Sport
We bring you exclusive sports updates, scores and news as it happens, right from our sports desk. With four daily sport updates on Breakfast and Drivetime during the week, and a specialised local sports bulletin on a Monday, we try to bring you the very up to date sports news. As well as this, our dedicated sports team are out and about all the time reporting straight to our website with the latest results and scores.
Minutes silence today in memory of Joe Cole’s brother-in-law
Grays Athletic Football Club are sorry to hear the news that former player Mitchell Cole, the footballer who scored the first goal at the new Wembley Stadium, passed away last night aged 27.
The 27-year-old retired from professional football in February 2011 as a result of a deteriorating heart condition, which meant it was dangerous for him to continue.
Cole started his career with West Ham United, before signing for Mark Stimson’s Blues side in the summer of 2004.
He was a key player in the Conference South / FA Trophy Double winning season, scoring 9 goals in his 47 appearances. He is best remembered for his rampaging runs down the left wing, and for scoring some spectacular goals.
In 2005 he left to join Southend United where he made 33 appearances, until a mid-season switch to Stevenage Borough, where he won a second FA Trophy in 2007.
A move to Oxford United followed in June 2010; however he only made 6 appearances for the League side.
Mitchell was married to the sister of England international Joe Cole, and has two young children. The thoughts of everyone at the club are with his family at this most difficult of times.
Hundreds of fans have posted messages on Twitter in response to the news of his death. The Football League also used the social networking site to pay tribute to the player, as well as The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) joining the Football League in expressing their condolences.
Paralympic Swimming Team at Basildon Sporting Village
The Japanese Paralympic Swimming athletes have been training at the Basildon Sporting Village, this weekend, in preparation for the upcoming Paralympic Games.
The talented team includes a number of medal hopefuls including; Junichi Kawai who has won a total of 21 medals in six Paralympic games (five gold, nine silver and seven bronze medals), Kyosuke Takayuki Suzuki, the current 50m breaststroke world record holder and Beijing 2008 gold medalist, and Kyosuke Oyama, a Beijing 2008 4x60m relay silver medalist.
The £38 million Basildon Sporting Village opened in 2011 and features a 50m Olympic-size swimming pool.
London 2012 Paralympic Games will begin Wednesday 29 August and will close Sunday 9 September. The Gateway 97.8 team wish all of the athletes competing at the Paralympic Games the best of luck.
Basildon Athletics Club in need of Sports Coaches
Basildon AC are looking for technical sports coaches who specialise in field events.
The Olympics has drawn more attention to athletics clubs, in particular Basildon AC. The club, which already relies upon managing and coaching volunteers, feels the strain of the sudden influx of youths.
Basildon youths have been inspired by the recent Olympic sporting achievements of Team GB. The increased popularity of field and track sports since the Olympics means that more coaches are needed for children, and sport, to benefit.
Eamonn Martin, chairman of Basildon AC, is a three-time Olympian and wants to continue the success of the club creating talented individuals for the 2016 Olympic games.
Anyone who is interested in joining Basildon AC or can help with coaching can visit the club’s website www.basildonathleticsclub.co.uk
Competitive football as Essex Senior League season begins
Gateway’s sports correspondent Ali Stafford takes a look at the weekend’s local football action.
Competitive football finally returned this weekend with the start of the Essex Senior League season.
Last season’s bottom club Basildon United started their season off brightly, as they came from a goal down to win 3-1 at home to Clapton in one of seven league games to take place. The club sit in second place at this early stage of the season, with Great Wakering Rovers leading the way after their 4-1 win at home to Stansted.
Fellow Senior League side Bowers & Pitsea don’t get their league campaign until Wednesday when they travel to Basildon United in a local derby, although John Doyle’s side continued their pre-season with an impressive 4-3 win away at Ryman League Division One North side Redbridge.
With the Conference and Ryman League’s all not kicking off for another fortnight, many of our other local sides also continued their pre-season preparations with more friendlies.
