sport magazine 286
DESCRIPTION
Sport magazine 286TRANSCRIPT
Issue 286 | December 14 2012
ennis&farahand the 50 moments that defined the
greatest sporting year of our lives
SKINCARE BUILT IN ][
hugoboss.com
“I DON’T EXPECT SUCCESS
I PREPARE FOR IT”
RYAN REYNOLDS
BOSS BOTTLED.
FRAGRANCE FOR MEN
hugoboss.com
THE NEW FRAGRANCE FOR WOMEN. FEATURING GWYNETH PALTROW
THIS WILL BE YOUR NIGHT
POUR FEMME
BOSS NUIT
10
68
08
issue 286, December 14 2012
radar
08 Sporting Twitter stats The facts, figures and most prolific hashtaggers from 2012
10 Buy rugby players’ kit! Including Chris Ashton’s shorts – swallow dives are mandatory if you put ‘em on, though
12 Editor’s letter When it comes to fans behaving badly, footballers aren’t always to blame o this coming weekFeatures
17 Sporting moments of 2012 Here’s our top 50: the wonder of Weir, Murray’s Slam and Frankel’s 14th – they’re all in there
36 Jess Ennis The queen of track and field, and our first athlete of the year, tells us about her annus mirabilis...
43 Mo Farah ... and our second explains why his super summer means life will never be quite the same again
48 Premier League preview What to expect, and from whom, in every game this weekend
extra Time
58 Gadgets The Pure Jongo S340B is a pure joy to behold when it comes to wirelessly streaming music
60 Mariella Pellegrino
Were we in American Pie, we would target this bodybuilder for Shermination 64 Grooming The best giftsets for him and for her, in case you’re short of ideas. And, let’s face it: you probably are
68 Entertainment The Hobbit has the stones for an unexpected journey, while the Stones inhabit the Zebra Gallery
36
58
| December 14 2012 | 0 5
Co
ve
r im
ag
e: T
ad
ao
mi S
hib
uy
a. T
his
pa
ge
: Ju
lian
Fin
ne
y/G
ett
y Im
ag
es
oey Barton uses it to share
his intellectual leanings,
quote Oscar Wilde and abuse
Alan Shearer, but what have the rest
of us been talking about when it
comes to the world of sport on
Twitter in 2012?
Well, we asked the good people at
the microblogging site directly. And
they were kind enough to provide us
with the top 10 trending sportsmen,
sporting trends and the most
talked-about moments from the
past year. Enjoy it, Joey...
Radar p10– Get Dan Carter’s boots in your locker
p10 – Overseas Sports Personality of the Year: our contenders
J
weetytwelve
08 | December 14 2012 |
Power PeoPleThe top 10
trending
sportspeople in
the UK in 2012
our year of sPort
The top 10 sports
trends in the UK
in 2012
Magic MoMents The top trending sporting occasions in the UK in 2012 were...
wayne rooney
7%theo walcott
7%
cristiano ronaldo
8%
sebastian Vettel
8%
andy carroll
9%Joe Hart
10%
#Paralympics
14%
John terry
15%
#afc
7%#coys
7%
leeds
8%
#wwe
9%
arsenal
10%liverpool
10%
olympics
11%
#Mufc
11%
#lfc
13%
David Beckham
12%
Joey Barton
12%
robin Van Persie
12%
1Dave, Sam Cam
and BoJo dance
at the Olympic
closing
ceremony
6Joleon Lescott
scores
England’s first
at the Euros
2England lose
on penalties
to Italy
7Cristiano
Ronaldo makes
it 3-2 to Real
Madrid against
Man City
3Usain Bolt
wins Olympic
100m final
8Fernando
Torres puts
Chelsea in the
Champions
League final
4 Mr Bean’s
Chariots of Fire
at the Olympic
opening
ceremony
9Danny Welbeck
puts England
3-2 up against
Sweden at
the Euros
5Theo Walcott
equalises for
England against
Sweden at
the Euros
10Team GB arrive
at the Olympic
opening
ceremony
All
pic
ture
s G
ett
y Im
ag
es
Radar
10 | December 14 2012 |
Outof
this world
Buy my shorts!
his Sunday,
the British
public will
vote for their Sports
Personality of the
Year, selecting from
a shortlist of 12 that
we’re sure you know
all about. Apparently,
some non-Brits also
had a successful
sporting year. So it is
that, before Bradley
Wiggins collects his
mini-camera trophy,
the Overseas Sports
Personality of the
Year will be named.
In our view, these
are the contenders...
T
t long last, you can purchase
rugby players’ unwanted
clothes. Not the used ones,
of course – they’re all covered in blood
and mud, and that would be unhygienic
– but their unworn kits and tracksuits.
New website inmylocker.co.uk has kit
from loads of top players available for
sale, including many signed items, with
the proceeds going to charity. So, if
you fancy getting your hands on Chris
Ashton’s shorts, Dan Carter’s boots or
Tom Williams’ theatrical make-up set,
now’s your chance.
inmylocker.co.uk
A
Usain Bolt
The coolest man in
sport and two-time
Overseas SPOTY
winner more than
lived up to the hype
in defending his
Olympic sprint titles.
With his false start
in Daegu and a
credible challenger
in Yohan Blake, the
lanky speedster had
all the pressure in
the world on his
shoulders. Not that
you would have
known it.
Michael PhelPs
The American has
18 Olympic gold
medals. Eighteen.
That’s twice as
many as anyone
else, ever. He added
four to his tally this
summer, with two
silvers for good
measure. He wasn’t
quite as formidable
as in Beijing, when
he won eight out of
eight, but he’s still
won more golds
than the entirety
of Jamaica.
DaviD RUDisha
The 23-year-old
Kenyan smashed his
own 800m world
record in what
Steve Cram called
the “greatest ever
800m race anyone
has ever run”.
So great, in fact,
that it makes it into
our top 50 moments
of the year (from
page 17).
seRena WilliaMs
Recovered from
an illness-ravaged
2011 season to win
Wimbledon, and
then the Olympic
singles title without
dropping a set –
thus becoming the
first player ever to
complete a Career
Golden Slam (all
four major titles
plus an Olympic
gold) in both singles
and doubles.
lionel Messi
It’s been pointed
out that, until Leo
Messi’s continued
brilliance this year,
no one actually
knew or cared who
held the record for
most goals in a
calendar year.
Still, 86 is an
incredible haul.
And he still has
three games
remaining this year
in which to better it.
Who knows what
records he will
break in 2013?
All
pic
ture
s G
ett
y Im
ag
es
12 | December 14 2012 |
Radar Editor’s letter
Editor-in-chief
Simon Caney
@simoncaney
Sport magazine
Part of UTV Media plc
18 Hatfields, London SE1 8DJ
Telephone: 020 7959 7800
Fax: 020 7959 7942
Email: firstname.lastname@
sport-magazine.co.uk
Editorial
Editor-in-chief: Simon Caney (7951)
Deputy editor: Tony Hodson (7954)
Associate editor: Nick Harper (7897)
Art editor: John Mahood (7860)
Deputy art editor: William Jack (7861)
Digital designer: Chris Firth (7624)
Subeditor: Graham Willgoss (7431)
Senior writers: Sarah Shephard (7958),
Alex Reid (7915)
Staff writers: Mark Coughlan (7901),
Amit Katwala (7914)
Picture editor: Julian Wait (7961)
Production manager: Tara Dixon (7963)
Contributors: Martin Barry
Commercial
Agency Sales Director: Iain Duffy (7991)
Business Director: Kevin O’Byrne (7832)
Advertising Managers: Steve Hare
(7930), Aaron Pinto del Rio (7918)
New Business Sales Executive:
Hayley Robertson (7904)
Distribution Manager: Sian George (7852)
Distribution Assistant: Makrum Dudgeon
Head of Online: Matt Davis (7825)
Head of Communications:
Laura Wootton (7913)
Managing Director: Adam Bullock
PA to Managing Director:
Sophia Koulle (7826)
Colour reproduction: Rival Colour Ltd
Printed by: Wyndeham Group Ltd
© UTV Media plc 2012
UTV Media plc takes no responsibility for
the content of advertisements placed in
Sport magazine
£1 where sold
Hearty thanks to: Eleni Lawrence, Pace
Sports Management and the fella who
switched the electricity back on
Don’t forget: Help keep public transport clean and tidy for everyone by taking your copy of Sport away with you when you leave the bus or train.
LAUNCH OFTHE YEAR
2008
Total Average Distribution: 305,676 Jan-Jun 2012
www.sport-magazine.co.uk
@sportmaguk
facebook.com/sportmagazine
F ootballers get a bad press much
of the time. And, mostly, it’s well
deserved. Time and again one of
their number lets the side down
with some ill-timed nonsense.
But they are not responsible for all the ills
of football. In fact, everywhere you look you
can direct blame: from the owners to the
managers, to the agents and the fans. Yes,
the fans, who so often believe they somehow
have different human rights to the players.
Fans froth with indignation when
opposition players race over to them to
celebrate a goal. Agreed, it’s not the
smartest thing in the world to do. But it’s not
a crime. It doesn’t warrant idiots racing out
of the stands to confront or assault them.
Quite why Rio Ferdinand got so much
stick last weekend is beyond me. Yes, I know
emotions run high on the terraces (in the
seats), but they run high on the pitch too.
Manchester is now a football city with a
genuine rivalry, something it’s not had for
an awfully long time.
And that’s a good thing: football should
be an emotionally-charged sport. There
is nothing wrong with a tribal mentality
(although fans should remember that, these
days, those knights leading them into battle
will disappear to their bitter rivals at the
first sign of an extra few quid), but there are
still basic rules of behaviour in society that
need to be observed.
That’s why racism is not acceptable. And,
of course, it’s magnified if a player is guilty of
it, because millions of people will see it. But
that doesn’t mean it’s fine for supporters to
make monkey gestures in the stands.
And I can’t remember many occasions
– Cantona and Clough aside – when a player
(or manager) has hit a spectator. They are
allowed to celebrate, even in ways that are
perhaps inadvisable. But they should never
be attacked. Those are the rules.
The punch that finished off Manny Pacquiao last weekend was a savage reminder of what boxing is all about. We may have watched Andrew Flintoff giving it his best shot – and all credit to him for getting into the ring at all – but it was a very different brand of boxing that saw Juan Manuel Marquez unload an absolute bomb into Pacquiao’s face (see overleaf). One of the greatest champions of all time was asleep before he hit the canvas. Boxing is a wonderful sport, but it can also be terrifying.
We were delighted last week when our
iPad app was named Best Sport Magazine
at the Digital Magazine Awards. If you’ve
not tried it, we suggest you do – although
we would say that. And when this mag
takes a Christmas break from the streets
(next week is our last full issue until
January 11), it’ll be the only place you can
read Sport for a couple of weeks, with our
digital Christmas and New Year editions.
Don’t blame the playersThey might be daft sometimes, but that doesn’t excuse the idiocy of some football supporters
Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand
Cli
ve
Ma
so
n/G
ett
y I
ma
ge
s
Emotionally charged: but feelings running high doesn’t
excuse fans’ bad behaviour
Reader comments of the week
@Sportmaguk the
champions league should
reduce in size not get
larger. Top 2 max from the
big leagues, 16 in total.
@sjrmfc
Awesome interview with
the man Monty in this
week’s @sportmaguk
from @otheralexreid -
Back in action indeed!
@SarahEffyTaylor
3 reasons to smile this
morning: Cook’s 190, my
wife getting home from
work B4 I leave for mine &
@Sportmaguk #Monty
cover. Best since...
@earsopen
Great Hatton pic on pg 19
of @Sportmaguk hits
you like one of the great
man’s bodyshots
#theresonlyone
@AKnight_Esq
In regards to the best
batsmen in the modern
era, there can only be one:
Sachin. He is strides ahead.
However Jacques Kallis
is always overlooked.
A great bowler, fielder
and batsman.
Sab, via email
Free iPad app available on Newsstand
Cover of the Year
co.uk
The New Balance 870
REVlite meets stability in this revolutionised update.
Offering support to the mild overpronators in a material
package and experience that doesn’t hold back.
Revolutionary REVlite
Technology for even
more responsiveness
Dual density Abzorb
crash pad provides a soft
cushioned ride
14 | December 14 2012 |
Frozen in time
| 15
Goodnight Pac-ManManny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez have had
some ding-dong fights over the years, but none have
ended quite like their latest, last weekend. Pacquiao,
a seven-weight world champion and all-time great,
walked on to an absolute brute of a right hand and
was knocked out instantly, lying motionless on the
canvas for several minutes. Some said it was
justice for Marquez, who was unlucky to lose on
points to Pac-Man in 2011; Marquez said he was off
to celebrate at home in Mexico. Pacquiao said
nothing at all – for a very, very long time.Al B
ell
o/G
ett
y Im
ag
es
Sign up for 24 months to get this deal · Inclusive minutes and texts are for most UK mobiles and UK landlines · Do you ever dial 08/070 numbers? They’re 35p per call plus 35p per minute/£1.02 per call plus 71.5p per minute respectively - check price at Three.co.uk/nts · Sorry we do not accept Visa Electron or Solo cards
When you get the fantastic Samsung GALAXY S III
with all-you-can-eat data, you’ll be able to download
all the Christmas hits, upload tons of festive photos
and tweet all your friends the party plans. All on the
network built for the internet.
