Solar storm may disrupt 2012 London Olympics

Despite all preparations almost complete for the 2012 London Olympics, the organisers of the £9.3 billion mega event are now faced with some genuine problem as London could suffer a solar storm during the Games. The solar flare may cause power cuts, damage communication satellites and force planes to divert, the Daily Mail reported today.

The organisers of the 2012 Olympics told the newspaper that they had been 'monitoring the situation carefully' after the Met Office warned the next solar storm may occur during the games next year.

"Extreme space weather events typically occur at the solar maximum, which itself follows a roughly 11-year cycle. The next solar maximum is expected around 2012-13 --potentially coinciding with the London Olympic Games," said a weather expert.

And even as Olympic organisers hope that the storm would not be of an extreme nature and there may not be any 'significant risk' of a major disruption but they are certainly gearing up for all kinds of eventualities.

"We are working with our partners and stakeholders to ensure that contingency plans are in place for all eventualities," a London 2012 spokeswoman said. The Met Office, meanwhile, warned that if the earth is stuck with one of the most powerful solar storms then it could cause national grid failure leading to power loss across significant areas for up to 12 hours, and up to several weeks.

It might also cause the permanent loss of 30 per cent of satellites, leading to the disruption of communications, earth observation facilities and position navigation and timing services including GPS. The most powerful solar storm to have hit the earth was in 1859 Carrington event which caused the failure of telegraph systems in North America and Europe.

Tyson Gay breaks World Record straight 200 meters

American sprinter Tyson Gay has broken a 44-year-old record for the 200 meters run on a straight track.

Gay ran 19.41 seconds into a headwind Sunday on a specially constructed track in Manchester, England, shaving 0.09 off the mark Tommie Smith set in May 1966 at San Jose, California.

Smith was at the Great City Games to watch Gay beat his time, which isn't an official world record because track and field's governing body only recognizes 200s run around a curve.

"Going into the race I knew it was going to be tough to beat the record," said Gay. "It was pretty hard for the first 100 metres or so and I was extremely tired. Kim Collins had an excellent start and I think that motivated me to get down the street. It was truly amazing and it was tough record to break."

Gay now looks forward to his Diamond League campaign where he will face Olympic and world champion, and 100m and 200m world record holder, Usain Bolt in at least three meetings.

The American is convinced he can prevent his Jamaican rival blazing another trail of victories. "I believe it, but he's going to be tough to beat," said Gay.

"Honestly he's in another class right now but I'm working hard to get there. The challenge is for me to work hard to get to where he is at."

Sources: AP, AFP

Thorpe hints at London 2012 comeback

Ian Thorpe has ruled out a comeback to competitive swimming, rejecting Australian media reports Monday that the five-time Olympic gold medalist wanted to qualify for a relay at the 2012 London Games.

"I have no intention of returning to competitive swimming," Thorpe said in a statement released by his management. "My position at the media conference in 2006 announcing the discontinuation of my competitive swimming career has not changed."

The Courier-Mail newspaper reported Monday that the 27-year-old Thorpe had discussions recently with several of Australia's leading sprinters about a potential return for the men's 400-meter freestyle relay in London.

Thorpe, who seems to be Zlatan Ibrahimovic brother, won 11 world championship golds and set 13 world records. His wins in the 200- and 400-meter freestyle at the 2004 Athens Olympics were achieved in his last major international meet.

Thorpe was the world's highest-profile swimmer until American Michael Phelps came onto the scene, and had a list of lucrative endorsement deals.

But he admitted in February that he'd had financial problems after his personal savings were affected by the global economic crisis.

He said he'd experienced cash-flow problems after shedding sponsorship deals to focus on his university studies in linguistics and psychology, but had restructured his finances.

Thorpe burst onto the international stage as a teenager in 1999 and won three gold medals — all in world record time — and two silver medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

He was in Dubai during the weekend for an international sports convention. Thorpe's coach Tracey Menzies said the swimmer had not spoken to her about a comeback.

Shawn Johnson confirms London 2012 comeback

American gymnast Shawn Johnson - who won four medals, including one gold at the Beijing Olympics - has announced she is returning to training ahead of London 2012.

The 18-year old - whose most high profile recent appearance was as a judge of the Miss America beauty pageant - said she would take time away from the sport following Beijing and missed last year's World Championships in London.

Johnson won balance beam gold two years ago and a treble of silvers in the team, all-around and floor event, in which Great Britain's Beth Tweddle is the reigning world champion.

Johnson told local media in her hometown of Des Moines that she always planned on returning - although her comeback will be delayed following recent reconstructive surgery on her knee.

