SERGIO RAMOS PROFILE


Sergio Ramos García born 30 March 1986 is a Spanish footballer who plays for Real Madrid and Spain.

Mainly a right back, he can perform equally as a central defender. After emerging through Sevilla FC's youth system, he went on to be a defensive mainstay for both Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, gaining his first cap at the age of 18.

Club career

Sevilla
Born in in Camas, Seville, Andalusia, Ramos began his career at local side Sevilla FC, emerging through the club's youth system alongside Jesús Navas and Antonio Puerta. He made his first team - and La Liga - debut on 1 February 2004, coming on as a second half substitute in a 0–1 loss at Deportivo de La Coruña.

In the 2004–05 season, Ramos appeared in 31 games as Sevilla finished sixth and qualified to the UEFA Cup, netting in home fixtures against Real Sociedad (2–1) and Real Madrid (2–2).

Real Madrid
In the summer of 2005, 19-year old Ramos was purchased by Real Madrid for €27 million, a record for a Spanish teenager. He was the only Spanish player brought in during Florentino Pérez first stint as Real Madrid president.

At the club, Ramos was awarded the number 4 shirt, previously worn by team captain Fernando Hierro. On 6 December 2005, he scored his first goal for the Merengues, in a 2–3 UEFA Champions League group stage loss at Olympiacos FC.


During his first seasons, Ramos played as centre-back, being also used as an emergency defensive midfielder on occasion. However, with the arrival of Christoph Metzelder and Pepe in the 2007–08 season, he was again relocated to right back, whilst displaying a goal-scoring instinct unusual to many defenders, netting more than 20 overall goals in Real Madrid's shirt during his first four seasons combined.
Ramos celebrates with his teammates.

On 4 May 2008, Ramos assisted Gonzalo Higuaín in the 89th minute against CA Osasuna in an eventual 2–1 away win, the match that sealed Real Madrid's 31st league championship. On the final day of the season, he scored twice in a 5–2 home win against already relegated Levante UD, one through a header and another after an individual effort, taking his league tally to five.

In the start of the following season, Ramos scored a vital goal in the Spanish Supercup contest against Valencia CF, making it 2–1 to and 4–4 on aggregate, in an eventual 4–2 win (6–5), despite the fact Real Madrid playing with only nine men for a long period of time. Although he experienced a slight dip in form, he returned to his best and on 11 January 2009, scored on an acrobatic volley against RCD Mallorca (3–0 away triumph), continuing his scoring run in the following week, in a 3–1 home win against Osasuna.

Ramos was named in both FIFA and UEFA's 2008 Team of the Year, adding the FIFPro Team of the Year 2007–08 accolade. He also finished 21st in the European Player of the Year nomination for 2008.

Just at the start of the 2009–10 season, Ramos was appointed as one of Real Madrid's four captains of Real Madrid. As Pepe suffered a serious knee injury during the campaign, he was often deployed as central defender, and scored four goals in 33 league contests, but the team eventually came out empty in silverware. On 21 February 2010, he played his 200th official match for the capital team against Villarreal CF (150 in the first division).

In Real Madrid's 0-5 loss to FC Barcelona on 29 November 2010, Ramos was sent off after kicking Lionel Messi from behind, then pushing Carles Puyol in the ensuing melée.[3] After this ejection, he equaled Fernando Hierro's previous record for red cards at the club, having played in 264 fewer games.

International career

In 2004, Ramos became an instant hit for Spain's under-21, for whom he played six international matches. On 26 March 2005, in a 3–0 friendly win over China, in Salamanca, he first appeared for the senior side at only 18 years, 11 months and 361 days of age, making him the youngest player to play for the national team in the last 55 years (he held this record until it was broken by Arsenal's Cesc Fàbregas).

Just seven months later, Ramos scored his first two international goals in a 6–0 away thrashing of San Marino for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He was selected for the final stages in Germany and, after the international retirement of Real Madrid teammate Míchel Salgado, became the undisputed first-choice right-back.

