BONJOUR L'ESTONIE

Estonia release postage stamp in honour of Gerd Kanter

At the end of September Estonian Post Ltd. released a postage stamp dedicated to Olympic Discus Champion Gerd Kanter.

After the release of the first Estonian postage stamp dedicated to the gold medal winner Erki Nool in Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 it took eight long years before having the opportunity to release another postage stamp honouring an Estonian champion of the Summer Olympics.

In the years between skiers Andrus Veerpalu and Kristina Šmigun brought glory to Estonia with their feats at the Winter Olympics. Stamps were released in their honour respectively in 2002 and 2006.

The postage stamp "Gerd Kanter - Olympic Champion" with a face value of 5.50 EEK was printed at the Vaba Maa printing house with a print-run of 300,000.

The stamp was designed by artist Lembit Lõhmus. The presentation of the new postage stamp honouring the Olympic champion took place in the atrium of the Rotermanni trade centre on September 25 and was also attended by Kanter himself.

With grateful thanks to Erich Teigamägi from the Estonian Federation

Beijing Paralympic Games : the only medal for Kardo Ploomipuu

  A bronze medal for Estonia in the last hours ....

Yesterday Kardo Ploomipuu (24-03-1988) took the only medal for Estonia in the Men's 100m Backstroke at the National Aquatics Center.

Beijing Olympics wins lots of "intangible medals"

RIGA - The deputy chief of the Estonian Olympic Committee has praised the huge success of the Beijing Olympics, saying the Games has won a lot of "intangible" medals.

    Yuri Tamm, deputy chairman of the Estonian Olympic Committee and a member of parliament, made the remarks in a recent letter to Chinese ambassador to Estonia Huang Zhongpo, according to news from Tallinn.

    The success of the Beijing Olympics was a perfect embodiment of the Olympic ideal of peace, friendship and progress and the Olympic spirit of "faster, higher and stronger," he said in the letter.

    Tamm also praised the organization of the Beijing Olympics and added that the Games has promoted understanding among athletes, coaches and officials from different countries and regions.

www.chinaview.cn

A good time to be Gerd Kanter

By John Branch

BEIJING : The Olympic gold medalist in discus clutched a large can of sardines, spun and flung it as far as he could. It sailed past a compact disc, a round cracker, an Oreo, even the head of cabbage, which shredded as it flew.

Then Gerd Kanter, Estonia's new posterboy, picked up a fish. Bought at the market, it looked like a sun fish, rather flat and somewhat disc-shaped.

"It doesn't smell good," he said.

The wind at Chaoyang Park was ideal, at least for regulation discuses, if not for flying seafood - a bit of a headwind, good for uplift, and slightly from the right. Kanter threw the fish about 20 meters. It fell well short of the canned sardines.

"We have a clear winner here," he said as he paced the distances with his long stride. The sardines had gone about 30 meters. Kanter was curious, and he flung them again. Fifty meters, surely a world record for canned sardines.

This is a good time to be Gerd Kanter.

With a handful of throws of a real discus on Tuesday night, one of which went 68.82 meters, or 225.79 feet, he won the gold medal. He has been keeping it in his shorts pocket, eagerly pulling it out for anyone who asks.

"People want to see it," he explained. He estimated that he could throw it 30 meters.

But what turned Kanter, 29, into one of the unlikeliest Olympic celebrities was not just the medal, but how he celebrated it after his victory at the 91,000-seat National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest. He was handed a blue, black and white Estonian flag and began to carry it around the track. His enthusiasm drew the crowd's attention.

Then Kanter noticed the starting blocks for the sprints.

"I just got this good idea I should use it to promote my country and my flag," he said.

Cash for Olympic medals

In cooperation with BNS

TALLINN - The Estonian government has given about 4 million kroons (.26 million Euro) to the Ministry of Culture for the athletes who won medals at the Beijing Olympics and their coaches.

Gerd Kanter, who won the gold in discus, stands to receive 1.6 million kroons and his Icelandic coach Vesteinn Hafsteinsson is set to get 800,000 kroons from the government, spokespeople said.

