The Big Interview
Mark Todd: People said I was past it but I’m still very competitive
Evening Standard
Double Olympic champion was 17th on his shock return to eventing at the Beijing Games but is in far better shape for London 2012
Great champions rarely make successful comebacks. But Mark Todd, who retired after the Sydney Olympics having been voted the event rider of the 20th century, can claim to be the exception. What is more, he wants the world to know.
“There are not many people who have left top-level sport of any kind, been away for eight years, and then come back and won at the top level again — not even Michael Schumacher,” Todd tells me. “So winning Badminton, the Mecca of three-day eventing, last year was a unique achievement and something I’m very proud of.
“There’s a lot to be said about the beauty of youth but age and experience counts for a lot, doesn’t it? The fact is that, at 56, I’m still competitive at the very top. There are not many riders of my age competing at the top level.”
We’d put our bodies on the line for Stuart Lancaster, says Brad Barritt
Evening Standard
Brad Barritt quickly reels off the names of coaches who have influenced him. Starting with those from his childhood in South Africa, he continues through Eddie Jones, the former Australia coach who brought him to Saracens, and Brendan Venter, who was hugely influential after he arrived.
But no coach has made the impression on him that Stuart Lancaster did when the England squad met at a steak house in Leeds before the Six Nations.
At the end of the meal, reveals Barritt: “Stuart presented each of us with a frame. Inside each one were messages from family, friends, and people who had been significant in our rugby lives. He had contacted my dad, my brother, even my high school rugby coach in South Africa. He’d asked them questions such as: what does it mean for your loved one to play for your country? What does the team need to do to win?”
Having played under Lancaster for the Saxons, England’s second side, Barritt knew he liked the personal touch. Just before the 2009 Churchill Cup Final, Lancaster had sent a hand-written letter to each player wishing him luck. But this was new territory.
Charles van Commenee: Plastic Brits is offensive . . . there’s no such thing
Britain’s Olympic coach speaks to Standard Sport’s Mihir Bose about the controversy that’s raging off the track
Evening Standard
'You’re British or you’re not. Sport is about bringing people together. That’s how I look at it,' says Charles van Commenee. Image courtesy of Evening Standard
Charles van Commenee has never been afraid to speak his mind — he famously called Kelly Sotherton “a wimp” for only managing a bronze at the Athens Olympics when he felt she should have got silver.
But did the Dutch coach of UK Athletics stir more controversy than he could handle by appointing Tiffany Porter captain of the British team for the recent World Indoor Championships in Istanbul?
Read more >
Why pride has come after the fall for former RFU boss
Official’s 10 months at Twickenham ended in chaos but he claims changes on his watch have helped revival of the national team.
Evening Standard
Tumultuous reign: John Steele believes there is real potential in the full England team. Image courtesy of Evening Standard
John Steele has not set foot inside Twickenham since he was sacked as chief executive of the Rugby Football Union last June.
“I’ve had a few invitations to go back and will in due course,” he says. “I thought I should leave a healthy time for the dust to settle.”
Given that his departure resulted in recriminations and resignations, it may be quite a while before Steele returns. Martyn Thomas, the RFU chairman who sacked Steele and took over as acting chief executive, himself fell on his sword following England’s disastrous World Cup and a series of reviews which revealed the chaotic state of English rugby.
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Robert Waley-Cohen: I don’t care what critics say, my son deserves to ride in the Gold Cup
Racecourse chief can’t wait for week’s blue riband event and rejects talk it is wrong to stick with family partnership which won last year
Evening Standard
On track: Robert Waley-Cohen is excited by the Festival and he hopes his son Sam will guide Long Run to another victory in the meeting’s feature race. Image courtesy of Evening Standard
Robert Waley-Cohen is chairman of Cheltenham Racecourse but, on Friday, he will not be presiding when the Princess Royal presents the most coveted prize in jump racing.
His horse, Long Run, is the favourite for the Gold Cup and will be ridden by his son, Sam. “If we win I don’t think I can stand here with a microphone in my hand saying we’d like to welcome to the podium the winning owner,” says Waley-Cohen Snr. “That’s obviously nonsense. If I lose, I’m not sure I have a big enough heart to smile broadly while somebody else is given the award.”
