Archives for July 2014

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — A 16-year-old Nigerian weightlifter failed a doping test after becoming the youngest ever female to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal in the sport, organizers said Tuesday.

Chika Amalaha has been provisionally suspended from the Glasgow Games after testing positive for diuretics and masking agents after winning the 53-kilogram (117-pound) division last Friday.

Amalaha’s “A” sample contained amiloride and hydrochlorothiazide, which are both banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Amalaha asked for the backup “B” sample to be tested, which will happen in London on Wednesday.

Amalaha would be stripped of the gold medal if the second sample also comes back positive.

WADA is set to investigate how someone so young had access to banned substances.

“I am rather saddened and disappointed this has happened to a 16-year-old,” WADA President Craig Reedie told The Associated Press. “We will need to see if the `B’ sample matches the `A.’ Then if it does the girl will be removed from the games and it will be up to the international weightlifting federation to apply a sanction and then she would lose her medal.

“WADA will look at the circumstances surrounding this case once we know the full facts.”

The test was part of an anti-doping program at the games targeting specific sports based largely on intelligence, rather than testing every medal winner.

“It shows we have a very robust anti-doping program in place,” Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper said. “It sends a strong message to anybody in any sport that if you go down the path of doping, any substance to enhance performance, they will be caught … it’s an ongoing battle.”

Amalaha set Commonwealth Games records in her weight category with a total of 196 kilograms (432 pounds), breaking the previous mark of 188 kilograms (414 pounds). Dika Toua of Papua New Guinea won silver and Santoshi Matsa of India earned the bronze.

Amalaha said last week that she took up weightlifting despite opposition at home.

“I started at the age of 12, but my family were strongly against me doing the sport at first,” she said. “They kept me telling to stop doing it, but I persuaded them by getting a female coach.

“From then on, it was hard work, training, a lot of pain and dedication that got me here today. And now my family were in the audience and they are so excited and so proud.”

The positive test is the latest setback for weightlifting, which has been marred by doping cases. Nigeria’s weightlifting team didn’t compete at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester because of a doping ban imposed in 2001 after four members of the squad failed drug tests.

Four years ago in New Delhi, three Nigerian runners failed doping tests. Folashade Abugan was stripped of silver medals in the women’s 400 meters and 4×400-meter relay after testing positive for a steroid. Osayomi Oludamola had her gold medal in the 100 meters taken away after testing positive for a banned stimulant and hurdler Samuel Okon, who did not win a medal, also tested positive.

Hooper told The Associated Press on Sunday that about 1,500 random doping tests would be conducted in total in Glasgow. About two-thirds will be carried out during the competition, with the rest completed before the games began on July 23.

Two Welsh athletes had to withdraw over doping offenses committed ahead of the Glasgow Games.

European 400-meter hurdles champion Rhys Williams was ruled out on Friday after being charged with an anti-doping violation at the Glasgow Grand Prix on July 11.

His Welsh teammate, Gareth Warburton, who had been due to compete in the 800 meters at the Commonwealth Games, is going through a U.K. Anti-Doping disciplinary procedure after being charged with earlier anti-doping offenses.

Story via Rob Harris for Associated Press.

Cosmopolitan magazine publisher Hearst Corporation has launched CosmoBody, an “on-demand fitness & lifestyle video channel”. The video subscription service features celebrity trainers, workout plans and more.

The CosmoBody Youtube Channel features:
Celebrity Trainers
Fun. Fearless. Life.
Workouts
Body Changing Challenges

Check it out on cosmobody.com.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cosmobod
Twitter: twitter.com/cosmo_body

PRESS RELEASE
HEARST CORPORATION LAUNCHES COSMOBODY—A NEW PAID SUBSCRIPTION VIDEO ON-DEMAND CHANNEL—THROUGH ITS NEW HEARST DIGITAL STUDIOS UNIT

NEW YORK, July 15, 2014 – Hearst Corporation today introduced CosmoBody, its first premium subscription video on-demand service created by the newly formed Hearst Digital Studios, a group dedicated to developing all-new digital products and video channels from brands across the company. CosmoBody is a fitness and lifestyle channel conceived and designed in conjunction with the Cosmopolitan editorial team to capture the unique voice and sensibility of the iconic brand.
Available today at $9.95 a month, CosmoBody membership provides access (via Web, iOS and Android) to streaming on-demand workout and lifestyle videos, produced by Mark Burnett’s VIMBY studios, and original editorial content that is updated daily—all through the fun, fearless lens of Cosmopolitan and designed to get users hot and fit fast. A 10-day free trial of the service can be activated at CosmoBody.com.

