Adam Ball (England)

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Adam Ball (England)

Adam Ball 

* Played for Arsenal Football Club’s Academy between 9 and 12

* Favourite all-time cricketer is Andrew Flintoff

10 Interesting Facts About The Olympic Games

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10 Facts About The Olympic Games You Probably Didn't Know Unless you have been living under a rock you might have noticed the world being caught in an Olympic frenzy. You can’t switch on the TV, read a paper, browse social networks without finding the latest updates on record breakers, losers and winners, as the 2012 Summer Olympics hosted in London is well underway.

To celebrate this is amazing tradition we have a look at 10 interesting facts you may or may not know about the Olympic Games.

1) The early Olympic Games were actually a religious festival until 393 AD when it was banned for being a pagan festival. (The games celebrated the Greek god Zeus.) In these early games women were not allowed to participate and only unmarried women were allowed to be spectators or face the penalty of death. This is mainly because the contestants were naked.

2) It wasn’t until 1894 that the French educator Baron Pierre de Coubertin, suggested a revival of the ancient games which took place in 1896 in Greece. The host nation won the games with 47 medals.  The world’s youngest Olympic athlete to date took place in these games according to http://www.topendsports.com/sport/gymnastics/profiles/loundras-dimitrios.htm was Loundras Dimitrios was aged 10 years old and a received a bronze medal in a team event.

3) The Olympic Ring colours make up the five colours of the main continents of the world – Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceana.

4) More than 3,600g of Gold will used to plate the medals used in the 2012 Olympics. This has a rough estimated value of $193,250

5) The first Olympics to be televised were the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. This is the famous Olympics that were hosted in Germany with the Nazi’s in power. It was also known for the athlete Jesse Owens who achieved international accolade by winning four gold medals.

6) The country to win more medals in the summer games than any other country is the United States with 2,189 medals.

7) The first athlete to win a medal in the Olympic Games was the American James Connolly. However, James did not receive a gold medal he received a silver medal the highest accolade of medal at the time.

8) Speaking of gold medals the medals aren’t actually pure gold. They are actually silver with gold plating. They haven’t been made out of pure gold for over 100 years.

9) The Olympics have been cancelled three times always down to war. The 1916 Summer Olympics was cancelled due to World War I, whilst the Helsinki summer Olympics and the 1944 summer Olympics in London was cancelled due to World War II.

10) We usually associate doves as a sign of peace for the Olympics. However, in the ancient summer games these doves were shot down by archers in the archery section. 

Neil Maycock writes articles for Sports Mats Direct providers of sports mats and exercise matting

Top 5 Highest Run-Scoring Debuts in Test History

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Test match cricket: the highest level of the sport. 

For many cricketers this is an unreachable level, for others it can take many years before they start to flourish in this rarefied environment. But, for a select few, a test match debut can provide a memorable success, a personal triumph, and a great platform to build on. The top five test match batting debuts are listed below.

Image courtesy of Rikx - http://www.flickr.com/photos/95438214@N00/

Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji – 216 runs
This Indian prince made his test debut for England in 1896, when test matches consisted of three days play, in a match that what would ultimately end in defeat. Australia batted first and amassed a total of 412. 

England hit back with a reply of 231, of which Ranjitsinhji, or Ranji as he was commonly known, made a steady 62.  England were then forced to follow on and this is where he made his landmark century, scoring 154 runs, over half of England's second innings total, as they reached 305. Sadly for Ranji, Australia reached their target and won by 3 wickets - quite the bittersweet debut.

Jacques Rudolph – 222 runs
The week before his 22nd birthday, a promising South African was handed his debut in the first test of the Bangladesh tour of 2003.  As the newest test nation, Bangladesh struggled somewhat in their first innings, making a mere 173.  The South African first innings was vastly different thanks to a young man by the name of Jacques Rudolph. 

Entering the fray at 38 for 1, the pressure was on but Rudolph responded magnificently, especially after the score moved to 41 for 2.  However, Boeta Dippenaar then came to the crease and the pair built up a mammoth 3rd wicket stand of 429, of which Rudolph contributed 222.  South Africa declared on 470 and Bangladesh struggled in their 2nd innings, resulting in a South African victory by an innings and 60 runs.

Yasir Hameed – 275 runs
In 2003, Bangladesh were the victims of an outstanding test debut for the second time. On this occasion it was Yasir Hameed of Pakistan who helped put them to the sword. 

