Unlikely slalom victory in yet another of those sports the British conceived – then spent the next 100 years losing atIt was hard not to be charmed by Dave Ryding’s slalom victory at Kitzbühel. His story has a little of everything the British want in their favourite winter Olympians; an unlikely beginning on a dry ski slope in Pendle, a homespun background, training in a shed his father built in the back garden and a mulish stubborn streak that meant he graduated on to the elite skiing circuit when he was 28. That’s the sort of age when most people would be thinking about quitting already, and that, at 35, made him the country’s first World Cup race winner. “Ein...
The ski-jumper, who won five Olympic medals, had an otherworldly talent but not the sense, or support, he needed to cope with the fame it won himMatti Nykänen used to fly so far, so fast that it felt as if he would never come down. When the Finn broke the world ski jump record for the fifth, and final, time at Planica in 1985 he was moving so quickly that the cameraman struggled to track him through the air.Watching the footage you wonder if he might disappear into the yonder off the far side of the screen. In those days, the mid-1980s, Nykänen was the best ski jumper in the world and almost unbeatable. The records were the least of...
Our writers offer their choices for the highest honours at the prestigious ceremony, from Ronnie O’Sullivan to Tracey NevilleRonnie O’Sullivan has been winning for 25 years now: five world championships, seven Masters and seven UK titles, the latest of them this month. His 19th major victory means he has overtaken Stephen Hendry and become the most successful player in snooker history. Related: The Anti-Sports Personality of the Year awards 2018 | Simon Burnton Related: Dina Asher-Smith a real contender for BBC Sports Personality of the Year Related: Who are the team of 2018? My vote goes to England’s women netballers Continue reading...
This week’s roundup also features Elizabeth Swaney’s dreams coming true and Fabio Fognini dropping some magic1) It is the League Cup final on Sunday. Let’s harp back to 1988 and Arsenal v Luton: “Oh Dear, it’s Gus Caesar”. Also of yesteryear, Obafemi Martins in 2011. For fonder Arsenal League Cup final memories, here’s their win over Liverpool in 1987, which brought their first trophy under George Graham. And for Manchester City fans, here’s Peter Barnes and Dennis Tueart delivering Wembley glory in 1976. Related: Futsal finals, muddy faceplants and Luís Boa Morte on MTV Cribs Continue reading...
From British speed skater Elise Christie to American prodigy Nathan Chen, via Nigeria’s unlikely bobsleigh team, a unified Korean women’s ice hockey side and moreFour years have passed since Elise Christie had an Olympic silver medal ripped from her in Sochi, and for far too many sleepless nights it remained an open sore. But three world titles last year finally extinguished that pain and the brilliant Scottish short-track speed skater goes into Pyeongchang with strong chances of a medal in the 500m and 1000m. Even a podium place in the 1500m may not be beyond her. Continue reading...