0800 358 4317Switch to Three today, call
Visit a 3Store or go online
A Samsung GALAXY S III in your stocking.
Get internetting this Christmas with all-you-can-eat data.
90
£ 34a month
Just
£29 upfront cost
Ultimate Internet 500 PlanAll-you-can-eat data
500 minutes
5000 texts
44444444tthhtt
sstt
aannttaa
eess
ttss
| December 14 2012 | 17
Credit
The Top 50 SporTing MoMenTS of The Year
Some good,
otherS bad.
Some to make you
laugh, otherS
to make you cry.
Some you will
already have
forgotten,
otherS you will
remember for
a lifetime.
here, then, are
the 50 Sporting
momentS of 2012,
aS choSen by uS
– and it all
StartS back in
January, with
the return of a
familiar face of
yeSteryear...
Top 50 Moments
18 | December 14 2012 |
All
pic
ture
s G
ett
y Im
ag
es
50. return of the kingThierry henry scores his 227Th goal for
arsenal, five years afTer number 226
“It was a story about football you would tell young
children,” said Arsene Wenger of the magical night
that saw Thierry Henry score the winner on his
second debut for the club – just 13 years after his
first. King Henry became an Arsenal player again a
month after unveiling a statue of himself outside
the Emirates – and it was there, in an FA Cup tie
against Leeds United, that the Frenchman was
introduced from the bench after 68 minutes with
the game poised at 0-0. A peach of a pass from Alex
Song 10 minutes later set Henry up for a trademark
slotted finish. Were it not for the addition of a big
old beard and a barely discernible paunch, it could
almost have been the Invincibles era all over again.
49. 'it's made my day'nicola adams wins boxing gold,
and The naTion’s hearTs wiTh iT
“Really good... a dream come true... to think I’ve
finally done it, with all this support here, it’s really
made my day.” That, ladies and gentlemen, was the
understatement of the Olympic Games, as Nicola
Adams reflected on what she’d just done – destroyed
triple world champion Ren Cancan 16-7 to become
the first woman ever to win Olympic boxing gold.
She did it in style, too, knocking Cancan down
in the second round and then cruising to victory.
Nobody could fail to love the Yorkshire girl with the
ever-present smile. Well, maybe Cancan could.
48. rocket manronnie o’sullivan becomes world snooker
champion for The fourTh Time
In the year the Crucible Theatre bade farewell to
its favourite son – Stephen Hendry hitting one final
147 before departing the World Championship and
promptly retiring – it is perhaps fitting that the
world title went to the greatest talent ever to pick
up a cue. Ronnie O’Sullivan’s fourth victory on the
sport’s biggest stage was by some distance his
best, a devastating 17-day display of controlled but
inspired snooker that demolished all in his path.
That we may never see him play the game again is
a sporting tragedy, but only adds to the legend of
what could be his final major tournament victory.
47. slam dragons wales beaT france 16-9 To seal Their Third
six naTions grand slam in eighT years
Mid-March, and all that stood between Wales and
a Six Nations Grand Slam was the very same team
that had burst their World Cup bubble in such
controversial circumstances just five months
previously. With a cauldron of noise backing them,
though, Warren Gatland’s men weren’t to be denied
again, and Alex Cuthbert scythed through the
French defence to give Wales an early cushion that
they never looked like losing. Sixty minutes later,
referee Craig Joubert blew the final whistle, and
the ghosts of Eden Park were momentarily silenced.
What happened in the following eight months,
of course, is best left alone for now...
46. Written in the starsdidier drogba drags chelsea over The
champions league line, Then sods off
Didier Drogba is an enigma. As a player, the Ivorian
is both battering ram and artist, capable of
shoulder-barging a defender into next week, but
also of shaping a free-kick into the top corner from
30 yards. As a man, too, he divides opinion – a
statesmanlike presence in his native country, yet so
often a tantrum-throwing baby hurling himself to
ground on the pitch. His last game for Chelsea, the
Champions League final, had it all. He forced extra
time with a powerful header, gave away a penalty
with a clumsy foul on Franck Ribery during it...
and then, with the final kick of a dramatic shootout,
his final kick for Chelsea after eight gloriously
decorated years, drove the ball into the bottom
left-hand corner. And, just like that, he was gone.
45. grey nationalnepTune collonges becomes firsT grey horse
To win The grand naTional since 1961
There are few things we Brits love more than a
flashy grey (think Desert Orchid, or Helen Mirren),
but it had grown into one of the oft-told sporting
truths that grey horses just don’t win the world’s
most famous horse race. Said truth became a lie at
Aintree in April, however, as Neptune Collonges got
up in the last stride to win a dramatic race under
jockey Daryl Jacob. In doing so, the 11-year-old
became the first grey to win the Grand National
since the aptly named Nicolaus Silver in 1961. >
∙ Chronograph
∙ Wor ld Time
∙ Alarm
∙ Back- l ight
∙ 10 Bar Water Res istance
∙ From the Nairobi Col lec t ion PV4005X1
Top 50 Moments
20 | December 14 2012 |
All
pic
ture
s G
ett
y Im
ag
es
44. PuP at the doubleaustralia captain Michael clarke bags
four test double-hundreds in a year
Not every top-class batsman manages a Test
double-century. It requires not just technique, but
also phenomenal resolve and concentration. So the
fact that Aussie skipper Michael ’Pup’ Clarke has
recorded four in 2012 – from just 15 innings –
almost defies belief. In fact, he has three doubles
and one treble, starting the year with a bang and
an innings of 329 not out against India at Sydney in
January. Two games later he rattled off 210, and
then last month scored 259 not out and 230 against
South Africa, the best team in the world. Let’s hope
he’s all batted out by the time of the Ashes.
43. bye bye baltimore bulletMichael phelps wins his 18th olyMpic gold
Medal in his last ever race
There was only ever going to be one exit route for
the greatest swimmer in history, and that was via
one final Olympic gold. Michael Phelps’ fourth gold
of London 2012 was won alongside three of his
USA teammates in the 4x100m medley relay, but
all eyes were fixed upon the 27-year-old swimming
his way into retirement and into the record books.
Some 12 years after making his Olympic debut as a
15-year-old, Phelps signed off, having amassed 18
Olympic golds and a grand total of 22 medals of
any metal. Officially the most decorated Olympian in
history, Phelps leaves the pool with no regrets, no
unfinished business, and no plans to return.
42. Girls on toPa new breed of teenage stars lights up the
olyMpic woMen’s swiMMing coMpetition
The writing was on the wall of the Aquatics Centre
when 16-year-old Chinese prodigy Ye Shiwen set a
blistering world record to win gold in the women’s
400m individual medley in London this summer.
Yet few could have predicted Shiwen following up
with an Olympic record in the 200m medley, the
USA’s Missy Franklin (17 years old) dominating in
the 100m and 200m backstroke, and the Plymouth-
based 15-year-old Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte
smashing the opposition in the 100m breaststroke.
To top it all off, Katie Ledecky (also 15) took
Rebecca Adlington’s Olympic title in the 800m
freestyle. The exuberance of youth, indeed.
41. new ball, Please paul wood ruptures his testicle in the
super league grand final – and plays on
There are numerous ways to make a name for
yourself in the world of sport, but Paul Wood could
have chosen a less painful way. That’s because the
Warrington Wolves star took a knee to the groin
during October’s Grand Final against Leeds Rhinos,
rupturing a testicle, yet proceeded to play on for 20
minutes. In fact, he played on, conducted post-
match interviews and took to the pitch to applaud
the fans. He went to hospital only after the club
doctor inspected him and said he had to have the
offending body part removed, with Wood admitting
”it did smart a bit”. That lad has some serious ball.
40. ainslie Gets anGry ben ainslie becoMes the greatest sailor in
olyMpic history, with gold nuMber four
He had no right to win this one, having lost the first
six races of the 11-race Olympic Finn regatta to
Denmark’s Jonas Hogh-Christensen. But then, this
happened: “Those guys better watch out. They’ve
made me angry, and you don’t want to make me
angry.” Ainslie was enraged by what he saw as foul
play from Hogh-Christensen and the Dutchman
Pieter-Jan Postma, and hit the water in pursuit of a
fourth Olympic title with the aggression needed to
get him back in the race. On the final day’s action,
Ainslie pushed his creaking 35-year-old frame to
the limit once more, surviving a fraught, tense
finale to emerge on top. Turns out he was right.
39. startGate-GateJody cundy rages against the uci Machine in
a defining MoMent of the paralyMpics
If any viewers doubted the commitment of
Paralympic athletes, cyclist Jody Cundy’s enraged
rant after his disqualification from the C4/5 1k time
trial will have put them straight. After four years of
training, a startgate malfunction curtailed his start.
The UCI felt otherwise, denying him the restart
granted to most others in a similar situation.
Cundy launched into what the tabloids called an
“expletive-laden rant”. He returned the next day
to take bronze in the 4k pursuit, setting a time for
the first 1k that would have been enough to win
him gold if he’d been allowed to ride. >
Top 50 Moments
22 | December 14 2012 |
All
pic
ture
s G
ett
y Im
ag
es
38. Formula Fun! One Of the mOst thrilling f1 seasOns ever
ends in style – and anOther vettel title
After Sebastian Vettel’s dominance in 2011,
Formula 1 needed shaking up. Yes, the German did
win a third consecutive title in 2012 – but not in the
way he or anyone else would have expected. Seven
different winners in the first seven races, and nine
overall, made this one of the most memorable F1
seasons of all time. It went down to the wire too,
with Vettel and Fernando Alonso both in with a
shout of taking the title going into the last race.
Vettel qualified ahead of Alonso, but when he spun
on the first lap it was all up for grabs. Back and
forth it went, until the German prevailed... a fittingly
nail-biting conclusion to an incredible season.
37. CheF Cooks up a reCordalastair COOk beCOmes england’s
greatest CenturiOn Of all time
Captaincy can sometimes weigh heavily on a
cricketer, but not Alastair Cook. Having taken over
from Andrew Strauss after the summer, Cook then
set about India’s bowlers in some style. In the first
three Tests he has scored 548 runs at an average
of 110, and in doing so recorded his 23rd Test
century – an England record. He’s only 27 (he turns
28 on Christmas Day) and could be doing this for at
least another 10 years, by which time he may have
broken every record going. Presuming that Sachin
Tendulkar actually stops playing some time in the
next 10 years, that is.
36. BuBBa golFWatsOn WOWs augusta and gets
a neW jaCket intO the bargain
In terms of natural talent (he’s never been coached
in his life), Bubba Watson is as good as there is.
But winning majors needs more than that, and
Bubba showed at this year’s Masters that he has
the application – as well as the balls – to become
one of the best. In winning, he also helped coin a
new phrase: Bubba Golf – a fearless, daring approach
to the game. Nothing summed it up better than the
shot that effectively won him the Green Jacket in a
playoff. Stuck in trees, he played an outrageous hook
shot with a wedge from 150 yards to the green.
Even Seve Ballesteros would have been proud.
35. don gonefabiO CapellO takes everyOne by surprise
and resigns as england manager
John Terry’s ability to outlast managers continued
in 2012, with the FA’s decision to strip him of the
captaincy for the second time culminating in Fabio
Capello’s resignation as England coach shortly
before the start of Euro 2012. The Italian took
umbrage at his bosses going over his head, spoke
his mind on Italian TV and, after brief ’crisis talks’,
it was all over. Makes the list for being a truly
unexpected turn of events in an era when most
managerial changes are hyped for months before
they happen, or don’t. Case in point: Harry
Redknapp was allegedly a shoo-in to get the job.
That didn’t quite work out, did it?
34. To shake, or noT To shake?the handshake in fOOtball dOminates the
baCk pages, espeCially When it dOesn’t happen
Luis Suarez was found guilty by the Football
Association of racially abusing Patrice Evra, so
refused to shake his hand. Anton Ferdinand found
out that John Terry (him again) may or may not
have racially abused him, so refused to shake his
hand – and then refused to shake Ashley Cole’s
hand when the Chelsea full-back supported Terry
in court. Everywhere you looked in 2012, someone
was considering not shaking hands with someone
else. Racism is a serious issue that continues
to plague football as it does wider society, yet
somehow a succession of snubbed handshakes
became the more prominent issue for long periods
of the year. Another big win for the FA.
33. ladies' daysaudi arabia allOWs WOmen athletes
tO COmpete at the OlympiCs
There were enough classic sporting moments
during the Olympics to keep us going forever, but
possibly the most important of the lot was provided
by Sarah Attar. You may not remember her, for she
didn’t win a medal, or even come close to it. But in
becoming Saudi Arabia’s first ever female Olympic
track-and-field athlete at London 2012, she did the
sport untold good. Despite the fact she was last in
her 800m heat, some 30 seconds behind the rest of
the field, she received a huge ovation from the
80,000 crowd – and rightly so. >
24 | December 14 2012 |
All
pic
ture
s G
ett
y Im
ag
es
32. Queen Victoria steps downUps and downs for the cycling great,
before she dances into the sUnset
“I’m just so glad that’s it all done and I can move on,”
said Victoria Pendleton in her last trackside
interview. She’d never quite been comfortable with
the emotional rollercoaster of top-level competition,
but her Olympic farewell was fittingly bumpy. It
started with relegation in the team sprint for her
and teammate Jess Varnish. Gold followed in the
keirin, as Pendleton showed she was still capable of
beating the best. But the fairytale ending was not to
be – she had to settle for individual sprint silver,
losing the first leg of a controversial final after
being forced out of the sprinting lane by strong-
armed Anna Meares. Sadly, she could not recover.
