Ottey fails to qualify for historic eighth Olympic Games
AFP
Thursday, July 24, 2008
MARIBOR, Slovenia (AFP) - Champion Slovenian sprinter Merlene Ottey has failed in her record-breaking bid to become the first athlete to reach eight Olympic finals.
Ottey, 48, who prior to 2002 represented Jamaica at world and Olympic athletic events, failed to reach the 100m qualification time at the Slovenia trials.
Her outstanding Olympic history began at the 1980 Moscow games, where she won bronze in the 200m, and her last Summer Games outing was in Sydney 2000, when she became the oldest track and field medallist at the age of 40.
She first ran for Slovenia in Athens 2004, after representing Jamaica at six previous games.
Last year, she was awarded a 100m bronze for the Sydney Games when US rival Marion Jones returned all her medals after admitting to taking drugs.
Ottey has won nine medals (three silver and record six bronze), but the gold has always eluded her.
AFP
Thursday, July 24, 2008
MARIBOR, Slovenia (AFP) - Champion Slovenian sprinter Merlene Ottey has failed in her record-breaking bid to become the first athlete to reach eight Olympic finals.
Ottey, 48, who prior to 2002 represented Jamaica at world and Olympic athletic events, failed to reach the 100m qualification time at the Slovenia trials.
Her outstanding Olympic history began at the 1980 Moscow games, where she won bronze in the 200m, and her last Summer Games outing was in Sydney 2000, when she became the oldest track and field medallist at the age of 40.
She first ran for Slovenia in Athens 2004, after representing Jamaica at six previous games.
Last year, she was awarded a 100m bronze for the Sydney Games when US rival Marion Jones returned all her medals after admitting to taking drugs.
Ottey has won nine medals (three silver and record six bronze), but the gold has always eluded her.