LONDON - Quebec athletes make up just under a quarter Canadas Olympic team, yet they won all of the countrys first four medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games. . A pair of bronze in synchronized diving, another bronze in judo and yet another bronze in womens weightlifting came from athletes from that province in the first four days of competition. Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois was quick to make political hay out of the development in Quebec City, citing it as another reason the province should be independent. "We could continue to win our medals," she said. "Im sure of that." Politics aside, Quebec can toot its own horn when it comes to Olympic sports. The province financially supports its athletes more than any other province. Montreals sports facilities are approaching world class, thanks to a multimillion-dollar renovation already underway to create a sport institute with the Montreal 1976 venues. The only other two Canadian centres with sport infrastructure of similar quality are Calgary and Vancouver/Whistler, B.C. Whats on offer in those places is geared towards winter sport because of the 1988 and 2010 Winter Games. Toronto will be able to cater more to elite athletes once the 2015 Pan American Games are held there. Quebec athletes stepping up for Canada in the opening days of the Games was also a function of the schedule. Diving and judo competition fell on the opening days. The national diving and judo centres are based in Montreal, drawing athletes from the local population. Canadas geographic imbalance of medals will likely even out over the next couple of days as rowers and trampoline gymnasts from outside Quebec are expected to produce medals. But give Quebec credit as a sport powerhouse when it comes to producing both summer and winter Olympians. Under the Team Quebec program, the government will spend $65 million in 2011-2012 on its athletes and the construction of the sport institute. "The culture in terms of the passion and commitment to high-performance sport in Quebec is quite profound," says Own The Podium head Anne Merklinger. "Quebec, to this point in time, they are a leading province in terms of investing in high-performance sport. They provide direct financial support to coaches and athletes on the national team and no other province does that." Weightlifter Christine Girard, one of Canadas three bronze medallists Tuesday, can vouch for Quebecs superior sport support. She grew up in Rouyn-Noranda, but now lives and trains in White Rock, B.C. "I know what Im talking about because I have lived in both systems and I can definitely say athletes are better supported and better served in Quebec than elsewhere in Canada," she said. "Personally, my funding was $15,000 less when I decided to move out west with my husband a couple of years ago. The support were getting in Quebec is better, not only financially, but the services we get from professionals are free. We have to pay for all of that in B.C." An aquatics centre of excellence was established at Montreal Olympic Park in 2007, but Quebec was a diving hotbed long before that. As often happens, when an athlete rises to the top of the world, those who train with them often follow. Current Canadian team assistant chef de mission Sylvie Bernier won springboard bronze at Los Angeles 1984, serving as a role model for Annie Pelletier (bronze, Atlanta 1996) and Anne Montminy (silver, bronze, Sydney 2000). They were followed by Emilie Heymans, a St-Lambert diver who earned a medal at each of the last four Olympic Games. Her first was a synchronized silver with Montminy. Now, its Jennifer Abel picking up the torch. The Laval native won synchro springboard bronze with Heymans on Day 2 and is a contender in the individual springboard later this week. Roseline Filion, who won synchro tower bronze with Meaghan Benfeito on Tuesday, says it was Pelletier who inspired her at age nine to start diving. Alex Despatie of Laval, Que., has two Olympic silver medals in mens diving on his resume and looks to add a third here in springboard. When the Institute du Sport is complete at Olympic Park, it will have synchronized swimming, diving, swimming, water polo, judo, gymnastics, fencing and short-track speedskating among its resident sports. With Olympic medallist Nicholas Gill coaching Antoine Valois-Fortier to judo bronze in London, a similar cycle could start in that sport. Filion dives in an environment where all her competitive needs are met. She looks forward to sharing that environment with other athletes from her province. "From the weight room, to the dryland (training) area, we have psychiatrists, nutritionists, fitness coach, massage, physio, we absolutely have everything we need," she said. "Theyre just going to build it more and more to get everybody at Olympic Stadium, so we get to see the short-track speedskating training at the same time as us in the weight room. Were really grateful because we have