Throughout Spain's UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, Ramos was a regular member of the starting eleven as the national side finished first in its group, above Sweden. He scored two goals, including one in a 3–1 away win over Denmark, in 11 appearances.

In the tournament's final stages, Ramos played in all matches and minutes, except the 2–1 group stage win against Greece. In the final, his pass nearly set up Marcos Senna's first international goal, but the latter barely missed it by inches. During the celebrations after the 1–0 defeat of Germany, Ramos wore a T-shirt in honor of close friend and former Sevilla teammate Puerta, who died in August 2007.

Ramos was selected in the squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, as Spain finished in third position. At the 2010 World Cup, held in the same country, he started every game, helping the team keep five clean sheets and reach the final, a 1–0 win against Holland. He topped the tournament's Castrol Performance Index with a score of 9.79
Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos
Personal information
Full name: Sergio Ramos García
Date of birth : 30 March 1986 (1986-03-30) (age 24)
Place of birth: Camas, Spain
Height: 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position: Defender

Club information
Current club: Real Madrid
Number:4

Youth career
1996–2003 Sevilla

Senior career*
2003–2004 Sevilla B
2004–2005 Sevilla 37 (2 gol)
2005– Real Madrid 184 (23 gol)

National team‡
2002 Spain U17 1 (0)
2004 Spain U19 6 (0)
2004 Spain U21 6 (0)
2005– Spain 73 (5)

MANNY PACQUIAO PROFILE


Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao born December 17, 1978, also known as Manny Pacquiao, is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is an eight-division world champion, the first boxer in history to win ten world titles in eight different weight divisions. He is also the first boxer in history to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes.He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the 2000's by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). He is also a three-time The Ring and BWAA "Fighter of the Year", winning the award in 2006, 2008, and 2009.

Currently, Pacquiao is the WBC Super Welterweight World Champion and WBO Welterweight World Champion (Super Champion). He is also currently rated as the "number one" pound-for-pound best boxer in the world by several sporting news and boxing websites, including The Ring, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NBC Sports, Yahoo! Sports, Sporting Life and About.com.

Aside from boxing, Pacquiao has participated in acting, music recording, and politics. In May 2010, Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines, representing the province of Sarangani. He is the only active boxer to become a congressman in the Philippines




Personal life

Pacquiao was born on December 17, 1978, in Kibawe, Bukidnon, Philippines. He is the son of Rosalio Pacquiao and Dionesia Dapidran-Pacquiao. His parents separated when he was in sixth grade, after his mother discovered that his father was living with another woman. He is the fourth among six siblings: Liza Silvestre-Onding and Domingo Silvestre (from first husband of his mother) and Isidra Pacquiao-Paglinawan, Alberto "Bobby" Pacquiao and Rogelio Pacquiao.

Pacquiao is married to Maria Geraldine "Jinkee" Jamora,and they have four children: Emmanuel Jr. "Jimuel", Michael, Princess, and Queen Elizabeth "Queenie". He resides in his hometown General Santos City, South Cotabato, Philippines.However, as a congressman of lone district of Sarangani, he is officially residing in Kiamba, Sarangani, the hometown of his wife.

Pacquiao is a devout Roman Catholic. Within the ring, he frequently makes the sign of the cross and every time he comes back from a successful fight abroad, he attends a thanksgiving Mass in Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila to kneel and pray.

Pacquiao is also a military reservist with the rank of Sergeant Major for the 15th Ready Reserve Division of the Philippine Army. When younger he had considered becoming a soldier, and was enlisted in the military reserve force as an Army Private.


Education
Pacquiao completed his elementary education at Saavedra Saway Elementary School in General Santos City, but dropped out of high school due to extreme poverty.He left his home at age 14 because his mother, who had six children, was not making enough money to support her family.

In February 2007 he took, and passed, a high school equivalency exam making him eligible for college education. He was awarded with a high school diploma by the Department of Education. Pacquiao enrolled for a college degree in business management at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU) in his hometown in General Santos City.

On February 18, 2009, Pacquiao was conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) by Southwestern University (SWU) at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Lahug, Cebu City in recognition of his boxing achievements and humanitarian work.