31. Blade runner Bluntedoscar pistoriUs falls to a shock
defeat in the t44 200m final
Having become the first double-amputee to
compete in the Olympics only a month earlier, Oscar
Pistorius arrived at the Paralympics amid much
bluster – and, having set a world record in his T44
200m heat, the South African was all set to take his
first individual gold in London. But Alan Oliveira had
other ideas; come the final, the Brazilian rapidly
closed Pistorius’ home-straight lead to pass him,
securing a shock gold. Pistorius was left to grumble
about the legality of his conqueror’s blades, while
editors across the land rushed to shelve their
long-prepared Blades of Glory headlines.
30. punctured By pirloitalian maestro deals the fatal blow to
england's eUro 2012 hopes in some style
Joe Hart is a confident man when it comes to facing
penalties, but he was no match for Italy’s Andrea
Pirlo at Euro 2012. The unofficial player of the
tournament stepped up after 120 goalless minutes
against England, with his team 2-1 down in the
penalty shootout and England fans and players
daring to believe. Pirlo destroyed those beliefs with
one flick of his right boot, his deft chip into the
middle of the goal the ultimate in mind games.
Confidence shattered, England duly missed their
next two kicks and crashed out of the tournament.
We were left in no doubt: Pirlo’s Panenka had been
the psychological turning point.
29. the serBinator goes primalnovak djokovic rips off his shirt after
winning an epic aUstralian open final
Emerging from an almost six-hour battle against
Rafael Nadal to win the Australian Open, Novak
Djokovic gave the Spaniard a consoling hug, shook
the umpire’s hand and promptly launched himself
into a shirt-ripping, chest-beating frenzy. A deep
roar of testosterone-fuelled pride was released
into the Melbourne night by a man who had needed
to dig deeper than ever before to win his third
consecutive Grand Slam. It was the most masculine
moment seen on a tennis court since Tiger Tim
retir... ah, who are we kidding? It was the most
masculine moment seen on a tennis court, ever.
Top 50 Moments
28. Foot Faultdavid nalbandian is disqUalified after
injUring a line jUdge
If you’re going to lose, you might as well do it in
style – and David Nalbandian definitely took that
advice during this year’s Queen’s Club final back
in June. Leading Marin Cilic 7-6 3-4, the Argentinian
missed one forehand too many for his liking, and
lined up a frustrated kick at a nearby advertising
board. Sadly, said board was flimsier than he
realised; it flew off its hinges and struck line judge
Andrew McDougall, drawing blood from his shin
and leaving a nasty gash that required medical
treatment. Disbelieving umpire Fergus Murphy had
no choice but to award the match, and thus the
tournament, to Cilic... leaving a Pimm’s-fuelled
crowd to hoot their middle-class disapproval.
27. Kp: geniusafter the hUe and cry, pietersen shows
he really is qUite good
Kevin Pietersen is England’s most talented
batsman. But he had, well, issues in 2012. Having
retired from one-day international cricket, he then
became embroiled in Textgate, allegedly sending
text messages to South African players. He was
dropped from the Test team and it looked as though
his England career was over. But then, after a
period of ’reintegration’, he was back – and his
innings of 186 in the second Test against India was
simply awesome. On a wickedly turning wicket,
Pietersen was the picture of controlled brutality. >
Wherever.
Music.Whenever.
The Bluetooth®
word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any such use by Bose Corporation is under license. AirPlay, the AirPlay logo,
Apple, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Android is a trademark of Google Inc.
YYYYYYYYoooooooouuuuuuuu ’’’’ ’’ ’’ vvvvvvvv eeeeeeee gggggggg oooooooo tttttttt aaaaaaaa llllllll llllllll tttttttt hhhhhhhh aaaaaaaa tttttttt mmmmmmmm uuuussssiiiicccc oooonnnn yyyy oo oo uu uu rr rr pp pp hh hh oo oo nn nn ee ee .. .. EE EE nn nn jj jj oo oo yy yy ii ii tt tt oo oo uu uu tt tt ll ll oo oo uu uu dd dd ww ww ii ii tt tt hh hh tt tt hh hh hh hh eeeeeeee SSSSSSSSoooooooouuuuuuuu nnnn nn nn dddddddd LLLLLLLL iiiiiiii nnnnnnnnkkkkkkkk®®®®®®®®
BBBBBBBBlllllllluuuuuuuu eeeeee ee tt tt tt tt oooooooo oooooooo tttttttt hhhhhhhh®®®®®®®®
MMMMMMMM oooooo oo bbbbbbbb iiiiiiii llllllll eeeeeeee ssssssss pppppppp eeeeeeee aaaaaaaa kkkkkkkk eeeeeeee rrrrrrrr IIIIIIII IIIIIIII
–––––––– nnnn oooo ww ww ww ww wwww ww ww ii ii ii ii tttttttt hhhhhhhh iiiiiiii mmmmmmmm pppppppp rrrrrrrr oooooooo vvvvvvvv eeeeeeee dddddddd aaaaaaaa cccccccc oooooooo uuuuuuuu ssssssss ttttiiiiccccssss ffffoooorrrr dd dd ee ee ee ee pp pp ee ee rr rr ,, ,, mm mm oo oo rr rr ee ee pp pp oo oo ww ww ee ee rr rr ff ff uu uu ll ll ss ss oo oo uu uu nn nn dd dd .. .. JJ JJ uu uu ss ss tt tt flfl flfl ii ii pp pp ii ii tt tt oo oo pp pp ee ee nn nn ,, ,, mm mm aa aa kk kk ee ee aa aa qq qq uu uu ii ii cc cc kkkkkkkk BBBBBBBBlllllllluuuuuuuu eeeeee ee tt tt tt tt oooooooo oooooooo tttttttt hhhhhhhh®®®®®®®®
ccccccccoooooooonnnnnnnn nnnn nn nn eeeeeeee cccccccc tttttttt iiiiiiii oooooooo nnnnnnnn aaaaaaaa nnnnnnnn dddddddd yyyyyyyy oooooooo uuuuuuuu ’’’’’’’’ rrrrrrrr eeeeeeee rrrreeeeaaaaddddyyyy tttt oo oo pp pp ll ll aa aa yy yy yy yy oo oo uu uu rr rr mm mm uu uu ss ss ii ii cc cc ww ww ii ii tt tt hh hh bb bb ee ee tt tt tt tt ee ee rr rr ss ss oo oo uu uu nn nn dd dd tt tt hh hh aa aa nn nn yy yy oo oo uu uu tt tt hh hh oo oo uu uu gg gg hh hh tt tt yy yy oo oo uu uu cc cc oo oo uu uu ll ll dd dd gg gg ee ee tt tt ff ff rr rr oo oo mm mm
aaaaaaaa ssss pppp pp pp ee ee ee ee aa aa aa aa kkkkkkkk eeeeeeee rrrrrrrr tttttttt hhhhhhhh iiiiiiii ssssssss ssssssss mmmmmmmm aaaaaaaa llllllll llllllll ........ IIIIIIII tttttttt wwwwwwww oooooooo rrrrkkkkssss wwwwiiiitttthh hh yy yy oo oo uu uu rr rr ss ss mm mm aa aa rr rr tt tt pp pp hh hh oo oo nn nn ee ee ,, ,, tt tt aa aa bb bb ll ll ee ee tt tt oo oo rr rr oo oo tt tt hh hh ee ee rrrrrrrr BBBBBBBBlllllllluuuuuuuu eeeeee ee tt tt tt tt oooooooo oooooooo tttttttt hhhhhhhh®®®®®®®®
ddddddddeeeeeeeevvvvvvvv iiii ii ii cccccccc eeeeeeee ssssssss ,,,,,,,, iiiiiiii nnnnnnnn cccccccc llllllll uuuuuuuu dddddddd iiiiiiii nnnnnnnn gggggggg AAAAAAAA pppppppp pppppppp llllllll eeeeeeee®®®®®®®®
aaaaaaaannnnnnnndddddddd AAAAAAAA nnnnnnnn dddddddd rrrrrrrr oooooooo iiiiiiii dddddddd ™™™™™™™™ ,,,,,,,, aaaaaaaa nnnnnnnn dddddddd hhhhhhhh aaaaaaaa ssssssss aaaaaaaa bbbbbbbb aaaaaaaa tttttttt tttttttt eeeerrrryyyy tttthhhhaaaatttt kk kk ee ee ee ee pp pp ss ss tt tt hh hh ee ee mm mm uu uu ss ss ii ii cc cc gg gg oo oo ii ii nn nn gg gg ff ff oo oo rr rr hh hh oo oo uu uu rr rr ss ss .. .. NN NN oo oo ww ww yy yy oo oo uu uu cc cc aa aa nn nn ss ss hh hh aa aa rr rr ee ee
yyyyyyyyoooooooouuuuuuuu rrrr rr rr mmmmmmmm uuuuuuuu ssssssss iiiiiiii cccccccc aaaaaaaa nnnnnnnn dddddddd eeeeeeee nnnnnnnn jjjjjjjj oooooooo yyyyyyyy iiiiiiii tttttttt wwwwwwww iiiiiiii tttttttt hhhhhhhh bbbbbbbb eeeeeeee tttttttt tttttttt eeeeeeee rrrrrrrr ssssssss oooooooo uuuuuuuu nnnnnnnn dddddddd ,,,,,,,, wwwwwwww hhhheeeerrrreeeevvvveeeerr rr yy yy oo oo uu uu gg gg oo oo ........
Visit bose.co.uk or go to your local authorised Bose dealer
NEW SoundLink®
Bluetooth®
Mobile speaker II
m.bose.eu/slm_en
scan tolearn more
Top 50 Moments
26 | December 14 2012 |
Ge
tty
Ima
ge
s, A
cti
on
Ima
ge
s /
An
dre
w C
ou
ldri
dg
e
26. Simm’S great Swim ElliE SimmondS brEakS thE world rEcord to
win thE firSt of hEr 2012 ParalymPic goldS
The stage was set in London for Ellie Simmonds to
defend her S6 400m title against American Victoria
Arlen, the world record holder. With 50 metres to
go, they were neck and neck. Cue the commentary:
“This is the last turn... and for the first time,
Eleanor Simmonds is into the lead... the crowd are
going absolutely bonkers for Eleanor Simmonds...
Arlen, the world record holder, dropping back as
Simmonds charges again, extending the lead with
15m to go. There is no way she’s going to tie up
now, there is just about five metres to go. The gold
is going to go to Eleanor Simmonds! It does!
5.19.17. A huge world record!” Indeed it was.
25. FraSer’S wall cEltic kEEP thE might of barcElona at bay.
and ScorE a couPlE uP thE othEr End, too
If Scotland does get independence and they fancy
keeping the rest of us out, they could just replace
Hadrian’s Wall with Fraser Forster. Denied a draw
in the Nou Camp by Jordi Alba’s injury-time goal,
Celtic – and, more specifically, their goalkeeper –
would not be denied in the return fixture. Forster
kept out 14 shots on target until being beaten only
at the death – by which time Victor Wanyama and
teenager Tony Watt had given the Bhoys a lead that
was to prove unassailable. Celtic had themselves a
dream victory – and one that paved their way into
the last 16 of this season’s Champions League.
24. autumn StatementEngland EntEr thE rEcord bookS in StylE
with a 38-21 victory ovEr thE all blackS
From the moment Swing low drowned out the
Haka, there was something special in the air among
the 81,000-strong Twickenham crowd earlier this
month. New Zealand arrived as world champions
and unbeaten in 20 matches, while England were
fresh from back-to-back defeats and under
pressure. But Stuart Lancaster’s men looked
positive from the off, and hit everything that moved
in a black shirt. The All Blacks chased shadows, Dan
Carter missed two easy penalties, and England
played some champagne rugby on the way to a
glorious win that shook the world. Can they now
develop into genuine contenders for the World Cup
in 2015? There have been worse starting points...
23. King DaviDdavid rudiSha brEakS thE 800m
world rEcord in thE olymPic final
No one doubted Kenyan world record holder David
Rudisha would win 800m gold at London 2012. But
could the 23-year-old really challenge his own world
record in the final of a major competition with no
pacemaker? The answer, unequivocally, was yes.
Rudisha led all the way, striding away to win by
yards and become the first man in history to go
under one minute 41 seconds. ”I am probably
biased,” said former world record holder Lord Coe.
”But when we look across every event, that will be
the stand-out performance of these Olympics.”
22. Fight! Fight! Fight!hayE and chiSora fight likE tankEd-uP
girlS on a hEn night in blackPool
The spat between David Haye and Dereck Chisora
was laughable, in hindsight: a brawl that was all
handbags (and bottles and tripods). It came at the
press conference after Chisora had been beaten by
Vitali Klitschko, at which Haye inexplicably turned up
(and started shouting). A brawl ensued; Chisora
claimed he had been glassed, Haye wielded a
camera tripod in a manner that was not approved
by health and safety, and Chisora responded by
claiming he was going to “physically burn” Haye...
who then ran off and hid for a few days.
