The International Olympic Committee (IOC) opted to keep the pentathlon and remove wrestling from it’s list of Olympic events. It’s a surprising move, considering wrestling is one of the oldest Olympic sports. The board reviewed 26 sports currently on the Olympic program and by eliminating one it allows for a new sport to be added to the program.

Wrestling joins baseball, softball, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, wakeboarding and wushu for a single spot in the 2020 Olympics. Considering the removal it’s highly unlikely that wrestling would be voted into the mix. In 2005, the IOC removed baseball and softball. Rugby and Golf will be part of the 2016 Olympics games.

AP Sports writer, Stephen Wilson writes…

The IOC program commission report analyzed more than three dozen criteria, including television ratings, ticket sales, anti-doping policy and global participation and popularity. With no official rankings or recommendations contained in the report, the final decision by the 15-member board was also subject to political, emotional and sentimental factors.

Previously considered under the closest scrutiny was modern pentathlon, which has been on the Olympic program since the 1912 Stockholm Games. It was created by French baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic movement.

Modern pentathlon combines fencing, horse riding, swimming, running and shooting—the five skills required of a 19th century cavalry officer. The sport’s governing body, the UIPM, has been lobbying hard to protect its Olympic status, and the efforts apparently paid off.

Women’s Wrestling was added to the Olympics at the 2004 Athens Games.

NEWS RELEASE
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) – IOC leaders have dropped wrestling for the 2020 Games in a surprise decision to scrap one of the oldest sports on the Olympic program.

The IOC executive board decided Tuesday to retain modern pentathlon – the event considered most at risk – and remove wrestling instead from its list of core sports.

The decision, announced by the IOC, was first reported by The Associated Press.

The IOC board acted after reviewing the 26 sports on the current Olympic program. Eliminating one sport allows the International Olympic Committee to add a new sport to the program later this year.

Wrestling, which combines freestyle and Greco-Roman events, goes back to the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens in 1896.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Read more on the story on Denverpost.com.

Lolo Jones was America’s sweetheart heading into the London Olympics despite others having faster times in the 100m Hurdles. Now the track star is trying her hand at the U.S. Bobsled team. Whodda thunk?  She joins a team with a mix of veterans and rookies; she’s not the only female Olympic athlete on the roster. Olympians Tianna Madison and Emily Azevedo were also named to the national team. When’s the last time the Bobsled received this much attention? It’s likely been 20 years, when NFL football star Hershel Walker earned a spot on the 1992 Olympic team.

PRESS RELEASE
U.S. national bobsled team named
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (Oct. 25, 2012) – The 2012-2013 national bobsled team is composed of a diverse roster of powerful and determined athletes who are eager to carry the momentum from last season’s success into the upcoming World Cup circuit.

This season’s women’s bobsled team is a mix of rookies and veterans. Elana Meyers (Douglasville, Ga.) received a bye onto the team for her World Championship bronze medal performance last season and will pilot USA I. Jamie Greubel (Newtown, Pa.) won both selection races to earn her position as pilot of USA II, while Jazmine Fenlator (Wayne, N.J.) was named to USA III in her third season as a driver.

The six women’s bobsled push athletes named to the national team includes: World Indoor Champion and American record holder 100-meter hurdler Lolo Jones (Des Moines, Iowa), 4×100-meter relay Olympic gold medalist Tianna Madison (Elyria, Ohio), 2010 Olympian Emily Azevedo (Chico, Calif.), World Championship medalist Katie Eberling (Palos Hills, Ill.), current Lake Placid start record holder Aja Evans (Chicago, Ill.), and former University of California at Berkeley track athlete Cherrelle Garrett (Hayward, Calif.).

Reigning World Champion Steven Holcomb (Park City, Utah) will once again drive the men’s team USA I sled. National Guardsman Nick Cunningham (Monterey, Calif.) earned his position at the helm of USA II after sweeping team selection races, while Cory Butner (Yucaipa, Calif.) will pilot USA III.

