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Hostility for gold begins
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I was going well but had some problem with my body movement. I sort of stabilised myself but that cost me some time and I was under pressure subsequently
— Anjali Bhagwat, shooter
Vijender outboxes Badou
Shooters off target
Monika cleared, too late
Bajranglal rows into quarters
Amla, rain dominate
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Beijing ’08
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Hostility for gold begins
Beijing, August 9 A women’s weightlifting gold and men’s shooting gold came their way, though they lost the first medal to be awarded after the Chinese favourite buckled under pressure. Katerina Emmons won the first gold, in the women’s 10-metre air rifle, for the Czech Republic. Pre-Games favourite Du Li of China finished fifth and left in tears. “There was pressure for all of us but for her it was even harder,” Emmons said of her rival. “I’m sorry, but the Chinese press is putting a lot of pressure on Chinese athletes.” “I wasn’t fully prepared for the pressure of competing at home,” said Du, who won gold in Athens in 2004. Pang Wei restored home pride in the shooting with victory in the men’s 10-metre air pistol, the second gold for China after Chen Xiexia won, as expected, in the women’s 48kg weightlifting. U.S. swimming sensation Michael Phelps set off on his quest for a record eight gold medals, diving into the pool at the bubble-wrap Water Cube building to win his heat in the 400 metres individual medley in an Olympic record. Phelps first gold could come on Sunday, when the mighty U.S. swim team is well-placed to triumph in three of the four finals being staged. In the first event to test athletes’ ability to withstand the heat and smog of a Beijing summer, Spain’s Samuel Sanchez won the men’s cycling road race along a gruelling 245-km route from the Forbidden City in Beijing to the Great Wall. More than a third of contestants dropped out, including favourites like German Stefan Schumacher who said the humidity and smog made a hard course even tougher. “I have a very, very strong headache,” said Schumacher, after abandoning the race. “I suppose it’s the pollution.” The 2007 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador could not handle the heat either. “I just didn’t have any more strength in the legs,” said Contador after giving up. Sanchez’s Spanish team mates said they had decided to work together to support whichever of them had the best chance to win. U.S. President George W. Bush watched the American beach volleyball teams practise, joining the women on court to volley a few balls, hitting two but missing the third. At one point, 2004 gold medal winners Misty May-Treanor jokingly bent over and offered Bush a chance to give her a pat on the rear. Instead, he playfully tapped her back. Olympics chief Jacques Rogge used his opening speech to appeal to the athletes to respect the Olympic spirit of fair play by competing without the help of prohibited drugs. Later a Greek sprinter was sent home for failing an earlier drugs test in an echo of the Athens Games when two Greek sprint favourites were involved in a doping scandal. There was more controversy with the murder of a relative of a U.S. volleyball coach in Beijing. A 47-year-old Chinese man attacked two American relatives of the coach and a Chinese tour guide at a popular tourist site, leaving one man dead, the Beijing police said. The assailant then jumped to his death from high up the Drum Tower, a 700-year-old 45-metre (yard) high monument once used to sound time for the Chinese capital’s residents. Attacks on foreigners in Beijing are rare. Olympic organisers have deployed a 100,000-strong security force to protect the 10,500 athletes and thousands of spectators, citing the threat of terrorism but sparking criticism they were blocking protests.
