There was to be no medal for India on the opening day of the Olympic competition - our male archers had a bitter pill forced down their throats today morning here at the Lord's cricket ground. They were knocked out by Japan in the pre-quarterfinals stage. The Indians led by three points at one stage before Japan caught up and forced the shootout, and then won it 29-27.

Their performance in the ranking round on Friday had doubly doomed the Indians. Their confidence was broken, and qualifying 12th and last in the ranking round meant they'd encounter a strong team early in the knockout rounds. So even if they'd beaten Japan - which they were confident of doing on Friday - they would have been up against the strong United States in the quarterfinals later today.

Jayanta Talukdar, Tarundeep Rai and Rahul Banerjee shot a total of 214 in the four regulation rounds; the Japanese team of Yu Ishizu, Hideki Kikuchi and Takaharu Furukawa also got to that score in thrilling fashion as they edged up to and then caught up with India. When the last round began, the Japanese trailed by two points; they then proceeded to shoot 9, 9, and 10. The Indians shot 9, 8 and 9, and it was off to the shootout then. Japan got two perfects 10s and one nine for a total of 29; India got three 9s and bowed out.

Banerjee was visibly crestfallen after the morale-breaking defeat. "I really can't explain this defeat - I'm really disappointed," he said. "We were confident of doing well, we have a good record against them... and we were leading by three points. We all shot well but some of our 8s let us down."

Paresh Nath Mukherjee of the Archery Federation of India insisted that the Indians got worked up due to the perfecting shooting conditions - they were tight, tried too hard to go for perfect scores, and bungled it. Talukdar agreed. "We were under pressure... we were trying to hit 10s but were always coming up with 9s," Talukdar said.

A bit controversially, Talukdar added that they were below peak fitness. "All three of us were in bed for two or three days, so our bodies got weak," he said. "Yesterday, during the ranking round, I could not shoot properly because of less body power."

The team management was divided on the issue of fitness; one official said that while they were unwell a few days ago, all was fine now. But coach Limba Ram told the Tribune that the shooters had been quite weak. "They were not eating well... because of their illness, and they were not strong enough," he said. "So they were not able to perform at their best."

If that is so, what explains their high scores during practice over the last few days? Both coach Limba Ram and Mukherjee say the team was shooting excellently in practice. Then again, perhaps it became a double whammy - lack of peak fitness plus the pressure of the match situation.

So, it's up to the women now, though their situation is far from comfortable. They also shot themselves in the foot in the ranking round, scoring well enough only to be seeded ninth - which guarantees an early encounter with a very strong team. So even if they beat Denmark in the pre-quarterfinals tomorrow morning, next up in the quarterfinals would be the all-conquering and near-invincible South Koreans. Let's tamper our hopes a bit today - the hopes of an early medal are receding quickly.

When the first raindrops began coming down, the danger of the opening ceremony of the 30th Olympic Games becoming a damp squib became real and present. However, the rain came twice and went away, and the opening ceremony turned out to be magnificent. The brief interludes of rain were perhaps only apt in this wet, wet island on which sunshine is prime time news.

The ceremony took its time getting warmed up - the first hour or so was rather dull. While sheep are excellent animals and the geese equally blameless, watching them graze for an hour can become a bit boring; the human beings in this picture of the bucolic British life sported themselves with village games. Not much to write - or tweet - home about.

Then a perfect storm of sound and light and fury enlivened the proceedings - it was the onslaught of the Industrial Revolution, with its attendant transformation; and then colonialism and the riches it brought through the control of the world's resources. The Redcoats of the army, who powered Britain's rise in the world, militarily and economically, were not excluded.

The Danny Boyle production then proceeded to take a life of its own, to captivate thousands in the stadium and millions across the world.

The opening ceremony told the story of Great Britain's rise among the world's nations, its transformation from a rural, agrarian economy to the world's industrial and economic leader; and its current ideals of a multicultural society. It showcased the important markers of the left-of-centre thought - the National Health Scheme, the Suffragette movement, the Jarrow Crusade against unemployment; gay rights, the black subculture.

Comparisons may be quite unnecessary and odious, but they're inevitable. So then, the opening ceremony of Beijing 2008 stunned the world with its technological wizardry. Clearly, money was no object at Beijing as its organisers aimed to stun the world into a state of wonderment. They succeeded - they more than succeeded. They had spent over $100 million on it - they made every cent count.