21. all gooD thingS...aftEr taking SilvEr at EvEry olymPicS SincE
SydnEy, kathErinE graingEr finally winS gold
Rarely has an Olympic silver medal been greeted
with such despair as the one Katherine Grainger
was awarded in Beijing four years ago. Then, as the
realisation of a third consecutive runner’s-up gong
set in, Grainger broke down in tears, sinking into
a long period of gloom. For months she pondered
retirement – but the desire to win returned and,
when she joined forces with Anna Watkins in 2010,
a gold medal-winning team was formed. They were
undefeated going into London 2012, and emerged
from the Games with that unblemished record still
intact. Finally, Britain’s most decorated female
rower had the gold medal that evaded her for
so long. And this time, the tears were joyful. >
Top 50 Moments
28 | December 14 2012 |
All
pic
ture
s G
ett
y Im
ag
es
20. TwenTy20 visionWindies Win the World Cup, and the
party’s still going on someWhere
There were a few well-informed sages who tipped
the West Indies to win this year’s ICC World
Twenty20 – yet when they did, nobody seemed more
surprised than the players themselves. Beating Sri
Lanka in Sri Lanka is no easy feat, let alone in a
final, and especially when you find yourself 87/5.
But Marlon Samuels smashed a brilliant 78 before
Sunil Narine (3/9) and Darren Sammy (2/6)
squeezed the life out of Sri Lanka’s batsmen.
Cue some remarkable celebrations, led by the
indefatigable Chris Gayle – who, as you read this,
is probably still gangnamming around Colombo.
19. Awesome foursomeameriCan Women smash longstanding
4x100m World reCord
Of all the world records to fall at London 2012,
perhaps the most surprising was in the women’s
4x100m relay on the track. The previous best of
41.37s had stood since 1985, an intimidating mark
set by a muscly East German quartet upon whom
suspicions of doping had always centred. Not that
any of that seemed to worry Tianna Madison,
Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight or Carmelita Jeter, who
screamed their way round the Olympic Stadium
track in a barely believable 40.82s. ”It’s an honour
to be part of this team,” said Felix, the individual
200m champion, afterwards. ”Our names are
going down in history.”
18. Cold As iCeKimi raiKKonen KnoWs What he’s doing,
just in Case you Weren’t sure
You’ve got to feel for Mark Slade, Kimi Raikkonen’s
race engineer. The Finn is famously difficult, and
took things a step further during this year’s Abu
Dhabi Grand Prix, responding to some pertinent
information with the furious: ”Just leave me alone,
I know what I’m doing.” A few laps later, Slade tried
again, bless him, reminding the Finn to keep his
tyres warm. Again, he was met with the kind of
furious riposte a surly teen might give to a nagging
mother: “Yes, yes, yes, yes – I’m doing it all the time.
You don’t have to remind me every second.” To be
fair to Raikkonen, he went on to win the race.
So, clearly, he does indeed know what he’s doing.
17. sTArT of The gold rushroWers helen glover and heather stanning
Win team gB’s first gold medal of 2012
After four days of Olympic competition in which not
a single gold medal had been won by Team GB, the
nation was becoming restless, the brows of British
officials increasingly furrowed. On the fifth day,
though, came former PE teacher Helen Glover and
Royal Artillery captain Heather Stanning. British
Rowing may have had better-known names on its
books over the years, but it is this women’s pair
who will go down in history as the first British
female rowers to win Olympic gold – and the girls
who started an avalanche of gold for Team GB at
our home Games.
16. my beAuTiful boy!Bert le Clos Weeps on telly as son
Chad Wins sWimming gold
In an unlikely twist, the most heartwarming moment
of the London 2012 Olympics came when a South
African swimmer won gold. Chad Le Clos edged out
the great Michael Phelps in the 200m butterfly, but
it was what happened next that had us all reaching
for the tissues. The imperious Clare Balding
grabbed Chad’s emotional dad Bert for an interview,
which became one of the highlights of the Games.
“Unbelievable! Unbelievable! Unbelievable! It’s like
I’ve died and gone to heaven... this is unbelievable!
And look at him! And he’s beautiful! What a beautiful
boy!” Good man, Bert. What a dad.
15. sue bArker: Terrible womAn andy murray BreaKs doWn after losing
his first WimBledon final
A few weeks before the tears of Bert, there came
the tears of Andy. Andy Murray, to be exact,
struggling to squeeze out the words “I’m getting
closer” through his post-match blubbing at
Wimbledon this summer. As the victorious Roger
Federer stood grinning smugly in the background,
Murray asked chief tormenter/interviewer Sue
Barker for a minute to compose himself – during
which time the cameras closed in on a man
whose emotions were on the verge of completely
destroying the image of staid Scot he’d spent years
perfecting. Finally, the British public were permitted
a peek behind the barriers Murray has built up. >
Top 50 Moments
30 | December 14 2012 |
All
pic
ture
s G
ett
y Im
ag
es
14. Fourteen and outFrankel wins his 14th consecutive
race and retires undeFeated
After 13 wins from 13 starts across a three-year
racing career, the mighty Frankel headed for his
final start at Ascot in October. He was to face the
toughest opposition of his life on heavy, rain-soaked
ground that was far from certain to suit his exuberant
style, with an adoring nation watching on with bated
breath. But, with cancer-stricken trainer Henry Cecil
watching nervously from the stands, the majestic
four-year-old produced one final performance of
greatness to win the Champion Stakes by almost
two lengths. Jockey, trainer and crowd breathed
a collective sigh of relief, before roaring the great
beast into a retirement of expensive rutting.
13. Zlat’s entertainmentZlatan ibrahimovic rounds oFF a Four-goal
salvo against england with a wonder strike
Never mind Mario Balotelli’s nonsense, Zlatan
Ibrahimovic has long been the true enigma of world
football. Captaining the Swedish international side
for their inaugural match at the new Friends Arena,
Zlat was always going to do something ridiculous or
sublime. And he chose the latter, adding to an
already impressive hat-trick with an outrageous
but entirely intended 35-yard overhead kick that
screamed class. It gave his nation a 4-2 win, and
had many knee-jerk judges claiming it to be the best
goal ever. That’s one for debate, but it very nearly
sent Twitter into meltdown. Good enough for us.
12. the King is deadlance armstrong is outed as a cheat and
stripped oF his seven tour de France titles
The moment Lance Armstrong removed the words
“7-time Tour de France Winner” from his Twitter
profile, the game was up. UCI president Pat McQuaid
had, hours earlier, responded to the US Anti Doping
Agency report in which Armstrong was described
as head honcho of “the most sophisticated doping
programme that sport has ever seen” with this
damning statement: “Lance Armstrong has no
place in cycling and he deserves to be forgotten.”
With those words, a man who had become a
worldwide icon was consigned to the annals
of sporting skullduggery. Good riddance.
11. mediterranean massacrespain smash italy 4-0 to retain their crown
as the world’s best team
The strikerless system adopted by the defending
champions during Euro 2012 caused much
head-scratching. They were criticised for being
ponderous, dull to watch and for lacking a cutting
edge. An uninspiring run to the final did little to
change perceptions, but they silenced critics
by ruthlessly eviscerating Italy in the final, with
Jordi Alba’s lung-bursting second goal a highlight.
Collecting it inside his own half, the full-back laid the
ball off to Xavi, and then set off. Seven seconds, and
one beautifully weighted through ball later, he
picked it up on the edge of the area and fired past
Gianluigi Buffon. How’s that for cutting edge?
10. medals a-hoy!sir chris becomes our greatest
ever olympian
He was already a knight of the realm before 2012,
but Chris Hoy is now, officially, our greatest ever
Olympian. Sir Christopher overtook Sir Steven’s
five-gold haul with a storming victory in the keirin,
roared home by a Velodrome crowd that was beside
itself in the presence of greatness. But that’s
enough about Prince Harry – the moment was all
Hoy’s, and the significance was not lost on him as
he dissolved into tears. “This is enough for me,” he
said. “This is the perfect end to my Olympic career.”
He didn’t mention people shooting him if he got back
on a bike, mind – Sir Steve still has the best scripts.
9. Weir and WonderFuldavid weir sprints home in the marathon to
seal a Fourth paralympic gold
The final day of the Paralympics, and thousands of
people lined the streets one last time. To soak up
the last ounce of the Games, to bid an emotional
farewell to a great summer. But mainly to see the
Weirwolf. David Weir took to the streets of London
having already won three golds across six races,
totalling nearly 9.1 competitive miles, in seven days.
This was day eight, though, and there were 26.2
more miles to go. A poor start left him behind
Marcel Hug and Kurt Fearnley, but he stayed in
touch, caught them and then pulled clear as they
entered the Mall. Four golds from four, and Weir’s
work was done. >
8/10 “A great, accessible shooter”
85/100 “A near-perfect populist combat sim”
The stiff upper lip. The steely glint in the eye.
The stoutness of heart.
Each of these things made Britain great in the field
of combat; but all the grit, pluck and spunk in the
world is nothing without the hardware to match.
Now World of Tanks brings you the finest armoured vehicles this
country has ever produced – including the Churchill, Cromwell,
Crusader, Black Prince, Centurion and Comet – all yours to
command in free to play, team-based, global online tank battles.
REAL MEN PLAY WITH TANKS.
PLAY FOR FREE NOW
www.worldoftanks.eu
tttt ll ll ii tt ii tt hh
Top 50 Moments
32 | December 14 2012 |
All
pic
ture
s G
ett
y Im
ag
es
8. Bolt and the BeastUsain Bolt and Yohan Blake light
Up the track at london 2012
Every Coe needs an Ovett, every McEnroe his Borg.
So it was only right that, at London 2012, Usain Bolt
had The Beast. Despite him being the reigning 100m
world champion, there weren’t many who gave
Yohan ’The Beast’ Blake a hope in hell of beating
Bolt to the finish line in Stratford. But then came
the Jamaican Olympic trials, when a disturbed-
looking Bolt was beaten fair and square over both
100m and 200m by his teammate, training partner
and fellow cricket fan. From then on, Bolt’s Olympic
hopes became inextricably linked with Blake’s;
wagers were made, predictions proffered, before
– finally – the talking stopped and the two men sank
silently into their blocks. When all the races were
run, it was Bolt, and not The Beast, who took the
glory. The pair celebrated together, the watching
world enchanted. But this is a tale only half told –
there is more to come from these two men.
7. ooeeeuuuurrrrrrrghhhhhhh!garY neville gets overexcited as chelsea
march on towards champions leagUe historY
In many ways, the Neviller’s semi-orgasmic mixture
of shock and awe summed it up. Chelsea – a club
that had installed a caretaker manager less than
seven weeks previously – had just secured a
place in the Champions League final. By beating
Barcelona. With 10 men. And the man who scored
the last-minute goal? None other than £50m flop
Fernando Torres. Hollywood scriptwriters couldn’t
make this one up. Sure, the goal didn’t actually
mean that much, because Chelsea would have gone
through anyway, but why let facts ruin a good
story? Chelsea went on to make history and put
their name on the trophy their owner so covets for
the first time. But for Gary’s reaction alone – and
the subsequent parodying all across that there
interweb – that semi-final victory at the Nou
Camp is our absolute favourite moment of their
victorious march to Munich.
6. France Bows to BradBradleY wiggins Becomes the first
British winner of the toUr de france
“Right, er, we’re just gonna draw the raffle numbers...”
That was how the Kid from Kilburn – as Wiggins
has taken to calling himself – began his Tour de
France victory speech. Team Sky’s main man was
understated as ever, despite having worn the Yellow
Jersey as early as Stage 7 and kept hold of it all the
way to Paris. He finished in style too, swapping
the race leader’s traditional, leisurely lap of the
Champs-Elysées for a high-speed stint at the front
to help lead out teammate Mark Cavendish for the
Manxman’s fourth successive win on the iconic
stage. But it was Wiggins’ address to the gathered
hordes that marked him out as a man the British
public can embrace – for the French had already
taken Le Gentleman to their hearts. “Some dreams
do come true,“ he said. “My old mother over there,
her son’s just won the Tour de France.” With that,
Wiggins wished everyone a safe journey and
advised them not to get too drunk.
5. Poulter wins the ryder cuPeUrope, led BY their talisman, hUnt down
the Us in the greatest match ever
Ian James Poulter – the self-styled ’Postman’ –
comes alive at the Ryder Cup, and so it proved again
in 2012. With his side 10-5 down, Poulter and
partner Rory McIlroy were two down with seven to
play against Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner; an
overnight 11-5 deficit going into the singles would
have been too much to haul back. But Poulter would
not be denied and pulled off five birdies on the trot
to win the match and give Europe the merest whiff
of cordite. It was all they needed; the final day saw
the leaderboard smeared in European blue, and the
US lead whittled away until Martin Kaymer sank the
putt that sent his teammates into ecstasy.
4. King oF new yorKandY mUrraY finallY wins his first grand
slam to roUnd off a memoraBle Year
In his 28th Grand Slam event, and his fifth final,
Andy Murray, who just happens to be the best
British tennis player most of us have seen, finally
got himself off the mark that matters. That he did
so at the US Open, the major immediately following
his public breakdown after losing the Wimbledon
final to Roger Federer (see number 15), was
testament to his strength of character; that his
Flushing Meadows triumph came over Novak
Djokovic, now the world’s greatest player, to his
significant reserves of both talent and stamina.
More of the same next year Andy, if you please. >
| December 14 2012 | 35
Top 50 MomentsA
ll p
ictu
res
Ge
tty
Ima
ge
s
3. Saving the beSt for laStSergio Aguero winS the Premier
LeAgue for mAncheSter city
Manchester United fans may disagree,
of course. But they’ve had their share of
Premier League moments over the years,
so they can just pipe down for a minute.
