The New Nation - Internet Edition

Asian swimmers steal spotlight

AFP, 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 gymanstics 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.

Germany, Netherlands eye semi-finals

AFP, Beijing

Defending champions Germany and title contenders the Netherlands stepped closer to the semi-finals of the Olympic women's field hockey with their third wins today.

The German girls, who won their maiden Olympic title at Athens four years ago, beat the United States 4-2 in a pool B match after being held 1-1 at half-time.

The Dutch, who lost the Athens final to the Germans, overcame a fighting China 1-0 in pool A with Maartje Paumen scoring the winner with a penalty corner in the 21st minute.

Dutch coach Marc Lammers, whose world champion side was given a fright by the hosts, said he was very impressed the way the Chinese played.

"We were lucky to win today," he said. "The Chinese have improved a lot in the last few months. They are a much stronger side now, a physical and strong team.

"It was a difficult match for us and I am glad we came out of it well."

China's Korean coach Kim Chang-Back, whose team made the semi-finals at Athens, said there was a lot to learn from the Dutch.

"They are the top team in the world and showed it on the field," said Kim.

"They have outstanding technique and are able to adjust to different situations. We study each opponent and try and take the good points."

China, who dropped their first points in the tournament, play Kim's home team South Korea next on Saturday.

"We have to beat both Korea and Australia to remain in contention," said the coach. "It's not going to be easy but we have our plans for the Korean team.

"There are no special feelings about playing against a team from my country. I am the Chinese coach and want China to win."

The Germans were wary of the American girls who had forced creditable draws against Champions Trophy winners Argentina and Japan in their first two matches.

The Americans, ranked 11th in the world, once again stunned their rivals by taking the lead in the 27th minute through Tiffany Snow.

Natascha Keller ensured the Germans went level at half-time with a solo effort in the 34th minute, and Fanny Rinne and Marion Rodewald pumped in two penalty corners after resumption.

Angela Loy reduced the margin for the Americans in the 60th minute, but their defeat was sealed when Anke Kuehn scored Germany's fourth goal through a penalty corner six minutes before the end.

"It was not as easy as the scoreline suggests," said German coach Michael Behrmann. "But I am happy the girls showed good temperament in the second half.

"No match is a walk-over and the Americans proved that today."

Khushtov grabs third Russian gold

BBC Online

Aslanbek Khushtov became Russia's third Greco-Roman wrestling gold medallist of the Beijing Games by beating Germany's Mirko Englich in the final of the 96kg.

Khushtov, the European champion, completed two throws, winning the first period 6-0 and the second 3-0 to seal a deserved victory.

Adam Wheeler of the United States and Kazakhstan's Asset Mambetov took the two bronze medals on offer.

Nazyr Mankiev and Islam Albiev won Russia's other two wrestling golds.

Yang Wei bags all-round gold in style

BSS, Beijing

He was a picture of confidence as Yang Wei lifted the gold in the Men's individual all-round Gymnastic competition at the National Indoor Stadium here today.

After completing his superb physical feat Yang Wei clapped as he walked past the vault judges, cheerfully waved to the crowd and flashed a thumbs-up for the cameras.

Not being able to find his luck in Sydney and disappointed in Athens, he convincingly subdued his rivals in Beijing Olympics to crown himself as a true Olympic champion with 94.575 points, nearly three points ahead of Kohei Uchimura of Japan. Benoit Caranobe of France won the bronze.

Gymnastics is becoming China's domain at the Beijing Olympics as their gold rush continues on and Yang is a familiar face as a big star in Gymnastic. But his perseverance paid off after waiting eight years to reach this height. "Today was perfect," he said. "I felt tired before the competition, but after it I feel relaxed, "he said today at a press briefing after the medal awarding ceremony.

He didn't even bother waiting for his marks on high bar, his final event, before taking a curtain call, leaping onto the podium and thrusting his fists in the air while the crowd went crazy.

His coach gave him a Chinese flag, and he held it out with pride. Judges took what seemed like forever to post his marks, but that only gave Yang more time to soak it all in.

"I thought a month ago if I would get this medal, I would be every emotional," Yang said. "But I'm really not, because we won the team gold medal."

As the adoring crowd chanted "Yang Wei! Yang Wei!" he pounded his chest with his fists. When his final mark finally did go up, the crowd went wild and Yang wanted more, cupping his hands to his ears and asking for them to pump up the volume. They were cheering lustily for the two-time world champion, who just might join Yao Ming and Liu Xiang as China's biggest names in these games.

It is China's second men's all-round gold. Li Xiao shuang won in 1996.