Blue Square South newcomers Billericay Town followed up their midweek thrashing of Enfield Town with a narrow 1-0 win away at Lowestoft Town. A goal just before the interval from skipper Rob Swaine was enough to give Town the victory at Crown Meadow.
Elsewhere, Steve Tilson’s Canvey Island became the latest side to thrash the celebrity team Essex United that includes TOWIE’s Mark Wright, as the Ryman Premier Division outfit ran out easy 5-0 winners. Local rivals Concord Rangers also earnt a comfortable victory, as goals from Danny Spendlove and Chris Bourne earnt them a 2-0 win over a youthful Southend United .
Recently relegated Thurrock slipped to a 1-0 home loss against Blue Square North side Bishop’s Stortford, while East Thurrock United comfortably won away at Tilbury.
Grays Athletic continued their pre-season campaign with a 1-1 draw away at Thurlow Nunn Division One newcomers Team Braintree, with ex-Chelmsford City Tyrone Scarlett scoring the Blues only goal just before the break.
Next weekend sees the road to Wembley begin for many Non-League clubs as the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round takes place. Basildon United host Thurlow Nunn Premier Division side Diss Town, while Bowers & Pitsea are at home to Essex Senior League rivals Eton Manor. There are also another selection of friendlies taking place, with Leiston being the visitors to Billericay Town and Canvey Island facing Heybridge Swifts.
You can hear Ali’s Weekend Sports Round Up every Monday on both The Brighter Breakfast and Drivetime. Throughout the Olympic Games, there is also a special preview to the next day’s action on Drivetime, which you can hear every weekday after 6.30pm.
Olympic Review from the last 24 hours
Team GB’s judo squad has suffered another early defeat. Lichfield fighter James Austin lost his first-round contest against Japan’s third seed Takamasa Anai in the men’s under-100-kgs at the ExCeL Centre.
The action is hotting up at the Olympics rowing. Team GB’s men’s four finished almost a minute quicker than their Australian rivals to qualify fastest for Saturday’s final. In the women’s lightweight double sculls Katherine Copeland and Sophie Hosking are into their final. Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter are fastest qualifiers for their lightweight double sculls final.
Team GB swimmer Rebecca Adlington had powered into the Olympic final of the 800-metres. Roared on by an enthusatic crowd in the aquatics centre the defending champion reached the showpiece as the fastest qualifier. She has qualified fastest for the final of her favourite event, and is hoping to add to the bronze she won in the 400-metres earlier this week.
There’s bad news in the fencing where the women’s team were crushed in double quick time by Italy in the semi-finals.
The shopping centre next to the Olympic Park is being closed to the public. Organisers say this weekend will be the busiest days of the Games as the athletics get underway. As a result, the Westfield centre will be Closed.
Team GB’s lightweight four, Peter Chambers, Rob Williams, Richard Chambers and Chris Bartley, have claimed a silver medal in the Olympic rowing at Eton Dorney. The squad were involved in an incredible fight for the line as South Africa held off the British challenge to take gold, Denmark were fractionally further back to take bronze.
One of the disqualified Chinese badminton players has announced she’s quitting the sport. Yu Yang said her dreams have been “heartlessly shattered” after she was one of 8 players to be kicked out after deliberately throwing matches during the games. Chinese officials had earlier called on the team to make a public apology.
Ben Ainslie has closed the gap on the leader in the Olympic Finn sailing competition. He’s now three points behind Denmark’s Jonas Hogh-Christensen, after winning the first race of the day, and coming third in the second. There are two more races tomorrow, before the medallists are decided on Sunday.
Team GB win another two gold medals at the Olympics. Tim Baillie and Etienne Stott have won their canoe slalom final, with fellow Brits David Florence and Richard Hounslow getting the silver. Shortly after that, Peter Wilson won the double trap shooting.
Gemma Gibbons has won a silver medal for Team GB in the Olympic judo. It’s the first time a British player has claimed an Olympic honour in the sport since 2000. She lost in the final to American Kayla Harrison, but beat the reigning world champion in her semi. She broke down in tears, and could be seen saying “I love you mum”, in tribute to her mother, who died in 2004.