“Basically, it’s Netflix for fitness and lifestyle content…Cosmo-style…with workout videos with names like ‘Get in the Mood Yoga,’ dating advice that takes you into the mind of a man, food and fashion tips and even healthy(ish) cocktail recipes,” said Neeraj Khemlani, head of Hearst Digital Studios and co-president of Hearst Entertainment & Syndication. “It’s our first channel and we look forward to developing more brands–both inside Hearst and with outside partners—into new over-the-top video networks that can be accessed by subscribers on any platform or device, at any time, anywhere in the world.”

“We want to empower our Cosmo audience to feel sexy and strong, without sacrificing any of the fun,” said Joanna Coles, editor in chief of Cosmopolitan. “There’s an inextricable link between looking good and feeling good, and CosmoBody inspires women to create that connection whenever they need it, wherever they are.”

The CosmoBody channel features eight celebrity trainers with big personalities, including dance cardio trainer Jennifer Johnson, boot camp specialists Astrid Swan McGuire and Adam Rosante, martial arts expert Ary Nunez, strength trainer Don Saladino, yoga specialist Tara Stiles, dance instructor Katia Pryce and basic fitness instructor Rique Uresti, as well as celebrated food blogger Camille Becerra, in highly stylized and seductive videos. Shot in fresh and vibrant locations ranging from New York rooftops to the beaches of Santa Monica, Calif., the videos offer a glimpse into trainers’ personal lives, while giving viewers the food and fitness tools—as well as life coaching advice—to power through their own lives. Members can browse a growing selection of videos that are organized by trainer and workout type.

Some of the key features of the CosmoBody channel include:

CHALLENGES: Editors and trainers create structured 1-4 week programs to get women ready for their key reveal moments: whether it’s helping a bride get a “Wowza Wedding Body,” “Sexier by Saturday” for the big date, or “Revenge Body” to help recover from a breakup.

AIRPLAY: On iOS, users can stream workouts from their phones and tablets to their big screens via Apple TV – a first step in a series of screen integrations debuting in the coming months.

STATS: Users can track approximate calories burned from workouts and soon will be able to link CosmoBody with key fitness trackers and wearable devices. This is a first step in an increasingly personalized experience.

“The CosmoBody channel is part of a larger umbrella strategy around the Cosmo brand, and an excellent template for how Hearst Magazines and the Studios will work together going forward,” said David Carey, president of Hearst Magazines.

Hearst Digital Studios works alongside various brands and content creators across the company, as well as outside of Hearst, in order to further connect with audiences in innovative and exciting ways. Executive Creative Director David Vogler is the Studios’ chief designer. Chris Grosso, former head of AOL’s front page, is senior vice president and general manager of the platform team. Liz Plosser, senior editor of Cosmopolitan magazine, is also CosmoBody’s editorial director.

About Hearst Corporation
Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com) is one of the nation’s largest diversified media and information companies. Its major interests include ownership of 15 daily and 34 weekly newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union; hundreds of magazines around the world, including Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, ELLE and O, The Oprah Magazine; 29 television stations, which reach a combined 18 percent of U.S. viewers; ownership in leading cable networks, including Lifetime, A&E, HISTORY and ESPN; significant holdings in automotive, electronic and medical/pharmaceutical business information companies; a 50 percent stake in global ratings agency Fitch Group; Internet and marketing services businesses; television production; newspaper features distribution; and real estate. Follow us on Twitter @HearstCorp and subscribe to Hearstlink.

Singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat’s new EP ‘Gypsy Heart’ is out now and her newest music video is resonating with women in a big way. Caillat tweeted earlier this month, “‘Try’ is the 1st video I’ve never prepared for. Didn’t go tanning or diet or heavily workout… & it felt wonderful!”.

It’s not Colbie’s self-admitted lack of effort in preparing for the video that’s hitting home for women but rather the message shown in the video. The video shows women stripping away layers of makeup and fake hair as the song asks, “Why should you care, what they think of you”?

The great thing about the song and the video is the conversation it’s sparked. Like any form of Art it’s inevitably interpreted a number of ways, as evident with the youtube comments. The video has over 7 million youtube views and thousands of comments in less than a week online. The song is powerful but when combined with the visuals it’s a home run.

Last month Colbie released the same song with a lyric video. She invited some of her friends to send photos of themselves without makeup on. The lyric video has under 200,000 views and flew virtually under the radar until now. One of lyric video participants was Olympic Figure Skater, Michelle Kwan who tweeted…

Caillat told ELLE,

When I did the lyric video for “Try,” and I asked some of my celebrity friends if they would send a picture of themselves, you have no idea how difficult it was. Some of them said no, some of them said they’ll send me a picture in a couple of days because they have a pimple on their chin, and they didn’t want it showing in the picture. And I was like, no, no, no! That’s good!