The pool of men’s bobsled push athletes is one of the strongest yet. The selection features Holcomb’s world championship push crew of Steve Langton (Melrose, Mass.), Justin Olsen (San Antonio, Texas) and Curt Tomasevicz (Shelby, Neb.). The remaining nine athletes named to the team includes veterans Adam Clark (Owenton, Ky.), Johnny Quinn (McKinney, Texas), Chuck Berkeley (Walnut Creek, Calif.), Laszlo Vandracsek (Phoenix, Ariz.), Chris Fogt (Alpine, Utah), Dallas Robinson (Georgetown, Ky.), Jesse Beckom (Chicago, Ill.) and rookies Andreas Drbal (Belmont, Calif.) and Nic Taylor (Hayward, Calif.).

The skeleton national team will be named following the final selection race on Nov. 1. The World Cup tour kicks off in Lake Placid, N.Y. from Nov. 8-10.

About the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation
The United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, based in Lake Placid, N.Y., is the national governing body for the sports of bobsled and skeleton in the United States. The USBSF would like to thank its sponsors, suppliers and contributors for their support: BMW of North America, Under Armour, United States National Guard, Kampgrounds of America, Vivat!, Global Forwarding, KBC Helmets, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Autism Speaks, Park City Lodging, EDAS/Ripxx, UberSense, Tesa Tape and Ferris Mfg. Corp. For more information, please visit the USBSF website at http://bobsled.teamusa.org.

Lolo Jones was one of the United States’ Olympic hopefuls in track and field. Lolo came up short and failed to medal but that didn’t stop America from wanting more of Miss Jones. Now the track star is testing thing in the bobsled event. Check out the story below.

LAKE PLACID, N.Y.– Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones has posted an impressive start at the U.S. bobsled team selection races.

Seeking a push-athlete spot, Jones and pilot Jazmine Fenlator finished second in the opening night of selection races Saturday, their combined two-run time of 1 minute, 57.01 seconds just 0.05 seconds behind Jamie Greubel and Aja Evans (1:56.96). It was Jones’ competitive bobsled debut.

Greubel and Evans set a track push record of 5.43 seconds. Evans won the national push championships earlier this season.

Nick Cunningham and Johnny Quinn (1:54.51) won the first series of two-man races, followed by Cory Butner and Jesse Beckom (1:54.58) and Codie Bascue and Nic Taylor (1:55.04).

Veteran pilots Steven Holcomb and Elana Meyers have byes onto the national team.

Jones was among a group of U.S. track Olympians who were invited to the bobsled team’s push championships by coach Todd Hays last month, a decision Hays said was designed for them to “share their Olympics experiences with our athletes and to help boost team morale.”

It also was a bit of a recruiting ploy. Bobsled coaches have long tried to lure athletes from the track world, noting that their combination of speed and explosiveness is perfect for sliding.

And it might be working again. Jones and Fenlator were the leaders after the first run of the competition, and Jones suddenly is finding herself in a sled that might be in contention for a World Cup team spot.

“I’m just trying to take it all in,” Jones said. “It’s a new sport for me and there’s a ton of room for improvement. … I’m coming in here trying to learn everything quickly. I’m looking forward to fixing some things and hammering it out.”

Greubel and Evans rallied in their second run, continuing a breakthrough few days for Evans. Saturday’s competition was only her third time on the ice at Mount Van Hoevenberg.

Bree Schaaf and Emily Azevedo were third in the women’s race on Saturday night, finishing in 1:57.80.

In the men’s competition, even with Holcomb having a bye, the top three sleds were separated by only 0.53 seconds, which U.S. coach Brian Shimer said is a testament to the overall depth of the program right now.

“Every single day is race day with these guys,” Cunningham said.

Skeleton team races begin on Tuesday. Bobsled races continue Friday night, with the announcement of the national team to follow.

Story via Associated Press
Image via news.com.au

Michael Phelps, the most successful Olympian of all-time, will be giving an exclusive press conference with sponsor Head & Shoulders on Monday, August 6th at 9:45am London time.  You can watch the event LIVE via the webcast player below.

Michael will be giving a $25,000 award on behalf of his sponsors to a US youth center to support grassroots sports and the Olympics legacy. The award will be given on stage to a little 7 year old boy from a low-income and notoriously violent area of Knoxville, Tennessee. His father was tragically victim to this violence having been shot and killed in April this year. After the presentation of the award there will follow a Q&A session with the media.

