THE WORLD PORTAL

New Zealand is one of the country which has a lot of athletes for this Olympics. Their majority athletes was specialized in tracks and fields. The golden twins named Georgina Evers-Swindell, Caroline Evers-Swindell were selected to represent New Zealand for this Summer Olympics 2008. For Athens Olympics they were ranked 24 and for this Beijing they were placed 26th. Now lets check out the top medalist from New Zealand.

1.Tom Ashley

Tom Ashley is one of the best sailor from New Zealand. He is the one who raised the pride and hope of New Zealand. Tom is the first Olympian who won gold for New Zealand since 1992 for his event sailing. He won the Olympic gold with lots of adventures faced. This has been Ashley’s second Olympic Games appearance after he competed in the Mistral class in Athens 2004 when he was just 20 years of age. He is very particular about his training and does that regularly. He usually train in light wind areas and train himself to face all the tough conditions. Ashely’s ability to submit constant results at most of the events makes him different from others. He got gold medal for his event in this summer Olympics 2008.

2. Valerie Vili

Valere is the best Shot putter from New Zealand. She is ranked top from this Olympics. For this Beijing Olympics she received gold medal and been top ranked for her event shot put. Valerie covered a distance of 20.56m. Her career started at the age of 14 when she participated in a school competition. She became junior world champion and received a silver medal at the commonwealth games in 2002. She participated in Athens Olympics 2004 which was her first Olympic match in her career. But luck was not in her side, she was just back from an operation for appendicitis, she was placed eighth in the qualification round. It became a challenge for Valerie and began to train very hard for her next Olympics. It resulted and payed off a Gold medal for her in this summer Olympics 2008. She received one Mitsubishi SUV for her performance in this Olympics.

3. Georgina Evers-Swindell, Caroline Evers-Swindell

Caroline and Georgina are the identical twin sisters from New Zealand. Their event is Double Sculls and they are best in that. Now they are top ranked in this event after winning gold medal consecutively for Athens 2004 summer Olympics and Beijing Summer Olympics 2008. It was an amazing finish in the Women’s Double Sculls rowing event at the Olympic Games in Beijing. It was a very close finish by this twins and won by a fraction of a second by .01 second to German team. That was the first Olympic gold for New Zealand in Beijing. For their performance they were named Rowing Female Crew of the year 2005 by the International Rowing Federation (FISA).

4. Hayden Roulston

Hayden is one of the best cycler from New Zealand. This summer Olympics 2008 is the third Olympics for Hayden. He has many records in his name. He is the fastest new Zealander to finish fourth in the individual pursuit at the world championships and fourth in the team pursuit. He has also won the Oceania road race title. He won a silver medal in the Madison with Greg Henderson at the 2003 World Championships, a bronze medal in the team pursuit in Manchester and silver in the Points race in Melbourne. Olympic medal will be the greatest achievement in his career. He won Silver for Individual pursuit and bronze medal for team pursuit for this Summer Olympics 2008.

5. Mahe Drysdale

Mahe Drysdale is one of the rower from New Zealand. He won Bronze medal for this summer Olympics 2008 for his event Single Sculls. The finals was one of the biggest suffering time in his entire career. He doesn’t know how he finished the line. Mahe was suffering from a severe stomach pain a week before his Olympics. He managed to adjust to the circumstances and his conditions. He was given First Aid just after the race when he collapsed in that moment. New Zealand holds a prominent place in world rowing. Even at the age of 28 he is the best rower from New Zealand and the man who raised the entire pride for his country.

6. Bevan Docherty

Bevan is an expert Triathlete from New Zealand. Its for sure that he makes safe his position in every Olympics and other meets. He was positioned second place ie silver medal for the Athens Olympics and for this Summer Olympics 2008 he was positioned third ie Bronze. Bevan comes from a sporty family, his father Ray, competes in Ironmans. He did Ironman Hawaii in 2002. His sister, Fiona, is also an elite Triathlete. He gives motivation to many of the upcoming talents from New Zealand. He admits himself that he wont practice regularly and he is lacking of a better coach.

7. Nicholas Willis

Nicholas is one of the specialized 1500m runner from New Zealand. For this summer Olympics he received his first Olympic medal. He finished third and won a Bronze medal and marked as his first in Olympics. He never misses his practice a day and works hard to maintain his speed. He varies the speed according to climate changes. He does 120m sprints and hurdle 2 times a week. For winter and fall, he practices 80m hill sprints once a week. According to his philosophy, to attain heights one should be regular in training and strength is his Key.

