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Tavernier ready for her next challenge

Alexandra Tavernier of France took the European under-23 hammer title followed by bronze in Beijing.

A few weeks earlier in August, Poland’s Anita Wlodarczyk had become the first woman to break the 80m barrier with 81.08m and in qualifying in China, she was the furthest with 75.01m. Yet not far behind in second with 74.39m was 21-year-old Frenchwoman Alexandra Tavernier and it became a familiar story.

It was some summer for Tavernier, who a month earlier had been crowned European under-23 champion (72.05m) and now was taking on the greatest in the business. 

In the final, Wlodarczyk, 30, led after the opening round with 74.40m and there was Tavernier again, snapping at her heels in second spot with 74.02m.

In the end that distance proved to be the best for the French star but it was enough for a memorable bronze medal - and no doubt a glimpse of where she would like to be one day as Wlodarczyk took gold with a championship record (80.85m).

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By early evening in Arad this Sunday, Tavernier will hope to discover just where she is in 2016 as she finds herself in another strong field at the 16th European Throwing Cup.

Group A of the senior hammer women is the last event of this two-day competition and the victory ceremony itself will take place during the closing banquet.
Will the audience be rising to honour Tavernier?

The next challenge in her aspiring career will see her face the woman Wlodarczyk replaced as world record-holder in 2014, Germany’s Betty Heidler.

Heidler held the mark of 79.42m and the German remains one of the major forces in the event as the 2010 European champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medallist.

She was seventh in Beijing (72.56m) a place ahead of Zalina Marghieva (72.38m) and it is the Moldovan who leads the world so far this year with a 74.21m national record throw in Chisinau on 6 February. 
No doubt she will be looking to go even further in Romania.

CREDIT:http://www.european-athletics.org/competitions/european-throwing-cup/news/article=tavernier-ready-for-her-next-challenge/

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Nestle ends IAAF sponsorship deal amid doping crisis

Food and drink giant Nestle has ended its sponsorship of the IAAF, as it fears the doping scandal engulfing the world athletics governing body could damage its reputation.

The Swiss company said it had taken the decision with "immediate effect".
However, IAAF president Lord Coe said he was "angered" by the decision and would "not accept" it.

Last month, sportswear giant Adidas ended its sponsorship deal with the IAAF.

"We have decided to end our partnership with the IAAF Kids Athletics programme with immediate effect," Nestle said.


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"This decision was taken in light of negative publicity associated with allegations of corruption and doping in sport made against the IAAF.

"We believe this could negatively impact our reputation and image and will therefore terminate our existing agreement with the IAAF, established in 2012.

"We have informed the IAAF of our decision and await a formal acknowledgment from them that our partnership has ended."

Big loss

Lord Coe responded strongly, simply saying he was "angered and dismayed by today's kids' athletics announcement.
"We will not accept it. It's the kids who will suffer."

In a wider statement, the IAAF also emphasised the number of children that would be affected by Nestle's decision.

"In 2016, IAAF Kids' Athletics plans to reach a further 15 countries, training 360 lecturers, instructing 8,640 physical education teachers, with three million children participating by the end of the activation," the governing body said.

The IAAF is reeling in the face of widespread allegations of corruption and bribery. New president Lord Coe was brought in to clean up the organisation, and has been travelling the world trying to ease the concerns of corporate sponsors.

The loss of Nestle, coming so soon after Adidas, is a big blow to the body.

While Nestle was in the final year of its deal, Adidas' 11-year sponsorship deal, reportedly worth $33m (£23m), was due to run until 2019.

However, sources have told the BBC the figure was much higher and worth up to $8m a year.

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Athletics doping scandal: Ukad to conduct drug tests in Russia

Russia doping crisis in 60 seconds

UK Anti-Doping will provide "targeted and intelligence-led testing" on Russian athletes after signing a deal with the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Wada says Ukad will take control of drug-testing in Russia as long as the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (Rusada) remains non-compliant with Wada's code.

Rusada was declared non-compliant in November following allegations it was involved in widespread doping.
Its athletes remain banned from international competition.

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That suspension was imposed on 13 November after the publication of an independent Wada report that alleged "state-sponsored doping".
The ban will remain in place until Russia convinces athletics authorities it has sufficiently changed its practices.

Wada's statement said Ukad would be responsible for co-ordinating testing with the appropriate sport federations in the country.

It added: "Results management of all cases will be managed by a designated independent body, with full oversight by Wada."

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Jessica Ennis-Hill's coach says Zika virus risk means Rio Olympics camp should be moved outside Brazil

Toni Minichiello wants the British Olympic Association to move the pre-games preparation camp to a bug-free zone outside the host nation

Concern: Jess with her coach Toni Minichiello

The coach of Olympic champ Jessica Ennis-Hill says British athletes should not be based in Brazil before this year’s Rio games because of the Zika virus .

Toni Minichiello called on the British Olympic Association to move the preparation camp to a bug-free zone outside the host country.

The call came as it was revealed today that there are now four confirmed cases of the Zika virus in the UK.

Public Health England’s Dr Dilys Morgan said four “travel-associated” cases of the bug had been found in the last six weeks.
Thousands of athletes will flock to Rio de Janeiro for the world’s biggest sporting event , taking place from August 5 to 21.

But the Zika emergency has raised fears for their health, particularly for young women.

Gold medal-winning heptathlete Jess, 30, was the poster girl of the London 2012 Games.
In July 2014, she gave birth to her first child, Reggie.

Some health experts believe women who have travelled to affected zones should not get pregnant until 2018 because of the risk of serious birth defects from Zika.
 
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Jess’ long-serving trainer Minichello wants the Team GB pre-games preparation camp moved from the
Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte following an infestation of mosquitoes carrying the virus.

He said: “Coaches have a duty of care and I certainly would not be encouraging an athlete to go anywhere that could have long-term effects.

“We should be looking at finding a camp that minimises the risk.

“Coaches spend their lives trying to get athletes as healthy as possible.

“We have to try to minimise the risk, and that might mean flying in as late as possible.”

Carrier: The Zika virus is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito

The Zika virus has cast a shadow over this year’s Olympics - on Tuesday the head of Kenya’s team suggested it might withdraw from the games.

The Australian Olympic Committee has said it would ‘totally understand’ if female athletes decided not to compete.

And the United States Olympic Committee told US sports federations athletes and staff concerned for their health over the virus should not consider going to Rio.
 
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Whitehall officials have held talks with the BOA, according to the Department of Health’s deputy director for emergency preparedness, resilience and response.

Games on: The Olympic Stadium in Rio

Graeme Tunbridge told MPs: “The real concern is around pregnant women travelling, so the advice is really focusing on that.

“Currently, the advice that’s going to athletes is mirroring the public health advice that’s going to the broader population.”

The risk during August is lower because it is not mosquito season, he added.

“Brazil is doing an awful lot in terms of control measures, so they are managing the risk,” said Mr Tunbridge.

 

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