Lead image compiled from YOUTUBE commercial.

We’re in London for a week and the energy here is amazing. We’re please to have the unique opportunity to not only spend a week in this amazing city but also to do so during the 2012 Olympic Games. Follow along with us here, on twitter (@hardbodynews) and on facebook.

One of the coolest things so far is hanging out at the Proctor & Gamble Family Home. This place is simply amazing. Olympic athletes and their families can be found around every corner. The pad is 65,000 sq ft and there are individual rooms that include pool-tables, lounge chairs, Foosball, video games, laundry services, massages and the list goes on and on.

Maya Moore, Christian Laettner and Shawn Johnson listen to other speakers.

Yesterday at the P&G Family Home, WNBA Basketball star and member of the current USA Women’s Olympic basketball team, Maya Moore shared what Red, White & Blue meant to her. This was part of the TIDE® Red, White & Blue BBQ. Joining her on stage was Dancing with the Stars winner and Olympic Gold Medal Gymnast, Shawn Johnson. Last but certainly not least, 1992 Olympic Basketball “Dream Team member Christian Laettner shared some of the feedback he received from twitter on the topic. Great food was served and it was a fun atmosphere. The American spirit was strong and you felt proud to be part of a group of passionate, enthusiastic crowd.

Towards the end of the evening, we were able to watch Gabby Douglas win the gold medal in the Women’s All Around gymnastics. This was particularly cool to do in the P&G Family Home while chilling in a huge bean bag and watching on a monster big screen.

Gabby Douglas and her coach on the big screen at the P&G Family Home.

We’ll share more photos and news from the P&G Family Home throughout the week.

Procter & Gamble is one of the Worldwide Olympic Partners at the London 2012 Olympic Games. This week P&G opened their private “home away from home” that will help keep U.S. moms connected with their athletes and families in a relaxed environment. The P&G U.S. Family Home is a 65,000 square foot space which is estimated to host approximately 1,500 athletes and family members each day.  We’re excited to see this venue in person and will report back with coverage from London next week.

Procter & Gamble Opens the P&G U.S. Family Home for Team USA and Their Families at the London 2012 Olympic Games
P&G Family Home is “Home away from Home” Featuring Services from Leading Brands including Pampers®, Tide®, Pantene®, Crest®, Duracell® and Gillette®

LONDON, July 26, 2012 – Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG), a Worldwide Olympic Partner, today announced the opening of the P&G U.S. Family Home at the London 2012 Olympic Games. This private “home away from home” will help keep U.S. moms connected with their athletes and families in London in a relaxed, family-friendly environment.

The P&G U.S. Family Home is part of P&G’s “Thank you, Mom” campaign, which focuses on recognizing the role moms play in raising great kids. P&G will provide Team USA family members with a place to come together, have meals, watch the Olympic Games, meet other Team USA families and celebrate medal wins for Team USA at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The Family Home is an extension of P&G’s “Thank you, Mom” gift, which also included a $1,000 Visa reward card to every mom of a U.S. Olympian and Paralympian to help offset travel costs to watch their kids compete.

P&G launched its first Family Home in collaboration with the USOC at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Following an overwhelmingly positive response, P&G will again open its doors to hundreds of Team USA athletes, coaches and families.

“Because P&G is in the business of helping moms, we are proud to host moms and their families at the P&G U.S. Family Home during one of the most exciting times in their lives,” said Jodi Allen, P&G Vice President, North America Operations and Marketing, and herself a mother of four. “Every day, P&G brands help make the lives of moms everywhere just a little bit easier, and we want to make sure moms of U.S. Olympians feel the same comfort of home while in London.”

