12 FOR 2012; WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS.Berlin is bound to be a show-stopper - but for some athletes the ultimate target is the greatest show on earth, the 2012 Olympic Games Olympic games, premier athletic meeting of ancient Greece, and, in modern times, series of international sports contests. The Olympics of Ancient Greece Although records cannot verify games earlier than 776 B.C. in London. Here BBC BBC in full British Broadcasting Corp. Publicly financed broadcasting system in Britain. A private company at its founding in 1922, it was replaced by a public corporation under royal charter in 1927. commentator Brendan Foster Brendan Foster, MBE (born 12 January, 1948 in Hebburn, Tyne and Wear, England) is a British former distance runner, and the founder of the Great North Run. He was educated at St Joseph's Grammar School, the University of Sussex and Carnegie College of Physical Education, now part gives his tips for 12 who could shine in 2012. Mo Farah (age 26, 5000m/marathon) Sixth at the World Championships in Osaka in 2007, but then failed to make the final at last summer's Olympics. The 5000m has been his optimum distance yet the growing talk in the sport is about him moving to the marathon. What a prospect that could be for 2012. Greg Rutherford Greg Rutherford (born November 17, 1986) is a British athlete who competes in long jump and 100 m, his home club being Marshall Milton Keynes AC. Rutherford competed in the 2006 Commonwealth Games for England. (22, long jump) The European silver medallist from 2006 was hit with illness in Beijing, even though he made the final. Never delivered as he would have hoped and will be hell-bent on making his mark in London 2012. Could make the podium here thanks to his speed on the runway and fine technique. Jemma Simpson Jemma Simpson (born 10 February 1984 in Plymouth) is a Cornish-British athlete who competes in the 800m. She is current British champion over this distance, winning the 2007 British Championships beating prerace favourites Marilyn Okoro and Jenny Meadows. (25, 800metres) A group of fine middle-distance women have progressed since Kelly Holmes' glory in Athens, and Simpson could be the best of them after winning the World trials in Birmingham. Coached by Mark Rowland Mark Rowland (born March 7 1963 in Watersfield, West Sussex, England) was a British athlete who was a shock medallist at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. Unheralded and unknown both in his own country and globally prior to the Games, the tall and ungainly Rowland came , Britain's 1988 Olympic 3000m steeplechase bronze medallist. Steph Twell (19, 1500metres) The World Junior champion from last summer, dubbed the 'next Paula Radcliffe', maintains: 'I want to be the first Steph Twell'. She is so prepared for her future that she has even talked about running the 10,000m at the Olympics in 2016 and marathon in 2020. A mega-star in the waiting. Andy Baddeley (27, 1500metres) Seb Coe and I can't wait for this event in the Olympic Stadium in 2012, and how fantastic it would be for Cambridge graduate Baddeley to grab glory. Seb was a double Olympic champion at 1500m and a Briton winning it in London would be so special. Lawrence Clarke (19, 110metres hurdles) Coached by Malcolm Arnold, the guru of former world recordholder Colin Jackson, it has been a brilliant year for this Berkshire teenager after he won gold at the European Junior Championships in a national junior record of 13.37 in Novi Sad, Serbia. Ashlee Nelson (18, 100metres) The youngest member of the British athletics team in Beijing, her selection completed a great 2008 in which she won silver at the World Junior Championships. This year has seen her progress to joint second in the senior rankings and she could spring a surprise in 2012. Lisa Dobriskey (25, 1500metres) Of all the middle-distance women in Britain, she has the most fearsome finish and is under the tutelage TUTELAGE. State of guardianship; the condition of one who is subject to the control of a guardian. of George Gandy, who helped Seb Coe on his way. She was fourth in Beijing and, if she stays healthy, it would be something if she could use that finish to win gold in 2012. Martyn Rooney (22, 400metres) By 2012, it will be 16 years since Roger Black won 400m Olympic silver in Atlanta but Rooney has been tipped for stardom. He was sixth in the final in Beijing and next year, at the European Championships, could be a good guide for London on his progress. Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (20, 100metres) The South Londoner has proved consistent since winning the World Youth Championships sprint double in 2005. Crowned 100m champion at the European Under23s this year with victory in 10.15secs and has established a wonderful foundation for London 2012. Paula Radcliffe (35, marathon) Could it be, could it be? The Olympics have hardly been her greatest stage but such has been Radcliffe's rise to glory after so long being the 'nearly girl' that a fairytale gold in London cannot be ruled out. By then she would be the same age as Constantina Dita was when she won the marathon in Beijing. Kate Dennison (25, pole vault) She has broken the British record eight times this year, indoors and out, edging towards the level which could earn her a place in the final in Berlin. Her outdoor best now stands at 4.58m, so another 17 centimetres are needed between now and 2012 to be in with a medal shout based on bronze from Beijing. |
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