— Reuters |
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‘Players didn’t have time to change’
Beijing, August 9 IOA president Suresh Kalmadi said both the tennis players had returned from a prolonged practice session and did not have enough time to deck up in the official saree for last night's march past, hence they turned out in casuals. “(Chef-de-Mission) K Murugan was in two minds whether to leave them out or allow them in casuals. They had just returned from practice and wanted to go. Personally, their practice was more important for me than attending the ceremony. I’m happy they still wanted to go. Murugan was bit confused and he finally allowed them to attend the ceremony in casuals," Kalmadi told reporters here. “We had kept saree for all women athletes and it just happened that they didn't have time to change. The Chef de Mission thought asking Sania and Sunitha not to go could lead to a controversy, so he allowed,” he added. Of all the athletes, paddler Neha Aggarwal wore a saree even though the colour was different from that of another member of the contingent. Kalmadi said there was nothing incongruous in it because it was a conscious decision to have sarees of different colours for the women. “We wanted to make it colourful and hence they wore sarees of different colours,” he said. About the low turn out in the march past, the IOA chief said that he had advised the athletes, who had competition the next day, to skip the event. “I did not want them knackered when they compete, for that’s the reason they are here. That’s why I told them to focus on their events,” he said. Kalmadi said the Indian contingent strictly adhered to the International Olympic Council norms and just six officials were allowed to take part in the march past. — PTI
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No stopping Phelps
Beijing, August 9 The American cruised through his heat in four minutes 07.82 seconds, wiping 0.44 seconds off the Olympic record he set to win the gold medal in Athens four years ago. Hungarian Laszlo Cseh, who finished third behind Phelps at Athens then won the world title in Montreal a year later when Phelps skipped the event, was second fastest in 4:09.26. Italian Luca Marin was third in 4:10.22 while American Ryan Lochte, who looms as the one of the biggest dangers to Phelps' bid to win an unprecedented eight goals, was fourth in 4:10.33. Phelps' time was the third fastest and just 2.57 outside the world record of 4:05.25 he set at the US trials six weeks ago to book his place in Sunday's final. Clean shaven but not wearing a full bodysuit, he was under world record pace halfway through the backstroke leg but eased down over the final freestyle leg to conserve his energy for the final. — Reuters
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Bits & Bytes
Devin Mullings of the Bahamas, the world number 1,025, was called up as a replacement for the Olympic men's singles tennis on Saturday because there was no time to get any leading player to Beijing. The little-known Mullings, whose only singles matches this year have been in Davis Cup ties against Venezuala and Paraguay, now gets a chance to rub shoulders with heavyweights like Rafael Nadal, set to become the new world number one, and Roger Federer. The 21-year-old, the shortest man in the tournament at 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 metres), was an easy choice as he was already at the Games as a doubles competitor. China's Yu Xinyuan, ranked 782 in the world, also got a late call for similar reasons. The two men had the highest singles rankings of those originally due to play only in the doubles.
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No qualified trainer, no sponsor Sprinter Robina Muqimyar does not have a qualified trainer, she has no sponsor, she comes from a country ruined by war and she grew up under hardline Islamist rulers who would not brook girls playing sport. Little wonder that she stands little chance of a medal at the Beijing Olympics. But Muqimyar, the only woman among four athletes representing Afghanistan at the Games, told Reuters she would just be happy if she could improve the 100 metres time she clocked up at Athens four years ago, 14.14 seconds.
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Tennis star Novak Djokovic blasted conditions at the Beijing Olympics as “extreme” today while the sport’s global chief played down fears over heat, humidity and smog. Djokovic said he had never experienced such humidity and hoped new rules would be made to protect the players. “Conditions are extreme,” said the world number three, who has been troubled by throat problems this season. “I never, ever played in worse humidity than here,” the Serbian added. International Tennis Federation president Ricci Bitti said players were not at risk and contingency plans were in place. “I’m sure the conditions are tough but it’s in the power of our officiating team to take measures in case the situation reaches an unacceptable level,” he said. “For us players the priority is to be healthy and to be able to continue playing for a long time,” Djokovic said.