Read more >
Other The Big Interview articles
- Mark Todd: People said I was past it but I’m still very competitive - April 10, 2012
- Why pride has come after the fall for former RFU boss - March 20, 2012
- Robert Waley-Cohen: I don’t care what critics say, my son deserves to ride in the Gold Cup - March 13, 2012
- Ross Hair: ‘We won’t risk it all to keep the premier TV contract’ - February 28, 2012
- Cliff Jones: This is best Spurs team since we did the Double - February 21, 2012
- Chris Powell: racist abuse between players was accepted in my day - February 14, 2012
- Sir John Armitt: We’ve made a magical place in London for the next 100 years - February 7, 2012
- Phil Taylor’s fearless ’son’, Adrian Lewis, has him in his sights - January 31, 2012
- Mouritz Botha: There’s no stopping me now - January 24, 2012
- Meet David Collier, the England cricket chief on Australia’s side - January 17, 2012
- Lord Coe: I can’t let the athletes down…that would be a cardinal sin - January 3, 2012
- Snooker’s ‘naughty boy’ Judd Trump has nothing to fear any more - December 20, 2011
- Meet AP McCoy, the champion jockey searching for another 396 winners - December 13, 2011
- Daley Thompson: Olympics can inspire our computer kids - December 6, 2011
- Vinnie Jones: I’ve proved anybody can turn a corner - November 22, 2011
- Lord Condon: Every country has fixed matches, not just Pakistan - November 15, 2011
- RFU need clean sweep, says Francis Baron - November 1, 2011
- Sachin and I have the best figures but we’re not the greatest - October 25, 2011
- We’ve found our bite, says Andrew Strauss - October 18, 2011
- John Gosden: Racing has got its cup final now, but on the wrong day - October 11, 2011
- Peter Moores: I do think what might have been with England - October 4, 2011
- QPR’s new owner won’t splash the cash like Roman Abramovich - September 20, 2011
- At the heart of The Valley is a City slicker - September 13, 2011
- Michel D’Hooghe: ‘It’s totally untrue that my vote was influenced’ - September 6, 2011
- Foreign stars have made the English game suffer, says Uwe Rösler - August 30, 2011
- Roy Hodgson: I’d like England job but it’s important everyone looks at the big picture - August 23, 2011
- England can win the Rugby World Cup, says Schalk Brits - August 9, 2011
- Lee Westwood: I’ve learned the hard way that I must not panic - August 2, 2011
- Tomlinson’s calculated gamble fuels dreams of ultimate pay-off - July 27, 2011
- The Games? It was Cherie who won it, says Tony Blair - July 25, 2011
- Forget all the issues at HQ, the only thing my men are worried about is the World Cup - July 22, 2011
- Pulling out of FIFA is FA’s nuclear option - July 5, 2011
- Clive Lloyd: If only India could see the review system is fair - June 28, 2011
- Caroline Wozniacki: I haven’t won a Grand slam but everyone would like to be in my position - June 21, 2011
- Wandering star Chris Ashton can’t sit still for 10 minutes - May 10, 2011
- Jonathan Trott: I’ve only just started to make my mark - April 26, 2011
- Why a Real nightmare won’t stop Michael Dawson dreaming - April 12, 2011
- Rick Parry: FA have hindered England, they need to copy Germany - March 24, 2011
- Nicky Henderson: Horse racing can be hell at times - March 15, 2011
- Athletics will never escape the shame of Ben Johnson - March 10, 2011
- Mo Farah’s great American dream is realised via Africa - March 1, 2011
- Chris Powell: Sven is my mentor, I’m not a cup thrower - February 24, 2011
- Phil Taylor: People like me because I’ve not tried to be flash - February 15, 2011
- Chris Hughton: I still don’t know why Newcastle sacked me - February 8, 2011
- Heurelho Gomes: I worry each night that I will be injured - February 1, 2011
- Olympics chief backs Gareth Bale to play in British team - January 18, 2011
- Gavin Henson: Standing ovation on Strictly topped my Six Nations successes - January 11, 2011
- John Higgins: I feared being booed but no one has waved fivers at me - January 6, 2011
- Ruby Walsh: Racing has a limited appeal, not everyone likes us - December 14, 2010
- Alex McLeish, Birmingham City FC, cites Ferguson as mentor - December 7, 2010
- Johnny Giles: Bosses playing mind games are just bullies - November 30, 2010
- Sir Keith Mills: I know why TV probe will not kill our 2018 bid - November 23, 2010
- Cyclist Victoria Pendleton is determined to fight her corner in the build-up to the 2012 Olympics - November 17, 2010
- England won’t win Rugby World Cup next year, says RFU’s new chief - November 9, 2010
- Andy Flower: I want my players to have opinions - November 2, 2010
- Football’s millions just don’t excite me, says Nick Easter - October 26, 2010
- Ian Thorpe: Sydney got it wrong, London 2012 mustn’t do the same - October 19, 2010
- Pakistan can lead cricket out of crisis, says ICC chief - October 12, 2010
- Tom Daley: When I’m on top of the board, I still get really scared - October 5, 2010
- Success is par for the course for Welsh billionaire who brought the Ryder Cup to Celtic Manor - October 1, 2010
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - September 28, 2010
- Tim Lamb: Cricket cheating could tear the heart out of my game - September 7, 2010
- London is perfect for my family, says Neil Warnock - August 31, 2010
- Keith Harris: Selling a club for £500m is a tricky business - August 24, 2010
- Phillips Idowu: I’m glad I didn’t win gold in Beijing - August 17, 2010
- Andy Farrell: Martin Johnson can put England on top of world again - August 3, 2010
- Lord March: I fear for future of horse racing - July 27, 2010
- Franz Beckenbauer: Forget technology, referees must improve - July 13, 2010
- John Barnes: England won’t win until they embrace team ethic - June 29, 2010
- Martina Navratilova - June 22, 2010
- Crowning glory for the activist Danny Jordaan who dared to dream - June 15, 2010
- Is Lord Alan Sugar the man to shake up the FA? - June 8, 2010
- Jamie Redknapp: Don’t call me a TV celebrity - May 25, 2010
- Rahul Dravid - May 18, 2010
- Keith Bradshaw isn’t afraid to bring in sweeping changes - April 21, 2010
- James Cracknell - April 13, 2010
- Hugh Robertson - April 6, 2010
- Owais Shah - March 30, 2010
- Barry Hearn - March 23, 2010
