Yuna Kim Retiring After Sochi; Keino Joins IAAF Hall of Fame; U.S. 100m Runoff Cancelled

Kim Retiring After Sochi

Yu Na Kim will hang up her skates following the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

The reigning singles champion from Vancouver 2010 and world champ from 2009 made the announcement Monday.

"I have decided to retire after the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia," Kim, 21, was quoted by Reuters.

"Although I wanted to end my career at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics during my adolescent years, I have decided to make a fresh new start to round off my career, by extending my final destination to Sochi Winter Olympics 2014."

U.S. Bid Discussion

U.S. Olympic Committee leaders will hold Tuesday their first formal discussions on a potential Games bid since the signing of a new revenue-sharing deal with the IOC.

The talks were to take place during last week’s Board of Directors meeting scheduled for San Jose, Calif., but wildfires in Colorado Springs caused USOC leadership to call a two-hour teleconference instead, leaving little time for bid discussion.

"We hope we can have some discussion about our strategy in general terms," USOC chair Larry Probst said at the time. "I suspect where we end up is probably not making any specific decisions."

Keino Joins IAAF Hall of Fame

Olympic champion, honorary IOC member and National Olympic Committee of Kenya president Kip Keino joins the inaugural class of the IAAF Hall of Fame.

"He is an inspirational figure who achieved worldwide fame thanks to his phenomenal deeds on the track," IAAF president Lamine Diack said Monday upon announcing Keino’s inclusion at the close of the sport’s 18th African Championships in Porto Novo, Benin.

"Since his retirement, [Keino] has selflessly ‘given back’ to his country, building schools, an orphanage and an elite training facility for athletes," Diack added about the two-time All-Africa Games champion, three-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist and two-time Olympic champ.

Keino won gold in the 1,500m and silver in the 5,000m at Mexico City 1968, then silver in the 1,500m and gold in the 3,000m steeplechase four years later in Munich.

He joined the IOC in 2000 and retired last year, though he remains head of the Kenyan NOC as well as an honorary member of the IOC.

Four more names will be announced ahead of the IAAF Centenary Gala on Nov. 24 in Barcelona, where Keino and his 23 classmates will be officially inducted.

Rugby Hall of Fame

The 1920 and 1924 U.S. Olympic rugby teams that won gold have another honor – induction into the International Rugby Board Hall of Fame.

In a statement, the IRB called the decision "a move that will help to deepen the ties between Rugby and the rest of the Olympic family," adding "the induction is in recognition of the pioneering feats in the development and promotion of the Game in the United States."

A ceremony took place on Saturday at the final of the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy between USA and Japan in Salt Lake City.

Team USA are the reigning Olympic champions, with the Paris Games being the last to feature rugby.

Qualifying Briefs…

…Michael Phelps will not equal his record-setting performance of eight gold medals in Beijing. Despite qualifying for his eighth event in London at USA Swimming's Olympic Trials over the weekend in Omaha, Neb., his coach Bob Bowman tweeted Monday that Phelps is dropping the 200m freestyle race from his Games program.

…The final spot on the U.S. women's 100m team will go to Alyson Felix.Felix was supposed to be in a runoff with Jeneba Tarmoh following a tie last week for the third and final spot on the team. However, Tarmoh said on Monday she was withdrawing. She will now be an alternate for the 100m team. "As an alternate I understand that I will be asked to run if another 100m runner decides not to for personal reasons, and/or on the 4x100m relay," she said in a statement. Both sprinters finished behind Carmelita Jeter and Tianna Madison. "We are disappointed that Jeneba has changed her mind regarding her position on the Olympic Team," USA Track and Field chair Stephanie Hightower said. "We all worked hard to reach a consensus on the tiebreaker, but we know that Allyson, Carmelita and Tianna will represent Team USA well."

Written by Ed Hula III.

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