In preparation for his career as a lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Pacquiao enrolled in the Certificate Course in Development, Legislation, and Governance at the Development Academy of the Philippines – Graduate School of Public and Development Management (DAP-GSPDM).

Amateur boxing career

At the age of 14, Pacquiao moved to Manila and lived, for a time, on the streets. He started boxing and made the Philippine national amateur boxing team where his room and board were paid for by the government. Pacquiao reportedly had an amateur record of 64 fights (60–4)

PERSONAL INFORMATION


Real name :Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao
Nickname(s):
  • Pac-Man,
  • Fighting Pride of the Philippines,
  • The Destroyer,
  • The Mexicutioner,
  • The People's Champ,
  • Pambansang Kamao (National Fist),
  • The Fighting Congressman

Rated at:
  • Light Middleweight
  • Welterweight
  • Light Welterweight
  • Lightweight
  • Super Featherweight
  • Featherweight
  • Super Bantamweight
  • Flyweight
Height: 5 ft 6½ in (1.69 m)
Reach: 67 in (170 cm)
Nationality: Philippines
Birth date: December 17, 1978 (1978-12-17) (age 32)
Birth place: Kibawe, Bukidnon, Philippines
Stance: Southpaw

Boxing record

Total fights: 57
Wins: 52
Wins by KO: 38
Losses: 3
Draws :2

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA PROFILE


Daniela Hantuchová born April 23, 1983 is a Slovak professional tennis player. She turned professional in 1999 and had her breakthrough year in 2002, when she won her first Tier I tournament and ended the year in the top ten.

She is currently coached by Larri Passos.Her WTA Tour mentor in the "Partners for Success" program was Martina Navrátilová, who was her doubles partner for a brief period in early 2005. As of February 21, 2011, Hantuchová is ranked World No. 30 in singles.

Personal life
Hantuchová was born in Poprad, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia) to father Igor, a computer scientist, and mother Marianna, a toxicologist.

When her parents split up in 2003, Hantuchová's performances temporarily worsened. At Wimbledon that year, failing to convert match points and weeping on court.She also suffered from a weight problem during this period. She was suspected of being anorexic,however Hantuchová denied this.

Hantuchová speaks three languages (Slovak, English and German), and was trained as a classical pianist. She is thought to be a perfectionist and puts a lot of pressure on herself during her training. She qualified for university in Slovakia but deferred it to pursue tennis.

She appeared in the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition alongside Maria Kirilenko and Tatiana Golovin in a pictoral entitled Volley of the Dolls



PERSONAL INFORMATION
Nick name: Danka (in Slovak),Dani (in English)
Country: Slovakia
Residence: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Date of birth: April 23, 1983 (1983-04-23)
Place of birth: Poprad, Slovakia, before CSSR)
Height: 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Turned pro: 1999
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Singles

Career record: 421–266
Career titles: 4 WTA, 3 ITF
Highest ranking: No. 5 (January 27, 2003)
Current ranking: No. 28 (February 28, 2011)

Grand Slam results
Australian Open SF (2008)
French Open 4R (2002, 2006, 2010)
Wimbledon QF (2002)
US Open QF (2002)

Other tournaments
Championships RR (2002, 2007)
Olympic Games 2R (2004, 2008)

Doubles
Career record 220–154
Career titles 8 WTA, 1 ITF
Highest ranking No. 5 (August 26, 2002)

Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open F (2002, 2009)
French Open F (2006)
Wimbledon QF (2005)
US Open 3R (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009)

Mixed Doubles
Career record 39–13
Career titles 4

Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Australian Open W (2002)
French Open W (2005)
Wimbledon W (2001)
US Open W (2005)

SHINJI OKAZAKI BIOGRAPHY


Shinji Okazaki
is a Japanese professional football player currently playing for Shimizu S-Pulse of the Japanese J.League. He was born 16 April 1986 in Takarazuka, Hy?go Prefecture who competes for Japan in World Cup soccer. Okazaki was part of the 2008 Olympic squad, and made his senior debut in October of that year in a friendly against the UAE. Shinji Okazaki is a forward and is 5’8″ and weighs 154 pounds. Japan was in Group E for World Cup 2010.

