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Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Olympics 2012: Opening ceremonies

Olympics 2012: Opening ceremonies


The Olympic caulmdron is lit during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 27 at the Olympic stadium in London (Cameron Spencer/AFP/GettyImages)

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Euro 2012 Soccer Championship, Part 2: The action

It’s been an action-packed tournament, to soccer fans’ delight, with more than two dozen matches played in Poland and the Ukraine during the European 2012 Soccer Championship. It’s down to four teams from the sixteen that qualified, and the final match will be played July 1 at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.


Ukrainian forward Andriy Voronin (right) vies with Swedish defender Andreas Granqvist during the Euro 2012 championships soccer match between Ukraine and Sweden on June 11 at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev. Ukraine won 2-1. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP/Getty Images)

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Euro 2012 Soccer Championship, part one: The fans

Some happy, some sad, at times cheering or even fighting, fans of soccer are absorbed in the European 2012 Soccer Championship. Sixteen nations made it to the final tournament being held in Poland and the Ukraine with the final match to be played on July 1 at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.


A soccer fan soaks up the atmospshere ahead of the Euro 2012 soccer championship group D match between Ukraine and Sweden at The Olympic Stadium on June 11 in Kiev, Ukraine. (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Friday, February 11, 2011

Dakar 2011

The 2011 edition of the Dakar Rally, being held in South America for the third year, is nearly complete, with competitors heading toward the finish line in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Sunday, January 16th. This is the 32nd running of the rally, and over 400 Teams are competing in the race with 200 motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, 140 cars, and 67 trucks. In the end, racers will have traveled 9,500 km (5,900 mi) in 13 stages across spectacular and varied terrain in both Argentina and Chile.
1. Giofil Aprillia's Francisco "Chaleco" Lopez, from Chile, rides his motorcycle during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
2. Under a rain of confetti, Volkswagen's driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz of Spain wave to fans during the Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally 2011 symbolic start in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
3. The Aprillia motorcycle of Francisco Lopez Contardo of Chile is reflected in his glasses during the technical verification exercise of the third South American edition of the Dakar Rally 2011 in Buenos Aires December 31, 2010. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)
4. Volkswagen's driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz, both from Spain, compete in the car category during the first stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Victoria and Cordoba, Argentina, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
5. Czech Republic's Martin Plechaty rides his Yamaha quad during the first stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Victoria and Cordoba, Argentina on Sunday Jan. 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
6. People watch from the Santa Rosa river as South Africa's driver Giniel De Villiers steers his Volkswagen with German co-driver Dirk Von Zitzewitz, during the stage 1 Victoria-Cordoba of the Dakar 2011 Rally, on January 2, 2011. (DANIEL GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images)
7. Spain's driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz on January 3, 2011 during the stage 2 Cordoba-Tucuman of the 2011 Dakar Rally. (DANIEL GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images)
8. A biker races in the third stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between San Miguel de Tucuman and Jujuy, Argentina, Tuesday Jan. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Daniel Garcia)
9. Competitors ride their vehicles on January 11, 2011, during the stage 9 Copiapo - Copiapo of the 2011 Dakar Rally in the province of Atacama, Chile. (CLAUDIO SANTANA/AFP/Getty Images)
10. Congo's biker Frank Verhoestraete rides his Aprilia during the 11th stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Chilecito and San Juan, Argentina, Thursday Jan. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
11. Volkswagen's Nasser Al-Attiyah, from Qatar, and co-driver Timo Gottschalk, from Germany, compete in the 11th stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Chilecito and San Juan, Argentina, Thursday,Jan. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
12. Kamaz team masseur Bolat tends to driver Artur Ardavichus, both of Russia, at the camp at the conclusion of the 9th stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally in Copiapo, Chile, Tuesday Jan. 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
13. People wash up at the Dakar camp before the start of the 10th stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Copiapo, Chile and Chilecito, Argentina, Wednesday Jan. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
14. Competitors start the ninth stage of the third South American edition of the Dakar Rally 2011 from Copiapo on January 11, 2011. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)
15. France's biker Cyril Despres is airborne while racing his KTM during the 10th stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Copiapo, Chile, and Chilecito, Argentina, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Daniel Garcia, Pool)
16. Followed by a TV helicopter, Volkswagen's Nasser Al-Attiyah, of Qatar, and co-driver Timo Gottschalk, from Germany, race in the eighth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Antofagasta and Copiapo, Chile, Monday Jan. 10, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
17. Qatar's driver Nasser Al-Attiyah steers his Volkswagen (bottom) with German co-driver Timo Gottschalk, followed by Spain's driver Carlos Sainz with co-driver Lucas Cruz on January 10, 2011 on the stage 8 Atacama - Copiapo of the Dakar 2011 Rally. (DANIEL GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images)
