The Sports Life

How A Web Site Became A Ticket To The 2008 Beijing Olympics

Who knew that building a web site and active online community would be the path to qualifying for the Beijing Olympic Games?

Craig Harkins, the owner and operator of Fencing.Net, recently learned that he had become one of only 5,600 members of media worldwide to earn a spot in Beijing covering the Olympic Games. The Atlantan will be going to Beijing in 2008 to report on the progress of the US Olympic Fencing Team as their members attempt to improve on the Gold and Bronze medal brought back from the 2004 Athens Games.

"When I was reporting on the Olympics in 2000, I was staying up late, using my Internet connection to view the fencing and relying on past interviews with the Olympians" said Craig Harkins. "After that, my goal was to make it to the next Olympics. When I learned that the USOC had awarded Fencing.Net a media credential for the Beijing Olympics, I did a little dance!"

Fencing.Net has been featured in the most recent publication of the United States Fencing Association and recognizedas a key site on Olympic Fencing by Yahoo!'s Olympic guide as far back as the 2000 Games. The site, found at http://www.fencing.net/ offers a wide range of information about the sport as well as up to date news, training tips, and a thriving community site where fencers can discuss the latest news and share tips and gossip.

"US Fencing is delighted to hear that fencing.net will be making the trip to Beijing. We know that the U.S. market will be provided with real-time news and interviews with the U.S. team and international athletes from across the world." said Cindy Bent Findlay, Media Coordinator for the United States Fencing Association. "Fencing.net has taken reporting on our sport to a new level and so we look forward to more great coverage from Beijing."

Since 1995, Fencing.Net has provided resources for beginning fencers as well as experienced fencers looking to improve their level of competitiveness in the sport. Now the company site has extended its services to help people find fencing clubs and camps in their area and to provide the necessary equipment for participation in the sport.

Harkins, who is taking a break from competitive fencing, now runs Fencing.Net as a full-time enterprise, having recently opened an online fencing equipment store at http://shop.fencing.net/.

Craig Harkins has been an active fencer for over 20 years and has been credentialed to report at the Beijing Olympic Fencing competitions. For more fencing news and fencing equipment, go to http://shop.fencing.net.

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