The young striker has declared that he will never give up trying to score from the first minute to the last and such spirit has earned him the nickname ‘Samurai’. Since arriving on the international scene for Japan, Shinji Okazaki has show he is deadly in front of goal. In 2009, he scored 15 goals in 16 national team games. Okazaki likes to get behind the defence with his speed and his goals have given him confidence to take on the strongest backlines. Furthermore, In January 2010 he was named the World’s Top Goal Scorer by the IFFHS for his 15 goals with the national team during the year 2009.

Shinji Okazaki Profile


Shinji Okazaki Profile

Shinji Okazaki scored his first hat-trick for his country one year later against Hong Kong, and another treble just six days later against Togo.

Okazaki was born in Hyogo Prefecture and grew up there until he signed a professional contract with Shimizu S-Pulse. His hero was Masashi Nakayama, the former Japan striker who scored their first FIFA World Cup™ goal against Jamaica at France 1998

Full name : Shinji Okazaki
Nickname : Samurai
Date of birth : April 16, 1986 (1986-04-16) (age 24)
Place of birth : Takarazuka, Hy?go, Japan
Height : 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight : 70 Kg.
Nationality : Japan
Education : Takigawa Daini High School in 2004

Shinji Okazaki Football information :
Current club : Shimizu S-Pulse
Playing position : Striker
Shirt number : 9
First international : Japan – United Arab Emirates (9 October 2008)
Firts International Goal : 20 Jan 2009 – Japan vs Yemen
Market value : 1.936.000 £ – 2.200.000 €
Player’s agent: Marko Bzenic
Foot: both

Youth career
2002–2004 Takigawa Daini High School

Senior career
2005– Shimizu S-Pulse

National team
2008– Japan

Shinji Okazaki Individual honors :

* J. League Best Eleven: 2009
* IFFHS The World’s Top Goal Scorer: 2009


KEISUKE HONDA PROFILE


Keisuke Honda (本田 圭佑, Honda Keisuke?, born 13 June 1986) is a Japanese footballer who currently plays for Russian CSKA Moscow. and the Japan national football team. His current position is as a deep-lying playmaker, but he can equally play as an attacking midfielder or second striker. He is also a very skilled free kick taker scoring two in the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

Personal information

Full name: Keisuke Honda
Date of birth: 13 June 1986 (1986-06-13) (age 24)
Place of birth: Settsu, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Height: 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position: Attacking midfielder


Club information
Current club: CSKA Moscow
Number: 7

Youth career
Settsu FC
1999–2001 Gamba Osaka
2002–2004 Seiryō High School

Senior career*
2005–2008 Nagoya Grampus Eight 90 (22 gol)
2008–2009 VVV-Venlo 68 (24 gol)
2010– CSKA Moscow 28 (4 gol)

National team‡
2005 Japan U-20 4 (0)
2006–2008 Japan U-23 ? (5)
2008– Japan 28 (7)


Early career

Born in Settsu, Osaka Prefecture, Honda started playing football with Settsu FC, the local club, when he was a second-grader at primary school. He joined Gamba Osaka's junior youth team but the club did not promote him to their youth team. He entered Seiryō High School (ja:星稜高等学校) in Ishikawa Prefecture and started playing for the school. He was one of the key players when Seiryō advanced to the semi-final stage of the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament for the first time as a representative of Ishikawa Prefecture. He was chosen as one of the Designated Players for Development by J. League and JFA in 2004.

Nagoya Grampus Eight

Because of this status, Honda was able to register as a Nagoya Grampus Eight player while he was still eligible to play for his high school. He played one J. League Cup match for Nagoya while he was still a student.

After his graduation, he officially joined Nagoya in 2005. He started the first match of the season and recorded an assist. In 2006, he became a regular in the club.

