[UPDATED] Sunday’s NYC Marathon Cancelled

By on October 31, 2012  Featured story, Sports
Oct 312012
 

The 2011 NYC Marathon along 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn (Photo: Brian Hedden).

[UPDATED] 11/2/12 As per multiple news sources, the 2012 ING NYC Marathon has been cancelled. The announcement by Mayor Bloomberg came in the midst of increasing public outcry and after a number of elected officials issued statements strongly criticizing the event for potentially taking away resources from citywide relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

It seems ING New York City Marathon officials and city pols may have decided as early as Monday that the annual race would be set to go on as planned. Continue reading »

Undefeated Local Boxer Sadam Ali Preparing For Saturday’s Aviator Fight At Bay Ridge Gym

By on October 25, 2012  Sports
Oct 252012
 

Image source: Google maps.

United States Olympian and Brooklyn native Sadam “World Kid” Ali has been hitting his gym at 6825 5th Ave this week in preparation for a highly anticipated Saturday bout at Aviator Sports Complex [3159 Flatbush Ave] in Marine Park.

Image source: Wikipedia Commons.

Born and raised in Brooklyn by his Yemeni-born parents, Ali has four sisters and a brother. He began boxing at the Bed-Stuy Boxing Club at the age of eight, after being inspired by Yemeni-British boxer “Prince” Naseem Hamed.

After participating in the 2008 Olympics, Ali had his pro-boxing debut on January 17, 2009, handily defeating opponent Ricky Thompson in just 1:42.

Then, right here in Brooklyn less than a year later, the 2008 U.S. Olympic lightweight and first Arab-American boxer to go to the Olympics scored an “overwhelming second-round knockout” of New Orleans’ Gary Bergeron (12-6, 7 KOs), who, according to reports “had no answers for anything Ali threw at him.” Click Here For Details On Saturday’s Fight

Seen In Bay Ridge: Fresh Legs and Spent Cups

By on November 6, 2011  Featured story, Sports
Nov 062011
 

bks_Marathon2011a

bks_Marathon2011b

I tip my hat to the runners of this or any other marathon. I’m in better shape now than I have been perhaps in my entire life, and I still get cranky if I have to run the three short blocks from my apartment to the subway station. (I’m likely to stop after two.)

bks_Marathon2011c

In front of the water and Gatorade station at milepost #4, it looks like the floor of a rock club after the headlining band has cleared out.