If you’re not convinced of Colbie’s authenticity then take a peek at her twitter timeline where she shares vines of herself without makeup on and relatable tweets like…

VARIOUS COMMENTS ONLINE ABOUT ‘TRY’:

“This song/video is refreshing and empowering.”

“She’s not saying that wearing makeup is bad in anyway she’s saying stop trying so hard to get others to like you, just be yourself.”

“Being the father of 4 wonderful girls, and a husband to one very wonderful wife, this video and the song touch me.”

“What an empowering video! It serves as a great reminder that we don’t have to change ourselves or act a certain way for someone else’s approval. Nothing is more beautiful than being true to yourself.”

“Try” Lyrics
Oooh
Oooh

Put your make up on
Get your nails done
Curl your hair
Run the extra mile
Keep it slim so they like you, do they like you?

Get your sexy on
Don’t be shy, girl
Take it off
This is what you want, to belong, so they like you
Do you like you?

You don’t have to try so hard
You don’t have to give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don’t have to change a single thing

You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try
Yooou don’t have to try

Oooh
Oooh

Get your shopping on, at the mall, max your credit cards
You don’t have to choose, buy it all, so they like you
Do they like you?

Wait a second,
Why should you care, what they think of you
When you’re all alone, by yourself, do you like you?
Do you like you?

You don’t have to try so hard
You don’t have to give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don’t have to change a single thing

You don’t have to try so hard
You don’t have to bend until you break
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don’t have to change a single thing

You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try

You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try
Yooou don’t have to try

Noooo
Oooh

You don’t have to try so hard
You don’t have to give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don’t have to change a single thing

You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try
You don’t have to try

Take your make up off
Let your hair down
Take a breath
Look into the mirror, at yourself
Don’t you like you?
Cause I like you

Four-time Figure Olympia competitor, Alicia “Smiley” Harris shared some exciting news with us today. The track star turned IFBB Figure pro has been known to light up the darkest room with her smile. She’s shown her pearly whites and rock’n hardbody on more than one magazine cover and appeared in numerous Optimum Nutrition ads. The diehard Chicago Bears fan, currently living in Des Plaines, Illinois, continues to work with Optimum Nutrition but has been noticeably absent from the Pro Figure stage.

She hasn’t officially retired from competition and has shifted her focus on building a family. Alicia was engaged shortly before the 2012 Figure Olympia and wed a year later to the man of her dreams, Jacob. Alicia and Jacob are expecting their first child the end of this year. The new mom-to-be shared, “We don’t know the sex yet but we’ll find out. The due date is December 20th. We’re blessed and excited!”

Congratulations Alicia and Jacob!

See Alicia’s competition photos here. Follow her on Instagram @figure_prole, twitter @figure_proLE and Facebook.

On July 28th ESPN Films and espnW will launch a new documentary series, Nine for IX Shorts. The short films are an extension of the Nine for IX series that aired on ESPN last summer. The films bring attention to variety of topics in women’s sports and are beautifully produced by female filmmakers.

A new film will premiere on espnW.com every day and a clip will be featured on SportsCenter.

The five films in the series include:

Rowdy Ronda Rousey:  
Directed by the Mundo Sisters

On February 23, 2013, Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey made history by becoming UFC’s first female Bantam Weight Champion. After beating her opponent Liz Carmouche with her signature armbar, Rousey also became the #1 female MMA fighter in the world. The film will take an inside look at this record breaking fight and how Rousey is paving the way for women in the sport. We’ll learn about Rousey’s rough childhood and how it shaped her fighting career. The film will also explore the extreme physical challenges and emotional strength behind becoming the world’s greatest female fighter.
Premiers July 28th.

Think Normal:
Directed by Nikki Reed

Jason McElwain’s 20 points in four minutes inspired sports fans around the world and fine-tuned the conversation surrounding people diagnosed with autism. But it was the perseverance and undeterred support of Jason’s mother, Debbie, who coached her son and provided him with the strength and confidence to step onto his high school basketball court and hit six 3-pointers, and one 2-pointer in four minutes of play. Featuring heartfelt interviews from Jason, his mother Debbie and his brother Josh, “Think Normal” is a look at what a mother sacrificed for her sons.
Premiers July 29th.

Brittney Griner: Lifesize:
Directed by Melissa Johnson

This is a rite of passage story following Brittney’s inaugural season with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls. Director Melissa Johnson will collaborate with espnW’s Kate Fagan to chronicle not only Brittney’s transformation from amateur to professional but also from a celebrated kid with unlimited potential to a self-reliant adult with a deep inner capacity to make her championship dreams a reality. Blazing with authenticity, humor and irreverence, this story about the courage it takes to become everything that’s you — in the biggest, boldest way imaginable — is certain to delight and inspire.

