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Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Olympic-level coach integral to the sport
A man described as a pioneer of swimming in New Zealand says he was not a swimmer of note himself, and "sort of drifted into coaching". Pleasant Point man Clive Power has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to swimming in the King's Birthday Honours. Mr Power has dedicated more than 50 years to coaching and mentoring both coaches and swimmers at all levels, and was instrumental in the success of some of New Zealand's top swimmers and swim coaches. He said the honour was a surprise, but one he was very appreciative of. While for most of his career he was based in the North Island, and in the recreation department at Christchurch Polytechnic, he and his wife Joyce moved to Pleasant Point 14 years ago, to be closer to their two sons. He picked up the role of coach at CBay when it opened, until a permanent appointment could be made. At 79, he says over the last couple of years he has "slowly petered out". "It's really time to step down and let the next generation come through." Educated mostly in Te Awamutu, before heading to university and teacher's college, his physical education background led to his career in coaching. "I used to look after 'the baths' and drifted in to coaching from that point on. "I wasn't a swimmer of any note at all, I played mostly water polo, but there wasn't the same number of coaches at that time, and it was just how things happened." The sport had changed considerably over the past 50 years, from lifting weights made out of concrete in the garage, to today's high-performance centres. "You had to be creative, you had to think about things a little more deeply, to make things work." Holding several positions at regional, national and international levels including as New Zealand swim team coach for several tours, Commonwealth Games, Olympics Games and Paralympics Games, Mr Power said there had been a lot of highlights. "To focus on one would be unkind to a lot of the athletes I coached." However, his involvement in taking paralympic swimming from something "pretty gratuitous" to today's sport for high performance athletes in their own right and on an equal footing to their able-bodied fellow athletes, was particularly satisfying. Now enjoying being based in South Canterbury, Mr and Mrs Power were making the most of the opportunity to explore in their motorhome. "As with everybody that gets to this point, you have to pass on your thanks to family members. "There's a hell of a lot of sacrifices that go into careers, you can't be whistling off overseas without that support."
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Cristiano Ronaldo highest-paid athlete in the world, says Forbes
Cristiano Ronaldo leads the Forbes list for the world's 50 highest-paid athletes according to the annual 2025 list published by business magazine on Thursday. According to the report, which looked at the income earned between May 1, 2024, and May 1, 2025, the top 50 earners collected a record-breaking USD 4.23 billion, beating the high of USD 3.88 billion set last year. Ronaldo, who plays for Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr, had a total earnings of USD 275 million this year. Meanwhile, Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi sits fifth in the rankings, with USD 135 million. Notably, there is no female athlete who has made the cut, with American tennis player Coco Gauff coming close, but missing out by USD 19.2 million. Additionally, no Indian athlete made the list. ALSO READ | LA 2028 Olympics Games venue for table tennis too small, says ITTF president Soerling Combined, this year's 50 top earners collected an estimated $4.23 billion, demolishing the previous high of $3.88 billion set just last year. TOP TEN HIGHEST PAID ATHLETES 1 - Cristiano Ronaldo (Football) - USD 275 million 2 - Stephen Curry (Basketball)- USD 156 million 3 - Tyson Fury (Boxing) - USD 146 million 4 - Dak Prescott (NFL)- USD 137 million 5 - Lionel Messi (Football) - USD 135 million 6 - LeBron James (Basketball)- USD 133.8 million 7 - Juan Soto (Baseball)- USD 114 million 8 - Karim Benzema (Football) - USD 104 million 9 - Shohei Ohtani (Baseball)- USD 102.5 million 10 - Kevin Durant (Basketball)- USD 101.4 million
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Just a dream': Volunteers enjoying chance to watch world-class curlers in Fredericton
Organizers are revelling in the opportunity to watch world-class curlers sweep the ice at Willie O'Ree Place as a pair of world championships unfold this week in Fredericton. A total of 67 teams representing 35 countries are competing in the world mixed doubles curling championship and the world senior curling championship until May 3. "To see these players live in person is just a dream," said Lorna Campbell, one of 190 volunteers working behind the scenes to stage the event. While she helps out with statistics and timing, Campbell is watching as the competitors in the mixed doubles championship also try to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. "I think as an athlete, I don't know that there's a bigger dream than that. So it's really fun to come and watch these curlers with so much on the line and see, hopefully, they'll make their dreams come true and get to the Olympics," she said. Volunteer Lorna Campbell is taking in the event as a volunteer and a fan. She watches curling on TV and is glad to have the opportunity to see the competition in person. (Ben Ford/CBC) Campbell's daughter Jenna, a young curler who hopes herself to compete