Great Britain’s Anthony Ogogo has caused a shock in the men’s middleweight boxing at the Olympics. He’s knocked out world number one Ievgen Khytrov to reach the quarter-finals of the event. Ogogo will now face German fighter Stefan Hartel for a place in the last 4 on Monday.
Britain have another gold at the Olympics. Rowers Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins won the women’s double sculls. There was also a bronze for Alan Cambpell in the singles, and another bronze in the men’s pair for Will Satch and George Nash. Karina Bryant has taken bronze in the judo. Cyclist Victoria Pendleton has qualified for the second round of the keirin.
Andy Murray will play world number one Novak Djokovic for a place in the final of the Olympic tennis. Murray got past Nicolas Almagro in straight sets. Following that, Djokovic saw off Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The winner of their semi-final is guaranteed a silver medal at worst.
Roger Federer’s through to the men’s singles final in the Olympic tennis after a marathon match with Juan Martin Del Potro. He came through 19-17 in the third set, and will now face Andy Murray or Novak Djokovic in the final. The Swiss has never won singles gold.
Britain have set a new world record in qualifying for the women’s team pursuit cycling. Dani King, Laura Trott and Joanna Rowsell have broken their own record. They clocked 3 minutes and 15-point-six-six-nine seconds at the velodrome. The semi-finals and finals are on Saturday.
Great Britain’s cyclists have won gold in the men’s team pursuit at the Olympics. Geraint Thomas and Ed Clancy have retained the title they won in Beijing, joined by new recruits Steven Burke and Peter Kennaugh. They set a new world record as they beat Australia in the final.
Britain’s Ben Ainslie has won the tenth and punultimate race in the Finn class sailing at the Olympics. It means he’s set up a medal race showdown on Sunday with Danish rival Jonas Hoegh-Christensen. Ainslie is bidding to win a fourth straight gold medal and fifth medal overall, becoming the most successful sailor in Olympic history.
John Lewis has started to charge people to view the Olympic Park from its flagship Westfield store in Stratford. The retailer says that all the profits will go to London charities, from people paying two pounds a time for access to its viewing gallery. Under-16s won’t be charged.
And on the busiest weekend of the London Olympics so far, spectators are dealing with problems with public transport. The Central line on the underground was suspended between Liverpool Street and Leytonstone due to a signal failure. That part of the track links central London to the Olympic Park in Stratford.
Victoria Pendleton and Jess Varnish relegated
It was so near but so far for Team GB’s lightweight four rowers at Eton Dorney. They claimed a silver medal but South Africa held on for gold in a titanic battle for the line. And swimmer Rebecca Adlington is the fastest qualifier for the final of the 800-metre freestyle.
Andy Murray will play world number one Novak Djokovic for a place in the final of the Olympic tennis. Murray got past Nicolas Almagro in straight sets. Following that, Djokovic saw off Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The winner of their semi-final is guaranteed a silver medal at worst.
In judo Gemma Gibbons is into the semi-finals, Peter Wilson is well placed going into the double trap shooting final.
Team GB have claimed four more medals at the Olympics, Peter Wilson got gold in the double trap shooting. Just before that, there was canoe slalom glory for Tim Baillie and Etienne Stott, with David Florence and Richard Hounslow ending second in that event. Earlier, there was a silver for the men in the lightweight four rowing.
Gemma Gibbons has won a silver medal for Team GB in the Olympic judo. It’s the first time a British player has claimed an Olympic honour in the sport since 2000. She lost in the final to American Kayla Harrison, but beat the reigning world champion in her semi. She broke down in tears, and could be seen saying “I love you mum”, in tribute to her mother, who died in 2004.
Great Britain’s Anthony Ogogo has caused a shock in the men’s middleweight boxing at the Olympics. He’s knocked out world number one Ievgen Khytrov to reach the quarter-finals of the event. Ogogo will now face German fighter Stefan Hartel for a place in the last 4 on Monday.
In the cycling, Victoria Pendleton and Jess Varnish have been relegated in the team sprint because of an infraction in a heat, and won’t contest a medal. There was a similar situation in the final of that event, with Germany upgraded at the expense of China. In the team pursuit, the GB men broke the world record in qualifying.
