Imran Khan stunned by Ajmal's omission from ICC awards

Ajmal was not included in a shortlist of four players for the best test player of the year category. PHOTO: AYESHA MIR/FILE

DUBAI: Cricketing legend Imran Khan led a protest of former Pakistan captains over off-spinner Saeed Ajmal’s omission from a list of annual awards, terming it a great injustice.

The spinner was not included in a shortlist of four players for the best test player of the year category in the International Cricket Council (ICC) annual awards to be held in Colombo on September 15.

A 32-man independent jury comprising former players, officials and journalists provoked anger in Pakistan after omitting Ajmal from the shortlist, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, Australian Michael Clarke and South Africans Vernon Philander and Hashim Amla.

Ajmal, 34, took 72 wickets in 12 Tests from August 2011 to July this year, including 24 wickets in a 3-0 rout of then world ranked number one England in January-February.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) earlier this week lodged a protest with the ICC demanding a review of the shortlist but the game’s governing body rejected it.

The PCB said it was considering boycotting the ceremony.

Khan said Ajmal’s omission was unjust.

“It is a great injustice to a player who is a match winner in all formats of the game and his omission was surprising,” Khan told reporters during the second Twenty20 match between Pakistan and Australia here on Friday.

Another former captain Ramiz Raja said Ajmal was hard done by the jury.

“I feel that Ajmal was hard done by the jury and it is a serious case for review because if performers are not picked then the credibility (of awards) is missing,” Raja told AFP.

Raja said an award is an honour for the player.

“It’s a great honour for the player to win an award and it hurts not only Pakistan but the whole community,” said Raja, now a renowned commentator.

Former captain and coach Waqar Younis said he didn’t understand the system.

“I don’t know how this system is working,” said Waqar of the process. “Maybe the system needs to be reviewed because 32 people are too much.

“On the basis of performance you can’t overlook Ajmal and it comes as a great surprise to me.”

10 Top Athletes of London Olympic Games

by Caleb Compton

There have been many great achievements made by athletes from all around the world in the London Olympics. More than 200 countries took part in the XXX Olympiad and many countries gained their first medals including Grenada, Cyprus and El Salvador. Millions around the world witnessed Usain Bolt defend his 100m, 200m and 100m relay titles and Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian of all time. Many young stars have done well at London too and will continue the legacy. This list shows the 10 highest achieving athletes in London.

10

Missy Franklin

Country: USA

Young star Missy Franklin became the 2nd most successful Olympian in the London Olympics after winning four golds and one bronze in various swimming events including the 200m backstroke where she set the world record. She has also won three golds in the World Championships. She will be a huge favorite in games to come and may even challenge Phelps for the title of the greatest Olympian of all time in the future if she continues her success.

9

David Rudisha

Country: Kenya

David Rudisha has been described as ‘the greatest Olympian you’ve never heard of.’ Before the 2012 Games, he was almost unknown outside of his home country. He set the new world record for the 800m in London at 1:40.91, beating Wilson Kipketer’s record in 1997. Rudisha also holds the three best times for the 800m and half of the 20 best times ever. Rudisha is also the world junior, African and world champion in the 800m.

8

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price

Country: Jamaica

Fraser-Price – also known as the ‘pocket rocket’ – is another example of a great Jamaican sprinter. She won gold in the 100m in Beijing with a time of 10.78s and then did the double for London – winning in 10.75s. Fracer-Price, along with Bolt, made history as the first team (Jamaica) to win both golds in the 100m twice in a row. She also achieved a silver in the 200m and a silver in the 4x100m relay.

Fraser-Price has the 4th fastest time ever for the women’s 100m.

7

Felix Sanchez

Country: Dominican Republic

After taking gold in the 400m hurdles at Athens in 2004, no one expected Sanchez to do it again in London. He beat the favorites Javier Culson and Michael Tinsley in a great time of 47 seconds to become one of the greatest 400m hurdlers of all time. Sanchez stated after his victory, ‘No-one expected this. A lot of people said I should retire but I stuck with it.’ You can see how much the medal meant to Sanchez on the medal podium with one of the most emotional reactions of the games.

