Sports & Socs – Page 2 of 22

The leap of faith: the mess that is sport politics

31Dec

By Peter VighNo Comments

Sports & Socs

The leap of faith: the mess that is sport politics

Fear, adrenaline, and the deep sea. Nothing exerts a bigger sensory overload of feeling alive. This raw emotion is as unwritten of an experience as one can feel and unknown every time. Like a fresh wound, familiar but always different. This is the feeling that I imagine surfers experience when confronted with the great Nazare. Nazare has been somewhat of a mecca for surfers since its commercial boom after Garrett McNamara’s world record run on its waves. Its unique large waves are accredited to the largest submarine canyon in Europe present just off the shore of Nazare. This acts like an amplifier for the incoming ocean swells forcing record breaking waves to form near the coast. In other words, surfing heaven! But why should I care about Nazare? I hear you ask. ...

The journey of ‘self-discovery’ in sport

22Jun

By Peter VighNo Comments

Sports & Socs

The journey of ‘self-discovery’ in sport

Who are you? A question often asked but rarely answered. One which is simple in theory, complex in nature and, dare I say it, feared in discovery. It’s cringe, I know, but the journey to discovering the ‘self’ begins with solitude. What’s better solitude than swimming up and down a pool alone? It's lonely; solo sports frequently are. Boxing and swimming are considered the loneliest sports, haunting you with the process of self-reflection. I know because I have been haunted by that ghost. As a swimmer, I know the mental challenge a lonely sport can throw upon you. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions, from love to hate and everything in between. A journey which makes you struggle to love the sport you pour your life into. Nobody can skip this journey. Michael Phelps and...

Street Racing: The middle finger to motorsports

17May

By Peter VighNo Comments

News, Sports & Socs

Street Racing: The middle finger to motorsports

The Midnight Club, Drifting, Fast and the Furious, NASCAR, and booze. Yes, booze. The staple ingredient to university life and the warm friend when life all goes south. This legal drug is weirdly responsible for arguably the most outlaw of sports– street racing. Between the 1920s and 1930s, during the Prohibition era, a cult emerged of bootleggers, otherwise known as moonshine runners. They were the alcohol transporters, who drove like mad men to outrun the cops when smuggling alcohol. Sounds like a blast if you ask me. These moonshine runners would buy the latest and greatest cars of the era, modifying them to give them that extra bit of umph to outrun the police. This was the accidental birth of street racing, and believe it or not, would later ...

13May

By Accalia SmithNo Comments

Opinion, Sports & Socs

Cash is King

Is Formula One an Elitist Sport? At the start of 2020’s season, Lewis Hamilton reminded us that ‘cash is king’ in the world of formula one. The paddock is full of millionaires, each race a glittering spectacle of celebrity, champagne spray and the sound of multi-million pound engines. Each team is vying for sponsorship and the driver that can give them that all important sponsorship deal - if there’s no money, there’s no competitive car out on the race track. Take Haas, for example: with limited money behind them the past few years and a lack of points to go toward a constructor championship, the Haas cars have often been left floundering at the back of the grid. 2021 saw a critique of Haas’s new rookies: Nikita Mazepin, son of Dimitri Mazepin, owner of Urakali, Haas’s former ...

Sexuality, Movember, and Spiking in Sports

1Feb

By Lee MillerNo Comments

Features, Sports & Socs

Sexuality, Movember, and Spiking in Sports

Photo by Jeffrey F Lin via Unsplash I interviewed three anonymous members of sports societies to determine their stances on sexuality in sport, Movember and spiking in a bid to see how sports can tie these topics together. Sports have a huge voice to be heard, especially when the topics at hand require vocal stances. Speaking openly on such is the first step to provide an increased awareness, with the conclusive aim to positively affect these subject matters. Sexuality in sport On the 27th of October, Josh Cavallo marked a significant breakthrough for gay footballers, powerfully coming out as gay. He became the first footballer in a top flight division to do so. This raised awareness of the LGBT+ side of football; for many years light has not shone amongst this side o...