Sir Chris Hoy has won his fifth career Olympic gold medal. It’s come in the cycling, where he’s combined with Jason Kenny and Philip Hindes to win the team sprint. They set a new world record in beating France. It means Hoy is now level with Sir Steve Redgrave in the lifetime GB gold medal table.
Don’t forget to tune in to Gateway 97.8 tomorrow from 7am where we will be bringing all the latest from the London 2012 Olympics, as well as all the highlights. Including updates from our reporters every 20 minutes past each hour.
On Daytime, Laura Anderson will be bringing you live coverage of the men’s individual archery from Lords, on the final day of competition, and another big morning of rowing finals at Eton Dorney. Steve Gallant will have all the action of the Olympic track cycling and the latest from the tennis semi-finals. The attention turns to the Velodrome on Drivetime with Jack Sullivan, with two gold medals at stake. And The School’s Out Team bring you all the action of the athletics, swimming and football events.
Great Britain claim silver medal in Olympic rowing
Team GB swimmer Rebecca Adlington had powered into the Olympic final of the 800-metres. Roared on by an enthusatic crowd in the aquatics centre the defending champion reached the showpiece as the fastest qualifier.
It’s really been another successful morning at Eton Dorney for Team GB’s Olympic rowers. GB’s men’s four finished almost a minute quicker than their Australian rivals to qualify fastest for Saturday’s final. Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter are fastest qualifiers for their lightweight double sculls final. In the women’s lightweight double sculls Katherine Copeland and Sophie Hosking are into their final after a winning semi.
Team GB’s number one double trap shooter Peter Wilson is in with a great chance of reaching this afternoon’s final. After the first round of qualifying he’s in a four-way tie for 1st place. However Richard Faulds is way off the pace down in 21st place.
Team GB’s lightweight four Peter Chambers, Rob Williams, Richard Chambers and Chris
Bartley claimed a silver medal in the Olympic rowing at Eton Dorney. The squad were involved in an incredible fight for the line as South Africa held off the British challenge to take gold, Denmark were fractionally further back to take bronze.
One of the disqualified Chinese badminton players has announced she’s quitting the sport. Yu Yang said her dreams have been “heartlessly shattered” after she was one of 8 players to be kicked out after deliberately throwing matches during the games. Chinese officials had earlier called on the team to make a public apology.
Team GB’s judo squad finally have something to cheer. Greenwich fighter Gemma Gibbons will have a shot at a gold medal fight this afternoon. She’s into the semi-finals in the under-78-kgs division at ExCeL.
Mothers watching the Olympics say they are relieved they can take their babies after a u-turn by organisers. Parents were angry when they were told their infants would not be welcome at
the Games without having their own tickets, even if they were just babes in arms. It would have meant that children not even conceived at the time their parents had bought their tickets would not be allowed entry.
And The shopping centre next to the Olympic Park is being closed to the public for the next two days. Organisers say Friday and Saturday will be the busiest days of the Games as the athletics get underway. As a result – the Westfield centre will only be open to Olympic ticketholders between 10:30am and 5:00pm.
Bradley Wiggins is calling for a new law
After yesterday’s Olympic gold rush there’s the chance of more medals today for Team GB. The lightweight men’s coxless fours go for gold just after midday at Eton Dorney. Peter Wilson will shortly begin the heats of the double trap shooting, he’s the current world record holder. There’s also the start of the action at the Velodrome with Victoria Pendleton and Sir Chris Hoy in action.
It’s another big day for Team GB’s rowers at Eton Dorney. This hour Great Britain take on Australia in the heats of the men’s four, both crews are aiming for gold medals in Saturday’s final so this should be a cracker. Later, the less celebrated but equally talented lightweight men’s fours go for gold. Also this hour Rebecca Adlington begins the defence of her 800-metre freestyle in the heats.
Team GB’s judo squad has suffered another early defeat. Lichfield fighter James Austin lost his first-round contest against Japan’s third seed Takamasa Anai in the men’s under-100-kgs at the ExCeL Centre.
