Beijing Olympics 2008

Olympics: Golden British team home amid concerns for 2012

2008-08-26T17:24:00.001+07:00

LONDON - Britain's most successful Olympic team for 100 years was due to arrive back home from Beijing on Monday, as team bosses warned that the coaches behind the medal haul could be poached by other nations.

A jubilant Team GB flew back to London on a Boeing 747 renamed "Pride" and with its nose cone repainted gold in recognition of its success.

Britain's collection of 47 medals at the Beijing Olympics, including 19 gold medals, lifted it to fourth in the medals table and raised expectations of home success at the 2012 Olympics in London.

To the disappointment of some fans, the returning heroes will have a low-key welcome when they touch down at 1400 GMT.

People were urged not to go to London's Heathrow Airport to greet them because it could not accommodate a large crowd on one of its busiest days of the year.

Instead, the Olympians will be given a homecoming victory parade through London in October.

But as Britain basked in its success, British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan said he feared the brains behind the success would be poached by high-paying rivals.

The injection of funding generated by the national lottery over the past decade is credited with revamping Britain's Olympic fortunes, but Moynihan urged the government to quickly agree a four-year funding plan for 2012.

He said that working on a year-to-year basis could lead to key coaches with the British team being tempted away by rivals such as Australia, which is smarting from Britain's new-found success.

"A lot of our performance directors have really delivered so it's not going to be surprising for their phones to be ringing," Moynihan told The Times newspaper.

"We have some of the best in the world - there will be many other countries who will want to poach them from us.

"We need four years of funding in place for the national governing bodies so they can negotiate contracts to sign them up now for 2012. It cannot be done on a year-by-year basis."

Dave Brailsford, the performance director of the British cycling team which dominated competition winning 14 medals, is reportedly yet to commit his future to the British team.

The 2012 organisers threw a giant street party in the shadow of Buckingham Palace on Sunday to celebrate the official handover of the Olympic flag to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, during the Beijing Olympics closing ceremony.

Olympics: Brazil frustrated with Olympic score, eyes hosting 2016 Games

2008-08-26T12:03:00.001+07:00

BRASILIA - Brazil on Monday moaned its lacklustre performance in the Beijing Olympics, with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva saying the country must do better even as Rio de Janeiro bids to host the 2016 Games.

"I think we need to quickly take the issue of Brazilian sport more seriously," he said in his weekly radio address, after lauding the few Brazilian champions who made it to the winners' podium.

Lula could barely hide his frustration over Brazil's paltry three gold medals, four silver and eight bronze, which put the nation in 23rd place in the Beijing rankings - lower than the 16th position it scored in the 2004 Athens Games.

Brazil's media were also disappointed, wondering how a country usually known for turning out champions in football, beach volleyball, Formula One and other disciplines could languish so badly in the world's most important sporting arena.

The Brazilian Olympic Committee is thinking of hiring more sports psychologists, the daily O Globo reported, while the Folha do S. Paulo stated: "Winning Olympic medals is always positive, but it doesn't have to be a priority for a country like Brazil."

Brazil's men's beach volleyball defeat to the United States and football loss to Argentina in Beijing were especially stinging, though questions were raised for all activities.

Brazilian federal and state authorities and big companies have to pull together "so that we have more competitive teams, more competitive athletes, which will improve Brazil's chances of better performance," Lula said.

More specialists were needed "so we can compete in the Olympics in equivalent conditions" as other sporting nations.

"If we start doing that now, we have a chance to improve a lot in 2012" - when London hosts the next Olympics - "and to be at the forefront in 2016," he said.

Lula said Rio had "concrete" chances of hosting the 2016 Games, in the face of competition from Tokyo, Chicago and Madrid.

"South America has never had the Olympics, and I think that the Olympic Games should come to South America. It's an important issue for us Brazilians and we are going to fight," he said.

The winning city for the 2016 Olympics will be announced next year.

China's Hu arrives for South Korea summit

2008-08-25T12:19:00.002+07:00

SEOUL - Fresh from hosting a 17-day Olympic spectacular, Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in South Korea on Monday for talks set to focus on trade and North Korea's nuclear disarmament.

South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak will seek Hu's help at a summit later Monday in easing tense inter-Korean relations and persuading the North to make progress on scrapping its nuclear weapons, Seoul presidential officials say.

The two leaders, meeting for the third time since Lee took office in February, will also discuss plans to broaden their relationship beyond economic issues and will sign a variety of cooperation deals.

"His South Korean trip due the very day after the closing of the Beijing Olympics will demonstrate ever-closer bilateral relations," presidential spokesman Lee Dong-Kwan said.

China is a longstanding ally and crucial donor of food and fuel to the impoverished North.

Inter-Korean relations are at their lowest ebb for a decade after Lee took office and promised to take a firmer line with the North. Official contacts have been cut off.

Six-nation nuclear negotiations chaired by China and including the two Koreas, the United States, Russia and Japan have also hit a snag.

As part of a deal reached last year the North has handed over details of its plutonium-based nuclear programme, but cannot agree with the United States on ways to verify it.

The dispute is delaying efforts to move on to the final phase of the deal, under which the North is supposed to dismantle its atomic plants and hand over all nuclear weapons and material.

At their first summit in Beijing in late May, Lee and Hu agreed to upgrade relations to form a "strategic cooperative partnership." They also met on August 9 in Beijing after Lee attended the opening of the Olympics.

China is South Korea's largest trade partner with total trade worth more than US$145 billion last year.

Seoul had invested a total of US$22.54 billion in China as of the end of last year, and the two sides are studying a possible free trade agreement.

Seoul officials say Monday's meeting will aim to broaden ties into non-economic sectors.

Lee and Hu will witness the signing of memorandums on closer cooperation in energy conservation, the prevention of desertification, trade information networking, technology, food safety and education.

"Yellow dust," originating in China's Gobi Desert and coated with pollutants en route, is a frequent springtime irritant in South Korea, which has sent volunteers to plant trees in the desert.

North Korean defectors meanwhile said they would rally in central Seoul to protest at China's policy of repatriating North Korean refugees as economic migrants.

International rights groups have criticised the policy, noting that the refugees often face harsh punishment on their return.

"China has become a country that garners international attention, and we hope it would now make improvements in human rights as well, particularly the rights of North Korean defectors, to suit its status," said Pastor Kim Kyu-Ho, whose groups is organising the rally.

About 100 defectors and rights activists will gather for the protest, Kim told Yonhap news agency.

South Korea is laying on a full ceremonial welcome, including a 21-gun salute and a state banquet, for Hu.

He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Han Seung-Soo and attend a lunch hosted by economic organisations Tuesday before heading for Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Olympics: US NBA stars win gold but Spain gives them a challenge

2008-08-25T12:18:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Kobe Bryant provided a vital late spark as the United States reclaimed Olympic basketball supremacy on Sunday, defeating world champion Spain 118-107 to bring the Americans their 13th gold medal.

Dwyane Wade scored 27 points to lead the Americans while Bryant added 20, LeBron James contributed 14 and Carmelo Anthony scored 13 for the US squad of National Basketball Association stars who found redemption for a 2004 flop.

Wade, James and Anthony were all frustrated reserve members of the US team that settled for bronze at the 2004 Olympics, sparking the golden quest of this US "Redeem Team" to reclaim global supremacy for basketball's birthplace.

"We were at America's lowest point in '04," Anthony said. "We did a hell of a job putting America back where it belongs, on top of the world."

A day after his 30th birthday, Bryant smiled and said, 'Oh my God,' as he watched the Stars and Stripes rise while the US anthem played, having already bitten his medal and found the taste of gold sweeter than his three NBA titles.

"It is more important and more special than any championship that any of us will ever win," Bryant said.

It was a game the NBA superstar multi-millionaires had waited for years to play and they were not about to lose.

"We put our time and hearts into this. To come through and finally win the gold medal not just for ourselves but for America, it means a lot," James said. "It means everything to me. It's so rewarding to see your hard work pay off."

But the Spaniards gave the US stars their toughest Olympic fight, staying within two points with eight minutes to play.

Rudy Fernandez sank a three-pointer with 8:13 remaining to pull the Spanish within 91-89, the closest they had been since the first eight minutes and that any team in the Olympics had been to the Americans so late in a game.

"They were unbelievable," James said. "They countered our game plan by making some incredible plays. Every possession counted. If it wasn't for our determination we wouldn't have pulled it through."

Bryant entered after a US timeout to regroup and sparked a 12-3 run, scoring five points and making two assists. Pau Gasol, Bryant's NBA teammate, answered with four points to pull Spain within 104-99.

But Bryant replied with a pivotal four-point play - sinking a three-pointer, being fouled and adding a free throw.

"Dwyane made a couple big plays and we all know Kobe likes the ball down the stretch," Gasol said. "We played well. We almost had it. We fought to the end. We had a chance."

Spain closed within 108-104 but Wade hit a three-pointer and added lay-in off a pass from Bryant with 71 seconds remaining to seal Spain's fate.

"That probably goes down as one of the greatest games in Olympic history," James said. "The intensity was unbelievable. It was crazy for us."

In the final seconds, US players began hugging each other with joy. Wade, James and Anthony sought each other out and stood in awe of their achievement.

"The moment is special," Wade said. "All three of us took time out and took the moment in. Being part of the '04 Olympic team and not getting to show our talent, we really wanted to win this."

Americans had lost only twice in Olympic history until 2004, when they dropped round robin games to Puerto Rico and Lithuania and fell to eventual champion Argentina in the Athens semi-finals, settling for bronze medals.

A shock loss to Greece in the 2006 world championship semi-finals left the Americans with bronze again, but the US team has not lost since, avenging the losses to Greece and Argentina with Olympic triumphs.

"Everybody talks about NBA players being selfish and arrogant," Bryant said. "What you saw out there was a team coming together and playing as a team."

The US team improved to 10-0 against Spain in the Olympics, including a victory in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics gold medal game. The US team routed Spain 119-82 last week in preliminary round play but this was far different.

Fernandez scored 22 to lead Spain while Gasol added 21.

"It was a wonderful game but unfortunately we lost," Gasol said. "We kept ourselves with a chance the whole game, which says a lot about this team. We played a tough game. We never backed down. We should be proud."

Olympics: Phelps already eyeing more gold in London

2008-08-25T12:17:00.001+07:00

LONDON - US swimming sensation Michael Phelps warned on Sunday that he is already eyeing more gold at the London Games in 2012.

Phelps became the most decorated medallist in Olympic history with 14 gold medals from Beijing and Athens, including a record eight gold in China, the most by an athlete at any single Games.

But rather than sitting back and enjoying his achievements, the 23-year-old from Baltimore is already preparing himself for the challenge of the London Games in four years' time.

And after arriving in London for the Olympic handover party he explained how he was hoping to take his swimming skills to another level, including tackling new events such as the backstroke.

"Olympic athletes dream of being part of the Olympics every four years," he said. "Right after the Olympics are over, our mindset is already focused on the next four years and what we can do to change how we prepare and try some new things and that's something I'm looking forward to now.

"I still have things that I want to do in the sport, I've never competed over here in London and I'm looking forward to really experiencing more of the city and be able to prepare myself to hopefully swim some fast times.

"I've no idea what I'm really going to do but I'm looking forward to trying some new events and swimming some events that I haven't really had the opportunity to swim since my schedule is always so crowded," said Phelps.

"I've never really swum the backstroke or the 100m freestyle at a major international competition so Bob (Bowman), my coach, is going to throw everything he has ever done coaching me out of the door and try something completely different just to see how it works.

"No breaststroke, no distance swimming, no open water - at least those guys will still be my friends," said Phelps.

"I'm excited for the next four years and today is the kick-off for the next four years.

"We are just trying a bunch of new things and if it's successful then great and if not then we can go back to what we were doing.

"But I'm looking forward to having some changes because the last 10 or 15 years have been the same thing the whole time.

"I've got some pretty lofty dreams in my head and those goals are going to stay there until they are accomplished," said the American.

But Phelps accepts he faces even tougher challenges to stay at the top of his sport after his outstanding performances in Beijing.

"This has been one of the hardest things I've ever done, to be able to swim 17 times and make sure that I have to be ready to swim at my beat in every one of those races because I'm competing against people who are focusing just on that one race.

"I know that it's not going to be easy getting there and there are going to be some bumps in the road here and there - but everybody has bumps in the road and it really just depends on how you get over those and make sure it doesn't happen again.

"I don't think it's going to be perfect but it's going to be fun over the next few years while I finish off my career," claimed Phelps, who is adamant London will be his last Olympics.

"I told myself I would never compete past the age of 30.

"I started swimming when I was seven and I told my coach I'm not swimming past the age of 30 so don't get any ideas.

"He said 'That's good because I don't want to coach you past the age of 30'.

"Bob and I have had a great relationship and I wouldn't trade him for the world so I'm happy that he's willing to put up with me for four more years."

Olympics: Curtain down on "truly exceptional" Beijing Games

2008-08-25T12:16:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - The Beijing Olympics, played out against a background of political intrigue and featuring 16 days of compelling and controversial action, drew to a spectacular close on Sunday.

International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge described the Games as "truly exceptional" in a lavish closing ceremony at the Bird's Nest stadium which culminated in the handing over of the Olympic flag to Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, which will host the 2012 edition.

"Through these Games, the world learned more about China, and China learned more about the world," said Rogge. "These were truly exceptional Games."

The Games saw China depose the United States as the new sports superpower but the final day started with Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru relishing the heat to record an historic first Olympic marathon for the African nation.

Zou Shiming won China's first ever boxing gold and his country's 50th gold of the Games when he claimed the light-flyweight title.

At the end of the 16 days of competition and 302 events, China had 51 gold medals, 15 more than the United States on 36, with Russia winning 23 and Great Britain 19.

It is the first time China has won the gold medal count, although in total medals won the United States has 110 to China's 100.

Wanjiru, striding to Kenya's first marathon success, celebrated in the hot sun as be broke the 24-year-old Games record while those around him wilted.

"I had to push the pace to tire the other runners. I had to push the pace because my body gets tired in the heat when I slow down," he said as temperatures rose towards 30 degrees.

"It feels good to make history here. It feels good to make history for Kenya and win the gold."

Kenya may have won according to the script but the principal actors were different as the outstanding Martin Lel, a triple London marathon winner, faded to fifth and it was half-marathon specialist Wanjiru who pulled through.

China's Zou Shiming had a quick finish to the light-flyweight title for China's first boxing gold when Mongolia's Serdamba Purevdorj hurt his shoulder and his corner threw in the towel 19 seconds into the second.

There was success for Mongolia in the bantamweight final when Badar-Uugan Enkhbat won their first ever boxing gold beating Cuba's highly fancied Yankiel Leon 15-5.

It was a miserable Games for traditional ring titans Cuba and the United States.

Cuba failed to get a gold despite eight of their boxers reaching the semi-finals, while for the first time no USA boxer made the finals and they ended with a solitary boxing bronze.

The United States team of basketball multi-millionaires beat defending champions Spain as expected but the match was closer than the final 118-107 scoreline suggested.

Spain had closed to 89-91 with eight minutes remaining before Kobe Bryant provided a crucial late spark for the all-stars.

The United States picked up further gold beating Brazil 3-1 in the men's volleyball final.

Earlier, Rogge said that overall "the IOC was extremely pleased" with the Games.

"More than 40 world records were set, more than 100 Olympic records, and of course we had the two icons of the Games, Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt."

Rogge pointed to heightened environmental awareness, greater enthusiasm for sport among Chinese and the new stadium in Beijing as the legacies for China.

But he skirted around questions regarding China's response on such issues as human rights and Internet access, and diplomatically refused to be drawn into debate about the medals table.

For China, the investment of more than 40 billion dollars on the Games reaped handsome rewards.

They not only topped the gold medal count, but a near flawless organisation meant the controversies that marred the build-up largely slipped into the background.

Phelps, with his unprecedented eight gold medals and seven world records, and Bolt, the fastest man on earth winning three gold medals with three world records, were the headline stories.

At the end of Sunday's ceremony, the Olympic flag was passed to Johnson while London's position as the new host city was marked by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page dueting with Leona Lewis on 1970s rock classic Whole Lotta Love.

Londoner, and former England football skipper, David Beckham booted a ball off the top of a London bus before the Olympic flame was extinguished.

Olympics: IOC gives Beijing Games seal of approval

2008-08-25T12:15:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - The International Olympic Committee gave the Beijing Olympics its seal of approval on Sunday, expressing itself "extremely pleased" with the Games which saw China emerge as the power in sports.

Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru led off the final day of competition, relishing the heat to record an historic first Olympic marathon for the African nation.

Zou Shiming won China's first ever boxing gold and his country's 50th gold of the Games when he claimed the light-flyweight title.

At the end of 16 days of competition and 302 events, China had 51 gold medals, 15 more than the United States on 36, with Russia winning 23 and Great Britain 19.

It is the first time China has won the gold medal count, although in total medals won the USA has 110 to China's 100.

Wanjiru, striding to Kenya's first marathon success, celebrated in the hot sun as be broke the 24-year-old Games record while those around him wilted.

"I had to push the pace to tire the other runners. I had to push the pace because my body gets tired in the heat when I slow down," he said as temperatures rose towards 30 degrees.

"It feels good to make history here. It feels good to make history for Kenya and win the gold."

Kenya may have won according to the script but the principal actors were different as the outstanding Martin Lel, a triple London marathon winner, faded to fifth and it was half-marathon specialist Wanjiru who pulled through.

China's Zou Shiming had a quick finish to the light-flyweight title for China's first boxing gold when Mongolia's Serdamba Purevdorj hurt his shoulder and his corner threw in the towel 19 seconds into the second.

There was success for Mongolia in the bantamweight final when Badar-Uugan Enkhbat won their first ever boxing gold beating Cuba's highly fancied Yankiel Leon 15-5. It was a miserable Games for traditional ring titans Cuba and the United States.

Cuba failed to get a gold despite eight of their boxers reaching the semi-finals, while for the first time no USA boxer made the finals and they ended with a solitary boxing bronze.

The United States team of basketball multi-millionaires beat defending champions Spain as expected but the match was closer than the final 118-107 scoreline suggested.

Spain had closed to 89-91 with eight minutes remaining before Kobe Bryant provided a crucial late spark for the all-stars.

The United States picked up further gold beating Brazil 3-1 in the men's volleyball final.

After two weeks of exceptional triumphs and heart-wrenching defeats, IOC president Jacques Rogge said that overall "the IOC is extremely pleased" with the Games.

"More than 40 world records were set, more than 100 Olympic records, and of course we had the two icons of the Games, Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt."

Rogge pointed to heightened environmental awareness, greater enthusiasm for sport among Chinese and the new stadium in Beijing as the legacies for China.

But he skirted around questions regarding China's response on such issues as human rights and Internet access, and diplomatically refused to be drawn into debate about the medals table.

For China, the investment of more than 40 billion dollars on the Games reaped handsome rewards.

They not only topped the gold medal count, but a near flawless organisation meant the controversies that marred the build-up largely slipped into the background.

Phelps, with his unprecedented eight gold medals and seven world records, and Bolt, the fastest man on earth winning three gold medals with three world records, were the headline stories.

On Sunday evening, Beijing hands the Olympics over to London which is talking of a more modest affair in 2012.

To show off the next Games city, the London organizers were to introduce themselves to a global audience with the help of Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Leona Lewis and football icon David Beckham.

Olympics: Two boxing golds for history-making Chinese

2008-08-25T12:14:00.004+07:00

BEIJING - China won two boxing gold medals on a historic day not only for the Asian powerhouse but also for Mongolia.

Zou Shiming won China's first-ever Olympic boxing title at light-flyweight before Badar-Uugan Enkhbat repeated the feat for Mongolia at bantamweight.

Zhang Xiaoping then added a second gold for the Chinese at light-heavyweight to ensure they topped the boxing medals table, ahead of traditional powers Cuba, USA and Russia.

Alexey Tishchenko's gold at lightweight meant Russia were the only other nation to win more than one title while Cuba incredibly failed to win a single gold medal and the US had a miserly one bronze medal to show for their efforts.

Zou, who began his sporting career in wushu, sent the home fans into ecstasy in the first final of the day as Mongolia's Serdamba Purevdorj lasted just over one round before retiring with a shoulder injury.

The Chinese revealed he had adopted an interesting diet to prepare for these Games.

"While I've been in Beijing what I've been eating most is pizza and hamburgers," Zou said.

"I love Western food so I've had a lot of it. Chinese food tends to be so greasy so it's better for me to eat Western food."

Zhang's victory was highly contentious as he beat Ireland's Kenny Egan 11-7 in the final.

Zhang seemed to score several points off punches that didn't land cleanly, meaning Egan was always playing catch-up and forced into taking risks in the final round that allowed Zhang to counter effectively to open up the four-point gap by the end.

"I shot two shots and they were in his favour, so he was getting points from my work," complained Egan.

"Deep down in my heart of hearts I felt I won the fight but that's boxing."

China had a third finalist in Zhang Zhilei at super-heavyweight but he was never at the races against world champion Roberto Cammarelle of Italy.

Cammarelle dominated from the opening bell and Zhang took several crunching blows to the jaw.

But he demonstrated admirable resistance until the fourth round when a short left hook dropped him to his knees, after which the referee mercifully put an end to his punishment.

After the controversies surrounding the scoring here Cammarelle claimed that was something that never worried him.

"I came here to win the gold medal and I've been fighting very well. You saw it also in the semi-final. I could even have won with five Chinese judges," he said.

Bakhyt Sarsekbayev of Kazakhstan was a dominant winner at welterweight, beating Cuba's Carlos Banteaux 18-9.

Banteaux's defeat meant that Cuba failed to win a single boxing gold at these Games despite qualifying eight fighters for the semi-finals.

They finished with four silver and four bronze, the first time they have failed to win a gold since 1968 – other than 1984 and 1988 when they didn't compete.

Sarsekbayev scored at will with his crunching right hooks to the body and straight lefts right on the muzzle. "I was faster in the exchanges but I could have won more convincingly," he said.

Tishchenko claimed a second straight Olympic gold medal as he beat France's Daouda Sow 11-9 to win the lightweight title.

Tishchenko was the overwhelming favourite coming into this final as he won the featherweight division four years ago in Athens and was also a World Championship finalist in Chicago a year ago.

Sow had surprised Cuban 2005 world champion Yordenis Ugas in the semi-final and caused the Russian problems with his awkward, rangy style.

Olympics: Russia rules rhythmic gymnastics

2008-08-25T12:14:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Russia wrapped up their third straight Olympic rhythmic gymnastics group all-around title on Sunday, with China finishing second for their first medal ever in the crowd-pleasing discipline.

Russia, the reigning world champions, bounced back after a mistake-marred qualification round with a polished performance in two routines – one using five ropes and one using two clubs and three hoops.

Russia took the lead with their folk-themed ropes routine and secured the gold with their clubs and hoops effort.

"I'm very excited and I almost cried," said Russian Elena Posevina. "It's not easy to win the gold medal. We've worked very hard."

China couldn't match the high degree of technical difficulty in Russia's routines, but they were thrilled to improve on their sixth-place finish in Athens.

"It's the most glorious day for rhythmic gymnastics in China," said Zhang Shuo.

The Chinese team's use of Peking Opera themes was big hit with spectators as well as judges.

"I knew the Russian and Belarussian teams are at a higher level, but we have our style," Zhang said. "We used Peking Opera music, which creates a nice atmosphere for the spectators. They understand our background."

Belarus, the top qualifiers, produced the most difficult routine of the finals but settled for bronze.

Athens silver medallists Italy were disappointed that their creative effort left them in fourth.

"I really, really feel upset. We didn't live up to our expectations," Italy's Elisa Santoni said.

Russia's group gold followed Russian Evgeniya Kanaeva's individual all-around triumph on Saturday by an impressive 3.575-point margin.

Knaeva, the 2008 European champion, gave Russia their third straight individual gold, taking the lead with her first apparatus and extending it throughout each rotation with such props as hoops, clubs, ribbon and ball.

Elegant Inna Zhukova of Belarus took the silver, moving into second place with her clubs performance despite fumbling a club at the beginning of the routine.

