iChina.com

BERLIN - Two-time Olympic champion Katarina Witt has ended her show career on ice with a final performance as Carmen - the role that accompanied her greatest triumph. Wholesale Jerseys. Witt drew thunderous applause in Hannover on Tuesday on the last night of her farewell tour, capping her six routines clad as Carmen as bowls of fire lit the rink. "I have to say, honestly, that you prepare a tour like this and think of everything," Witt said. "Then I totally forgot to think of what I would say at the very end. Maybe just: Thank you." The 42-year-old former East German, dubbed "the most beautiful face of socialism" by Time magazine, drew worldwide fame by beating American rival Debi Thomas at the end of the Cold War in a politically charged duel for the 1988 Olympic gold. That was the springboard to a professional career for one of the most successful figure skaters ever in the United States and Europe. Tours with fellow gold medallist Brian Boitano and "Holiday on Ice" followed, along with an Emmy for the 1989 film "Carmen on Ice." The contest at the Calgary Olympics against Thomas was dubbed the "Battle of the Carmens," because both chose to skate their long program to Georges Bizets opera "Carmen." Witt prevailed and joined Sonja Henie as the only women figure skaters to defend their Olympic titles. When she retired from competition, her medal haul also included golds from four world and six consecutive European championships. Her professional career was aided by her sex appeal. In December 1998, Witt posed nude for Playboy Magazine and the issue became just the second to sell out after the inaugural one featuring Marilyn Monroe. Her first three years on tour were spent with Boitano and their popular show "Witt and Boitano Skating." Witt on Tuesday showed a video montage of her career that dated back to when longtime coach Jutta Mueller first began to groom the five-year-old for ice skating glory. In her show, she revisited another famous routine to the Pete Seeger folk song "Where Have All the Flowers Gone." Witt performed an arrangement of the peace song at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, during a short-lived comeback in competition. The music was directed toward the people of war-torn Sarajevo - the site of her first Olympic gold medal in 1984. Witt said leaving the ice for the last time was easier than expected. "Im doing well," she said. "Not as many tears fell as I maybe feared." Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys. The game will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on Saturday, with the start times at 1:10 p.m. (et) and 7:40 p. Wholesale NHL Jerseys. -- The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets will forever be tied together for making the same spectacular misjudgment on budding NBA sensation Jeremy Lin. Brian Urlacher Jersey. But Halladay refused to throw his teammates under the bus, pointing the finger at himself after an ugly 4-2 loss against the lowly Cleveland Indians (51-64) on Saturday before a crowd of 39,623 at the Rogers Centre. Mike Adams Jersey.2 million euros (C$26.2 million) compensation Friday after the Blues fired him for using cocaine. Brandon Hardin Jersey. Zhang Yuejiao was appointed by the WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) as a member of Appellate Body last month, and termed her new posting as a major turning point in her legal career. HAMILTON, Ont. -- They broke into the CFL together with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and in 2010 formed one of the leagues most formidable passing tandems. But before lining up for different teams Friday night, there was no sentimental gathering between Darian Durant and Andy Fantuz. Then Durant went out and spoiled Fantuzs homecoming. Durant threw four touchdown passes, including three to Weston Dressler, to lead Saskatchewan to a convincing 43-16 win over Fantuz and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL opener for both teams. It was Durants first four-touchdown performance since throwing five TDs to open the 2010 season against Montreal. The Ticats were one of the CFLs most active teams this off-season, acquiring 37-year-old quarterback Henry Burris -- the CFLs outstanding player in 2010 -- from Calgary and also making the biggest splash in free agency by signing Fantuz. The six-foot-four, 220-pound slotback spent his first six seasons with Saskatchewan and was the leagues top Canadian in 2010 with 87 catches for 1,380 yards and six TDs. The 28-year-old Fantuz signed a four-year deal reportedly worth $190,000 annually to play closer to his hometown of Chatham, Ont. But while an Ivor Wynne Stadium gathering of 25,682 came expecting offensive fireworks from Burris and Fantuz, it was Durant and Dressler who stole the show. Durant finished 25-of-34 passing for 390 yards and was sacked just once, while Dressler was his favourite target with 13 catches for 180 yards. "No, it was just another game," Durant said when asked whether he spoke to Fantuz prior to or after the contest. "He was my teammate in the past but now Ive got 45 other teammates I have to worry about. "Were about business. Its just all about