The P&G Beauty Salon offers eight salon stations offering a range of services from P&G beauty brands including Pantene, CoverGirl, Olay, Secret, Venus and Clairol. Photo credit Eamonn MacCormack for Getty/P&G

The P&G U.S. Family Home will offer services from P&G’s vast portfolio of industry-leading brands, including Pantene®, Crest®, Duracell® and Head & Shoulders®. Brands will offer a number of amenities to guests, including pampering for moms by CoverGirl® and Olay®, shaves for dads by Gillette®, a Pampers® play area for toddlers, and complimentary laundry service by Tide® and Downy®. The P&G Family Home will also welcome a number of high-profile entertainers and legendary athletes, including John MacReady, who will be at the Family Home to host parties and events and Olympic gymnastics legend Shawn Johnson, who will be P&G’s official London correspondent reporting daily from the Family Home on behind-the-scenes activity with moms and athletes. Reports from Johnson will be featured on the P&G “Thank you, Mom” Facebook page and on www.pg.com.

“The P&G U.S. Family Home will allow U.S. athletes the opportunity to spend invaluable time with their families during the most intense and taxing experience of their life,” said Lisa Baird, USOC’s chief marketing officer. “This safe haven is one that will allow them to have peace of mind and time to focus on the competition. The U.S. Family Home truly exemplifies the strength of P&G’s commitment to the Olympic Movement.”

The P&G U.S. Family Home will be open twelve hours a day from Friday, July 27 through Sunday, August 12.

About P&G
P&G touches and improves the lives of about 4.4 billion people around the world with its portfolio of trusted, quality brands. The Company’s leadership brands include Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Fairy®, Gain®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun®, Fusion®, Ace®, Febreze®, and Ambi Pur®. With operations in about 80 countries, P&G brands are available in more than 180 countries worldwide. Please visit pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

About the USOC
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole entity in the United States whose mission involves training, entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. In addition to being the steward of the U.S. Olympic Movement, the USOC is the moving force for support of sports in the United States that are on the program of the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org.

Lead Photo credit Eamonn MacCormack for Getty/P&G

TIME magazine did a tremendous job with their newest issue. The July 30, 2012 issue features three different Olympic athletes, two of which are females. Popular track-star, Lolo Jones is shown sprinting out of the blocks on one edition. Gymnast Gabby Douglas is featured in a beautiful, graceful image on another version. Swimmer Ryan Lochte is shown performing a backstroke on the rendition of his cover.

All three covers are beautifully done. The photography was captured by high-profile New York photographer Martin Schoeller. Time also has a variety of covers for their International issues, which are also very well done. Check out the feature on Martin’s 2012 U.S. Olympian Portraits on TIME.COM. You can also see more images and web exclusive content on the site.

These two images are great. Lolo hurdling a dog and Gabby stretching at the fridge of her host family. Great stuff! See more here on TIME.com.

Olympic Hurdler Lolo Jones via TIME.com / Martin Schoeller.

Gymnast Gabby Douglas via TIME.com / Martin Schoeller.

All images via TIME.com / Martin Schoeller.

Every four years, during the Olympic Games, world-class athletes become the center of attention for sports enthusiasts and casual fans alike. There are always a handful of athletes who get a bit more attention than others and oe of those athletes, is Team USA’s Olympic Hurdler, Lolo Jones. The 29-year old speedster has “fought and crawled” her way to the top and captured the attention of magazines, sponsors and fans along the way.

Lolo is featured on the August cover of OXYGEN, a popular female fitness magazine. If you follow her on twitter (@lolojones) you get a feel for her personality. When she isn’t joking about her dating life (or lack of having a boyfriend) she’s tweeting humorous things like “Coach, told me to go do a pool workout. So I went & did some Push ups next to the pool. What?! I aint gettin this hair wet #mixedchick #afro.”

Featured Spread – Oxygen Magazine – August 2012 via OXYGENMAG.com

Lolo has been focused on one goal, Olympic Gold. She had the fastest time in the 100M Hurdles heading into the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was a favorite to win. She was on her way to accomplishing that goal until she clipped a hurdle in the finals. She finished out of medal contention and has been waiting for redemption since that moment. She’s currently in London hoping to take care of unfinished business.

Lolo Jones on the August Cover of Oxygen Magazine – via Oxygenmag.com

Oxygen interviewed Lolo and features her rigorous workout regime in the August issue. You can read the interview where she provides a sample Protein Fruit Smoothie recipe and shares insight on her favorite things. Follow Lolo on twitter @lolojones.

Lead image via Oxygenmag.com.