18. Marc Coma, of Spain, races his KTM in the 10th stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Copiapo, Chile, and Chilecito, Argentina, Wednesday Jan. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Stephane Mantey, Pool)
19. Argentina's Lucio Ezequiel Alvarez, driving a Subaru Forester, kicks up a cloud of dirt during the stage 10 of the Dakar Rally 2011 from Chile's Copiapo to Argentina's Chilecito on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Martin Zabala)
20. Mexico's Pedro de Uriarte and co-driver Moctezuma Fernando round a corner in their Predator x-18 during first leg of stage 3 between San Miguel de Tucuma'n and San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina on January 4th, 2011. (© Eric Testroete)
21. Chile's biker Ignacio Nicolas Casale falls from his Yamaha motorcycle during the eighth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Antofagasta and Copiapo, Chile, Monday, Jan. 10, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
22. A journalist works after the end of the Dakar 2011 Rally fifth stage between Calama and Iquique on January 6, 2010, in Iquique, Chile. (DANIEL GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images)
23. A lathe operator works on a piece to fix a truck after the end of the Dakar 2011 Rally fifth stage between Calama and Iquique on January 6, 2010, in Iquique, Chile. (DANIEL GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images)
24. Motorcycle competitors prepare themselves at the checkpoint of the start of the 11th stage of the third South American edition of the Dakar Rally, from Chilecito to San Juan January 13, 2011. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)
25. Mitsubishi's driver Guilherme Spinelli and co-driver Youssef Haddad, both from Brazil, compete during the fourth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Jujuy, Argentina, and Calama, Chile, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
26. Spectators attend the ninth stage of the Dakar Rally 2011 from Copiapo to Copiapo on January 11, 2011. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)
27. Spectators run for cover as Carlos Sainz of Spain drives his Volkswagen Touareg during the fifth stage of the third South American edition of the Dakar Rally 2011 from Calama to Iquique January 6, 2011. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)
28. BMW car driver Stephane Peterhansel and co-driver Jean-paul Cottret, both from France, compete during the 9th stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally in Copiapo, Chile, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
29. South Africa's driver Giniel De Villiers steers his Volkswagen with German co-driverv Dirk Von Zitzewitz on January 11, 2011 during stage 9 Copiapo - Copiapo of the 2011 Dakar Rally in the province of Atacama, Chile. (DANIEL GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images)
30. Argentina's Alejandro Patronelli rides his Quad Yamaha on January 11, 2011, during the stage 9 Copiapo - Copiapo of the 2011 Dakar Rally in the province of Atacama, Chile. (CLAUDIO SANTANA/AFP/Getty Images)
31. Jincheng biker Baohua Han, left, from China, looks on after falling down from his motorcycle, not seen, during the seventh stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Arica and Antofagasta, Chile, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011. At right, Kamaz driver Artur Ardavichus and co-driver Denis Berezovskiy, both from Russia, compete. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
32. A competitor rides in the dunes during the sixth stage of the Dakar Rally 2011 from Iquique to Arica January 7, 2011. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)
33. Chile's biker Francisco "Chaleco" Lopez races his Aprilia in the seventh stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Arica and Antofagasta, Chile, Sunday Jan. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
34. BMW's driver Stephane Peterhansel and co-driver Jean Paul Cottret, both from France, compete during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
35. The finish line beside the camp set for competitors is seen from a helicopter during the fifth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Calama and Iquique in Chile, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
36. Miners, who were trapped for 69 days in a collapsed mine on 2010, from left, Ariel Ticona, Pedro Cortez, Victor Zamora, Dakar Rally director Etienne Lavigne, and miner Claudio Yanez, pose for pictures next to the Fenix 3, a backup rescue capsule that was never used during the miners' rescue operation on Oct., 2010, at the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally camp in Copiapo, Chile, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
37. An assistent checks the tires of a car at the Dakar camp in Calama after the fourth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Jujuy, Argentina, and Calama, Chile, Wednesday Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
38. A marshal checks motorcycle competitors at the checkpoint of the start of the 11th stage of the third South American edition of the Dakar Rally, from Chilecito to San Juan January 13, 2011. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)
39. Spain's driver Carlos Sainz steers his Volkswagen with co-driver Lucas Cruz on January 10, 2011 on the stage 8 Atacama - Copiapo of the Dakar 2011 Rally. (DANIEL GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images)
40. Portugal's biker Ruben Faria rides his KTM on January 9, 2011 on the stage 7 Arica-Atacama of the 2011 Dakar Rally, in Chile. (DANIEL GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images)
41. Carlos Sainz of Spain drives his Volkswagen Touareg during the ninth stage of the third South American edition of the Dakar Rally 2011 from Copiapo to Copiapo January 11, 2011. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)
42. Aprillia pilot Francisco Lopez Contardo of Chile rides during the sixth stage of the third South American edition of the Dakar Rally 2011 from Iquique to Arica January 7, 2011. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)

