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The Julie Moss story – ‘Crawl If You Fall’ the strength of the human spirit!

The Julie Moss story – ‘Crawl If You Fall’ the strength of the human spirit!

Thirty-seven years ago, the surprise front-runner Julie Moss collapsed just 15 feet shy of the finish line at the 1982 IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii. In one of the most famous moments in televised sports history, as the 23-year-old fledgling triathlete used her hands to drag her body across the finish line. Moss was a kinesiology student and she entered the race as her senior research project. All she needed to earn her diploma was to finish the race. Instead, she shot to fame in a way ABC sportscaster Jim McKay called “the most agonizing moment I’ve ever seen in sports.”

The full IRONMAN triathlon challenge is a 3.86 km swim, a 180.25 km bicycle ride and a full marathon run of 42.20 km. Back then, IRONMAN was virtually unknown except to the world’s most extreme endurance athletes. IRONMAN was launched in 1978 in Oahu, it first attracted only a couple hundred competitors, mostly men, for the gruelling challenge it was.  Moss, a young, inexperienced triathlete arrived on-island three and half weeks before the race, with little training leading into the event, she befriended athletes who took her under their wings.

A complete unk

nown, Julie stunned everyone by leading most of the triathlon, until her body gave out during the final few kilometres of the run. As the world cameras captured her final moments in the race. First came a series of painful falls, then a total loss of bowel control and finally her then-rival Kathleen McCartney crosses the finish line a few minutes before her. While crawling the final 15 feet to the finish, her effort became an instant global symbol of giving everything you’ve got and never quitting. In the 1980s, Julie became the face of triathlon, as well as one of its finest performers, ranking as high as 4^th in the world. She won several major international events, most prominently the 1985 Japan IRONMAN challenge and 1989 Gold Coast IRONMAN Challenge.

The experience forever changed Moss, not only did it make her the world’s most famous triathlete, but it also profoundly changed her awareness of her capabilities. Now Moss is a public speaker with a message of empowerment and never quitting. From her stunning crawl across the finish line at the 1982 Ironman World Championship the most famous moment in triathlon’s 40-year history. Julie has delighted and inspired millions throughout the world. Now, with the publication of her long-awaited memoir, Crawl of Fame (Pegasus Books), she inspires all over again.

This February 24^th, Julie Moss will take part in Colombo’s IRONMAN 70.3 event, creating a golden opportunity for triathletes all over the world to run alongside the IRONMAN legend. 

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Pliskova withdraws from Doha with viral illness

Q. Just curious what exactly is wrong and when you started feeling some symptoms and when you started feeling sick.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Actually, from the first day when I arrived, already the day after Fed Cup, I felt after I played my match with Simona, which was super long and tough, so I just felt somehow exhausting.

Yeah, from the first day I was not feeling great and not ready. I have never felt actually this way. It's normal that you are tired, of course, when you are traveling and playing a lot of matches. But I just feel somehow my body is not ready.

I had a temperature few days. I don't have any neck pain or something, but I just feel overall like super tired, and my muscles are just hurting from the morning without even doing anything. So I'm just not able to compete 100% today.

Q. Are these familiar symptoms? Have you felt like this before?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No. Actually, I didn't, but I know there is a lot of viral illness going on, not even here but also in Czech Republic and all Europe. Maybe there is something going on in my body, so I hope I don't just not going to get worse, so that's why I decide to withdraw.

Q. Do you think it would be better to play Fed Cup Friday/Saturday instead of Saturday/Sunday to give the players a better chance to recover for the next tournament?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Of course I think it would be better. Of course it's tough to say right now. Now I would maybe appreciate one more day for traveling and this, because then every time it's super hard to, you know, always find connections to the tournaments, especially here, it's not that close.

Yeah. But it's always my choice, so I don't have to play Fed Cup if I don't feel like to play, you know. So I think it's better if you want to play Doha/Dubai to don't play Fed Cup, because otherwise last year I was sick here, too, so I think it's just very tough scheduling by playing these weeks summer and winter and then you come here outside so the body not always has to take it.

Q. Maybe the ITF can change the schedules of Fed Cup?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I know the Davis Cup they did it. I know for sure everything is possible, but I don't know how many players, like if the players are fighting for this or not. I think it would help, but so far what I know the systems should be somehow changing from next year completely, so let's see.

Q. Just on that question of the Fed Cup, would you like to see it in the new format that the Davis Cup has?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I don't really know and I don't follow -- I know there was this, you know, the first round and everybody then goes to the World Group. Maybe it's better to play less weeks. I don't know.

