The Secret Olympian

Author: ANON,
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1408165031
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 224

Book Description
The vast majority of us can only dream of being an Olympic-level athlete - but we have no real idea of what that means. Here, for the first time, in all its shocking, funny and downright bizarre glory, is the truth of the Olympic experience. It is an unimaginable world: the kitting-out ceremony with its 35kg of team clothing per athlete the pre-Olympic holding camp with its practical jokes, resentment and fighting, and freaky physiological regimes the politicians' visits with their flirty spouses the vast range of athletes with their odd body shapes and freakish genetics the release post-competion in the Olympic village with all the excessive drinking, eating, partying and sex (not necessarily in that order) the hysteria of homecoming celebrations and the comedown that follows - how do you adjust to life after the Games? The Secret Olympian talks to scores of Olympic athletes - past and present, from Munich 1960 right through to London 2012, including British, American, Australian, Dutch, French, Croatian, German, Canadian and Italian competitors. They all have a tale to tell - and most of those tales would make your eyes pop more than an Olympic weightlifter's.

Total Olympics

Author: Jeremy Fuchs
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
ISBN: 1523508388
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 337

Book Description
“An indispensable Olympic resource and a lot of pure fun.”––Jack McCallum, author of the New York Times bestseller Dream Team Faster! Higher! Stronger! Stranger! A glorious tapestry of legendary characters, forgotten records, crazy accomplishments, unbelievable feats, wacky contests, and controversial moments, Total Olympics is pure pleasure for anyone who loves the world’s greatest sporting event. Discover how the modern Games began, in an out-of-the-way Victorian English town named Much Wenlock. Long-discontinued Olympic sports like tug of war, firefighting, live pigeon shooting, and painting. (Picasso for the gold?) And the over-the-top, heroic exploits that make it all so thrilling––like the inspiring story of gymnast Shun Fujimoto who brought his team to victory while fighting through the pain of a broken knee. With hundreds of true stories and stunning photographs, it’s a collection of sports yearns unlike any other.

The Most Incredible Olympic Stories

Author: Luciano Wernicke
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789391125141
Category : Olympics
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description

The World's Weirdest News Stories

Author: John A. Torres
Publisher: Enslow Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 0766083799
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 163

Book Description
Thanks to the twenty-four-hour news cycle, today we can learn of big news developments in no time at all. But what about the smallerand strangerevents that are often overlooked or ignored? This captivating volume offers readers the oddest stories ever to hit the newspapers. A dog on trial for murder? A man who choked to death on the garlic he used to repel vampires? A torrent of frogs raining from the sky? A lady who picked up broadcasting signals through her teeth? The trouser thief? These crazy news stories will convince readers that truth is often stranger than fiction. Sidebars, a glossary, and books and websites in the further reading section are also included.

Go, Gwen, Go

Author: Elizabeth Jorgensen
Publisher: Meyer & Meyer Sport
ISBN: 1782554858
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 419

Book Description
Narrated in alternating voices by mother Nancy and sister Elizabeth, Go, Gwen, Go is an inspiring story about Olympian Gwen Jorgensen and her family. This memoir introduces a young woman of modest athletic achievements who uses desire and discipline to attain the ultimate in sport—the Olympic Gold. You will enter the secret world of Olympic training, professional coaching, international travel, sponsor funding, anti-doping requirements, athlete nutrition, and sports physiotherapy. You will be granted an inside look at the personal life of a professional triathlete, complete with family crises and holiday celebrations. During her triathlon career, Gwen became the first American woman to win a World Triathlon Series event, the first person in history to win 12 consecutive races on the ITU circuit, and the first American triathlete, man or woman, to win an Olympic Gold medal. In this inspiring story, Gwen Jorgensen and her family grow together, from average to Olympian.

