Super Summer Sports Perfect For A Sunny Day

Super Summer Sports Perfect For A Sunny Day

Enjoy the summer sun with some great sports to get the heart rate pumping. Do them in combination with your diet to help the pounds slide away. Here is a list of summer sports to start you off.

With spring and summer comes the chance to brush off those winter cobwebs and get out of doors. The warmer summer months are perfect for enjoying a range of sports, from something simple to the more adventurous, here’s a list of some great activities for enjoying the summer.

1: Tennis. This traditional spring game can be played anytime during the warmer months, outdoor or indoor. Whether you’re a complete novice or a bit of a pro, there’s nothing better than a quick knock around to start off the season and it’ll help you earn those strawberries and cream.

2: Mountain Biking. Get out and about in the fresh air with this exhilarating sport. Suitable for any age or ability you’ll be sure to find the perfect track for you. Whether it’s a gentle peddle through the forests to an adrenaline fuelled whiz through the hills, mountain biking is a great way to get out … Read more at FryingPanSports

3 of the Greatest Athletes Who Never Won Olympic Gold

Roy Jones Jr.The quest to attain Olympic glory is one of the longest running traditions in all of sport, and the spectacle provided by the games is one of the few events that can claim to appeal to a genuinely global audience.

However, despite being the most sought after prize around, many athletes, who have otherwise reigned supreme in their field, have found that coveted gold medal elusive.

Here’s a look at three of the best athletes who’ve never stood atop an Olympic podium;

Roy Jones Junior

 

From the title of this article, you’re probably expecting a list comprising entirely of athletes who, despite having vast amounts of talent, for one reason or another, never quite performed on the biggest stage of all.

However, when it comes to the boxer, Roy Jones Junior, this simply isn’t the case. He only competed in one Olympics, Seoul 1988, and, simply put, he blew the competition away.

He made his way to the final without conceding a single round en route. In his last opponent he faced a competitor from the home nation, Park Si-Hun, an athlete many commentators considered very lucky to have reached such an advanced stage in the tournament, having benefitted … Read more at FryingPanSports

Who To Watch For The London 2012 Summer Paralympics

While people may well recognise household sporting names such as Usain Bolt or Chris Hoy from the Olympics, sometimes I get the feeling that equally talented athletes in the Paralympics are overlooked by the general public.

With that in mind, here are some of the most promising athletes in the run-up to the 2012 Paralympics.

Image by Ben Sutherland, some rights reserved.

 

Chinese Superiority

China dominated the 2008 Summer Paralympics with 211 medals, with stunning performances from many athletes.

Especially interesting were Guo Wei, who won gold in his category in Discus, Javelin and Shot put, and intends to compete again in 2012, and the Chinese  4×100 metre teams, were strong in various categories.

Keep an eye on their relay teams, throwing athletes, and on the blind judo.

Great Britain

Needless to say, as host country Great Britain will be looking to do well. As the second placed team in the 2008 Paralympics, they might even be looking to challenge China for the top spot.

If so, they face a stiff challenge, but if they can keep competitors like Darren Kenny, David Roberts and Lee Pearson doing so exceptionally well (with three to four golds each), they might … Read more at FryingPanSports

Don’t Miss Out On The Olympic Spectacular

The Olympic Games is the biggest sporting fiesta in the world, and provides some of the most spectacular action you are ever likely to see, ranging from dramatic recoveries from seemingly impossible positions to majestic dominance from the moment an event begins to the second it is won. Every four years, we settle down to watch the excitement unfold, and here are three of the sports to watch out for at London 2012.

Two-wheeled typhoons

The cycling is one of the most breath-taking events of all in any Olympic Games, and this year promises to be a classic. The Great Britain side swept all before them in 2008, and with home advantage they may be even more dominant than last time around. Of the 18 gold medals awarded in Beijing, eight of them went to UK riders. The London Velopark is located in the Olympic Park itself, and will provide spectators with a wonderful day’s entertainment. If you can’t attend, however, watching the action on a 46 inch LCD TV will prove to be just as much fun.

The fastest on the planet

While there are several events in the athletics programme that will undoubtedly catch the eye, the blue … Read more at FryingPanSports

5 Weird Discontinued Olympic Sports

If you think the modern Olympics have always featured the same, traditional events then you’re wrong. Here are five of the most unusual events to have ever graced the games.

Swimming Obstacle Race (Paris, 1900)

If you fancy competing in a spot of obstacle swimming you’re going to have to travel back in time to Paris 1900, as this is the only time the event was included. 12 competitors raced the 200 metre course that included three obstacles. The first was a pole which the swimmers had to climb over. They then had to clamber over a row of boats, before swimming under another line of vessels towards the end of the course. The gold medal was taken by Australia’s Frederick Lane, so perhaps they should have resurrected the event for the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

Long Jump for Horses (Paris, 1900)

This one doesn’t really need an explanation does it? The winner was simply the horse that jumped the furthest, which incidentally wasn’t very far at all. The winning horse managed to leap just over 20 feet, which is more than 2.5 metres shorter than the current human world record.

Live Pigeon Shooting (Paris 1900)

How mental do the … Read more at FryingPanSports

How Many Different Competitions Are Part of An Olympic Pentathlon?

The Olympic Pentathlon consists of five different sporting events. The modern pentathlon is composite event which tests the endurance, strength, timing, precision and skill of an athlete. The events are performed consecutively in a predetermined order. The modern Olympic events include swimming, shooting, equestrian, fencing and running. Women did not participate in pentathlon until the 1970’s and the first world championship was not held until 1980. The Olympic Pentathlon excluded women from the event until the year 2000 when women took part in Sydney, Australia. However, this is only one feature where modern pentathlon differs from the Ancient Olympiad version first held in the year 708 B.C.

Besides the fact that the ancient competitors competed without any clothing, the events were the discus throw, long jump, javelin throw, foot race and wrestling. Wrestling and running were considered individual events as well, while javelin, discus, and long jump were considered only as part as the pentathlon series. Although a few events are ancient versions of contests held today, the rules and methods were quite different.

Wrestling was held in a sand pit out side of the stadium. The opponents covered themselves in oil and dust, and grappled each other to the … Read more at FryingPanSports