British actor Rowan Atkinson performs during the opening ceremony.

At that time, the British watchers in Beijing cringed in embarrassment at the tackiness of their own presentation at the Beijing closing ceremony; they declared the high-water mark of the Olympics Games ceremonies had been reached, that no one or nothing could match Beijing.

The Beijing 2008 opening was about a nation on the march, determinedly striding to the top of the world, with industry and passion. It emphasised its greatest strength - the nationalism of its people, the ideal of team-work and putting nation before self.

London 2012 opening was about the people taking over from the toffs - the redistribution of wealth and privilege, the availability of life's necessities to the commoners; the integration of the children of immigrants, their influence on popular culture and life. It was put together in stunning fashion by Boyle and his creative team, with an army of volunteers numbering over 10,000. Cost-effective and captivating.

Beijing 2008 had a pretty little girl lip-syncing a song because the original singer wasn't good-looking. London 2012 had a choir of deaf children singing the national anthem in the stadium.

Beijing was about power, London about people.

We tend to censure our own, but the fact remains that the 2010 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony was extremely impressive. It's equally true that it was more of a song-and-dance show, an official 'rangarang' program in which there was little in terms of real performance. 'Artists' moved fingers on non-plying sitars and drummed non-playing tablas or drums and singers moved lips to pre-recorded music. It displayed colour and chaos - it was a wonderful visual spectacle.

Beijing was also wonderful. London was also amazing - it's a pity the slow bits at the beginning lasted so long before the real action began.

Beijing to london!

Beijing 2008 had a pretty little girl lip-syncing a song because the original singer wasn't good-looking. London 2012 had a choir of deaf children singing the national anthem in the stadium.

Actors dressed as Mary Poppins perform during the London Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday night. — AFP	Actors perform around huge chimneys that emerged from the ground to symbolise the industrial revolution during the opening ceremony on Friday.
Paul McCartney  sings	The Olympic cauldron is lit during the opening ceremony.
Britain's Steve Redgrave, a former rower, runs into the stadium with the torch.	boxing legend Muhammad Ali looks on
	children perform at the opening ceremony.

London, July 28
India's mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju lost their opening group league match against Indonesian pair pair of Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir in straight games but Parupalli Kashyap started off on a winning note in men's singles defeating Yuhan Tan of Belgium.

While Kashyap warded off Tan's challenge with 21-14, 21-12 victory in only 38 minutes, the crack pair of Jwala-Diju looked rusty and were comprehensively beaten by the All-England Champion Indonesian pair 16-21, 12-21 in a 27-minute encounter at the Wembley Arena, here today.

Kashyap's experience of having played Tan twice this year came handy as he was well prepared for the outing and it reflected in his approach today.

"I've played Tan twice this year, therefore I was ready for his game. I wanted to open up but then it's my first match so I was a bit nervous," Kashyap said after his match.

Kashyap next plays against Tien Minh Nguyen of Vietnam, next Tuesday.

"It's the next match that will decide my progress in the competition. But I am pleased to win this one, of course."

The pair of Jwala-Diju might have been unlucky to be pitted in a strong group but they can still move into the knock-out stage provided they win their next two encounters against Danish and Korean opponents.

They next play the Danish pair of Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl tomorrow.

London, July 28
Who was that tall, well-fed woman in turquoise trousers and a red shirt who walked at the head of the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony march-past last night? That question is consuming the Indian media here, and no one is able come up with the right answer. None of the officials have a clue about who she was.

The young woman hadn't dressed to blend into the Indian contingent. All other women in the group wore yellow sarees; she stood out like sore finger in her tight and bright clothing. Red and loud would describe her perfectly.

She didn't have an accreditation card on her chest - unlike the rest of the contingent, both athletes and officials. She had a permanent grin pasted on her face, and had the gall to walk right next to the flag-bearer Sushil Kumar. That, and the sense of entitlement she exuded, prompted a colleague to wonder: "Is she the daughter of an Indian minister or an IOA official? She looks like no Indian athlete who is competing in London!"

Well, maybe she really is an official's or minister's dear progeny, or a friend of a London Olympics organising committee member. PK Muralidharan Raja, acting chef-de-mission of the contingent, said they were told by the organisers that she would accompany the Indians up to the edge of the track. Instead, clearly extremely pleased with herself, she managed to walk the entire lap of the track. — Rohit Mahajan

London, July 28
Indian challenge in women's table tennis ended in the first round itself as Ankita Das crashed out losing 1-4 to Spain's Sara Ramirez at the ExCel centre here.