for a spot in the Olympics Games some day, is also volunteering and has enjoyed seeing top curling talent up close. She said watching the competitors practise their routines will help improve her own game. "Getting to see them work so hard to achieve their dreams is really inspiring for me as a younger curler. So, I could definitely be in this position one day," she said. Event chairman Wayne Tallon has been part of the planning process since the World Curling governing body chose Fredericton to act as host of the championships more than a year ago. "Today the proof is in the pudding, everybody's very happy on the way things have gone," Tallon said Saturday. Stephen Muzzerall echoed those sentiments. The president of the Capital Winter Club, a curling rink on the south side of Fredericton, said this week's championships have put Fredericton "on the map" for hosting international events. Stephen Muzzerall, the president of the Capital Winter Club, is a volunteer for this week's curling championships. He says the event is putting Fredericton 'on the map.' (Ben Ford/CBC) Muzzerall, who said he first stepped on a sheet of curling ice when he was three years old, has enjoyed seeing senior competitors such as Scotland's Tom Brewster and Germany's Andy Kapp who he grew up watching. But he said it's also special to be able to watch the "next generation" of top-level curlers like the Canadian husband-and-wife team of Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman in the mixed doubles championship. Gallant and Peterman have started the tournament with three consecutive victories, downing Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
CBC
27-04-2025
- Sport
- CBC
'Just a dream': Volunteers enjoying chance to watch world-class curlers in Fredericton
Teams from 35 countries are competing in 2 championships until May 3 Organizers are revelling in the opportunity to watch world-class curlers sweep the ice at Willie O'Ree Place as a pair of world championships unfold this week in Fredericton. A total of 67 teams representing 35 countries are competing in the world mixed doubles curling championship and the world senior curling championship until May 3. "To see these players live in person is just a dream," said Lorna Campbell, one of 190 volunteers working behind the scenes to stage the event. While she helps out with statistics and timing, Campbell is watching as the competitors in the mixed doubles championship also try to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. "I think as an athlete, I don't know that there's a bigger dream than that. So it's really fun to come and watch these curlers with so much on the line and see, hopefully, they'll make their dreams come true and get to the Olympics," she said. Campbell's daughter Jenna, a young curler who hopes herself to compete for a spot in the Olympics Games some day, is also volunteering and has enjoyed seeing top curling talent up close. She said watching the competitors practise their routines will help improve her own game. "Getting to see them work so hard to achieve their dreams is really inspiring for me as a younger curler. So, I could definitely be in this position one day," she said. Event chairman Wayne Tallon has been part of the planning process since the World Curling governing body chose Fredericton to act as host of the championships more than a year ago. "Today the proof is in the pudding, everybody's very happy on the way things have gone," Tallon said Saturday. Stephen Muzzerall echoed those sentiments. The president of the Capital Winter Club, a curling rink on the south side of Fredericton, said this week's championships have put Fredericton "on the map" for hosting international events. Muzzerall, who said he first stepped on a sheet of curling ice when he was three years old, has enjoyed seeing senior competitors such as Scotland's Tom Brewster and Germany's Andy Kapp who he grew up watching. But he said it's also special to be able to watch the "next generation" of top-level curlers like the Canadian husband-and-wife team of Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman in the mixed doubles championship. Gallant and Peterman have started the tournament with three consecutive victories, downing Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
Associated Press
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Paris 2024 Olympic torches and Dionysus crown from Seine opening ceremony up for auction
PARIS (AP) — Torches from the 2024 Paris Olympics Games and the crown and wreath of Dionysus worn by singer Philippe Katerine during the opening ceremony. Profits from the sale will go to charity groups, organizers said. One of the torches was carried by one of the mysterious masked torchbearers moving across the rooftops of Paris during the ceremony on the Seine. Also on sale are many of the costumes used during the acclaimed but boundary-pushing spectacle, including Marie Antoinette's dresses. The auction will take place on April 13 at the Stade Charléty in Paris. During the ceremony, Katerine appeared lounging on a rug, painted in powdery blue from head to toe and seemingly clad in just a smattering of leaves and flowers. He was channeling Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and festivity, with a song about 'the absurdity of violence between human beings.' Not everyone, however, enjoyed the ceremony, which prompted a storm of outrage in the wake of a contentious scene featuring drag queens and other performers. Several people charged in connection with alleged cyberbullying targeting the ceremony's artistic director went on trial last month in a Paris court.
