easing pressure, particularly from Euro
easing pressure, particularly from Euro
BANFF, Alta. -- Canadian freestyle skier Roz Groenewoud isnt letting surgery to both of her knees deter her expectations for the Sochi Olympics. The womens halfpipe star injured her left knee in training at last weeks Dew Tour in Colorado. The 2011 world champion had the operations done Tuesday and is expected to fully recover in four-to-six weeks. The Feb. 7-23 Sochi Games begin in just over seven weeks. Groenewoud is expected to be a podium contender in womens halfpipe skiing, a discipline that will make its Olympic debut next year. "Im still feeling really good about the Olympics and my chances there," she said during a conference call Thursday. "I think this is definitely a step back . . . but it really gives me a chance to focus and come back with even more focus having a very outlaid plan of how Im going to have a comeback essentially. "I think through this whole buildup to the Games Ive been pretty good focusing on the process, not the overall celebration. The surgeries I had on both my knees are very minor compared to what a lot of other athletes have to go through." Given that Groenewoud has had nagging issues with her right knee as well, her team made the decision to scope both joints at the same time after consultation with an orthopedic surgeon. "The menisci problems of both knees put her at risk for more severe injuries," said Dr. Mark Heard. "Im very optimistic about a speedy recovery." Heard added the prognosis was excellent given Groenewouds "two very healthy knees in all other respects plus good leg strength and body mechanics." Groenewoud, from Calgary, secured her place on the Olympic team last week despite the injury. She was able to complete the qualifying run and finished 10th. "The surgery was to address some issues with the lateral meniscus in both knees," she said. "The left one was a bit more serious than the right, I had a larger, more problematic tear. "However, the right one ended up having a larger tear than what showed up on the MRI so Dr. Heard cleaned up both meniscus, drained some of the extra fluid that was under my patella (in right knee) and generally just made them prettier and more functional." Groenewoud is hoping to return to competition midway through next month at an event in California. "That is totally dependent on how the swelling goes and the advice from the team at the CFSA," she said. "California, nice weather . . . skiing in California is always so much fun." In the meantime, Groenewoud has returned to Calgary, where she said shes enjoying the benefits of some home cooking from her mother. "She made me one of my favourite pastas (Wednesday night), a clam pasta that was pretty delicious," Groenewoud said. "Generally I dont make myself pasta very often or eat very much pasta so it was very comforting." Cheap Nike Sb China .S. womens soccer team to a 2-0 win over China in Colorado in the afternoon. Cheap Wholesale Nike SB Shoes . Sami Vatanen had a goal and an assist and Anaheim used a four-goal first period to extend their winning streak to six games with a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. http://www.wholesalenikesb.com/. -- Zach Johnson is like most players at the World Challenge, not sure whether hes still playing in 2013 or if hes in the middle of the new wraparound season that officially started in October. Cheap Nike Sb Wholesale . -- Another baseball tradition is about to largely disappear: a manager, with a crazed look in his eyes, charging the field and getting into a face-to-face shouting match with an umpire. Wholesale Nike SB . Long snapper Patrick Mannelly announced Friday that he is retiring after a 16-year-career with the Bears, a span in which he played in a team record 245 games and snapped the ball 2,282 times.SYDNEY - Australia won its first Asian Cup title by beating South Korea 2-1 after extra time Saturday in the final at Sydneys Olympic Stadium.Substitute James Troisi tapped home the winner after Kim Jin-hyeon could only parry striker Tomi Jurics low cross just before the midway point of extra time to give Australia its maiden continental title after it joined the Asian confederation in 2006.Earlier, a superb long-range strike by Massimo Luongo just before halftime had put Australia ahead before South Koreas standout player Son Hyeung-min equalized deep into second-half injury time to deny the hosts victory in regulation time.Its a proud moment for our country, said Australia coach Ange Postecoglou. To be champions you got to display a whole range of qualities and today was about courage, belief and conviction. The players had that in abundance.We got tested. We copped one in the last minute. It would have broken a lot of teams.South Korea, which had not conceded a goal until the final, has now lost its past four finals and has not won the tournament since 1960.We dont have the cup but the way we played today we are also champions of a lot of hearts, said South Korea coach Uli Stielike. I think the best result from such a match would have been a draw and we take the cup for two years each, but I know it cant be like this and we have to accept that.Australias rampant attack had notched a tournament-leading 12 goals in five games coming into the final but was largely muted in the first half as South Korea quickly settled and frequently found its way into the final attacking third.However, Australia inflicted the first blow with Luongos stunning strike within seconds of halftime. It was the 22-year-old Swindon Town midfielders second goal of the Asian Cup, to go with four assists. He was named player of the tournament after the final.South Koreas Son was the standout player on the field and, despite missing difficult chances earlier in the match, made no mistake in the final minute when he blasted past Mat Ryan to send the match to extra time.Australia looked fresher in the extra period and the match turned again on an exceptional piece of individual skill in the 105th minute.Juric, who came on for Tim Cahill in the 63rd, back-heeled the ball between Kin Jin-sus legs on the goal line and sent in a low cross which the goalkeeper could only block into the path of Troisi, who put the ball into the empty net to erase Australias disappointment of losing the final four years ago to Japan in Qatar.We knew that we would be strong in extra time, said Postecoglou. We knew we probably had them on fitness.Earlier in the gamee, Australia struggled to handle the pace of the South Korean wide players with both Ivan Franjic and Jason Davidson especially caught out in the early stages, with Son looking particularly threatening as he cut in from the flanks.dddddddddddd.Australia captain Mile Jedinak produced his teams first shot but his free kick from a central position just cleared the crossbar with Kim beaten in the 8th.Son, who scored both goals in South Koreas 2-0 extra-time win over Uzbekistan, almost opened the scoring with an exquisite volley in the 36th, which rocketed just over the angle of the post and crossbar with Ryan on the ground.After being under concerted pressure for most of the first half, Australia seized the momentum with a moment of individual brilliance by Luongo.In the final minute of the half, Luongo received Trent Sainsburys forward pass, turned sharply and unleashed a powerful low shot from 25 yards (meters) that beat Kim and passed just inside the left post to spark wild celebrations among the 76,385 crowd.I definitely enjoyed that one, Luongo said.South Korea started the second half better with Son again looking dangerous.Just past the hour Postecoglu withdrew Cahill, who suffered an ankle injury in the first half, for Juric. Cahill received a standing ovation as Australias greatest ever goalscorer — with 39 goals from 82 games — left the field in what may be his final appearance for the national team.Australia suffered further injury blows less than 10 minutes later with Robbie Kruse stretchered off the field with what appeared a serious leg injury for the Bayer Leverkusen winger.Franjic then departed through injury to leave Australia without substitutes for the final 20 minutes.With the final moments ebbing away, South Korea launched a long ball toward Australias penalty box which eventually fell to Son who held off Sainsbury to fire a shot past Ryan to force extra time.Juric then helped set up Troisi to finally settle it for the hosts.Conceding a goal just before halftime and then just before halftime in extra time, this killed our mentality a little bit, said Stielike.Despite a day less to prepare, Australias defence stood firm to cap an impressive breakthrough tournament for the host country.At the official presentation after the final, FIFA President Sepp Blatters arrival was booed by home fans, still upset with the 2022 World Cup bidding process that saw Australia lose out to Qatar.The 78-year-old Blatter is running for a fifth term as president despite increasing pressure, particularly from Europe, to step aside amid FIFAs tarnished reputation after years of scandals and criticism. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '