Jessica Ennis: Unbelievable - From My Childhood Dreams To Winning Olympic Gold

Author: Jessica Ennis
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 1444768611
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 233

Book Description
On 4 August 2012 Jessica Ennis kicked off what some described as the greatest night in British sporting history. For her it was the end of a long, winding, and sometimes harrowing road. Nobody was under more pressure at the London Olympics than 'the face of the Games'. Yet Jessica delivered the heptathlon gold medal, and the huge outpouring of relief she showed afterwards hinted at the roller-coaster journey she had been on. Behind the smiles and politeness, Jessica has endured much. Bullied at school for being small, she proved to critics and rivals alike that size really didn't matter. Hers is an inspiring tale of following your dreams no matter what life throws at you. In 2008 Jessica thought her career might be over when she was injured on the eve of the Olympic Games in Beijing. But she overcame this setback to rebuild her career and technique, becoming the world and European champion in successive years. Her biggest test was yet to come, though, when her rivals overhauled her in the build-up to London. Unbelievable is a refreshingly candid account of her rise to fame in a highly charged world in which body image issues and drug abuses lurk. From the unique pressures facing her, to behind-the-scenes glimpses into the greatest show on earth, and a revealing account of her love-hate relationship with her long-term coach, Jessica reveals the truth behind the smiles for the first time. Unbelievable includes exclusive behind-the-scenes photos. This is the story of how the girl next door became London's poster girl, and how an ordinary woman used an extraordinary talent to claim the title of the world's greatest all-round female sports star.

Jessica Ennis

Author: Jessica Ennis
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781444768602
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 276

Book Description
On August 4, 2012, Jessica Ennis kicked off what some described as the greatest night in British sporting history. For her it was the end of a long, winding, and sometimes harrowing road. Nobody was under more pressure at the London Olympics than "the face of the Games." Yet Jessica delivered the heptathlon gold medal, and the huge outpouring of relief she showed afterwards hinted at the roller-coaster journey she had been on. Behind the smiles and politeness, Jessica has endured much. Bullied at school for being small, she proved to critics and rivals alike that size really didn't matter. Hers is an inspiring tale of following your dreams no matter what life throws at you. In 2008 Jessica thought her career might be over when she was injured on the eve of the Olympic Games in Beijing. But she overcame this setback to rebuild her career and technique, becoming the world and European champion in successive years. Her biggest test was yet to come, though, when her rivals overhauled her in the build-up to London. Unbelievable is a refreshingly candid account of her rise to fame in a highly charged world in which body image issues and drug abuses lurk. From the unique pressures facing her, to behind-the-scenes glimpses into the greatest show on earth, and a revealing account of her love-hate relationship with her long-term coach, Jessica reveals the truth behind the smiles for the first time. Unbelievable includes exclusive behind-the-scenes photos. This is the story of how the girl next door became London's poster girl, and how an ordinary woman used an extraordinary talent to claim the title of the world's greatest all-round female sports star.

Running My Life - The Autobiography

Author: Seb Coe
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 1444731041
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 732

Book Description
One second in time may separate the great athlete from the merely good. Seb Coe has made every second count. From an early age he has been driven to be the best at everything he does. Since the moment Coe stood alongside a 'scrubby' municipal running track in Sheffield, he knew that sport could change his life. It did. Breaking an incredible twelve world records and three of them in just forty-one days, Seb became the only athlete to take gold at 1500 metres in two successive Olympic Games (Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984). The same passion galvanised Coe in 2005, when he led Britain's bid to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to London. He knew that if we won it would regenerate an East London landscape and change the lives of thousands of young people. It has. Born in Hammersmith and coached by his engineer father, Coe went from a secondary modern school and Loughborough University to become the fastest middle-distance runner of his generation. His rivalry with Steve Ovett gripped a nation and made Britain feel successful at a time of widespread social discontent. From sport Coe transferred his ideals to politics, serving in John Major's Conservative government from 1992 to 1997 and developing 'sharp elbows' to become chief of staff to William Hague, leader of the Party from 1997 to 2001 and finally a member of the House of Lords. Running My Life is in turns exhilarating, inspiring, amusing, and extremely moving. Everyone knows where Sebastian Coe ended up. Few people realise how he got there. This is his personal journey.