Ukrainian Anna Bessonova, bronze medallist in 2004 used superb clubs and ribbon routines to seize the bronze again.

Olympics: Stanley stars as USA take men's volleyball title from Brazil

2008-08-25T12:13:00.004+07:00

BEIJING - The United States, led by the tournament's best player Clayton Stanley, won the Olympic men's volleyball gold on Sunday beating defending champions Brazil by three sets to one in the final.

Stanley, the top scorer and server in Beijing, killed off the Brazilians at the second match point with an emblematic cross-court smash that their inspirational captain Gilberto Godoy Filho was unable to return.

The defending champions took the first set 25-20, but the United States came back to narrowly win the next three sets 25-22, 25-21, and 25-23.

Stanley finished with 20 points, including 15 spikes, while Godoy Filho scored 14 points for Brazil and Dante Amaral 13 spikes.

In the decisive fourth set, the United States rallied from two points behind the spikes of William Priddy, who also teamed up with Ryan Millar and David Lee for 12 blocks.

Endres Murilo, who scored 13 for Brazil, saved a point with a drive before Stanley found himself alone in the right corner for the uncontested kill.

The two teams, who were meeting for the first time in this tournament, have four Olympic titles between them.

But the Americans, who went through the tournament undefeated, had not won it since 1988 in Seoul.

Brazil started the stronger with the high-leaping Godoy Filho, Andre Heller and Amaral scoring with some crowd-pleasing kills while Stanley misfired early.

But when Stanley found his groove in the second set the Americans raced to a 6-0 lead helped by his two kills and and a jump serve ace.

Brazil fought back with some inspired Godoy Filho smashes and an ace, plus effective blockingm that brought them back to within one at 20-21 before a Stanley ace and two smashes got the Americans home 25-22.

The third set developed into a see-saw battle with Amaral and Stanley trading smashes until the US drew away with the help of their solid defence.

Beijing not ruling out permanent car use limits

2008-08-25T12:13:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Olympic host city Beijing has not ruled out making controversial car use limits permanent, citing the benefits for the environment, state media reported Sunday.

While there are no concrete plans to extend the rule, which has taken at least a million cars off the streets of the capital city, it is worthy of consideration, an official was quoted as saying by the China Daily.

"The rule is closely related to everyone's daily life. We want to hear more public opinion on the whether, or how, to keep the rule," said Wang Li, deputy director of Beijing's traffic administration bureau.

In a last-ditch attempt to clear the air in the run-up to the Games, Beijing ordered cars with licence plates ending in odd and even numbers to take turns and only hit the roads every other day.

The "odd-and-even" restrictions on car use have been particularly well received by the public, with calls to carry on beyond September 20, the date initially set for ending the curbs, the Beijing News reported.

The limits -- along with a decision to shut down construction work and close more than 100 polluting factories -- has been an unmitigated success, according to officials.

Beijing has had the cleanest air of any summer in the past decade, with the air quality ranging from "fairly good" to "excellent" on the pollution index since the opening of the Olympics, the China Daily said.

"The city's air quality was highly satisfactory during the Games in the past two weeks," said Ivo Allegrini, an Italian pollution expert, according to the China Daily.

No one disputes that Beijing's 3.3 million cars have been an important factor in making the city one of the world's most polluted.

However, some officials have said it is necessary evil, arguing that the auto industry has been an important driver of growth.

Olympics: Rogge says China Olympic gymnast documents look "ok" at first sight

2008-08-25T12:12:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Documents produced by China to prove that their gymnasts are 16 or older appear to be okay on first sight, International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said Sunday.

Allegations have been rife that China broke the rules by fielding gymnasts who will not turn 16 this year, as required under the sport's rules introduced in 1997 to protect the wellbeing of young athletes.

They have focussed on females He Kexin, Jiang Yuyuan, Li Shanshan, Deng Linlin and Yang Yilin, with the IOC last week ordering the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to investigate.

In response, the FIG held an extraordinary general meeting on Saturday to discuss the issue and China subsequently handed over documents to prove their case, including passports and identity cards.

Rogge said they were being analysed but looked to be in order.

"We heard allegations in the media about the ages and we took that very seriously and we asked the international federation to organise an inquiry themselves," he said on the final day of the Beijing Games.

"The eligibility of the athletes is the responsibility of the federation, not the IOC, but we considered it to be a very serious issue.

"The international federation requested all documents, like family books and entries of schools and things like that, and these have been received.

"At first sight everything seems okay. However, the FIG wants to study them thoroughly because they are in Chinese and then they will report to the IOC as soon as possible."

The IOC had specifically referred to the case of He after an American computer expert claimed he had uncovered Chinese state documents that proved she was born in 1994, making her 14.

China muscled aside the competition to dominate the gymnastics events here in a manner not seen since the Soviet era, snaring nine of the 14 gold on offer, second only to the USSR's 10 in Seoul in 1988.

He got two gold -- in the women's team event and in the uneven bars, where she edged US star Nastia Liukin.

USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny said he had "always believed this issue needed to be addressed by the FIG and IOC".

Chinese officials, including Beijing Olympic organisers, have persistently denied any wrongdoing, with He herself insisting she was 16.

"I don't want to talk about this subject any more because those who know me, they know that I'm 16," she said during the competition.

"How can I do more? Explain more? No matter what people say, I'm still 16."

The Shichahai Sports School in Beijing, where He was nurtured, added that its documents showed she was 16.

Professor Arne Ljungqvist, the head of the IOC's medical commission, said during the Games he had come across issues of age-manipulation previously at world junior events.

But he stressed he had no reason to believe anything untoward had happened during the Beijing Olympics.

Olympics: London takes the baton for more modest 2012 Games

2008-08-25T12:11:00.001+07:00

LONDON - London will take the baton from Beijing on Sunday with the 2012 organisers promising the first 'sustainable' Olympics and Britain riding the wave of its best medal haul for a century.

The 19 golds won mainly by Britain's cyclists, sailors and swimmers in Beijing shows that a programme of heavy investment has already put its competitors on track for glory in four years' time.

And when David Beckham kicks footballs from the top of a red London double-decker bus in Sunday's closing ceremony, the British capital will seek to show it will adopt a vastly different organisational approach from Beijing.

With half of Beijing's estimated 45-billion-dollar (30.5-billion-euro) budget, London's chiefs stress that they have no intention of competing with the Chinese capital to stage a bigger and better Olympics.

Instead, the London Games will seek to regenerate a deprived eastern area of the city and leave a lasting legacy for the local community which will endure long after the memories of sporting glory have faded.

Sebastian Coe, the double Olympic champion who heads the London organising committee, said Beijing may be the last Olympics of its kind.

"It's unlikely that we will see another Olympics of this scope and stature again," Coe said in Beijing.

"The International Olympic Committee themselves recognise that this is the last edition of a Games which is going to look and feel like this."

The iconic 90,000-seater Bird's Nest in Beijing is arguably the most memorable stadium in Olympic history, but the plans for the main stadium in London are far more modest.

The 85,000-capacity venue, with a design that is unremarkable by modern standards, will be converted into a 25,000-capacity stadium after the Games.

"The stadium will be a very different concept (to Beijing)," Coe said.

"We're talking about leaving a 25,000-seater all-purpose stadium."

It was London's plans to transform the rundown Lea Valley area in the east of the city which helped it win a surprise victory over long-time frontrunner Paris in 2005.

Organisers say all the venues have been designed with long-term use in mind in an attempt to avoid the 'white elephant' syndrome which has afflicted so many Olympic cities, most recently the 2004 hosts Athens where most stadia now lie disused and decaying.

When the London Olympics end, the Olympic Park will be transformed into what the organisers say will be "the largest urban park created in Europe for more than 150 years".

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said the long-term benefits of the 2012 Games would be enormous.

"A huge amount of our investment in the Olympic Park is for legacy. We are cleaning up the land, burying overhead power lines, upgrading roads and railways and installing new energy infrastructure.

"A site of this scale and quality, within a few minutes of a great city centre, must be almost unprecedented," he said.

Some dark clouds are already gathering. The original budget for 2012 has already leaped from 3.4 billion pounds to 9.3 billion pounds (11.7 billion euros, 17.2 billion dollars).

Johnson has dismissed reports that the security bill alone will top one billion pounds, although the need for tight security was hammered home on July 7, 2005, the day after London won the vote to host the 2012 Games, when four Islamist extremist suicide bombers killed 52 people on trains and a bus in the capital.

At least the 2012 organisers can be confident that British competitors will not slump in front of an expectant home crowd.

In Beijing, the British team has reaped the benefits of 265 million pounds of funding for elite sport over the past four years to achieve its highest medal tally since 1908.

More funding is promised, and the majority of the competitors, such as 19-year-old double gold medal-winning swimmer Rebecca Adlington, are young enough to be already targeting more success in 2012.

Olympics: Wanjiru gives Kenya Olympic marathon gold

2008-08-25T12:10:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Samuel Wanjiru made it a full house of Olympic titles in middle distance and long distance races for Kenya's men here on Sunday as he ended their title drought in the event and broke the long-standing Olympic record as well.

The 21-year-old timed 2hours 6minutes 32seconds, breaking the 24-year-old Olympic record set by Carlos Lopes.He beat home Morocco's two-time world champion Jaouad Gharib (2hr07:16) for the gold while Tsegay Kebede of Ethiopia took the bronze.

The race came alive at the 20km mark when five runners split from the leading pack.The quintet comprised Gharib, two Kenyans in three-time London Marathon winner Martin Lel and Wanjiru, second in this year's London Marathon.

The other two were Eritrean Yonas Kifle and Ethiopia's Deriba Werga, who had timed his personal best at the London Marathon but had been over a minute behind Wanjiru.

Several of the favourites failed to cope with the hot conditions especially defending champion Stefano Baldini of Italy.

The 37-year-old was out of contention early on as the European champion failed to find the spark he had in Athens four years ago and was to finish 12th.

America's hopes of ending on a winning note also died around that time as Ryan Hall, who has impressed since he switched from running the mile, also found nothing when the quintet split.

By the 30km mark, though, the picture had dramtically changed as Wanjiru and Werga upped the pace and Gharib, Lel, who should on form have been able to go with them as he owned the fastest time this year among those running, and Kifle could not find anything.

However, while Lel and Kifle floundered, 36-year-old Gharib drew on all his championship winning experience and somehow managed to reel in the front two setting up what looked sure to be a thrilling climax.

The trio were still intact as they passed the 35km marker with Wanjiru leading them out.

Behind them Kifle had squirmed free of a tiring Lel, who was beginning to look behind him in a sure sign of desperation, but the Eritrean faced a tough task in getting back to the leaders as he was nearly a minute-and-a-half adrift.

Shortly after that Wanjiru went up a gear to test out the other two and found Werga wanting, though, Gharib stuck to him like a limpet.

But even he could not keep up the pace and the young Kenyan had by the time they got to 40km established a clear gap between himself and the Moroccan.

With two kilometres to go as they appeared under the shadow of the stadium the game was clearly up for Gharib, who had an 18sec gap to make up if he were to add Olympic gold to his two world titles.

But Wanjiru was not for cracking and strode to a memorable victory - raising his left arm in celebration on entering stadium and was still full of running as he rounded off a highly satisfying Games for the Kenyans.

Werga faded so badly that what had looked at one point could be gold turned to nothing as Kebede passed him on the final lap round the track.

Tennis: Jankovic hopeful of first breakthrough in tennis Grand Slam

2008-08-25T12:08:00.001+07:00

NEW YORK - Jelena Jankovic goes into the US Open knowing that in order to capture her first Grand Slam title she needs to raise her game to the next level when it counts the most.

The knock on the world number two Jankovic continues to be her failure to breakthrough at a Grand Slam.

The 23-year-old Serbian has yet to reach a final in the 20 Grand Slam appearances and despite going deep into just about every tournament this year she has just one win on her resume.

She blames that in part on injuries.

"I am working very hard and some of the things don't happen overnight," she said. "You can't get your endurance and your strength back in a few days. I will keep working hard and we will see what happens."

In the semi-finals of the French Open, Jankovic appeared to be headed to victory when she was up 2-0 in the third set before losing to countrywoman Ana Ivanovic.

Jankovic has reached the quarter-finals or better in 14 of 15 tournaments this year and was rewarded for her consistent play earlier this month when she earned the world number one ranking for the first time in her career.

But it was a short stay at the top as Ivanovic quickly claimed it back.

Jankovic had to fight through a calf injury to get to the round of eight at the Beijing Olympics. She received pain injections from a doctor prior to her matches.

"There was a problem with my calf in Beijing and I was taking injections to play that tournament," she said. "I had to take the injections so I didn't feel the pain. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to go on the court and play."

Jankovic said tennis recently became the number one sport in Serbia thanks to the success of players like her, Ivanovic and men's No. 3 Novak Djokovic.

"Believe it or not tennis is the most popular sport in Serbia," Jankovic said. "That was never the case before. We didn't have a tradition of producing great tennis players.

"Now we have the top three in the world. It is really amazing. A lot of young kids are playing. A lot of people are so interested tennis. It is a great thing for our country."

She is looking forward to the challenge of competing in the US Open but doesn't know if her conditioning will be enough.

Besides the leg injury in Beijing, she was upset in the fourth round at Wimbledon while dealing with a knee injury.

"Knock on wood I don't have any problems or injuries at the moment.

"I am just trying to get back in shape. I am training hard to get as fit as possible for the tournament.

"It is amazing how quickly you get out of shape and then it takes you a long time to get back there."

Olympics: Kaniskina blazes trail to women's 20km walk gold

2008-08-22T17:10:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - World champion Olga Kaniskina of Russia led from gun to tape to win the women's 20 kilometres walk gold medal at the Olympics on Thursday.

In atrocious conditions on the course around the National Stadium, Kaniskina dominated the field and set an Olympic record of 1hr 26.31min.

There were maiden track and field medals at these Games for Norway and Italy as Kjersti Platzer finished second, 0.36sec off the pace, with Elisa Riguado a further 0.05sec adrift.

Defending champion Athanasia Tsoumeleka of Greece could only manage a ninth-placed finish in 1:27.54.

In driving rain, Kaniskina broke away from the main field early on and slowly but surely built up a steady lead on her rivals which she never looked in danger of losing.

On the track, American Bryan Clay got his bid to unseat defending world and Olympic champion Roman Sebrle off to a good start in the first event of the gruelling decathlon.

Clay, the 2005 world champion, sped to a lead 10.44sec in the 100m, giving the American 989 points.

The 33-year-old Sebrle of the Czech Republic, the reigning world record holder who also won silver in the 2000 Sydney Games, ran 11.21sec for 814pts in joint 27th position.

The decathletes will now turn their attention to the long jump and shot put in the morning session, before competing in the high jump and 400m in the evening.

Their second day of competition, comprising the 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500m, comes on Friday.

Medalling events in Thursday's evening session include the men's 110m hurdles, 400m and triple jump, and the women's 200m and javelin final.

There are also semi-finals in the men's 800m and women's 1500m ahead of Saturday's finals in each event, and men's and women's 4x100m relay teams race heats for Friday's finals.

In the 400m final, reigning Olympic and two-time world champion Jeremy Wariner will face a showdown with top rival LaShawn Merritt.

Merritt, the 2007 world runner-up to Wariner, beat his arch-rival in the US Olympic trials but lost twice to him last month in Europe, setting the stage for their most meaningful meeting yet.

US men have dominated the men's 400m, winning the past six gold medals in the event and 11 of the past 13. They could even sweep the podium as the US 400m hurdles line-up did since American David Neville also reached the finals.

The 110m hurdles might have lost some of its lustre with the withdrawal through injury of defending Olympic and world champion Liu Xiang of China and American two-time Olympic silver medallist Terrence Trammell.

But world record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba, American duo David Payne and David Oliver, and Frenchman Ladji Doucoure, all made it through.

The women's 200m sees a trio of Americans - two-time 200m world champion Allyson Felix, Olympics debutant Marshevet Hooker and Muna Lee - face off against Jamaica's defending champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson.

Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie of the Bahamas and Cydonie Mothersill of the Cayman Islands make up the final line-up.

Olympics: US beach volleyball queens extend reign

2008-08-21T12:14:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - US beach volleyball queens Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor overcame a stern challenge from China's Wang Jie and Tian Jia to successfully defend their women's Olympic title on Thursday.

In heavy rain, the bikini-clad Americans won 21-18, 21-18 to stretch their winning streak to an astounding 108 matches without dropping a set in seven appearances here.

China made the early running but May-Treanor, 30, coolly reeled off three points in a row to create three first-set points before spiking the winner.

China briefly led midway in the second set before the US regained control with Walsh converting the first gold-medal point.

Earlier, Chen Xue and Zhang Xi claimed China's first Olympic beach volleyball medal with a 21-19, 21-17 victory over Renata Ribeiro and Talita Rocha of Brazil.

China's silver-bronze finish breaks the stranglehold held by Brazil, Australia and the United States, who between them had collected all the women's Olympic medals since the sport's introduction in 1996.

Silver-medallist Tian has epitomised China's steady rise after she finished 19th at Sydney 2000 and ninth in Athens four years ago.

May-Treanor also reached the 2000 quarter-finals with Holly McPeak. Thursday's scoreline was the closest faced by the US champions who defeated Brazilian challengers Ribeiro and Rocha in the semis.

Greatest Olympian' Phelps remembers Singapore

2008-08-21T12:13:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - He walked in as the sounds of U2’s Vertigo crashed off the walls and shivered the glass panes around the Omega Pavilion.

His image beamed out of countless small television screens behind him, and the electric entry of swimming’s greatest star would surely have got the nod of approval from Bono and The Edge.

It’s about the only way to introduce Michael Phelps these days.

He’s so big even Bruce Springsteen stopped in the middle of a concert last Saturday in the United States to tell the fans: “Michael Phelps has just won gold number 7.”

The Boss never, ever, stops a live performance for anyone, except for swimming’s Zeus.

Now we know.

After turning the Water Cube in Beijing into his own playground to win eight gold medals, the athletic giant so many are calling the greatest Olympian of all time was paraded by his sponsors Omega at the Olympic Green here on Wednesday, with team-mates Natalie Coughlin and Katie Hoff and Games greats Alexander Popov and Ian Thorpe.

The Emperor was at ease mingling with kings Alexander the Great and the Thorpedo. At only 23, he has already performed the greatest feat in Olympic history with the most prolific haul of 14 gold medals.

After bettering Mark Spitz’ haul of seven golds at the Munich Olympics in 1972 by one here at the 2008 Games, Phelps is talking legacy these days.

He is set to reap millions after capping his astonishing adventure over the last few months with a spectacular finale, but he says his story is also for swimming’s sake.

He’s had enough seeing his sport come alive only once every four years.

It looks like there will be room for Singapore in his tale.

As the superstar walked an audience of selected media through his gold-paved journey on Wednesday, he brought up pictures of his time in Singapore, where the American swimming team were training prior to their arrival in Beijing.

There were shots of his trip to the Night Safari, “where we got to see lions and tigers”, he said.

There were pictures of Phelps in his suite on board the Singapore Airlines A380 bound for Beijing, “with the coolest facilities and that giant bed, man”, he gushed.

“These have been exciting times and I have so many memories from the last few months,” he added. “They are memories I will keep forever.”

In the memory-making business he has left us with so many priceless moments it could well be an unfair trade-off.

He thrilled us day after day flying through the water during the first week of the Olympics, to leave Thorpe with egg on his face, after Australia’s hero wrote off Phelps’ chances of winning eight golds 48 hours before the opening ceremony on August 8.

The former champion, who won five Olympic golds in all, on Wednesday tried to blame the whole episode on miscommunication.

“It’s not what I said,” he insisted, a little uncomfortably with Phelps sitting right next to him.

“I know anything can be done.

“I said Michael would not be able to do it only because of the competition.

“I think luck plays a role, and you look at the 4x100m freestyle relay against the French, it was very lucky, and in the 100 butterfly.

“But what Michael has done is wonderful. Never in my life did I think I would see such an achievement.”

Popov, Russia’s freestyle sprint legend who won four golds over two Games, never had any doubt.

“I was always 100 per cent sure Michael would do it,” said the 36-year-old.

“Everything was down to Michael, it was all about what Michael wanted to do.

“It was up to him and from day one when he won the 400 individual medley, I knew he had everything under control.”

While Phelps will be the first to admit he did have some hairy moments, not for a second were there negative vibes in his head.

“I always thought anything is possible, and it was a matter of getting down to it, working hard,” he said.

“When someone says it is not possible, I like that, it fires me up. It motivates me.

“It’s cool to do it in the end.

“It’s been a crazy few weeks and I can say I’ve been happy to be here.”

The world’s been equally thrilled by his presence.

Olympics: Martina loses 200m silver as US protest upheld

2008-08-21T12:12:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Churandy Martina of the Dutch Antilles has been stripped of his Olympic 200m silver medal after the US team's protest that he had run out of his lane was upheld.

The move deprives the Dutch Antilles of their first-ever Olympic track and field medal, and sees 2004 Olympic champion Shawn Crawford of the United States take silver behind Jamaican Usain Bolt, who won the race in a world record of 19.30 seconds.

Crawford's team-mate Walter Dix, a bronze medallist in the men's 100m also won by Bolt, will now take bronze.

The US team had initially protested the disqualification of third American runner Wallace Spearmon, who had finished in bronze-medal position behind Bolt and Martina.

But they ultimately accepted the decision that Spearmon had in fact crossed lanes.

Olympics: US suffer gold medal wipe-out

2008-08-21T12:11:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - The United States suffered a gold-medal wipe-out on Wednesday after suffering another dismal track and field performance which virtually conceding Olympic Games supremacy to China.

The US only managed a silver medal in the women's 400m hurdles through Sheena Tosta and a bronze in the men's 200m from defending champion Shawn Crawford as Jamaica piled on the misery.

First, Melaine Walker took the hurdles gold before Usain Bolt stole the show with a record-breaking performance in the 200m which delivered him the double sprint gold as well as a second world record.

American pride was restored by their teams with its NBA superstars cruising past Australia 116-85 in men's basketball and the country's baseball team making sure of their place in the last four with 4-2 victory over Japan which sets up a semi-final date with old rivals Cuba.

Meanwhile, a dominant United States ensured their place in the last Olympic softball final ahead of the sport being dumped from the Games by beating Japan 4-1.

Yukiko Ueno and Monica Abbott, the only two pitchers to throw perfect games during the tournament, kept each other's team scoreless through the first seven innings of regulation play and the first extra period.

But then the Americans scored four runs off the previously untouchable Ueno in the ninth inning for victory.

"If I said it was a great ball game, that would be an understatement. This was softball at its best internationally," said US coach Mike Candrea.

"You saw great pitching, great defence, adjustments at the plate, an international tie-breaker ... you saw a little bit of everything the sport has to offer."

Olympics: US protest against men's 200m silver medallist

2008-08-21T12:10:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - The United States have lodged a protest against Churandy Martina the silver medallist in the Olympic Games men's 200m final which was won in world record time by Jamaica's Usain Bolt.

The US team, though, at the same time accepted the disqualification of Wallace Spearmon for running out of his lane having originally protested against the decision.

He was initially credited with having finished third in 19.95sec, but his place then went to defending Olympic champion and team-mate Shawn Crawford after his disqualification.

However, the Americans are claiming that Martina – fourth in the 100m behind another world record-breaking performance by Bolt – also stepped outside of his lane.

Should the 24-year-old be disqualified, it would deprive the Dutch Antilles of their first-ever Olympic track and field medal, and would see America's 100m bronze medallist Walter Dix promoted to third with Crawford bumped up to silver.

Olympics: Record-breaking Bolt wins 200m gold for sprint double

2008-08-21T12:08:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Jamaica's Usain Bolt broke the 200-metre world record to complete the first Olympic golden sprint double in 24 years, surging ahead from the start to win Wednesday's final in 19.30 seconds.

Just four days after shattering his own world 100m record and on the eve of his 22nd birthday, Bolt pulled away around the curve and stretched his victory margin, with Churandy Martina of Dutch Antilles runner-up in 19.82.