VVV-Venlo
Honda celebrates his goal against FC Groningen at the De Koel stadium on August 22, 2009

On 16 January 2008, he signed a two and half year deal with Eredivisie side VVV-Venlo. He became known as 'Keizer Keisuke' (Emperor Keisuke) among the fans of VVV-Venlo.

Honda was chosen as league Most Valuable Player at 08-09 seasons.

CSKA Moscow

At the end of December 2009 Honda transferred to the Russian CSKA Moscow for 6 million euros. Honda signed a 4 year contract.[4] The transfer fee was undisclosed, but VVV-Venlo was said to be very content with the fee as it almost matched their asking price.

Honda made his debut for CSKA in the UEFA Champions League-match against Sevilla.In the second leg in Seville, he scored the winning goal through a direct free kick for CSKA after having set up the first goal for Tomáš Necid. This secured a 2–1 (3–2 aggregate) victory to send the club to the quarterfinals, making Honda the first Japanese player to be in the quarterfinals as well as the first to score in the knock-out stages.

Honda scored his first league goal on 12 March 2010, in the home match against Amkar Perm. He scored the goal in the third minute of injury time, slotting home a pass from Necid with his left. With the goal, he secured the win for CSKA Moscow.

International career

He was a member of the Japan team for 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship and played for U-23 national team, that qualified for 2008 Summer Olympics football tournament finals. He made a full international debut for Japan on June 22, 2008 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Bahrain. On 14 July 2008, he was formally named as one of the midfielders of the Japanese U-23 national football team for the Beijing Olympics football competition.He scored his first goal for senior national team on 27 May 2009 in a friendly match against Chile at Nagai Stadium in Osaka.

2010 World Cup


Honda scored Japan's winning goal in their first 2010 World Cup match against Cameroon, finishing off Daisuke Matsui's cross into the top left corner of the net and this was the only goal in the match. His performance in the game gained him the Man of the Match Award from FIFA. In the final group-stage game against Denmark, he scored a free kick in the 17th minute from 30 yards out before turning provider for Shinji Okazaki after making his way into the penalty area, with a Cruyff Turn that beat a Denmark player, in the 88th minute to make the score 3–1 to Japan, a performance that earned him the man of the match award once more and Japan qualified for the second round where they were eliminated by Paraguay after 0–0 a.e.t. and 4–5 at penalties (Honda scored his penalty). Jonathan Wilson of The Guardian cited him as a 'false nine': a player superficially employed as a centre forward but moving deeper to pull the opposition defense around the pitch.

2011 AFC Asian Cup
Honda was included in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup by coach Alberto Zaccheroni. In the game against Syria he scored a penalty kick making the score 2–1, for Japan. He earned player of the match for that game. In the semi-finals against Korea Republic, he shot a penalty kick, but was blocked by Jung Sung-Ryong. But in the penalty shoot outs of that game, he scored. Again he earned player of the match.

Honda was awarded the most valuable player of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.

Personal life

Honda's elder brother was also a footballer. Honda's uncle Daizaburo Honda was a canoeist who represented Japan in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Daizaburo's son and Keisuke's cousin Tamon Honda participated in three Olympic Games in freestyle wrestling in 1984, 1988, and 1992 and is now a professional wrestler.

MISTY MAY PROFILE


Misty Erie May-Treanor (born July 30, 1977) is an American professional volleyball player and actress. She has won more tournaments than any other female player with 107 career wins.

May-Treanor and teammate Kerri Walsh were the gold medalists in beach volleyball at both the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. They have been called "the greatest beach volleyball team of all time.

Early life


Born Misty E. May in Los Angeles, California in 1977. She grew up playing beach volleyball at the Santa Monica Pier with her parents, Butch and Barbara. At age eight, she played her first volleyball tournament with her father. May-Treanor played other sports like soccer and tennis, as well as participating in dance. She attended primary school at Brightwood Elementary School in Monterey Park. She also suffered from an eating disorder in her young years.