6

Oscar Pistorius

Country: South Africa

Oscar Pistorius, dubbed the ‘fastest man on no legs’ made history at the London Games as the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics. He competed in the 400m and 4x400m sprints. He is the record holder for the Paralympic T44 100m, 200m and 400m.

In the 2004 Paralympics, Pistorius gained a gold and bronze in the 200m and 100m respectively. In Beijing, he won gold in the 100m, 200m and 400m. He is the favorite for these events in the London Paralympics.

In 2008, Pistorius was featured on TIME’s 100 most influential people.

5

Ben Ainslie

Country: Great Britain

After securing his 4th Olympic gold at London, Cornish Olympian Ben Ainslie became the greatest sailor in Olympic history. In Atlanta in 1996, Ainslie won silver and since then, he has won gold in four consecutive Olympic Games.

Ainslie is the eight-time World Champion in a range of disciplines including Finn, Laser and Laser Radical. He has been awarded an MBE, OBE and CBE. He has also been the ISAF world sailor of the year three times, more than any other sailor. Ainslie was the first person to receive the 2012 Olympic Flame in Lands End, Cornwall and carried the flag for GB at the closing ceremony.

4

Wu Minxia

Country: China

Wu Minxia is one of the greatest divers of all time. Her career spans from 2001 to present. Her Olympic career started in Athens with a gold in the sychro and silver in 3m. In Beijing, Minxia achieved a gold in the synchro and bronze in the 3m. In the London Olympics, she gained her third synchro gold and finally the gold in the 3m.

Minxia is also the five-time World Champion in the synchro and 3m World Champion. She has also won four gold medals in the Asian Games.

3

Sir Chris Hoy

Country: Great Britain

Chris Hoy became GB’s most decorated Olympian after achieving two more golds in cycling at London – a sport that Great Britain has dominated over the past few Olympics.

Chris Hoy started his Olympic journey in Sydney where he won silver in the Team Sprint. In Athens he won gold in the 1km time trial and in Beijing he won three golds in the Sprint, Team Sprint and Keirin. In London with the home crowd cheering him on, he achieved a gold in the Team Sprint and a gold in the Keirin. Hoy has a total of six Olympic golds and one silver.

Chris Hoy has also been the 1km time trial World Champion four times, the Keirin World Champion four times, the Team Sprint World Champion twice and the Sprint World Champion. Hoy has also attained two golds and two bronze in the Commonwealth Games and has a total of 37 medals in major competitions. He has won numerous world records and Olympic records in cycling.

Hoy has been awarded an MBE for his services to cycling and the velodrome for the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games has been named in his honor. Hoy carried the flag for GB in the opening ceremony.

2

Michael Phelps

Country: USA

Phelps is officially the most decorated Olympian in history and has claimed 22 medals with an astonishing 18 golds along with two silvers and two bronze. To put this in perspective, if a country achieved the same Olympic medals in London that Michael Phelps has won over his career, they would be 5th in the medal table, ahead of South Korea!

Phelps started his amazing Olympic career in Athens getting six golds and two bronze in various swimming events. He beat this achievement four years later at Beijing gaining eight gold medals and setting eight world records in the process. This was also the most 1st place finishes at any single Olympic games. At London he continued his legacy with four golds and two silvers. Phelps was the most successful athlete in Athens, Beijing and London.

Phelps has also won medals in the World Championships and the Pan Pacific Championships and has a total of 71 medals in major competitions from 2001-2012. Michael Phelps is the six-time world swimmer of the year.

Phelps has been honored with countless awards and has had a total of 39 world records – the most out of any swimmer.

Michael Phelps truly is an Olympic Legend.

1

Usain Bolt

Country: Jamaica

I found it almost impossible to come to a decision on the #1 spot. Choosing between Phelps and Bolt is really difficult as they are so different in personality and the sports that they compete in. Bolt will never win 22 medals simply because there isn’t that many medals for him to win in sprinting. For that reason, and the fact that he has achieved a ‘double triple’ and is the fastest man ever, Bolt tops this list.