Thursday, December 16, 2010

2010 World Fencing Championships

From November 4th through the 11th, 950 athletes from 110 countries are meeting in Paris, France for the 2010 World Fencing Championships. The annual event welcomes contestants to the historic Grand Palais in Paris this year, to participate in foil, épée, and sabre events. Collected here are several images from the first half of the 2010 competition.
1. Maureen Nisima (left) of France and Tatiana Logournova of Russia compete during their semi-final of the epee competition at the 2010 the World Fencing Championships at the Grand Palais in Paris, France on November 8, 2010. (REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen)
2. Fencers compete in the Fencing World championships, on November 8, 2010, at the Grand Palais in Paris. (BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images)
3. A fencer holds a foil during a Fencing world championships women's foil qualifying match on November 7, 2010 in Paris. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
4. Ukraine's Olena Khomrova (left) faces Russia's Dina Galiakbarova during their women's team sabre final on November 9, 2010, at the Grand Palais in Paris. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
5. China's Lei Sheng walks in front of a large video screen during a match against Japan's Yuki Ota during a men's foil semi final match on November 7, 2010 at the Grand Palais. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
6. Elisa di Francisca (right) of Italy and her compatriot Arianna Errigo compete in the final of the foil competition in Paris on November 7, 2010. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)
7. Belarussia's Dmitri Lapkes gets ready prior to compete in the Fencing World championships men's team saber qualifying round on November 9, 2010. (BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images)
8. Mariel Zagunis from the U.S. in the Fencing world championships women's saber competition on November 6, 2010 in Paris. Zagunis won the competition, Ukraine's Olga Kharlan placed second, Russia's Sophia Velikaia and Ukraine's Olena Khomrova placed third. (LOIC VENANCE/AFP/Getty Images)
9. Dagmara Wozniak (left), of the U.S. competes against France's Leonore Perrus for the bronze medal during the Fencing World championships women's team saber match on November 9, 2010. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
10. In a multiple-exposure image, Romania's Gelu Florin Zalomir (left) faces Belarussia's Aliaksandr Buikevich for the bronze medal during the men's team saber match on November 9, 2010. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
11. A fencer in a wheelchair is seen during the Fencing World championships on November 8, 2010, at the Grand Palais in Paris. (LOIC VENANCE/AFP/Getty Images)
12. Moez El Asine of France (right) and Chan Wing Kin of Hong Kong compete in the final of wheelchair sabre team competition at the 2010 the World Fencing Championships on November 9, 2010. (REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen)
13. Moez El Assine (left) and Laurent Francois of France are congratulated after winning the final against Hong Kong during the wheelchair sabre team competition at the Grand Palais in Paris on November 9, 2010. (REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen)
14. Italy's Valentina Vezzali faces the tip of the foil of Netherland's Djinn Geurts during a women's foil qualifying match on November 7, 2010. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
15. France's Cecilia Berder (left) faces Ukraine's Olena Khomrova during their Fencing World championships women's team saber semi-final match on November 9, 2010. (BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images)
