BONJOUR L'ESTONIE

Õnnitleme medali puhul!

Hurraa! Esimene medal!

Estonian Air on uhke meie maadleja Heiki Nabi saavutuse üle ja jagab oma rõõmu klientidega. Ainult täna südaööni on kõik kodulehelt ostetud Estonian Airi piletid ilma teenustasuta.
Soodustuse saamiseks sisesta pileti tellimisel allahindluskood: london2012

Võidurõõmu jagamine kestab täna (07.08.2012) südaööni ja ainult Estonian Airi kodulehel. Soodustus kehtib vaid Estonian Airiga lendamiseks vahemikus 01.10-30.11.2012.

» Uuri lähemalt

Olympics : Men's athletics discus qualifying round

A silver medal  for Estonia with Heiki NABI (Men's 120kg Greco-Roman)

LONDON - Men's athletics discus qualifying round results.

    Results Table

     Qualified for Next Round

 

1.   Gerd Kanter (Estonia)	66,39
2.   Robert Harting (Germany)	66,22
3.   Jorge Y Fernandez (Cuba)	65,34
4.   Lawrence Okoye (Britain)	65,28
5.   Vikas Gowda (India)	65,20
6.   Ehsan Hadadi (Iran)	65,19
7.   Piotr Malachowski (Poland)	64,65
8.   Martin Wierig (Germany)	64,13
9.   Benn Harradine (Australia)	64,00
10.  Virgilijus Alekna (Lithuania)	63,88
11.  Yennifer Frank Casanas (Spain)	63,76
12.  Erik Cadee (Netherlands)	63,55

Estonian rowers pull into olympic semifinal

The first full day of the London Olympics brought good fortune to Estonia's quadruple sculls rowing crew, who finished second in their heat to secure a place in the August 1 semifinals.

The team of Tõnu Endrekson, Andrei Jämsä, Allar Raja and Kaspar Taimsoo came in just 0.61 seconds behind Heat 1 leader Russia with a time of 5:42.87, a result that puts them in 6th place in the overall standings.

Their fellow countrymen fared less well - the double sculls crew of Geir Suursild and Jüri-Mikk Udam came out in the bottom of their heat and will go on to the repechage on Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, Estonia's two competitors in swimming, Triin Aljand and Martin Liivimägi failed to qualify in the 100m butterfly and 100m breaststroke heats, respectively. Both will be back in the pool in coming days for the start of the women's 50m freestyle and the men's 200m individual medley.

Likewise Anžela Voronova did not pass through the women's 10m air rifle qualification, ending up in 42nd place out of the 52 competitors.

In cycling, Rene Mandri finished 50th in the men's road race with a time of 5:46:37, 40 seconds behind Kazakhstan's Alexander Vinokurov, who took the gold medal.

Steve Roman

Estonia's first lady carried Olympic torch

Three Estonians, including Estonia's first lady Mrs Evelin Ilves ran in the London Olympic's torch relay run on Wednesday, Õhtuleht online reports.

The first one to perform was Renna Järvalt; she ran at 13.46 local time. Jaanus Kala ran at 14.23 and Evelin Ilves at 18.11.

They carried the Olympic torch in the town of Dover, Kent and it could be seen at www.london2012.com/torch-relay/video/live.html

Estonian torch carriers were chosen by a jury from among 20 candidates last September. Renna Järvalt and Jaanus Kala were chosen for their great contribution to developing popular sports. Evelin Ilves was made the proposal by the Olympic relay run partner Samsung together with the Estonian Olympic Committee, considering that she is the SOS Children's Village patron and that she has done a lot to popularise exercising, reported LETA.

Estonia star Kanepi pulls out of Olympics

Estonian tennis star Kaia Kanepi, seen here in June 2012, has been forced to pull out of the Baltic nation's Olympic team due to a heel injury that also sidelined her from Wimbledon.

"An ultrasound examination showed on Tuesday that Kaia's heels have not recovered as fast as hoped and she has to withdraw from the London Olympic Games," said a statement on the world number 16's website. "Her doctor Madis Rahu said that increasing practice intensity now would eventually lead to an even longer injury break," it said. Kanepi, 27, was one of the biggest names in Estonia's 34-member Olympic delegation and the country's lone London-bound tennis player.

She also represented her nation of 1.3 million at the 2004 Athens Olympics and in 2008 in Beijing, reaching the third round of the latter. "It's very sad that I cannot participate in the Olympics. I do not know if I will ever get another chance to participate in the Olympic Games. At the moment all I want is my legs to be ok and that I could play tennis without feeling any pain," Kanepi said on her website. She said her future tournament schedule is not yet clear, with a decision expected after she has more medical tests over the coming weeks.

The NBC (National Broadcasting Company) and the Balts

Olympic Opening Ceremony
Contact: Zanda Vēvere or Artis Inka
[email protected]

The students and staff of Garezers Latvian Summer High School have announced a campaign to pressure NBC to change its long-standing policy of ignoring the teams from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania during Olympic opening ceremonies.

Many Baltic-Americans remember the opening ceremony of the 1992 Barcelona Games and how sad and frustrated we were. NBC chose to ignore the Baltic States just one short year after regaining independence after over fifty years of Soviet occupation. Coverage in following years was equally discouraging.

