She was an ardent and experienced tri-athlete and was in training for her first Ironman competition.
Brand, who died of pancreatic cancer on Wednesday at age 67, was the first university president to run the monolithic National Collegiate Athletic Association — an egghead in charge of the ultimate locker room — but he proved to be an ardent defender of the athletes in his flock.
Mills had been equally ardent that Bolt was a clean athlete, declaring to the Jamaica Gleaner: "We will test any time, any day, any part of the body...[he] doesn't even like to take vitamins".
In fact, Mr. Ni flew from Baghdad to Beijing to visit the athletes in early October, a sign that he is either an ardent fan of the team or, perhaps, that Beijing attaches a great deal of importance to building good links with the oil-rich Middle Eastern country.
Ardent birthers may disagree.
These men were ardent protectionists.
Frank was an ardent conservationist.
He became an ardent abolitionist.