Juri Jaanson and Tonu Endrekson, who finished second in double sculls rowing, will get 550,000 kroons each, along with coach Tatjana Jaanson.

The Estonian government  decided in January that the size of the government's award for Olympic medals this year will be 1.6 million kroons for gold and 1.1 million kroons for silver. Coaches can be given up to 50 percent of the sum awarded to athletes.

The city of Tallinn has announced that Kanter, just like other Estonian Olympic gold medalists, will be entitled to free parking in the capital provided that he applies for a corresponding permit.

The city government is expected to decide on an appropriate cash award for Kanter at its next session on Aug. 27.

And it´s a gold again for Gert

Gerd Kanter of Estonia threw 68.82 to claim Olympic gold in the Men's Discus Throw Tuesday, August 19.

Taking the silver medal was Piotr Malachowski of Poland with a throw of 67.82. Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania took bronze at 67.79.

(Photo credit : Xinhua)

First Medal for Estonia in Rowing ... !

Australian veteran Drew Ginn won his third Olympic gold, with Duncan Free, in the men's pairs.

And double scullers David Crawshay and Scott Brennan led throughout to take Australia's second gold of the day.

Ginn, 33, won gold in the coxless four in Atlanta and missed out on home water four years later before moving into the pair successfully in Athens in 2004.

Canadian duo Scott Frandsen and David Calder led early but the Aussie pair came through, with New Zealand third.

Crawshay and Brennan stayed out in front as Estonia and Great Britain battled for the silver medal, Estonia snatching second place in the final few strokes.

Kiwi Rob Waddell, the Sydney 2000 singles champion who returned to rowing after several years with New Zealand's America's Cup team, was pushed into fourth with partner Nathan Cohen.

 

Estonia's Tonu Endrekson and Juri Jaanson celebrate on the podium during the medal ceremony for the men's double sculls final at the Shunyi Rowing and Canoeing Park during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on August 16, 2008. Australia won gold, Estonia silver and Britain silver. 

Photo credit should read FRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty Images

Tennis : Maret to replace Tatiana

BEIJING — Tatiana Golovin of France withdrew from singles and doubles Sunday shortly before the scheduled start of the Olympic tennis tournament.

Golovin has been hampered by a back injury and has played only nine matches this year. She was to play doubles with Pauline Parmentier.

Golovin was replaced in singles by Maret Ani of Estonia.

Flags are up

BEIJING - The order of this year’s Olympic parade of nations takes a fun linguistic twist. Generally, with the exception of Greece who has the honor of going first, the nations are presented alphabetically.

However, this year the nations will be presented in Chinese alphabetical order, or the number of brush strokes needed to make the first syllable of the countries name.

Latvian Javelin thrower Vadims Vasilevskis has the honor of carrying the Olympic flag for the second time the Latvian Olympic Committee decided the day before the ceremony. He carried the flag in the 2004 Athens Games as well.

This year seems to be the year of basketball with the sports flag bearers from China, Germany, Argentina and Russia as well as Sarunas Jasikevicius of the Lithuanian team.

Estonia will be represented by Martin Padar, a Judo champion.    
 

The following information is purely preliminary as order can chance at any time before the ceremony.

Estonia is due to appear 13th after Ireland and before Andorra, although some sources list Estonia as number 161 after Ireland and before Haiti.

Latvia is to be at spot 115 after Tanzania and before the United   Kingdom

Lithuania is scheduled to be presented as number 57 after Indonesia and before Niger.  

The Opening Ceremony is to being at 8 p.m. Beijing time on August 08. The ceremony is expected to last until 11:30 p.m.  

Martin Padar to bear Estonia’s flag at Olympic Games

Martin Padar will bear Estonia’s flag at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, writes Postimees Online.

Padar, a judoka, achieved the first position at the European Youth Olympic Days in 1995, has won medals at European Championships and at juniors’ World Championships.

Other athletes to carry Estonia’s flag at opening ceremonies of Olympic Games are Heino Lipp (in 1992), Jüri Jaanson (in 1996), Tõnu Tõniste (in 2000) and Erki Nool (in 2004).

