Behan Secures Olympic Spot
22 year old Gymnast Kieran Behan has become the latest Irish athlete to secure a place at the London Olympics.  He qualified yesterday from the Men’s Qualification event at the O2 arena which will stage all gymnastics events in the summer.  Behan’s strength is on the floor exercise where he scored a joint op mark at this event and in which he won the Category B World series title in December.
Behan lives in Surrey but his parents are both Irish, from Dublin and Monaghan.  At age 10 he had a non cancerous tumour removed from his leg and two years later suffered a brain injury when falling during training.  To have come through this and become only the second ever gymnast from Ireland to make it to the Olympics is a massive achievement.  He is currently sponsored by Stoi Athletic Wear and supported by the Irish Sports Council but will require extra funding to compete effectively on the Category A circuit in preparation for July.
For the latest news on Gymnastics go to www.fulltwist.net
Bolt Coach in Portlaoise
Portlaoise Athletics Club is presenting a talk by Usain Bolt’s strength and conditioning coach Micky Ruben in the town next Tuesday, January 17th.
The event is open to members of all sporting clubs and will cover developing core strength for different age groups; weights and plyometrics matching for speed; and mobility for speed
Tickets cost €20 and will raise funds for the club as well as providing a unique insight into the make-up of a sporting legend. For further information go to www.portlaoiseathleticsclub.com
Torch bearer numbers will be limited
The Olympic Council of Ireland has revealed that interest in carrying the Olympic Torch on its visit to Dublin next June has far outstripped demand and the runners chosen may have to be determined by lottery.  More information will be known after next week’s planned meeting with the London Olympic Organising Committee.
McCain cools on UK Athletics
Frozen food company McCain is to end a five year relationship as sponsor of grassroots athletics in the UK when its current contract expires at the end of 2013.  The deal is worth an estimated £1 million a year to UK Athletics who are now understood to be seeking a replacement sponsor.
Betfair to make payments on Leopardstown race
Betfair customers deemed to have backed Leopardstown Christmas winner Voler la vadette before an ‘in running’ technical problem are to be made an ex gratia payment by the company.  Problems with a trading account on the betting exchange had lef to many hundreds of millions of pounds being matched on the horse at high odds when he was an obvious winner in the closing stages.  All ‘in running’ bets on the market had been voided and this decision does not impact on any other customers who had lost bets in the race.