A bus driver’s been released on bail pending further inquiries after a cyclist was knocked down and killed close to the Olympic Park. The 28-year-old died last night after being hit by the vehicle that was taking journalists between London 2012 venues. Gold medal-winning cyclist Bradley Wiggins is calling for a new law to make it compulsory to wear cycling helmets.
Andy Murray through to quarter-finals at Olympic tennis
Team GB have struck gold at the Olympics today. Bradley Wiggins has won the men’s time trial cycling, he’s now the most decorated British Olympian with 7 medals, while Helen Glover and Heather Stanning triumphed in the women’s pair rowing. Chris Froome got a bronze in that cycling event, while there was also a third-placed finish for the GB men in the eights rowing.
The Badminton World Federation has rejected an appeal from South Korea over the explusion of two pairs from the London 2012 mixed doubles competition. Indonesia have also withdrawn their appeal. Players from both countries – and China, were disqualified for allegations of throwing matches in the women’s doubles. They were accused of trying to engineer an easier knock out draw. The quarter-finals take place this evening.
Team GB’s men’s hockey team have been held to a surprise draw by South Africa at the Riverbank Arena. It finished 2-2. The South African’s had lost their opening match 6-0 to Australia while GB had beaten Argentina 4-1.
Andy Murray is through to the quarter-finals at the Olympic tennis after a bit of a scare against Marcos Baghdatis. The Brit lost the opening set and was then pushed all the way at the end of the third and final set. 5-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams is out of the Olympic tennis. The USA player was beaten in straight sets at the All-England Club by German Angelique Kerber 7-6 – 7-6.
Team GB’s women’s volleyball players have been well beaten by Italy at Earls Court. It finished 3-sets to nil to the Italians. The result leaves GB with a win and two defeats in Pool A.
Tonight Michael Jamieson is a major medal hope for GB in the swimming pool, he goes in the 200-metre breaststroke.
Don’t forget to tune in to Gateway 97.8 tomorrow from 7am where we will be bringing all the latest from the London 2012 Olympics, as well as all the highlights. Including updates from our reporters every 20 minutes past each hour.
On Daytime, Harry Carnaby will be bringing you live olympic archery and rowing coverage with medal chances for Britain. Good Afternoon with Tony Weaver, will have the afternoon’s tennis, archery and shooting events from London 2012. Jack Sullivan will be focusing on Victoria Pendleton and Jess Varnish on Drivetime, as they go for gold in the track cycling womens team sprint. And Richard Becker will have updates of live swimming coverage from the Aquatics Centre from 7pm.
Two gold medals for Great Britain at the Olympics
Bradley Wiggins has claimed Team GB’s second gold at the Olympics. He’s won the men’s time trial cycling. He becomes Britain’s most decorated Olympian with seven medals, overtaking Sir Steve Redgrave. Meanwhile, fellow Brit Chris Froome picked up bronze.
The first gold for Team GB was strucked by Helen Glover and Heather Stanning after winning the women’s pair final in the rowing. There was also a bronze for the men’s eight. Both Emma Pooley and Lizzie Armitstead have missed out on Olympic medals in the women’s time trial cycling.
Great Britain have finished outside of the medals in today’s synchronised diving final. Chris Mears and Nicholas Robinson-Baker have ended fifth in their competition.
The number of drivers on the streets of central London has fallen by nearly a fifth during the Olympics. Figures from Transport for London show people are switching to trains instead. The Docklands Light Railway has seen a record number of passengers, up 65 percent. Friday and Saturday are expected to be the two busiest days of the Games. Meanwhile, a first gold has been claimed in the rowing by Helen Glover and Heather Stanning in the women’s pair final. There was also a bronze for the men’s eight.
The Badminton World Federation has confirmed that eight players at the centre of allegations of throwing matches in the women’s doubles have been disqualified from the Olympics. They are accused of trying to engineer an easier knock out draw. Indonesia and South Korea have launched appeals. The other team is from China.
