Take a deep breath | A Column by Len Johnson
Take a deep breath. Contain your excitement. It is now only a few more sleeps before the Olympic Games open in Rio de Janeiro on 5 August.
The ‘take a deep breath’ advice is actually a little belated, given the extent...
RUSSIA RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS
A COLUMN BY LEN JOHNSON
Usain Bolt tells a London Diamond League media conference that his hamstring is ready to go for the Anniversary Games and Rio. The Court of Arbitration for Sport upholds an IAAF determination that 68 Russian athletes are not going to Rio.
Who...
Seat by the water-jump
Back in the good old days of Melbourne interclub, when every distance runner had to compete in the steeple for club points, you could always find the ghoulish type of spectator hanging around the water-jump.
Given the rudimentary nature of most steeplers’ hurdling technique, falls at the...
Norm Osborne, who passed away on 25 June after a long illness, was one of Australia’s pre-eminent coaches, guiding the careers of Olympic 400 metres silver medallist Rick Mitchell and former Australian 1500 metres record holders Marg Crowley and Mike Hillardt.
I should immediately add – “among many others”. Although...
Who Wins Again? A Column By Len Johnson
One of the games I like to play as a major championships looms is to ponder which champions might repeat their victories.
The game takes on a heightened significance in Olympic years. No gold shines brighter than Olympic gold, despite the introduction of...
Ghost Who Runs - Fast! | A Column by Len Johnson
Hunched of shoulder, stooped of frame, Ibrahim Jeilan’s running style resembles nothing more than a question mark.
If that is so, then the question Jeilan poses is this: can the last man to defeat Mo Farah for a global 5000...
Justice Delayed Finally Becomes Justice Delivered
Written By Len Johnson
Justice delayed is justice denied is an old legal maxim, but Jared Tallent belatedly received his Olympic gold medal at a ceremony in Melbourne on Friday.
After a couple of sunny early winter’s days, Melbourne was beset with persistent drizzle for the...
Did you see that? (we didn’t) | A Column by Len Johnson
During my years as a full-time journalist, I worked many times with Roy Masters.
A senior sports journalist with the Sydney Morning Herald, Roy had previously been an average country Rugby League player, a teacher and a successful NSW...
A Column By Len Johnson
When Linden Hall ran 4:01.78 for 1500 metres at the Prefontaine Classic last weekend, she leapt to third place on the Oceania all-time list.
Hall’s fabulous performance was also good enough for third all-time Australian and third all-time Victorian.
Fair enough, you might reckon. The opposite of...
Easy as 1, 2, 3 – not!
A, B, C
It’s easy as 1, 2, 3
As simple as Do-Re-Mi . . .
One, two, three: that may be how easy love can be, as the Jackson 5 sang long ago. Selection? Now that’s another thing altogether.
Two recent controversies – one in Ireland,...