8. Nathan Twaddle, George Bridgewater

Nathan and George are the best rowers from New Zealand. These pairs have been raising glories throughout for their country. They were the Bronze medalist for men’s pair at the Shunyi Rowing and Canoeing Park during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. They are better experienced multiple champions and race achievers. They have a wonderful co ordination, experience and power at their disposal. They have been representing their country since 2004. But last Olympics doesn’t seems to be luckier for them. they placed fourth in that. Its their hard work and co ordination which they acquired Bronze for this Olympics.

Cuba got 28 th position the 2008 summer Olympics at Beijing. They won 2 gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze with the total of 24 medals in this Olympics. They participated in 16 events with 149 competitors. Mijail Lopez was the flag bearer in the opening ceremony. They participated in athletics, shooting, boxing, judo etc. In the wrestling and athletics they achieved gold. Cuba participated in most of the Olympics such as 2000 and 2004. In the 2000 Olympics they won 11 gold medals . In 2004 the gold medals reduced to 9. Now in 2008 they achieved only 2 two gold medals. Mijail Lopez of Cuba won the gold medal. Some of the medalists of the Beijing Olympics are listed below.

1.Mijail Lopez

A Cuban wrestler Mijail Lopez won the gold medal for the wrestling 120kg class at this summer Olympics in Beijing. He was the flag bearer of the country in the opening ceremony. He was the 2007 world champion in the men’s Greco-Roman 120kg category. He hit a five point throw the first period of the final. He was the world champion in the 2005 Budapest World Cup. He came second in the 2006 World championship. Many believe that Lopez has as much skill and ability as any Greco-Roman wrestler in the world. This Greco-Roman wrestling competition consists of a single-elimination tournament, with a repechage used to determine the winner of two bronze medals. The two finalists face off for gold and silver medals. He defeated Khasan Baroyev of Russia with the score 5-1.

2.Dayron Robles

A Cuban hurler Dayron Robles holds the world record in the 110 meter hurdles of 12.87 seconds. Now he became the gold medal winner of Beijing Olympics in 110m hurdles. At the 2006 World Indoor Championships in Moscow he finished second with a new personal best time of 7.46 seconds. The record was held by superstar hurdler Liu Xiang of China. He also achieved the World youth championships at 2003 and 2004. He was the winner of Central American and Caribbean Games at 2006 and Pan American games at 2007. In the IAAF World athletics final he finished first in the 110 m hurdles. Now he is the world’s fastest man ever over 110m. He becomes the sixth Cuban athlete to break a world senior record outdoors and regains the 110m Hurdles mark to the Caribbean Island, 31 years after 1976.

3.Yoanka Gonzalez

Yoanka Gonzalez , a Cuban racing cyclist, was born in Villa Clara. She won the silver medal for the women’s point race cycling in the 2008 Beijing Olympics 2008. She was the scratch cycling world champion in 2004. She is also the wife of cyclist Pedro Pablo Perez. She became the first Cuban to ever win a world championship. Perez has been riding for 14 years . Her merit is multiplied because that distinction in what many consider to be the most complex track cycling event, or at least the one with high tactical value, as speed has to be combined with resistance. Marianne Vos of Netherlands won the gold medal for this event. Leire Olaberria of Spain got the bronze medal. Yoanka Gonzalez won the silver medal with 18 points. The track cycling event consists of a single race. This race is a 25 kilometer, 100 lap race.

4.Yanet Bermoy

A Cuban judoka Yanet Bermoy won the silver medal for women’s 48 Kg judo in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She was born in Cienfuegos. She becomes the first Olympic medalist of the Island nation in Beijing. She is so confident and positive about the future. She told that she will keep training for 2012 London Olympics for more better results. She is the second Cuban woman who reached the podium in this division at these quadrennial competitions. Before her Amarilis Savon did it in 1992 and 1996, wining bronze medals in both occasions. One of the most advanced pupils trainer VeitIa, explained that she improved versatility during the last stage of her training in Japan, because she is one of the most studied athletes in Cuba’s judo team.She was also the winner of 2005 world champion. For Cuba, this is the 27th medal obtained by Cuba in Judo.

