Latest news with #WinterOlympian
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Intrepid Cormac Comerford channeling Shackleton spirit on road towards 2026 Winter Olympics
While the distance from his Italian training base to the site of next year's Winter Olympics may not be the farthest to traverse, the road towards Milano-Cortina 2026 has been a long and unlikely one for alpine skier Cormac Comerford. If neither Fiji nor Fermanagh are hurling strongholds then it would be fair to say that Glenageary in south Dublin wouldn't be a likely cradle for a Winter Olympian. But when next February rolls around, Comerford will feel that all the sacrifices and hardships have been worth it when he dons the green Team Ireland race suit on the alpine slopes of Bormio. Becoming an Olympian would be the apogee of a dream that was sparked at the age of eight when he followed his parents and family friends to Kilternan for an Oktoberfest open day at Ireland's largest artificial ski slope. "I just got obsessed. I loved any kind of outdoor sport. I was into GAA, I played with Cuala. In the summers we'd go surfing and sailing and then when I found skiing I just fell madly in love," Comerford recalls. "We did a few ski holidays and then it just all snowballed from there. I started racing up at the ski club in Kilternan and eventually went further and further abroad to race internationally." While he was only tackling the baby slopes in that initial introduction, an immediate and ineradicable imprint was left on his psyche. "There's nothing like it. It's probably as close as you can get to flying without actually flying," he says of the sensation of zooming and twisting downhill at speeds of up to 140 kilometres per hour. Helpfully, 2010 Winter Olympian Shane O'Connor was also a source of inspiration, proving to him that an Irish alpine skier could compete at the highest level. "His impact on me was huge. Seeing somebody from the local area, from Dublin, from Ireland, with no snow, no nothing, be able to go from a small 200m plastic slope to competing in the biggest races at World Championships and the Olympics, that really said a lot to me and it inspired me to really push myself and to reach that level and then also exceed that," Comerford tells RTÉ Sport. And push himself he has most certainly had to over the last two decades. In the past, he has been candid about how far he had to penny-pinch finite resources on the road, like sleeping on bus station floors, all in a bid to keep the trajectory of becoming an Olympian on the right track. Many would have long given up by now. But not Comerford whose spirit was never dampened, citing Kildare-born Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. "I've always had this sense of adventure and desire to go somewhere that hasn't been before," he reasons. "I love the story of Shackleton going down to Antarctica, going into the complete unknown and looking back on it now, they were clueless really and their preparations were terrible but he had this crazy goal to do something that was never done before and those are the stories that kind of inspired me when I was younger and the idea of an Olympics." The burden has been lifted somewhat ahead of the Olympics, where Ireland will have a male and a female quota place each in alpine skiing. An Olympic Federation of Ireland scholarship grant has been "a huge help, especially for the preparations for the Olympics", according to Comerford. "That Olympic scholarship really helps boost opportunities like pre-Olympics. And that's a big thing I'll be pushing now this summer, is trying to garner more support to have a really full programme leading up to Games." The other help has been through his day job as a mechanical engineer. "With the support of Sport Ireland, we reached out to their network and when I graduated, I got in touch with some companies and I've been lucky enough to land a job with Atlantic Projects Company," he says. "They're a mechanical engineering company based in Limerick. They've been really supportive. I've been able to progress in my mechanical engineering career while I have time away from snow." Comerford is qualified for four disciplines at the Games: slalom, giant slalom, super-G and downhill. By his own admission, slalom would be his forte, main focus and the one he has an ambitious target for. "That's what I've naturally kind of excelled at and that's the one where I'm ranked in the top, I think it's 5-6% in the world at the moment," he says. "My big goal for the Olympics is I'd love to make a top 30. I'm preparing for a full Olympics and ideally a top 30, that would be a great achievement for me." Helpfully, Comerford is based in Italy for portions of the year which means the trials and tribulations that the Olympic venue in Bormio will provide is not alien to him. "I've been based in the winters in Italy for about seven, eight years but I usually base myself in the Dolomites area which is really great for me," he says. "I've skied on all the slopes where the Olympics will be so that's an added advantage. I kind of know the area, I know the country, I know the culture so that'll be a big advantage going into these Games. "Bormio, where men's alpine is going to be based, that's a serious downhill and super-G slope. It's probably considered the most dangerous downhill slope on the World Cup circuit. I think last year there were some serious injuries. So it will be demanding. "I've raced there when I was younger in some international races on the lower section for slalom and giant slalom. So I have a bit of experience on the slope. But as far as the super-G and downhill, I haven't raced there. But we'll have some training just coming up to the races and that will be the true test."