Because this was a moment for City and
their long-suffering fans, who entered
added time at the end of the last Premier
League season trailing 2-1 at home to QPR,
an elusive first Premier League title
seemingly slipping from their grasp at the
very last. But then Edin Dzeko headed an
equaliser and, with the clock ticking, Mario
Balotelli slid the ball through to Sergio
Aguero. The little Argentine smashed home,
Martin Tyler started screamed, Roberto
Mancini did a little dance... and Sir Alex
Ferguson strode from the Stadium of
Light pitch with a face of thunder. The
remarkable climax to the 20th season of
the Premier League had proven what Sky
had been telling us all along – it may be a
shambles at times (Sky don’t mention that
bit), but the Premier League really is the
best league in the world.
2. good evening, Mr bondthe queen jumPS out of A heLicoPter.
DAnny BoyLe, tAke A Bow
Opening ceremonies can be a bit hit and
miss, to say the least, so it was with some
nervousness that we tuned in on the
evening of July 27, along with the rest of
the world, to see what Danny Boyle had
cooked up for London 2012. Somehow,
despite a cast of thousands, organisers
had managed to #savethesurprise, so we
really didn’t know what we were in for,
other than the fact it was called isles of
wonder and would cost only around a third
of the Beijing opening ceremony. In other
words, what we all worried was whether
it’d look like we’d knocked it out on the
cheap. As it turned out, it was a complete
triumph. A bit of Industrial Revolution, a bit
of the NHS, some Mr Bean and the coup de
grace: persuading the Queen (“the actual
Queen”, as we all referred to her in the
aftermath) to take part in a James Bond
sketch became maybe the best TV moment
we’ve ever witnessed. The London Olympics
really couldn’t have got off to a better
start. Arise, Sir Danny?
1. Saturday getS SuperteAm gB AthLeteS turn A former PAtch of eASt
LonDon wASteLAnD into hALLoweD grounD
Athletics is simple – who can run fastest, jump highest, throw
furthest? But rarely in British sporting history has it looked that
way. In Beijing four years ago, there was a solitary gold medal for
Team GB on the track, won by Christine Ohuruogu, and a grand total
of four medals altogether. A repeat performance in the showpiece
event of a home Olympic Games did not even bear thinking about.
So when Jess Ennis lined up for the 800m, the final event of a
heptathlon she had dominated, on day eight of London 2012, there
was no sense of complacency – either from a nervy-looking Ennis
or the 80,000 anxious spectators packed into the Olympic Stadium.
But then weird things started to happen. First, Ennis ran a superb
800m to cross the line ahead of her rivals and fulfil her role as the
golden girl of Team GB. Then, with Mo Farah some two laps into his
bid for 10,000m gold, Greg Rutherford earned Britain its first
Olympic gold in the long jump since 1964. Things were getting odder
by the minute in east London.
Farah, meanwhile, was still at war. With five laps of the race to go,
he made his opening move, easing into third. Another surge with
800m remaining saw Farah into second, from where he kicked again
at the final bell, bursting into the lead to become the first Briton
ever to win the Olympic 10,000m title.
In the space of a single, surreal hour, Team GB had three gold
medals – two of them won by the people we have chosen as our
athletes of the year. Which brings us on to the Jess & Mo show...
36 | December 14 2012 |
Athletes of the Year Jess EnnisT
ad
ao
mi S
hib
uy
a
Heroine cHicJess ennis began the year as a former world champion carrying the burden of a nation’s expectations into london 2012. she ends it as a multi-award-winning olympic gold-medallist and the undisputed darling of british sport. in an exclusive interview with Sport, she looks back on the year of her dreams and the Journey that brought her to it
Jessica ennis is crying. she has not long stepped off the
track after the final event of her olympic heptathlon
campaign, the eternally gruelling 800m, and she is
exhausted. she is at the end of a four-year cycle that started with
her missing the Beijing games through injury, watching on distraught
from afar as other athletes got to live out her lifelong dream; but
that cycle has now drawn to a close on home soil, in front of 80,000
adoring fans in the olympic stadium, and that dream is now hers
alone. Jessica ennis, olympic champion, is crying tears of joy.
“i saw that bit of the BBc interview [with phil Jones] when i was
crying the other day, and it made me really emotional watching it
again,“ she says, perhaps unaware that the whole country was
weeping with her. “it’s just weird, and i think those closest to me –
[fiancé] andy and my family – were really taken aback, because i
never normally cry in public. i always save my tears for behind closed
doors. But during that interview, talking about how i had felt four
years ago, and thinking about how much time and effort everyone
around me had put into helping me get there... well, it just really
choked me up.“
it’s almost impossible to watch footage of that interview without
experiencing the same feelings; but, strange as it may seem to
ennis and her family, such an outpouring of emotion was only to be
expected after the build-up experienced by this very special athlete.
the moment that ennis returned from a stress fracture of the
right foot to become world champion in Berlin in 2009, posting what
was then the third-highest first-day heptathlon score in history
along the way, was the moment at which she became the unofficial
face of london 2012. athletics is the showpiece sport of the olympic
games, and in ennis a demanding British public had found their
darling: fast and powerful but elegant and articulate, the smiling
girl from sheffield was the athlete upon whom we were to pin our
greatest hopes. put bluntly, she was to our home games what cathy
freeman was to sydney 2000.
“i did feel a lot of pressure, and in the lead-up i think it did get on
top of me,“ she admits. “But then everyone was so positive and
wished me well. you could feel that in the stadium from the very
start, that everyone was just so excited and wanted the home
athletes to do as well as they could.
“that was a massive advantage. other athletes from around the
world thought it would be a disadvantage for us because there was
loads of pressure; and there was, but it was such an advantage
having that crowd. stepping out into that stadium for the first time
was like nothing i’d ever experienced in athletics before.“
WHy not kill myself?appropriately, the 26-year-old responded to that atmosphere by
producing something she had never produced in athletics before.
her time of 12.54s for the 100m hurdles didn’t just see her into an
early lead and set a new British record; it also equalled the time >
| 37
Jess Ennis
38 | December 14 2012 |
Qu
inn
Ro
on
ey
/Ge
tty
Ima
ge
s
"you can't really do the arms up over the line thing when you're coming through in fifth, can you? it's much nicer to do it when you've come first"the American athlete Dawn Harper had clocked when winning gold
in the individual event in Beijing.
Her hurdles heroics represented the first of three personal bests
Ennis was to set during the London 2012 heptathlon; make that four
if you count her overall score of 6,955 points, another British record.
It was a nigh-on perfect execution of every athlete’s ambition to peak
on the biggest stage, and ensured that Ennis went into the final
event, the aforementioned 800m, with a practically unassailable lead.
Gold may have been assured, but that didn’t mean the Olympic
champion elect was about to let up.
“I’d done all that hard training, a lot of horrible, horrible 800m
sessions when I was literally dying on the track,“ she recalls. “Every
time I did one of those sessions, I’d tell myself it would all be worth it
because it was going to help me in that one moment in London. I knew
I had a massive lead and would have to do something really stupid not
to win, but I still wanted to give it everything because it was the last
event. I’d done all the hard work, so why not kill myself one last time
and have that amazing crowd cheer me up the home straight?
“I knew the gold was pretty much there, but finishing that race
first and actually being able to celebrate was the icing on the cake...
you can’t really do the arms up over the line thing when you’re
coming through in fifth, can you? It’s much nicer to do it when
you’ve come first.“
Such is the competitive spirit, a streak of absolute ruthlessness,
that lies behind the enchanting smile. It wasn’t always like that,
though. In her recently released autobiography, Unbelievable, Ennis
entitles one of the earlier chapters The Reluctant Athlete – and
refers to a pivotal moment when, at the age of 16, she went to
a friend’s house party the night before a competition.
“I drank too much and crashed out,“ Ennis reveals in the book. “The
next morning, grandad arrived to take me to my competition. I pulled
the pillow over my head and tried to ignore the crushing headache.
I really did not want to go, but I knew I had no choice. I got out of the
house and was sick before I even got into grandad’s car. We drove
to the track in silence and I could tell how annoyed he was. I got
changed and then I was sick again.“
A decade on, the self-assured young woman sitting opposite us
remembers that nauseous teen all too well. “I actually went and
jumped a personal best in the high jump that day,“ she laughs. “I felt
just awful though, and it had definitely got to a stage where I had to
decide what was more important to me. What was the point of going
to training with a hangover? I’d get nothing from the session and it
would just be a total waste of time. I could either go out, socialise and
get drunk, or do something to make myself feel good and potentially
make my life really great through athletics.“
steel ladyIt was a call that the 16-year-old Ennis took little time to make,
and one that started her out on a path of dedication to athletics
that culminated with that emotional gold in London this summer.
She speaks with no sense of regret at a decision not to move into
halls of residence for her first year of university, conscious of the
potentially detrimental effects of being surrounded by the associated
drinking culture. She is equally unequivocal when we remind her
that Charles Van Commenee, the former head coach of UK Athletics,
openly stated his wish that she relocate her training base away from
her hometown of Sheffield.
“It’s a very individual thing, and you have to make the decision that
is right for you,“ explains Ennis. “For Mo [Farah], it was a great call
to move out to America and change coaches, because that has
obviously really helped his performance in the past couple of years.
For me, though, I knew it was right not to uproot myself. I had great
people around me and everything I needed, and saw no need to move.
“To a certain extent, your whole life does have to be athletics, and
definitely so when preparing for an Olympics. But you have to be able
to switch off in some way, and the people around me and my home
life is how I do that. That’s how I create that balance, so I knew that
the last thing I wanted to do was move down to London and get even
more heavily intense. That would have been way too much.“
Unlike a lot of elite sportspeople, Ennis retains an exceptionally
healthy relationship with her parents – something she agrees >
Lapping it up: Ennis milks the applause from the Olympic Stadium as she wins her final event
Jess Ennis
40 | December 14 2012 |
Da
vid
Da
vie
s/A
FP
/Ge
tty
Ima
ge
s
has helped foster her continued love for the sport. “They always
encouraged me to keep going with athletics, but never in an overly
pressured way,“ she says. “They’re really proud and always come and
support me, but if I asked my dad what my hurdles PB is he probably
wouldn’t be able to say! They love watching me compete, but they
don’t need to know all the details and be massive stattos, do they?“
The details are instead left to the man who has been coaching
Ennis since she was 13 years old. Toni Minichiello has been the
guiding influence on his star athlete for half of her lifetime; it has
been a turbulent and often rocky road, Ennis admits, but she is in no
doubt that this is the defining relationship of her sporting career.
“I was a 13-year-old girl coming into the sport and knowing
nothing, and Chell was learning the coaching side of the sport
back then, so there were always going to be ups and downs,“ she
remembers. “He tried to encourage me and push me as much as he
could, but you’ve got to be careful dealing with a teenage girl... you
want to push yourself, but probably not quite to the same extent as
your coach, so you do get upset.
“But I always knew he was good, a great coach, and I’ve never
wanted to give up on anything. He saw that I had talent and always
had a long-term plan. It was never about instant success, but a
gradual thing; and, as I got older and we got to know each other
better, it grew into a relationship that works. We still have
arguments and disagree about stuff all the time, but I have a
lot of respect for him and what he’s done for me over the years.
He’s a larger-than-life character, very funny and always interesting
– but it works really well.“
Manners froM heavenEnnis is a charming and generous interviewee who never seems to
tire of giving her time, whether it be in the immediate aftermath of
competition or, as we meet her, away from the track. But is there
another reality behind the smile, one in which she wearies of an
endless stream of interviews and yearns for a life in which she is
no longer the public property she has now become?
“I’ve always found that in interviews like this, and whatever you
do in life, you should just try to be yourself, as natural as possible,“
she counters. “Then it’s not like you’re putting on an act, which is
always easier. And I suppose I’ve always been brought up to be as
polite and nice as possible. Of course you have those times when
you’re tired after training, doing circuits and sweating, and then
a bunch of kids come over and take pictures and stuff... sometimes
you do think maybe not now, it’s not the best time. But then everyone
has always been so positive and lovely. I always remind myself
that I wasn’t part of the last Olympics at all, and that this is now
a really unique position I find myself in. I would never want to
wish these times away.“
That said, these times inevitably give way to the future. Ennis
desperately wants to regain the world title she lost to Tatyana
Chernova in Daegu last year, but admits to being intrigued at how
far she can go over the sprint hurdles.
“I think next year has got to be the heptathlon,“ she says. “I’ve got
to do a little bit more. Having got so close to 7,000 points, and with it
being a World Championships year again, I think it’s right for me to
push on with the heptathlon a little bit more. But the hurdles is very
tempting, and it’s great that I still have an opportunity to try and be
competitive in the individual event. There’s definitely still time, and I
do think how nice it would be to go into an event knowing that I don’t
have an 800m at the end of two days of competition. Just a couple
of runs...“
Here she drifts off, daydreaming of a life spent focusing on just
the one event rather than seven. That time will very likely come. But
for now, Ennis can sit back and enjoy the fact that she is exactly what
she always dreamed of becoming: the Olympic heptathlon champion.
She carried the hopes of a nation into London 2012, and duly
delivered what we all desperately wanted on a night we have rightly
identified as our top sporting moment of a glorious year. For that,
how could anyone else be our athlete of the year?