Bolt, who had not before been pressed to run to the finish line at these Games, raced past the former world record of 19.32 set by American legend Michael Johnson at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Not since Carl Lewis in 1984 had any man claimed 100m and 200m gold in the same Olympics, but this lightning Bolt struck twice in the same place to the delight of 91,000 roaring fans at the Bird's Nest.

As Bolt danced around the track on a victory lap, the stadium loudspeakers played "Happy Birthday" to the Jamaican some 90 minutes early.

Bolt became the ninth man to achieve the 100-200 Olympic double after winning the 100 final on Saturday in an astounding 9.69 seconds, breaking his former world mark of 9.72 set in May in New York.

After crossing the finish line and raising his arms in celebration, Bolt grabbed a Jamaican flag and draped it around his neck. He took off his golden shoes and began an impromptu celebration dance.

American Wallace Spearmon crossed the line third in 19.95 but was disqualified. Shawn Crawford of the United States, the 2004 Olympic champion, moved up from fourth in 19.96 to take the bronze. American Walter Dix was fifth in 19.98.

Bolt started in lane five after making his trademark "Lightning Bolt" arm gesture before the start with Crawford just inside him at the gun.

Ironically, Johnson had said just hours earlier he did not think Bolt had what it took to erase his record from the books in Beijing.

"I don't think his training has been geared to that part yet," Johnson said. "But in a few years it will be, and then I will be ready to kiss my record goodbye."

Olympics: Dominant US into women's softball final

2008-08-21T12:07:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - A dominant United States ensured their place in the last Olympic softball final ahead of the sport being dumped from the Games by beating Japan 4-1 Wednesday.

Yukiko Ueno and Monica Abbott, the only two pitchers to throw perfect games during the tournament, kept each other's team scoreless through the first seven innings of regulation play and the first extra period.

But then the Americans scored four runs off the previously untouchable Ueno in the ninth inning for victory.

"If I said it was a great ball game, that would be an understatement. This was softball at its best internationally," said US coach Mike Candrea.

"You saw great pitching, great defence, adjustments at the plate, an international tie-breaker ... you saw a little bit of everything the sport has to offer."

US left field Jessica Mendoza said they knew it was going to be tough against Japan despite the Americans being so dominant -- they have won every Olympic softball gold since the game entered the programme in 1996.

"I felt like I was shaking the entire game. We have so much 'want' to go out on top," she said.

"It was a different Japan in the medal round. I hate to say it but we knew it would be a close game."

Despite the loss, Japan later qualified for Thursday's final with a 4-3 win over Australia who had beaten Canada 5-3 in their semi-final.

Japan's second chance at gold came courtesy of the Page play-off system.

Tanya Harding got the win over Canada for Australia. She pitched four and one-third innings, giving up no runs, two hits and one walk. She had no strikeouts.

"The next game is just a stepping stone to the gold medal match, so we'll just take it one match at a time," said Australian left field Kerry Wyborn.

"I'm really excited, it was a great win for us all."

International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials voted in 2005 to drop softball, and baseball, from the Games after Beijing, although both sports are making a bid to have the IOC reconsider the decision.

Olympics: First high-profile drugs case hits Games

2008-08-21T12:05:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Ukraine's heptathlon silver medallist Liudmyla Blonska has failed a drugs test, the IOC confirmed Wednesday as the first high-profile doping failure hit the Beijing Olympics on the 13th day.

The 30-year-old had failed her A sample and the result of the B sample would be known Thursday.

Blonska faced a lifetime ban if both samples prove positive after serving a previous suspension for taking stanozolol, the anabolic steroid used by disgraced sprinter Ben Johnson.

"There has been an adverse finding in her A sample against her (Blonska)," and IOC source told AFP.

International Athletics Federation president Lamine Diack confirmed an investigation was underway.

"The procedure is running. The B-sample will no doubt be opened today and a decision taken tomorrow."

If confirmed, Blonska would be the fifth athlete to test positive, although the previous four only involved one podium finisher - North Korean shooter Kim Jong-Su, a minor medallist.

China continues to hold a commanding lead on the medal's table with 44 compared to 26 for the United States and 16 for Great Britain with 93 finals remaining before the Games close on Sunday.

Yin Jian lifted China further ahead winning the women's windsurfing, but the Games hosts had no luck in a preliminary round baseball match when they were crushed 1-17 by Cuba with the match called off in the seventh inning under the sport's mercy rule.

Lithuania ended China's hopes of an Olympic basketball medal when they despatched Yao Ming's side 94-68 in the quarter-finals.

Russian open water superstar Larisa Ilchenko entered the record books as the first women's 10km swimming marathon champion when the sport made its debut on Wednesday.

Ilchenko, unrivalled in open water swimming for the past four years, overtook Great Britain's Keri-Anne Payne in a sprint finish to win the gruelling event in just under two hours in the water.

It was the first of three golds for Russia, with Buvaysa Saytiev winning his third Olympic crown in the 74kg wrestling final and Anastasia Davydova teamed with Anastasia Ermakova to win the synchronised swimming.

South Africa's Natalie du Toit, who created a record as the first amputee to qualify for the Olympic Games, finished 16th in the 25-strong field women's swimming marathon field and pledged to be back in 2012 to do better.

"I don't even think about not having a leg and if I want to keep competing, I will have to continue to qualify with the able-bodied. For me it's not about the disability at all," said du Toit who lost her left leg in a motorcycle accident seven years ago.

Another sport making its Olympic debut, BMX racing, saw American professional Mike Day coming out tops from the men's qualifying rounds.

Olympics: China dump Germany to make their first hockey final

2008-08-21T12:04:00.004+07:00

BEIJING - Hosts China entered their first ever Olympic women's hockey final with a thrilling 3-2 win over reigning champions Germany here on Wednesday.

Zhao Yudiao scored the winner 10 minutes before the end of a gripping semi-final where the home team delighted a boisterous crowd of 10,000 by twice fighting back from a losing position.

China await the winner of Wednesday's second semi-final between the Netherlands and Argentina in the title clash scheduled for Friday.

The Asian Games champions avenged the semi-final defeat at the hands of the Germans at the Athens Olympics four years ago when they lost 4-3 in the tie-breaker after a goalless draw.

"Good, very good, we deserved to be in the final," China's delighted South Korean coach Kim Chang-back told AFP.

"It was a dream of the girls to win an Olympic medal for the first time and now they have.

"It does not matter who joins us in the final. We are ready for anyone."

The match fluctuated wildly as both sides went on the attack from the start.

Veteran Natascha Keller gave Germany the lead in the fourth minute when she beat the Chinese goalkeeper with her second attempt from the top of the circle.

Chinese captain Ma Yibo was warned with a green card as the home team protested the goal, saying the whistle should have been blown after Keller's first missed attempt.

China, however, drew level three minutes before the break when Gao Lihua latched on to a pass from the right and scooped the ball past German goalkeeper Kristina Reynolds.

The Germans went ahead a second time soon after resumption through Janine Beermann, but the lead lasted barely two minutes.

China, who had wasted all their 20 previous penalty corners in the competition, finally found success with a set-piece goal in the 40th minute as skipper Ma flicked in a powerful hit.

Zhao sealed her side's win by hitting in a pass from the right flank after Fu Baorong broke through the German defence.

Olympics: China's women fire up steamroller in table tennis

2008-08-21T12:04:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - China's women table tennis champions crushed their hapless opponents Wednesday, as the host nation opened its campaign for the Olympic singles title in scintillating style.

World number one and defending Olympic champion Zhang Yining barely broke into a sweat on her way to defeating unseeded Viktoria Pavlovich from Belarus 4-0, one of the games lasting just three minutes.

After clinching the women's team gold, China, where table tennis is the national sport played by millions, are gunning for the singles crown, a title they have never lost since the sport was introduced at the 1988 Olympics.

"I'm happy that we won the teams gold medal, but that's only part of my goal. The singles competition is a gruelling task and I will make full preparations for it," Zhang said.

Teammate Wang Nan, one of the most decorated paddlers in the history of the sport with 23 world titles, and playing at her last Olympics, similarly steamrolled Georgina Pota from Hungary, ranked 46 in the world, 4-0.

Wang, the veteran of the team at 29, now takes on South Korea's 15th seed Park Mi Young who conceded the showdown was daunting.

"I have never won against Wang Nan before. But no matter win or lose, I will try my best. I'd like to show the crowd a spectacular match."

China's world champion Guo Yue also motored over Hong Kong's Lau Sui Fei by the same margin in 24 minutes, but played down her chances here.

"Skills and techniques are only 50 percent of the game. Mental strengths, willpower and luck play the rest," she said.

China's equally formidable men, who also won gold in the team competition, kickstart their campaign Thursday.

Zhang now plays Japan's 19-year-old prodigy Ai Fukuhara in the round of 16 after the darling of the Japanese team defeated Melek Hu from Turkey 4-1.

Fukuhara, who made the Japanese team at the age of 11 after turning professional at 10, and is competing at her second Olympics, was mobbed by autograph hunters as she left the arena.

Singapore's fourth seed Li Jia Wei also advanced over Croatia's Tamara Boros 4-1, although the city state's flag bearer was critical of her performance.

"I am a little tired, but it did not affect the competition that much. (But) I was pretty average today (Wednesday)," she said.

Singapore, fresh from winning silver in the team event, its first Olympic medal in any sport for 48 years, are gunning for an upset over China.

But they suffered an early shock when fifth seed Wang Yue Gu was dumped in her first match 4-1 by the Dominican Republic's Wu Xue.

Chinese-born Gao Jun from the United States survived a marathon match against Slovakia's Eva Odorova to win 4-2, and then Japan's Hirano Sayaka 4-1.

Gao won silver in doubles playing for China at the 1992 Olympics before retiring and then emigrating to the United States and resurrecting her career.

Olympics: Lithuania demolishes Yao and China's Olympic dream

2008-08-21T12:03:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Lithuania used a potent three-point attack to shoot down towering centre Yao Ming's dream of bringing China an Olympic medal Wednesday dispatching the Beijing Games hosts 94-68 in the quarter-finals.

The Lithuanians extended a nine-point halftime lead to 70-53 to start the final period with a barrage of third quarter threes with Panathinaikos star Sarunas Jasikevicius and Denver Nugget Linus Kleiza hitting two three-pointers each.

Fighting through a constant Lithuanian double team, Yao mustered 19 points mostly from the free-throw line, while his teammates could not hit their open jumpers until well after the game had been decided.

Lithuanian knocked down 13 of 31 three pointers, while China made a dismal four of 21.

The former Golden State Warrior Jasikevicius led Lithuanian with 23 points, while backcourt partner from CSKA Moscow Ramunas Siskauskas had 15 and Kleiza chipped in 13 for the winners.

A sea of raucous Chinese fans waving the red flag of China cheered their team to the end, repeatedly drowning out a very vocal group of Lithuanian supporters dressed in their nation's green and yellow.

Arguably the biggest game of his career, Yao started slowly scoring his first point off a free throw early in the second quarter as New Jersey Net Yi Jianlian and guards Liu Wei and Sun Yue combined for 15 of China's first 19 points.

In the second period, the towering Houston Rocket was more effective inside, but a series of turnovers allowed Lithuania to extend a 19-18 lead to 41-30 at the halftime.

Olympics: Italy and Russia through to men's volleyball semis

2008-08-21T12:02:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Italy edged Poland 3-2 in a men's volleyball quarter-final thriller at the Beijing Olympic Games on Wednesday.

Russia are also through to the semi-finals after a 3-1 victory over Bulgaria.

Italy, who dominated volleyball in the 1990s before falling off their lofty perch, seemed to be cruising into the last four after taking the first two sets but they lost their way in the third as star spiker Mariusz Wlazly inspired a Polish fightback.

Still, the Italians had a match point in the fourth set but a Wlazly spike saved it and another set up set point for the Poles.

Italy crucially left a Michal Winiarski serve that went in to set up a tie-breaker.

Poland kept showing their fighting spirit as they came back from 9-6 down in the breaker to level at 12-12, but Italy eked out a match point that Matteo Martino converted with a powerful spike.

They next face the winners of the quarter-final between favourites Brazil and hosts China.

Vigor Bovolenta, one of Italy's main attacking weapons, said there was little doubt as to who they would play next.

"Poland did very well to come back and played very well defensively bt we did well not to lose concentration," he said.

"It's Brazil or China next. On paper it would be better to have China but that's unlikely, it will probably be Brazil."

The Russians were off to a slow start but took control from the second set as Bulgaria paid for a lack of organisation, with two players often going for the same ball.

That and some impressive blocking from the Russians proved decisive, with Sergey Grankin winning the final point with another successful block on a Plamen Konstantinov spike.

Blocking was probably the biggest difference between the sides with Russia managing twice as many kills as the Bulgarians with 14 to seven.

Even so, Russia's chief blocker Alexander Volkov said his side had struggled with Bulgaria's top spiker Matey Kaziyski, who top-scored with 24 points.

He managed 20 successful spikes from 33 attempts but his team-mates couldn't match his endeavours.

"I can't say that we managed to fully cope with the Bulgarians, especially Kaziyski," said Volkov.

"In the first set we were just waking up but after that we managed to play collectively.

"As for Bulgaria, they can play one very good game in any tournament and I was praying before the game that it wouldn't be against us."

The Russians were more effective on their spiking, being successful a third of the time, compared with just under a quarter for the Bulgarians.

Russia's ability to dig the ball up and keep it in play was truly remarkable at times and even if they still went on to lose the point, they thrilled the crowd and certainly boosted their own morale.

Russia have only won two major global titles since the fall of the Soviet Union - the 1999 World Cup and 2002 World League - but already here they have beaten Brazil in the group stages, although they finished second to the South Americans in Pool B due to a loss to Poland.

In the last four they will face either Pool A winners USA or Serbia, who they beat 3-1 in their opening Pool B match.

"It doesn't matter who we play against in semi-final," added Volkov. "However I think USA have a better chance."

Olympics: Yao Ming consoles fallen Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang

2008-08-20T17:11:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Basketball superstar Yao Ming on Wednesday urged China's hurdling hero Liu Xiang to put his Olympic nightmare behind him and to strive for greater success in the future.

Chinese sports fans have been in mourning since the nation's 110-metre hurdling hero Liu hobbled away from his Olympic heat with a foot injury earlier this week.

Yao, who has led China's basketball team to an Olympic quarter-final berth, sent a short text message to Liu's coach Sun Haiping and urged the hurdler to put the event behind him, China's Olympic Committee said on its website.

"I saw the race, it is very regrettable," Yao said.

"What determines the success of an athlete's career is the kind of high level overall results he achieves during the career. You have to forget this race. The road is long, keep going."

Yao, who like Liu was born and raised in Shanghai, also sent the regards of his Shanghai teammate Liu Wei, who plays point guard on the nation's basketball team.

Liu, 25, the defending Olympic champion and former world record holder, apologised Tuesday for letting so many people down and also sought to reassure his fans they had not seen the last of him.

Olympics: Russia's Ilchenko wins women's 10km marathon swim

2008-08-20T12:21:00.004+07:00

BEIJING - Russia's Larisa Ilchenko won the gold medal for the Olympic Games women's 10 kilometres marathon swim here on Wednesday in a time of 1 hour 59.27 minutes.

Britain's Keri-Anne Payne claimed silver having led for most of the race, in a time of 1 hours 59.29 minutes, alongside compatriot Cassandra Patten who took bronze in 1 hour 59.31 minutes.

With an hour gone, the British pair had a five-metre gap over the leading pack, which included Russian open water teenage specialist Ilchenko, at Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Caboeing Park on the outskirts of Beijing.

Ilchenko has dominated open water swimming since 2004, winning five consecutive 5km world championships and three straight 10km races.

The Russian 19-year-old sat behind the British pair with Brazilian duo Poliana Okimoto, 25, and 16-year-old Ana Chunka until just before the two hour stage, when she closed the gap.

She chased down the Brits along with Germany's Angela Maurer, who eventually finished fourth, and the Russian was clear for the final 100 metres as her rivals tired.

South African Natalie du Toit, the first amputee to qualify for the Olympic Games, finished 16th.

Olympics: China's He leaps to gold in diving, Despatie wins silver

2008-08-20T12:21:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - China's He Chong clinched the men's 3m springboard title on Tuesday, maintaining the host nation's perfect gold medal record in diving at these Olympics.

World number one He soared into the lead with his first dive, scoring four perfect 10s from the judges and roars of support from the packed Chinese crowd, and never looked back, winning by more than 30 points.

With the 21-year-old from Guangdong simply extending his lead with every near perfect dive, the battle turned to silver and bronze, between teammate Qin Kai and Canada's Alexandre Despatie.

The Canadian held off the world champion, winning silver to match the one he won in Athens four years ago, with Qin taking third.

China have now claimed six out of six diving golds in Beijing, equalling their best ever tally in Athens four years ago, with two events still to come.

"Today is the happiest day of my life," He said.

"I didn't care so much about the score during the diving. In the end I knew I had probably won.

"This gold has a different meaning. I have always made little mistakes and been nervous in big events but this time I controlled myself better and did what my coaches wanted me to do."

He revealed that as a younger diver he was passed between coaches before switching from the platform to the springboard where he found his niche.

"When I was young, my condition was not very good, in the platform I could not perform very well, and I changed coaches many times," he said.

"If your condition is not good, then the coaches don't want to train you."

He finished with 572.90 points, with Despatie 36.25 behind on 536.65 and 22-year-old Qin on 530.10 points.

For Despatie, the silver came after fighting back from injuries, including breaking his right foot in February and hurting his back, which threatened his chances at this Games, and then poor results in the preliminaries here.

"I dug myself out of an enormous hole to win this medal," he said.

"This means the world, my silver medal is golden for me because nothing was good this year," the 23-year-old said, adding he now plans to continue on until the London Games in 2012.

In the fifth round, Qin and Despatie performed the same dive, an inwards three and a half somersault tuck, with the Chinese champion scoring slightly higher than the Canadian.

Just over five points separated the pair heading into the last round, with both performing ambitious dives to get over the line. But the Canadian edged out the Chinese with a foward two and a half somersault with two twists.

Russia's Dmitry Sautin, 34, who has won eight medals over five Olympics including silver here in the 3m synchronised event, finished fourth.

The 34-year-old Russian, almost certainly competing at his last Olympics, said beforehand that he wanted to walk away with one more medal.

World number two Yahel Castillo, who kept up with the leaders during the semi-finals, faded to seventh, denying Mexico its first gold medal in Beijing.

Olympics: Japan's swimming star Kitajima denies immediate retirement

2008-08-20T12:20:00.002+07:00

TOKYO - Japanese swimming star Kosuke Kitajima, who pulled off an Olympic breaststroke double for the second straight time, on Tuesday denied any immediate plan to retire after the Beijing Games.

"As for my retirement, nothing has been decided yet," the 25-year-old told a news conference in Tokyo.

"I have never said about anything," Kitajima said of the possibility of his retirement after winning the 200m race on Thursday last week following his 100m triumph in world-record time.

Kitajima said: "I still think that I can show my swimming to my fans. I want to hold on my answer for now."

Kitajima had reportedly voiced his intention to end his career after the Games.

"Inside myself, I feel it's over. I have taken it one last time and the results have made my team and my coach happy," Kitajima was quoted as saying by the Yomiuri Shimbun.

Olympics: Ohuruogu stuns Richards to take women's 400m crown

2008-08-20T12:19:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain produced a stunning race on Tuesday to add the 400 metres Olympic gold to the world and Commonwealth crowns she already owns, winning in a time of 49.62 seconds.

The 24-year-old, who served a one-year ban last year for missing three dope tests, beat home Shericka Williams of Jamaica (49.69 seconds) while favourite Sanya Richards of the United States took bronze (49.93 seconds).

Ohuruogu, who won her world title in Osaka just over three weeks after serving out her suspension, gave herself a large pat on the back.

"I am just so proud of myself," said Ohuruogu, one of 10 children and of Nigerian descent.

"I know I am the type of athlete who rises to the big occasion. For instance, this season has not been a great one but I targeted this title like I did for the world championships.

"You always have dreams that you cross the line first, but they rarely become reality. I just ran across the line, thinking, I won!

"The 400m is about the person who can fight to the line and I might not get the best start or be the fastest but if you want to beat me you have to fight me. I will fight to the line and I do not give up.

"That's life. You have to take the ups and the downs. You don't take anything for granted. I have worked hard for everything I have done."

She pointedly refused to talk about the year's ban.

"I got what I wanted and no I don't have a message. I have nothing to say about it," she said and then pointed to her medal.

Ohuruogu, who challenged and won her case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the BOA by-law which bans athletes who served suspensions for doping infringements, looked out of contention rounding the bend and with 100 metres to go.

Richards, who had said last week that she thought the Briton was fortunate to be competing here, looked at that point set fair for the gold she believed was her due after a miserable year suffering from a rare illness in 2007 as she had a clear lead.

However, down the straight the Jamaican-born naturalised American started to tie up and Ohuruogu's more measured and controlled race paid off as she passed two Russians and then the final prize of 23-year-old Richards.

Ohuruogu crossed the line just ahead of the fast-finishing Williams, who had passed a tiring Richards.

Richards, who as a result of Behcet's disease suffered such bad mouth ulcers that she could not eat or talk, cut a dejected figure.

"I'm not well. I just worked so hard for this.

"This is so devastating for me. I was in control coming round the curve and then my right hamstring cramped on me.

"It went with 70 metres to go. I feel so betrayed by my body again.

"It's such a tough break."

However, Ohuruogu's coach Lloyd Cowan had a different perspective.

"I had noticed that Sanya got flatfooted at around 320 metres and that was when you had to go for her," he said.

Olympics: Golden Dawn means only 100m hurdles darkness for Lolo

2008-08-20T12:11:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - World season leader Lolo Jones stumbled over the penultimate hurdle while leading the Olympic women's 100m hurdles final on Tuesday, allowing fellow American Dawn Harper to claim a surprise gold.

World indoor 60m hurdles champion Jones planted her right foot into the hurdle, but kept on her feet and cleared the last obstacle, but with her momentum shattered, so were her chances for victory as rivals surged past her.

"At the middle part of the race the hurdles came up very fast," Jones said. "I wanted to keep things tight. It was like racing a car at high velocity. When you hit a curve, you either maintain control of it or you crash and burn.

"Today I crashed and burned."

Australia's Sally McLellan was second in 12.64 with Canadian Priscilla Lopes-Schliep third in the same time and American Damu Cherry fourth in 12.65.

"I'm shocked and sad but I am happy for the (other) girls," Jones said. "It's hurdles. You have to clear all 10 or you are not a worthy champion.

"Today is hard. Tomorrow will be harder. I just have to get myself back up."

Jamaicans Delloreen Ennis-London and Bridgitte Foster-Hylton were fifth and sixth respectively with Jones staggering across the finish line seventh in 12.72, pumping her fists in frustration and then dropping to her knees.

"These are definitely tears of sadness, not of joy," Jones said. "I'm really sad. I tried my best. I kept telling myself to concentrate but I can't control what happens. Sometimes you just lose your mind."

Jones ran the fastest 100 hurdles in the world this year on Monday by winning her semi-final in a personal best 12.43 seconds.

Last month, she had won the US Olympic trials 100 hurdles final in a wind-aided 12.29 seconds, matching the second-fastest time ever clocked in the event under any conditions.

"The last time I hit a hurdle was the day before the Olympic trials," Jones said.

Cherry, fighting the flu at her first Olympics, was second only to Jones this year with a season best of 12.47. She missed the 2004 Olympics while serving a two-year doping ban.

"It's hard," Cherry said. "Congratulations to them. But it's hard. I thought I had it. I really did."

Instead, McLellan, who finished 10th in the event at last year's worlds, had herself a silver medal and Lopes-Schliep, who turns 26 in a week, received an early birthday gift.

"I didn't know what happened," Lopes-Schliep said. "When I saw the photo finish I was all tingling."

McLellan had doubted she could pull off a podium finish despite entering the race with the fourth-best 2008 effort among the finalists, a 12.53 showing from last month at Monaco.