At the opening ceremony, Estonian delegation will march onto the Beijing Olympic stadium 13th, after Ireland and in front of Andorra.

Estonia to give 1.6 mln kroons to the winner of Olympic gold medal

The State will pay 1.6 million kroons to the Estonian athlete who will win a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing, writes SL Õhtuleht.

A silver medal will mean a prize of 1.1 million kroons and a bronze medal 700,000 kroons.

While after the Olympic Games in Turin the Estonian Olympic Committee paid half of the prize money to the Olympic Champions and the rest of the half was paid by the State, now only the State will pay prizes to athletes who bring medals to Estonia.

“When the EOC was short in money, it asked from the State,” explained the deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture Tõnu Seil who covers the field of sports in the ministry.

“The money will be taken from the Government reserve fund,” said Seil, adding that as there are millions in reserves, Estonia could win ten gold medals, although unfortunately this is improbable.

Torrey Pines High grad Pold looks forward to swimming for Estonia in Beijing

By Marwan Razouk

A year ago, Anna-Liisa Pold was competing against the best swimmers in the Palomar League. In August, she'll stare down the best swimmers in the world.

Pold, a 17-year-old Carmel Valley resident and Torrey Pines High graduate, is competing for Estonia at the Summer Olympics in Beijing.

"I am representing my club team (North Coast Aquatics)," Pold said. "I'm representing Torrey Pines, San Diego and California and Estonia. My parents.

"What I'm doing is kind of for everyone ... representing girls as athletes and student-athletes."

Born in Tartu, Estonia, on Aug. 24, 1990, Pold moved to the United States with her family in February 1992. Meeting the Olympic qualifying time coupled with her dual nationality allows her to compete for Estonia in Beijing.

"It's been a lucky set of circumstances, a really, really lucky set of circumstances," Pold said.

She knows that the competition to make the U.S. team is much more fierce and that a minimum cut time does not make the grade.

The idea of competing for Estonia in the Olympics originated with Pold's father, Mehis. He contacted Estonian federation officials after his daughter's junior year at Torrey Pines, and they were happy to have her if she could qualify.

"I realized that it was a good opportunity and I should try to take advantage of it," said Pold, who will attend the University of Florida on a swimming scholarship in the fall.

Port of Tallinn gives EEK 1 mln to Estonian Olympians

sandra.taimre @ aripaev.ee

AS Port of Tallinn and Estonian Olympic Committee (EOK) signed a sponsorship agreement in the total amount of EEK 1 mln.

Port of Tallinn has sponsored EOK for many years and this year’s money goes for preparing the athletes for the Olympic Games and covering transportation expenses to Beijing, aripaev.ee wirtes.

Neinar Seli, the chairman of the supervisory board at Port of Tallinn, said that supporting Estonia's sport is an honor and the company is glad to contribute in Estonian athletes’ participation in Olympic Games.

Estonia's 2006 Olympic medals

Veerpalu : Tänane võit tuli raskemalt kui Salt Lake City’s

"Rada ja ilmastikutingimused olid Torinos raskemad kui Salt Lake City's," lausus Andrus Veerpalu.

Kristina Šmigun ihkas kuldmedalit just klassikadistantsilt

"Mul on olnud salajane unistus võita klassikakuld, et olla ka tõeline eestlane," tunnistas Šmigun ETV-le.

Kristina Šmigun võitis Torinos oma teise olümpiakulla !

Kristina Šmigun võitis 10 km klassikadistantsi, edestades 21,3 sekundiga norralannat Marit Björgenit.

Source : ETV

Vabaduse väljakule tasub täna tulla ilma autota

Tallinna transpordiameti kutsub linnakodanikke üles Vabaduse väljakul toimuva  Torino olümpiamängude medalivõitjate tervitustseremoonia ajal säilitama korda, eelkõige tuleks hoiduda liikluse takistamisest linnavalitsuse maja ees.

Medalivõitjate tervitustseremoonia algab kell 18.00 Vabaduse väljakul.

Olümpiavõitjad peaksid kohale jõudma kella seitsmeks ja tervitustseremoonia orienteeruv lõpp on kella kaheksa paiku õhtul.