Hameed hailed from Peshawar and was a relatively old 25 years of age when he made his debut.  He came in at number three for Pakistan as they replied to the Bangladeshi first innings total of 274, and immediately showed his class, hitting 170 runs, coming in with the score at 5 for 1. The second innings also saw Hameed hit a century, striking 105 on the way to a Pakistan victory by 7 wickets.

Reginald Foster – 306 runs
1903, Sydney, the first Ashes Test and a young man by the name of Reginald Foster from Worcestershire struck, what remains to this day, the highest single innings score by a debutant. Chasing the Australians' 285 first innings score, Foster managed to hit 287 on his own as England made 577.  Foster only managed 19 in the second innings but still helped England to a five-wicket victory.

Lawrence Rowe – 314 runs
The most successful test debut of all time came from the bat of Lawrence Rowe in the first match of the West Indies versus South Africa series in 1972. Rowe was a very talented batsman from Kingston and this is where his memorable debut took place.  A first innings total of 214, followed by a second innings total of 100 not out, put the West Indies in a commanding position. Though New Zealand batted out the final day to secure a draw with four wickets to spare, Rowe’s combined total of 314 remains the highest aggregate score by a debutant in history.

While some of the game’s greats have endured rather inauspicious starts to their test match careers, and not all of those listed above managed to continue in the same successful vein, the debut appearance is a memory that endures for all. And for these five it was a moment to savour.


This article is brought to you by Keith Prowse, specialist providers of corporate hospitality at cricketing events. Visit their website for Edgbaston, Lord's and Oval tickets.

Chad Bowes (South Africa)

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Chad Bowes (South Africa)

• Nicknamed ‘Pigeon’

• Made his first-class debut for KwaZulu-Natal in March 2011

• Favourite cricketer is AB de Villiers for his skill, self-belief and integrity

The Greatest Trophy Ever Awarded

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This summer, the Olympics are on everyone’s mind whether you are into sport or you prefer less energetic past times. The majority of people will have seen a few events on the television and they will have seen athletes receiving their medals. For some people, an Olympic gold medal is the ultimate award. Few trophies are coveted as much, although there are some very high profile trophies that some consider more important.

The Beautiful Game
When I grew up, the Football World Cup was all that I imagined lifting, kissing and waving above my head. Goals scored in the schoolyard were followed by an imaginary award ceremony at least ten times every break time. Lifting the real thing may have been in the imagination, but you can’t beat the feeling you get when you shake someone’s hand before receiving your first trophy in front of your teammates and your parents. The special feeling of achievement is unique, despite the fact that everyone in the room had a trophy by the end of the presentation.

The Weight of the Nation
Andy Murray at Wimbledon 2012 must have felt like that child all over again. He had unbelievable support and he was the best chance we have had for a Wimbledon men’s winner since Fred Perry in 1936. The pain when he lost was obvious as he wore his heart on his sleeve and broke down in tears in front of the watching fans and television audience. Like Paul Gascoigne crying in the World Cup 1990 semi-final upon realising he would miss the final because of a yellow card, the country warmed to Andy Murray. These are great examples of when a trophy is more than just bragging rights or an ego boost.

It’s just not Cricket Sir!
Success in sport is how most people receive trophies, but there are many other reasons a trophy may be awarded. The BAFTAs and OSCARs are two high profile awards for success in the workplace, but many employers, award titles and trophies to best performers and loyal employees. Rewarding people is an excellent motivational tool and it breeds healthy competition in competitive workplaces. There doesn’t need to be a black tie award ceremony once a year for people to recognise who is doing well in the company. In most cases, it could be a simple gathering at the end of the month before everyone heads home after work. However, you receive a trophy; it is always nice to know you are appreciated.


If you think, someone deserves a trophy, check out the range at www.onlinetrophies.co.uk/.

Who Plays Online Bingo?

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When someone says the words “online bingo” to you, do you see lots of little grey-haired old ladies hunched over their laptops, mouse in one hand and a cup of tea in the other, passing a leisurely afternoon or evening? If your answer is in the affirmative, then you have got it very wrong. You’re just transferring the age-old bingo stereotype from the halls to the computer. While exact demographic figures are difficult to come by, surveys have been conducted that give some idea about the constitution of the market. Figures do, of course, vary from country to country, but the trends are the same.