"In my heart I didn't think I would medal. But then I did," McLellan said. "This is amazing. I can't believe this is even happening."

Olympics: Maiden Olympic medal for Bahrain as Ramzi wins 1,500m

2008-08-20T12:10:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Rashid Ramzi handed Bahrain its first-ever Olympic medal when he won the men's 1,500 metres gold medal at the Beijing Games on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old Moroccan-born runner won in 3 minutes 32.94 seconds, outsprinting the field for the Gulf country's first medal in six Olympic Games dating back to Los Angeles in 1984.

Kenya's Asbel Kipruto Kiprop, who finished fourth in last year's world championships in Osaka, claimed silver in 3:33.11 with New Zealander Nicholas Willis winning bronze in 3:34.16.

Qatar's Kenyan-born Belal Mansoor Ali blasted away to the front of the 12-man field from the start of the race around three-and-three-quarter laps of the packed 91,000-capacity National Stadium in sultry conditions.

He was soon joined by Kiprop, who took the pack through the first 400m in 56.48 seconds.

Augustine Choge then moved into the lead and as the bell for the last lap sounded, the Kenyan Commonwealth 5,000m champion opened up his stride in a bid to up the pace.

The field followed suit and with 300 metres to go, Ramzi kicked. For a moment it looked as if he had moved too early as Ali shadowed him around the far bend.

But with teeth clenched, the Moroccan-born runner who moved to Bahrain in 2001 to join the army maintained his startling burst of pace to outsprint the chasing peloton, including an ever-closing 60-metre gasping effort from Kiprop.

His victory made up for his semi-final exit at the Athens Games four years ago and replicated the form that saw become the first athlete since New Zealand's Peter Snell in the 1964 Olympics to do the 800/1500m double in a global championships when he achieved that in the 2005 world championships. - AFP/de

Olympics: Argentina to face Nigeria in men's football final

2008-08-20T12:09:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Argentina crushed Brazil in one of football's most combustible rivalries on Tuesday to reach the Olympic final where they will play African giants Nigeria who sauntered past minnows Belgium.

The defending champions, inspired by Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi who outshone AC Milan's Ronaldinho, upset their South American neighbours with a brace from Sergio Aguero and penalty by captain Juan Riquelme.

It means that Brazil, despite being five-time World Cup winners, must wait another four years for a chance to win their first Olympic gold after coming up short twice before in final appearances in 1984 and 1988.

Atletico Madrid's Aguero broke the deadlock seven minutes after the interval when Angel Di Maria's pass appeared to strike his upper arm and flew into the net.

Aguero scored his second five minutes later when Messi released defender Pablo Zabaleta on the right and his pass was slotted home from close range.

Riquelme killed off the game with a 76th minute penalty after Aguero was brought down by Bayern Munich defender Breno.

It was wretched night for the Brazilians with Liverpool midfielder Lucas and substitute Thiago Neves both sent off for ugly fouls on Javier Mascherano late in the second half.

In Shanghai, 1996 Atlanta Olympic champions Nigeria proved too big a hurdle for Belgium, comfortably winning 4-1.

Olubayo Adefemi opened the scoring in the 17th minute and Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi netted a brace before Chibuzor Okonkwo hammered the final nail in Belgium's coffin.

Substitute Laurent Ciman pulled one back in the dying minutes but it was too little too late.

"It was unbelievable. You just have to look at the scoreboard," said Nigeria's ecstatic coach Samson Siasia. "We are going for gold."

Nigeria came out firing on all cylinders with Belgian goalkeeper Logan Bailly called into action twice in the opening minute, parrying a tricky cross then getting down low to save a shot from captain Victor Obinna.

The Nigerians, with the inherited experience of six Olympics, pressed the attack and a sustained period of pressure resulted in the opener.

The Belgian defence was at fault, failing to clear the ball and it fell to Adefemi inside the box and he slotted it underneath the diving Bailly.

Hertha Berlin forward Solomon Okoronkwo almost made it 2-0 ten minutes before the break when his pace took him past a defender but his drive whistled past the post.

At the other end, Ajax midfielder Jan Vertonghen struck a beautiful volley after connecting perfectly with a lofted corner kick, only to see Nigerian keeper Ambruse Vanzekin somehow keep it out.

The Africans got the all-important second goal after 59 minutes, but they were fortunate as Ogbuke Obasi looked to be offside when Everton's Victor Anichebe fed him the ball.

He put it in the net with the outside of his left boot and Chilean referee Pablo Pozo allowed it to stand.

The match was put beyond doubt with 18 minutes remaining when Obinna laid off the ball to a rampaging Ogbuke Obasi who hit a powerful strike from 25 yards that gave Bailly no chance.

A long-range effort from Okonkwo in the 78th minute added to Belgium's misery.

"We deserved it," said Odemwingie. "We have the confidence to win a gold medal for Africa."

Olympics: Fans on the hunt for unique mementos

2008-08-20T12:08:00.004+07:00

SINGAPORE - If you are an athlete at the Beijing Olympic Games, you might covet an Olympic medal to bring home. But for some spectators and Olympic fans, an Olympic pin would be their choice memento.

Some collectors of Olympic pins are more than willing to trade with anyone for a unique gem.

Ron Finnigan, an Olympic pin collector, said: "I like the one from Samoa because it's a nice-looking pin. It's got their country's crest on it. It's got to have the Olympic rings. This one actually has the Beijing logo on it, which is crucial in a good pin."

Larry Grulich, another Olympic pin collector, said: "You have the National Olympic Committee pins. Some of them have the Olympic year and date on them – those are the most coveted pins. Media (pins) are coveted, but there are a lot of media pins."

There are others who start with just a few pins, but manage to garner more from fellow collectors, who are eager to see their country represented in the collection.

Olympics: Nigeria beat Belgium 4-1 to play in football final

2008-08-20T12:08:00.002+07:00

SHANGHAI - A goal in the first half and three goals in the second half put African powerhouse Nigeria into the Olympic football final on Tuesday as they thrashed minnows Belgium 4-1.

The 1996 Atlanta Olympic champions will meet either Brazil or Argentina in the gold medal match in Beijing on Saturday.

Olubayo Adefemi opened the scoring in the 17th minute and Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi netted a brace before Chibuzor Okonkwo hammered the final nail in Belgium's coffin.

Substitute Laurent Ciman pulled one back in the dying minutes but it was too little too late.

Nigeria came out firing on all cylinders with Belgian goalkeeper Logan Bailly called into action twice in the opening minute, parrying a tricky cross then getting down low to save a shot from captain Victor Obinna.

Belgium, who had never been this far at an Olympics before, had their first chance on five minutes when Lille striker Kevin Mirallas whipped off a left foot strike that slid well wide.

The Nigerians, with the inherited experience of six Olympics and one gold medal, pressed the attack and a sustained period of pressure resulted in the opener.

The Belgian defence was at fault, failing to clear the ball and it fell to Adefemi inside the box and he slotted it underneath the diving Bailly.

Chances came thick and fast with Belgium's Sevilla frontman Tom De Bul going close just minutes later as the action went from end to end.

Hertha Berlin forward Solomon Okoronkwo almost made it 2-0 ten minutes before the break when his pace took him past a defender but his drive whistled past the post.

Belgium were almost made to pay the price again soon after the restart when a misunderstanding between two defenders saw a pass go astray, but Peter Odemwingie wasn't able to capitalise.

At the other end, Ajax midfielder Jan Vertonghen struck a beautiful volley after connecting perfectly with a lofted corner kick, only to see Nigerian keeper Ambruse Vanzekin somehow keep it out.

The Africans got the all-important second goal after 59 minutes, but they were fortunate as Ogbuke Obasi looked to be offside when Everton's Victor Anichebe fed him the ball.

He put it in the net with the outside of his left boot and Chilean referee Pablo Pozo allowed it to stand.

Anichebe was playing well, causing the defence problems, but Toffees boss David Moyes won't have been impressed when he missed an open goal from three yards out.

The match was put beyond doubt with 18 minutes remaining when Obinna laid off the ball to a rampaging Ogbuke Obasi who hit a powerful strike from 25 yards that gave Bailly no chance.

A long-range effort from Okonkwo in the 78th minute added to Belgium's misery.

Olympics: China's Liu apologises, vows to rise again

2008-08-20T12:07:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Chinese athletics hero Liu Xiang made an emotional apology Tuesday to his fans for pulling out of the Olympics with an "unbearable" foot injury, while vowing to rise again.

Liu and the nation's dream of gold in the 110m hurdles ended with just a few steps at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium on Monday when he hobbled off the track with what transpired to be a long-term problem with his right foot.

"I just feel so sorry. Because there were so many people supporting me, I told myself I had to run, but I just couldn't do it," Liu said in interviews with the state-run press that were published and aired on Tuesday.

Amid online anger from some fans that he had not revealed the extent of his injury earlier and built-up expectations that he would win, Liu wrote an open letter on the blog of one of his coaches.

"Please believe that the hurt and sadness in my heart cannot be smaller than yours," he wrote.

"At the same time, please believe I am the same Liu Xiang as before."

In one interview with state television, Liu said the pain in his foot was simply too much.

"It was unbearable. If I had finished the race, I would have risked my tendon. I could not describe my feeling at that moment," a visibly downcast Liu said.

"I never quit easily. I am not that type of person."

The 25-year-old defending Olympic champion and former world record holder also sought to reassure his fans that they had not seen the last of him on the track.

"There will be more opportunities next year, there will be more opportunities later... I must be optimistic, I can't complain about destiny," he said.

"I'm one that can't accept failure easily, I will rise up, it's in my character."

Liu's shock withdrawal from the heat deprived China's 1.3 billion people of what they had widely expected to be their most memorable moment of the Games -- gold in one of the high-profile track events.

Liu became the first Chinese man to win an athletics gold with his victory in the 110m hurdles at the Athens Olympics, ensuring hero worship in a nation that has traditionally been successful in lower-profile sports.

He spent the next four years as one of China's two biggest sporting personalities, alongside basketball star Yao Ming, and raked in millions of dollars through a dizzying array of sponsorship deals.

Their fame in China was partly built on the fact they had succeeded in sporting endeavours traditionally dominated by western nations.

In this light, China had pinned its hopes on Liu winning Thursday's final of the 110m hurdles becoming the symbolic high point of the Beijing Olympics, capping off the nation's overall dominance at the Games.

Nevertheless, China's leadership and media rallied around Liu on Tuesday.

Vice President Xi Jinping, who has overall political control for the Olympics, wished Liu a speedy recovery and told him and his coach, Sun Haiping, not to lose heart.

In what was an almost uniform message throughout the government-controlled press, the Beijing News appealed to Liu's millions of fans to show understanding.

"To withdraw from a race is not to give up... Liu Xiang had no choice and this was a moment of great courage," the Beijing News said in comments echoed by other papers.

Liu came into the Games as one of China's most marketable athletes, earning about 23 million dollars last year in endorsements from companies such as Nike, Visa and Cadillac, according to the 2007 annual rich list by Forbes magazine.

His big sponsors rushed to support him on Tuesday, with Nike seeking to put a positive spin on his failure and rushing out an ad in the Chinese press with the punchline: "Love sport even when it breaks your heart".

Olympics: Miao leads China into women’s basketball semi-finals

2008-08-20T12:06:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Captain Miao Lijie scored 28 points as China beat Belarus 77-62 to reach the Olympic Games women's basketball semi-finals on Tuesday where they will tackle Australia.

China were never behind in the match and led by a comfortable 22 points midway through the third quarter although the bigger Europeans made their presence felt in rebounds with a game leading 41-22.

Belarus used that physical power to cut the deficit to just nine points with seven minutes left, but Miao rose to the occasion by scoring 11 of her team's last 17 points to clinch the win.

Chen Xiaoli came off the bench to hit 15 points while guard Bian Lan added eight.

Forward Tatyana Troina was Belarus's top scorer with 15 points while Anastasiya Veremeyenka added 13.

"We won because we were solid and the Chinese team have shown that for a long time," said Miao.

China's best Olympics performance was the runners-up spot at the 1992 Games in Barcelona.

"To be a top team and win medals, you don't just have to go from 10th place to the semi-finals," said China's Australian coach Tom Maher.

"You have to reach the top four consistently. If a team pops up in the top four and then disappears it's not enough. Your programme has to have longevity.

"China has to be in the top four in the next Olympics and then in the next. That's the test."

Australia, widely tipped to meet the defending champions United States in the final, beat the Czech Republic 79-46 in their last eight match but suffered an injury scare when Penny Taylor damaged her ankle.

The Aussies admit they will have a fight on their hands trying to outwit Maher, who acquired the nickname 'Guru' during his time at home.

"It'll be tough to play against him. I have great respect for Tom," said star centre Lauren Jackson.

Tuesday's late quarter-finals feature United States against South Korea and Russia facing Spain.

Olympics: Chinese insurer may pay for Liu Xiang's injury

2008-08-20T12:05:00.000+07:00

BEIJING - Insurance giant Ping An said on Tuesday the injury suffered by star Chinese athlete Liu Xiang might be covered by a 100-million-yuan (14.6-million-dollar) insurance policy it gave him for free.

Ping An donated the one-year accident coverage to Liu in October 2007 along with a separate 100 million yuan policy for the whole athletics team.

Ping An spokesman Sheng Ruisheng said the company was contacting China's sports authorities to find out more about the injury which forced Liu to withdraw from his 110m hurdles heat on Monday.

The 25-year-old world and Olympic champion blamed a long-standing tendon injury in his right foot.

"We haven't made a decision (on the payment) yet," he said. "We haven't got official confirmation of the nature of his injury."

If the injury was not considered accidental it would not be covered by the Ping An policy, Tuesday's Shanghai Daily reported, citing unnamed people at the company.

Liu is one of China's richest sports stars and celebrities. A survey by Forbes magazine last year estimated his annual income at around 23 million dollars.

Olympics: Yao Ming furious over benching

2008-08-20T12:04:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - China superstar Yao Ming was furious at being benched in the defeat against Greece where a win could have ensured his nation's highest-ever finish in Olympic basketball, the team's coach admitted.

Yao had 16 points and five rebounds in Monday's 91-77 loss to the Greeks, but only played 16 minutes as coach Jonas Kazlauskas chose to rest him for Wednesday's quarter-final against Lithuania.

Kazlauskas acknowledged that Yao was unhappy with the decision, saying the Houston Rocket star would have played more if China had a chance of winning, but after falling behind by 24 points in the first half that opportunity was lost.

"If we should be able... to play close from the beginning, for sure Yao Ming should play a longer time, but there was no reason to keep him on the court," Kazlauskas said.

"Yao fought, he wants to play and wants to help us as much as possible, but he is a player and I am the coach. I make those decisions."

China's sporting media is howling at the decision, saying that the Yao-led team cut Greece's huge lead to 10 points twice in the second half and that the towering centre could have made a difference had he played more.

A win over Greece would have given China a three win, two loss record in Olympic play and ensured at least a sixth placed finish regardless of the outcome of Wednesday's quarter-final.

If China loses to Lithuania, the host team will end up only tied with its previous best Olympic finish of eighth place.

The iconic Yao, one of China's most high profile athletes, has long downplayed a medal finish at the Beijing Games, but has repeatedly promised to lead the team to a new historic high.

Following Monday's loss, Yao stormed off the court refusing to speak to the press.

He also refused to discuss the game with the leading Titan Sports Weekly, which had an exclusive interview arrangement with him following each match.

"I talked with him only a moment and what he said I could not print in the press," Titan journalist Yang Yi told AFP.

"You could say he was not happy at all with Jonas."

Kazlauskas, who once coached his home nation Lithuania, said his top players were too tired after an emotional 59-55 win over Germany on Saturday that ensured China's advance to the medal round.

He promised a better effort against the Lithuanians.

"We played Lithuania when I was (China's) assistant coach in Athens 2004, I know those guys, and this is my job, we have to do as best as possible," he said.

Olympics: Germany's Frodeno in shock Olympic triathlon win

2008-08-20T12:00:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Germany's Jan Frodeno sprinted down the final straight to claim a shock win after a thrilling Olympic Games men's triathlon on Tuesday.

Frodeno, 27, passed Canada's 2000 gold medallist Simon Whitfield with just metres left, finishing in 1hr 48min 53sec.

Athens silver-medallist Bevan Docherty of New Zealand took bronze while there was heartbreak for hot favourite Javier Gomez, triathlon's "Tiger Woods," who was relegated to fourth.

The six-foot-three (1.94-metres) Frodeno was nobody's pre-race tip with a relatively modest record including 13 top-10 World Cup finishes and last year's German national title.

But he put on a devastating burst of speed to run down Whitfield and leave Gomez and Docherty trailing.

The four had been neck-and-neck entering the stadium but world champion Gomez faded at the final turn, dashing the Spaniard's hopes of a first Olympic medal.

Earlier, Russia's Alexander Bryukhankov led out the swim but it was New Zealander Shane Reed who landed first and made it through the transition followed by Frederic Belaube of France with Gomez not far behind.

Luxembourg's Dirk Bockel and Axel Zeebroek of Belgium broke away on the bike leg and established a lead of nearly a minute on the favourites going into the run.

Their advantage was chopped to just 20 seconds by the end of lap one and it disappeared entirely in the next lap as Gomez and Spanish team-mate Ivan Rana hit the front.

The smart money was on Gomez, 25, who has four World Cup victories this season after winning the series for the past two years running. He also won last year's World Cup race on this course.

But the expected surge never came as he was tracked all the way by Frodeno, Whitfield and Docherty, and ran out of steam at the last.

The 1.5-kilometre swim, 40-kilometre cycle and 10-kilometre run was held at the scenic Ming Tomb Reservoir near Beijing in steamy temperatures of about 28 C.

Australia's Emma Snowsill took women's gold on Monday in a time of 1:58:27.

Olympics: Record-breaking Aramnau wins first Belarus gold

2008-08-19T12:28:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Andrei Aramnau broke three weightlifting world records to help Belarus win their first Beijing Olympics gold medal on Monday.

The squat, 20-year-old world champion reset all records in the 105kg weight class with a snatch lift of 200kg, a clean and jerk effort of 236kg, and a total lift of 436kg.

Former world champion Dmitry Klokov of Russia won the silver medal with a total effort of 423kg.

A second Russian, Dmitry Lapikov, edged out Marcin Dolega of Poland for the bronze with an equal total of 420kg but with a lighter body weight than the Pole.

Aramnau set an Olympic record with his second snatch attempt of 197kg, erasing Dmitry Berestov of Russia's Athens Olympics standard of 195kg.

The Belarussian then demolished Dolega's two year-old world record of 199kg with a final 200kg heave.

In the clean and jerk, the Belarussian equalled the eight year-old world record total of 430kg held by Denis Gotfrid of Ukraine with a second heave of 230kg.

Aramnau's final lift of 236kg reset both Gotfrid's eight year-old clean and jerk effort of 235kg as well Gotfrid's all-time high total by a huge six kilogrammes.

Olympics: USA and China trade insults after fiery baseball clash

2008-08-19T12:27:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - The United States and China traded insults after a bruising Olympic Games baseball clash which ended with the Chinese manager and relief pitcher thrown out of the game.

America's 9-1 win was overshadowed by fierce on-field rows which will make for a high-voltage final should the two sides now get through their semi-finals and meet in the gold medal match.

China manager James Lefebvre was the first man to be ejected after twice leaving the dugout to protest plays before relief pitcher Chen Kun was also given his marching orders for delivering a fastball drilled into the helmet of Matt Laporta.

In the course of the game, China catcher Wang Wei was injured and had to leave after a collision with Laporta while replacement catcher Yang Yang was taken out by Nate Schierholtz.

Not to be outdone, US manager Davey Johnson also came out of the dugout when Laporta was hit.

"We not only lost the game but we may have also lost our catcher Wang Wei for the rest of the Olympics. He got hit in the leg. They play hard and we play hard," said Lefebvre who was furious with Schierholtz.

"If you have a guy at homeplate, you never come up and try to hit the guy in the chest. I felt that was an illegal slide and the umpire should have ejected him. After that the game got out of hand."

Lefebvre also defended Chen's controversial pitch.

"We do not throw to hit people. He tried to throw the ball inside and it got away from him. The umpire lost control of the game. He created this."

Schierholtz insisted he did not mean to hurt Yang.

"We're not here to fight. I would rather have slid but the catcher was in the way," he said.

The United States (3-2) will face Taiwan (1-4) on Tuesday for a place in the final while China (1-4) tackle Japan (3-2).

Olympics: South Korea seize men's team table tennis bronze

2008-08-19T12:26:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - South Korea downed Austria to win bronze in the men's team table tennis on Monday, shattering the Europeans' hopes of clinching its first Olympic medal in the sport.

South Korea, boasting defending Olympic singles champion Ryu Seung-Min, fought off a ferocious challenge from the Austrians, led by former world champion Werner Schlager, before winning 3-1.

"We are really, really happy because this is the first team match and we got the bronze medal. I thank very much my teammates and the coaching staff," Ryu said. "I will do my best in the singles matches," he added.

South Korea's Oh Sang-Eun dashed Austria's hopes in the first game, downing Schlager 3-1.

But Robert Gardos came out firing in the second match, taking the first two sets against Ryu before the South Korean clawed one back, only for the Austrian to clinch the fourth.

With the encounter locked at 1-1, South Korea's Yoon Jae-Young and Oh produced a scorching display of table tennis in the doubles, to whitewash the Austrian duo Gardos and Chen Weixing.

Ryu returned to the tables against Chen, and this time redeemed himself, downing the Austrians 3-0 and hand the South Koreans bronze.

"I didn't play at my peak level but this is human you know," Schlager said.

"We are fourth and this is the best result for the Austrian team so far, and I think we can be proud of that," he said.

In the men's team final, China defeated Germany for the gold.

Men's and women's team competition was held for the first time in Beijing since table tennis was introduced at the 1988 Seoul Games, replacing doubles.

Olympics: US NBA stars cruise to 106-57 win over Germany

2008-08-19T12:25:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - America's NBA stars showed Germany on Monday why they are gold medal favourites at the Beijing Olympics, dispatching a team led by Dirk Nowitzki 106-57.

The game was never in doubt as the NBA All Stars pressured Germany early with a stifling defence, while cruising with an attack led by 22 points and 10 rebounds from Dwight Howard and 18 from Cleveland Cavalier LeBron James.

"We're pretty excited about finishing pool play undefeated and getting onto the medal round," US coach Mike Krzyzewski said of the game.

"We are healthy, I think the team has played well and we are very excited about getting into the medal round, it is time to win a gold medal."

Balanced scoring by the US was again in evidence as Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant finished with 13 and Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade had 10 each.

The US began the game by establishing Orlando Magic centre Howard in the middle as they jumped out to a 20-5 lead that also featured some explosive dunks by NBA scoring champ James.

"I just had to get myself going running the floor and getting deep in the paint and going right into the shot and being a big presence for the team," Howard said.

Howard had eight of his points in the first quarter, while James notched 16 of his in the first 20 minutes as the US shot 55 percent from the field including 11 for 26 on three pointers.

Nowitzki, who finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, knew he was in for a long night in the first minute when he suddenly found himself surrounded by four Americans as he tried to take the ball to the hoop.

The US team has prided itself on a swarming, pressuring defence, while its high-octane offence is geared to always find uncontested shots for unmarked players.

"What we have seen is they (US) play extremely hard on the defensive end, they are very unselfish, they always find the open guy and they also shot the three point very well," said German coach Dirk Bauermann.

"When they have these three things, great defence, share the ball and shoot the ball well, they are unbeatable."

The US had won its previous four preliminary-round games by an average of 28 points, including a devastating 119-82 win over reigning world champions Spain on Saturday.

Renamed the "Redeem team," the current group of American players are seeking to make amends for a disappointing bronze medal at the Athens Games four years ago and poor showings at the 2002 and 2006 world championships.

In Wednesday's quarter-final knock out round, the US will meet Australia, while Spain faces Croatia, China goes up against Lithuania and Argentina meets Greece.

In earlier games on Monday, Greece beat hosts China 91-77, while Australia primed itself for its quarter-final against the US by annihilating powerful Lithuania 106-75.

