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US Women’s Team 1 Win Away from Olympic Berth

There were significant retirements for the US women’s soccer team after the last Olympics and World Cup runs. The only person who comes close to being a recognizable name from the last several competitions is Abby Wambach, but she has a distance to go to get to status of Mia Hamm, Christine Lilly, Julie Fowdy and the others from the glory days. While the names may have changed, lucky for their fans the team has dusted themselves off after a disappointing World Cup tournament to be well positioned for the Beijing Olympics.

The team is one win away from qualifying for one of CONCACAF’s two slots. Tomorrow, April 9, The team will face an improved Costa Rican team after cruising to wins over Jamaica 6-0 and Mexico 3-1.Costa Rica’s matches ended with a 1-0 loss to Canada and a 2-2 tie with Trinada and Tobago. Abby Wambach noted the match will likely be tough, ““It’s win or go home and I think both teams knows that. We don’t doubt that Costa Rica will throw everything they’ve got at us, but I know we are going to do everything in our power to get that berth to the Olympics.” The other Olympic qualifying match will feature Canada and Mexico. The Mexican team will be going for their second straight Olympic berth in front of a home crowd in what no doubt will be an electric and emotional game.

Opponent Overview
Costa Rica
Current FIFA World Ranking: 48
Last Meeting vs. USA: March 3, 2004 (4-0 U.S. win at Olympic Qualifying)

Match Rosters:

2008 U.S. CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Roster:
GOALKEEPERS (2): 24-Nicole Barnhart, 18-Hope Solo
DEFENDERS (7): 2-Rachel Buehler, 17-Lori Chalupny, 14-Stephanie Cox, 13-Tobin Heath, 15-Kate Markgraf, 3-Christie Rampone, 4-Cat Whitehill
MIDFIELDERS (6): 7-Shannon Boxx, 16-Angela Hucles, 11-Carli Lloyd, 12-Leslie Osborne, 5-Lindsay Tarpley, 10-Kacey White
FORWARDS (5): 8-Lauren Cheney, 6-Natasha Kai, 9-Heather O’Reilly, 19-Amy Rodriguez, 20-Abby Wambach.

2008 Costa Rica CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Roster:
GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Priscilla Tapia, 18-Yirlania Arroyo
DEFENDERS (8): 2-Adriana Rodriguez, 3-Vanessa Rojas, 4-Karol Galves, 5-Amanda Esquivel, 6-Gabriela Trujillo, 9-Paola de los Angeles Alvarado, 19-Maria Flores, 20-Wendy Acosta
MIDFIELDERS (5): 7-Mariela Campos, 10-Katherine Alvarado, 13-Megan Chavez, 15-Cristin Granados, 16-Yuliana Rodriguez
FORWARDS (5): 8-Monica Malavassi, 11-Raquel Rodriguez, 12-Laura Sanchez, 14-Amara Wilson, 17-Adriana Venegas

Age is Just a Number for Hiroshi Hoketsu

As the saying goes “age is just a number”, and that’s surely the attitude of Hiroshi Hoketsu, who will turn a youthful 67 years of age before the opening of this year’s Olympic Games, becoming the oldest member on the Japanese team. He will be competing in only his second Olympic games in 44 years. The record for the oldest-ever competing Olympian is held by Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn who, at 72, won the silver medal in the running dear double-shot team event at the 1920 Antwerp Games.

Hoketsu began riding at the age of 12 and continued to train while working as a pharmaceutical executive. He also participated in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and was a substitute in the 1984 Los Angeles Games. He spoke to the Japanese press about this incredible accomplishment and said, “I feel relieved for now. If you have a goal, you can stay a bit young. It would be good if people of my generation felt the same way.”

Sources and for more information:[Sports.Inquirer]

World’s Fastest Man Goes for the Gold

Can the world’s fastest man also become the best sprinter in the world by bringing home the gold in Beijing? Asafa Powell is hoping so. The Jamaican star, who has owned the world record in the 100m for the last 2 1/2 years, would like to erase memories of his performance at the 2004 Athens Games when he placed fifth in the 100m race, and at last year’s World Championships in Osaka when he gave up the lead in the 100 metre and placed third behind the Tyson Gay and Derrick Atkins, respectively.

For many elite athletes, the greatest challenge in competition is not the physical battle, but the mental one. By his own admission Powell choked in Osaka, tightening up in the crucial moments of the race when Gay started to gain ground on his 60 metre lead. He said afterwards, “I felt him (Gay) coming on my shoulder and that’s when I panicked.” The world’s fastest sprinter will need to keep his mental attitude sharp if he’s to add to his 2006 Commonwealth win, his lone senior level title.

Powell begins his campaign towards Beijing this week when he arrives in Melbourne to train for this weekend’s Sydney Grand Prix. The track star is certainly hoping for more Melbourne magic this year as he had in 2006; that summer he trained in the Australian city, won gold at Commonwealth, and went undefeated in the following season. Powell’s scheduled to arrive in Sydney for the Grand Prix on Friday.

Sources and for more information: [The Age][SMH]

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