Tony Hodson @tonyhodson1
Jess Ennis’ book Unbelievable is out now, published by Hodder & Stoughton, £20
A unique position: Ennis on Team GB’s open-top bus parade through London in September
"i reMind Myself that i wasn't part of the last olyMpics at all. i would never want to wish these tiMes away"
| December 14 2012 | 43
Athletes of the Year Mo FarahT
ad
ao
mi S
hib
uy
a
Game ChanGerIt was the stuff of dreams when mo farah wrapped up hIs double long-dIstance gold In the olympIc stadIum thIs summer, shortly before another more personal double was added to hIs collectIon. Sport spoke to hIm to fInd out what happens when the dreamIng stops, and real lIfe begIns agaIn
whatever challenge mo farah decIdes to tackle next,
wherever he decides the future lies for his growing family,
and whenever he decides to reveal the full story of the twin
brother he kept under wraps for so long, London 2012 will always
be the time that changed his life forever.
“What a year!” he exclaims, and shakes his head before repeating a
phrase that has been used so often by British Olympians in 2012, they
should have it trademarked. “It’s never going to be the same again.”
Of all London’s Olympic champions, that statement rings most
true for Farah, after he became the first British male ever to win
a global title over 10,000m.
That was merely the warm-up, though, for the Olympic 5,000m title
followed a week later, granting Farah entry into a select group of
athletic greats who have achieved the gruelling long-distance double.
Then, less than a fortnight after Farah’s triumph on the track,
came another double – the arrival of his twin daughters, Aisha
and Amani. If he was in any doubt before, they are two constant
reminders that the 29-year-old’s life will indeed never be the
same again.
QUeSTIOnS anSWereDNot that he isn’t trying to get back to some semblance of normality.
With winter training already under way in Portland, Oregon, alongside
his coach and former marathon superstar Alberto Salazar, Farah
is taking the first tentative steps into a potentially tricky period
of his career. In winning double Olympic gold, Farah answered >
Mo Farah
44 | December 14 2012 |
Mic
ha
el S
tee
le/G
ett
y Im
ag
es
"I am one of the best In the world"
a question that had been asked of him ever since he became European
junior 5,000m champion in 2001. That first major title showed he had
the potential to rule Europe on the senior stage, but how would this
talented youngster fare against the world’s best? And, specifically,
how would he fare against the east Africans who had ruled long-
distance racing for so long?
Pretty well, as it turns out. Now, the question is surely one of
motivation. For years, Farah has worked to prove the Kenyans and
Ethiopians can be beaten. So, now that he’s done exactly that, how
will it affect his mental approach to training and racing?
He muses for a few seconds. “I haven’t even thought that far ahead
yet, to be honest,” he begins. “I’m just getting back into training, really.
But I’m sure when it all starts ramping up again ahead of the World
Championships next year, I’ll be thinking about it more. I guess as
an athlete you want to be able to win medals and run good times in
your career, though, and that will always be my aim – to continue
doing that. That’s all the motivation I need.”
Knowing that he is the best in the world must have some effect on
his mindset, though. His chest will surely puff out a little further, his
head will automatically lift a degree higher and that last, painful rep
will be pushed out with just a bit more vigour than before.
“I am one of the best in the world,” Farah agrees, without any
semblance of arrogance. “But nothing’s changed because of that.
You just have to kind of forget about it while still using the confidence
it has given you – and I’m really confident at the moment – to start
all over again.
“You can’t always be thinking ‘I did this‘ or ‘I did that’. It’s in
the past now. So you just have to get on with your training and
look forwards.”
GoInG lonGAthletics observers have talked of Farah stepping up to the marathon
distance, keen to see how his tactical nous and speed translates on
to the road. With just one half-marathon to his name – New York, in
an impressive debut time of 60:23 – however, Farah’s capability over
26.2 miles is uncertain. For the man himself, it remains a goal.
“I remember watching the London Marathon on TV as a kid and it
being brilliant,“ he recalls. “It’s something that I see myself doing one
day. It’s at home, you know? One of the biggest marathons in the
world and it’s right on my doorstep, so it’s another chance to win
something on home soil. It would be nice to become one of the
marathon greats like Haile Gebrselassie. But, you know, that’s a long
way away yet. When I do it, I want to do it properly.”
Farah and his coach rule out the possibility of running the
marathon at next year’s World Championships in Moscow, preferring
instead to concentrate on defending his world 5,000m title and trying
to add the 10,000m to that. Salazar insists that “once you move up
[to the marathon], it’s not that you can’t come back down, but you
probably won’t improve any more”. For him, it’s a case of squeezing
as much out of Farah’s ability on the track as he can before changing
the game.
The landscape has shifted dramatically in all other areas of his life,
but Farah can at least rely on one place where it will, for now, remain
consistent. The track is where the double gold-medallist experienced
two life-changing moments, but it’s also where he can pretend nothing
has changed. He’s still just a runner trying to beat the clock – albeit
now one with four women waiting for him at home, rather than two.
Sarah Shephard @sarahsportmag
No going back: Farah crosses the line to take the Olympic 5,000m gold in London
Talking to your family about
cancer can be really tough.
But a chat with one of our experts
on the Macmillan Support Line
can help you find the words you
need. So you and your family
can face the future, together.
This is just one of the ways the
Macmillan team can help you
through cancer. Our medical
professionals, cancer support
specialists and benefits advisers
are just a phone call away.
For cancer support
every step of the way
call the Macmillan team
free on 0808 808 00 00 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 8pm)
or visit macmillan.org.uk
Macm
illan C
ance
r Supp
ort
, re
gis
tere
d c
hari
ty in E
ngla
nd a
nd W
ale
s (2
61017
), S
cotland (SC
03
99
07
) and the Isl
e o
f M
an (6
04). M
AC
13
569
Amir Khan starts Saturday night’s light-welterweight clash with the fourth different trainer of his seven-year professional career. However, it’s another four
that will be of most concern to him: a fourth loss in
the paid ranks (and a third in succession) would
finish entirely his elite-level pretensions.
Virgil Hunter, trainer of the magnificent US
super-middleweight Andre Ward, is the man
charged with cooling Khan’s temperament and
ensuring he follows a gameplan for more than just
the first few rounds. Khan’s problem isn’t simply
that he possesses a less than granite chin – it’s that
he overcommits to his rapid-fire attacks and, when
hurt, his instinct is to fire back rather than survive.
It’s no easy task to rebuild the habits
of a 26-year-old boxer, but the new Team
Khan starts in a smart place with
Carlos Molina. The Californian is
unbeaten in 18 fights, but
the seven knockouts he’s
recorded against relatively
unknown opposition indicate he probably
struggles to make a dent in his hard-boiled egg
of a morning, such is his lack of power.
Khan is strongly favoured to record his 27th
win, but observers will be keen to note any
changes that Hunter has been able to instil.
He recently compared Khan to “a young
leopard, just starting to hunt on his own”.
He meant it in reference to Khan’s
impressive offensive prowess, while
emphasising his need to improve his
“stealthiness” in the ring. But can
this particular leopard really
change his spots?Jo
hn
Gu
rzin
sk
i/A
FP
/Ge
tty
Ima
ge
s
7 DaysDEC 14-DEC 20
HIGHLIGHTS
» Football: Premier League Preview » p48
» Darts: Ladbrokes World Championship » p50
» Capital One Cup: Leeds v Chelsea » p52
» Rugby Union: Saracens v Munster » p54
» Best of the Rest » p54OUR PICK OF THE ACTION FROM THE SPORTING WEEK AHEAD
46 | December 14 2012 |
Saturday BOxING | AMIR KHAN v CARLOS MOLINA | SPORTS ARENA, LOS ANGELES | SKy SPORTS 1 1AM
King Khan the fourth
Tottenham are making a habit of losing games in the closing stages, which doesn’t bode well with Swansea the next side to visit White Hart Lane . The Swans started their previous league
outing against Norwich (a team that had only
scored five goals on the road all season before
their visit to south Wales) by conceding three
times in the opening 45 minutes. But Michael
Laudrup sent his players out for the second
half with renewed purpose and it almost paid
off – Swansea scored twice in 15 minutes to
narrow the gap to one goal before Robert
Snodgrass’ free-kick sealed the win.
Quizzed after Spurs fell victim to Everton’s
late pressure – losing 2-1 at Goodison Park
despite being 1-0 up on 90 minutes –
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas denied
his side suffer from being mentally fragile.
But the croaky one couldn’t quite put his
finger on why they keep conceding late on.
“There are so many different reasons,
because a couple of them come from different
situations,” he said, somewhat mysteriously.
Whatever the reasons, the cost to Spurs’
campaign is painfully clear – if all games
ended on 80 minutes, they would be top
of the Premier League.
For Swansea, who tasted defeat for the
first time in eight games last weekend, the
trip to north London is an opportunity to
draw level on points with their opponents.
They lost 3-1 at White Hart Lane last
season though, when Emmanuel Adebayor’s
brace did the damage. And with Scott Parker,
Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Gareth Bale all
hoping to make their returns from injury for
Spurs this weekend (the first two of whom
are yet to kick a ball in the league this season),
the home side are a different proposition to
the one that capitulated on Merseyside.
148 | December 14 2012 |
7 Days
SUNDAY TOTTENHAM v SWANSEA | WHITE HART LANE
SKY SPORTS 1 1.30PM
SATURDAY NEWCASTLE v MANCHESTER CITY
ST JAMES’ PARK | SKY SPORTS 2 12.45PM
SATURDAY LIVERPOOL v ASTON VILLA | ANFIELD | 3PM
Finally, Manchester City have lost in the league, and at home – a double
whammy that leaves them looking up at title rivals Manchester United
from six points behind. Roberto Mancini saw his side sink into their
shells after conceding first in the Manchester derby last weekend, but
will take heart from the way City clawed their way back into the game.
The champions have not lost at St James’ Park in their past five
visits, and the Magpies have been sketchy at home this season. Injuries
have robbed Newcastle of influential players too often of late, but boss
Alan Pardew will trust Hatem Ben Arfa will continue to have the same
influence as in his return at Fulham last Monday – and help create
chances against a side that has leaked just five goals away from home.
Such is the congestion in the league table from its mid-point upwards, that Liverpool’s fifth win of the season last weekend has taken them to within
four points of fourth spot – although the drop into the relegation
places is only nine points away.
It’s not quite as uncomfortably close for the Reds as it is for Aston
Villa, however. Despite being on a decent run of four without defeat,
Paul Lambert’s side are the lowest scorers in the league, with a grand
total of 12. With Liverpool striker Luis Suarez back from suspension
for Saturday’s game (providing he can wrestle his spot back from
Jonjo Shelvey, that is), Villa might need to raise their goal-per-game
average to keep pace. Time to start Darren Bent at long, long last?
Premier League Tottenham and Swansea have Previous for letting their focus slip this season. Come on lads, it’s only 90 minutes...
Spurs have lost
only only once
this season
when Moussa
Dembele has
started – last
weekend against
Everton
SATURDAY STOKE v EVERTON
BRITANNIA STAdIum | 3Pm
All
pic
ture
s G
ett
y Im
ag
es
SUNDAY WEST BROm v WEST HAm
THE HAWTHORNS
SKY SPORTS 1 4Pm
MONDAY REAdING v ARSENAL
mAdEJSKI STAdIum
SKY SPORTS 1 8Pm
SATURDAY mANCHESTER
uNITEd v SuNdERLANd
OLd TRAFFORd | 3Pm
A single goal decided both meetings between these two last season, each one
in United’s favour. Alex Ferguson will
hope for a more convincing victory
against struggling Sunderland this
weekend to keep Manchester City at
arm’s length. And, judging by the clinical
manner with which they despatched
the champions – with three goals
scored from three shots on target –
Fergie may well get his wish.
Only a Peter Crouch own goal salvaged a point for Everton at Stoke last season, and David Moyes takes his side there on
Saturday knowing they could need that
slice of luck again if they’re to breach a
defence that has conceded the fewest
goals in the league. Up to fourth
courtesy of a win against Spurs, the
Toffees will hope their first win in a
month gives them the momentum to
stay in touch with the big boys.
There were disappointing results for both these teams last weekend, with West
Brom blaming bad officiating at Arsenal
and West Ham ruing the injury that
robbed them of a rampaging Mohamed
Diame after 73 minutes of their match
against Liverpool. The midfielder is out
for up to 12 weeks, and the Baggies will
take heart from the way Liverpool
gained a foothold in midfield once
Diame was out of the game.
Arsenal have scored one goal from open play in their past four league games,
so it may do them good to return to the
venue where they smashed in seven in
the League Cup a couple of months ago.
That cup victory was Arsenal’s 10th
win over Reading out of 10 meetings
between the sides. Another one on
Monday would give Arsenal back-to-
back wins in the league for the first
time since September.
| 49
SATURDAY NORWICH v WIGAN
CARROW ROAd | 3Pm
Unbeaten in their past nine league games, Norwich will fancy their chances of
making it 10 against a team to whom
they’ve lost just once in seven meetings.
That sole Wigan victory came in the FA
Cup 25 years ago, with their two most
recent meetings in the top flight both
ending in 1-1 draws. Wes Hoolahan
scored both Norwich goals against the
Latics last season, and will look to make
it three out of three this weekend.