Personal life

May-Treanor is the daughter of Bob "Butch" May, a member of the 1968 US volleyball team and prominent beach volleyball player, and Barbara May, a nationally-ranked tennis player who later transitioned to beach volleyball. Barbara died of cancer in 2002. A prominent tattoo on Misty's shoulder, an angel with the initials "B.M.", is a reminder of her mother. She has a tattoo of a flower on her right wrist. She also has a tattoo of a Roman numeral five on her lower back, five being her favorite number. After NBA star Jason Kidd was spotted in the stands at the Olympics supporting the US beach volleyball players, it was alleged that the number five tattoo is a tribute to Kidd, since he wears number 5. Misty wore the number five through much of her volleyball career, though, and says she and Kidd have only met once. She has reported that she has her grandmother's initials on her arm as a tribute to her.

She has two brothers, Brack and Scott, and her first cousin is tennis player Taylor Dent.

In January 2004, she began dating baseball player Matt Treanor and the two were engaged in March 2004.They wed in November 2004. They have two dogs, boxers named Gruden and Boogie. May-Treanor has publicly stated that she intends to start a family, but the prospect of her return is unclear.May-Treanor shares a third tattoo with her husband that is of an M-squared. May-Treanor is listed as currently residing in Coral Springs, Florida though she and her husband also own a home in Long Beach, California

misty may treanor

Personal information
Full name: Misty Erie May-Treanor
Nickname: The Turtle
Nationality: United States
Born: July 30, 1977 (1977-07-30) Los Angeles, CA, USA
Hometown: Costa Mesa, CA, USA
Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)

Beach Volleyball information

Current teammate

2010 Teammate Nicole Branagh
1987- Teammate Kerri Walsh

Honours


Women's Volleyball
Competitor for the United States

Olympic Games
Gold 2004 Athens Beach Volleyball
Gold 2008 Beijing Beach Volleyball

World Championships
Gold 2003 Rio de Janeiro Beach Volleyball
Gold 2005 Berlin Beach Volleyball
Gold 2007 Gstaad Beach Volleyball

Pan American Games
Bronze 1999 Winnipeg Indoor Volleyball

STEPHANIE RICE

Stephanie Louise Rice born 17 June 1988 in Brisbane, Queensland is an Australian swimmer. She currently holds the world record in the 400 m women's individual medley, and won three gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Rice is trained by Michael Bohl from the St Peters Western Swimming Club in Brisbane. She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia on 26 January 2009.

Personal information

Full name: Stephanie Louise Rice
Nickname(s): Ricey, Steph
Country: Australia
Stroke(s): Medley, Freestyle, Butterfly
Club: St Peters Western Swimming Club
Date of birth: 17 June 1988 (1988-06-17)
Place of birth: Brisbane, Queensland
Height: 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Weight: 67 kg (150 lb; 10.6 st)

Career

Rice was the gold medallist in the 200 metres individual medley at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia where she defeated Olympians Brooke Hanson and Lara Carroll to claim the gold medal in the event in a time of 2:12.90, a personal best by 1.19 sec. She also won the 400m individual medley.

At the 2007 Melbourne World Championships she won a bronze medal in the 200m individual medley in a time of 2 minutes 11.42 seconds, breaking the previous Australian record by a second. American Katie Hoff won the gold in 2:10.13, with Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe in second place. Rice once again placed third, earning her second bronze medal in the 400m individual medley final. In a new personal best time Rice finished in 4:41.19, taking 0.54 sec off her previous best.

Rice continued her strong performance, setting a new personal best time in the 400m individual medley at an Italian meet in June 2007. Rice went a 4:40.79, edging closer to the elusive 4:40 barrier in the event. At the 2007 Japanese Open Championships, Rice smashed her personal best time in the 400m individual medley and finally cracked the 4:40 barrier. In placing second to Zimbabwean champion Kirsty Coventry, Rice set a new Australian and Commonwealth record of 4:37.18, a personal best by 3.61 sec.

At the 2008 Australian Olympic trials, Rice broke the world record in the 400 m individual medley. Rice stopped the clock at 4 minutes 31.46 seconds, 1.43 seconds off American Katie Hoff's mark of 4:32.89. On 29 June 2008, at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Hoff regained the world record from Rice with a time of 4:31.12. Rice claimed her second world record of the meet, when she broke the 200 m individual medley world record, clocking 2 minutes 8.92 seconds to slash almost a full second off the previous record held by China's Wu Yanyan.