Premiers July 30th.

Uncharted Waters:
Directed by Tina Carbone

In 1995, Bill Koch put together the first ever all-women America’s Cup team. Made up of top female athletes from across the country, the team made history onboard America3 and inspired fans across the country. But the team morale faltered after a series of changes were made including a new boat they weren’t use to, the replacement of a female team member with a male, and a last-minute rule change that allowed three teams to make it to the finals instead of two. In the last race of the Defender Series, the Mighty Mary lost their lead and rival Stars & Stripes beat them to the finish line.

Premiers July 31st.

Play a Round With Me:
Directed by Jessica Wolfson

In the 1980’s, Jan Stephenson became professional golf¹s first tabloid star, shaking up the game with her sex appeal and charismatic self-promotion. Amid intense media attention, Stephenson’s colorful and controversial life off the course often overshadowed her fierce determination to win championships. This film follows a tense year where, against all odds, Jan Stephenson tried to prove she was more just a pretty face.

Premiers August 1st.

All Nine for IX Shorts will air back-to-back in a two-hour block on Saturday, August 2, at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

About ESPN Films
Created in March 2008, ESPN Films produces high-quality films showcasing some of the most compelling stories in sports. In October 2009, ESPN Films launched the Peabody Award-winning, Producer’s Guild Award-winning and Emmy-nominated 30 for 30 film series. Inspired by ESPN’s 30th Anniversary, the films that made up the series were a thoughtful and innovative reflection on the past three decades told through the lens of diverse and interesting sports fans and social commentators. The strong reaction from both critics and fans led to the launch of 30 for 30 Volume II, which is currently underway. Additional projects from ESPN Films include the critically-acclaimed Nine for IX series, SEC Storied and the webby award-winning 30 for 30 Shorts.

About espnW
espnW’s mission is to serve women as fans and athletes. espnW.com provides an engaging environment that offers total access to female athletes and the sports they play, takes fans inside the biggest events, and shares a unique point of view on the sports stories that matter most to women.

Founded in July, 2010, espnW lives across television, films, events, digital and social platforms. The annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit is the leading event of its kind in the sports industry. The Women’s Sports Foundation is a charity of choice for espnW.

Info via ESPN press release

UNLEASH YOUR BEST WITH WRIST-BASED WORKOUT INTENSITY TRAINING
adidas miCoach unveils FIT SMART, the latest product in its wearable ecosystem

9th July 2014, Wearable Tech Conference, San Francisco – adidas today announced the latest addition to its growing miCoach digital fitness ecosystem with the introduction of FIT SMART; a workout intensity training device that measures heart rate, calories, pace, distance and stride rate, all from the wrist.

Designed for running, training and fitness, FITSMART is unlike many of the activity trackers on the market today as it measures heart rate response to physical activity and then guides the user train at the right intensity for the best results.

Marrying clean and simple design lines with an intuitive user experience, FIT SMART is engineered in Germany to become an essential piece of any fitness enthusiast’s training gear. Weighing in at 58 grams, FIT SMART offers unparalleled comfort and fit with a soft touch silicon strap. A distinct LED light array provides at-a-glance visual guidance on the user’s current workout intensity presented in color zones: blue, green, yellow and red. Vibration and visual prompts provide feedback and coaching so the user can make the most out of every workout.

Intended for those seeking meaningful guidance and feedback, FIT SMART works with an all-new mobile app experience aimed at helping people set and reach weekly goals, as well as commit to longer term training plans. Weekly goals are a key feature update in the August release of the popular miCoach Train and Run app. and, uniquely combine the effectiveness of heart rate based training with the flexibility and motivational benefits of short-term attainable goals.

“Setting weekly goals initiates a change in mindset that results in much more successful personal training.” comments Mark Verstegen, President and Founder, EXOS (formerly Athletes’ Performance / Core Performance) “Who we are and how we perform are a direct reflection on our existing habits, so much that 90% of our daily actions run from our sub-conscious. Creating weekly goals allows you to create winning rituals, which become new habits in weeks. In training terms, you are behaviorally upgrading your operating system and this builds your confidence and courage to be relentless in finding ways to continually upgrade yourself and your performance in the direction of your goals.”

FIT SMART stores up to 10 hours of workout data and syncs with the miCoach platform, using Bluetooth Smart, via the miCoach Train and Run app on the users mobile phone. From the app the user can customize wristband settings as well as access 100s of free training plans created in partnership with the elite coaches at EXOS.