31Jan

By Peter VighNo Comments

News, Sports & Socs

Is this the End of the Olympics?

Tokyo 2020 Olympics. What image does that conjure up in your mind? Most responses consist of a blank stare, followed with an awkward laugh. There’s an embarrassing absence of memory for the 2020 games. What does this say about the Olympics? Maybe nothing. But it says something if in the most interconnected and social media centric era, we can’t or don’t care to remember one of the biggest events held on the planet. This raises questions to how significant the Olympics is and whether it has a place in society in its current form. So, what is the point of the Olympics? I think the first Olympics, held in 1896, has all the answers. The reward for winning an event was an olive wreath. Nothing special, but it set the tone for the event. It does not exist for money-making reasons or as...

The Unspoken Truth About Sports and Mental Strength

19Nov

By Peter VighNo Comments

News, Sports & Socs

The Unspoken Truth About Sports and Mental Strength

“The will must be stronger than the skill”- Muhammad Ali. Any and every athlete can relate to this quote. At some point every aspiring athlete has experienced rock bottom, a time when you question your love for a sport and feel like throwing in the towel. This is the defining moment when you reach the door hiding your full potential and you must create the key to unlock it; the key being your mentality. Nicknamed ‘The Greatest’, Muhammad Ali is not only regarded as a sports legend but also as one of the most celebrated and influential cultural figures of the 20th century. Standing at a height of 191cm and weighing 107kg along with a reach of 198cm and famed super agility, he was no slouch in the physical department. With four WBA heavyweight champion titles and two WBC heavywe...

14Nov

By Lee MillerNo Comments

Sports & Socs

The Premier League Checkpoint

The 2021/22 English Premier League season has well and truly kicked off, but how is it shaping up? Leading the way is Chelsea, who are proving to be a well organised team. With the best defence and second most goals scored so far, it’s going to take a lot to slow this team down, their eyes set on a sixth premier league title. Liverpool remain the only unbeaten team. In close second, Liverpool’s squad are almost fully fit, desperate not to lose out due to injury as they did in previous seasons. Mo Salah, a forward for Liverpool, has been unplayable for the most part but if he makes a solid comeback that could be pivotal, allowing him to haunt his former team, Chelsea, come May 2022. Manchester City won't be happy with their start, having lost twice already. Pep Guardi...

14Nov

By Lee MillerNo Comments

Sports & Socs

Reviewed: Joshua vs Usyk

It was a clean sweep from Oleksandr Usyk as the Ukrainian remained undefeated, securing a unanimous final result of 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113. Anthony Joshua's second reign as heavyweight champion came crashing down after a timid and lethargic performance. The first 3 rounds of the fight saw Usyk assert himself more so than Joshua, who was using the opening as a chance to feel out Usyk and gain some reads. Joshua’s process appeared to be paying off, as the pendulum swung during rounds 4-6. The reigning champion upped the pace and took back control of the fight, watched on by 65,000 fans. However, Usyk quickly adjusted and during round 9 Joshua suffered an eye injury that only got worse as the fight went on. The eye kept swelling and consequently Joshua was unable to see, losing t...

Cristiano Ronaldo Takes Manchester United

15Oct

By Joseph OSullivanNo Comments

Sports & Socs

Cristiano Ronaldo Takes Manchester United

In an eye-catching turn of events, the 36-year-old legend, Cristiano Ronaldo, returned to Manchester United in a deal worth £19.8 million. Ronaldo’s incredible career so far first ignited when, at 17, he joined United from Sporting Lisbon. Being managed by the remarkable Sir Alex Ferguson, who Ronaldo still says is a “father figure” to him, helped him to develop into the superstar footballer he was destined to be. When he left united in 2009 at 23, he was an £80 million player with a Ballon dO’r, Uefa Champions League and three premier leagues to his name. Cristiano Ronaldo is known worldwide; he’s transcended ‘football star’ and entered the realm of celebrity. His return to United, and the worldwide reaction, is evidence of this. Football is still revelling in a summer transfer ...