Olympic Briefs -- Van Claims First Gold; Canadian Athletes Launch Fundraiser

Lindsey Van of the U.S. made history Friday, becoming the first women’s ski jumping world champion at the FIS World Nordic Skiing Championships in Liberac, Czech Republic.

Van braved the heavy snowfall to edge out Ulrike Graessler of Germany for the first gold.

“I feel like I’m a pioneer in the sport now,” Van said. “I feel like I’ve been at the front of the sport for so many years. So at this point, it feels I’ve kind of helped push the sport along.”

Advocates for the sport and the International Ski Federation are aiming for inclusion in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia after failing to be added to the program for next year’s Games in Vancouver.

$20.10 Online Fundraiser Under Way

Canadian Olympic athletes have launched an online fundraiser for the 2010 Olympics asking Canadians to donate $20.10. The goal is to raise $5 million by the end of April.

“We wanted to scale down support to something that would be reasonable for Canadians,” said freestyle skier Ryan Blais. “So $20.10 to support athletes in 2010, we think is something that is very reasonable.”

Own The Podium is a five year, $120 million plan intended to help Canada win the most medals.

The COC and Canadian Paralympic Association sponsors $10 million of the plan, $55 million comes from the federal government, and corporate and private donations funds $55 million.

Donations can be made at the Canadian Olympic Foundation.

Mayor of Olympic Bid City Vows Fight Against Crime during Carnival

Rio de Janeiro’s Mayor Eduardo Paes promised a fight against crime in which the smallest offenses will be punished during the city’s Carnival which is known for its chaotic activities.

The annual pre-Lenten revelry started Friday.

Rio, a finalist in the bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, has a problem with violence. Rio presented a $14.4 billion bid that included $11.6 billion for infrastructure and security, but the city cannot win the bid if the IOC feels Rio isn’t safe and orderly.

Paes said during his mayoral race, “We have to give a shock of urban order to the city, an organized posture, to recover authority and better conserve public spaces.”

He said through public statements that he would keep slums from expanding, destroy illegally constructed houses and confront corruption at all levels of government.

The city hosted the 2007 Pan American Games and is set to host the 2014 World Cup. It would be South America’s first Olympics if Rio de Janeiro was selected as the host city.

Atlanta Mayor: Olympics Mean Business Boom for Minorities, Women

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin told the Chicago Urban League Tuesday being Olympics host could mean a business boom for minorities and women.

Franklin revealed that for the 1996 Atlanta Games, 35 percent of contracts were with minority and female-owned businesses, 30 percent of employees were minorities and 52 percent were women.

Chicago 2016 supporter Mayor Richard Daley stressed how hosting the Olympics would benefit the city.

“This has to include everyone in the city, not leaving anyone out [in terms of] jobs and contracts,” Daley said.

Franklin also spoke on how the Olympics benefited Atlanta.

“Number one, it increased employment,” Franklin said. “People are moving to Atlanta and investing in Atlanta because they heard about Atlanta and what we were doing. So it increased our visibility, internationally.”

The Chicago 2016 bid team turned in its bid books last week. The IOC is expected to visit the city in April.

Olympic Gold Medalist Says Australian Can Break His Pole Vault Record

Olympic gold medalist Sergey Bubka proclaimed that Australian Steve Hooker has the ability to break his world record of 6.15 meters set in 1993 in Ukraine at a world indoor championship.

“Steve has already achieved the second-best result in history. His results show he has good technique, and the skills and ability to jump over six meters consistently,” Bubka said.

“I am ready for the day – it is normal that there will be someone better than me.”

Hooker is second to Bubka in record books. He cleared 6.06 meters in Boston and cleared 5.96 meters for a gold medal in Beijing.

He asked Bubka if he would mind if he tried for the world record.

“I believe Steven has the full right to try, but it was a nice gesture to approach me like this. It was a little bit funny,” Bubka said.

Hooker will participate at the World Athletics Tour met in Melbourne March 5.

Briefs…

… The first spots on the American team for the 2010 Winter Games will be up for grabs at the U.S. Olympic Curling Trials, which gets under way on Saturday in Broomfield, Colo.

A total of 20 athletes are slated to compete in the round-robin format, with one team in each category earning a trip to Vancouver next year. The event, which also serves as a qualifier for the U.S. and world championships, runs through Feb. 28.

… The world’s top bobsledders and skeleton sliders will compete at the 2009 FIBT Bobsled and Skeleton World Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y. over the next two weekends. The bobsled contest starts this weekend with skeleton next weekend. Universal Sports will televise the event.

…Over 60 of Canada’s premier snowboard riders will aim for a spot in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics at the LG World Cup event in Quebec City, Quebec this weekend. Olympic berths in halfpipe, snowboard cross (SBX), big air and parallel giant slalom (PGS) will be up for grabs at the Stoneham Resort, which will host the 2013 world snowboard championships.

…Chicago will host the Tyson American Cup Feb. 21 at the Sears Centre. The annual international gymnastics competition could offer a glimpse at London 2012 hopefuls. Olympians Mary Lou Retton, Kerri Strug, Nastia Liukin and Paul Hamm are scheduled to sign autographs. NBC will televise the event live.

Written by Greg Oshust and Isia Reaves.