Twin Ambitions - My Autobiography

Author: Mo Farah
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 1444779591
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 367

Book Description
Hodder & Stoughton admire Sir Mo's bravery in revealing his experience of being trafficked as a child. His memoir TWIN AMBITIONS, published in 2013, is based on the story he felt able to tell at the time, which we understood to be the true version of events. It is now clear that Sir Mo did not wish to share some of his difficult early experiences and we respect the decisions he made both then and now. 4 August, 2012. Super Saturday. On the most electric night in the history of British sport, Mo Farah braved the pain and punishment to seize Olympic gold in the 10,000m - and in the process went from being a talented athlete to a national treasure. Seven days later, Mo seized his second gold at the 5000m to go where no British distance runner has gone before. Records have tumbled before him: European track records at 1500m, 5000m indoors, and 10,000m; British track records at 5000m, 3000m indoors and 10k on the road have all fallen to Mohamed 'Mo' Farah: the boy from Somalia who came to Britain at the age of eight, leaving behind his twin brother, and with just a few words of English, and a natural talent for running. His secondary school PE teacher Alan Watkinson spotted his potential and began easing this human gazelle towards the racetrack. In 2001 Mo showed his promise by winning the 5000m at the European Junior Championships. Soon he was smashing a string of British and European records. He began living with a group of elite Kenyan runners, following their strict regime of run, sleep, eat and rest. Mo was determined to leave no stone uncovered in his bid for distance-running glory. After a disappointing Olympics in Beijing Mo took the bold decision to relocate to Portland, Oregon to work under legendary coach Alberto Salazar. The results were emphatic as Mo took silver at the 10,000m and then raced to gold in the 5000m at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu. Even better would soon follow at London 2012. TWIN AMBITIONS is much more than an autobiography by a great Olympic champion. It's a moving human story of a man who grew up in difficult circumstances, separated from his family at an early age, who struggled to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and realise his dream.

Unexpected

Author: Greg Rutherford
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1471162532
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 330

Book Description
Greg Rutherford is one of the most successful British athletes of all time, winning gold at European, Commonwealth, World and Olympic levels, an achievement matched by only four others: Linford Christie, Jonathan Edwards, Sally Gunnell and Daley Thompson. Yet his route to the very top was never smooth. He always believed in himself as an athlete and sportsman, but for many years could not find an outlet that allowed him to truly excel. During his reckless teenage years, he would sometimes sleep rough and he dropped out of school, before he found the focus that would help him to get to the very top. But even then, there were still setbacks, as when he fell short in the Beijing Olympics. It served only to spur him on. In London, he became a part of 'Super Saturday' when he joined Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis in winning gold in 45 astonishing minutes of British glory. Condemned by some as a 'lucky' winner, he went on to complete his clean sweep of major titles through sheer determination to succeed. In this long-awaited memoir, he not only reveals the secrets of his remarkable success, but also has plenty to say on the issues that are dominating athletics, such as doping, and much else besides. It is a raw, passionate, entertaining and fascinating read.

Swim, Bike, Run

Author: Alistair Brownlee
Publisher: Penguin UK
ISBN: 0670923133
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 251

