Search Results for "label/Dara%20Mama%20Club"

Judoka Xian Dongmei wins the fifth gold for China. It seems like Chinese athletes are not buckling under the tremendous hometown pressure. Good for them. I hope my favorite, Liu Xiang, will pass the test as well.

Meanwhile, it’s still all quiet on the western front. They have two gold medals so far after two days of Olympic competition. Should the Americans start worrying now? Well, it’s too early to tell.

Going back to Xian Dongmei, we should include her in our Dara Mama Club or the elite group of older women athletes or working moms who are participating in the Olympics. Xian is 32 years old [kind of old for sports in general] and is a proud mom to her 18 month old daughter.

A quote from Xian on being a working mom/athlete [via xinhuanet]:

“It is very common for judokas from other countries to continue their career with families, but in China I am probably the only mama judoka for the moment” Xian said.

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Here’s the list of triathletes expected to compete in Beijing. Note that they’re listed here according to their start number as determined in a random draw by the International Triathlon Union.

The Olympian to watch in this event would be Austria’s Kate Allen [above] who will try to defend her Olympic title at the ripe old age of 38. Some of you, of course, know that this blog has a soft spot for older athletes [that's why we have the Dara Mama Club], so we will be cheering for Kate. Go, Kate!

By the way, can you smell triskadekaphobia in the start numbers below? I’m not gonna judge because I sort of have the phobia too

From triathlon.org:

Women
1 Bonin Charlotte ITA
2 Cortassa Nadia ITA
3 Dittmer Anja GER
4 Lisk Ricarda GER
5 Pilz Christiane GER
6 Di Marco Messmer Magali SUI
7 Ryf Daniela SUI
8 Spirig Nicola SUI
9 Harrison Jessica FRA
10 Peon Carole FRA
11 Allen Kate AUT
12 Dollinger Eva AUT
14 Haiboeck Tania AUT
15 Ide Juri JPN
16 Niwata Kiyomi JPN
17 Ueda Ai JPN
18 Czesnik Maria POL
19 Dederko Ewa POL
20 Groves Lauren CAN
21 Murray Carolyn CAN
22 Tremblay Kathy CAN
23 Frintova Vendula CZE
24 Zemanova Lenka CZE
25 Hewitt Andrea NZL
26 Tanner Debbie NZL
27 Warriner Samantha NZL
28 Duffy Flora BER
29 Corona Adriana Fabiola MEX
30 Avil Hollie GBR
31 Tucker Helen GBR
32 Densham Erin AUS
33 Moffatt Emma AUS
34 Snowsill Emma AUS
35 Riveros Diaz Barbara CHI
36 Szabo Zita HUN
37 Burgos Ana ESP
38 Murua Ainhoa ESP
39 Mensink Lisa NED
40 Bennett Laura USA
41 Ertel Julie USA
42 Haskins Sarah USA
43 Sapunova Yuliya UKR
44 Xing Lin CHN
45 Zhang Yi CHN
46 Rabie Mari RSA
47 Roberts Kate RSA
48 Ohata Mariana BRA
49 Mak So Ning Tania HKG
50 Norden Lisa SWE
51 Abyssova Irina RUS
52 Zausaylova Olga RUS
53 Davis Emma IRL
54 Fernandes Vanessa POR
55 Dimaki Deniz GRE
56 May Elizabeth LUX

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Merlene Ottey is 48 years old — 4 years older than Dara Torres — but she just might make it to her 8th Olympic Games if she manages to qualify before the qualification deadline on Wednesday. Merlene has been participating in the Olympics since 1980 representing Jamaica and Slovenia [in 2004]. She boasts of three gold medals from the World Championships but is less successful in the Olympics where she bagged three silvers and five bronzes.

Merlene will be joining our Dara Mama Club if she makes it to Beijing. Go Merlene.

Photo source: virginmedia

Meet the newest member of our Dara Mama Club: Australian basketball player, Rohanee Cox. Here’s some info about Rohanee from olympics.com.au:

During the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) season in 2000, Rohanee Cox suffered severe anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) damage to her left knee.

The injury looked sure to end her basketball career when two seasons later while playing for Perth, she damaged the same knee again.

“Back then, I never thought I would play basketball again,” Cox said.

“I lost my passion for the game and took much needed time out.”

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Argh! This is bad news to the fans of Australian hurdler Jana Rawlinson and to those of us who are certified members of the Dara Mama Fans Club.

Jana, according to reports, will not be participating in the Beijing Olympics because of a toe injury. Bad, bad, bad toe. Why did it “decide” to get injured at this time. Jana is currently the world record holder in the 400 meter hurdles so she really has a good chance of bagging the gold medal in Beijing.

Anyways, we here at The Olympics Blog hope that Jana Mama — she’s mom to one year old Cornelis Levi — will emulate Dara Torres and that she will continue to pursue her Olympic dreams despite this recent setback.

By the way, the Dara Mama Fans Club — named after Dara Torres — are composed of those of us cheering for mom Olympians who are proving that neither motherhood nor old age is a hindrance to Olympic success. Go, Dara Mamas.

Related:
Dara Torres Makes Another Olympic Bid
Dara Mama Club: Melanie Roach

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