Usain Bolt is undeniably the greatest sprinter in Olympic history. In Beijing, he achieved three golds in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. He also set the world record in each final. He destroyed the competition in the 100m whilst also having his shoelace untied! He lowered the world record again years later in the Berlin world championships to 9.58. In the London Games, it is fair to say there were a lot of doubts about his performance, even Usain himself said he was only 95% ready for the games.

And I guess that is what made it even more interesting when he achieved a ‘double triple’ winning once again the gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. He is not only the first to achieve a ‘double triple’ in sprinting with three golds back-to-back, but he is the first to achieve a ‘double double.’

In the 100m, Bolt beat the Olympic record he set in Beijing clocking a time of 9.63s with Blake coming second and Gatlin third. He also beat fellow Jamaicans Blake and Weir to become the 200m champion. And with the two fastest 100m sprinters on the 4x100m relay team, it was obvious who would win and Bolt took his third gold and became an Olympic Legend.

Bolt has a certain swagger which is incredible to watch. Everyone around him is so tense and stressed at the start line and Bolt is as calm as it gets. Millions all around the world are doing his trademark lightning bolt. He is one of the most famous Olympians in history and will go down as a Legend.

Top 10 Sexiest Paralympic Athletes 2012

Olympics 2012 is already done and over, but when it comes to physical statistics and built, the Paralympic athletes have so much to offer. Aside from the inspiration and motivation that they are giving to those who have the same condition, they are proving that they are not just truly worth watching, but they have the looks and the body that any able-bodied athletes have. There is only one difference, they have so much confidence that could boost others, and even so much faith that they can go for the win than focusing on the things that they are lacking. For Paralympics 2012, here are the top 10 sexiest Paralympic athletes that you should watch for, and you could make an initial judgment if they are worth being part of this list, or they are definitely the best, and who possess charm and wit.

10. Marlon Shirley

He is a Paralympic athlete who represents United States in long jump competition. He started competing and joining Paralympic events in Summer Paralympics in 2000 where he won a gold medal for 100 meters T44 and silver in high jump F46. He also won gold, silver, and bronze during 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens. He tried defending the title in 2008, but he lost it when he finished last at the final stage. Despite of the heartache that he felt of being abandoned by his own mother and dropping him off to the orphanage where he lost his foot in 1984, he still found the hope after series of transfer from one foster home to the other, he finally found the family who would take care and love him. It was in 1987, when a family in Utah, carrying the last name of Shirley, took and adopted him and gave their name to him. He is an Olympic Champion and a 10-time world champion.

9. David Eng

He is a born leader in the basketball ring. He is very enthusiastic and aggressive in polishing the skills that he has a basketball player. He is very grateful to his uncle who introduced wheelchair basketball to him that allowed him the opportunity to be part of the Men’s National Team in 2004. He was born and raised in Montreal, QC and his height is 5’9 and he also works as Kinesiologist aside from his love, career, and passion as an athlete. He began playing basketball as part of his recreational activity in 1989, and by 2004, he was officially welcomed to be part of Canada team and represent the National Team. He received the 2012 Wheelchair Basketball Canada Male Athlete of the Year, and there are more things to expect from him aside from his good looks and well-built body.

8. Natalia Partyka

She started playing table tennis at the age of 7, and she is one of the youngest Paralympic athletes who ever played in the history specifically in 2000 Paralympic Games held in Sydney. She is a proud representative from Poland, and she knew that being born without right hand or even forearm did not hinder her to pursue her dream of becoming an athlete that will bring honor to her country. She is busy preparing for 2012 Paralympic Games, and she is hopeful when she had this recent interview that she can serve and play like others, and she feels that there are no problems about it. In fact, everyone was amazed with her performance last London Olympics 2012 that she has proved to everyone that she and others who have disability can play equally with those able-bodied athletes. She even defeated Mie Skov in 4-3 score from Denmark. She is a very positive person because she reaffirmed that disability is nothing for her since she said that she does all the exercises that others do.

7. Esther Vergeer

She is not just up to grab more victory on her hands, but to ensure that she would maintain her 42 grand slams and the 5 Paralympic titles. In fact, her opponents are having a hard time beating her up because of her mental toughness, plus the fact, that she has a new chair to be used for this year’s Paralympic events. She is up to maintain the statistics, and status that she has achieved. In fact, she even exuded beauty, and flaunts them when she posted naked on ESPN magazine and her picture was used as cover issue. Disability does not make any person less attractive, and she went her way to prove it despite that there were divided reactions over her decision because it indeed shocked the world, and those who follow her.

