Olympic Briefs -- U.S. Paralympics Honors Athletes; Olympic Skier Announces Retirement

Paralympian Ann Cody of Blaze Sports America received an individual Amazing Award from U.S. Paralympics. (Getty Images)The U.S. Paralympics gave out its annual Amazing Awards to key contributors in the national Paralympic movement. The awards were distributed during Developing Amazing Leaders Paralympic Conference, April 17-20.

The conference, held at the USOC’s headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., is designed for training and networking within the Paralympic movement.

“The amazing awards are for our amazing partners who work tirelessly, in communities across the country, to help build the Paralympic movement,” said Charlie Huebner the USOC’s Paralympics chief. “Their commitment and support has helped thousands of athletes achieve success both on and off the field of play.”

Ann Cody of Blaze Sports America and Dave Poulin of Paralympic Sport Alaska took home the top individual honors while Paralympic Sport Las Vegas won the award for the best club.

Paerson to Retire From Skiing In 2010

Olympic gold medal skier Anja Paerson of Sweden is planning to retire from the sport after the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The 27-year-old Paerson, a gold medalist in the women’s slalom at the 2006 Games in Turin, Italy, is aiming for more Olympic gold in Vancouver and a third World Cup overall title before calling it quits.

“In order to have Skier Anja Paerson, a gold medalist at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, will retire after the Vancouver Games in 2010. (Getty Images)the energy and go to the maximum next year, both winning a total Cup and an Olympic Gold, I have the goal to quit next year,” Paerson said.

Paerson has also won seven world championships and a total of 40 races during her 11-year career. She is the only female skier to win a gold medal at the world championships in all five skiing disciplines.

Olympic Gold Medalist New Penn State Wrestling Coach

Olympic gold medal wrestler Cael Sanderson is leaving his alma mater Iowa State, where he has been the coach for the last three years, to become the new coach at Penn State.

The 29-year-old Sanderson won a gold medal in the 190-pound weight class at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and compiled a perfect 159-0 record during his college wrestling career at Iowa State from 1998-2002, also winning four NCAA titles.

“It’s been a real tough decision and I never really considered leaving Iowa State,” Sanderson said. “It’s just I think it’s a better opportunity long term for me and my family. And as tough as it is, I’m excited to go that route.”

Sanderson led Iowa State to a NCAA runner-up finish in his first year as coach in 2007 and three Big 12 Conference team titles during his three years at the helm.

Veldhuis Breaks Swimming World Records

Olympic gold medal swimmer Marleen Veldhuis of the Netherlands set new world records in the 50-meter butterfly and 50-meter freestyle at the Amsterdam Swim Cup on Sunday.

Veldhuis, a member of the Dutch 400-meter freestyle relay team that won gold at the 2008 Swimmer Marleen Veldhuis of the Netherlands set new world records in the 50-meter butterfly and freestyle events at a meet in Amsterdam. (Getty Images)Summer Olympics in Beijing, won the 50 butterfly with a time of 25.33 to break Swedish swimmer Therese Alshammar’s record of 25.46. She then recorded a time of 23.96 in the 50 free, surpassing Australian Libby Trickett’s mark of 23.95.

She also nearly missed setting a world record in the 100 butterfly.

…Briefs

…Former British Olympic Association chief and Beijing chef de mission Simon Clegg was named CEO of the Ipswich Town F.C. The Tractor Boys compete in the second tier of professional football in England. "I have joined Ipswich Town because I am absolutely convinced that working together with the fans, sponsors, community and staff we can once again put the club back in its rightful place in the Premiership," Clegg was quoted as saying by AFP.

…USA Curling has named Phill Drobnick and Wally Henry as its men’s and women’s coaches respectively for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Drobnick and Henry were USA Curling’s coaches of the year the last two years, with Henry winning the honor in 2007 and Drobnick in '08.

…The Qatari NOC opened the country’s new Paralympic headquarters on Sunday. Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar Olympic Committee secretary general, was joined by International Paralympic Committee President Philip Craven for the event. The facility will house administration offices and training venues for Qatari Paralympians.

Media Watch

The U.K.’s Sky News has a preview of the IOC’s Coordination Commission tour of London.

The Colorado Springs Gazette says U.S. Paralympics is ready to compete at the Vancouver Paralympics.

Iain Patterson, CIO of the company building London’s Olympic venues is profiled in CIO magazine.

Philip Hersh of The Chicago Tribune writes that USOC CEO Stephanie Streeter is getting more comfortable with her public appearances.

A South African swimmer could be the country’s answer to Usain Bolt...if he was a sprinter.

Written by Ed Hula III.