Image courtesy of CarbonNYC, Flickr 

Gender
Globally, the online bingo-playing community gender split is roughly 80 per cent women and 20 per cent men, although in the United Kingdom, the figures are 70 per cent and 30 percent. The reason for the higher global figures is that in developing countries, bingo is still largely thought of as a woman’s game. It has been said that women prefer the atmosphere generated by the bingo websites. They find them friendlier than poker sites, and bingo sites have certainly gone out of their way to have friendly bingo callers and make women feel wanted and welcome. Other research suggests that women are more likely than men to take part in marathon sessions.

Age
The biggest grouping of players falls into the 35 to 50 age range, at just over 25 per cent, and it has been said that the average age of a player is 47. Presumably, the little grey-haired old ladies are not aware of the new online opportunities, or don’t possess the means to join in, but whatever the reason, they are not the face of online bingo. In fact, those aged over 65 represent just under 3 per cent of global players. Those aged between 50 and 65 account for around 12 per cent. In the United Kingdom, the biggest and fastest growing demographic grouping is for women, aged between 18 and 25, representing a third of the total market, while on a global scale, the figure for that age group is just under 14 per cent. Players between the ages of 25 and 35 account for just under 16 per cent.

Race
Online bingo is popular in countries all over the world, covering all races. The biggest markets, in terms of money, are in Japan and the United States. The United Kingdom has the highest online profile, although it isn’t the biggest audience, totalling approximately three million people.

Frequency
Recent research shows that out of the one hundred million online bingo players (that’s 85 per cent of all bingo players), half of them play every day.

Reasons for playing
People who have a little flutter obviously like to see a return on their investment, but as many of the bingo games are played for low stakes, winning a prize is not seen by everyone as the most important reason to go online. A huge number of people play bingo online because of the social aspect. All bingo sites are different, but the rise of online bingo has led to the development of social networking, forums and chat rooms etc. These are very busy with people who are actually very sociable and like to make online friends. This is possibly not surprising when you think of the fact that many players are at home with children or other commitments. Of course, there is always the chance for a little online flirting and romance, an opportunity taken up by many of those who play, particularly the men, who are in the minority.

Online bingo is a flourishing sector of the internet, providing the thrills and spills of gambling, in an exciting, friendly environment, from the comfort of a person’s home, with the added bonus of being able to meet and chat to people of a like mind. As such, there can be no doubt that it will continue to thrive and prosper.


This article is brought to you by PIck Me Up Bingo.

American Competitors in Taekwondo in the 2012 Olympics

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2012 Olympic's American Taekwondo TeamMany people are surprised to learn that taekwondo is a major event in the Summer Olympics. In the Olympic Games, each country is able to send a total of four competitors to compete in the taekwondo event; two men, and two women.  The tournaments are divided into different weight classes. As with any other Olympic event, each competitor is scored by judges, and receives points, and point deductions dependent upon the rules of the game. A loss in one tournament does not automatically disqualify a contender.

Some of the rules have changed for this year’s Olympic Games in taekwondo. A loss in the first game will allow still a competitor to compete again for the chance to earn a bronze metal.  A total of two bronze metals are awarded for each weight class in the Olympic Games. This year’s Olympic events will be exciting for the four Americans who have qualified to take part. Each of the four has trained very hard, and is aiming for gold!

Here is America’s 2012 Olympic Taekwondo team:
Steven Lopez is one of many American competitors in this year’s 2012 Olympics in London. Lopez is a five time world record holder, and at age 33, is one of the oldest competitors in this year’s Olympic Games. Lopez’s brother Jean is his coach, and his sister, Diana is also competing in this year’s Olympics. 

Diana Lopez, now 28 years old, won a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in taekwondo. In 2005, she and her two brothers, Steven and Mark became the first three siblings ever to win a world championship in the same event in taekwondo. Lopez has also received the USA Taekwondo Female Athlete of the Year award three times, in 2005, 2006, and in 2008.

Paige McPherson began taekwondo training at the age of seven. McPherson has already won three bronze medals in the junior Olympics from 2003-2004. Now at the age of 21, McPherson is the youngest of the four competitors. No doubt McPherson is living out her dream as one of the four Americans competing in the 2012 summer Olympics for taekwondo.

Terrence Jennings, age 24, is a first time Olympian competitor in the 2012 summer Olympics. Jennings has had many accomplishments. Jennings was the USA Taekwondo Male Athlete of the Year in 2011. Jennings won two bronze medals in the Pan American Games, and has won two taekwondo titles since 2003.  


If you are interested in taking taekwondo lessons in Gilbert or Chandler, Arizona, please contact Sandoval Freestyle Karate and ask about special offers and family discounts.