I always said like the Fed Cup it can help you or it can destroy you, because there is a lot of emotions and always like a lot of tough matches. Especially if you play in your country, then the pressure is huge. Just right now, I don't think like it really helped me, although the matches were great and the atmosphere too. I think if there is maybe less days or less weeks for us, then it would be better.

Q. You're the fifth player to withdraw from this tournament this week. Do you think the players should take more responsibility over these withdrawals? The tournament organizers obviously organize with big-star names such as yourself. People buy tickets to see players such as yourselves, and now they are turning up to see replacements. Do you think players, if they have any concerns or fears that they cannot play, should be more honest before a tournament?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: But I think everybody, so far everybody who withdraw was here. So I don't see any reason. I think they tried till the last moment, so I don't see any reason why somebody should be playing tournaments by being sick or by being injured.

It's a risk in the future tournaments or in the future career. I don't know which risk you want to put on us, but I think everybody pays fine if they withdraw. Maybe not once per year, but every time, if we do it more, then yes, so I think that's enough.

I don't know what else you want to do. If the players are sick, what can they do? Of course everybody was here, so I guess everybody wanted to compete. I came here, so I don't came here only just to see the tournament or to practice one day, but if it's not possible, it's not possible. I think you cannot do anything against this.

Q. Can you say when the player arrives at that decision about not wanting to play? I mean, is it on the day of the match, or do you feel like that leading up to it? And also, regarding your earlier answer about the Fed Cup, do you feel fewer weeks would help because of emotional investment playing for your country is so great as against, you know, maybe the physical?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I don't know. I think it's personal, so I think somebody -- I just tried at the last moment. Even today I went on court. I just tried to hit full, at least 10, 15 minutes. I just said, This is not possible to play this level.

And my draw is tough, so I think if I'm not 100%, I cannot win any match here. That's why I decided to not play.

Also, I'm not the type of player which goes on court and retire after two games. So I said maybe it's better that somebody else plays. But, you know, it can be different every time. Depends how you feel. Maybe if you feel completely sick on Monday, then -- but I just tried to at least give few days more and maybe I feel better but I didn't, actually.

And about Fed Cup, this is maybe for a longer talks, because it can, like I said, it can destroy you, because to travel the day after when you play match three hours against Halep, it's not the best, for sure, not the best for my body, not the best for my career, not the best for this tournament, of course.

So if I can choose, I would of course take one more extra week in between these tournaments and Fed Cup, but that's how it is. I told you I don't have to play Fed Cup. I don't have to play here. So I can do my schedule by myself, you know.

But I was defending champion here last year, so I decided, like, this year I'm going to try again, because I like this tournament. Every time I try to come. But it's a question mark for the next years.

Q. The people who bought tickets today will see a Pliskova playing today because your sister is in as a lucky loser in your place. Were you surprised to hear about that? Did you speak to her before you withdrew?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, actually as there were two more players in front of her, so I didn't know they were not here, so she was still third on the list because she lost actually in the second round of qualifying, so I think this is not really usual that she gets in. Normally only the final rounds gets in.

I talked a little bit. I just saw her, just met her. She knew I'm not feeling great from the first day. But I never thought that she can get in because of me, but there was so many players which withdraw, so in the end, it end up like this, which is unlucky.

I think if she would sign yesterday, Kristyna, she would get in, because nobody really signed again. I think nobody was expecting that many withdrawals, so a lot of players get in.

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Raja edge out hosts in a bad-tempered affair

Raja edge out hosts in a bad-tempered affair

Aspire Academy 0

Raja Casablanca 1

Red cards outnumbered goals as a bad tempered match saw Moroccan side Raja Casablanca edge out hosts Aspire Academy in the second match of the tournament.

With Qatar’s memorable victory over Japan to lift the Asia Cup still fresh in the minds, hopes were high of another Qatari success. That first Asia Cup win had been achieved with valuable contributions from former Aspire Academy graduates but the feel-good factor disappeared as Raja proved the better of the two teams.

Just as in Abu Dhabi three days earlier, VAR played a major role in the outcome, but this time it was not in favor of the Qataris. A late penalty awarded for handball with the assistance of VAR had led to Qatar’s third goal against the Japanese but on this occasion a similar decision led to the only goal of the game.

Minutes before Oussama Zemraoui’s successful spot-kick, referee Umpierrez of Uruguay had ruled out a Raja goal for offside after Chiboub Abdennabi found the net.

In the end, it didn’t matter as Aspire lost their discipline in the second half as they ended the game with six yellow cards, two of which became reds.

The game was physical from the start but both sides created opportunities. Raja displayed plenty of skill and Zemraoui put Abdennabi through on goal only for his effort to be blocked by the determined hosts.