Milwaukee Bucks centre Andrew Bogut top-scored for Australia with 23 points, while Brad Newley led a three-point attack with 16 as the Boomers shot 64 percent from behind the arc.

"Everybody is talking about the USA," Australian coach Brian Goorjian said.

"We're in a tournament and now we get to play the best team in the world and have a swing at the big dog. I'm confident we are going to go out there and play ball."

Despite falling behind to Greece by 24 points, China came back to get within 10 points with three minutes left, but could not overcome the inside play of Ioannes Bourousis who netted 19 points and nine rebounds for Greece.

Floor general Vasilieios Spanoulis spearheaded the Greek attack with 19 points and four assists.

Meanwhile Spanish centre Pau Gasol scored 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the reigning world championships dispatched Angola 98-50.

In the other preliminary round match up Monday, reigning Olympic champs Argentina beat current European title holders Russia 91-79, with Houston Rocket Luis Scola scoring 12 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter for the winners.

In the early game, Croatia beat winless Iran 91-57.

Olympics: China defeat Germany for men's team table tennis gold

2008-08-19T12:23:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - China's table tennis giants marched over Germany for gold in the men's team event on Monday, and immediately warned they were aiming for total domination of the Olympic tournament.

China, boasting the world's top three players, were rarely troubled against Germany's trio, winning 3-0 and sparking cheering and singing from the packed, flag-waving Chinese crowd.

With the Olympics on home soil and table tennis considered the national game, China are aiming for all four golds - anything less considered by officials and thousands of frenzied fans a failure.

Three-time world champion Wang Liqin said they were all told beforehand that losing the final was not an option.

"Before we came into the match, our coach said the mission for the men's team final is a must-win task," he said.

"We have worked very hard and our performance is very good, that's why we achieved the final victory, and that makes me very happy."

Coach Liu Guoliang warned that the trio - including world number one Wang Hao and number two Ma Lin - were just getting started.

"It was our strategy that we must win this gold medal because that demonstrates the power of our country," Liu said.

"We have accomplished just one half of our pre-set target, the future battles will be even more difficult, even more challenging but we will try our utmost to win all of the gold medals."

China's women won the team event on Sunday, downing rivals Singapore with the men's and women's singles competition still to come.

In contrast, Germany's rising star Dimitrij Ovtcharov said they were happy with silver, realising that defeating China in a team event was a huge task.

"We are very very happy, at this moment, this is the maximum that you can reach in the team event. China, they are the best team in the world, you have to accept it," the 19-year-old said.

Wang Hao took the first match against Ovtcharov who went down in a brave fight 3-0. Ma faced a tougher battle against three-time Olympian Timo Boll, considered one of the few Europeans capable of derailing the Chinese.

Ma took the first game before Boll roared back in the second, taking a 7-1 lead before closing out the game.

But the world number two held his nerve, taking the next two games with some fast and furious table tennis, pumping his fists with every winning shot.

In the doubles, Germany's Boll and Christian Suss combined to take the first game against Wang Hao and Wang Liqin.

But the Chinese simply upped the tempo, taking the next three, as the Germans started to flag, for a 3-1 win.

China, the world team champions who won three gold in Athens - and now 18 out of the 22 since the sport was introduced at the 1988 Games - steamrolled over the competition on the way to the final, without losing a match.

Earlier on Monday, South Korea downed Austria 3-1 to win bronze, with defending Olympic singles champion Ryu Seung-Min finding form at the crucial moment.

"We are really, really happy because this is the first team match and we got the bronze medal. I thank very much my teammates and the coaching staff," Ryu said. "I will do my best in the singles matches," he added.

Team competition has been introduced for the first time in Beijing, replacing doubles. -

Olympics: Tearful boxer Worapoj fails to win for cancer-hit father

2008-08-19T12:21:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Thai boxer Worapoj Petchkoom missed out on his dream of winning an Olympic medal for his cancer-stricken father when he was beaten in the bantamweight quarter-finals by Cuba's Yankiel Leon on Monday.

Worapoj burst into tears after his convincing 10-2 defeat in which he trailed 2-0 after the first round and saw the gap grow steadily thereafter.

The Thai simply couldn't break down the Cuban's tight guard and was picked off with ease.

"I want to apologise to all the Thai people, especially my father, I know this will be my last chance of getting a (Olympic) medal," said the silver medallist from Athens.

There was also disappointment for India's Akhil Kumar, who had beaten Russian world champion Sergey Vodopyanov in the previous round, as he lost to Veaceslav Gojan of Moldova.

Kumar was clearly confident coming in and bizarrely spent most of the second round showboating, but at the end of it the pair were tied at 2-2.

The Indian seemed to buckle down in the second half of the fight, punching in frantic bursts, but Gojan produced the cleaner shots and comfortably ran out a 10-3 winner.

But Kumar had lost none of his confidence once the bout was over.

"I'm a better boxer than the scoreline suggests. If I wasn't a good boxer I wouldn't have beaten a world champion in the last round," he said.

"It pains my heart but today was just not my day. But I can take it. If I can feel happy to take a win I have the heart to take a loss."

Cocky Bruno Julie from Mauritius will face Mongolia's world silver medallist Badar-Uugan Enkhbat in the other semi-final after respective victories over Venezuelan Hector Manzanilla 13-9 and Khumiso Ikgopoleng of Botswana 15-2.

Giant Chinese Zhang Zhilei guaranteed the hosts a second boxing medal of these Games and third in history after a dominant 12-2 victory over Ruslan Myrsatayev of Kazkhstan in the super-heavyweight last eight.

Zhang delighted the home fans by felling the Kazakh in the second-round and using his six-inch height advantage and raking straight left to control the bout.

He faces world silver medallist Vyacheslav Glazkov of Ukraine, who beat Algeria's Newfel Ouatah 10-4, in the semi-final.

Ouatah's coach was livid after the fight accusing boxing officials of corruption.

"It's not an honest decision it's all to favour the Chinese because he wouldn't get through against Ouatah. Is that boxing?" blasted Amri Houari.

"He was boxing six people - his opponent and five judges. The world is the witness."

World champion Roberto Cammarelle of Italy produced a controlled performance to beat Colombia's Oscar Rivas 9-5, winning every round by a single point.

Britain's David Price continued his comfortable progress after Lithuania's Jaroslav Jaksto retired with an injured thigh before the start of the second round, with Price leading 3-1.

Price had already stopped Russian favourite Islam Timurziev in the second round of his first contest but will have his work cut out against Cammarelle in the semi-final.

World silver medallist Vasyl Lomachenko of Ukraine ended home hopes at featherweight as he outclassed Li Yang of China 12-3.

The southpaw had already established himself as the favourite after he beat world champion Albert Selimov of Russia in the first round - a consequence of the lacking of seeding.

Lomachenko will face Turkey's Yakup Kilic in the last four after he beat Abdelkader Chadi of Algeria 13-6.

France's Khedafi Djelkhir picked himself off the floor to beat Mexico's Arturo Santos 14-9.

"I was knocked down but I knew my family were watching back home so I tried to come back from hell," said Djelkhir. "I have pride."

The Frenchman faces Shahin Imranov of Azerbaijan next after he beat Cuba's Idel Torriente 16-14.

Olympics: Isinbayeva breaks record to win women's pole vault gold

2008-08-19T12:19:00.004+07:00

BEIJING - Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia put in yet another masterful display of high-class pole vaulting on Monday to better her own world record on the way to defending Olympic gold.

The reigning Olympic and double world champion cleared 5.05m, 1cm higher than her own world record of 5.04m set in Monaco last month and a massive 25cm more than her closest competitor in an event she has dominated for the last four years.

She has been the world record holder since July 2004 and has now raised the bar on 24 occasions, although until last month she had not broken the outdoor mark since 2005.

The Russian only entered the competition at the National Stadium at 4.70m, when there were only four other vaulters still in with a chance. Seven others had crashed out at sub-4.70m heights.

She passed twice at 4.75m and 4.80m before easily vaulting 4.85m. She then set a new Olympic record of 4.95m after failing twice at that height.

Burying herself under a duvet between vaults, she cleared 5.05m at her third attempt.

Isinbayeva immediately fell to her knees, then stood up and promptly did a forward somersault before running to fetch a Russian flag for a well-deserved lap of honour.

American Jennifer Stuczynski won silver with 4.80m after bailing out three times at 4.90m. Russian Svetlana Feofanova took bronze with a best of 4.75m.

Russian Yulia Golubchikova finished fourth on 4.75m on countback from Feofanova. Monica Pyrek of Poland cleared 4.70m before bailing out.

Olympics: Jelimo gives Kenya's women first ever Olympic athletics gold

2008-08-19T12:19:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Teenage sensation Pamela Jelimo became the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic track and field gold on Monday when she claimed the 800 metres in a world junior record of 1 minute 54.87 seconds.

The 18-year-old beat home compatriot and world outdoor champion Janeth Jepkosgei (1:56.07) while 2004 Olympic silver medallist Hasna Benhassi of Morocco was third (1:56.73).

Mozambique's Maria Mutola finished fifth in her fifth Olympic final and the 33-year-old's sixth and final Olympics.

Defeat for Jepkosgei was a bittersweet moment as it was the 25-year-old who advised the winner to move up from 400m to 800m at the end of last year.

Jepkosgei - considered like an older sister by Jelimo - set a searing first lap pace which saw the two Kenyans open up a huge gap on Jamaican Kenia Sinclair while Mutola settled in fourth.

At the bell, though, Jelimo moved smoothly past Jepkosgei and quickly opened up a sizeable lead while the others toiled behind them.

There was no doubt about the winner rounding the final turn and the only question was who would get the minor medals.

Benhassi made her move rounding it and quickly passed a retreating Sinclair while Mutola had given her all and had nothing left to fight back with and was eventually passed by the fast finishing Russian Svetlana Klyuka.

Olympics: Britain's cyclists reap gold, smash records

2008-08-19T12:17:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Britain's team of track cycling stars continued to sweep up Olympic medals on Monday, smashing their own world record on their way to ending a 100-year wait for Olympic team pursuit gold.

The looks on the faces of Australia's squad, who with 10 medals including six gold were crowned the kings of the Athens velodrome in 2004, spoke volumes.

As Britain, with a time of 3min 53.314sec, claimed their fifth gold medal from seven finals and ninth medal of the 21 already awarded, Australia were left empty-handed.

They will be going quickly back to the drawing board ahead of the London Games in 2012.

"The Brits have the set the standard," said Australia's head coach Shayne Bannan. "It's been incredible to watch, and it has made a lot of teams sit up and take notice."

On the final day Tuesday, Britain have contenders in all three finals of the men's and women's sprint and the Madison, giving them a realistic chance of winning eight of the total 10 golds on offer.

Australia, though, will be hoping Anna Meares can make amends in the sprint after seeing the team pursuiters - champions in Athens four years ago- ousted for the bronze by New Zealand.

That reverse came a day after defending Olympic sprint champion Ryan Bayley was ousted from the early stages of the tournament, placing a big question mark over his future.

Britain's success has been put down to a track programme that was put in place nearly a decade ago, with Beijing - and London four years down the line - their favourite gold medal destinations.

Bannan admitted their dedicated team of specialists, who contrary to Australia have had plenty of time to work with their track stars, had done their jobs to perfection.

But he said even without millions of pounds of National Lottery funding, the Brits would be a formidable force.

"Even with half the budget, they would still get the same results," he added.

Scotland's Chris Hoy has a chance of adding sprint gold to those he won in the keirin and the team sprint, and could meet England's Jason Kenny in the final.

The 32-year-old from Edinburgh is not alone in aiming at a famous triple.

England's Bradley Wiggins, already Britain's most successful Olympic cyclist, added the team pursuit gold to the one he claimed when he defended his Olympic crown from Athens.

Describing the Madison as more of a lottery, there is no question what colour of medal Wiggins - who admitted he is getting greedy - has his eye on.

"We've kind of just been preparing for this all this year. Chris as well, he knew he was going for three," said Wiggins.

"I suppose you do get greedy in a way, but it's not wrong to be greedy when it comes to sport. All along, the focus has been three gold medals, so if we came away with one each we'd probably be a bit disappointed."

Englishwoman Victoria Pendleton is looking to add to everyone else's woes by grabbing gold in the women's sprint. The three-time world champion faces Willy Kanis of the Netherlands for a place in the final.

So far, there is only one track race in which Britain have failed to win a medal - the women's points race, won by Dutch phenomenon Marianne Vos.

England's Rebecca Romero had never competed in a points race, but the newly-crowned Olympic pursuit champion, a rowing silver medallist from the Athens Games, gave it her best shot.

"I'm glad that's over," she said after seeing Dutchwoman Marianne Vos step up to a podium that was 'Brit-free'.

"It was a bit of a daunting experience. I planned to use my pursuit training to the points (race). The trouble is, no one is going to give up in an Olympics race."

Olympics: Brazil crush Germany to make women's football final

2008-08-19T12:16:00.001+07:00

SHANGHAI - Brazil came from a goal down to stun Germany 4-1 on Monday and book a place in the women's Olympic decider, avenging their painful defeat to the European powerhouse in last year's World Cup final.

Formiga, Marta and a Cristiane brace did the damage, cancelling out a Birgit Prinz strike to set up a gold medal match against either defending champions the United States or Japan in Beijing on Thursday.

Prinz got the opener on 10 minutes, making the breakthrough after a nervy start by both sides.

As she so often has in the past, the German captain used her brute strength to muscle her way past a defender and into the box before calmly rounding goalkeeper Barbara and side footing home.

Rattled, Brazil looked to their three most creative players - Cristiane, Marta and Daniela - for inspiration and they duly delivered.

Daniela was proving a handful down the left and it was from her efforts that the South Americans almost got an equaliser with five minutes left in the half.

Her deep cross dropped at the feet of defender Simone only for Germany's Kerstin Garefrekes to make a crucial tackle and put the ball behind for a corner.

The near-miss sparked Brazil into life and three minutes later they were level after Cristiane sent a low cross into the box to the advancing Formiga who smashed the ball into the net from 20 yards.

It panicked the world champions who let their guard down again barely a minute later, allowing Marta to strike a long-range effort that goalkeeper Nadine Angerer did well to tip over the bar.

Brazil came out after the break just as determined and were ahead within four minutes after Marta picked up the ball just inside her own half and went rampaging down the middle of the park with Germany caught napping.

Drawing the defenders, she laid off the ball to Cristiane in acres of space and the 23-year-old made no mistake for her fourth goal of the tournament.

Brazil had another on 53 minutes when Marta rounded two defenders as she cut into the box on the right before burying the ball with the outside of her left boot.

Germany's back line was at fault again for the fourth goal when Cristiane danced past three defenders before coolly placing the ball past the oncoming Angerer with 14 minutes left.

Brazil and Germany have been the nearly-women of Olympics football.

The Brazilians lost the Athens final in 2004 in extra time by 2-1 to the USA while Germany have won bronze in their last two Games; they defeated Brazil in the third-place play-off in Sydney in 2000.

Olympics: Fans sympathetic and disappointed with Liu Xiang's shock exit

2008-08-19T12:15:00.001+07:00

SHANGHAI - China's golden boy Liu Xiang pulled out of the 110-metre hurdles on Monday, dashing the country's hopes of lifting the gold medal in the track and field event.

An injured right foot made it impossible for the track superstar to compete and his coach, Sun Haiping, could not hold back his tears when he described Liu's determination to defend his title.

A spokesperson for the Beijing Olympic Organising Committee said he thinks the Chinese people would understand the situation.

Wang Wei, executive vice-president, Beijing Games Organising Committee, said: "They will be disappointed, but I think they will understand. When somebody has an accident, you can't help it."

The 25-year-old Liu was born in 1983 in Shanghai. He became on overnight hero when he won the gold medal at the Athens Olympics four years ago.

A lot of Chinese chat sites have been sympathetic towards their hero, but some did question his ability to compete in the Games.

Liu had been training in private for weeks and his shock exit has put a dampener on China's celebrations over its best Olympics medal haul ever.

Many had planned to watch Liu Xiang compete in the finals at the Bird's Nest on Thursday, hoping their hero would repeat his gold run.

But despite his disappointing exit, there is also growing sympathy for the injured athlete. As an ardent Chinese fan succinctly puts it – Liu Xiang is human after all and not divine.

China plays down "secret" Aussie Olympic training programme

2008-08-19T12:14:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - China on Monday played down reports that it bought the top-secret training methods of a leading Australian swim coach which helped Liu Zige come from nowhere to win the women's 200m butterfly.

Australian newspapers on Sunday said Ken Wood sold his know-how to Liu's coach Jin Wei for "big money".

It sparked a storm Down Under as Wood also coached top Australian 200m butterflyer Jessicah Schipper, who Liu, unknown before the Beijing Olympics, beat into third place, snatching her world record in the process.

"The so called top-secret programme was just hype and nonsense," Chinese head coach Zhang Yadong told China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

"She (Liu) trained in Australia before, but a lot of other swimmers did too. It was her ability that made her successful."

Liu's coach Jin said she was able to swim such a fast time because "she was really hard on herself", and only began to gain strength last year as her body developed late.

It was only China's third gold since its prime at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, when it won four.

On Sunday, Woods was quoted as saying of China: "They pay good money, big money. I wouldn't help them for nothing".

He denied betraying Schipper, saying he hadn't trained Liu since Australia's Olympic trials in March.

Schipper's parents, Jenny and Wolfgang, said their daughter only found out about Wood's actions after winning gold as part of the 4x100m medley women's relay.

"We didn't know anything about it, I don't think Jess knew anything about it either, so that was a little upsetting," Mrs Schipper told the Nine Network in Australia.

Her husband said he was eager to speak to Wood about the reports, but he still held his daughter's long-term coach in high esteem.

Schipper herself said in Beijing she had nothing against Liu, who is also known as Lucy.

"I trained before with Lucy and I was well aware of that and she was with us for quite a while with the programme that we had going and I've got nothing against that at all," she said Monday.

"It's always a surprise to see people go fast but in 2005 I took three seconds off my 200 fly personal best, so sometimes people just do amazing times. Michael Phelps did seven world records this week."

Woods runs a high performance swim school north of Brisbane offering a programme for elite swimmers on stroke technique, weight training, diet and preparation.

Liu has trained at the school three times over the past three years.

Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates has said that training overseas swimmers should not be seen as unpatriotic.

Olympics: Bolt's double bid in top gear, Wariner and Merritt cruise

2008-08-19T12:13:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Usain Bolt's bid to become the first athlete since Carl Lewis in 1984 to achieve the 100m-200m Olympic double got off to a convincing start when the Jamaican reached the second round of the 200m on Monday.

The 21-year-old, who put on a world record-shattering 9.69sec display in Saturday's 100m final, made a blistering start before easing up and finishing second.

Defending champion Shawn Crawford of the United States and compatriot Wallace Spearmon won their heats.

Crawford said that he wasn't in awe of Bolt and was just focusing on his own campaign.

"I don't have to defend anything. The 2004 medal is mine, nobody can take it away," said the 30-year-old.

"I am here to shoot for the 2008 medal, we are all doing the same - trying to shoot for that gold. The legs feel good, I'm ready to go."

Christopher Brown of the Bahamas registered the fastest time in the first round heats of the 400 metres as favourite Jeremy Wariner and chief rival LaShawn Merritt both strolled through.

Brown, twice just ouside the medals in world championship finals, timed 44.79 seconds in the second heat.

Merritt settled in the inside lane and cruised round at half pace before easing over the line in 44.96sec.

Merritt, who is coached by Wariner's former handler Clyde Hart, said that he had the utmost respect for 24-year-old Wariner, the defending champion and two-time world king, but that he had not come here to be second best.

"He's (Wariner) a champion, he's a warrior," said the 22-year-old, who was second behind Wariner in the world final last year.

"But I too have my expectations and I haven't come here to be second.

"It's going to take guts, heart and power. If you want to medal you have got to run a smart race, probably the best race of your life."

Wariner, who saw his nine-race unbeaten streak ended by Merritt earlier this season and was then second to him at the US trials, was an easy winner in his heat.

Wariner said that he had not been affected by the two defeats to Merritt.

"My confidence was never shot," he said.

Two Britons raised the team's morale as Martin Rooney and Andrew Steele both won their heats.

Rooney displayed some of the raw talent that he showed at the 2006 Commonwealth Games when the then 19-year-old finished fifth in the final.

Steele won well and claimed a significant scalp as reigning indoor world champion Tyler Christopher could finish only fifth.

His time was not good enough to see the 25-year-old 2005 world outdoor bronze medallist through as one of the fastest losers.

Olympics: China in shock as injured Liu pulls out Olympics

2008-08-18T12:01:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - China suffered a major setback Monday to its hopes of winning gold on the Olympic track when superstar Liu Xiang sensationally pulled out of the 110m hurdles heats injured.

The host nation had been banking on Liu to shine, but the Shanghai-native has been troubled by a hamstring injury and he was clearly in pain when he lined up for his race and pulled up before the first hurdle in a false start.

The dejected star, one of the faces of the Beijing Olympics along with basketballer Yao Ming, limped down the tunnel of the Birds Nest stadium to a stunned silence from the patriotic crowd.

Liu, the defending champion, has been absent from international competition for most of the year and his coach Sun Haiping admited before the event that the injury could hamper China's best gold medal hope on the track.

"Liu's injury has been diagnosed as something wrong with his hamstring, but not with the bone," he said in the China Daily.

"It is an accumulated injury due to long training and it will affect him if he uses power.

"It won't cause problems for the heats, but I'm worried about the semi-finals and the final."

Seldom could there have been more pressure and expectation placed on an athlete than there has been on Liu since he confirmed his class in winning the title in Athens four years ago.

The 25-year-old - who added world gold last year - looked a dead certainty to defend his title successfully up until Cuban Dayron Robles threw down the gauntlet this season.

While Liu has not been seen on the European circuit 21-year-old Robles has torn it up with some devastating performances.

He capped it by breaking Liu's world record in a stunning hurdling display in Ostrava, Czech Republic, timing 12.87 seconds in June and clocked 13.39 seconds in his heat Monday to be hot favoutirte for gold.

Liu's stunning withdrawl took the gloss off China revelling in its best Olympic gold medal achievement.

The host country has bettered the 32 gold it won in Athens and is on its way to becoming only the third country since World War II -- after the United States and the Soviet Union -- to top the end-of-Games medal table

Its state-run media celebrated the gold rush that threatens US sporting supremacy.

"China's team is fully flowering," commented the official Xinhua news agency. "The March of the Volunteers (China's national anthem) is ringing out in every stadium."

On Day 10 of competition, China has 35 gold to the United States' 19, but the track and field is traditionally an American domain and the balance of power is expected to shift.

Cui Dalin, deputy chef de mission of the Chinese delegation, admits it is not China's strong point and said the medals would likely start drying up.

"Chinese lag behind in track and field. Despite all the efforts we have made to improve, it is still a long way to go before we catch up with the world level," he said.

"With events like track and field, China's pace in winning gold medals will slow down."

Elsewhere, China's men's table tennis team -- Ma Lin, Wang Hao, Wang Liqin -- look good to match the exploits of their women by winning the team title when they play European powerhouse Germany in the final.

Chinese gymnasts have already had their best Olympics since Los Angeles in 1984 where they won four gold.

So far, the hosts' have five gold -- men's team, women's team, men's all-around, men's pommel horse and men's floor exercise -- and more can be expected Monday.

Yang Yilin led qualifying for the women's uneven bars while Chen Yibing is the world men's rings champion.

Olympics: Bloodied but unbowed Radcliffe sets sights on London Olympics

2008-08-18T12:00:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Paula Radcliffe's search for an elusive Olympic medal of any colour is not over despite her 23rd place finish here in the marathon as she insisted she would go on to compete in the London Games in 2012.

The 34-year-old at least finished the race unlike in Athens four years ago, but she ended the event virtually hobbling over the line visibly limping on the left leg, in which she suffered a stress fracture earlier this year.

The world record holder and 2005 world champion shed some tears but pulled herself together and said that however bad she had felt she would have finished the race.

