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.

Jena Tarmoh tied training partner Allyson Felix in the Women’s 100 meters. The photo finished showed both women crossing the line at the exact same time, 11.068 seconds. Surprisingly, The U.S. Olympic Committee has no protocol in place to determine how such an occurrence will be handled. On Tuesday, Scott Blackmun, U.S. Olympic Committee CEO said, “We all got blindsided a little bit.” This after Tarmoh declined to runoff despite initially agreeing to do so.

 

Initially Tarmoh celebrated on the the track when she was initially shown as the third place finisher in the 100 meter. She was later informed that she had in fact tied for the third place spot. The Olympic Committee left the decision to the athletes, they women could have a coin toss or a runoff. The coin toss seems a bit juvenile for such a prestigious spot, at least in my opinion. These athletes train years in hopes of securing a spot on the Olympic team.

When it was announced on Sunday that a runoff would take place people were excited. This had all the makings of “must see” tv. How often do women’s sports capture world wide attention and become the lead sports story? Not very often at all. There were multiple story lines heading into the event. Two training partners facing off with only one Olympic spot available. Tarmoh feeling slighted and Felix rejuvenated after smoking the field in the 200 meters.

Nike Running shared this image via facebook when news broke that the two women would be racing for the final spot. Thousands of fans “liked” it and were excited for the event.

 

Jeneba decided the runoff was not for her and conceded her spot to Allyson. Allyson tweeted, “We dedicate our lives for a shot at our dreams. Very disappointed I didn’t get to earn my 100m spot. I love & respect my friend regardless.” Obviously this was an emotional time for both athletes. Is it a decision Tarmoh will look back on years from now and wish she had competed in the race-off? I’d think so but that’s for her to decide. When an opportunity only comes along once every four years you have to take advantage and seize the day. If not it will be a long four years before that chance comes along again and who knows how your body will hold up along the way. Some athletes get better, stronger, faster and others well not so much.

Tarmoh will still compete in the Olympics on the USA 400 meter relay.

(Photo by USATF)

Women of Saudi Arabia have never been allowed to compete in the Olympics but that may all change at this year’s Olympic Games. Saudi Arabia along with Qatar and Brueni have never sent women to the Olympic games. Saudi Arabia has been one of the only countries in the world that does not permit women to participate in organized sports.

A 2008 report on BBCnews.com hinted that increased pressure was being placed on Saudi Arabia to allow women into the Olympics games. The article implied that if women were not allowed to enter, the male team would barred from competition.

PRESS RELEASE:

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) – A Saudi Arabian newspaper says Crown Prince Nayef has approved plans for the ultra conservative Muslim country to send female athletes to the Olympics for the first time at the London Games.

The Saudi-owned and London-based Al-Hayat newspaper says Nayef, who is heir to the aging king, has approved the participation of women at the London Olympics in sports that “meet the standards of women’s decency and don’t contradict Islamic laws.”

Saudi sports officials could not be reached to confirm Tuesday’s report in the Arabic-language newspaper.

The IOC said Monday that progress has been made in talks with Saudi Olympic officials on sending female athletes and officials to the games.

Saudi Arabia is one of three countries that have never included women on their Olympic teams, along with Qatar and Brunei. The International Olympic Committee is now hopeful that all three will send female representatives to London, marking the first time every competing nation does so.

“The IOC is confident that Saudi Arabia is working to include women athletes and officials at the Olympic Games in London in accordance with the international federations’ rules,” the IOC said Monday.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said in an interview with The Associated Press last week that he was “optimistic” that Saudi Arabia would send women to London.

“It depends on the possibilities of qualifications, standards of different athletes,” he said. “We’re still discussing the various options.”

Photo via: news.bbc.co.uk