Posted
7-18-08
Olympic News Roundup
Cheney replaces injured Wambach on U.S. women's roster
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Forward Lauren Cheney will replace Abby Wambach on the U.S. women's Olympic soccer team after the USA's leading scorer broke her leg in the first half of the USA's 1-0 victory over Brazil Wednesday night in San Diego.
"There are obviously tons of emotions going through me right now," Cheney said. "I have the deepest sorrow for Abby, but I am excited to be part of the 18 going to the Olympics. Abby is one of the players who took all of us young players under her wing. She has always been there to help us out and guide us. Abby is irreplaceable, but I'm ready for any role I am asked to fill, and I'll do anything I can to help the team win the gold medal. In China, we'll be playing for our country and ourselves, but also for Abby."
The 20-year-old Cheney was originally named as an alternate to the 2008 Olympic team, but will now replace Wambach on the 18-player roster.
Wambach underwent successful surgery Thursday morning at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, Calif., to repair her leg.
Following is the U.S. women's Olympic 18-player roster:
GOALKEEPERS: Nicole Barnhart, Hope Solo.
DEFENDERS: Rachel Buehler, Lori Chalupny, Stephanie Cox, Kate Markgraf, Heather Mitts, Christie Rampone.
MIDFIELDERS: Shannon Boxx, Tobin Heath, Angela Hucles, Carli Lloyd, Heather O'Reilly, Lindsay Tarpley, Aly Wagner.
FORWARDS: Natasha Kai, Amy Rodriguez, Lauren Cheney.
South Africa keeps Pistorius off Olympic team
Johannesburg, South Africa (Sports Network) - Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius will not compete in the upcoming Olympics after South Africa failed to include him on its Beijing roster.
Pistorius won an appeal from the Court of Arbitration for Sport in May to overturn a January ruling by track and field's governing body that said prosthetic blades give the South African an unfair advantage over able-bodied runners. The ruling gave Pistorius the opportunity to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.
However, Pistorius still had to reach a qualifying time and failed to do so in the 400 meters. He could have been selected as an alternate for the 1,600- meter relay team, but the South African Olympic organization chose others with faster times to complete the team.
Olympic qualifying time for the 400 meters is 45.55 seconds, and earlier this week Pistorius set a personal best time of 46.25.
The International Association of Athletics Federations said in its January 14 verdict that Pistorius' "cheetahs" are considered technical aids and are in clear violation of an IAAF rule.
CAS, however, disagreed and overturned the ruling in May, citing that the IAAF "did not meet its burden of proof."
Pistorius was born without fibulas in both legs due to a congenital condition. He has set records in the 100, 200 and 400 meter sprints at Paralympic events, while running with the aid of carbon fiber transtibial artificial limbs.
USA Olympic beach volleyball teams named
Colorado Springs, CO (Sports Network) - Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Walsh and Elaine Youngs were among the eight athletes chosen to represent the United States at the Olympics in beach volleyball in Beijing.
This will mark a third Olympic Games for May-Treanor, Walsh and Youngs.
May-Treanor and Walsh are the defending Olympic gold medalists and three-time world champions.
Youngs played with the women's indoor volleyball team in 1996, and then won a bronze medal in beach volleyball with then partner Holly McPeak in Athens four years ago.
The other women's player is Nicole Branagh, who paired with Youngs, are ranked fifth among all qualified teams for Beijing.
Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, the 2007 world champions, are on one men's team. The other consists of Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal.
None of the U.S. men's players has prior Olympic experience.
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