At the Beijing Olympic Games, Rice received her first-ever Olympic medal, Australia's first gold medal of the games and its 400th summer Olympic medal, winning the 400m individual medley in a time of 4 minutes 29.45 seconds. In the process she reclaimed the world record from Hoff bettering the mark by 1.67 seconds, thus becoming the first woman to break the 4:30 in the event, (Kirsty Coventry also went under 4:30 in taking the silver).







Personal life

Rice attended Clayfield College in her high school years in Brisbane, Queensland. She was romantically linked with fellow Australian swimmer and 50m freestyle world-record-holder Eamon Sullivan. They ended their 2 year relationship in July 2008, just prior to the Beijing Olympics. The couple lived in separate states of Australia (Sullivan in WA and Rice in Queensland) and said the stress of living so far apart and the impending Olympics caused the split, but have conceded that the two are still good friends.

In September 2010, Rice came under fire when she used Twitter in response to the Wallabies defeat of the Springboks, using the word "faggots". Rice later removed the remark and apologised for it, however sponsor Jaguar severed ties and requested the return of a loan vehicle.

In October 2010, Rice attended the Australian Rugby Union's John Eales Medal presentation with five-eighth Quade Cooper.

GISELA DULKO

GISELA DULKO PROFILE

Nationality: ARG (Argentina)
Birthdate: January 30, 1985
Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Residence: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Turned Pro: Pro (January 2001)
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2008 Ranking: 51
Biography
Pictures

Coached by brother Alejandro; started playing tennis at age 7 after watching him
Mother is Ana; father Estanislao is deceased; brother travels with her
Favorite surface is clay
Has three dogs named Goran, Nicole and Guga
Favorites include pizza, movies Pearl Harbor and Good Will Hunting, actors Josh Hartnett and Keanu Reeves, musician Alejandro Sanz and cities Buenos Aires, Paris and Hawaii
Enjoys shopping (especially for clothes by Armani)
Relaxes by going to the beach
Admires her mother's strength and tennis players Pete Sampras and Marat Safin.







gisela dulko boyfriend




THEO WALCOTT PROFILE

Theo James Walcott born 16 March 1989 is an English footballer who plays for Arsenal and the England national team. He is a versatile forward who is usually deployed on the right wing. He was the subject of worldwide media attention, following his shock inclusion to the 2006 English World Cup squad.

Walcott is well known, for his blistering pace, with F.C.Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola declaring that “you would need a pistol to stop him” He has been likened by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, to Walcott's former team-mate, and captain Thierry Henry.FIFA World Player of the Year winner Lionel Messi, has described Walcott being "One of the most dangerous players I have ever played against.









theo walcott

Family and personal life
Walcott was born to a British Jamaican father and an English mother. His family made a cameo appearance in the 2007 film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, directed by David Yates, the partner of Walcott's aunt.Walcott himself was due to appear as well, but his commitments to Arsenal forced him to drop out.

Walcott and his father are both Liverpool fans. Walcott has never hidden the fact that he's a massive Liverpool supporter and even when Chelsea asked him to be a ball boy, he used the opportunity to meet his Liverpool idols:

"I was playing in a tournament for Swindon when Southampton and Chelsea showed an interest. Chelsea invited me to be a ball-boy for a game against Liverpool and it was fantastic to meet my heroes Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler. I was a Liverpool fan simply because my dad followed them. Unfortunately I wasn't born when the team had their golden era, but I enjoyed watching the likes of Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman when I was growing up. When Liverpool won the Champions League last year, I went mad. I was shouting so loud I think I woke up the entire village where I live!"

Walcott has been involved with the UK charities Build a School and Best Beginnings.

On 6 April 2008, Walcott was a torchbearer for the Olympic Flame for Beijing 2008 as it was paraded around London. He was the second last torchbearer just before Dame Kelly Holmes.