16. France's Cecilia Berder reacts during the women's team saber semi-final match against Ukraine on November 9, 2010. (BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images)
17. Germany's Peter Joppich prepares to face China's Lei Sheng in the men's foil final match on November 7, 2010 at the Grand Palais in Paris. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
18. Germany's Peter Joppich (right) competes against China's Lei Sheng in the men's foil final in Paris on Sunday Nov. 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
19. Peter Joppich of Germany celebrates after beating China's Lei Sheng in the men's foil final match on November 7, 2010 at the Grand Palais in Paris. (BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images)
20. A fencing helmet on the floor during a women's foil qualifying match on November 7, 2010 in Paris. (BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images)
21. Ibtihaj Muhammad (left) of the U.S. competes with France's Leonore Perrus for the bronze medal in the women's team saber match on November 9, 2010, at the Grand Palais in Paris. France won bronze. (BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images)
22. Sophia Velikaia of Russia celebrates after defeating Mariel Zagunis of the U.S. to win their team sabre semi-final in Paris on November 9, 2010. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard IMAGES OF THE DAY)
23. From left to right, Sophia Velikaia, Julia Gavrilova Svetlana, Kormitsyna and Dina Galiakbarova of Russia celebrate on the podium after winning the final against Ukraine in the sabre team competition at the 2010 World Fencing Championships on November 9, 2010. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)
24. Italy's Diego Occhiuzzi (left) faces Russia's Nikolay Kovalev in the men's team saber final on November 9, 2010, at the Grand Palais in Paris. Russia won 45 to 41. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
25. Italy's Valentina Vezzali (right) competes against Poland's Sylwia Gruchala in a women's single foil quarterfinal in Paris, Sunday Nov. 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
26. Alim Latreche (right) of France and Hu Daoliang of China compete in the final of the wheelchair foil competition at the 2010 World Fencing Championships at the Grand Palais in Paris on November 8, 2010. (REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen)
27. China's Sheng Lei celebrates after beating Japan's Yuki Ota in their men's foil semi final match on November 7, 2010 in Paris. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
28. Russia's Sophia Velikaia, during the Fencing World championships women's team sabre final on November 9, 2010. (LOIC VENANCE/AFP/Getty Images)
29. Italy's Elisa di Francisca celebrates with her coach after beating her compatriot Arianna Errigo in the women's foil final match on November 7, 2010 at the Grand Palais in Paris. (BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images)
30. Ibtihaj Muhammad of the U.S. reacts as she competes against France for the bronze medal during the women's team saber match on November 9, 2010. (LOIC VENANCE/AFP/Getty Images)
31. This multi-exposure picture shows Ukraine's Galyna Pundyk (left) competing with Russia's Julia Gavrilova during their women's team sabre final on November 9, 2010, at the Grand Palais in Paris. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
32. Maureen Nisima of France cries during the medal ceremony after wining her final against Emese Szasz of Hungary in the epee competition at the 2010 World Fencing Championships on November 8, 2010. (REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen)
33. Italy's Elisa di Francisca (left) faces South Korea's Nam Hyun Hee during a women's foil semi final match on November 7, 2010 in Paris. (BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images)