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Vijender outboxes Badou
Beijing, August 9 The emphatic win enabled Vijender, the handsome Bhiwani (Haryana) boxer erase the memories of a first round defeat in the 2004 Athens Olympics. But it was a nightmarish debut for Vijender's compatriot Dinesh Kumar who will be haunted by the beating he received at the hands of Abdelhafid for a long time to come. The 75 kg bout turned out to be a mismatch and even Vijender later admitted that he never expected it to be so easy. ''It was interesting but the opponent was not that tough,'' he told mediapersons after his win. The Indian took his time to understand his rival's plan and then landed the first punch after 115 seconds to go up 1-0 in the first round. It was an aggressive Vijender who fisted his way into the second round as the Gambian scurried for cover. The Indian punched him with fierce right hooks and upper cuts to take five points while conceding just one. Having established a 6-1 lead, there was no stopping the Indian as he unleashed flurry of hooks on the hapless Gambian. Vijender hit him all over and but could manage only three points and again conceded one in the third. To take his tally to 9-2. The last round was easy for the Indian who collected four more points to win the bout 13-2. ''I enjoyed the bout. To win the first round is a good feeling,'' he said adding he was expecting better opposition and challenge from his rival with whom he was boxing for the first time. Vijender's next bout rival is Thailand's Angkhan Chomphuphuang to whom Indian had lost in the President Cup held in Chinese Taipei in April. ''I am looking forward to the bout. It is going to be a revenge fight,'' he said when asked about his next round rival. The bout in the 81 kg event was a total mismatch with Abdelhafid landing punches on Dinesh Kumar at will. The Indian neither had the tactics nor the stamina to stand up to his rival and simply turned out to be a pnching back. Abdelhafid raced to a 9-3 lead in the first round and added six more points in the second to make it 15-3 as the Indian ran all over the ring trying to avoid getting punished. — UNI
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Shooters off target
Beijing, August 9 The experience of Anjali and the verve of Avneet, making her Olympic debut, were not enough as the duo could not make it to the business end of 10m air rifle event, finishing 29th and 39th respectively. Samresh, on the other hand, could not replicate his 2006 Commonwealth Games performance and shot 92, 95, 96, 98, 96 and 93 to total 570 and finish a lowly 42nd in the air pistol event. Anjali, who is toiling more these days for her pet 50m Rifle 3 Position event, shot 393, while Avneet totalled 389 at the Beijing Shooting Hall Range. Anjali had less than eight minutes to finish her last series of 10 shots and the shooter was clearly in a hurry to finish in time. In the men's trap event Manavjit Sandhu and Mansher Singh were precariously placed at the end of three rounds. Manavjit Sandhu with a total of 70 out of 75 was lying 12th, Mansher, taking part in his fourth Olympic was at 21st spot with a score of 69.
— Agencies |
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Beijing, August 9 Displaying an awesome form, the national champion took just 27 minutes to knock out Karachkova 21-9, 21-8 in a one sided match to cruise into the second round where she will face Larysa Gryga of Ukraine. It turned out to be virtual no contest as, Saina displayed her wares that had Ella in all sort of troubles and the Indian later said, she did not go full throttle because she wanted to try some other things today. ''I did not play my usual game and hit less smash. Instead, I was trying more drop shots. The first round match is always tough because you tend to make mistakes early but I'm happy that everything went according to the script,'' she said. Asked about how has been her experience here so far, the Indian champion said, ''I think I adjusted fast to the court, conditions, breeze and atmosphere here. It was wonderful playing in front of such a vociferous crowd.'' The Hyderabadi girl also did not agree to a query that she had an easy draw. Sandeep Sejwal clocked 1:02.19s to finish second in his heat three but that was not enough to sail him through to the semifinal of the men’s 100m Breast stroke event at the Beijing Olympics here today. The Indian national record holder in this event must have realised that clocking a qualifying time and participating in Olympics are two different things. — Agencies
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Monika cleared, too late
New Delhi, August 9 "All doping charges against Monika have been cleared by SAI but IOA has not agreed on the ground that time is very short and they won’t be able to reopen the entry process for her but they will be trying to send her to Beijing tonight.” The clearance for the lifter from Manipur, who was pulled out of the Indian squad for Beijing Olympics almost at the eleventh hour on July 7 after she had reportedly tested positive for anabolic steroid, after Chief Minister I. Ibobi Singh took up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here today. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said there was little time left for Monika to take part in the 69kg competition of the Olympics since and International Olympic Committee would not reopen the entry process for her. "It is too late for Monika to come to Beijing now and take part in the Olympic Games because we have closed the entry process," IOA secretary general Randhir Singh told PTI. Asked if IOA president Suresh Kalmadi could do anything to help Monika take part in the competition scheduled for August 13, Randhir said it was not possible at this level. "What can Kalmadi do? It is not National Games. It is Olympic Games and only IOC can take a decision," said Randhir who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee.
— PTI |
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Bajranglal rows into quarters
Beijing, August 9 Competing in Heat four, Takhar finished overall third, ahead of Monaco's Mathias Raymond. The first four out of a total of five competitors qualified for the quarterfinals. Czech Republic's Ondrej Synek finished first and was followed by Lithuania's Mindaugas Griskonis. Indian judoka Khumujam Tombi Devi bowed out of contention in the preliminary stage on the opening day of competition here on Saturday. Manipur's Tombi Devi made an opening round exit in the 48kg class. Tombi could not stand up to the skill and reflexes of Ana Hormigo of Portugal and went out virtually without a fight before a sparse crowd at the USTB gymnasium. Tombi's challenge lasted only two and a half minutes.