Mekki Tombari had Aspire’s best chance of the opening half but his on-target effort was blocked by Yahya Laamech and went out for a corner.

The hosts appealed for a spot-kick 10 minutes before the break when skipper Mostafa Kadira went down in the box after being caught by goalkeeper Yassine Zoubir, but the referee was unimpressed.

The game sprang to life on 37 minutes when Raja midfielder Anas Mtitach sent in a low drive from just outside the penalty area and Balideh could only parry the ball into the path of Abdennabi who was quicker to respond than Aiash and fired home.

Raja’s celebrations were cut short though as the referee ruled the effort out for offside after consulting the TV screen.

Aspire’s reprieve was short-lived however as on the stroke of half-time the ball was launched high into the box and Aiash’s efforts to nod the ball back to his keeper saw the ball brush off his head before hitting his hand, and this time VAR went against the Qataris.

Zemraoui made no mistake from the spot to give the Raja a half-time lead, much to the delight of their sizeable and vocal support.

The early stages of the second half saw Abdennabi fire over twice in a matter of seconds, and Aspire then went close when substitute Mohammad Alsukhun neatly backheeled in the box to find Alhadhrami but his left-foot effort was blocked.

Aspire’s hopes were then dealt a blow as Aiash caught Raja substitute Elhoussine Rahimi and despite protesting that he had played the ball he was shown a second yellow card.

Aspire refused to give in though and Tombari forced a one-handed save from the keeper as they pressed for an equalizer. Kadira then won and took a free-kick after being caught high – leading to a yellow card for match-winner Zemraoui – but the skipper’s resulting effort went over the bar.

Kadira became the second Aspire player to see red when his reckless challenge on El Khalfy led to him being sent off, having been booked earlier.

That left Aspire’s hopes in tatters and Raja comfortably held on for a deserved victory.

Honours Even Between PSG and Kashiwa Following Explosive Finale

Honours Even Between PSG and Kashiwa Following Explosive Finale

Paris Saint-German and Kashiwa Reysol shared the spoils in the opening match of Al Kass 2019, following a pulsating encounter that exploded into life in the last few minutes.

Barcelona and Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o performed the ceremonial kick off to get the game underway, with Reysol’s combative striker Yuki Shimizu catching the eye in the early stages. However, it was midfielder Naito Saito who went close to opening the scoring for the Japanese on six minutes, his short-range effort smothered by Romain Sallard, who also confidently claimed the resultant corner with a minimum of fuss.

The French keeper was called into action again soon after, when Hayato Fujimoto crossed well from the right and Shimizu planted a firm header that Sallard did well to save. He was quickly establishing himself as PSG’s standout performer, and had to once again react quickly to keep out Daichi Sugawara’s curling effort direct from a corner.

Almost 20 minutes passed before PSG had a chance of note, after the ball ran under Kashiwa centre back Hayato Tanaka’s foot to let in Samuel Noireau, whose hard and low drive forced a good save from Masato Sasaki.

By now, the game had settled into a familiar pattern, with Reysol dominating possession with patient build-up play, while PSG sought to break swiftly on the counter.

The first half drew to a close with Kashiwa in the ascendancy, but unable to break the deadlock due to a resolute Parisian defence.

PSG are the only club apart from Aspire Academy to have participated in all eight editions of the tournament, and are also the record holders, having taken the cup home on three occasions. Meanwhile, Kashiwa Reysol are competing for the fifth time. Both sides are therefore familiar fixtures at Aspire Zone.

However, Al Kass 2019 is notable for the introduction of several new elements. VAR is being used for the first time, and the tournament also boasts an all-female match officials roster. Canadian referee Chennard acquitted herself well in this opener, content to let the play flow whenever possible.

Ten minutes into the second period, Noireau went close with a fine drive that Sasaki could only parry, but the danger was cleared by Reysol’s alert backline. By now, the game was developing into a full-blooded encounter, typified on the hour mark when Sugawara saw yellow following a thundering challenge on Hubert Muamba.

On 70 minutes, hard-running attacker Noireau was withdrawn for Edouard Michut, and the French side’s attacking threat was blunted as a result. Kashiwa continued to fashion the better chances, but Sallard performed admirably to keep the French side from conceding.

And - implausibly and against the run of play - PSG appeared to have stolen a winner with five minutes remaining, when Tidjany Chabrol forced the ball home following a frenzied goalmouth scramble. It was desperately cruel on Kashiwa, yet they refused to be beaten, pouring forward and snatching a sensational 92^nd minute leveller when substitute Hidetaki Maei crashed a rising effort in off the bar.

The capacity crowd at Aspire Academy had witnessed a thrilling finale to an engrossing game – one that has already set a high watermark for Al Kass 2019.

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