5.Anaysi Hernandez

Anaysi Hernandez, a Cuban judoka won the silver medal for women’s 70 Kg class judoka in Beijing Olympics 2008. She won the 363 Kg event in the World championships in 2001. In the 2008 super World cup she was the winner for the 263 Kg and 363 Kg judo. In the 2008 Warsaw World cup she won the 163 kg judo. The Women’s 70 kg Judo competition at the 2008 Summer Olympics takes place at the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium. This event was the third-heaviest of the women’s judo weight classes, limiting competitors to a maximum of 70 kilograms of body mass. Masae Ueno of Japan won the gold medal for this event. Netherlands and United states share the bronze medal.

6.Yalennis Castillo

A Cuban judoka Yalennis Castillo won the silver medal for women’s 78 kg judoka in Beijing Olympics 2008. She also won a silver medal in the 78kg category at the 2007 World Judo Championships. She also won 770kg judo in 2007 World championships at Brazil. In the 2008 Super World cup at Germany she was the winner of 170 Kg. In the 2005 and 2007 world cup she won the 370 Kg class judo. This event was the second heaviest of the women’s judo weight classes. Like all other judo events, bouts lasted five minutes.Yang Xiuli of China defeated Yalennis Castillo for the gold medal . After a good start, both fighters joined the battle in earnest, tossing each other to the floor like wheat sacks, but each unable to put the other on their back to post a score. The competition leads into extra time of fine minutes. With neither able to score after the full five minutes of extra time, referees judged Yang the more attacking fighter and awarded her the title.

7.Yarelis Barrios

Yarelis Barrios is part of the new generation of Cuban athletes. She was born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba. Cuban discuss thrower , Barrios won the personal best throw of 63.90m in the 2007 World championships. Now she won the silver medal for women’s discus throw in Beijing Olympics 2008. She preferred basketball. She took up athletics at the age of 14. There was no close sporting background in the family but they have always supported her. She started to excel in the Discus thanks to her strength and continued to improve. She finished her junior career with 54.10m in 2002. In 2004, she selected to the national senior team and soon began to enjoy international success. In 2007 Central American and Caribbean Championships , 2007 Pan American games and 2007 world university games she was finished in the 1st position.

8.Yipsi Moreno

The youngest of five sisters, Yipsi Moreno started athletics at the age of six when the physical education teacher discovered her aptitude for sports. Raul Abreu became her first throwing coach . At first she trained in the Shot and the Discus. But, when the Hammer was introduced in Cuba in 1993, she took up the new implement at the age 14 and produced a 48 meters throw in her first national competition. She is a double world champion and Olympic silver medalist. She won the silver medal in Beijing for hammer. In 1999, Moreno broke the World Junior record with a 66.34 effort in Mexico City. In 1997, she achieved her first international victory when claiming the Pan American Junior title. She finished fourth place at the 2000 Olympics, in Sydney. She also achieved a surprising win at the 2001 world championships. She grabbed a silver medal in the word university games. She achieved her first Central American and Caribbean crown in Cartagena, Colombia, and finished third at the IAAF World Athletics Final, in Stuttgart, and the World Cup, in Athens. She won several world championships also.

9.Emilio Correa Bayeaux

A Cuban amateur boxer Emilio Correa Bayeaux, who is best known to win the gold medal for middleweight at the PanAm Games 2007. He is the son of Olympic champion Emilio Correa Sr. He won a silver medal for the middleweight in the 2008 Beijing Olympics games. He also won a bronze medal for the same event in the 2005 world amateur games. India’s Virender Kumar lost 5-8 to Cuba’s Emilio Correa Bateaux in the semifinal of the middleweight boxing event in Beijing. In 2004 he lost in the welterweight final of the world junior championships to Elshod Rasulov and finished third at the national senior championships. James DeGale of Great Britain won the gold medal for this event. In the Olympic final Emilio Correa Bayeaux lost 14-16 to James DeGale .

10. Carlos Banteaux Suarez

A Cuban amateur boxer Carlos Banteaux Suarez won the silver medal for the welterweight event in the 2008 Beijing Olympics 2008. In 2004 he won the 64 Kg world junior championships. His best result was a second place in 2006 vs Inocente Fiss, in 2007 . Pedro Roque is his coach. He won the Dominican Copa Independencia . Bakhyt Sarsekbayev of Kazakhstan won the gold medal by defeating Carlos Banteaux Suarez. China and South Korea share the bronze medal . In the Olympic final Carlos lost to Bakhyt Sarsekbayev by the score 9-18. He won the 2008 nationals immediately with a clear 15:6 final win over veteran Yudel Johnson.