Book Description
Swim, Bike, Run is the ultimate triathlon book, from Olympic heroes the Brownlee brothers The Olympic Triathlon, Hyde Park, London August 7th 2012 'We jogged to our positions on the pontoon: two brothers, side by side, the world and everyone we ever cared about looking on. Eighteen years of training, culminating in this single race. Noise from the crowd impossible to imagine. Hearts thumping. Swim-hats pulled tight, goggles lowered. Into a crouch, poised for the hooter. Three. Two. One...' This is the story of how two skinny lads from west Yorkshire became the best triathletes in the world. Meet the Brownlees: Olympic Champion Alistair, World Champion Jonny. Brothers, training partners, rivals. They have obliterated the competition and set new standards for swimming, biking and running. But the Brownlee brothers have never forgotten their roots. They still do their schoolboy hill runs and Dales rides; still train harder and longer than anyone; still push each other to new heights. In this revealing, often very funny book they take us inside their world and inside their races. It's both a riveting story of brotherly rivalry and a rare insight into what it takes to be the best. Swim, Bike, Run is also packed with training secrets. Whether you are thinking about your first triathlon or are a seasoned competitor, here are unique sections on how to swim, bike and run, and advice on nutrition, injury, and mental approach. With the Brownlees in your corner, you will do more than you ever thought possible. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in swimming, cycling and running and will be loved by readers of Mark Cavendish's Boy Racer and Running with the Kenyans. Alistair Brownlee, 24, is a British triathlete from Yorkshire. He is the reigning Olympic champion, a back-to-back European champion and a two-time World champion. Jonathan Brownlee, 22, is also a British triathlete from Yorkshire. He is the reigning World Champion, a two-time World Sprint champion and an Olympic bronze medalist. 'Sport has two new heroes: a couple of nice lads from Yorkshire ' The Times

Paula

Author: Paula Radcliffe
Publisher: Pocket Books
ISBN: 9780743478694
Category : Large type books
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
"Updated to include her New York, London, and Helsinki victories"--P. [4] of cover.

Body Aesthetics

Author: Sherri Irvin
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0191084883
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 352

Book Description
The body is a rich object for aesthetic inquiry. We aesthetically assess both our own bodies and those of others, and our felt bodily experiences—as we eat, have sex, and engage in other everyday activities—have aesthetic qualities. The body, whether depicted or actively performing, features centrally in aesthetic experiences of visual art, theatre, dance and sports. Body aesthetics can be a source of delight for both the subject and the object of the gaze. But aesthetic consideration of bodies also raises acute ethical questions: the body is deeply intertwined with one's identity and sense of self, and aesthetic assessment of bodies can perpetuate oppression based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, size, and disability. Artistic and media representations shape how we see and engage with bodies, with consequences both personal and political. This volume contains sixteen original essays by contributors in philosophy, sociology, dance, disability theory, critical race studies, feminist theory, medicine, and law. Contributors take on bodily beauty, sexual attractiveness, the role of images in power relations, the distinct aesthetics of disabled bodies, the construction of national identity, the creation of compassion through bodily presence, the role of bodily style in moral comportment, and the somatic aesthetics of racialized police violence.

The Fastest Men on Earth

Author: Neil Duncanson
Publisher: Headline Welbeck Non-Fiction
ISBN: 1787396673
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 313

Book Description
With an exclusive foreword by Usain Bolt, The Fastest Men on Earth tells the fascinating inside stories of the Olympic Men's 100m Champions. It takes just under ten seconds to run, but the results of the Olympic men's 100 metres are etched forever into history. In The Fastest Men on Earth, journalist Neil Duncanson tells the stories of the 25 athletes who've been crowned champions in the event, and earned the coveted title of 'Fastest Man on Earth'. Each chapter explores the fascinating, inspiring, and occasionally tragic lives of these supremely talented sprinters, as well as the intense drama of the record-breaking runs that wrote them into history. Immaculately researched and featuring exclusive interviews with several Olympic champions, including a new conversation with Usain Bolt, The Fastest Men on Earth brings the stories of some of the greatest athletes of all time to life like never before.

Run Smart

Author: John Brewer
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472939697
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 194

Book Description
Renowned marathon expert and leading sports scientist Professor John Brewer reveals why many of the concepts surrounding marathon training and running are wrong - and suggests how the latest sports science research transforms the way marathons should be approached. Run Smart uses the latest scientific research to show how preparing for, and running, marathons can be made easier, and in doing so challenges many of the myths that surround marathon running. The book will draw on the author's experience as one of the UK's leading sports scientists, his extensive research background in marathon running, and his experience as a marathon runner, to provide credible advice to runners to support their preparation for a marathon. The book will challenge many current concepts, myths and ideas, and provide science-based alternatives in areas such as training and nutrition that will optimise and ease a runner's preparation for, and completion of, the 26.2 mile distance. This highly accessible book will use the latest scientific findings to support new runners training for their first marathon and help more experienced athletes improve and train smarter.