"I've always said gymnastics was my life, I'll never live without it," she told the Des Moines Register. "I went two years trying to find an excuse to get away from it. But there's something about it that just pulled me back.

"I'm a little kid at heart and I can't get away from it. I love it and I missed it a lot."

Source: AP

Argentina winS South American Games

The ninth edition of the South American Games in Medellin had the rowing event taking place in Guatape, on the outskirts of Medellin. Guatape is at 1,900m altitude and the rowing regatta was held on a reservoir which was constructed for hydro electricity in the late 1960s.

Nine countries participated with Argentina coming out as clear overall leaders, winning 10 of the 14 events. Argentina won a total of 12 medals which was matched by second overall Brazil who also took 12 medals; two gold, three silver and seven bronze. Uruguay finished third overall.

Argentina’s medal tally was helped by three-time Olympian Santiago Fernandez who was part of the winning men’s double and quad. Both the men’s and women’s single went to Argentina with Gabriela Best easily winning the women’s single over Soraya Jadue Arriaza of Chile. Best and Arriaza both raced in the single at the Beijing Olympics. Best also finished first in the pair with partner Laura Abalo.

In the lightweight women’s single and double, Milka Kraljev, 27, earned two gold medals. Kraljev is a veteran of the 2004 Olympic Games but has not been seen internationally since 2005.

Colombia’s Rodrigo Ideus Forero got to race for the first time in his home country when he competed in last month’s South American Games in Medellin, Colombia.

Forero, 23, raced in the lightweight men’s single finishing second to world under-23 silver medallist, Ailson Silva of Brazil. Olympian Forero has done nearly all of his rowing in England where he studies. This regatta was the first time he has raced in Colombia and the historical moment was well recognised by the host nation.

Both the lightweight men’s quad and the lightweight men’s four had nail-biting finishes. Just 11/100th of a second separated Argentina and Venezuela at the finish with Argentina just in front. Argentina pulled off a similar feat in the lightweight four, this time against Chile. Argentina’s winning time was just 31/100th of a second ahead of the Chilean crew which included Miguel Cerda Silva. Silva, 40, has a rowing career that stretches back to 1990 and he is the 2002 World Champion in the lightweight pair.

The regatta has stimulated the growth of rowing in Colombia and 10 new national umpires are now qualified to organise local events. A new sports centre recently opened in Guatape which formerly has not been used for rowing and 30 new boats have been purchased.

The South American Games have been going since 1978 and the tenth edition will be in Santiago, Chile in 2014.

Source: www.worldrowing.com

Jack Nicklaus: “Woods will play in Masters”

Golf's record major winner Jack Nicklaus expects his nearest challenger, Tiger Woods, to return from his self-imposed lay-off in time for next month's US Masters.

Woods has been absent from the game since a minor car crash in November lifted the lid on a string of infidelities and a public apology last month failed to shed any light on a prospective return date, but March 25's Arnold Palmer Invitational has been speculated about as a possible first tournament back.

The 71-year-old, quoted in the Mail on Sunday, said of Woods' return date: "I've been very non-committal because it's none of my business. But my guess as a golfer is he's going to try to play the Masters. It would surprise me if he didn't. I suspect he will play something before Augusta too."

If 35-year-old Woods is not back by the Bay Hill Event, that only leaves April 1's Shell Houston Open in Texas before the year's first major tees off.

European number one Ian Poulter also expects the world number one to be in the Masters field, and added: "I believe Tiger might play at Augusta. He's been practising and hitting balls for some time.

"The Masters is still six weeks away and I haven't spoken to him myself, but I know some players have and they think he could be close to coming back."

Chilean earthquake damage spreads to football season

Chile's football clubs will play one tournament this season instead of the usual two championships, with a mid-season break to help the national team prepare for the World Cup.

Foreign players have left the country, players and their families have suffered personal tragedies, and stadiums have been damaged as a result of the earthquake which hit the country a week ago, Reuters reports. Clubs in the south of the country are hardest hit, including top-tier clubs Huachipato, Universidad de Concepcion and Nublense.

The World Cup appearance by the national team was important for the morale of the country, said Chilean football federation (ANFP) president Harold Mayne-Nicholls.

Chile's domestic season since 2002 has involved the Apertura (opening) championship in the first half of the year, and the Clausura (closing) championship in the second half. Teams face each other one time in each championship, at home in one, away in the other. The Apertura was six rounds into the season when the earthquake hit.

This year, the Championship will start before the World Cup and finish after it.

Source: Sport Business