Man Utd 16 13 0 3 40 23 39
Man City 16 9 6 1 30 14 33
Chelsea 16 8 5 3 28 17 29
Everton 16 6 8 2 27 20 26
Tottenham 16 8 2 6 29 25 26
West Brom 16 8 2 6 24 21 26
Arsenal 16 6 6 4 26 16 24
Swansea 16 6 5 5 26 21 23
Stoke 16 5 8 3 14 12 23
Liverpool 16 5 7 4 22 20 22
West Ham 16 6 4 6 21 20 22
Norwich 16 5 7 4 17 24 22
Fulham 16 5 5 6 27 27 20
Newcastle 16 4 5 7 18 23 17
Southampton 16 4 3 9 22 32 15
Aston Villa 16 3 6 7 12 23 15
Wigan 16 4 3 9 17 30 15
Sunderland* 15 2 7 6 14 21 13
Reading* 15 1 6 8 19 28 9
QPR 16 0 7 9 13 29 7
P W D L F A Pts
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Premier League table
Of 18 goals scored in the
Premier League on Saturday,
seven were finished by a Spaniard,
with Mikel Arteta , Michu and
Fernando Torres netting braces
and Juan Mata getting one7
SATURDAY QPR v FuLHAm | LOFTuS ROAd | 3Pm
“I can only do what I can with what I’ve got,” said QPR manager Harry Redknapp after Rangers failed to win for the 16th time this season last weekend. That excuse
will only wash until the new influx in January, so it’s only fair that ‘Arry makes use of
it while he still can. Until the transfer window opens, QPR have a chance to settle
under their new boss – something defender Clint Hill (above) is hoping will lead to
that elusive first win. “We need a bit of stability at the moment,” he said. “And a
system of play that suits us.” Three points were in sight for QPR at the DW last time
out, until slack defending allowed Wigan to equalise. Redknapp will see the visit of
local rivals Fulham as a prime opportunity to get over the line. Despite a good win
against Newcastle on Monday, the Cottagers have won only once away from home
this season. Could it be a fourth draw in a row for Redknapp? Most likely.
*Ta
ble
co
rre
ct
at
tim
e o
f g
oin
g t
o p
res
s, p
rio
r to
Su
nd
erl
an
d v
Re
ad
ing
50 | December 14 2012 |
To
m S
ha
w/G
ett
y I
ma
ge
s, B
ryn
Le
nn
on
/Ge
tty
Im
ag
es
Friday > Darts | PDC WorlD ChamPionshiP | alexanDra PalaCe, lonDon | sky sPorts 1 7Pm
7 Days
The 20th PDC World Championship gets under way tonight. and, with
72 players competing for the brand
new silverware – named the sid
Waddell trophy after the legendary
commentator who died this year
– and a first prize of £200,000,
it’s set to be the toughest
tournament yet.
only five men have won the
tournament since its inception in
1994, but andy ‘the hammer’
hamilton’s run to last year’s final
proved that form often goes out
of the window here.
Unlike hamilton, James Wade is
yet to make a World Championship
final, but he should see off Peter
hudson in his first-round tie on
monday night, while raymond van
Barneveld faces michael smith on
sunday. Gary anderson and
michael Van Gerwen, meanwhile,
have both had a fantastic year –
Van Gerwen in particular – and are
in action on sunday and thursday
respectively, against the winners
of the day’s preliminary matches.
the main attractions, though,
are two men from stoke: Phil ‘the
Power’ taylor and adrian ‘Jackpot’
lewis, who have dominated the
event for the past four years.
taylor has actually taken the title
an incredible 13 times – with a run
of eight consecutive wins between
1995 and 2002 – and begins his
campaign against michael mansell
tomorrow night. lewis, meanwhile,
is looking for a hat-trick of
victories this year, and kicks
off tonight against youngster
Gino Vos. We caught up with the
two masters to get their thoughts
ahead of stepping up to the
toughest oche in the business.
let’s play darts...
Board meeting
What do you make of your draw?
“I don’t really know too much about Gino
Vos, except that he’s come from the BDO
and he’s played in a few pro tour events.
What I do know is if he’s Dutch [which he
is], he’ll be a fast thrower. I don’t think
I’ve ever seen a slow Dutch player.”
Are you under more pressure because
of your two wins in a row?
“No, I don’t feel under pressure at all
actually. Obviously I was under pressure
last year, because I was defending my
title and I had to prove my previous win
wasn’t a one-off. I don’t
have anything to prove
now, though,
because I’ve
done it. I can
just go out
and play.”
What makes the World Championship
so special?
“It’s just a great tournament. It doesn’t
get any bigger than the worlds, with all
the best players at a great venue with a
loud crowd. All that comes together to
make a fantastic event. I just can’t wait to
get started again, so I’m glad I’m playing
on the opening night.”
Is it true you had no sleep before
last year’s final?
“Not quite. I think I got less than four
hours, though. My semi final went on so
long that we didn’t finish until about
1.20am. Then I had to do a drugs
test, so I was there until about
five. It definitely made the final
more difficult. But it’s the World
Championship, so tiredness
quickly left my body.”
AdrIAn ‘JACkpot’ LeWIs phIL ‘the poWer’ tAyLor
What do you make of your draw?
“It’s great. There are some tough draws
for some of the lads, I tell you. I’ve got a
tough draw as well, with Michael, which
is always a good thing because it means
I’ll prepare properly and get ready for
him. Sometimes a tough draw in the first
round can set you up for the rest of the
tournament, because you have to be on
your game. So I’m happy.”
What makes the worlds so special?
“It’s the big one, isn’t it? This is the one
we’re all after – this is the daddy.”
does last year’s shock exit
motivate you?
“Yeah, because everyone
keeps reminding me about
it! I’d love to win it, just
one last time, and it’d be
extra special because of Sid – he was one
of my best friends in darts. On top of that,
Bruce Spendley – the MC I’ve worked with
for 25 years – is retiring, and he’s calling
the final scores. I’d love to win it for him.”
your fitness regimes are well publicised.
What kind of shape are you in?
“I’m always experimenting and trying
different regimes, and I’m doing a lot of
juicing at the minute – which I’m enjoying.
I feel better than I have done for a while.
Just myself, I guess. I suppose age is
catching up with me, so I have to put
more work in to keep up.”
Finally, we keep hearing
it’s your last year?
“No, you’re not
getting rid of me
that easily!”
The Ladbrokes World Darts
Championship is live on Sky
Sports HD, including the
semi finals and final in 3D.
Join the conversation at
#Ladbrokesdarts
| 51
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1112404
I BELIEVE THAT EVERY CHILD HAS THE RIGHT TO PLAY. IF YOU DO – TEXT: PLAY23 £5 TO 70070
RIGHT TO PLAY – TRANSFORMING CHILDREN’S LIVES THROUGH SPORT AND PLAY
@MARKCAVENDISH2011 WORLD CHAMPION, OLYMPIAN& RIGHT TO PLAY AMBASSADOR
Completely free everyFriday.
iPad edition on Newsstand now
The UK’s top sport magazine The biggest interviews The best previews
52 | December 14 2012 |
Sc
ott
He
av
ey
/Ge
tty
Im
ag
es
, Ale
x L
ive
se
y/G
ett
y I
ma
ge
s
WEDNESDAY FOOTBALL | CApiTAL One Cup QuArTer FinAL: Leeds v CheLseA | eLLAnd rOAd | sky spOrTs 1 7.45pM
7 Days
FriDAY BOxing | wOrLd series OF BOxing: BriTish LiOnheArTs v gerMAn eAgLes | eArLs COurT, LOndOn | espn 11pM
Eagle versus
lion
No headgear, no vests, five-round bouts and scoring via the 10-point must system: the
world series of Boxing (wsB) is still
classed as amateur boxing, but it bears
more than a passing resemblance to its
professional cousin. it’s also a team event
competed in by nation-based franchises,
with the British Lionhearts debuting
this year. results have been good,
with 4-1 wins against italia Thunder
and the usA knockouts in the
best-of-five bouts format – until
a 5-0 defeat against kazakhstan
halted their progress last week.
This is the big one, however.
The german eagles swoop into
London, and the British have
selected some of the squad’s big
guns to shoot them down. Olympic
silver-medallist Fred evans
(pictured, on the left) competes at
middleweight against fellow Olympian
Vasilii Belous, while another Team
gB member, Andrew selby, is in
a tough bantamweight contest
against the wily redouane Asloum.
The pick of the bouts could be at
light-heavyweight, where gifted irish
teenager Joe ward takes on kevin
kunzel: unbeaten in two and a half
seasons of wsB action. with two other
bouts at lightweight and heavyweight
(featuring sam Maxwell and Joe Joyce
for Britain), it’s an enticing event.
Assuming all goes well in the World Club Cup, Chelsea won’t actually be back from Japan
until the early hours of Monday morning.
So it’ll be tired legs and minds making the
trip to Leeds for the League Cup quarter
final on Wednesday evening.
Leeds and Chelsea fans and players
haven’t got along in the past. And, in 2003,
Leeds named Chelsea as their second
biggest rivals. Of course, back then they
were genuinely competing for the same
trophies before the Yorkshire club’s crash
through the divisions. Rafa Benitez is no
stranger to inexplicable animosities himself,
but – despite the protestations of Chelsea’s
fans – he has his side scoring goals and
looking sturdier at the back than they did
under Roberto di Matteo.
The welcome returns of Frank Lampard
and John Terry will bolster things further
– they are also the only two survivors from
Chelsea’s last trip to Elland Road in 2003.
While no longer blessed with the attacking
talents of Alan Smith and Mark Viduka, as
they were that day, Neil Warnock’s side do
still pose a threat going forward. The sharp
attacking play and movement of Luciano
Becchio and spitting machine El Hadji Diouf
could unsettle Chelsea if they show any
signs of complacency, and the local crowd
would love a high-profile scalp. Rafa’s will do.
Flight to fight
54 | December 14 2012 |
7 Days
Sunday Rugby union | heineken cup: SaRacenS v MunSteR | VicaRage Road | Sky SpoRtS 2 3pM
FRIDAY
cRicket
india v england:
Fourth test,
day 2, nagpur, Sky Sports 1 3.55am
cRicket australia v Sri Lanka:
First test, day 2, hobart,
Sky Sports 3 11.25pm
uFc Sotiropoulos v pearson,
gold coast convention & exhibition
centre, Queensland, eSpn 2am
SATURDAY
SWiMMing World Short course
championships: day 4, istanbul,
british eurosport 8am
WinteR SpoRt FiS alpine
Skiing World cup, Val d’isere,
british eurosport hd 9.45am
hoRSe Racing Stanjames.com
international hurdle, cheltenham,
channel 4 3.05pm
FootbaLL championship:
barnsley v Sheffield Wednesday,
oakwell Stadium,
Sky Sports 2 5.15pm
SUNDAY
cRicket big bash League:
Sydney Sixers v perth Scorchers,
Sydney cricket ground,
Sky Sports 3 8am
goLF alfred dunhill championship:
day 4, Leopard creek cc,
Malelane, South africa,
Sky Sports 4 10.30am
FootbaLL La Liga:
Real Madrid v espanyol,
bernabeu, Sky Sports 3 6pm
FootbaLL La Liga:
barcelona v atletico Madrid,
camp nou,
Sky Sports 3 8pm
SnookeR players tour
championship: Round 5,
Ravenscraig, Scotland,
british eurosport 2 8.45pm
MONDAY
cRicket india v england:
Fourth test, day 5, nagpur,
Sky Sports 1 3.55am
WEDNESDAY
cRicket big bash League:
Melbourne Renegades v
hobart hurricanes,
etihad Stadium,
Sky Sports 1 8am
eQueStRian
London
international
horse Show,
olympia,
british eurosport 2 9pm
nba ny knicks v brooklyn nets
(with Carmelo Anthony, below),
Madison Square garden,
eSpn 12am
THURSDAY
cRicket india v
england: 1st
t20, pune,
Sky Sports 1
1pm
nba dallas
Mavericks v
Miami heat,
american
airlines center,
eSpn 2.30am
BEST OF THE REST
Familiar foes
It’s payback time across the continent, as the visitors from the third round of Heineken Cup pool games become the hosts for round four. and the pick of the
weekend’s action comes from Watford, where
two-time european champions Munster are in
town to face Saracens, with the duo locked on
10 points apiece atop pool 1.
Last week’s visit to thomond park saw Sarries
match Munster’s physicality and european nous in
a tight 15-9 defeat; that they came away with only
a losing bonus point owes more to the boot of
owen Farrell (left), who missed four penalty
attempts, than anything more worrying. this
week, though, the Londoners are at home, and
don’t have the thomond park effect to deal with.
a more solid lineout can be expected, which
means bigger carries around the base, and
better ball for a dangerous backline that started
to threaten late on in Limerick. if Farrell’s radar
is switched on, Sarries can be confident of a win
and a commanding position in the pool.
that said, this is Munster we’re talking about
– and Rob penney’s men don’t lose easily in the
heineken cup. dave o’callaghan and James
coughlan in particular put in barnstorming
performances to penetrate the Saracens
defence last week, and with Ronan o’gara’s boot
behind them – not to mention the return to form
of keith earls – Munster are always dangerous
and should be written off at their opponents’
peril. a win will do nicely for the home side.
elsewhere this weekend, Leinster are out for
revenge having had their unbeaten run ended in
France last time round. Clermont’s win puts them
firmly in charge of pool 5, but the irish side will
have been disappointed to come away with just a
bonus point – they’ll be going for the jugular on
Saturday afternoon (Sky
Sports 1, 3.40pm). With
andrew goodman offering a
new threat in their backline,
Leinster are a dangerous
prospect right now. and, with
an impassioned home crowd,
the heineken cup holders will
be looking for a big win. anything
less and an away quarter final
looks the best they can do.
