #2 in the world this year).

Kelly Holmes of Britain (World Championships Silver Medalist at 800m in the World Championships in 2003 and World Indoor Championship Silver Medalist at 1500 m in 2003, and currently ranked #3 in the World at 1500 m. this year.)

Against an international field, Malindi ran the best race of her life to finish a close 3rd to 2 of the world's most outstanding distance runners, and left a number of world ranked runners behind her. The race was a classic international-style race, starting slowly and finishing with blistering finishes by all 3 medalists. Malindi demonstrated great patience and poise in passing throught the first two laps in a slow 68 and 66 seconds respectively. When the Russian moved to the lead with 500 meters to go, Both Kelly Holmes and Malindi responded. Malindi covered the final lap in 61 seconds and the final 300 in 45 seconds, just barley unable to run down Kelly Holmes in the final stretch.

Malindi leaves for Europe on Wednesday and will compete in Gateshead (England) on the 27th and in Rome on July 2, before returning to Canada for the Olympic Trials/National Championships in Victoria July 9-11. She needs to run one more race of 4:07.15 or faster and finish in the top 4 at Nationals to be named to the Olympic team.

Full results at www.preclassic.com

Alexandre Despatie wins gold at Super Grand Prix diving final.
(Canadian Sport News)

MEXICO CITY- World champion Alexandre Despatie of Laval, Que., delivered a serious warning that he is still the man to beat at the Olympics on men’s 10-metre tower with a remarkable gold medal performance on Sunday at the Super Grand Prix diving final.

The competition was reserved for the top-eight divers on each event throughout the eight-stop Grand Prix season which ran from February to May. It is also the last major international meet before the Olympic Games in August.

Despatie, 19, totalled a personal best score in a six-optional dive final format, and earned the $5,000 (U.S.) top prize. Reigning Olympic champion Tian Liang of China was second and Rommel Pacheco of Mexico took the bronze . ‘’This was my best diving on tower since the world championships last year,’’ said Despatie, who placed fourth on three-metres on Saturday. ‘’It certainly brought my confidence up a notch to know that I can compete at this level just before the Olympics. And the money is very nice too.’’

Despatie also won in dramatic fashion. He trailed Liang by a point entering the final round but nailed his back two and half for six perfect 10’s and one
9.5. Liang, who was executing a different final dive but with the same degree of difficulty, needed straight 10’s in order to win.

‘’I never follow the score when I compete so I wasn’t aware how close it was,’’ said Despatie. ‘’I just did the dive and that’s what I scored. Everything was just superior today than what I did on three-metres yesterday.’’

On women’s three-metre, World Cup champion Yulia Pakhalina led Russia to a 1-2 finish. Vera Ilyna was second and Olympic champion Minxia Wiu of China was third. Blythe Hartley of North Vancouver, B.C., was eliminated in the semifinal for fifth. ‘’I’m always disappointed when I don’t dive that well, although it wasn’t that bad,’’ said Hartley, who’ll compete on three-metre and synchro three-metre and synchro 10-metre at the Olympics. ‘’I’ve had a great season and maybe a little blip was needed. It brings me back down to earth and gets me more motivated.’’

Mississauga’s Buday brothers take gold in canoe doubles at paddling World Cup.
(Canadian Sport News)

RACICE, Czech Republic- Tamas and Attila Buday of Mississauga, Ont., highlighted another strong day for Canadian paddlers in World Cup competition on Sunday with a victory in the men’s C-2 500. The Canadians won four more medals on Sunday to end the two-day meet with 10 medals.

The Budays, headed to their third Olympics in August, posted a convincing win ahead of a Belarussian pair, and Jordan Malloch and Nate Johnson of the U.S., third. Ian Mortimer of Ottawa and Thomas Hall of Pointe-Claire, Que., were eighth. ‘’It’s a very encouraging performance for the Budays,’’ said Graham Barton, high performance director for the Canadian Canoe Association. ‘’They’ll get a bigger test at the World Cup next weekend which will be the last opportunity for the top paddlers to test themselves internationally before the Olympics.’’

Two-time Olympic silver medallist Caroline Brunet of Lac-Beauport, Que., and Adam Van Koeverden of Oakville, Ont., each won their second individual medal on Sunday. In a close women’s K-1 500, Aneta Pastuszka of Poland
won the gold medal. Brunet, tuning up for her fifth Olympic Games, was second and reigning Olympic champion Josefa Idem of Italy third.

‘’Caroline is in the midst of a training period right now,’’ said Brunet’s coach Frédéric Jobin. ‘’She raced a lot this weekend including five races today. Usually in the final of a K-1 500 it’s her only race of the day. Despite that she was still within about 0.2 seconds from the winner.’’

Brunet was also second on Saturday in the K-1 1,000. Also on Sunday she combined forces with Karen Furneaux of Waverley, N.S., Kamini Jain of Vancouver and Carrie Lightbound of Mississauga for bronze in the K-4 500 and was fourth with Mylanie Barré of Beauport in the K-2 500.

In the men’s K-1 500, Eirik Larsen of Norway was the winner with Van Koeverden, the K-1 1,000 winner on Saturday, second and Nathan Baggaley of Australia third.

Other Canadian finalists in Sunday’s 500 races were: Victoria Tuttle of Ottawa and Jillian d’Alessio of Middle Sackville, N.S., seventh in the women’s K-2; Mortimer, Hall, Steve Giles of Lake Echo, N.S., and Scott Oldershaw of Burlington, Ont., fourth in the C-4; Giles and Oldershaw, fifth and sixth in the C-1; Barré, D,Alessio, Tuttle and Émilie Fournel of Lachine, Que., sixth in the women’s K-4; Steve Jorens of Aurora, Ont., and Richard Dober of Trois-Rivieres, Que., eighth in the men’s K-2 500; and Dominic Sauvé of Lac-Beauport, Ryan Cuthbert of Carleton Place, Ont., Andrew Willows of Gananoque, Ont., and Mark deJonge of Calgary, ninth in the men’s K-4 500.

Other Canadian medallists in Saturday’s 1,000 metre races, were Tamas Buday, Oldershaw, Mortimer and Hall with gold in the C-4; while in the C-2 Boilard and Dmitri Joukovski of Halifax took gold with Richard Dalton of Halifax and Mike Scarola of Dartmouth, N.S., second.

The Canadians now head to another World Cup event this weekend in Duisburg, Germany which will finalize crew boats for the Olympic Games and also determine Canada’s Games entry in the men’s C-2 1,000.

Wotherspoon, Hughes, Guilmette and Vicent named Canada’s speed skaters of the year.
(Canadian Sport News)

CANMORE, Alta. - Jeremy Wotherspoon of Red Deer, Alta., Clara Hughes of Glen Sutton, Que., and Jonathan Guilmette and Tania Vicent, both of Montreal, were named Canada’s speed skaters of the year Saturday at Speed Skating Canada’s annual general meeting.

In long track, Wotherspoon received the male athlete of the year award. He won the World Cup and world championship title in the 500-metres and also lowered the world outdoor mark for the distance this past winter. In addition he became the most successful male speed skater in World Cup history surpassing the 50 career win plateau.

Hughes received the Catriona Le May Doan Award as top female in long track. Hughes capped a solid season with the world title in the 5,000 metres, her first world crown in either cycling or speed skating.

In short track, Guilmette took the Marc Gagnon Award as male athlete of the year. Guilmette won the silver medal in the 1,500 at the world championships and helped Canada to silver at the team worlds. He also placed first in the world team trials standings.

Vicent was named the top female short track speed skater. She earned her first Canadian title this past season winning three of the four races.