Therefore, the Gaŗezers Summer High School community is encouraging Balts and their friends in the United States, Canada and throughout the world to contact the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and request complete opening ceremony coverage during the procession of national teams.

Further information can be found at:

http://www.facebook.com/BroadcastTheBalticStates
http://www.draugiem.lv/garezers-olimpiade/
http://www.garezers.org

Toompuu named to Estonian olympic team

Bowling Green - Western Kentucky University graduate Raigo Toompuu has been selected to represent his native Estonia at the 2012 London Olympic Games in the shot put. 

Toompuu becomes the third athlete with WKU connections that will compete in this summer's games.  Swimming Claire Donahue qualified for the United State in the 100-meter butterfly, while former track standout Gavin Smellie will run for Canada as part of the 4x100-meter relay team. 

This marks the fifth time WKU has been represented by at least three athletes in the Summer Olympics.  A record four Hilltoppers compted in the 1992 games in Barcelona.  Three WKU athletes also competed in the games in 1980 (Moscow), 1984 (Los Angeles) and 1996 (Atlanta).

With both Toompuu and Smellie qualifying this year, nine of WKU's 14 all-time Olympians have competed in track and field.  However, Toompuu will be the first to compete in a field event.

On June 18, Toompuu recorded a toss of 65-9 in the shot put to surpass the Olympic "B" Standard.  The Haapsulu, Estonia native is slated to represent his home country in London on Friday, August 3.

Estosadok (Eesti Ajake) : 2014 Winter Olympics - Sochi

Some of the skiing events for the 2014 Winter Olympics (Sochi) will be held in an Russian village called Estosadok (Eesti Ajake), originally settled by Estonians in the mid to late 1800s.  The author Tammsaare recuperated there from Tuberculosis (see the last paragraph below).
 
NBC's Universal Sports Channel sometimes broadcasts Russian TV on Saturday mornings.  http://www.universalsports.com/whats-on-tv/index.html
Last Saturday was a segment of "People's of Russia" and highlighted the history of the village, which is about 1.5 hours from the Black Sea city of Sochi.  They have an Estonian cultural center, festivals, etc that are all familiar to us as valis-eestlased.    I searched youtube and rt.com and could not find a posted version of the russian tv segment.  It was produced in 2006.   If you happen to come across it do send me a link.

Here are some links on Estosadok.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estosadok
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Esto-Sadok
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Polyana_Esto_Sadok.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreika/403940261/
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/15489873
http://sochi2014.com/en/games/sport/olympic-games/sports/skiing/nordic/
http://www.estemb.org/frontpage/news/estonian_review/newwin-middle50/aid-2650

The house museum of the Estonian writer Anton Hansen Tammsaare will be reopened in Estosadok (Estonian Garden), a settlement in the territory of the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Eesti Number 1 : Šmigun-Vähi võitis Eestile hõbemedali!

Kahekordne suusatamise olümpiavõitja Kristina Šmigun-Vähi teenis täna Vancouveri olümpiamängudel peetud naiste 10 km vabatehnikasõidus hõbemedali!

Tõusvas tempos sõitnud Šmigun-Vähi oli 1,3 km peal seitsmes, kuid parandas oma kohta järk-järgult. Esikolmikusse kerkis eestlanna poolel maal ning tugeva teise ringiga jõudis isegi kuldmedalile lähedale.

Võitjale Charlotte Kallale kaotas Šmigun-Vähi lõpuks 6,6 sekundiga. Pronksi sai norralanna Marit Björgen, kes jäi Kallale alla 15,9 sekundiga.

Šmigun-Vähile oli see kolmandaks medaliks olümpiamängudelt. Neli aastat tagasi Torinos võitis eestlanna kaks kuldmedalit.

«Hõbemedal on küll väga tore, kuid kõik teadsid, et ma tahtsin kulda,» kommenteeris Šmigun-Vähi pärast võistlust ETV-le.

Lisaks ütles värske hõbemedaliomanik, et rada oli raske ning 17. stardipositsioon mitte just kõige parem.

«Ega kohta, kus hinge tõmmata, polnudki. Rada oli kiire,» märkis enne teisi suuri konkurente rajale läinud Šmigun-Vähi. «Tundsin ennast nagu jänes, kes teistele aega ette teeb. Öeldakse küll, et kes on tugevaim, sellel pole vahet, mitmendana ta stardib, kuid kui oleksin teadnud, et kuld jääb kuue sekundi taha, oleks see ehk jõudu juurde andnud.»

Teine võistlustules olnud eestlane Tatjana Mannima lõpetas võistluse 58. kohal (+3.14,6).

Tulemused:

1. Charlotte Kalla (Rootsi) 24.58,4
2. Kristina Šmigun-Vähi +6,6
3. Marit Björgen (Norra) +15,9
4. Anna Haag (Rootsi) +20,9
5. Justyna Kowalczyk (Poola) 21,7
6. Riitta-Liisa Roponen (Soome) +25,9
7. Jevgenija Medvjedeva (Venemaa) +28,1

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.