Du Li gets a gold-but six days too late

AFP, Beijing

Du Li of China finally struck gold in her home Olympics on Thursday, six days after she had left millions disappointed by failing to win the inaugural event of the Games.

Li, a 26-year-old from Shandong province, had been one of the most talked about athletes ahead of the Games as the favourite to win the first gold medal of the Beijing Olympics last Saturday. But Li lost her nerve and finished fifth in the women's 10m Air Rifle event, the honour of 'aoyun shoujin'-first Olympic gold-going to Katerina Emmons of the Czech Republic.

She made amends on Thursday by taking the 50m Rifle 3 Positions title with a new Games record, leaving both Emmons and defending champion Lioubov Galkina of Russia trailing far behind. Li finished with 690.3 points to shatter by a fair margin the previous Olympic record of 688.4 set by Galkina in Athens four years ago.

In a close finish for the remaining spots, Emmons took the silver just 0.1 points ahead of bronze medallist Eglis Yaima Cruz of Cuba, who herself was 0.2 points in front of fourth-placed Galkina.

Li revealed it was exactly four years ago on August 14 that she had won her maiden Olympic title in the 10m event at Athens.

Minguzzi gets gold amid protests

BBC Online

Italy's Andrea Minguzzi won the 84kg wrestling gold medal on Thursday amid controversy within the weight division.

Minguzzi beat Hungarian Zoltan Fodor in the final after eliminating world and Olympic champion Aleksey Mishin of Russia in an earlier round.

But Ara Abrahamian refused to accept his bronze medal in protest at his semi-final defeat to Minguzzi, upset with the decision of the judges.

"It's all politics," said the Swede's coach, Leo Myllari.

Minguzzi, a policeman from Imola, and Fodor began cautiously in the final, with the first two rounds ending even.

But then Minguzzi scored a throw late on to bag the title, winning 1-1 1-1 4-0.

Abrahamian, who came back strongly in the repechage after his elimination by Minguzzi, took centre stage at the medal ceremony.

After grudgingly climbing the podium, he took the bronze from around his neck before dropping it in the middle of the wrestling ring and walking off.

Earlier, the Swede had to be restrained by team-mates as a row erupted with the judges over the decision of the semi-final.

Swedish fans booed as the judges left the arena, although coach Myllari did not say if he intended to lodge a formal protest over the decision by referee Jean-Marc Petoud of Switzerland, judge Lee Ronald Mackay of Canada, and mat chairman Guillermo Orestes Molina of Cuba.

Abrahamian's bronze medal was later returned to the sport's governing body. Turkey's Nazmi Avluca took the other bronze.

Blake ends Federer Olympic dreams

BBC Online

Roger Federer's disappointing season continued as his hopes of Olympic gold in the men's singles was ended by an inspired James Blake.

The American had not beaten the top seed in eight previous attempts, but comfortably outplayed the world number one for a 6-4 7-6 quarter-final win.

The crowd was shocked to silence when Blake deservedly broke in the 10th game to take the first set.

And Blake then held his nerve in the second set tie-break to progress.

Federer, who will lose his world number one ranking to Rafael Nadal on Monday, made a number of unforced errors and will need a dramatic reversal in fortunes if he is to successfully defend his US Open title later this month.

Blake, the world number seven, had won only one set in his previous matches against Federer, but he unnerved the five-time Wimbledon champion with a near faultless service game and aggressive forehand.

"I always believed in myself," said Blake. "I'd lost to him eight, nine, 10, 50 times, I don't know how many, but I had the feeling it could be my day.

"He didn't play a good first game and that put me up straight away. I played loose and free and I always fancy my chances on the 5-4 game.

"I know I can beat the best in the world on my day and I proved it."

Indonesia's world champs into badminton semis

AFP, Beijing

Indonesia's world champions Liliyana Natsir and Nova Widianto secured semi-final spots in the badminton mixed doubles today, downing Thailand's Prapakamol Sudket and Thoungthongkam Saralee.

The top seeds were pushed in the second game of their quarter-final before overcoming the Thais 21-13, 21-19 to keep their medal chances alive.

The Indonesians are steeling themselves for a tough fight against China's fourth seeds He Hanbin and Yu Yang in the semi-finals on Saturday.

The Chinese fought off a ferocious challenge from Poland's Nadiezda Kostiuczyk and Robert Mateusiak before stumbling over the line 22-20, 23-21 in their quarter-final.

In a tense encounter, China were penalised one point after He moved into the net before Mateusiak had served, a ruling that brought thunderous boos from the crowd and agitated protests from both Chinese players. He acknowledged afterwards that maintaining their cool was crucial in the high pressure match.