Big Read
Esther Vergeer, unbeaten wheelchair tennis queen of nine years, is ready for a London 2012 gold before she retires from play
By Tom Degun
Although it is a title of such huge prestige, Dutch wheelchair tennis star Esther Vergeer (pictured) has truly earned the right to be called the most dominant player in professional sports.The 30 year old from the Netherlands has unbelievably remained unbeaten in her last 452 singles wheelchair tennis matches in an unprecedented winning streak that goes right back to January 2003.
The legendary streak has seen her pick up every major title in the sport, including each of the four Grand Slams (the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open) on numerous occasions in both singles and doubles.
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British Paralympic star Ben Rushgrove on how making the perfect cuppa has everything to do with London 2012 success
By Mike Rowbottom
Britons, famously, are obsessed with a nice cup of tea. Miss Jane Marple. She liked nothing better than a nice cup of tea. Apart from solving gruesome murders, that is. And Boy George. He liked tea better than sex, or at least he once said he did before it turned out that he preferred heroin more than anything.When Ben Rushgrove, Britain's Paralympic and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) world 100 metre silver medallist, starts talking about a nice cup of tea, or more accurately a good cup of tea, it soon becomes clear that he is talking about more than just a cup of tea.
No, of course he's not talking about murder. Or heroin. He's talking about...well, why not let him explain?
She may be a veteran but Balding still daunted by leading coverage of London 2012 Paralympics
By Tom Degun
It was back in January 2010 when it was announced that Channel 4 would broadcast the London 2012 Paralympic Games in a deal worth more than £5 million ($7 million/€6 million). The news came as a shock to most, particularly given that the BBC had shown every Paralympic Games since 1980 and invested several million pounds into promoting disability sport.However, it was explained that the Channel 4 deal would provide the event and Paralympic sport the strongest pre-Games and Games-time broadcast coverage ever, as well as more marketing support than it had received before in the UK. Channel 4 has so far emphatically delivered on their promise with a number of Paralympic programmes, including "That Paralympic Show" and "Best of British", having proved hugely successful.
Two hundred days to go and counting...
By Tim Hollingsworth
As the calendar moved in to 2012, everyone involved in the incredible project that is the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games could not help but feel the excitement and intensity of what is ahead of us rise up a notch or two.Since January 1 the year has been notable for a number of milestones being reached – perhaps for some it feels like every day marks some element in their preparations.
Today is a particularly special one however for everyone involved in the Paralympic Movement. It marks 200 days to go to the start of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
Blake hopes the force will be with him at London 2012
By Katy Anderson
David Rudisha, the 800-metre world record holder, is Paul Blake's athletics inspiration. That's because he's run 1min 41.01sec, right? Well...not entirely, because IPC world 400m champion Blake – an 800m world record holder in his own right and a world silver medallist over 800m and 1500m – respects Rudisha as much, if not more, for his 45.50 personal best for the one-lap event.
Blake is now working to reduce his own 400m time in a bid to succeed over 400m and 800m at this year's London 2012 Paralympic Games: "From a practical perspective I think it's better for me to focus on the 400m and the 800m rather than mixing in the 1500m," he says. "I find it quite difficult to balance between three events because different sessions (speed versus endurance) need different focus and recovery."
More Articles...
- Sailing stars Rickham and Birrell are ready for the biggest year of their lives
- Why sport, not disability, must be the prime focus of the London 2012 Paralympics
- The remarkable Baroness Grey-Thompson could teach Sepp Blatter a thing or two
- Mosher prepared for uphill task to get Para-snowboarding in the Games
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Wheelchair tennis star Esther Vergeer is the most dominant person in sport but as the London 2012 Paralympics approach she admits staying at the top is bringing increasing pressure. Tom Degun reports