The 19-year-old Indian, who was playing in her first ever Games, fought valiantly to stage a comeback in the fourth game, but that did not prove enough as the Spaniard rallied back to clinch the fifth game and the match in just 29 minutes.

Ankita looked totally out of sorts against a much higher ranked Sara (83) as she gave away some easy points and could not hold on to her serve on occasions.

The Siliguri girl, who booked her Olympic berth through a South Asian quota place earlier this year, however showed patches of brilliance as she tried her best to stay alive in the tournament.

Backhand has been Ankita's weak point and whenever Ramirez played there, the youngster was all at sea. She is also not known for her mobility and lack of feet movement also led to her downfall.

The 24-year-old Spaniard, though, did not allow Ankita any chance to launch an offensive as she won the first three games 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 in just 19 minutes. Ankita kept the Indian hopes alive winning the fourth game 11-8, but her abject surrender in the fifth and decisive game (11-2) proved fatal for her chances.

Ankita had earlier got a bye in the preliminary round. 

London, July 28
India made a shaky start to their shooting campaign in the Olympic Games with Vijay Kumar failing to qualify for the final of the men's 10m Air Pistol event at the Royal Artillery Barracks here today.

The 27-year-old Army man from Himachal Pradesh finished a disappointing 31st out of 44 shooters with a score of 570, giving him no chance at all to make the next grade.

Vijay, who won three gold medals and one silver in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and two bronze in the Guangzhou Asian Games, was no match for the formidable shooters from China, Korea, Serbia and Spain.

Vijay shot scores of 94, 95, 94, 97, 97 and 93 to start India's medal quest from the shooting ranges on a low-key note.

Korea's Jongoh Jin finished at the top in the qualification round with a score of 588 while China's Wei Pang finished second with 586. Andrija Zlatic of Serbia (585), Pablo Carrera of Spain (585), Luca Tesconi of Italy (584) and Oleh Omelchuk of Ukraine (583) were among those who qualified for the final.

For the first time, India have fielded a record 11 shooters for the event, unlike eight in the last Games in Beijing four years ago. Heena Sidhu and Annuraj Singh will be seen in action tomorrow in the women's 10-metre Air Pistol event.

July 30 could turn out to be a big day for India as Abhinav Bindra and Gagan Narang will be representing the country in their pet event - 10-metre Air Rifle. Two days later, Ronjan Sodhi will look to hit the bull's eye in the double trap event. First-timer Olympian Sodh arrived at the Games with two world titles under his belt. — PTI

Chandigarh, July28
Hockey legend Balbir Singh Senior has been accorded the rare honour of representing the Olympic story of game's evolution in an exhibition titled "The Olympic Journey: The Story of the Games" at the Royal Opera House from July 28 to August 12 and will be a part of the London 2012 Festival.

The 87-year-old triple Olympic medallist (1949, 52, 56) from Punjab is the only hockey player in the world to be chosen among 15 other iconic names as Jesse Owens of America.

“It is a great honour for me and for India where hockey is still a passion in rural areas. I still hope that hockey's future lies in India and the game has vast scope in the country,” Balbir Singh Senior said from London on Saturday.

The former center-forward was born on 10 October 1924 at Haripur Khalsa in Punjab.

Apart from representing India in three Olypics as a player, he coached the Indian team for the 1971 Men's Hockey World Cup in which India won the bronze medal.

He was the manager of the winning Indian team for the 1975 Men's Hockey World Cup.

The stories of the representative 16 athletes are narrated through interviews, historic footage, photographs and artefacts. The exhibition highlights human strength, passion, determination, hard work and achievement.

Along with life histories of 16 iconic players the exhibition will also showcase anique artefacts and images from The Olympic Museum in Lausanne and charts the journey of Olympic Games from its creation in 776 BC through to the London 2012 Olympic Games. Balbir has been at the forefront of hockey in Punjab right from start. The Moga-born athlete is one of the most decorated player in hockey.

He played at a time when hockey was at its peak in India and Punjab a dominant force not only on the national but international circuit. “That was a different time. There was a lot of pride and passion involved in hockey. I wish Indian teamdoes well in Olympics and renews interest in hockey. It is a very bright opportunity for them. I hope they will live up to the expectations of whole India,” he said.