Indeed she took heart from the fact that the winner Romania's Constantina Tomescu is 38, the age she will be in 2012.

"Why not? the winner is exactly the age I will be then and there is no reason why I can't go on to London and maybe just maybe get that medal," said Radcliffe.

Radcliffe had been prominent for much of the race but was dropped just after the 30km mark and from then on she fought against the pain she was feeling mainly in her left calf.

It looked at one point that Radcliffe - who has twice finished fourth at the Olympics in the 5000m in 1996 and the 10000m in 2000 - would again be forced to retire from the race as she stopped 7km from the finish crying out in pain.

However, after stretching her calf while leaning on a barrier she resumed her lonely quest to finish over 11 minutes behind the winner.

"My calf was just so bad I had to stretch it. The pain felt like it was coming up from my foot. Early in the race I had this weird feeling that someone was kicking my foot away while I was running.

"I would have walked because it was something that was actually okay walking. I haven't made the injury worse.

"If I felt I was doing some serious damage I would have stopped. It's horrible when you have to drop out, especially when it's the Olympic Games. So many people have worked so hard to get me here.

"In some ways it's almost quicker to keep going because if you stop you're just left out there on your own.

"They couldn't have been better conditions. When I started to struggle I got a lot of traffic and that was annoying. I was getting lots of fumes as well as everything else."

She admitted that she had really only one leg to run on.

"A pain came up into my calves. It wasn't a sharp pain, if it had been like when the stress fracture was bad I would just have stopped. I felt like I was just running on one leg.

"I wanted to finish. It was really frustrating because I felt really comfortable."

Olympics: Japan's fab four repeat Athens success

2008-08-18T11:59:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Five-time world champion Kaori Icho retained her Olympic 63kg title on Sunday as Japan's formidable four in women's wrestling duplicated their Athens Games medal haul.

But China unveiled a new weapon in the 72kg heavyweight division as world junior champion Wang Jiao upset the senior title holder, Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria, with a breathtaking fall to keep the title won by compatriot Wang Xu in Athens.

Wang, the 2005 Asian champion, battled back from 3-2 down to pin Zlateva with three seconds to go in the first period.

"I was a little bit passive at the beginning because I had never fought (Zlateve) before," said the 20-year-old Wang.

"But later I attacked more than I defended because I believe attack is the best form of defence."

Zlateva, 25, had won the world and European titles for the second straight year and hoped to put behind her a disaster at the Athens Olympics in 2004 where she ended 12th.

"I felt a little nervous because everybody wanted me to become an Olympic champion," a dejected Zlateva said. "That's the reason I didn't fight well.

Japan dominated the four-category two-day contest with the same wrestlers winning the same medals as they did in Athens - two golds, one silver and one bronze - when women's freestyle wrestling made its Olympic debut.

China and Canada won the two other gold medals.

Icho, 24, whose older sister Chiharu grabbed her second straight 48kg silver medal on Saturday, beat European champion Alena Kartashova of Russia in the final by taking the two periods, both from a tie-breaking clinch position.

"The final match was very long. I even thought I was going to lose. But I kept telling myself to win," said Icho, who had vowed with her 26-year-old sister, a three-time world champion, to strike double gold here.

"We didn't achieve our dream. I didn't sleep well last night," she said. "If Chiharu said she was going to retire after this competition, I would say the same."

Wang helped Japan's carbon-copy run by pinning former five-time world champion Kyoko Hamaguchi in the semi-finals, avenging the 0-2 loss she suffered at the hands of the 30-year-old Japanese in the 2005 world semi-finals.

Hamaguchi fought through the repechage round of losers to the eventual winners and grabbed her second straight Olympic bronze.

On Saturday, five-time world champion Saori Yoshida retained her 55kg Olympic title, crowning her comeback from her shock World Cup defeat which ended her 119-match winning streak in January.

"China are working hard and so are Japan," said Hamaguchi. "I think it will be great if Japan and China can join hands in demonstrating Asian power to the rest of the world."

Asia made an impression here as Canada's gold medal was also won by Carol Huynh, a daughter of Chinese-Vietnamese refugees.

Japan coach Kazuhito Sakae said the time was near to bring in new blood to his foursome whose collection of Olympic and world championship gold medals increased to 22.

"I think it imperative to cultivate wrestlers who can overtake the veterans," he said.

Olympics: Kozmus wins men's hammer gold medal

2008-08-18T11:57:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Slovenia's Primoz Kozmus picked up his country's first ever Olympic Games gold medal in men's track and field competition by winning the hammer final at the National Stadium on Sunday.

Kozmus threw a best of 82.02m to claim gold with Vadim Devyatovskiy from Belarus taking silver, with a throw of 81.61m, while fellow Belarussian Ivan Tsikhan, the triple world champion, took bronze with 81.51m.

"Of course I'm happy to get the gold medal," said Kozmus who admitted he paced around nervously during the final round through fear of losing his gold medal position.

"I didn't get beyond 82 metres, but I'm very happy.

"I said before the competition, I would be the first Slovenian athlete to get a gold medal and I did just that.

"I wanted more, you always want more, but it was enough for gold.

"It makes up for the world championships last year, when I was leading right up until the final throw."

Before Sunday night's final, the best result the 28-year-old Kozmus had managed in major competition was silver at last year's world championships in Osaka, but he held off a late challenge from Devyatovskiy for victory.

"I'm happy, but I dreamt of the gold medal," said Devyatovskiy.

"My last throw gave me a good chance, but I'm a little disappointed.

"I knew my second throw was good. I kept trying but I just couldn't get the distance."

Kozmus bolted into an early lead with his second round throw of 82.02 metres, a season's best, which catapaulted him into first place and he consolidated his lead with four throws just over the 80m mark.

He left both defending champion Koji Murofushi of Japan and reigning world champion Tsikhan in his wake.

Tsikhan has been the dominant force in hammer throwing since the Athens Games four years ago, where he took silver behind Murofushi.

He has reigned supreme at the world championships with three consecutive golds from Paris in 2003, Helsinki in 2005 and Osaka last year.

In contrast, defending champion Murofushi has struggled with injury since his Athens win and he finished a disappointing fifth here with a throw of 80.71 metres.

Olympics: Games' oldest female gymnast wins silver

2008-08-18T11:56:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - The oldest female gymnast at the Beijing Olympics stormed to a silver medal on the vault on Sunday against rivals who were not even born when she began competing internationally.

Oksana Chusovitina powered her way to a podium place at the positively veteran age, in terms of women's gymnastics, of 33.

That gave Chusovitina, now representing Germany, her first individual Olympic medal in what was her fifth Games, having appeared for three teams.

She made her debut at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, where she won team gold for the Unified team of ex-Soviet Union states.

Buoyed by her silver, the evergreen Chusovitina said she was still hoping to make the trip to London for the next Games in 2012.

"By then I'll be 37, if I can I'll do a sixth Olympics," she said.

"I still love gymnastics and I still have fun every day."

After representing the Unified team, Chusovitina switched to her native Uzbekistan from 1993.

She then made her most recent move to Germany in 2005 because she needed top medical treatment for her son Alisher's leukaemia, which she says has proved successful.

"This medal is for my son," she said. "I can't say how happy I am."

Chusovitina, who has also won three golds, three silvers and four bronze medals at world championship level since 1991, said she did not dwell upon her age. "I don't feel 33, I feel 18," she said.

Her coach Shanna Poljakova said Chusovitina's competitors, many of whom were born only when the Soviet Union was a distant memory, regarded her as just one of the girls.

"She thinks like any other girl here," she said. "She sits with them, she talks with them, she doesn't need to play an older role."

Her 16-year-old team-mate Marie-Sophie Hindermann said last week that Chusovitina was an inspiration.

"Oksana always knows how to focus her power," she said. "She doesn't do a lot of training, she does things once and she does it well.

Olympics: Bekele defends men's 10,000m title

2008-08-18T11:54:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia defended his 10,000m title medal at the Olympics on Sunday, producing a devastating burst of speed on the last lap to see off any pretenders.

Bekele finished in a new Olympic record of 27min 01.17sec, with compatriot Sileshi Sihine claiming silver - as he did at the Athens Games in 2004 - in 27:02.77.

Kenyan Micah Kogo ensured there was no Ethiopian clean sweep, taking bronze in 27:04.11.

Bekele's team-mate Haile Gebreselassie, Olympic 10,000m champion in 1996 and 2000, came in sixth.

Olympics: Fraser wins 100m gold in Jamaican sweep

2008-08-18T11:53:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Shelly-Ann Fraser led an unprecedented women's 100-metre Olympic medal sweep for Jamaica on Sunday, devastating American rivals in a head-to-head sprint showdown to decide the world's fastest woman.

One night after Jamaican Usain Bolt thrilled his homeland by winning the men's 100m in a world-record 9.69 seconds, Fraser powered to victory in 10.78 seconds with Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart sharing second in 10.98.

"I was inspired by last night," Fraser said. "This is a crazy Bolt effect."

"I am just so happy to put Jamaica on the map. No one expected me to win so there was no pressure."

There is now as Fraser moved level as the eighth-best all-time performer alongside Americans Torri Edwards and Dawn Sowell.

"I was thinking before the race about winning," Fraser said. "I thought to myself, 'Calm down. You have to win first. You need to go out there and do it.'"

Fraser, whose prior claim to fame came on last year's world 4x100 runner-up relay, surged ahead at the start and pulled away from Simpson midway into the race with Stewart catching her for the first Olympic sweep in the event.

"We made history, just like Bolt," Simpson said. "We're all great athletes and I'm very excited about the tremendous achievement. We're very good athletes and this says a lot for our country."

Three Jamaicans and three Americans advanced to the championship match-up from earlier semi-finals, but only disappointment awaited US women.

Athens Olympic runner-up and 2005 world champion Lauryn Williams was fourth in 11.03 with US champion Muna Lee fifth in 11.07 and 2003 world champion Edwards eighth and last in 11.20.

"It's heartbreaking," Lee said. "It will be all right. It was just one of those days."

Stewart, who had the second-fastest time in the world this year at 10.80, said the sweep was the culmination of years of efforts for the Caribbean island's sprinters.

"It was about time," Stewart said. "We have been waiting for this a long time and so many Jamaican athletes have come so close. The guys should have done it too. They had the speed."

Simpson, who ran for Jamaica's 2004 Olympic 4x100 relay champions, has a chance to add to her medal haul in the 200 and the relay title defence.

"It's wonderful to have a top three for Jamaica. It's stunning," Simpson said. "This victory boosts my confidence to win the 200. We will also do well in the 4x100. I believe we can beat the Americans."

They proved they could much to the US team's dismay.

"It was incredibly close. I tried my best, gave my all. I'm not frustrated at all," Williams said.

"I wasn't thinking about Jamaican speed. I've seen them all year long. They are very consistent - 10.78 into a pretty strong headwind is pretty impressive."

Edwards, whose 2008 world-best time was equalled by Fraser, said she thought she had false started and expected to be called back.

"I thought I had moved before the gun," Edwards said. "I had to go but I was off step. That threw me off a lot. I'm pretty sure it was a false start."

Defending Olympic champion Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus was eliminated in the semi-finals earlier on Sunday. Reigning world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown did not qualify for the event at the Jamaican Olympic trials.

Olympics: China posts greatest Olympic gold haul ever

2008-08-18T11:50:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - China on Sunday ensured its home Olympics will go down as its greatest ever after its women's table tennis team won the hosts' 33rd gold of the Games to overtake its previous best tally at Athens in 2004.

The powerhouse country has progressively improved its medal standing over the past 20 years and is determined to beat the United States and end the Beijing showpiece as the world's dominant sporting nation.

Publicly, China's leadership have played down the country's sporting ambitions but in reality its athletes have been under extreme pressure to perform well with nationalistic pride at stake.

In the drive to beat the previous mark, they are fielding 639 competitors in Beijing - up from the 407 sent to Greece.

The 33rd medal came when their women paddlers beat Singapore 3-0 in the team final, with Guo Yue and Zhang Yining clinching the decisive doubles rubber 11-8, 11-5, 11-6 in front of President Hu Jintao watching from the stands.

They also have 13 silver and 12 bronze, to the United States' 19 gold, 21 silver and 24 bronze.

Sixteen of their gold have come in judo, shooting, and weightlifting, which has pleased Chinese officials.

"Most of the Chinese competitors fully displayed their abilities to realise the goal of achieving good results on home soil," said Cui Dalin, deputy chef de mission of the Chinese delegation.

"We are especially pleased by our athletes in judo, shooting and weightlifting. But every single medal is meaningful in its own way and won through painstaking efforts by our athletes."

But he cautioned that the gold rush would ease in the final week of the Olympics.

"Generally speaking, Chinese athletes are not strong contenders in many events in the second half of the Games," said Cui.

"With events like track and field starting, China's pace in winning gold medals will slow down."

Six golds were won by China on Sunday.

Gymnast Xiao Qin equalled the Athens landmark when he won the men's pommel horse competition.

Xiao, the reigning world champion on the apparatus won on 15.875 ahead of Croatian Filip Ude on 15.725 and Britain's Louis Smith who also scored 15.725 but was relegated to bronze due to Ude's superior execution.

It maintained the Chinese men's team's 100 percent record at the Beijing Games, with four gold out of four gymnastics events so far contested.

Fellow gymnast Zou Kai earlier won the men's floor exercise while world junior champion Wang Jiao took gold by beating two-time world senior champion Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria to win the women's freestyle wrestling 72kg event.

For the first time, the world's most populous nation won a rowing title when the quartet of Tang Bin, Jin Ziwei, Xi Aihua and Zhang Yangyang upset world champions Britain in the women's quadruple sculls.

Qiu Jian, meanwhile, was gifted the men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions when American Matthew Emmons cracked under pressure.

Emmons, who enjoyed a comfortable lead going into his last shot, managed only a miserable 4.4 to drop to fourth place to hand Qiu an unexpected triumph.

Zhou Chunxiu excelled when she came a credible third behind Romania's Constantina Tomescu in the women's marathon.

And China's women - Zhou Jing, Sun Ye, Zhou Yafei, Pang Jiayin - had a storming swim in the women's 4x100metres medley relay, taking bronze behind Australia and the United States in a race where the world record was shattered.

Olympics: Galkina wins women's 3,000m steeplechase

2008-08-18T11:48:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Gulnara Galkina-Samitkova of Russia won the women's 3,000 metres steeplechase gold medal at the Olympics on Sunday in a new world record time of 8:58.81, smashing her own previous record by more than three seconds.

Eunice Jepkorir Kertich of Kenya overtook Russia's Ekaterina Volkova for the silver.

Spain's Marta Dominguez took a nasty fall and looked unsteady on her legs as she was helped away.

Olympics: China's Lin wins badminton crown

2008-08-18T11:46:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - China's world number one Lin Dan clinched gold in the Olympic badminton Sunday, outclassing Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei and avenging his first round loss in Athens four years ago.

World champion Lin produced a silky smooth performance that left second seed Lee hopelessly outgunned, winning 21-12, 21-8 and sparking wild celebrations from the packed Chinese crowd.

Lin, a superstar in China where badminton is a passion, collapsed on the ground before saluting to the crowd with a Chinese flag wrapped around his shoulders. A soldier in the People's Liberation Army, Lin raced over to the crowd where he was grabbed and hugged.

With girlfriend and world number one shuttler Xie Xingfang, who lost her gold medal match the day before, watching from the stands, Lin oozed confidence and skill throughout the match.

The loss was heartbreak for the mild-mannered Lee and for Malaysia which had been counting on their champion to deliver the country's first ever Olympic gold in any sport.

But with the weight of a nation of his shoulders, Lee made a series of mostly errors in the first game as Lin, with a packed Chinese crowd screaming their support, produced brilliant badminton.

Lee clawed his way back in the first, but Lin held his nerve, aggressively attacking the net to wrap up the first game.

Lin, the back to back world champion, raced to a 7-0 lead before Lee started to chip away as Lin, sensing victory, made several mistakes.

But the Chinese star, who has been the world number one for most of the last four years, then steadied and stormed to victory.

China's Chen Jin won bronze after he defeated South Korea's champion Lee Hyunil in the play-off.

Olympics: Singapore paddlers settle for silver in women's team final

2008-08-18T11:45:00.001+07:00

SINGAPORE - Singapore has clinched the silver medal in the Olympic women's table tennis team event. It is the nation's first Olympic medal in 48 years.

The gold went to top seed China.

In front of Chinese President Hu Jintao, China won 3-0 for the country's 17th table tennis gold since its national sport was introduced at the 1988 Olympics.

The Chinese team also had the distiction of earning the host nation its 33rd gold of the Beijing Games, surpassing China's previous best tally for a single Games set in Athens in 2004.

Singapore and China played a thrilling final which lasted nearly two hours at the Peking University Sports Stadium on Sunday night.

But despite giving it their best shot, the Singapore trio - comprising captain Li Jiawei, Wang Yuegu and Feng Tianwei - were no match for their opponents, losing 0-3 in the end.

With a lively crowd chanting "Go China Go", veteran Wang Nan - who won her fourth Olympic gold to become the most decorated table tennis player there is - brushed aside Feng 9-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-6.

World number one and Athens singles gold medallist Zhang Yining then stepped up to battle past Li 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7 in a match peppered by long rallies.

Zhang and world champion Guo Yue then paired to steamrolled Li and Wang Yuegu 11-8, 11-5, 11-6 to win the title.

Despite the landmark gold medal for China, Singapore also celebrated a rare medal. The last time anyone from Singapore stood on an Olympic podium was at the 1960 Rome Olympics when weightlifter Tan Howe Liang won silver - Singapore's only previous medal.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong congratulated the Singapore women paddlers on winning the silver medal. He told the media after his National Day Rally speeches that with more training, there will be more chances in the future.

"We are a bit disappointed that we didn't get the gold, but the Chinese were a very strong team and our team have done very well and we are very proud of them. It's been a long time since we had a medal at the Olympics and Team Singapore have not disappointed us," Mr Lee said.

"Both China and Singapore are winners," said Singaporean coach Liu Guodong. "For us to win silver is as difficult as it is for China to win gold."

Li Jiawei added: "I'm really happy and feel like crying, but I just could not get any tears to roll. We know the Chinese team are the best in the world and it was an honour to play against them in the final.

"This medal is important to me and Singapore. It is also to the many years of nurturing Singapore has given me. And the only way I can repay Singapore is with this medal. Thank you Singapore. Thank you everyone for your support."

South Korea took bronze in the women's team table tennis, easing past Japan 3-0 in the play-off match, ending any hope the Japanese had of snapping a 20-year medal drought in the sport.

Kim Kyung-Ah, who won a singles bronze medal at the Athens Olympics, got the ball rolling for the Koreans by overcoming Sayaka Hirano 11-5, 11-4, 7-11, 12-10.

The popular Ai Fukuhara, ranked 12 in the world, then lost to Chinese-born Dang Ye-Seo 11-4, 13-12, 7-11, 11-3 before Kim paired with Park Mi-Young in the doubles to beat Hirano and Haruna Fukuoka 11-6, 11-8, 13-11.

Women's team table tennis result: China beat Singapore 3-0

Wang Nan (CH) bt Feng Tianwei (SIN) 9-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-6

Zhang Yining (CH) bt Li Jiawei (SIN) 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7

Guo Yue/Zhang Yining (CH) bt Wang Yuegu/Li Jiawei (SIN) 11-8, 11-5, 11-6.

Olympics: Nadal wins men's tennis singles gold

2008-08-18T11:43:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Spain's Rafael Nadal thrashed Chilean Fernando Gonzalez to win the Olympic Games men's singles gold medal on Sunday.

Nadal, who becomes world number one on Monday, won 6-3, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 to become the first top-five player and the only Spaniard to own the title.

Gonzalez adds the silver medal to his singles bronze and doubles gold from Athens 2004.

Nadal raced through the first set, breaking at 1-0, creating two set points with a delicate drop shot and finishing it with a forehand winner.

Gonzalez pummelled an inside-out forehand into the right corner to create two second-set points on Nadal's serve, but put a simple volley wide and netted twice as the Spaniard escaped.

Nadal was never behind in the tie-break and thumped his chest as he sprayed a punishing forehand down the line for four set points. Gonzalez miscued a forehand to go two sets down.

The Chilean was tottering and Nadal landed the knock-out blow when he broke for a 3-1 lead in the third. With victory in sight, Nadal saved two break points as he scurried to a Gonzalez drop-shot and guided the ball back past his opponent.

Gonzalez heroically survived three match points – one created by a successful Hawkeye challenge – at 2-5 but the result was inevitable and the Chilean could not get back a wide-angled forehand on the first match point in the next game.

Nadal is set to become number one after more than three years ranked second behind Roger Federer.

He has now won eight titles this year including his fourth French Open crown and first Wimbledon trophy, both at the expense of the Swiss, and has lost just once in 39 matches.

Nadal, an anonymous doubles player at Athens 2004, claims Spain's first tennis gold after Jordi Arrese and Sergi Bruguera were losing finalists in 1992 and 1996 respectively.

Gonzalez's third Olympic medal comes after he was embroiled in a row after his semi-final with James Blake, who accused him of bad sportsmanship.

Olympics: South Korea takes women's team table tennis bronze

2008-08-18T11:41:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - South Korea stormed past Japan 3-0 to win the women's team table tennis bronze medal play-off on Sunday, ending any hope the Japanese had of ending their 20-year medal drought in the sport.

Kim Kyung-Ah, who won a singles bronze medal at the Athens Olympics, got the ball rolling for the Koreans by overcoming Sayaka Hirano 11-5, 11-4, 7-11, 12-10.

The popular Ai Fukuhara, ranked 12 in the world, then lost to Chinese-born Dang Ye-Seo 11-4, 13-12, 7-11, 11-3 before Kim paired with Park Mi-Young in the doubles to beat Hirano and Haruna Fukuoka 11-6, 11-8, 13-11.

China, who are unbeaten since the team event was added to the Olympic programme in 1988, defeated Singapore 3-0 in the final to win the gold medal.

In the men's team tournament, South Korea steamed past Hong Kong to book their place in the bronze medal play-off where they will meet Austria.

The Koreans beat Hong 3-1 with Oh Sang-Eun powering past Cheung Yuk before veteran Li Ching evened it up with an upset win over Athens singles champion Ryu Seung-Min.

Yoon Jae-Young and Ryu Seung-Min put Korea back on track with a doubles victory over Li Ching and Ko Lai Chak before Ko lost to Oh in the decisive fourth game.

Austria beat Japan 3-1 in the other match. The final on Monday sees favourites China take on Germany.

Olympics: Dementieva wins women's singles

2008-08-18T11:40:00.004+07:00

BEIJING - Elena Dementieva beat fellow Russian Dinara Safina 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to win the Olympic Games women's singles gold medal on Sunday.

The 2000 silver-medallist overcame an error-strewn first set to lead a Russian podium sweep after Vera Zvonareva claimed the bronze medal earlier.

World number 11 Zvonareva beat Li Na 6-0, 7-5 in the third-place play-off, denying China a first singles medal but guaranteeing the Russian treble.

It was the first one-two-three in any tennis event since 1908, when Great Britain also collected all three women's singles medals.

Meanwhile Yan Zi and Zheng Jie bagged doubles bronze 6-2, 6-2 against Ukrainian sisters Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko to claim China's second successive medal in the event.

Olympics: Zvonareva downs Li to claim tennis bronze

2008-08-18T11:40:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Vera Zvonareva of Russia beat China's Li Na 6-0, 7-5 to claim the bronze medal in the Olympic Games tennis women's singles competition on Sunday.

The result guarantees Russia the first tennis podium sweep in 100 years with Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva contesting the final.

China collected their second consecutive women's doubles medal when Yan Zi and Zheng Jie beat Ukrainian sisters Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko 6-2, 6-2. Li Ting and Sun Tiantian won gold at Athens 2004.

Olympics: Athens gold medal winner Halkia fails drug test

2008-08-18T11:39:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Greek runner Fani Halkia, who won gold in the women's 400m hurdles at the Athens Olympics, has tested positive for a banned substance, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed Sunday.