— Agencies |
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Women trio impresses
Beijing, August 9 Bombayla (637), Dola (633) and Pranitha (627) came 22nd, 31st and 37th respectively in today's ranking round and their aggregated tally of 1897 helped India finish among top six sides, which got a bye. The eves would now take on hosts China (1916), who finished third, straight in the quarterfinals. In the individual section on Tuesday, in-form Bombayla will face lowly Iwona Marcinkiewicz of Poland, who finished 43rd with a score of 620, while experienced Dola takes on Marie-Pier Beaudet (628) of Canada, who finished 34th. Youngest of the lot, Pranitha will have a tough task to get past Australian Jane Waller, who shot 634 today to finish 28th. Champia brings smiles The 24-year-old archer Mangal Singh Champia brought cheer to the Indian contingent, finishing second in the individual ranking round on day one of the competition in the world's biggest sporting extravaganza. Champia shot 678, just one point less than the top archer Mexican Juan Rene Serrano (679) in the men's individual ranking round at the Olympic Green Archery field here. The Jharkhand-based Champia left behind celebrated rivals like the world record holder, Im Dong-Hyun of Korea (670) as also defending gold medallist Marco Galiazzo of Italy. — Agencies
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India today
Women team event: India vs China Badminton: Saina Nehwal vs Larysa Gryga (Ukraine) Anup Sridhar vs Marco Vasconcelos (Portugal) Rowing: Lightweight Men’s Doubles Sculls Heat 2 Manjeet Singh, Devender Kumar Shooting: Men’s Trap Qualifications: Manavjit Sandhu, Mansher Singh Swimming: Men’s 200m Freestyle Heat 4 Virdhawal Khade Yachting: N S Johl: Finn Race- 3, Finn Race 4. — UNI
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Elsewhere...
Colombo, August 9 This apparent advantage, though, was deceptive, for the hosts face the unenviable prospect having to negotiate a crumbling pitch in their second venture. The series is perfectly balanced at 1-1. The generally strokeful Sangakkara sensed the importance of Sri Lanka capitalising on their first innings. He, thus, curbed his natural instincts to consume 226 balls at the crease, albeit dispatching 11 of these to the fence. He reacted to a Zaheer Khan bouncer with a fierce hook. Ishant Sharma and Harbhajan Singh he drove through the covers - the latter most sumptuously; while Anil Kumble was thunderingly lofted to long on. The Indian bowlers toiled tirelessly on a humid day to prevent the batsmen and the run rate to get the better of them. They beat the bat - Kumble without much fortune - and nipped in the bud Thilan Samaraweera and Tilakaratne Dilshan’s collaboration with Sangakkara to blossom beyond India’s control. Colombo’s well-heeled, claimed my taxi driver, like to watch cricket over refreshments. A well stocked watering hole is, therefore, among the facilities at the club house of the Sara Oval, venue of the Test. But such a convenience has failed to attract much custom amid depressingly poor attendance in the first two days of the match. One would have expected droves of spectators to arrive and absorb potential ascendancy by Sri Lankan batsmen on an easy batting strip. Indeed, the placidity of the pitch was emphasised by nightwatchman Chaminda Vaas surviving into the second session. His vigil concluded when he miscued a cover drive, which might otherwise have notched up his half century. India achieved an early breakthrough when Michael Vandort was adjudged lbw to Zaheer Khan. But Sangakkara, who took his place, and Vaas realised 95 runs for the third wicket, which thoroughly frustrated the Indians. The former benefited from three half chances off Kumble. Vaas’ departure was succeeded by Mahela Jayawardene’s exit soon after - the captain paying the price for an injudicious sweep against Harbhajan, who even on a docile track earned respect with turn and bounce. But the day began inauspiciously for India with VVS Laxman suffering an ankle strain before start of play. This was followed by Sachin Tendulkar jarring his left elbow trying to convert one of the half chances into a catch. While both are expected to bat in the second innings, Ishant Sharma was unavailable for the greater part of the proceedings