He is in a long-term relationship with Melanie Slade. The couple got together after meeting in 2004 at the WestQuay shopping centre in Southampton.

His cousin Jacob Walcott is a trainee at Reading and a member of the England national under-17 football team appearing in the 2009 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship.

His older sister, Hollie, is a bodybuilder who came second in the British Natural Bodybuilding Federation Central Championships in July 2010

Personal information
Full name: Theo James Walcott
Date of birth: 16 March 1989 (1989-03-16)
Place of birth: Stanmore, England
Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing position: Winger

Club information
Current club: Arsenal
Number: 14

Youth career
1999–2000 Newbury
2000 Swindon Town
2000–2005 Southampton

Senior career*
2005–2006 Southampton 21 (4)
2006– Arsenal 104 (16)

National team‡
2004–2005 England U16 4 (0)
2005–2006 England U17 14 (0)
2006 England U19 1 (0)
2006–2010 England U21 21 (6)
2006– England 16 (3)

CESC FABREGAS PROFILE


Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler born 4 May 1987 is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder. He captains Premier League side Arsenal and also plays for the Spanish national team.

Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with FC Barcelona but was signed by Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16. Following injuries to key midfielders in the 2004–05 season, he established himself as Arsenal's starting central midfielder and playmaker. He went on to break several of the club's records, earning a reputation as one of the best young players for his position.

In international football, the Spaniard's national career began when he represented the Under-17 side at the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland. As a result of his club performances, he was called up to the senior squad in 2006. He has played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2008 and 2010 FIFA World Cup, helping Spain to become eventual winners in the two most recent tournaments.

Style of play

Originally brought to Arsenal as a youth to slowly develop via the League Cup, Fàbregas was unexpectedly deployed as Arsenal's starting central midfielder following injuries to fellow midfielders Patrick Vieira, Gilberto Silva and Edu during the 2004–05 season. Fàbregas functions mostly as a playmaker and his main asset is his passing range. Having been one of the most coveted and celebrated young talents in the game since he became an Arsenal regular, he has been described as being the kernel of Arsenal's first team, bringing vision, creativity, and an innate understanding of timing and space to Arsenal's intricate passing game, displaying maturity that belies his age. He often assumes responsibility for set pieces, taking corners, free kicks and penalties.

Fàbregas has stated in interviews that while Vieira served as his role model and mentor, he styles his game after his childhood hero and compatriot Josep Guardiola. In that sense he is of a different mould from his Arsenal predecessors who play in the same position, preferring skill over strength. Initially, this led to criticisms of his lightweight frame and less aggressive style of play,with former teammate Ashley Cole criticising the Spaniard as "an unproven featherweight" in his autobiography.

However, Fàbregas' statistics have improved over the seasons, and he has adopted a more aggressive style of play. His importance to the team as the main creative force was perhaps first reflected in his contributing 16 assists in all competitions in the 2006–07 season.By his own admission, scoring was a weaker part of his game in his first few seasons at Arsenal; wasteful finishing also being symptomatic of the larger problem surrounding Arsenal in the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons.This changed initially in the 2007–08 season when he scored 11 goals in his first 16 games, and Arsenal manager Wenger claimed that the Spaniard's previous inability to score was down to a mental state, and even compared the Spaniard to Michel Platini, a French midfielder renowned for scoring. There were also concerns raised over the large number of games Fàbregas has played for club and country in the last few seasons, but he has largely avoided long spells on the sidelines.


Personal information
Full name: Francesc Fàbregas i Soler
Date of birth: 4 May 1987 (1987-05-04)
Place of birth: Vilassar de Mar, Spain
Height: 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position: Midfielder

Club information

Current club: Arsenal
Number: 4

Youth career
000?–1997 Mataró
1997–2003 Barcelona
2003 Arsenal

Senior career*
2003– Arsenal 207 (35)

National team‡
2002–2003 Spain U16 8 (1)
2003–2004 Spain U17 14 (7)
2005 Spain U20 5 (0)
2004–2005 Spain U21 11 (2)
2006– Spain 58 (6)
2004– Catalonia 1 (0)
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