The 29-year-old failed the test while in Japan preparing for the ongoing 2008 Beijing Olympics and is now expected to be formally expelled from the Games by the IOC's disciplinary committee.

According to her entourage, she spoke to members of the Greek press overnight.

This development follows a decision by the IOC to exclude her compatriot, sprinter Ekaterina Thanou from the Beijing Olympics.

The 33-year-old missed the 2004 edition after she and fellow sprinter Kostas Kenteris missed an eve of Games dope test - their third in a year.

Halkia's case takes the number of positive doping tests confirmed in Beijing to four after those of Spanish cyclist Maria Isobel Moreno, medal-winning North Korean shooter Kim Jong-Su, Vietnamese gymnast Do Thi Ngan Thuong and Bulgarian 1500 metre runner Daniela Yordanova, dropped by her team before her event.

Another Greek athlete, men's 200 metre runner Tassos Gousis, was recalled from Beijing after testing positive for a prohibited performance drug. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Olympics: Aussie coach sells training secrets to China

2008-08-18T11:38:00.001+07:00

BEIJING : An Australian swim coach has sparked a storm after admitting selling the training programme used by his protege Jessica Schipper for "big money" to the Chinese girl who beat her at the Olympics.

Ken Wood sold his top-secret training methods, which transformed Schipper into a world-record breaking 200m butterflyer, to the Chinese coach of Liu Zige, according to News Ltd newspapers in Australia on Sunday.

Previously unknown, Liu came out of nowhere to win gold in the event here and shatter Schipper's world record by 1.22 seconds in the process, leaving the Australian a distant third.

"They pay for the programmes," Wood was quoted as saying. "They pay good money, big money. I wouldn't help them for nothing."

Wood denied betraying Schipper, saying he hadn't trained her since Australia's Olympic trials in March.

The 78-year-old, in the coaching business for 40 years, did not reveal how much China paid, but reportedly said the poor money he received as an Australian coach forced him to seek work from others.

Woods, who runs a high performance swim school north of Brisbane, offers a programme for elite swimmers on stroke technique, weight training, diet and preparation.

He admitted he was torn by the sight of Schipper being beaten by Liu, who he calls Lucy because he can't pronounce her name properly.

"I feel bitter-sweet, I do," he said. "Money is one thing, I have to make a living, but Jess is my swimmer, I've brought her through since she was a 12-year-old - and Lucy has beaten her."

Asked if he had cost Schipper a gold medal, Wood replied: "I don't know. I can't answer that. But I wanted Jess to win. My heart is with Jess. I wanted gold for her. I didn't want Lucy to win.

Olympics: US relay triumph lifts Phelps to historic eighth gold

2008-08-18T11:37:00.004+07:00

BEIJING - Michael Phelps won an unprecedented eighth gold medal at the Beijing Games Sunday as the United States won the men's 4x100m medley relay in world record time.

With the victory, Phelps overtook compatriot Mark Spitz, whose seven swimming golds at Munich in 1972 were the most at a single Games.

At 23, and competing in his third Olympics, Phelps took his total of Olympic titles to 14, including six from Athens, where he also claimed two bronze.

The US squad of Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen, Phelps and Jason Lezak won a tight race in 3:29.34, Lezak holding off Australian individual world record-holder Eamon Sullivan on the closing freestyle leg.

The United States were lying third when Phelps hit the water for the penultimate butterfly leg.

He had given the United States a narrow lead by the time he handed over to Lezak.

"I don't know what to feel right now, there are so many emotions going through my head and so much excitement, I guess I just want to see my mom," Phelps said.

The Americans improved on the previous world record of 3:30.68, while Austraila finished second in 3:30.04 and Japan took the bronze in 3:31.18.

"It's a beautiful thing, I am so proud to be a part of this relay team," Peirsol said.

"It wasn't like we were doing this for Michael, but it's an honour to be part of it. It would have been something if we hadn't done it.

"Sullivan came back at the end, but I think at the end of a long competition we are all a little tired right now," Peirsol added.

Indeed when the much anticipated moment came, there was no scream of triumph, no fist-pounding gesture of victory from Phelps, who was hugged by his teammates and shook hands with his rivals before calmly raising his arms toward the crowd and drawing a roar from the Water Cube fans.

Olympics: Mellouli prevents Hackett's history bid in 1500m freestyle

2008-08-18T11:37:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Tunisia's Oussama Mellouli ended Australian Grant Hackett's dream of an historic three 1500m freestyle Olympic gold medals with a thrilling victory in the final at the Beijing Olympics on Sunday.

Mellouli sprinted clear with 300m left and held off Hackett's spirited finish to win in 14 minutes 40.84 seconds.

Hackett, the winner of the event in Sydney and Athens and bidding to become the first man to win three Olympics titles in the same event, took the silver medal in 14:41.53, only 0.49secs behind.

Canadian Ryan Cochrane, who led up to the 1000m, finished third in 14:42.69.

Mellouli, 24, has only recently served out an 18-month doping ban after becoming Tunisia's first swimming world champion with a come-from-behind win in the 800m freestyle at last year's world championships in Melbourne.

Mellouli was subsequently stripped of the gold medal after testing positive for amphetamines and completed his ban in May in time to swim at the Olympics.

Seven of the field finished the final inside 15mins.

Olympics: Steffen completes sprint double with 50m free victory

2008-08-18T11:36:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Germany's Britta Steffen won the women's 50m freestyle here Sunday, edging US veteran Dara Torres to complete a swimming sprint double at the Beijing Games.

Steffen, who out-gunned world record-holder Libby Trickett to win the 100m freestyle gold, clocked 24.06sec and edged the 41-year-old Torres by just one one-hundredth of a second.

"In the first 20m I noticed Dara Torres beside me," Steffen said. "My coach told me the last 10 metres would decide the results."

Torres, whose silver in the 4x100m free relay in Beijing had already made her the oldest Olympic swimming medallist, added another silver by the narrowest of margins, posting an American record of 24.07.

Behind her, 16-year-old Cate Campbell of Australia - born the year Torres competed in her third Olympic Games in 1992 - took the bronze in 24.17.

"You can't buy experience, you can't learn experience, you have to experience the experience," Campbell said.

"I'm stoked to win an individual medal at my first Olympics. For my first time, I couldn't have asked for anything better."

Trickett, who set the world record at the Australian Olympic trials in March, was third in 24.25.

Olympics: Romania's Tomescu wins women's marathon title

2008-08-18T11:35:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Constantina Tomescu gave Romania their first ever women's Olympic marathon title here on Sunday as she won in a time of 2hours 26minutes 44seconds.

The 38-year-old, who bettered compatriot Lidia Simon's silver medal from the 2000 Games, beat home world champion Catherine Ndereba of Kenya who won her second successive Olympic silver medal while China's Zhou Chunxiu was third.

There was more Olympic misery for Britain's world record holder Paula
Radcliffe as she faded to finish 23rd.Radcliffe finished limping badly on the left leg which she suffered a stress fracture off earlier this year.

She is still without an Olympic medal.

Olympics: Brazil knock out Cameroon with two extra-time goals

2008-08-18T11:30:00.001+07:00

SHENYANG, China - Brazil knocked former champions Cameroon out of the Beijing Olympics football tournament with a 2-0 extra time win in a rough-house quarter-final on Saturday.

The Brazilians, yet to win an Olympics football gold medal, got the winner in the 101st minute when Betis Sevilla forward Rafael Sobis was sent clear and chipped the goalkeeper to break the deadlock.

Real Madrid's Marcelo made it safe with a second four minutes later after leadup work by AC Milan's Ronaldinho and substitute Thiago Neves.

The Brazilians now face a semi-final against either defending champions Argentina or the Netherlands in Beijing on Tuesday.

Cameroon's task was made more difficult when they were reduced to 10 men with the red-carding of Paris St Germain's Albert Baning seven minutes after halftime.

It was a spiteful quarter-final with a total of 13 yellow cards dished out by Slovenian referee Damir Skomina - eight against Cameroon and five to Brazil.

It was some measure of revenge for Brazil, who were knocked out by the Africans 2-1 at the same stage of the tournament at the Sydney Games in 2000 after extra time despite finishing the match with nine men.

Cameroon made the most of their luck going on to beat Chile 2-1 in the semi-finals with a last-minute goal and Spain in the final on a penalty shootout.

Brazil have now scored 11 goals in four matches and have yet to concede a goal in the Beijing tournament.

The opening half had few scoring chances but plenty of fouls with referee Skomina handing out five yellow cards and whistling up 24 fouls.

The best scoring chance came in the 14th minute when Brazilian goalkeeper Renan finger-tipped a long-range drive from striker Gustave Bebbe over the bar.

Ronaldinho was at the heart of the Brazilian attacks and his corners were particularly dangerous as the Cameroon defence were forced to head clear.

Cameroon lost their Rennes midfielder Stephane Mbia after 17 minutes with a leg injury and he was replaced by German-based Alain Olle.

Cameroon went a man down when Baning was sent off in the 52nd minute for his second yellow and a foul on Lucas.

Brazil pressed against the under-manned Cameroonian defence for the remainder of the half but could not breach their defence and the quarter-final went into extra time before the killer goals in the first period.

Olympics: Football World Cup final rematch for Brazil and Germany

2008-08-16T16:14:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - A fired up Brazil on Friday set up a World Cup final rematch against Germany for a place in the women's Olympic gold medal decider while Japan take on defending champions the United States.

A spectacular strike by Daniela and a goal from Marta fired Brazil into the women's semi-finals as the South Americans overcame 2000 Olympic champions Norway 2-1.

Germany beat Sweden 2-0 after extra time to secure their place in the last four for a repeat of the World Cup final in China last year that the Germans won.

In other matches, the United States struggled past Canada 2-1 in a storm-disrupted marathon in Shanghai that took more than four hours to complete.

And goals from Homare Sawa and Yuki Nagasato blasted Japan into the women's semis at the expense of arch-rivals China.

Brazil were always on top against Norway and never looked like losing with Daniela making the breakthrough a minute before half-time when she launched a powerful drive from 35 yards that beat goalkeeper Erika Skarbo.

Fleet-footed Marta, often compared to Ronaldinho and called 'Pele in a skirt' by the great Brazilian himself, made it 2-0 in the 57th minute before Siri Norby converted a penalty seven minutes from time to give Norway hope.

"If we can continue getting these tough wins then we can win the gold medal," said a confident Marta, the 2006 World Player of the Year.

"It doesn't matter if the victories are easy or difficult. The important thing is the gold medal."

It will be a blockbuster match against Germany with Olympic gold medals missing from both of their trophy cabinets.

Germany have a packed cupboard of silverware including the past two World Cups and four UEFA women's championships, but they have only two bronze medals from the three Olympic Games where women's football has been contested.

The United States and Canadian players were forced from the field after 20 minutes in the North American local derby when a spectacular thunder and lightning storm erupted in Shanghai with the United States leading 1-0.

Canada, who have only beaten the United States four times in 44 meetings, equalised soon after play resumed more than 100 minutes later.

With shots going everywhere except into the goal in the slippery conditions, the score remained locked 1-1 until the final whistle forcing the players into extra time where substitute US forward Natasha Kai scored the decider.

"The game was just like a battle to see who's going to fight to the end," said Kai. "And like a gamble to see who's going to win."

Japan ended any hopes China had of progressing in a one-sided affair.

Homare Sawa gave them the lead on 15 minutes when she rose above Zhang Ying to plant a powerful header in the left hand corner after a deep cross by Aya Miyama.

Yuki Nagasato pounced to seal the match with 10 minutes left, capitalising on China's failure to clear during a danger moment in the box, latching onto a loose ball and slotting it past the diving keeper.

Olympics: Three 100m favourites negotiate Olympic heats

2008-08-15T17:39:00.004+07:00

BEIJING - The three fastest men in history, world record holder Usain Bolt, reigning double world champion Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell, all cruised through their Olympic 100m heats here on Friday.

Jamaican Powell, the only sprinter to have recorded five runs under 9.80sec, led the way with 10.16sec in a packed National Stadium on the first day of athletics action.

Bolt, who stripped compatriot Powell of his world record in May with a 9.72sec run, eased up at the line to record 10.20sec, while American Gay finished in 10.22sec.

Also among the early qualifiers were Jamaican 2005 world silver medallist Michael Frater, who looked comfortable winning his heat in 10.15sec.

The Trinidadian duo of heat winner Richard Thompson and Darrel Brown, and Kim Collins, gold medallist at the 2003 worlds, also progressed.

Britain's American-born sprinter Tyrone Edgar also qualified in a time of 10.13sec.

The men's shot putt saw Pole Tomasz Majewski lead the qualification standings, on 21.04m.

The favoured American trio of Adam Nelson, Reese Hoffa and Christian Cantwell all moved through to the final later Friday, reaching the qualifying mark of 20.40m with ease.

"I was a little flat but it got over the line, so that is all that matters," said Hoffa.

"I feel very good. I expended very little energy so I think I have a lot to give in the final."

Olympics: Phelps sets world record in 200m medley for sixth gold

2008-08-15T17:39:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Unstoppable Michael Phelps won his sixth gold medal with his sixth world record of the Beijing Games Friday, his triumph in the 200m medley moving him closer to an historic eight titles.

Phelps led throughout and pulled away on the final freestyle leg to win by more than two seconds in a world record of 1min 54.23sec.

Hungarian Laszlo Cseh was second in a European record of 1:56.52, with American Ryan Lochte edged into third place in 1:56.53 - a repeat of the medal finish in the 400m medley on Sunday.

Half an hour earlier, Lochte threw down the gauntlet as he posted a world record to beat defending champion Aaron Peirsol convincingly in the 200m backstroke.

But he was unable to derail his superstar teammate's bid for a record eight golds at one Games, which would surpass the seven-gold standard set by US swimmer Mark Spitz at Munich in 1972.

"Of course, I wanted to beat Michael Phelps," Lochte said. "No matter what the event is, I want to win. But it didn't happen."

It was a hectic day, too, for Phelps, who was back on the blocks half an hour after his triumph, and just minutes after the medal ceremony, to post the second-fastest time in the semi-finals of the 100m butterfly.

"I didn't know I had as little time as I did, I didn't even have time to go into the ready room," he said.

"I went from the ceremony straight into putting my parka on and goggles, cap, and go. It was about two minutes, I knew it was tight, but not that tight."

Phelps has also won gold and claimed world records in the 400m medley, 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 4x100m free relay and 4x200m free relay.

Now with 12 for his career, including six from the Athens Games, Phelps owns the most gold medals of any competitor in history in any Olympic sport.

In addition to the 100m fly, he has the 4x100m medley relay remaining.

Two favorites from Australia's powerful women's team were upset on Friday.

Rebecca Soni, who underwent heart surgery in 2006, shocked world champion Leisel Jones to win the women's 200m breaststroke gold, taking the Australian's world record in the process.

Soni kept up with the Australian under world record pace and pulled away in the final lap to lower Jones's world mark by 0.32secs in with a time of 2:20.22.

Jones was second in 2:22.05, and Norway's Sara Nordenstam was third in an European record 2:23.02.

"It just kind of flowed, it just happened, it felt great. I just kept it strong and powered to the end," Soni said. "The last 15 I had plenty left in me. I saw Liesel behind and just pushed for the wall.

"I didn't know what was going on, I just went for it."

Germany's Britta Steffen out-raced Australian world record-holder Libby Trickett in the final 10m to win the 100m freestyle in an Olympic record 53.12sec.

Trickett, who miscalculated her semi-final swim and only squeaked into the final when another swimmer was disqualified, took the race out fast in lane eight, but had nothing left when former world record-holder Steffen, next to her in lane seven, made her move.

"It was a fantastic battle," Trickett said. "Full credit for her, she kept working hard and driving through the wall."

The Australian admitted she felt lucky just to be in the race.

"I was so thankful that I was in there in the first place and I got a lane."

Trickett took silver in 53.16, and American Natalie Coughlin took the bronze in 53.39.

In the 200m backstroke, Lochte ended Peirsol's bid for a second straight Olympic backstroke double with a victory in 1min 53.94sec.

The previous record of 1:54.32 was set by Lochte in winning the world title in Melbourne last year and equalled by Peirsol at the US Olympic trials in July.

Peirsol finished second in 1:54.33, and Russian Arkady Vyatchanin, who set the pace through much of the race swimming out in lane eight, took bronze in a European record 1:54.93.

Lochte said the thrill of his first Olympic gold carried him through the medley final.

"You forget about the pain when you win," he said. "I just forgot about the pain and got ready for my next race."

Friday's three world records took the total at the Water Cube to 21.

"That's the theme of the meet - you have to break a world record to win," Peirsol said.

Olympics: Japanese swim star Kitajima set to retire

2008-08-15T17:38:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Japanese swim star Kosuke Kitajima, who has pulled off the Olympic breaststroke double for the second straight time, says he intends to retire after the Beijing Games.

"I am competing here with that on mind," the 25-year-old told Japanese reporters about the possibility of his retirement after winning the 200m race on Thursday following his 100m triumph in world-record time.

Kitajima may well race in the last major event of his career when he takes part in the 4x100m medley relay on Sunday.

His shock comment came after his coach Norimasa Hirai said tearfully: "I was watching and thinking to myself that this may be the last time I see him swim flat out in the 200m," the Sports Hochi reported.

"By coaching Kosuke, I have felt like I am back in my younger days again. I have been happy," Hirai, 45, added.

Olympics: Lochte breaks men's 200m backstroke world record

2008-08-15T17:37:00.004+07:00

BEIJING - Ryan Lochte of the United States broke the men's 200m backstroke world record in winning Olympic gold in 1min 53.94sec Friday at the Beijing Games.

The previous record of 1:54.32 was set by Lochte in winning the world title in Melbourne on March 30 of last year, and equalled by teammate Aaron Peirsol at the US Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 4.

Peirsol finished second in 1:54.33, and Russian Arkady Vyatchanin, who set the pace through much of the race swimming out in lane eight, took bronze in 1:54.93.

Lochte claimed his first individual Olympic gold and denied Peirsol his second straight backstroke double.

Peirsol, who won both the 100m and 200m in Athens as well as medley relay gold, had already defended his title in the 100m back on Tuesday.

He and Peirsol were dead-even at the final turn, in second behind Vyatchanin, and Lochte finished strong to win the last-lap duel.

Half an hour after the start of the backstroke, Lochte was due to tackle superstar Michael Phelps in the final of the 200m individual medley.

Lochte pushed Phelps all the way at the US trials in July, and will by trying to derail his superstar teammate's bid for a record eight gold medals at one Games.

Phelps went into the 200m medley having won five gold medals in five world record times - in the 400m individual medley, 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 4x100m free relay and 4x200m free relay.

Olympics: USA's Soni breaks 200m breastroke record in winning gold

2008-08-15T17:37:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - American Rebecca Soni upset world champion and world record holder Leisel Jones to win the women's 200 metres breaststroke gold medal in world record time at the Beijing Olympics on Friday.

Soni kept up with the Australian under world record pace and pulled away in the final lap to lower Jones's world mark by 0.32secs in a new record time of two minutes 20.22 seconds.

Norway's Sara Nordenstam was third in an European record 2:23.02.Jones has been the undisputed queen of women's breaststroke and broke through for her first individual Olympic gold in winning the 100m event on Tuesday.

Soni was the runner-up to Jones in the 100m final, but she was too strong for the Aussie champion over the extra two laps.

Soni said she had been motivated by the sensational gold medal exploits of American teammate Michael Phelps.

Olympic-related souvenirs see brisk sales in Beijing

2008-08-15T17:36:00.003+07:00

BEIJING - The Olympics has created a new kind of frenzy in the Chinese capital - the purchase of Olympic-related souvenirs.

At one Olympic souvenir flagship store in Beijing, the souvenirs are selling like hotcakes. Whether they are stamps or T-shirts, mugs or backpacks, they are practically flying off the shelves.

One shopper, Li Yue, said: "I'm here to purchase the more symbolic products such as umbrellas, stamps and commemorative coins."

One of the most popular items sold at the store is a set of fuwa, or the Beijing Olympics symbols. It is sold for under 90 yuan (about US$14). The set comes in all shapes and sizes.

Apart from locals, souvenir hunters include local and overseas tourists in town to catch the Games.

Rich Grunke, an American tourist, said: "This is my 15th Olympics and I have a collection of mascots and things, so I have to get the mascots. There are five of them, so I have to get all five of them."

Over 5,000 types of products are sold at the store, including limited edition souvenirs which were snapped up within minutes after people queued up overnight.

Zhang Hongwei, sales manager, Gongmei Group, said: "There are four groups of best-selling items and they include badges, apparel, hats, as well as plush toys."

The most expensive item in the shop is a 290,000 yuan (about US$40,000) display - a collection of the mascots carved delicately in jade.

So it is little wonder that the cash registers have been busy ringing. But clearly, hunting for souvenirs has put everyone in an Olympic mood.

An example is one girl who queued up for close to an hour just to buy two flags. Aisin Gioro Zining said: "I'm taking the opportunity to celebrate this event. Go Olympic Go! Go China Go!"

It is not hard to understand the excitement - after all, it is the Games that countless Chinese have been waiting eagerly for.

Olympics: Federer, Williams sisters crash out of Games' quarter-finals

2008-08-15T17:35:00.003+07:00

BEIJING - Top seed Roger Federer and Venus and Serena Williams all went crashing out of the Olympic Games quarter-finals on Thursday as the tournament was rocked by major upsets.

James Blake secured his first win over Federer 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) to increase the Swiss maestro's woes, while Serena Williams' campaign ended at the hands of Russia's Elena Dementieva 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Venus followed with a stunning reverse against China's Li Na, ranked 42, who raised the Centre Court roof with a 7-5, 7-5 win.

Federer, who hands over his number one crown to Rafael Nadal on Monday, was broken when serving for the first set and was crushed in the second-set tie-break.

Blake, 28, collapsed to his knees and roared with delight as he celebrated the win, which he described as a career highlight. He had taken only one set off Federer in nine attempts stretching back to 2003.

"I would say beating the number one player in the world has got to be up there," Blake said.

"The feeling, the emotion involved is huge. It's something I have to not think about right now because there's still work to be done in this tournament."

For Federer, it was his third defeat in six matches since losing his five-year Wimbledon crown to Nadal five weeks ago. The 12-time Grand Slam winner has spent a record four-and-a-half years as world number one.

Venus Williams' defeat was even more unthinkable given her Wimbledon win last month, but the 2000 doubles and singles champion wilted in a pressure-cooker atmosphere created by thousands of noisy fans.

Li becomes the first Chinese to reach an Olympic semi-final where she will play either top-ranked Jelena Jankovic or Russian sixth seed Dinara Safina.

Number four seed Serena Williams, also one of the clear favourites after a series of pull-outs, was seeking her first singles medal after winning doubles gold in 2000 but missing Athens 2004 injured.

After a blistering start she appeared to run out of steam, double-faulting to hand over the second set and quickly going 5-1 down in the decider.

"I didn't serve really well. It was what it was. It hasn't sunk in yet," said the glum American.

Federer's dismal start to the American hardcourt season, with defeats to Gilles Simon and Ivo Karlovic, has given his rivals hope and Blake, wearing a red headband with his white shirt and blue shorts, started with grim intent.

Federer needed a service winner to stave off a break point in game eight but Blake earned another chance at 5-4 when the Swiss went long after a pulsating rally.

The top seed then produced an incredible leaping backhand from behind the baseline but dunked his next shot into the net to go a set down.

Federer lacked his usual aggression, looking content to rally and misfiring with the serve and forehand. Blake capitalised by forcing three break points in game two of the second set, going ahead when Federer put a backhand long.

The scare seemed to spark Federer into action and he broke back at 1-3 when Blake swiped a backhand into the tramlines.

As tension mounted, Federer held off Blake in two service games to force the tie-break. But the aggressive Blake, pummelling his big forehand, raced to a 4-1 lead and put away his first match point when Federer's return went long.

Blake will face either Fernando Gonzalez or Paul-Henri Mathieu in the semi-finals. Nadal is playing Austria's Jurgen Melzer and third-ranked Novak Djokovic has Gael Monfils in the other men's quarter-finals.