after tea, following a thigh injury. This paceman’s absence denied Kumble the option of the second new ball. The purpose of a referral system being pioneered in the present series was to eliminate umpiring errors, which it has in most cases so far; but perhaps not in the instance of Samaraweera not being given out leg before wicket to Kumble when he was five. He added another 30 runs to his score, once cutting a ranked short delivery from Kumble, apart from off driving Khan with aplomb. He finally snicked a rising off cutter from the latter, but not before the fifth wicket partnership between him and Sangakkara had added 60 runs. Interestingly, Dilshan was later ruled lbw when the circumstances were almost identical. In fact, a profusion of reviews characterised the day, including one sought by Prasanna Jayawardene, who was saved by the height of Harbhajan’s delivery when rapped on his back pad. Scoreboard India (1st innings) 249 Sri Lanka (1st innings) Vandort lbw Zaheer 14 Warnapura b Ishant 8 Vaas c Sehwag b Harbhajan 47 Sangakkara not out 107 M. Jayawardene lbw Harbhajan 2 Samaraweera c Patel b Zaheer 35 Dilshan lbw Kumble 23 P. Jayawardene not out 1 Extras (b-2, lb-9, w-2, nb-1) 14 Total (6 wkts, 92 overs) 251 Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-42, 3-137, 4-141, 5-201, 6-244 Bowling: Zaheer 20-4-57-2, Ishant 15.3-3-33-1, Harbhajan 31.3-8-81-2, Kumble 24-2-68-1, Sehwag 1-0-1-0.
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Amla, rain dominate
London, August 9 Hashim Amla completed his half century to steer South Africa close to level terms with England at lunch on the third day of the fourth test on Saturday. At the interval South Africa, who lost Neil McKenzie in a morning session shortened by rain, were 110 for two in their second innings, 12 runs behind. England scored 316 in their first innings on Friday with a century from new captain Kevin Pietersen. The visitors had resumed following a half hour rain delay on 37 for one, 85 behind, after England had taken the wicket of captain Graeme Smith on Friday evening. Amla batted with assurance, reaching 71 not out with 14 fours, when the players took an early break for lunch in heavy drizzle. McKenzie fell to Broad when he got a faint inside edge on to his stumps in the bowler's first over with the score on 82. Broad and Andrew Flintoff had replaced opening bowlers Steve Harmison and James Anderson. Flintoff almost had Amla caught behind off an inside edge, keeper Tim Ambrose diving at full stretch to his left and getting a glove to the ball but failing to hang on to a difficult chance with the score on 95. — Reuters Scoreboard South Africa 1st innings 194 England 1st innings 316 South Africa 2nd innings Smith lbw b Anderson 0 McKenzie b Broad 29 Amla not out 71 Kallis not out 2 Extras: (b6, nb2) 8 Total: (2 wkts, 26.5 overs) 110 FoW:
1-0, 2-82. Bowling: Anderson 8-2-31-1, Harmison 9-0-34-0, Flintoff 5-0-29-0, Panesar 1-1-0-0, Broad 3.5-2-10-1. |
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Hyderabad, August 9 As a result of the incessant rain, the playing surface at the Gachibowli Stadium has deteriorated and India's last group match against Turkmenistan on Sunday and the semifinal against Myanmar on Thursday were played virtually on a paddy field, with mud and pools of water all over the ground. That prompted Myanmar coach Marcos Antonio Falopa to comment that their semifinal match against India was like a rugby game. AFC media officer Steve Tae Kim told reporters that the organisers have three options at their disposal and will decide on the matter after the inspection of the Gachibowli ground by the tournament organising committee which has All-India Football Federation general secretary Alberto Colaco as a member. The committee inspected the ground in the morning and they will take a decision at 1600 hrs whether to play the match as scheduled or postpone to a future date. If the match is postponed, it is certain it will be played in another city. — PTI
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Beijing, August 9
Beijing, August 9
Beijing, August 9
Beijing, August 9
Beijing, August 9
Katerina Emmons of the Czech Republic derailed host China's hopes of a golden start when she won first gold medal on Saturday in women's 10m air rifle event