London, July 28
South Korea's Jin Jong-oh won the men's 10 metre air pistol Olympic shooting gold medal on Saturday. Italy's Luca Tesconi was second with Andrija Zlatic of Serbia taking bronze.

Galstyan takes gold

Russia's Arsen Galstyan was the surprise winner in the men's-60kg category on Saturday, defeating the top two seeds on his way to gold. Galstyan, 23, beat Japan's Hiroaki Hiraoka, silver medallist at last year's world championships, with an ippon, an automatic winning score, just 40 seconds into their final clash.

He joined jubilant Russian team mates in celebrations in front of standing ovation from a crowd which included a large number of disappointed Japanese fans.

Their close fight was only settled with a waza-ari throw in the extra time golden score period. Sobirov, 25, a bronze medallist in Beijing four years ago, secured a second bronze by beating France's Sofiane Milous. Brazil's Kitadai Felipe took the other bronze, beating Italy's Elio Verde. Brazil's Sarah Menezes took gold in the women's -48kg category on Saturday by defeating reigning Olympic champion Romania's Alina Dumitru. Dumitru, defending the title she won in Beijing, was outdone by the 22-year-old Brazilian who gradually took the ascendancy in the final, winning with two scoring throws in the final minute.

Thrilling finish for Itay

Italy beat the United States 219-218 to win gold in the Olympic men's archery team competition at the London Games on Saturday.

Michele Frangilli, shooting with Marco Galiazzo and Mauro Nespoli, needed a 10 with his final arrow to seal the win and despite the enormous pressure he nailed the shot. Defending champions South Korea took the bronze medal after beating Mexico in the playoff.

Vinokourov upsets Mark Cavendish

Kazakhstan's Alexandre Vinokourov sprinted to victory in the men's cycling road race on Saturday, dashing British hopes of gold on the first full day of competition.

Vinokourov surged past Colombia's Rigoberto Uran on the final stretch near Buckingham Palace after a British team had failed in a frantic attempt to bridge a gap of nearly a minute behind the leading pack and set up a win for world champion Mark Cavendish. In wave-roofed swimming pool, 2008 Park Tae-hwan of South Korea was disqualified for a false start in the 400 metres freestyle, but reinstated to the final after an appeal. Britain controlled the race all day but with only a maximum of five riders per team, it proved too much. — Agencies

London, July 28
Wimbledon champion Serena Williams breezed through her first round match against Serbia's Jelena Jankovic on the opening day of the Olympic tennis on Saturday with U.S. first lady Michelle Obama cheering her on.

Obama watched from the players box along with Williams' sister Venus as the fourth seed took just 61 minutes to see offformer world number one Jankovic 6-3, 6-1.

London, July 28
Yi Siling of China took the honour of claiming the first gold medal of the London Olympics when she won the women's 10 metre air rifle at the Royal Artillery Barracks on Saturday.

Yi finished with a winning total of 502.9. Poland's Sylwia Bogacka, who led for the first half of the final, claimed silver with a total of 502.2 after a costly shot in the eighth round. Yu Dan of China won bronze with a total of 501.5.

Yi, the world number one, smiled in delight as she scooped what is sure to be the first of many golds for China at the London Games.

Bogacka finished top of the 56 competitors in qualifying with a 399 mark and started the eight-woman final well before a costly 9.7 shot in the eighth round saw her 0.3 point lead over Yi turn into a 0.7 deficit after the Chinese fired a 10.7. Yi then closed out with further shots of 10.3 and 10.5 to huge cheers from the near 2,000 spectators at the indoor range in south east London.

Yi Siling of China hailed her life-changing moment after being presented with the first gold medal of the London Olympics by IOC President Jacques Rogge following her victory in the women's 10 metre air rifle on Saturday.

Yi finished with a winning total of 502.9 points after 40 shots in the qualifying round and 10 in the eight-woman final at the Royal Artillery Barracks.

Poland's Sylwia Bogacka, who led for most of the final, claimed silver with a total of 502.2 after a costly 9.7 shot in the eighth round. Yu Dan of China won bronze with a total of 501.5.

Yi, the world number one, smiled in delight as she scooped what is sure to be the first of many golds for China at the London Games. "I feel very happy," Yi told reporters through an interpreter in between posing with her medal for photographers. "For the first round and the last round I was very nervous and didn't know what I was doing. "I think this is going to bring some changes to my life as well." Among the 2,000 spectators in attendance for the final was International Olympic Committee President Rogge, who clapped from his seat when Yi was confirmed the winner as Chinese dignitaries around him leapt to their feet in delight.