Speaking at the launch today, Paul Gaudio, GM adidas Digital Sports, said “We are always working closely with athletes to understand their needs and, bring meaningful performance innovation that helps them be their best. FIT SMART is the next step in making elite level sports science and wearable technology available to every day athletes, and people who are just looking to look and feel better. We believe FIT SMART is more than a credible and effective training tool. It is also a real difference maker for people looking to get active, and stay active – it works because it measures you, not only what you do, and the weekly goals and personalized training plans turn your workout data into action, so you can turn action into results.

FIT SMART will be available in black and translucent white in two sizes and will be priced at $/€199. The product first launches in mid-August 2014. In the USA, FIT SMART will launch in late August exclusively at leading Best Buy locations and at bestbuy.com. In the rest of the world it will be available from August 15th at adidas.com and adidas Sports Performance stores. Starting September 1st, 2014, FIT SMART will be available in wider distribution through leading sports and electronic retailers globally.

About adidas miCoach
miCoach is a digital training service for anyone who wants to train for his or her favorite sport, general fitness or just for fun. Bringing the knowledge and experience of adidas’ elite coaching partners to the masses, miCoach provides users with real-time coaching and all the tools they need to track performance and monitor progress to get the results they want. The breadth of the offer includes a free to access web platform and training community with hundreds of free training plans, free mobile apps on iOS, Android and Windows Phone 8 as well as a comprehensive range of devices for tracking all aspects of performance, both in game and in training. Visit www.micoach.com.

About EXOS (formerly Athletes’ Performance / Core Performance)
EXOS partners with adidas to provide coaching methodology and training content for the miCoach ecosystem. Together, adidas and EXOS have been helping athletes of every level elevate their game for over a decade. EXOS has worked with many adidas athletes and teams globally, including all-stars in the NHL, MLB, and MLS. Founded in 1999 to maximize the potential of athletes, EXOS designs and delivers health and performance game plans that guide people to achieve higher levels of success. With world-class partners, facilities, technologies, and specialists spanning six continents, EXOS is progressing the intelligence behind human performance wherever necessary. To learn more, visit www.TeamEXOS.com.

Follow miCoach on facebook.com/adidasmicoach and @adidas_micoach on Twitter

Amuse Society Appoints Maria Sass as Head of Marketing
Costa Mesa, CA (July 2, 2014) — Amuse Society, the soon-to-be-launching women’s fashion, beachwear and bikini brand is pleased to announce Marketing and PR veteran Maria Sass as Marketing Manager. Sass comes to Amuse with over 8 years of experience in Marketing and PR for lifestyle brands including Lexus, BCBG Max Azria and Stance socks.

“I could not be more thrilled to be part of the Amuse Society family and to work with such an incredibly solid team of talented, badass women, lead by Mandy Fry and Summer Rapp,” said Sass. “Amuse is about taking risks with fashion, while keeping things tied to beach culture. Together we’re about to shake things up and I feel exceptionally energized about it.”

Most recently, Sass was an Account Director at Azione PR, building strategic public relations and marketing plans, including celebrity and fashion bloggers seeding, events and social media campaigns for clients including Stance socks, Neff Headwear and Soma water. Prior to Azione, Sass worked with international fashion and lifestyle brands including BCBG Max Azria—leading their wholesale marketing initiatives for BCBG Generation—and Lexus, where she launched their largest advertising brand campaign to-date.

“The past few months we’ve been laser focused on building a brand that reflects our personal style, with an aesthetic that appeals to the fashion industry in a new and refreshing way. As we’re about to debut our Spring ’15 collection at AGENDA, it was just as much a priority to find the right person who will approach marketing with a unique and innovative mindset,” said Mandy Fry, Amuse Society Co-founder and Creative Director. Summer Rapp adds, “Maria is an extremely creative and passionate person with excellent marketing ‘IQ.’ She is someone who understands the Amuse lifestyle and lives our mantra. We are confident that she is the perfect person for this role.”

Amuse Society will debut their first collection at AGENDA next week, followed by Miami Swim Show, Swim Collective, Surf Expo, and Coterie.

ABOUT AMUSE SOCIETY
The creative vision of industry leaders Mandy Fry and Summer Rapp, Amuse Society is a collection of ready-to-wear, beach knits and bikinis inspired by the art of travel, the pursuit of the journey and the sexy appeal of all things beach. Designed with a beach meets street mindset, Amuse Society is a beautiful contradiction of pretty and tough, bohemian and rock & roll, created for confident females everywhere.

For more information visit www.amusesociety.com.

press release