Tagged with athletes …

Aug 04 2012
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Entertainment

Olypmics’ Update: Katie Ledecky GOLD!

Katie Ledecky, 800-meter Freestyle Swimming Gold Medal Winner
By Kate E. Stephenson

Katie Ledecky, the 15-year-old phenom, won Gold last night in the most exciting long-distance swim race for the US in over 20 years. Breaking Janet Evan’s 1989 American 800-meter freestyle record of 8:16.22, Ledecky returned the gold to the US after an eight year shut out by Japan (Ai Shibata, 2004) and Britain (Rebecca Adlington, 2008). A full two seconds ahead of her nearest competitor and just 53 milliseconds behind the world record set by Adlington, Ledecky has proven that the future of swimming greatness is here! Alongside teammates Missy Franklin and Elizabeth Beisel, Ledecky harkens a new golden era of American Olympians.

I screamed, I hooted, I hollered when Ledecky cruised into the history books.
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Jul 26 2012
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Entertainment

9 Olympians who are named Katie

I have a theory. While Kates tend not to be the most athletic gals on the block, Katies are a whole different story. I don’t think it’s just a coincidence that every time I’ve written about an athlete on this site, her name has been Katie – from high school basketball phenom Katie Collier to runner Katie Flood, who holds the record for the world’s second fastest mile.

So I’m not too surprised to see that there are a lot Katies competing in the London Summer Olympics, kicking off tomorrow. Here, meet 9 of them.

The verdict on the most Katie-filled Olympic team? Britain’s synchronized swimming team, which runs three Katies deep.

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Jul 09 2012
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Entertainment

Katherine Green photographs the 1948 British Olympic team

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By Kate Torgovnick

The last time the Olympics were held in London, the year was 1948 and the event was a very different affair. World War II had just ended, for one thing. And athletes sure as heck didn’t train full-time — they had full time jobs. Many of them even sewed their own uniforms. Oh, and did I mention that food was rationed at the time?

Photographer Katherine Green is also fascinated by the differences between this year’s London Olympics, starting on July 27, and the 1948 games. And so she tracked down the top British athletes of the time and photographed them as they are now. That guy above? Why, he’s Jimmy McColl, the 1948 Olympic soccer player.

After the jump, check out more 1948 Olympians. And if you happen to be in London, head to Green’s exhibition of these photographs at the Tokarska Gallery.

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