7NEWS
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
Alex ‘Chumpy' Pullin's widow devastated again as mother-in-law Sally dies
Ellidy Pullin is heartbroken again five years after she lost the love her life, Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin. 'Chumpy' — a two-time snowboard cross world champion and three-time Winter Olympian — tragically drowned in 2020 while spearfishing at a Gold Coast beach. He was just 32 years of age. Now, Ellidy, a high-profile influencer, has sadly revealed that the much-loved Aussie's mother, Sally, has also passed away. The grieving widow went public with the sad news on Thursday with a heartbreaking message to her 350,000 followers on Instagram. 'This first photo (see below) is how I'll forever picture Sal 🤍 Reunited with her boy Chump!! Together forever now, walking on the clouds, somewhere up there…,' Ellidy wrote. 'To remember this beautiful woman is to picture that warm, beaming smile and hear her cheeky giggle. I'll forever cherish her special family lasagne recipe, and when she'd grab her ukulele of an afternoon and sing Chumpy's song Four Babies over and over. We'd never get tired of that joyful voice. 'I love you Sal. I'll miss sailing with you, sun baking and sipping rum with you, nibbling cheese and listening to you identify every kind of bird species that exists in this world and imitating how each one chirps. 'I wish you could run me through Chumpy's favourite cheesecake just one more time because no one can ever nail it quite like you! 'I will never stop talking about you and showing your beautiful granddaughter Minnie photos and videos of your amazing-ness. You're loved and adored by so many Sal - a real angel on earth, and now you're one in the sky—reunited with your boy. 'I know he's holding you forever tight.' Details around Sally's death were not released at the time of writing. Condolences poured in from Ellidy's friends and followers, with people such as DJ Fisher, Kellie Finlayson and Aussie surfer Laura Enever all sending love to the mum of one. As well as snowboarding, Chumpy was also a keen musician and surfer, and had just started spearfishing. The day he died, the three-time Winter Olympian was weighing up whether to go out spearfishing or for a surf in a decision that would ultimately decide his life. Ellidy is the mother to a little girl named Minnie who was conceived after she and Sally agreed to retrieve Chumpy's sperm following his death. 'The doctor was like, 'This probably won't work, this is a very slim chance', because (the sperm) dies after 40-something hours, and (we got it) just before the cutoff. There were lots of dead sperms, but some were really alive and really strong and healthy looking ones,' Ellidy said in 2023. 'We had three embryos that were looking really good. The first one didn't work, the second one was Minnie. 'It's a weird thing as well, because she's so him, and if he was here, I know we'd have a kid, but it would be some other kid — how weird is that?'
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Mr Incredible 'barred' from running in Grand National
Randox Grand National 2025Venue: Aintree Racecourse Date: Saturday, 5 April Time: 16:00 BSTCoverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live. Racecards, live text, results & reports on the BBC Sport website and app. Mr Incredible has been barred from running in Saturday's Grand National by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), says his trainer Sandy horse was an outsider for the 34-runner race at Incredible was due to realise a long-term ambition of his owner, Winter Olympian James Manclark, to have a runner in the Grand he has not completed a race since March 2024 and has refused to race or pulled up in his last four runs."I am desperately frustrated, annoyed and sad," said Scottish trainer Thomson. "James [Manclark] is pretty devastated, he has been trying to get this for three years and we found him a horse, and his health comes and goes. Our aim is now to get the horse to run next year."The BHA has been approached for comment and asked to confirm whether it barred Mr Incredible from ruling body intervened in recent days, questioning whether Mr Incredible showed sufficient form during a recent race at Kelso, when he started but pulled up, even though connections had been pleased with the horse's the past seven weeks the horse therapist Freddy Steele had been working with Mr Incredible. He told BBC Sport the horse was showing "progress" at home and on the racecourse, and was responding well to the use of "natural horsemanship" Incredible's behaviour at Kelso was referred to the BHA by the stewards, who said he was "unruly" and appeared to pull himself up after the 14th nine-year-old has won two of his 16 races and finished second four he has been pulled up in three of his last four contests and refused to race on the other his unpredictable behaviour, Mr Incredible was runner-up in the Midlands Grand National last year when based with Irish champion trainer Willie was considered one of the leading contenders for the 2024 National and was sent off at odds of 10-1 but dwelt at the start and unseated rider Brian Hayes at The Incredible had also unseated Hayes in the race 12 months earlier at the 24th fence after his saddle slipped."It was 100% the BHA's decision. We appealed it. Their concern was that he would disrupt the start," said Thomson."My defence was that he has never disrupted any start. Having got him started at Kelso I saw no reason why he wouldn't start in the Grand National, and having more horses around him would have helped. "The other thing they said was about his recent form, but their criteria said they would take into account the last six runs and that included second in the Midlands National. It was a totally unsatisfactory situation."The horse switched stables to join Thomson in Manclark, 85, competed for Great Britain in the luge at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France.