Into the Suffersphere

Author: Jon Malnick
Publisher: The Crowood Press
ISBN: 0719820529
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 240

Book Description
According to the website of The Velominati, the self-professed Keepers of the Cog, the optimal number of bikes owned is n + 1, where n is the number of bikes owned. But there's also an important corollary, s-1, where s is the number of bikes that will cause your wife or partner to leave you.' Into the Suffersphere: Cycling and the Art of Pain is a brilliantly witty account of one former racer's exploration of whether cycling is the one sport that pushes its participants to the very limits of human endurance, and delves painfully into the role that physical and mental suffering can play in this elite endurance sport. Drawing together sporting history and pro-cycling interviews, and investigating current medical, business and psychological theories, this is the story of the extraordinary lengths to which minds and bodies can be pushed. Peppered with recollections from the author's own racing experiences and offering a fascinating insight into the unique allure of pain in a sporting context, Into the Suffersphere explores a side of cycling that you would never have dreamed of - not even in your worst nightmare. An essential read for all MAMILs (middle-aged men in Lycra) and fans of sports writing and smart thinking.

And Nobody Got Hurt!

Author: Len Berman
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 031605075X
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 77

Book Description
An Olympian who sacrificed a medal to save a competitor, a professional soccer player who was bribed out of retirement with pizza, a runaway pig who disrupted the start of a baseball game -- truth is stranger than fiction, especially in sports! In this sequel to his first compilation of sports bloopers and unbelievable stories, And Nobody Got Hurt", Today Show regular and Emmy Award-winning sportscaster Len Berman shares more of the funniest and most amazing stories in the history of sports, including favorite moments from his popular Spanning the World segments on NBC-TV.

The Boys in the Boat (Movie Tie-In)

Author: Daniel James Brown
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0593512308
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 433

Book Description
Now a Major Motion Picture Directed by George Clooney The #1 New York Times bestselling true story about the American rowing triumph of the 1936 Olympics in Berlin—from the author of Facing the Mountain For readers of Unbroken, out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant. It was an unlikely quest from the start. With a team composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew team was never expected to defeat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did, going on to shock the world by defeating the German team rowing for Adolf Hitler. The emotional heart of the tale lies with Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not only to regain his shattered self-regard but also to find a real place for himself in the world. Drawing on the boys’ own journals and vivid memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, Brown has created an unforgettable portrait of an era, a celebration of a remarkable achievement, and a chronicle of one extraordinary young man’s personal quest.

BRAM STOKER Ultimate Collection: 50+ Horror Novels, Dark Fantasy Stories & True Crime Tales

Author: Bram Stoker
Publisher: Good Press
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 2136

Book Description
BRAM STOKER Ultimate Collection is a comprehensive anthology of over 50 horror novels, dark fantasy stories, and true crime tales by the renowned author Bram Stoker. Known for his literary masterpiece 'Dracula,' Stoker's works often explore themes of the supernatural, Gothic elements, and the darker aspects of human nature. His writing style is characterized by rich descriptions, suspenseful narratives, and intricate plots that keep readers on the edge of their seats. This collection showcases Stoker's versatility as a writer, ranging from chilling horror tales to intense psychological thrillers. It is a must-read for fans of classic horror literature and those interested in exploring the depths of the human psyche through fiction. Bram Stoker, a prolific Irish writer, drew inspiration from his own fascination with folklore, mythology, and the mysterious realms of the unknown. His works are influenced by his experiences as a theater manager and his travels throughout Europe, blending elements of Eastern European folklore with Victorian sensibilities. Stoker's enduring legacy continues to captivate readers and inspire generations of writers in the horror genre. I highly recommend BRAM STOKER Ultimate Collection to both avid fans of classic horror literature and readers looking to delve into the enduring legacy of Bram Stoker. This anthology offers a diverse range of stories that showcase Stoker's mastery of the horror genre, making it a captivating and immersive reading experience that will leave a lasting impression on all who dare to explore its pages.

World's Strangest Basketball Stories

Author: Bart Rockwell
Publisher: Troll Communications
ISBN: 9780816728527
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 100

Book Description
Have you heard about the team that had so many players foul out that only one teammate remained to finiiish the game? Or, the player who, in one game, scored all his winning team's 97 points? If you like basketball, you'll love this wacky book. It's jam-packed with the world's strangest--but true--basketball stories.