«On igati teretulnud, et linnakodanikud medalivõitajate austamistseremoonial osalevad kuid me ei tohi unustada, et tänaste raskete lumeoludega seoses on tipptunnil liiklus niigi tavalisest aeglasem ja oht ummikute tekkimiseks  suurem,» ütles Tallinna transpordiameti juhataja Mati Songissepp.

Kindlasti ei tohiks Vabaduse väljakule ja kesklinna tulla isikliku sõidukiga.

Politsei ja liikluskorraldajad on kokku leppinud, et juhul kui olümpiamängude medalivõitjate tervitustseremooniale tulnud inimesed ummistavad liikluse Vabaduse väljakul rakendatakse operatiivselt samasugust liikluskorraldust nagu kaitsejõudude paraadi ajal.

Trollibussid sõidavad kuni Kaarli kirikuni ja autobussid suunatakse ümbersõidu marsruudile.

The President of the Republic of Estonia congratulated Kristina Šmigun

* President Arnold Rüütel made a phone call to Torino today after the Olympic award ceremony to congratulate Kristina Šmigun on her second gold medal. The Head of State congratulated the Olympic winner, her family and the whole team, and wished strength for the next competition.

On February 12, when Kristina Šmigun won her first Olympic gold medal, President Rüütel was in Torino where he followed the women's 15 km pursuit event and attended the ceremony of felicitations following the competition.

The President of the Republic stayed in Torino from February 10 to February 14 and followed the Olympic events where Estonian contestants participated. On February 10, President Rüütel attended the Opening Ceremony of the XX Olympic Winter Games, and met with Mario Boidi, Estonian Honorary Consul in Torino. While being in Torino and San Sicario, the Estonian head of state also met with the King of Norway, Prince Albert of Monaco, the presidents of Federal Republic of Germany, Czech Republic and the Republic of Latvia, as well as with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Finland.

On February 12, the President's schedule included the following events: the men's 20 km biathlon, the 15 km ........

And it is now Veerpalu's turn for the Gold : Champion Estonia !

Torino olümpiamängude meeste 15 km pikkuse klassikalises tehnikas sõidetud murdmaasuusatamise distantsi võitis tiitlikaitsja Andrus Veerpalu 38.01,3-ga.

Tšehh Lukaš Bauer kaotas 14,5, sakslane Tobias Angerer 19,2, venelane Vassili Rotšev 23,1 ja Jaak Mae 33,9 sekundit.

Kaspar Kokk jäi kahekordsest olümpiavõitjast Veerpalust 2.50,4, millega sai 36. koha. Priit Naruski kaotus võitjale oli 3.34,5 ning see tõi 46. koha.

Võistlus algas kasahhi Aleksei Poltaranini domineerimisel, kes juhtis 2,7 km vaheajapunktis. Mae oli 13,5 sekundilise kaotusega seitsmes, talle järgnes Andrus Veerpalu, jäädes liidrist 15,6 sekundit. Mängust oli väljas üks favoriite Frode Estil Norrast, kaotades kasahhile 39,2 sekundit ja hoides 51. positsiooni.

6,1 km peale oli liidriks kerkinud Angerer. Järgnesid Bauer (kaotus 8,9 sekundit), Veerpalu (+9,4), Rotšev (+10,4), sakslane Rene Sommerfeldt (+20,4), rootslane Johan Olsson (+20,8) ja Mae (+23,9).

9,9 km vaheajapunktis oli aga liider juba Veerpalu. Eestlasele järgnesid Bauer (+2,7 sekundit), Angerer (+3,7), Rotšev (+6,7), Olsson (+13,3), sakslane Andreas Schlütter (+18,6) ning Mae (+22,1).

12,2 km märgis oli Salt Lake City sama distantsi võitja Veerpalu oma edumaad konkurentide ees suurendanud veelgi. Bauer jäi 7,6, Angerer 10,4, Rotšev 11,6, Olsson 21,8 ja Mae 25,9 sekundit.

Robel Teklemariam, the first ever athlete in the Winter Olympic Games from Ethiopia, finished 84 out of a 97 starting crowd.