CNN
11-03-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Australian snowboarder Belle Brockhoff suffers broken back after high-speed crash
Three-time Winter Olympian Belle Brockhoff was rushed to a Georgian hospital with a broken back after a serious crash at a Snowboard Cross World Cup race on Saturday. The Australian had placed third in qualifiers and was competing in her last race of the day in Gudauri, Georgia, when the accident occurred. Brockhoff's board slipped beneath her midway through the course, sending her skidding over a jump at speed before she landed heavily on her tailbone. She appeared to be in discomfort while being tended to by race officials on the side of the slopes. 'Examination and imaging revealed a fracture of the L1 vertebrae, with no neurological damage,' a statement published on behalf of Brockhoff by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) confirmed. After initial evaluation at a Georgian hospital, the 32-year-old was evacuated to Greece for surgery, where she will likely remain for two weeks before flying home to Australia. 'I really appreciate all the messages of support, thank you to all. I am staying positive. I am in good hands,' Brockhoff said on an Instagram Story, adding the surgery will likely occur Wednesday or Thursday. Her partner flew to Greece to be by her side, according to the AOC. 'Currently our medical team are working with the medical emergency service personnel and the hospital in Greece to ensure that Belle receives the best care possible,' Olympic Winter Institute of Australia CEO Geoff Lipshut said. 'Belle is in good spirits, and I am very pleased that her partner has been able to fly to Greece to support her during this time.' The snowboarder – who became Australia's first woman to win a snowboard cross World Cup in the 2015-16 season – only recently returned to competition after fracturing her wrist late last year. Brockhoff previously tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in a crash at the 2017 World Championships and competed at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games without an ACL.
CNN
11-03-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Australian snowboarder Belle Brockhoff suffers broken back after high-speed crash
Three-time Winter Olympian Belle Brockhoff was rushed to a Georgian hospital with a broken back after a serious crash at a Snowboard Cross World Cup race on Saturday. The Australian had placed third in qualifiers and was competing in her last race of the day in Gudauri, Georgia, when the accident occurred. Brockhoff's board slipped beneath her midway through the course, sending her skidding over a jump at speed before she landed heavily on her tailbone. She appeared to be in discomfort while being tended to by race officials on the side of the slopes. 'Examination and imaging revealed a fracture of the L1 vertebrae, with no neurological damage,' a statement published on behalf of Brockhoff by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) confirmed. After initial evaluation at a Georgian hospital, the 32-year-old was evacuated to Greece for surgery, where she will likely remain for two weeks before flying home to Australia. 'I really appreciate all the messages of support, thank you to all. I am staying positive. I am in good hands,' Brockhoff said on an Instagram Story, adding the surgery will likely occur Wednesday or Thursday. Her partner flew to Greece to be by her side, according to the AOC. 'Currently our medical team are working with the medical emergency service personnel and the hospital in Greece to ensure that Belle receives the best care possible,' Olympic Winter Institute of Australia CEO Geoff Lipshut said. 'Belle is in good spirits, and I am very pleased that her partner has been able to fly to Greece to support her during this time.' The snowboarder – who became Australia's first woman to win a snowboard cross World Cup in the 2015-16 season – only recently returned to competition after fracturing her wrist late last year. Brockhoff previously tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in a crash at the 2017 World Championships and competed at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games without an ACL.