that much support in Quebec." [url=http://www.ravensofficialteamstore.com/autographed-pernell-mcphee-jersey-il... McPhee Jersey . Alabama (11-1) and Georgia (11-1) were both No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in the poll last week and remained in the same positions following blowout wins against rivalry opponents. The pair will square off next Saturday in Atlanta in the SEC title game in what amounts to a de facto national semifinal. . LOUIS -- Carlos Beltran appears to be getting his stroke back. [url=http://www.ravensofficialteamstore.com/autographed-arthur-brown-jersey-ma-3... . The Texas A&M quarterback became the first freshman to be voted The Associated Press Player of the Year in college football on Tuesday. [url=http://www.ravensofficialteamstore.com/autographed-lardarius-webb-jersey-jq... Webb Jersey . The league and NHL Players Association were each holding firm on their most recent proposals Monday and have yet to even make plans to gather for another bargaining session this week. . David Booth, who has yet to take part in training camp, will be lost for a month to six weeks with a groin strain.GLADSTONE, N.J. -- Morgan Pressel inched closer to her first LPGA Tour title since 2008, posting two very different victories Saturday to reach the semifinals of the Sybase Match Play Championship. Pressel rallied from 2-down with three holes to play to stun No. 2 ranked Na Yeon Choi in 19 holes in the morning and rolled over Anna Nordqvist of Sweden 5 and 4 in the afternoon quarterfinal in the surprised-filled event at the Hamilton Farm Golf Club. Pressel will face former NCAA champion Azahara Munoz in one of the semifinals Sunday morning, while American Vicky Hurst and Candie Kung will square off in the other match. The championship and consolation are Sunday afternoon. Of the four players left, Pressel is the highest seed at No. 15. The 19th-seeded Munoz and the 37th-seeded Hurst have never won an LPGA Tour event. The 30-year-old Kung, who beat No. 1 ranked Yani Tseng in the morning round of 16, has four tour wins, but none since 2008. Kung is the lowest seed in the 64-player field at No. 49. "I think that I definitely want to win again and Ill have a chance tomorrow," said the soon-to-be 24-year Pressel. "No matter what happens, I think that I -- this is the best Ive played in a long time, and from Japan two weeks ago to this week, I finally feel comfortable with my game again to a point where I havent been in a while. Im going to give it everything that I have tomorrow." Pressel, whose best finish this year is a tie for 20th, has been steady this week. She made birdies on the 16th and 17th holes to tie Choi and won on the 19th when the South Korean missed a par-saving putt. In the afternoon, she ran away from Nordqvist after the one-time U.S. Womens Open champion fell behind after a couple of bogeys. "This afternoon I had a little bit of a break and didnt need to make quite as many birdies, but tomorrow Im going to need to make the birdies again because Im sure Athas goinng to come out and come out strong. [url=http://www.ravensofficialteamstore.com/autographed-matt-birk-jersey-kk-22.h... Birk Ravens Jersey. quot; Munoz routed off No. 6 seeded Stacy Lewis 5 and 4 in a match the tours best American this year didnt play well. In the round of 16, Lewis -- who was the highest-seeded player remaining at that point -- edged 2010 Sybase champion Sun Young Yoo 1-up in the morning. "I played pretty horrible," said Lewis, who won in Mobile, Ala., two weeks ago. "It was probably one of the worst rounds I played all year. It probably didnt matter who I was playing, I wasnt going to win." Munoz and Pressel are good friends. "We both want to win bad, so I think its going to be fun," the 24-year-old Munoz said. "I wish I wasnt playing her to be honest." Hurst and Kung both had to work harder to post their quarterfinals wins. The long-hitting Hurst, who upset No. 5 ranked Cristie Kerr over 19 holes Friday, won the 15th and 16th holes to take the lead en route to a 2-up win over U.S. Womens Open champion So Yeon Ryu of South Korea. Kung also won the 15th and 16th holes to go 2-up against Julieta Granada of Paraguay and closed out a 2-and-1 win with a par at the 17th. "We both played pretty solid the whole day," Hurst said. "She kind of let it go at the end, but it was pretty close." Kung said her putting carried her Saturday, but she had other concerns after the matches. She probably didnt expect to be here Sunday and checked out of her hotel. In the other morning matches, Ryu won seven of the first nine holes en route to a 5-and- 4 win over Katherine Hull of Australia. Nordqvist won four of the final six holes in beating No. 10 seed Amy Yang 3 and 1. Hurst was a 2-and-1 winner over Angela Stanford in an All-American match. Munoz posted a 2-and-1 win over Jodi Ewart of England, who upset defending champion Suzann Pettersen in the first round. Granada was a 1-up winner over Karine Icher of France. ' ' '