Special Olympics Minnesota Athletes, Coaches Head To Greece For World Summer Games
Minnesotans join 315 athletes and 125 coaches from Special Olympics Team USA as they journey to Greece for the country’s largest sporting event of the year
After months of rigorous training and preparation, eight Special Olympics Minnesota athletes and two coaches will depart Saturday for the most spectacular sporting event happening this year — Special Olympics World Summer Games Athens 2011, where they will compete as part of Special Olympics Team USA alongside 7,000 athletes from nearly 180 nations, June 25 – July 4.
The Minnesotans will join 315 athletes from every state and the District of Columbia and 125 coaches and managers on Team USA. The team will meet in Baltimore, Md. on June 18 and then depart for Greece. In Athens, the birthplace of modern sport, the talents and skills of Special Olympics athletes will remind us what the World Games are really about, where all participants are winners in their struggle for respect, inclusion and unity. This event will draw more than 25,000 volunteers, 3,000 event officials and thousands of families, spectators and journalists from every continent. Read more
Special Olympics Minnesota’s 2010 Summer Games Continue
Today’s competition includes track and field and gymnastics, culminates with Celebration Ceremonies
Track and field events continue today at the University of Minnesota’s Bierman Athletics Complex (corner of 15th Avenue SE and 5th Street SE) from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Between competitions, athletes have the chance to spend time in Olympic Town and Healthy Athletes Village, open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. Rhythmic gymnastics competition is also taking place at Mini-Hops Gymnastics Club in Minnetonka (131 Cheshire Lane, Suite 100) from 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Summer Games Celebration Ceremonies will be held this evening at 7:30 p.m. at Bierman Field and will include guest speakers, an athlete parade, Minnesota law enforcement personnel and the ceremonial lighting of the “Flame of Hope” by Special Olympics Minnesota National Games athlete Erik Westenfield. Law enforcement volunteers participated in a 2,000-mile Torch Run Final Leg relay running the flame across Minnesota in the week leading up to Summer Games. The 2010 Final Leg will culminate tonight at Celebration Ceremonies. Pre- ceremony entertainment begins at 5:30 p.m. and includes a performance by the Minnesota Vikings Skol Line.
Today in Olympic Town athletes can enjoy Olympic Town Stage performances by Rince Na Chroi, an Irish dancing troupe, and Ruben, a Stillwater-based band. Athletes can also sing karaoke on stage and dance to music in the Boogie Town tent. This afternoon, athletes can visit the Hairstyle Station to get styled for tonight’s Celebration Ceremonies and subsequent athlete dance. Read more
MMA returns to primetime on CBS with STRIKEFORCE: FEDOR VS. ROGERS Live on Saturday, Nov. 7
Fedor, the #1 Ranked MMA Heavyweight in the World, To Be Seen for the First Time by Broadcast Television Audience
The CBS Television Network will return to the mixed martial arts (MMA) cage with STRIKEFORCE: FEDOR VS. ROGERS, to be broadcast Saturday, Nov. 7 (9:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT). SHOWTIME Sports will produce the four-fight event with host Gus Johnson calling the action and MMA legend Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo serving as color analysts.
In 2008, CBS aired the first live MMA fights on network television, with three successful events earning time period-winning ratings in all key young adult and young men demographics. CBS’s most recent broadcast in October 2008 ranked as the night’s highest-rated program on both broadcast and cable in adults 18-34 and men 18-34, topping all other sports programming in those demographics, including the Major League Baseball playoffs and college football.
On Nov. 7, the world’s Number One-ranked MMA heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko of Russia, will face undefeated American Brett Rogers of Minnesota in the marquee match up. The fight marks the first bout for the highly coveted Emelianenko since his promotional company M-1 Global signed an agreement with STRIKEFORCE to co-promote major events.
“There’s no question this is a sport that is fast becoming a force in popularity and as a business,” said Kelly Kahl, Senior Executive Vice President, Prime Time, CBS Television. “We’re excited to be the platform that will enable millions more to see the athlete regarded as the very best in his sport. The Number One heavyweight on the most-watched network has a very nice ring to it.”
Simply referred to as “Fedor” by fans around the world, the 6-foot, 235-pound Russian is one of the most dominant fighters in the sport. He is a master of the Russian military combat system Sambo and boasts a record of 30 wins, one loss, no draws with 16 wins by submission, seven knockouts and seven decisions. The 28-year-old Rogers (10-0) is a massive physical specimen standing 6-feet, 5-inches tall and weighing 265 pounds. He possesses two of the heaviest hands in the sport of MMA, an attribute that has helped him knock out all 10 of his professional opponents.
“It is an honor to have the opportunity to bring the STRIKEFORCE brand to CBS,” said Scott Coker, Founder and CEO of STRIKEFORCE. “We are looking forward to bringing MMA back to the network and to having the world’s No. 1 heavyweight–Fedor–compete for the first time on live network television against one of America’s most promising young, undefeated stars–Brett Rogers.”
STRIKEFORCE has experienced significant growth since it launched its first MMA promotion on March 10, 2006. After signing a landmark deal to air live events on SHOWTIME earlier this year, STRIKEFORCE earned the premium network its highest MMA rating ever on August 15 with Carano vs. Cyborg. Shortly before the live telecast, the main event principals–Gina Carano and Cris “Cyborg” Santos–were the most searched terms on Yahoo! and Google, while the fight was the most discussed subject on Twitter.
Source: CBS Television Network