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[The "What the F**k" aspect of this story was that the organisers of the London Marathon were not going to give her a medal for finising the course because she didn't do it in 24 hours.]

Agreed.  It should be on a thread called Things that make you go WOW.  Pretty awe inspiring.  Fair play to the other participants who gave their medals so she could have one.

The "What the F**k" aspect of this story was that the organisers of the London Marathon were not going to give her a medal for finising the course because she didn't do it in 24 hours.

Typical english jobsworth attitude

but what a performance by the lady.

Baseball is made for stats though.
I wouldn't like to see gaelic football go down that route.
Meaningful statistics are great but I've no interest in hearing about how Bernard Brogan has an 85% success rate when he kicks off his left foot in the last 5 minutes of a game played in the rain.

A few years ago in the Sindo Christy O Connor did a full stats run down on the hurling final and it came across as something for a very special(ist) audience. 

Very impressive 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/may/08/paralysed-claire-lomas-london-marathon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4NkFXcYSGQ

[James McClean subjected to abuse after Republic of Ireland call-up]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17987182

James McClean subjected to abuse after Republic of Ireland call-up

Former Northern Ireland U-21 footballer James McClean has been subjected to sectarian abuse after being named in the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2012 squad.  Some of the messages directed at the Londonderry man on Twitter also contained threats.  The 23-year-old winger, who plays for Sunderland in the Premier League, discovered on Monday that he had been included in Giovanni Trapattoni's team for next month's finals.  He said he was thrilled at the call-up.  McClean tweeted: "Absolutely honoured and couldn't be happier to have been called up to represent my country at the Euros. No better feeling."

He later told the Mail: "To be called up to represent Ireland has always been a personal dream of mine and to be associated with players who I have watched myself is very special.   "I can't wait to join up with the squad and start to focus on the Championships."  His news was met with messages of congratulations, but also some posts containing sectarian abuse and threats to kill.

Some of the messages have since been deleted.  One fan tweeted in response: "The sectarian and discriminatory abuse James McClean is taking off confused NI fans is simply a disgrace."  Another said: "Just heard that James McClean is in the Irish euro 2012 squad. Good lad, he deserves it."  McClean, who carries an Irish passport, made a general response following the abuse on Twitter.  He tweeted: "Love the dogs' abuse am gettin off shock N.I fans, just worry about watchin ur own country at the euros... oh wait #mybad #awkward haha."

East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell said it was "reprehensible that anybody's life is threatened by whatever decisions they take".  "Hopefully we can get beyond that and get on with the tournament and people can support whatever team they feel comfortable supporting," he said.  SDLP assembly member Conall McDevitt also condemned the threats saying proper football fans would not condone them.

"Football is one of the most amazing sports in the world. We need to unite behind players who are going to lay their bodies on the line... and not think about the politics."  A spokesperson for the PSNI said: "We don't discuss individual cases, however, if we receive information that a person's life may be at risk we will inform them accordingly. We never ignore anything which may put an individual at risk."  McClean has previously been the target of abuse from unhappy Northern Ireland fans since he declared for the Republic, having been brought through the ranks by the Irish Football Association.  He made a massive impression in his first season at Sunderland and made his senior debut for the Republic in February.   The former Derry City player received a huge ovation when he came on as a substitute against the Czech Republic.

The Republic will continue their preparations for this summer's tournament in Poland and Ukraine by playing friendlies against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday 26 May and Denmark two days later.

Where is Londonderry ?

Meath4Sam.

MWWSST

We gave Westmeath a skelping for our frustrations today...

I would say 3, maybe 4, of that Westmeath team will play on Sunday week against Louth.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking the win seriously, I was just pointing out that Meath did actually win today. For a change.

the Beal bocht doesn't work with Royalty

The men who escorted the Kildare men out of the game need to take a look at themselves. Ridiculous.

Ulster is a great place to see people looking at themselves before they catch themselves on.

Yourself seafoid being one of them?

Gan dabht. All the years of pain and suffering and by 4.55 one Sunday evening they will be washed away. Mayo is one of the great stories of the GAA. I think what will happen is that the match will be over as a game by 4.30 with Mayo tacking over the points from all angles and Kerry destroyed so the final whistle  will come as an anticlimax   

[. Partly from the siege mentality of always being down-troden by outsiders and and even the etched in memories of 'To Hell or to Connacht' we invariably back each other when it comes down to it. We all talk plenty of rubbish, but few true supporters in Connacht would ever harbour anything but hope for the other counties when it comes down to the heat of the championship.]

Explosive stuff from Brolly but as ever with him you don't know when he's telling the truth or when he's just making stuff up for effect. No wonder he's a barrister.

Our experience explains why we are far more fervent about our province than the other three. When I began working in RTE I was amazed that Cork people didn't support Kerry when they got out of Munster and Mayo folk didn't support Galway. Up here, we rally round whoever gets through because we feel we are all in it together.

That bit is certainly true alright. Ulster lads will nearly always back each other up when they are not knocking the shite out of each other. There is far less of that in the other provinces.

Nah. Whatever about Munster, Leinster and Ulster, Connacht is the most bonded together province. Partly from the siege mentality of always being down-troden by outsiders and and even the etched in memories of 'To Hell or to Connacht' we invariably back each other when it comes down to it. We all talk plenty of rubbish, but few true supporters in Connacht would ever harbour anything but hope for the other counties when it comes down to the heat of the championship.Just ask all those Rossies who were there in July of '98 and had watched our two counties play to a stalemate, twice, only for the ultimate and exquisite agony of an extra-time goal to burn out our hope as the light dimmed over Dr. Hyde Park.

The very same Rossies who crowded the streets of Athlone in two months later when you brought Sam over the Shannon and home to Connacht.

Dead right. I was listening to Brian Carthy yesterday commenting on the u21 final and at one stage there was a piece that he described as "Roscommon football at its best" and I think a lot of Galway people are fans of that when the Rossies get to Dublin. The same goes when Mayo are playing. And when Mayo eventually win the f*cking thing beidh daoine ag gol  i nGaillimh freisin.

Cork were very poor last year. They couldn't have turned it around so quickly.

2-12 to 0-11

Well done to the Dubs

Dublin really putting the knife in in the last 5 minutes

Very good. I wonder how much the Falklands cost the austerity hit UK per annum, other than all the deceased war veterans.

Guardiola has resigned

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/apr/27/barcelona-pep-guardiola

Can't see Abramovich giving him the year off to be honest. Maybe Two weeks in the Caribbean if he's lucky.

I don't think Guardiola is motivated by money so I don't see him at Chelsea.

He's going to take on the Meath job