Da
vid
Ro
ge
rs/G
ett
y Im
ag
es
, Bru
ce
Be
nn
ett
/Ge
tty
Ima
ge
s
56 | December 14 2012 |
Advertising Feature
www.maximuscle.com/ProteinProject
| 57
The time has come for the truth to out: protein is for
everybody. It’s not just professional athletes and
bodybuilders who can benefit from protein’s body-
boosting power. And now Maximuscle are going to
prove it.
Maximuscle are looking for three average guys to take
part in The Protein Project: a 12-week challenge that
will prove what protein, when combined with a healthy
diet, the right belief and the right exercise, can do for you.
Go online and register your interest now for the
chanceto be one of these three average guys at
www.maximuscle.com/ProteinProject and you
could make 2013 your fittest year yet by increasing
your power, picking up your speed, improving your
definition and seeing an all-round better performance
in the gym and on the sports field.
As well as embarking on a 12-week challenge to
discover the difference protein can make, each of
the three average guys selected will feature in
Maximuscle’s 2013 advertising campaign, receive
a year’s supply of Maximuscle products, a one-year
membership to their local LA Fitness health club and
Register your interest online: NOW
Applications open: January 3
Applications close: January 14
Selection day: January 21
Protein Project begins: February 11 2013
the support of a Maximuscle nutritionist throughout
the entirety of the 12-week challenge. The average guy
who is voted as the overall winner at the end of those
12 weeks will also win a year’s sponsorship from
Maximuscle, becoming an official ambassador for the
UK’s number one protein brand*, as well as a £5,000
cash prize.
And, even if you are not one of the three guys
selected, you can still get involved in your own Protein
Project, using Maximuscle’s expert advice and tips
online, while also following the progress of the
chosen three. The Protein Project is about to change
everything. Get involved and see what protein can
do for you.
*N
IeL
se
N s
cA
NT
rA
cK
: D
AT
A T
o w
e1
3.1
0.1
2 (
To
TA
L c
ov
er
AG
e -
MA
T -
vA
LU
e s
AL
es
)
Extra time Gadgets
58 | December 14 2012 |
Making the most of your time and money
Box clever
This week, some very smart boxes indeed
– a high-end TV, a personal cloud, and
one that will help you win at Call of Duty
Making the most of your time and money
Pure Jongo S340BIgnore the odd name –
these boxes are pretty
handy. They’ll let you
stream music wirelessly
to them via Wi-Fi and,
if you have more than
one, you can use them
together for house-filling
sound with powerful bass.
And, no, they don’t (so
far as we know) have
them in the Congo.
£150 | pure.com
Turtle Beach Ear Force Call of Duty: Black Ops II Tango HeadsetOptimised specifically for a
certain first-person shooter
(can you guess which one?),
these headphones let you
instantly amplify things such
as footsteps or explosions to
give you a gaming edge.
£175 | game.co.uk
Toshiba STOR.E CloudIf you don’t trust yourself or
the likes of Apple and Google
with your data, why not set
up your own personal cloud?
This box offers just that, with
3TB of wireless storage
accessible from anywhere in
the world – and it’s compatible
with both Macs and PCs.
£150 | toshiba.co.uk
LG 84LM960V 84-inch Ultra HD TVNow, 84 inches might only be double the size of your regular 42-inch
set, but it offers a resolution four times greater than your typical
high-definition TV. Combine ultra-HD technology ready for the
next wave of content and a Magic Remote that lets you control
streaming services with your voice, and you have a TV that will be
cutting edge for years... provided you can get it through the door.
£22,500 | lg.com/uk
P68
Martin Freeman’s Bilbo
Baggins takes us back to
Middle Earth. Again
Forza
Italiana!M
ariella Pellegrino may not, at first glance,
appear to be the tanned adonis-like bodybuilder
who could crush you in the nook of either bicep.
But she is, in fact, a winner of the Italian
muscle showpiece the Trofeo Due Torri, and is most
at home strutting her stuff at events such as the
Arnold Classic Europe – renowned as one of the
most high-profile dates in the strongman calendar.
The annual bodybuilding competition is named after
Arnold Schwarzenegger, naturally, and is an offshoot
of its 23-year-old Stateside forebear. The original
Ohio-based event offers a first prize of $130,000
and a Hummer (of course it does) – which we would
suggest Miss Pellegrino look into, particularly because
she seems to be without her clothes, boots and,
indeed, a ruddy great 4x4.
That, though, might have to wait, because her
fake-bake-and-bikini look was ultimately unsuccessful
at the Arnold Classic Europe this year. But don’t worry.
She’ll be back.
60 | December 14 2012 |
Igo
r G
en
tili/
Ma
nd
ari
ne
Me
dia
/Lip
sti
ck
Sy
nd
ica
tio
n
Extra time Mariella Pellegrino
| 61
Extra time Kit
62 | December 14 2012 |
Christmas wrappingKeep your head warm while you fight
the Christmas crowds this winter
2 Rohan Stronsay ReversibleA quick-drying polyester inner retains
warmth in freezing temperatures, while
the reflective strip – and a high-vis orange
reversible inner for when you fancy a noticeable
change – will keep you visible in the dark.
£22 | rohan.co.uk
1Patagonia Lined BeanieAvailable in a variety of funky (people still
say that) patterns, Patagonia’s beanie boasts
a mixture of merino wool and fast-drying nylon
to keep you warm and dry, while the polyester
fleece lining feels smooth against your heed.
£29 | 020 3137 6518
3Result Aspen Knitted HatAlso available in blue, Result’s double-knit hat
will keep you insulated and looking good on the
coldest of days. Which is, wait for it, a result!
£10 | shop.resultclothing.com
6 Under Armour Blustery BeanieThe base layer specialists continue to grow
their array of clothing options, and their latest
hat, available in four different colours, is filled
with all the usual tech and brilliance to keep your
bonce warm and dry.
£12 | underarmour.com
5Kangol XO Cable HatIn among all the ear-flaps, bobble tops
and patterned numbers, the simple chunky
wool look will always have a faithful following –
and this burgundy number ticks all boxes
fashion and warmth.
£26 | usc.co.uk
4 Hilly TwinSkin HatPerfect for staying a bit more active in the
winter months, the TwinSkin offers a dry acrylic
outer layer for keeping the rain out. A merino wool
inner keeps you cosy, meanwhile, and a reflective
tab makes you... well, reflective.
£14 | prodirectrunning.com
1
2
3
4
5
6
Extra time Grooming: Gift Sets for Her
64 | December 14 2012 |
What’s in the box?
Present-buying time is running short.
As ever, your uncle Sport is here to help
– for her on this page; for him on the next
L’eau de Chloe
You are guaranteed to see
mummy kissing Santa Claus
if the jolly old bugger rocks
up bearing one of these
sets, with
its eau de to
ilette
natural spray (50ml) a
nd
perfumed body lotion
(75ml). Fact.
£70 | 0800 083 6312
Philosophy Winter
Escape
This fresh vanilla
frost
shampoo, shower gel a
nd
bubble bath (120ml),
body
lotion (6
0ml) and high-gloss,
high flavour lip
shine (15ml)
set will l
eave your girl
feeling wrapped in
wintry
bliss, a
s we understand it.
£22 | 0800 083 6312
Marc Jacobs DOT
Jacobs’ signature floral
heart with jasmine in eau
de parfum (50ml), body
lotion (75ml) and shower
gel (75ml). F
or your lady
– or bird, if you will.
£50 | 0800 083 6312
Lyn Harris La Fleur
This eau de toilette spray
(50ml) and perfumed
body lotion (7
5ml) means
you can stick th
e scent
of white
gardenia and
Indian tuberose flo
wers
under your tree.
£25 | marksandspencer.
com/beauty Molton Brown Orion
Six of Molton Brown’s best,
all in 100ml bottles. In
cludes
the Blissful Templetree and
the Heavenly Gingerlily.
Calm. Comforting. Celestial.
£36 | nivenandjoshua.com
beauty & fragrance
THE ULTIMATE
GIFT EVENT
FREE DELIVERY online • mobile • app
*Full price items only. Excludes selected concessions/brands, see www.debenhams.com/customer-service/terms-and-conditions for more details. To check your store times, visit debenhams.com and use ‘store � nder’. O� er ends Sunday 16 December 2012. Debenhams Retail plc.
Join Beauty Club to earn Points and enjoy £ Rewards!
Must end Sunday
0707
Extra time Grooming: Gift Sets for Him
66 | December 14 2012 |
Calvin Klein Encounter
Top notes of spices,
mandarin, cardamom and
rum flow in
to a heart of
pepper, jasmine, p
atchouli
and cognac. We’d consume
most of th
e above at any
Christmas party,
but CK
have instead ta
ken the eau
de toile
tte (5
0ml) and body
wash (100ml) a
pproach.
£38 | 0800 083 6312
Molton Brown
Atlas
A dazzling shower
of six best-s
elling
100ml bodywashes,
from Re-charge Black
Pepper to Cool B
uchu.
£36 |
moltonbrown.co.uk
Roger & Gallet
L’Homme Sport
This eau de toilette (100ml) and
gel douche (75ml) set combines
grapefruit with the aromatic
facets of tea and a spicy heart of
berries, roses and cardamom.
Tastier than a Christmas pudding.
£33.50 | roger-gallet.co.uk
Lyn Harris Le Cologne
Every good boy should have a vibrant
citrus classic in th
eir stocking. Less
a clementine, th
is one, more an eau de
parfum (50ml) a
nd shower wash (75ml).
£25 | marksandspencer.c
om/beauty
Elemis Jetset
Travel Collection
Deep Cleanse Face Wash
(50ml),
Ice-Cool F
oaming
Shave Gel (100ml),
Energising Skin Scrub
(20ml),
Daily M
oisture
Boost (50ml) a
nd Sharp
Shower Body Wash
(100ml) m
ake up this
complete grooming kit.
Perfect, if y
our travel is
extensive and your time
short (right, S
anta?).
£48 | tim
etospa.co.uk
Africa: Eye to Eye with the Unknown
This hardback companion to a major new six-part
BBC series could act as the perfect coffee-table
material over the festive period. With a foreword
by Sir David Attenborough, naturally, the tome
reveals the undiscovered side of
Africa and features a plethora
of stunning images (including
our baboon friend, above) –
21 of which can be brought to
spectacular moving life through
the use of augmented reality. Ro
llin
g S
ton
es
: Glim
me
r b
y P
ete
r W
eb
b, G
ela
da
Ba
bo
on
by
An
up
Sh
ah
/na
ture
pl.c
om
The Hobbit: An Unexpected JourneySir Ian McKellen as the irresistible
Gandalf, Cate Blanchett as the
ethereal Galadriel, and of course
Andy Serkis as the compellingly
detestable Gollum... can it really be
more than a decade since director
Peter Jackson brought JRR Tolkien’s
fabled characters to silver-screen
life in the Lord of the Rings trilogy?
Well, they are all back, as Jackson
returns us to Middle Earth for
Tolkien’s gentler (and shorter) tale
about a little hobbit going on a rather
big adventure. Martin Freeman
brings a predictable but charming
understatement to the role of Bilbo
Baggins, while McKellen is all raised
eyebrows and fun. At just under
three hours, however – and that just
for instalment one of yet another
trilogy – it will test the stamina of
even the most fervent Tolkien fans.
The Great GatsbyF Scott Fitzgerald
The sharper among you
will know this is not a new
release. But The Great
Gatsby is one of the truly
great American novels,
and publishers Arcturus
have just released this
deluxe collector’s edition
complete with slipcase.
Fitzgerald’s enigmatic
antihero would definitely
approve, and so do we.
The Killing TrilogySeason 1-3 Boxset
The dark adventures of
everyone’s favourite
Danish knitwear milf are
set to draw to a close on
BBC Four this weekend
– but you can have every
last moment of Sarah
Lund action on DVD as
soon as Monday. Deadly
compelling from first
to the dramatic last. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Whatever else happened in the year the Rolling
Stones formed, we wonder? What Ever Happened
to Baby Jane, for one, and Robert Aldrich’s tense
psychological thriller is enjoying a 50th-anniversary
cinematic rerelease to mark the occasion. Bette
Davis (above, right) is all
macabre menace as the
decaying former child star
finding ever more villainous
ways to torture her invalid
sister (Joan Crawford).
Brown Sugar on Main Street
In case you hadn’t heard, the Rolling Stones have
this year been celebrating a half-century of making
music and misbehaving. Both are captured in the
equally playful and intimate photography of Peter
Webb and Dominique Tarle, whose separate works
have been combined in this exhibition at London’s
Zebra Gallery. The carefully curated collection of
just 20 shots provides a fascinating insight into the
band’s public and private personas during a period
of creative (and other such) highs in the early
1970s – and also reminds us that Keith Richards
was once a devilishly handsome young rogue.
68 | December 14 2012 |
Film
The old ones
are the best
A week of nostalgia – with revisitings, both
old and new, of some cultural classics
Film
Book BookDVD
ExhiBiTion
Extra time Entertainment
SKINCARE BUILT IN ][