http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/?service=Rss http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/south-africa-suspends-officials-over-semenya-1815572.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/south-africa-suspends-officials-over-semenya-1815572.html ]]> <p>South Africa's Olympic body, SASCOC, has suspended the president, board and members of Athletics South Africa over the handling of 800 metres world champion Caster Semenya's gender tests. </p> Athletics Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/south-africa-make-semenya-apology-1815405.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/south-africa-make-semenya-apology-1815405.html ]]> <p> Caster Semenya has received an unconditional apology from Athletics South Africa for their role in the row over the athlete's gender. </p> Athletics Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:38:26 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/radcliffe-plays-down-injury-fears-1813356.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/radcliffe-plays-down-injury-fears-1813356.html ]]> <p> Paula Radcliffe has dismissed fears over her long-term fitness by insisting she will recover quickly from the injury problems which plagued her during yesterday's ING New York City Marathon. </p> Athletics Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:34:03 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/radcliffe-left-running-on-empty-1813237.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/radcliffe-left-running-on-empty-1813237.html ]]> <p>As the leaders of the elite women's field in the ING New York City Marathon wound their way into Central Park yesterday, Paula Radcliffe suddenly dropped behind, falling four, five, ten metres adrift of Ludmila Petrova, Derartu Tulu and Christelle Daunay. Tulu kept glancing round at the struggling Briton as though she could not quite believe what was happening. Three miles from the finish line, the fastest woman in the history of marathon running could not keep up with the modest pace.</p> Athletics Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/paula-chases-hattrick-but-plays-catchup-with-grete-1812848.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/paula-chases-hattrick-but-plays-catchup-with-grete-1812848.html ]]> <p>She was born Grete and she certainly achieved greatness; she didn't have it thrust upon her. It took years of graft as a track and cross-country runner before Grete Waitz became the trail-blazer of women's marathon running. The pencil-slim, ponytailed Norwegian made her debut at the 26.2-mile distance in New York in 1978. She smashed the world record by two minutes and broke it twice more as she racked up nine victories in the big race in the Big Apple. She also broke it in London in 1983, the year she won the women's marathon at the inaugural World Champion-ships in Helsinki.</p> Athletics Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/radcliffe-out-to-own-new-york-1812159.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/radcliffe-out-to-own-new-york-1812159.html ]]> <p>Paula Radcliffe arrived in the Big Apple this week with a Halloween witch's costume in her suitcase and with something of a scare on the injury front ahead of the defence of her unbeaten big city marathon record here tomorrow. "I tweaked my hamstring in my last workout," the Briton confided at a breakfast meeting with the media in the basement of a Manhattan hotel yesterday. "I came out here a bit ditzy but I've had treatment and I'm feeling better. I'm back running and I believe I'm going to be fine in the race."</p> Athletics Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/coach-with-1000-days-to-drive-british-athletes-to-london-golds-1812160.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/coach-with-1000-days-to-drive-british-athletes-to-london-golds-1812160.html ]]> <p>The clock on the wall of the Lee Valley Athletics Centre is ticking towards 2.12pm. For Charles van Commenee, it is the countdown to 2012 that is on his mind. Pretty much 24/7. Precisely 1,000 days from today the Dutchman will be expected to deliver eight British track and field medal winners at the London Olympic arena in Stratford.</p> Olympics Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/tweddle-to-defy-passage-of-time-1809476.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/tweddle-to-defy-passage-of-time-1809476.html ]]> <p>Oksana Chusovitina is a name that needs an introduction. Born in Uzbekistan and a former Soviet Olympian, she is a gymnast who now competes for Germany. Last year, aged 33, she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games and to Beth Tweddle she is the reason why competing at her home Games in three years' time remains a forging ambition.</p> Athletics Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/its-easy-to-keep-up-with-the-jones-boy-ndash-but-then-he-is-54-1809041.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/its-easy-to-keep-up-with-the-jones-boy-ndash-but-then-he-is-54-1809041.html ]]> <p>Paula Radcliffe ought to have little trouble keeping up with Jonesy on the streets of New York next Sunday. In addition to Britain's (and the world's) fastest ever woman over 26.2 miles, Britain's fastest ever man at the classic distance happens to be entered for the 2009 ING New York City Marathon. "I'll be running round with an old RAF friend from Cardiff, Rick McTaggart," Steve Jones said. "We'll probably run about five hours, so nothing to write home about."</p> Athletics Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/tweddle-bounces-back-to-claim-gold-1805128.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/tweddle-bounces-back-to-claim-gold-1805128.html ]]> <p>Beth Tweddle hailed her gold medal at the gymnastics world championships in London yesterday as the biggest achievement of her career. </p> Athletics Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/100yearold-breaks-shot-put-record-1801786.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/100yearold-breaks-shot-put-record-1801786.html ]]> <p>The fact that she was the only competitor in her category (shot put, women aged 100-104) did not diminish Ruth Frith's achievement. The centenarian great-grandmother was jubilant after setting a new world record with a gold medal-winning throw of 4.07m at the World Masters Games in Sydney.</p> Athletics Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/wanjiru-wins-chicago-marathon-in-fastest-ever-time-on-us-soil-1801390.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/wanjiru-wins-chicago-marathon-in-fastest-ever-time-on-us-soil-1801390.html ]]> <p>Kenya's Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru won the Chicago Marathon yesterday, toppling the course record to set the fastest mark ever on US soil. </p> Athletics Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/kendal-duo-in-mint-condition-for-halfmarathon-challenge-1800960.html http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/kendal-duo-in-mint-condition-for-halfmarathon-challenge-1800960.html ]]> <p>It was in Kendal in 1869 that Joseph Wiper came up with the recipe for his famous Mint Cake. Some 140 years on, the Cumbrian town has found the ingredients for distance-running success, it would seem. Of the five-strong Great Britain women's team picked to contest the World Half Marathon Championships on the streets of Birmingham this morning, two happen to be products and proud members of Kendal Athletics Club.</p> Athletics Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100