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‘Welcome to hell’: Violence rocks Rio a month before Olympics

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Welcome to Rio de Janeiro RIO DE JANEIRO — A month before Rio de Janeiro hosts South America’s first Olympic Games, two cellphone videos have brought home the grim reality of rising violence in the city's teeming favelas — the poor communities that are home to almost a quarter of its population. In one clip, small children cower in fear in a cable-car gondola while a gun battle rages below — at 4 o'clock on a Monday afternoon. The clip hit the Internet on the same day that Mayor Eduardo Paes told CNN that the state government is doing a “terrible” job with security. By Monday night, the video was on the front page of Brazil’s biggest news site, the Globo network’s G1. That morning, police and firefighters organized a protest at Rio’s international airport over violence and unpaid salaries. “Welcome to hell,” a banner read. “Police and firefighters don’t get paid, whoever comes to Rio de Janeiro will not be safe.” It was their second demonstration at the airport, which

Uganda’s Kiprotich relishes Rio clash with mentor Kipchoge

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Stephen Kiprotich trains in Kaptagat PHOTO/Charity Wanja London 2012 Olympics and Moscow 2013 world marathon champion; Uganda’s Stephen Kiprotich is looking forward to defending his title against his mentor and training partner -Eliud Kipchoge- the two-time London winner who has been installed as the runaway favourite for Rio 2016. It will be first time the pair will be racing each other as marathoners and only the second time in their careers they will start against each other since the second heat of the men 5000m at the 2007 Osaka Worlds in Japan. Kipchoge qualified for the finals by clocking 13:33.37 and went on to win silver at the finals in 13:46.00 while it was the end of the road for Kiprotich who failed to make it for the finals after stopping the timer in 14:04.22 for 29th overall. Speaking to  Citizen Digital  after a light morning training session at Global Sports Camp in Katagat, Eldoret last week; Kiprotich is confident he will hold on to his coveted crown and

'Super bacteria' discovered in Rio's waters as Olympics near

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Despite health concerns and it being only a month until the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games, neither Picao nor international Olympic authorities recommend moving the sailing venue Rio de Janeiro (CNN) A group of Brazilian scientists have detected a drug-resistant bacteria growing off of some of Rio de Janeiro's most stunning beaches, one month before the city is due to host the 2016 Olympic Games. According to lead researcher Renata Picao, the "super bacteria" entered the city's waterways when sewage coming from local hospitals got channeled into the bay. "We have been looking for 'super bacteria' in coastal waters during a one-year period in five beaches," Picao told CNN during a visit to her lab. "We found that the threats occur in coastal waters in a variety of concentrations and that they are strongly associated with pollution." The news comes as Rio prepares to host hundreds of thousands of athletes and tourists during ne

SIX WORLD LEADS ON THIRD DAY OF US OLYMPIC TRIALS

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Jeffrey Henderson in action  Americans usually celebrate with fireworks on 4 July, their Independence Day. In Eugene on Sunday (3), the fireworks came a day early. The US Olympic Trials were so eventful on Sunday that LaShawn Merritt’s time of 43.97 in the 400m or Vashti Cunningham becoming USA’s youngest Olympian in 36 years did not even merit headlines. Six of seven finals produced the best marks in the world this year. Allyson Felix stayed on course for a 200m/400m Rio double that was once imperilled by an ankle injury. The 30-year-old Felix, who was fourth coming out of the last bend, burst down the stretch to win the 400m in 49.68. It was the fastest time since her 49.26 in winning the world title in Beijing last year. Phyllis Francis was second in 49.94, taking half a second off her PB. Courtney Okolo came to the trials as the world leader (49.71) and finished sixth in 50.39. Times for third through sixth were the fastest ever at the US Trials. “It’s been a tough yea

KENYA NAMES OLYMPIC MARATHON TEAM

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Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge in action The names of the six athletes who will represent Kenya in the marathon at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games were confirmed by Athletics Kenya on Tuesday (10). World Marathon Majors champion Eliud Kipchoge leads the men’s team, having won last month’s London Marathon in 2:03:05, the second-fastest time in history on a record-eligible course. The 31-year-old will have the opportunity to complete his Olympic medal collection, having taken bronze in 2004 and silver in 2008 in the 5000m. Stanley Biwott and Wesley Korir join him on the team for Rio and both will be making their major championships debut. Biwott won the 2015 New York Marathon and then finished second at this year’s London Marathon in a personal best of 2:03:51. Korir was the top Kenyan finisher at this year’s Boston Marathon, placing fourth in 2:14:05 behind a trio of Ethiopian athletes. The 33-year-old set his personal best of 2:06:13 when finishing fifth at the 2012 Chicago Maratho

Tanzania Olymic Team: Sara Ramadhani adds the list

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Sara Ramadhani in one of her victories Tanzania Olympic Team is getting ready for this year's Summer Olympic Games scheduled to take place between August 5th 2016 and 21st August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro Brazil. Perfect gender balance has been equalized when Sara Ramadhani made the team to become the only woman to make the team for the runner’s side. Sara Ramadhani has just been asked to join the team last week while her other teammates have been enjoying the training camp at West Kilimanjaro since January 2016. It still not known how and why Sara Ramadhani missed to be in the camp all this time! The other Marathoners who are going to represent The Land of Kilimanjaro include Alphonce Felix Simbu , Said Juma Makula and Fabian Joseph Naasi. The team will also include the Swimming and Judo who are being invited via Universality program.   @ gidabudays

Olympic Spirit on top of Mt Kilimanjaro

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Our National Olympic Camp is located in West Kilimanjaro, Mt Kilimanjaro is the tallest in Africa, in addition; Mt Kilimanjaro is the World's Tallest Free Standing Peak. We are arranging a trip to climb to Uhuru Peak and raise two flags on the Roof of Africa, I mean Tanzanian Flag and the Olympic Flag. Objectively for fundraising and patriotic reasons; regardless of what we expect out of Rio Olympic Games but with the knowledge that as one Olympic Games ends; the nation should get ready for the next. Where in the world can you find the greatest creatures with endurance than the Land of Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti? Source:  Gidabuday Sports Tourism Foundation   @ gidabudays