The oldest Olympic swimmer to win a medal was American Dara Torres, who was 41 years, 4 months and 2 days old when, alongside teammates Natalie Coughlin, Rebecca Soni and Christine Magnuson, she won a silver medal in the women’s 4 x 100-metre medley relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Representing the United States at her fifth Olympics, making her the first swimmer to do so, Torres also won silver medals in the 50-metre freestyle and 4 x 100-metre freestyle relay events, thereby her tally of Olympic medals to twelve. Alongside compatriot Jennifer Thompson she is, jointly, the most successful female Olympic swimmer in history.
Born in Beverly Hills, California on April 15, 1967, Torres was, in fact, already the oldest female Olympic swimmer to win a medal. On September 23, 2000, at the age of 33 years, 5 months and 8 days, she swam the anchor leg in the final of the women’s 4 x 100-metre medley relay at the Sydney Olympics; alongside teammates Barbara Bedford, Megan Quann and Jennifer Thompson, she not only won the gold medal, but also set a new world record time of 3:58.30. However, her three medals in Beijing made her the oldest Olympic swimmer, male or female, to win a medal.
The previous record was held by William Robinson, who was born in Airdrie in North Lanarkshire, Scotland on June 23, 1870 and was 38 years and 25 days old when he represented Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. Robinson won the silver medal in the inaugural men’s 200-metre breakstroke event at White City Stadium, thereby setting a record that would stand for a century.
Of course, in its modern noun sense, the term ‘jockey’ is used to describe a person who rides in horse races, especially professionally. However, ‘Jockey’ was originally the diminutive, or familiar, form of ‘Jock’, which, in the North of England and Scotland, is a nickname for John, dating back to the late medieval period. For example, John Howard, First Duke of Norfolk, who was killed on Bosworth Field in 1485, while fighting for King Richard III, was known colloquially as ‘Jockey of Norfolk’. Indeed, Howard was referenced as such by William Shakespeare in his chronical play ‘Richard III’, which was written circa 1592-1594.
Aside from its use as a proper name, ‘Jockey’ was also employed generically – in the sense of ‘Tom, Dick or Harry’ – as the name of an ordinary, or subordinate, man or boy. In this respect, the term was used specifically to describe an estafette, or mounted courier, which led to the current sense circa 1670.According to John Camden Hotten, author of ‘The Slang Dictionary’, ‘jockey’ is derived from the Gipsy language, specifically from the word ‘ chuckni’, meaning ‘whip’.
‘Jockey’ was also used, in a secondary sense, to describe horse traders and other individuals with a reputation for dishonesty and so came to mean a cheat, shark or trickster. Thus, in its verb sense, ‘jockey’ came to mean to manipulate, outwit ot trick, in an effort to gain an advantage, probably pecuniary. Naturally enough, term was also used to describe the behaviour of jockeys manoeuvring for position, to gain an advantage, during a horse race.
The most expensive boxing match in 2022 was the highly anticipated showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol.
Held in Nevada, Las Vegas, in the T-Mobile Arena, it was the 7th of May 2022 when these two fighters went toe to toe and what a fight it turned out to be. In fact, the fight was so big, it was broadcast on DAZN and generated a revenue of $160 million – a staggering amount of money.
Canelo Alvarez, the defending WBA (Super) light heavyweight champion, faced off against Dmitry Bivol, the reigning WBA (Super) light heavyweight champion. Both fighters brought their A-game, delivering a thrilling display of skill, power, and strategy. The fight proved to be a closely contested battle, with each boxer showcasing their remarkable talent and determination.
The significant cost of the fight can be attributed to several key factors. Firstly, Canelo Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol are highly popular and respected fighters, boasting loyal fan bases that eagerly anticipated this encounter. Secondly, the fight carried immense stakes, as it aimed to unify the WBA (Super) light heavyweight titles, adding an extra layer of excitement and prestige. Lastly, the match garnered a substantial number of pay-per-view buys, further contributing to its financial success.
The promotion of the fight played a crucial role in its elevated status. Matchroom Boxing, a renowned and successful boxing promoter, orchestrated a stellar marketing campaign, heightening the anticipation and ensuring a global audience.
Overall, the Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol match exemplified the pinnacle of boxing entertainment in 2022. Its record-breaking revenue and electrifying atmosphere showcased the enduring allure and commercial appeal of this captivating sport.
Anyone with more than a passing interest in matters of promotion and relegation in the English Football League (EFL) probably does not need reminding that Peterborough United missed out on a place in the 2023 League One play-off final in bizarre fashion. The Posh led 4-0 after the first leg of their semi-final against Sheffield Wednesday at the ABAX Stadium on May 12, but, at Hillsborough six days later, conceded four goals in normal time, including an equaliser in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
In extra-time, an own goal by Owls’ striker Lee Gregory put Peterborough back ahead, 5-4 on aggregate, but Wednesday pulled level again, through Callum Patterson, to take the tie to penalties. In the resulting shoot-out, full-back Dan Butler, who hit the crossbar, was the only player to miss a penalty, thereby sending the Owls to Wembley under the unlikeliest of circumstances.
In happier times, Peterbrough United were promoted to the Football League First Division, as it was known at the time, at the end of the 1991/92 season, having won the Third Division play-offs. To avoid any confusion, following the creation of the Premier League in February, 1992, the Second Division was renamed the First Division, the Third Division was renamed the Second Division and so on. Similarly, since the second tier of the EFL officially became known as the ‘Football League Championship’ in 2004/05, the Posh have been promoted to the division on three separate occasions, although their stay has never lasted more than a season or two.
In 2007/08 and 2008/09, Petetborough achieved successive promotions, but, in 2009/10 – a season in which they had four different managers – they finished bottom of the Championship and were immediately relegated back to Football League One. They were promoted again in 2010/11, under Darren Ferguson, but relegated again in 2012/13, and although promoted again in 2020/21, under the reappointed Ferguson – who was taking charge of the club for the third time – lasted just a single season in the Championship before being relegated again.
The revival of the Olympic Games, in 1896, was due to the creativity and endeavour of several people, not least Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin. On June 23, 1894, Coubertin organised the inaugural Olympic Congress at Sorbonne University, which led to the foundation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). One of the stated aims of the Olympic Movement was, and still is, ‘to bring together the athletes of the world in a great quadrennial festival of sports thereby creating international respect and goodwill’. Olympia, on the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece, was the home of the ancient Olympic Games, believed to date back to 776 BCE. Hence, Athens, capital of the Hellenic Republic, was unanimously chosen as the host city for the Games of the I Olympiad .
Thereafter, notwithstanding cancellations in 1940 and 1944, the next twelve Olympic Games were staged exclusively in the Northern Hemisphere and, with the exceptions of St. Louis in 1904 and Los Angeles in 1932 – both of which are, of course, in North America – exclusively in Europe. The first Olympic Games held in the Southern Hemisphere were, in fact, the Games of the XVI Olympiad, staged in Melbourne, Australia in late November and early December, 1956. In fact, only two cities, both in the Southern Hemisphere, made it to the final round of bidding, with Melbourne selected as the host city ahead of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina.
Eight nations boycotted the Games, for various reasons, and equestrian events were held in Stockholm, Sweden the previous June because of Australian quarantine restrictions but, overall, the competiton was considered a huge success, despite the low number of participants. That said, violence erupted in the so-called ‘Blood in the Water’ water polo match between Hungary and the Soviet Union, which took place in the wake of the Hungarian Uprising, a popular insurrection that led to a Soviet invasion of the country in early November.