ekansekans's blog: "df"

For some of Canadas top athletes, the Canadian Track and Field Trials are the final step towards qualifying for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Each week, CTVOlympics.ca looks at some of the names to keep an eye on as we count down to the Trials in Calgary from June 27-30.  DISCIPLINE: Womens Pole Vault NUMBER OF OLYMPIC BERTHS AVAILABLE: Three.  *The IAAF allows a maximum of three athletes per country per event if the three athletes have each reached an A standard score.  TOP CONTENDERS:                                                                   Kelsie Hendry  – Saskatoon, SK. Melanie Blouin – Quebec, QC WHAT THEY NEED: Kelsie Hendry is in position for a return trip to the Olympic Games, after hitting the Olympic A standard twice this season. Now she needs just a top-three finish at Trials to go to London. Melanie Blouin, on the other hand, still has some work to do. She has completed two B standard vaults but, because Hendry has surpassed the A standard, she will also need to complete an A standard requirement in addition to finishing in the top three to book her ticket to the Olympic Games. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: Hendry is looking to make her second Olympic Games; she finished 18th in qualifying at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Hendrys recent vault of 4.60m during the NAU Tune-up in Flagstaff, AZ, (bettering her previous mark of 4.55m) makes her the Canadian record holder in the pole vault.  Hendry had to adjust her mindset after a difficult 2010-11 season, during which she lost much of her funding as her performance dropped to a competition-best mark of 4.30m. With help from a sports psychologist, and training with fellow competitors Tori Pena of Ireland and American champion Kylie Houston, Hendry was able to restore her confidence as the qualification season got underway this year. “I feel confident because I have done all the work and I am prepared. This year has been my best and most consistent season so far and I am looking to move to some higher heights in this next phase,” said Hendry, who has her sights set at a new personal best and a national title at Trials. “My overall goal for this year is to make the Olympic final and the trials will be a stepping stone to achieving that goal.”   Blouin won the pole vault event at the recent Donovan Bailey Invitational in Edmonton, but her winning vault of 4.10m is still .40m of achieving an A standard. She has twice hit the B standard of 4.40m and has said that while the Olympic Games are her goal, improvement is ultimately what she is looking for.  “My goal is to continue to grow, because I have so much [room for improvement],” she said in an interview with Quebec Hebdo. “If this brings me to 4.50m, so much the better. My goal is to qualify and I will do everything to get there.” Blouin can achieve her A standard right up to her final vault attempt at Trials in Calgary. MEDAL HOPES IN LONDON 2012: This discipline is dominated by Russian Elena Isinbaeva, who holds the world record vault of 5.06m; she also owns the top 11 all-time marks. The top mark in the world this year is by Brazilian Fabiana Murer, at 4.77m.  Hendry would need to improve on her Canadian record by at least a tenth of a metre to move into a realistic shot at a medal in London. Check back on Tuesday for a look at the top competitors in the mens 100m leading up to Trials. The Canadian Track and Field Trials take place June 27-30 in Calgary. Russell Wilson Elite Jersey . Few could have predicted things would go sideways so quickly for the Lakers after the way they loaded up this summer. Authentic Wilson Jersey . Shoes were lined up methodically along the bottom, jerseys and other clothing hung on a rod, a cap sat on the top shelf and the team helmet hung on its customary hook. http://www.unityvirtual.net/new.html . Hiroki Kuroda has been the man for the job. Kuroda pitched a two-hitter and the Yankees got consecutive homers from Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira in a 3-0 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night. SAN FRANCISCO -- Jason Heyward credits the crowd as much as anything for his success in San Francisco. Heyward hit a three-run homer and Mike Minor won for the first time in five starts as the Atlanta Braves beat the Giants 7-3 on Saturday, ending San Franciscos five-game winning streak. "The crowd always keeps you on your toes here and its a good environment to play in," Heyward said. "Theyre always here, its a good team and they have good pitching, so you have to focus every at-bat." Heyward became the first left-handed hitter to take Madison Bumgarner deep in two years. The slugger has five home runs and 11 RBIs at the Giants waterfront ballpark. "Im just looking for strikes to hit," Heyward said. "Dont miss the one you get to hit because if you do, hes got you." Michael Bourn had two hits and drove in two runs for the Braves, who had lost six of seven but still lead the NL wild-card race. Reed Johnson and Martin Prado also knocked in runs. Minor (7-10) gave up three runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings, striking out five and walking none. He also doubled, walked and scored twice. "I was just trying to get guys out and limit the damage," he said. "I felt good. Its not about being fatigued or anything like that." Pinch-hitter Gregor Blanco had a two-run double for the NL West-leading Giants, who had won eight of 10. Bumgarner (14-8) allowed four runs and seven hits over 6 1-3 innings. He matched his season high with four walks and struck out five, losing for only the second time at home. "Hes been so good all year and I thought he still pitched a pretty good game," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He made one mistake and it went for a three-run homer." Bumgarner walked Minor annd Prado around a strikeout of Bourn in the third.dddddddddddd Heyward smacked a home run into the right-field bleachers to put the Braves ahead 3-0. "I kind of got out of whack there," Bumgarner said. "It was a fastball up and over the middle of the plate." Hunter Pence was hit by a pitch leading off the fifth and scored on Brandon Belts groundout to make it 3-1. Bourn singled home a run in the seventh to make it 4-1. "We had a good approach," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "I was ecstatic about Minors performance. He minimized the damage and was dominant." Blanco doubled off Chad Durbin to drive in two runs in the seventh. Bourn and Prado each walked with the bases loaded against Jeremy Affeldt to force in runs in the eighth. Johnson doubled home a run in the ninth. "It got a little sloppy there and we let the game get away," Bochy said. NOTES: San Francisco RHP Eric Hacker was optioned to Triple-A Fresno after the game. The Giants will make a corresponding move Sunday. ... Bumgarner has pitched at least six innings in all but two starts. ... Sonoma Mayor Joanne Saunders declared Dan Uggla Day, honouring the Braves second baseman. ... RHP Tim Lincecum (7-13, 5.30 ERA) pitches Sunday for the Giants. He won his last outing, beating the Dodgers in Los Angeles. ... Giants OF Francisco Peguero made his major league debut. Baseball America rated him as having the best outfield arm in the system. ... Braves RHP Tim Hudson (12-4, 3.69) pitches Sunday. He is 7-4 against the Giants. ... Atlanta RHP Ben Sheets was placed on the 15-day DL with right shoulder inflammation. RHP Miguel Batista was called up from Triple-A. ... Eight of Heywards last 16 hits have been for extra bases. ' ' '