6. Jon-Allan Butterworth

He might be in the hot seat of controversy right now because of the offensive comments that he gave that left negative criticism from his fellow Paralympic athletes. Nonetheless, he took the courage to apologize and make amends on the things that he has said. On the lighter note, he admitted that he has never seen himself riding on a bike because he hardly learn the process of mastering it not until he reached his teenage years. He is a known world champion who represents Great Britain. After he lost his arm in Irag while serving at RAF, he decided to pursue another path of career, and he found cycling which gave new life for him that allowed him to be trained and be part of the elite competition, Paralympics.

5. Marcel Hug

He is a Paralympic athlete who represents Switzerland at the T54 wheelchair racing events. He started competing during the Summer Paralympics in 2004 which was held in Athens where he won two bronze medals from 800 meters T54 and 1500 meters T54. He did compete in 2008 Paralympics, but he was not able to make it. Nonetheless, prior to Paralympics 2012, he has been doing lots of trainings, and practice sessions. He doesn’t give up on the hope that he would soon win the gold medal.

4. Jonnie Peacock

He is dazzling Paralympic athlete from Cambridge, and he is a Paralympic runner who stands 5’10. At age 5 his right leg was already amputated due to complications that he got from meningitis that did kill majority of the tissues in his right leg. Everyone is excited to see his performance, after he showed a stunning record during the US Paralympic trials held in Indianapolis where he exceeded the 100 metres record of Pistorius. He is part of the line up for the speediest amputee sprinter. He is the next Jamaican superstar in the Paralympic league.

3. Oscar Pistorius

He is also a sprint and blade runner who represents South Africa. He still holds the title of the fastest man on no legs. His amputation level is bi-lateral and its below knee level. Hence, he opted not to use any wheelchair, but did hard training just to master the amputees that he has. In fact, after his legs were amputated, and after 6 months that he received his prosthetic legs, he was able to master it and he was moving in a faster pace. He had another injury while he was playing rugby when he turned 16 years old. Nonetheless, he kept the faith, and by 2004 he received his first pair of Ossur, and became a sensational or popular athlete when he won the T44 200m gold during the Paralympics event held in Athens. He continued to show off her skills, and he has progressed a lot. He got 3 gold medals during the Paralympics held in Beijing in 2008, and prior to Paralympics 2012, he also got two silvers during the African Championships.

2. Kelly Cartwright

She is a Paralympic representative from Australia and would be playing at T42 classified runner level. She was only 15 years old when she was diagnosed of synovial sarcoma, a type of cancer that damaged her left leg. Chemotherapy did not work for her, and had no choice but to amputate her right leg. After the amputation, she started wearing a prosthetic leg during high school. Nonetheless, prior to amputation, she was known for her active participation on netball. She is indeed competitive and enthusiastic in sports. Her first appearance happened during the 2008 Summer Paralympics where she reached 6^th place. She’s been preparing herself to go for more for this year’s Paralympics 2012.

1. Mallory Weggenman 

According to Dirt.com, the results of the votes casted off by people across the globe, Mallory Weggenman got the highest spot as the sexiest Paralympic Athlete for 2012. In fact, she defeated her two rivals or competitors Kelly Catwright and Jessica Long. In fact, the spokeperson of Dirt.com that sexiness cannot just be attributed to those who have able bodies, but Paralympians can also be sexy, amazing, and inspirational. She is part of the U.S. Paralympics National Swimming Team. She also admits that her passion in swimming started when she was younger especially the strong influence of her older sisters who were also known swimmers. She received 5 gold medals in 2009 Swimming World Championships for IPC, 8 gold medals in 2010 IPC Swimming World Championships and a silver medal in 2010. For those who are not aware, she got certified in Scuba when she was 14 years old. She’s doing her best to show her better performance for Paralympics 2012. She’s proud that despite of the paralysis that she underwent, her rehabilitation gave her hope to move forward and continue her life.