Dementieva, who also won Olympic singles silver in 2000, will play her ninth seeded compatriot Vera Zvonareva for a place in the final after she beat unseeded Austrian Sybille Bammer 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

"I'm very excited for the moment. I'm very excited about my semi-finals here and I don't want to think about a medal," Dementieva said.

Play started some three hours late after heavy rain hit the competition for a second day.

Olympics: USA's NBA stars take revenge against Greece

2008-08-15T17:34:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Revenge-minded United States overwhelmed Greece 92-69 on Thursday at the Olympics, routing the only team that had beaten the US National Basketball Association stars since the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Kobe Bryant and Chris Bosh each scored 18 points to lead the US squad, which also got 17 points from Dwyane Wade and 13 from LeBron James in an impressive display in a Group B preliminary round contest long awaited by the Americans.

"This was a big game for us. We had this one circled for a long time," US guard Chris Paul said. "A few of us felt we really needed this game to prove to ourselves we do mean business and we're ready to win the gold medal."

The Greeks upset a US NBA squad 101-95 in the semi-finals of the 2006 worlds and in the first meeting since they stayed within 20-16 after the first quarter before the American stars pulled away for good in the second quarter.

"They played much better, much more aggressive," Greece guard Nikolaos Zisis said. "They knew what to do to take us out of our game."

Trying to reclaim the global throne after settling for third place in Athens and at the 2006 World Championship in Japan, US NBA standouts used superior speed to set up spectacular slam dunks and dominate defensively.

"Kobe had a lot of good dunks. That was crazy," Wade said. "That was athleticism for you."

The Americans remained unbeaten after three games in preliminary round Group B play ahead of a showdown Saturday against world champion Spain, also unbeaten, that will likely decide which team claims a top quarter-final seed.

The attacking US defense forced 25 turnovers, outscoring the Greeks 28-4 off of giveaways, and made 15 steals, six of them by Wade.

"I stepped up my defense," Wade said. "My job is to play hard defensively."

Bosh scored 12 points in the first half while James and Bryant each added 11 points and Wade contributed 10 on the way to a 51-32 half-time edge.

"They pretty much picked us apart (in 2006). The only way to change that was to be aggressive," Paul said. "We're built to play defense. We will eventually impose our will and wear them down."

Wade scored eight US points in a row in the middle of the second quarter to give the Americans a 36-26 edge.

James brought the loudest roars from the crowd with a steal and a reverse slam dunk and jammed in another on a rebound as he and Bosh each scored six points in a pivotal 15-4 US run to end the first half.

"The defense in the second quarter turned it around for us," US coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "We played very good defense. I'm proud of our effort."

Bryant provided all the points in an 8-2 US run early in the third quarter and it quickly became a question of how many aerobatic feats the NBA stars would pull off to the cheers of supportive Chinese fans.

"We feel like the Beatles when we go someplace," Paul said. "Every time we go out of the hotel they are celebrating us."

Greece fell to 1-2 and will battle Germany and China for the group's last two quarter-final spots with hopes of meeting the US squad again for a medal.

"If we meet them again, it's going to be harder to beat us," Greece coach Panagiotis Giannakis vowed. "I think we learned a lot. My team can play better. We gave them opportunities to make easy baskets."

Olympics: Federer knocked out by Blake

2008-08-15T17:33:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Top seed Roger Federer was sent crashing out of the Olympic Games on Thursday when US number one James Blake pulled off a shock 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) quarter-final victory.

Federer, who is enduring the worst season of his career, was broken when serving for the first set and crushed in the second-set tie-break, ending his bid for a first Olympic medal.

It was Federer's third defeat in six matches since losing his five-year Wimbledon crown. The 27-year-old Swiss is also set to be supplanted by Rafael Nadal on Monday after four-and-a-half years as world number one.

Blake, wearing a red headband to go with his white shirt and blue shorts, started with grim intent and Federer needed a service winner to stave off a break point in game eight.

The American earned another chance at 5-4 when Federer went long after a pulsating rally. The Swiss then produced an incredible leaping backhand from behind the baseline but dunked his next shot into the net to go a set down.

Federer lacked his usual aggression, looking content to rally and misfiring with the serve and forehand. Blake capitalised by forcing three break points in game two of the second set, going ahead when Federer put a backhand long.

The scare seemed to spark Federer into action and he broke back at 1-3 when Blake swiped a backhand into the tramlines.

Boos erupted when a camera-toting spectator started snapping Federer while he was serving at 3-4, earning sharp words from the Swiss and a rebuke from the chair umpire.

As tension mounted, Federer held off Blake in two service games to force the tie-break. But the aggressive Blake, pummelling the Swiss with his big forehand, raced to a 4-1 lead.

He put away his first match point when Federer's service return went long, dropping to his knees and screaming in delight.

Blake had lost all eight of their previous matches, winning only one set in five years of trying.

The American missed the 2004 Games during a traumatic spell when he broke his neck, lost his father to cancer and developed shingles.

Federer finished fourth in 2000 but was shocked in round two four years ago early in his reign as world number one.

Nadal is playing Austria's Jurgen Melzer later while France's Paul-Henri Mathieu and Gael Monfils are up against Fernando Gonzalez and Novak Djokovic respectively in the other quarter-finals.

Federer was beaten by Gilles Simon in Canada and then fell to Ivo Karlovic in Cincinnati before arriving in Beijing, where he beat Dmitry Tursunov, Rafael Arevalo and Tomas Berdych to reach the last eight.

Olympics: Singapore, Chinese women storm into table tennis team semis

2008-08-15T17:32:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - China's highly-fancied women stormed into the semi-finals of the Olympic team table tennis competition on Thursday with a hammering of Austria and were joined in the last four by Singapore.

The squad of Zhang Yining, Guo Yue and Wang Nan, who whitewashed Croatia and the Dominican Republic in their earlier group games, dished out a similar thrashing to the Austrians. It allowed China to win their group and progress to business end of the tournament.

World champion Guo beat 58th-ranked Li Qiangbing 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-4 before veteran Wang crushed Veronika Heine 12-11, 11-6, 11-1.

Zhang, paired with Guo, sealed victory by demolishing Liu Jia and Li Qiangbing 11-3, 11-3, 11-7.

Singapore, led by Li Jiawei, crushed the Netherlands 3-0, with world number nine Feng Tianwei coming from 2-1 down to defeat Li Jiao 11-9, 10-12, 10-12, 11-5, 11-8 in the opening match.

Li then made light work of Elena Timina before teaming with Wang Yuegu in the doubles to ensure victory.

Hong Kong and Germany fight later Thursday for the top position in Group C, while South Korea and Japan face each other in Group D.

Chinese women's head coach Shi Zhihao said his team was tactically ready for whoever they face in the semis.

"We must be psychologically and tactically prepared for every opponent in
the semi-finals," he said.

"Hong Kong knows well about us, South Korea has two choppers and is always tenacious, and Japan has a distinctive style."

The women's team final is on Sunday with the men's final on Monday.

Olympics: Asian swimmers steal spotlight

2008-08-14T17:26:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Asian swimmers stole the spotlight from Michael Phelps and the rest of the field Thursday as the region's traditional powers came good.

Japan's breaststroke king Kosuke Kitajima posted an unprecedented 100m/200m double for the second Olympics in a row, establishing himself as one of the world's best ever.

Kitajima, who won the 100m breaststroke on Monday in world-record time, won the 200m in 2:07.64, just outside the world record of 2:07.51 he set in Tokyo in June.

"I wasn't thinking about winning two gold medals at the two consecutive Olympic Games," Kitajima said.

"What I wanted to do is show my best performance here in Beijing.

"I'm so relieved," he added. "I'm glad that I won this race. I was going to improve my time a bit more but to win this race is more important than to set a good time."

Hosts China took a leaf out of Kitajima's book with Liu Zige and Jiao Liuyang shocking the swimming community by winning gold and silver in the women's 200 metres butterfly.

It was a remarkable achievement given they have done little before, with Liu clocking two minutes 04.18 seconds to shave over a second off the previous world record held by Australian Jessicah Schipper.

Her time was 3.5 seconds faster than her swim at the Chinese trails in April. Jiao's time was also under the old world mark, leaving Schipper to trail home in third place.

"I didn't feel pressure before the competition, I tried to relax," said Liu.

"And in the race I just swam at my own pace, not caring about others. My coach said to me that we will have two Chinese swimmers in the final, so you don't need to force yourself to win gold, you just need to try your best."

Jiao added: "The pressure was much less. We swam together and I felt like we were in training."

It was China's first swimming gold of the Games and only its third since its prime at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, when it won four.

A shooting gold for Du Lin and the All-Round gymnastics title for Yang Wei left China atop of the medal table with 20 gold. South Korea remains in third with six gold while Japan have five.

Among other Asian nations, Thailand, India and North Korea have all won one gold each while Vietnam has a silver, and Indonesia and Taiwan both have two bronze.

While Japan found success in the pool Thursday, Keiji Suzuki joined the list of big name flops at the judo competition.

Suzuki, who stepped up to +100kg in Athens to claim a sensational gold medal, was back fighting at his preferred -100kg, the weight at which he won the world title in 2005.

He came up against Mongolia's Naidan Tuvshinbayar in the first round and was stunned by a morote-gari - a double leg grab similar to a rugby tackle - within a minute of the contest's start.

Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei remains on track to win his country's first ever Olympic gold medal after steamrolling over Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro 21-9, 21-11 to make the badminton semi-finals.

With Malaysia's doubles stars and Lee's girlfriend Wong Mew Choo crashing out, Lee is the nation's last remaining hope in badminton and its strongest chance of winning its first gold in any sport.

Lee, ranked two in the world, played down his chances of causing an upset over China to clinch gold, saying they had home ground advantage.

"Maybe it's too tough for me but I try," he said of possibly reaching the final where, barring a major upset, he would meet world number one Lin Dan.

Olympics: Malaysia's Lee steamrolls into badminton

2008-08-14T17:25:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Lee Chong Wei steamrolled Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro Thursday to reach the Olympic badminton men's semi-finals and keep Malaysia's hopes alive of winning its first ever gold medal.

With Malaysia's doubles stars, and Lee's girlfriend Wong Mew Choo crashing out of these Games, Lee is the nation's last remaining hope in badminton and its strongest chance of winning its first gold in any sport.

Lee, ranked second in the world, played down his 21-9, 21-11 quarter-final victory over the Indonesian, achieved with a mixture of delicate drop shots and airborne attacks, saying the Athens bronze medallist had been nervous.

Lee was also circumspect about his chances of causing an upset over China to clinch gold, saying although he had beaten their three players before, they were enjoying a home ground advantage.

"Maybe it's too tough for me but I'll try," he said of possibly reaching the final where, barring a major upset, he would meet world number one Lin Dan.

"The loss of the other Malaysian players made me a little upset but I need to concentrate on the men's singles and try to get to the final."

China are gunning for a clean sweep of all five golds with the men's singles firmly in their sights after failing to clinch the coveted title in Athens.

Lee meets the winner of the quarter-final clash between China's third seed Bao Chunlai and South Korean champion Lee Hyunil to be played later Thursday.

China's fourth seed Chen Jin thumped Taiwan's Hsieh Yu-Hsing, ranked just 46 in the world, to move into the semi-finals.

Chen, the All England champion, raced to a 14-4 lead and conceded just four more points on his way to wrapping up the first game.

Unseeded Hsieh offered more resistance in the second game, but Chen was never in trouble, and quickly killed off a one-sided affair 21-14.

"He was in good shape and played very well. I was too slow to catch up in the beginning of the second game," Chen said.

Chen faces a semi-final showdown with the winner of the clash between Europe's last remaining player, Denmark veteran Peter Gade, and top seed Lin, played later Thursday.

Olympics: Singapore women paddlers into team semis

2008-08-14T17:23:00.001+07:00

SINGAPORE - Singapore's Li Jiawei and teammates beat Netherlands 3-0 on Thursday to advance into table-tennis team semifinals in the Beijing Olympics.

Results: Singapore beat Netherlands 3-0

Feng Tianwei (SIN) bt Li Jiao (Netherlands) 11-9, 10-12, 10-12, 11-5, 11-8

Li Jiawei (SIN) bt Timina Elena (Netherlands) 14-12, 11-2, 11-3

Wang Yuegu/Li Jiawei (SIN) bt Li Jie/Timina Elena (Netherlands) 11-8, 5-11,6-11, 11-6, 11-7.

Olympics: Australia smash world record in womens 200m free relay win

2008-08-14T12:27:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Australia smashed the world record by almost six seconds in swimming away with the women's 4x200metres freestyle relay gold medal at the Beijing Olympics on Thursday.

The Australians set a blistering pace to hit the wall in seven minutes 44.31 seconds and wipe 5.78secs off the record of 7:50.09 held by the United States at last year's world championships in Melbourne.

China took the silver medal in 7:45.93 ahead of the United States in 7:46.33.

The Australian team -- Stephanie Rice (1:56.60), Bronte Barratt (1:56.58), Kylie Palmer (1:55.22) and Linda MacKenzie (1:55.91) -- had control for most of the race.

It was Rice's third gold medal in the Beijing pool following her medley double win with all her gold medals coming in world record time.

Olympics: France's Bernard claims 100m freestyle gold

2008-08-14T12:26:00.004+07:00

BEIJING - France's Alain Bernard won the men's 100m freestyle gold medal at the Beijing Games Thursday, overtaking Eamon Sullivan on the closing length to triumph over the Australian world record holder.

Bernard didn't add to the flurry of world records in swimming's blue riband event, but he gave France its first swimming gold of the Games.

He also helped make up for French disappointment in the 4x100m freestyle relay, in which they narrowly lost out to Michael Phelps's US squad.

Bernard won in 47.21sec, with Sullivan second in 47.32.Cesar Cielo of Brazil and US relay hero Jason Lezak shared bronze, in a dead heat of 47.67.

Dutch star Pieter van den Hoogenband, vying to become the first man to win the same Olympic swimming event at three games in a row, was fifth in 47.75.

The world record in the event had fallen three times in Beijing.

Sullivan seized the mark from Bernard with a lead-off leg of 47.24sec in the 4x100m freestyle relay on Monday.

Bernard regained the mark with a time of 47.20 in the first semi-final on Wednesday, and Sullivan snatched it back with his astonishing 47.05 in the second semi.

Olympics: China's Liu sets world record in 200m butterfly win

2008-08-14T12:26:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Liu Zige smashed the world record in a Chinese one-two finish in the women's 200 metres butterfly final at the Beijing Olympics on Thursday.

Liu clocked two minutes 04.18 seconds to smash Australian world champion Jessicah Schipper's world record by 1.22sec to capture gold.

She beat home teammate Jiao Liuyang, who claimed the silver medal in 2:04.72, also under the previous world record time.

Schipper, who was under world record pace up to halfway, could not sustain her challenge and dropped back slightly to finish third in 2:06.26.

It was China's first win in the 2008 Olympic swimming competition and was greeted with a huge roar by the predominant home crowd inside the Water Cube.

Liu had signalled she was up for the challenge for the gold by posting the fastest qualifying time into the final.

"I didn't feel pressure before the competition, I tried to relax," said
Liu.

"And in the race I just swam at my own pace, not caring about others. My
coach said to me that we will have two Chinese swimmers in the final, so you
don't need to force yourself to win gold, you just need to try your best."

It was China's first swimming gold of the Games and only its third since
its prime at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, when it won four.

Since then the squad has had to fight the stigma of doping scandals and
managed just two titles in the following three Games -- one in 1996 and one in
2004.

It helped boast China's overall medal tally to 18 golds, six silvers and
five bronzes in the battle to be the most dominant sporting nation on earth.

Olympics: Japan's breaststroke king Kitajima wins 200m gold

2008-08-14T12:25:00.002+07:00

BEIJING - Japanese breaststroke king Kosuke Kitajima won the 200m gold at the Beijing Games Thursday, completing the Olympic double for the second Games in a row.

Kitajima, who won the 100m breaststroke on Monday in world-record time,
repeated the double breaststroke gold he claimed in Athens four years ago.

Kitajima won in 2:07.64, just outside the world record of 2:07.51 he set in Tokyo in June.

The 25-year-old is the only swimmer to break 2:08 in the event.

He held off a late challenge from Australian Brenton Rickard, who was second in 2:08.88, with France's Hugues Duboscq taking the bronze in 2:08.94.

Olympics: Argentina, Brazil and Italy lead way to quarter-finals

2008-08-14T12:24:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Argentina and Brazil remained on course for a semi-final showdown in the men's Olympic football competition as the final eight sorted themselves out in the last round of Group matches on Wednesday.

Italy emerged as the best of the rest and have the kindest draw with the prospect of a semi-final against Nigeria if the Group winners also win their opening play-off match.

Defending champions Argentina kept Lionel Messi on the bench but were still too good for Serbia for their ninth consecutive Games win, an Olympic record after going through unbeaten in Athens four years ago

They beat the Serbs 2-0 with a penalty by Ezequiel Lavezzi in the 12th minute and a free kick from Angel de Maria more than an hour later.

A goal from Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou gave Ivory Coast a 1-0 win over Australia to qualify second in Group A and an African showdown with Nigeria in the quarter-finals.

Argentina play the Netherlands in the quarter-finals while Brazil play Cameroon.

A brace from Thiago Neves helped Brazil to beat China 3-0 ending any hope the host nation had of going through.

Such was the pressure on the Chinese to perform that their one point from three games drew the ire of their fans with one online commentator describing their performances as "full of shame and disgust".

But they were never in with a chance against Brazil who have Ronaldinho back to his near best dictating the game from the midfield.

Belgium beat New Zealand 1-0 to be the second qualifiers from group C and a date with Italy.

They Italians and Cameroon both progressed to the quarter-finals after fighting out a turgid goalless draw in Group D which saw the African side play with 10 men for all but 32 minutes.

Whilst Cameroon - who also missed a penalty - will be pleased to have made the last eight, the 2000 Olympic champions will be missing the red carded Georges Mandjeck and defender Paul Bebey - who received his second yellow card of the tournament - when they play Brazil.

Nigeria finished top of Group B when they beat the United States 2-1 with the Netherlands leapfrogging the USA to be the second qualifiers when a late Gerald Sibon penalty secured a 1-0 win over lowly Japan.

America's cause was not helped by playing with 10 men from the second minute when defender Michael Orozco was red-carded.

The quarter-final matches will be played on Saturday.

Olympics: China overpower US badminton duo

2008-08-14T12:23:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - China's champions Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng thrashed Howard Bach and Bob Malaythong in the quarter-finals of the men's badminton doubles on Wednesday, shattering the Americans' Olympic dreams.

Bach and Malaythong, unseeded at these Games, were gunning for a medal after making history this week by becoming the first Americans to reach the last eight in Olympic badminton.

But the Chinese second seeds showed no mercy at the Beijing University of Technology gymnasium, racing to an 8-0 lead in the first game and not looking back, winning 21-9, 21-10 in just 29 minutes.

"Obviously they are world-class players and we expect nothing less, they stepped on the court and every open opportunity they had, they executed," said Bach, who reached the last 16 in Athens.

For the first time at this tournament, the vocal near-capacity Chinese crowd were given some competition, with a small contingent of American fans screaming "U-S-A, U-S-A".

The Chinese responded by booing the supporters on several occasions, and roaring their own chants of "Go China" and "Kill (the shot)".

"That was our home town fans and friends, I wouldn't call it bad sportsmanship that's just how the crowd is in any country," Bach said.

The Chinese duo have a semi-final showdown with Lee Jae-Jin and Hwang Ji-Man, South Korea's last medal hope on the men's side after third seeds and hot favourites Jung Jae-Sung and Lee Yong-Dae crashed out in the first round.

Unseeded Lee and Hwang defeated Japan's Keita Masuda and Tadashi Ohtsuka 21-12, 18-21, 21-9 in their quarter-final.

In other matches, Indonesia's top seeds Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan downed Malaysia's Asian Games champions Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong on Wednesday 21-16, 21-18.

They take on Denmark's veterans Lars Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen who downed Poland's Michal Logosz and Robert Mateusiak 17-21, 21-11, 21-15 in a clash of the European nations.

Although the USA duo were confident of winning their quarter final, Bach conceded it was always going to be tough, with the Chinese virtually unbeatable at home.

"Obviously they're one of the hottest teams in China, arguably, like (tennis star Rafael) Nadal on a clay court, they rarely lose in China, so it will be interesting to see how they go," he said.

Bach, who emigrated from Vietnam when he was three, said he was especially disappointed that his father had been unable to get a visa and a flight in time to see him play in Beijing.

Olympics: Federer avenges Athens humiliation

2008-08-14T12:22:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Top seed Roger Federer avenged his Athens 2004 humiliation with a convincing win over Tomas Berdych as he remained on course for an Olympic final with Rafael Nadal on Wednesday.

Federer was broken in each set but came roaring back each time to end it 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) and erase memories of the second-round shock by the Czech which left him in tears four years ago.

"I'm very happy with the way I played. I haven't lost to him since the Olympic Games," Federer said.

"He's always dangerous - you can see how hard he hits the ball."

Earlier Nadal and Novak Djokovic ended Russian involvement in the men's singles with straight-sets wins to also reach the last eight.

Nadal saw off Igor Andreev 6-4, 6-2 while Djokovic beat 13th seed Mikhail Youzhny 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 as both moved closer to a first Olympic title.

"I'm playing close to my best level. I beat a very tough player today," said the Spaniard.

"My feeling is go on court and try to play my best tennis all the time."

Nadal will meet Jurgen Melzer in the last eight after the Austrian ended the giant-killing run of Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun 6-2, 6-4.

Third-ranked Djokovic will play either seventh seed David Nalbandian or Gael Monfils for the prize of meeting Nadal in the semis.

Athens bronze-medallist Fernando Gonzalez and Paul Henri-Mathieu of France also came through against Olivier Rochus and Nicolas Kiefer respectively.

Meanwhile, China's Li Na delighted home fans with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory over Estonia's Kaia Kanepi. She will face 2000 singles and doubles champion Venus Williams in the quarter-finals.

"I couldn't find my rhythm at first - I was completely unfamiliar with her," Li said.

"But finally I got my chance. I feel lucky to play on my home court and with so many Chinese fans behind me."

However, there was heartbreak for Wimbledon semi-finalist Zheng Jie, who went down 6-4, 6-3 to Russian sixth seed Dinara Safina.

Federer and Berdych traded breaks in their first set before the Swiss again got ahead and served out the set with an ace.

He netted a backhand to go a break down in the second but hit back in game five and dominated the tie-break, finishing it off with an ace and a service winner.

Federer, who finished fourth in 2000, will face either James Blake or Gilles Simon in the quarters.

Incoming number one Nadal broke Andreev at 3-3 and saved four break points when serving for the set with a series of unreturnable deliveries.

The setback clearly affected Andreev and Nadal broke twice before taking the match with another big serve, making it four in a row against the 25-year-old.

Nadal is bidding for his eighth title this year after his fourth French Open crown and first Wimbledon win boosted his career trophy total to 30.

He is playing his first Olympic singles tournament after appearing as a little-known doubles player four years ago in Athens.

Nadal's half of the draw has been eased by the exit of world number six Andy Murray, who was shocked in round one by Taiwan's Lu. Defending champion Nicolas Massu has also been eliminated.

Nadal, Federer and Djokovic are all bidding to become the first top-five men's singles gold-medallist.

Nadal replaces Federer in the top ranking on Monday after more than three years at number two.

Olympics: Liu sets 69kg weightlifting world record

2008-08-14T12:21:00.004+07:00

BEIJING - Liu Chunhong of China bettered her own world record in the women's weightlifting 69kg class on the same day by hoisting 128kg in the snatch at the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday.

The 23 year-old defending Olympic champion declared her intentions early by announcing an initial total attempt of 276kg, gunning for her own Olympic records in the snatch, clean and jerk and total lifts.

She later changed her initial snatch attempt to 120kg, but went for the world record itself on her second attempt of 125kg, erasing Oxana Slivenko's 22 month-old standard of 123kg.

For her last snatch attempt Liu obliterated her own two minute-old world record by heaving a massive 128kg.