ETV SPORT

http://etvsport.ee/torino/index.php?0528134235

VIDEOS : Finish, Interview, Medals Ceremony

Kristina is expecting a 3rd gold in Turin Games !

  Kristina Smigun claiming her second gold medal at the Turin Winter Olympic Games in the women's 10km classical event of cross country skiing, expects her third one of the same tint.

Smigun was eighth at the 2.6km intermediate times, second at 6. 2km, had the lead at 7.7km, and then extended her position in front in the tough grueling final kilometers of the course.

Winning by 21.3 seconds ahead of Marit Bjorgen of Norway, Smigun triumphed in the event. Hilde G. Pedersen, also from Norway, clinched the bronze, 1.3 seconds behind Bjorgen.

Thus, Smigun became the first athlete to win two gold medals in Turin.

Smigun, 29, who won her first Olympic gold in the women's 15km pursuit on February 12.

The Estonian, who was only seventh in the 30km classical and 15km free in the Salt Lake City Winter Games four years ago, was extremely happy about the result.

"I'm happy. Extremely happy. I have to go home, think about what I did and then I will know how I feel," said Smigun.

"It's the beginning of the season and I feel quite good. We did everything correct and perfect. I do hard, hard training," Smigun added.

Not until the end did Smigun realize that she has won the race.

"At the last uphill I knew that Marit (Bjorgen) was first for only two seconds and I tried to push very hard. I was tired but I think everyone else was more tired than me."

On the race, she tipped it very tough. .........

It's Kristina Smigun again

for her second Olympic Gold.

Kristina Šmigun võitis oma teise olümpiakulla !

Kristina Šmigun võitis naiste murdmaasuusatamise 10 km klassikadistantsi, edestades 21,3 sekundiga norralannat Marit Björgenit. Kolmandale kohale tuli teine norralanna Hilde G. Pedersen.

Šmigun alustas võistlust rahulikult, olles 2,6 km vaheajapunktis kuues ja kaotades liidrile Sara Rennerile kaheksa sekundiga.

6,2 km vaheajapunktis tõusis Šmigun juba teiseks, jäädes Rennerile alla vaid 0,2 sekundiga. Järgnesid norralannad Marit Björgen (+0,8), Kristin Steira (+3,7) ning tšehhitar Katerina Neumannova (+5,0).

7,7 km punktis oli Šmigun juba liider, edestades Steirat 4,7, Neumannovat 4,8 ja Björgenit 5,7 sekundiga.

Seejärel tegi eestlanna rasketel tõusudel sisse otsustava vahe, juhtides 8,8 km peal Neumannova ees juba 19,9 sekundiga.

Finišis näitas kell Šmigunile aega 27.51,4. Marit Björgen võitis hõbemedali, jäädes Šmigunile alla 21,3 sekundiga. Pronksmedal kuulub teisele norralannale Hilde G. Pedersenile, kes kaotas võitjale 22, 6 sekundit.

Alguses head tempot näidanud kanadalanna Renner jäi lõpuks kaheksandaks. Üks stardieelseid soosikuid, soomlanna Virpi Kuitunen oli üheksas.

Tulemused :

1. Kristina Šmigun       EST  27.51,4 
2. Marit Björgen                 NOR  +  21,3 
3. Hilde G. Pedersen         NOR  +  22,6

VIDEOS : Finish, Interview, Medal Ceremony

Double olympic gold medalist in 2006 !

et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris...C5%A0migun

Kristina Šmigun [krist'iina šmig'unn] (sündinud 23. veebruaril 1977 Tartus) on eesti suusasportlane, kes kuulub maailma tippu naiste murdmaasuusatamises. Ta on kahekordne juunioride, ühekordne täiskasvanute maailmameister ja kahekordne olümpiavõitja.

2006. aastal omistas Rahvusvaheline Olümpiakomitee Kristinale Sportstari aunimetuse. Autasu üleandmisgala toimus ROKi peakorteris Lausanne’is ning seda kandis üle Eurospordi telekanal.

Kristina treener on tema isa Anatoli Šmigun.

Kristina Smigun's interview in English

                                                                                     See it here