News London 2012. Co Londonderry cyclist Wendy Houvenaghel leaves games empty-handed
Olympic disappointment for Northern Irish dentist
Northern Irish Olympic cyclist and former dentist Wendy Houvenaghel has criticised her team-mates and coach after she was left out of the team pursuit gold medal-winning team in London.
The triple world champion and individual pursuit silver medallist from Beijing in 2008, was over- looked for all three team pursuit races and left the velodrome before Dani King, Laura Trott and Jo Rowsell won gold in a world record time. The 37-year-old from Magher- afelt, Co Londonderry, said she was told during training prior to the Olympics that all four riders in the team would be used during the competition. If she had raced in just one of the rounds, she would have been eligible for a medal, but as she was left out, she was the only member of the team to leave London empty-handed.
In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Wendy said: “I have been very loyal to British cycling over the last six years and I feel the way they have treated me has been very unjust.”
Dental study looks at elite athletes in London
RESEARCH
An innovative research study has used the London Olympics as an opportunity to investigate the oral health of elite athletes and the impact of oral health on training and performance. The UCL Eastman Dental Institute study is being led by Professor Ian Needleman with Dr Paul Ashley, Dr Aviva Petrie, Professor Stephen Porter and
10 Ireland’s Dental magazine
race, only to be told by her coach Shane Sutton that she wouldn’t be riding.
She said: “In that 10 second burst from him my Olympic dream was shattered and everything that I had worked for over the last six years just went up in smoke.
“It was that abrupt. There was no explanation and no reasoning. I had to accept it and then I left the building.”
After missing out on the first qual- ification race she thought she would be in line to race in the next round after one of her team-mates took ill. But she was told that the line-up had already been submitted as it was only an hour before the race. However, with a chance of riding in the final still in her sights, she warmed up and got ready for the
Professor Nikolaos Donos, working with the London 2012 polyclinic dental team led by Professor Farida Fortune from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. To date, more than 300 athletes have been recruited to take part, making it one of the most comprehensive investi- gations of oral health in elite athletes ever undertaken. Professor Needleman said: “There are many potential threats to oral health in athletes including exercise-induced immunosuppression, diffi- culty in taking time away from training for oral care, and drinks high in sugars. Despite this, oral health does not usually appear
Wendy racing in the world championships earlier this year
Asked why she thinks the GB coaches made their decision, she said: “I’m not sure. Perhaps the ‘inspire a generation’ thing could have something to do with it. I’m 37-years-old and have a career in dentistry as well as in cycling. Perhaps there is an element of ageism in all this.
“On Saturday there was no reason not to put me in one, if not both line-ups. I was more than capable. It was not an accurate reflection of my ability in team pursuiting and certainly wasn’t a reflection of what was happening a week ago in our training camp. I’m in the best form of my life.”
Prof Ian
Needleman at the London 2012 Dental Clinic
on the radar for many athletes and little is known about such impacts on their performance. “Several athletes during the Olympic games so far have
told us how big an effect it has had on them and we are looking forward to analysing the data over the next few weeks and months.”
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