"Yes I did (enjoy the shooting). It was very well presented there is a lot of suspense, it is a matter of tenths of points," Rogge told reporters. "The crowd was very knowledgeable and very supportive." Rogge said he would be attending all 26 sports in London and

will present one more medal, at the men's marathon, the last he will do in his role which he steps down from next year. Enjoying an unusually high level of interest as the opening medal event, both Yi and Bogacka showed their prowess in the 56-woman qualifying round where they eased through with a near perfect 399 points out of a maximum 400 from 40 shots. They were neck and neck after scoring 10.8 in the first round of final.— Agencies

London, July 28
Michael Phelps was just inches away from making a shock early exit on a sensational opening day to the swimming competition at the London Olympics on Saturday that saw South Korea's defending champion Park Tae-hwan disqualified.

Phelps got his hand on the wall in the nick of time to scrape into the final of the men's 400 metres individual medley, an event he easily won at the past two Olympics, but as the slowest qualifier. "I didn't expect those guys to go that fast in the heats," said Phelps. "I think the only thing that matters is getting a spot. You can't get the gold medal from the morning." The American won his heat but only after making a desperate lunge on his final stroke to pip Hungary's Laszlo Cseh, who won the silver in Beijing four years ago. The difference between the two was just 0.07 seconds, but the tiny margin could not have been more significant with Phelps sneaking into the final and Cseh missing out. Ryan Lochte, the world champion and favourite to win the gold medal in the final later on Saturday, was third fastest overall after Japan's Kosuke Hagino set the quickest time. Lochte's clash with Phelps has been billed as one of the great rivalries of the Games and while both were below their best in the heats, they were still expected to slug it out in the final. "It didn't feel so good, but that was my first race, and my first race is always the worst one," Lochte said. "It's a tough field. But he's (Phelps) in."

Park, who became a national hero in South Korea when he won the 400 freestyle gold medal in Beijing four years ago, easily won his heat on Saturday only to discover he had been disqualified for a false start, a rare event in middle-distance races, when he apparently flinched on the blocks. He locked himself in a bathroom for two hours when he was disqualified at Athens in 2004 and said he had no idea how it could have happened again. "I don't know why I was disqualified, I will have to speak to my coach," he told reporters.Swimming officials later said the South Korean team had appealed the disqualification but should it stand, China's Sun Yang emerged as the overwhelming favourite to win the final and become the first Chinese man to win an Olympic swimming title.

Sun set the fastest overall time, just ahead of American Peter Vanderkaay, while another of his big dangers, German world record holder Paul Biedermann, missed out on the final after finishing 12th overall.

"I'm very disappointed for Park Tae-hwan," said Sun. "I was really looking forward to racing him in the final and now that won't happen." Elizabeth Beisel sailed into the final of the women's 400m individual medley with the fastest qualifying time. The American, who is looking to add the Olympic gold to the world title she won in Shanghai last year, was just 0.05 ahead of China's Ye Shiwen, setting the stage for an epic final that could rival the men's event. Australia's Stephanie Rice, the defending Olympic champion

and world record holder, got into the final in seventh place after saving her energy for the final. "There are some really hot times," said Rice. "These are races where you have to be quick to make the final because everyone wants to be in there, but at the same time you have to try and conserve something because it is such a taxing race."

Australia stormed into the final of the women's 4x100 freestyle final when they clocked the fastest time ahead of the United States, Netherlands and China, although they all rested their best swimmers from the preliminaries.

OLYMPICS BRIEFS

Boxer Shiva crashes out

India's Olympic campaing suffered a major disappointment in the ring when boxer Shiva Thapa could not live up to the pre-Games hype and got pounded by his Mexican rival Oscar Valdez 14-9 in the 56 kg class.Thapa, who trailed 2-4 in the opening round, made a comeback in the second to clinch it 4-3 only to be punished hard in the final round, which he lost 3-7.

Swarn finishes fourth
India's Swarn Singh Virk finished fourth in the heats of the single sculls event of rowing competition in the London Olympics here today. Virk, who took 6:54.04 to complete the 2km distance in heat number one at Eton Dorney Rowing Centre, will compete in the repechage round tomorrow to see if he can advance further.