winning games." Dressler, though, felt it was strange seeing Fantuz clad in black and gold. "It was different seeing him on the other side but it happens every year in the CFL," said Dressler, one of the few remaining Riders who suited up with Fantuz in Regina. "But overall, this is a pretty new team with a lot of new faces who never played with Andy so it didnt mean a whole lot to them." Burris was 28-of-39 passing for 284 yards and an interception, while Fantuz had a quiet night with five catches for 49 yards. Chris Williams, the CFLs top rookie last season, had a career-high nine receptions for 109 yards. "Sometimes you just get outplayed and thats what happened," Fantuz said. "We couldve had the lead at the half and it mightve been a different game. "I guess its a good wakeup call for us because maybe we thought we were better than we are and weve got to get back to the drawing board now." Burris said the Ticats played like a team still looking to get into sync. "You can tell this is a team thats building something because we did good things then we started to sputter," he said. "When we got into situations where we could put points on the board, wed kill ourselves. "Weve got to get this thing down, weve got to tighten the ship up. We cant make those mistakes." After hooking up on a nine-yard TD in the first half, Durant found Dressler on a 23-yard touchdown pass just 1:21 into the third to give Saskatchewan a 23-13 lead. Following an exchange of field goals, the two combined on a six-yard scoring pass with 16 seconds remaining in the quarter to give the Riders a commanding 33-16 advantage. "Weve been together for five years and when youve been playing with guys for that long you expect tto be able to make throws when theyre not looking," Durant said of Dressler. Bart Scott Jersey "(First-year Riders receiver Justin Harper) just told us in the locker-room, Man, you can tell you guys have been playing for a while. "Its good that were on the same page." Corey Chamblin, Hamiltons defensive co-ordinator last season, won his CFL head-coaching debut on Saskatchewans sidelines and handed Ticats boss George Cortez a loss in his first-ever game as pro head coach. Despite the hype surrounding its off-season additions, Hamilton has traditionally struggled to start a CFL season. The Ticats last won an opener in 2004 and have just two victories to open a campaign since 2000. Saskatchewan, meanwhile, improved to 5-2 in season-opening contests since 06. "We talked about playing fast and those guys played fast," Chamblin said. "We just kept going, we just kept going, we just kept going. "It wasnt one guy, it was us doing it together." Chris Getzlaf and Kory Sheets had Saskatchewans other touchdowns. Chris Milo added five converts and two field goals. The other points came on a safety. Chevon Walker scored Hamiltons touchdown, while Luca Congi, another former Roughrider, booted three field goals and a convert. Saskatchewan went into halftime leading 16-13, thanks to a missed field goal and a 97-yard TD that didnt count. Milo had a terrific chance to put the Riders ahead 19-13 but his 29-yard field goal try on the halfs final play hit the upright. And Saskatchewan went into halftime ahead thanks to an illegal block call earlier in the quarter that negated Burris 97-yard TD strike to Williams with the visitors holding a three-point advantage. A key 52-yard catch by Dressler was also allowed to stand despite the TV replay showing the tip of the ball appeared to hit the turf. Dressler made a diving attempt on the play and ran to the Hamilton 29-yard line. The Ticats didnt challenge it and the play stood. Cortez said he didnt challenge the play because he didnt get a good view of it when it happened and his spotters in the booth couldnt see a replay before Saskatchewan snapped the ball on the next play. "We didnt play well enough to win the game in any round," Cortez said. "At times we had pretty good returns, at times we covered pretty well but there was no consistency in any part of the game." Two plays later, Durant hit Getzlaf on a 25-yard TD pass to put Saskatchewan head 14-6. The halfs biggest play that counted belonged to Walker. The rookie tailback, who got the start ahead of veteran Avon Cobourne -- who was a healthy scratch -- made that decision count with a stellar 89-yard TD run at 6:52 of the second that pulled Hamilton to within 14-13. The five-foot-10, 201-pound Walker took the handoff from Burris, broke through a huge hole and then took off untouched the rest of the way with outstanding burst of speed. Durants touchdown pass to Dressler in the first opened the scoring. Notes: Canadian Kevin Eiben got the start at linebacker for Hamilton, forcing American Markeith Knowlton -- the CFLs top defensive player in 2010 -- to backup status. ... Burris moved past former all-star Doug Flutie (41,355 yards) into sixth spot on the all-time CFL passing list. ... Saskatchewan sported white road uniforms and helmets for the game instead of their traditional green, looking more like the Michigan State Spartans. ... Rookie Ben Heenan, the first player taken in the 2012 CFL draft, started at right guard for Saskatchewan. ' ' '