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HUMILIATED
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Oranje squeeze for Argentines
The Who, Spice Girls to rock closing ceremony
Quantum Leap
tribune exclusive
Farewell: Oscar’s night at London This Oussama rules both worlds! Rave reviews for women’s boxing debut in Olympics
Archers insulted coach Limba Ram in London: Sources
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HUMILIATED
The Indian hockey captain, the soft-spoken and gentle-mannered Bharat Chetri, isn't given to hyperbole. So when he says that the Indian team's spirit is crushed, you must believe him. The Indian team is indeed crushed, its spirit dissipated, its reputation dust.
We're not going to beat the world's best. The Indian consciousness must be purged of the notion that we'll win a medal at the Olympic Games the next time, or the time after that. "We thought we were good enough to compete at this level," Bharat Chetri, the Indian hockey team captain, mused today after a nightmare morning, when they were beaten 3-2 by South Africa. Six matches, six defeats, eight goals scored, 21 conceded - the measure of defeat is crystal clear. India have earned their right to be the 12th among 12 teams. It's been a depressing performance, but the good it has done is that it has wiped out the vestiges of illusion India had been clinging to for years. This illusion, this self-delusion was evident earlier this year when, very unwisely, India went crazy at merely qualifying for the Olympic Games. The reality has come back and bit Indian hockey sharply in the butt. No one was watching out for this, none suspected this - not after India fought Netherlands hard in their first game, equalising at 2-2 before losing by one goal. But then followed drubbings by New Zealand, Germany, South Korea and Belgium. Now India knows. We're not going to be competitive in any international tournament except, perhaps, in events where others send experimental teams. Today, India were never in the game, they were always a step behind. South Africa scored three field goals, illustrating their ability to penetrate the Indian defence and slot the ball in when they got through. Andrew Cronje scored in the eighth minute for South Africa and India could only attempt to play catch-up with them there on. Sandeep Singh scored off a penalty-corner in the 14th minute to equalise, but then Timothy Drummond scored late in the first half, and India were down 1-2 at the break. Lloyd Norris-Jones made it 3-1 for South Africa in the 65th minute, and Dharamvir Singh scored India's second goal a minute later. Too little, too late. Bad end to a bad tournament. Michael Nobbs, the Australian who's been in charge of the Indian team for a little over one year, has made a difference: he's got the team faster, he's got them playing aggressive, attacking hockey. Incrementally, the results did improve. At the Olympics, though, the old Indian problem of attacking hard but not scoring blighted their chances. India had been trying to play like the Europeans, and Nobbs corrected India's course. We must not attempt to be Europeans again. Sardar Singh, the only Indian player who emerged from India's Olympics wreck with his reputation intact, said later that India didn't learn, didn't evolve in the tournament. "We kept on making the same mistakes all the time," Sardar said. "We have to be aggressive, we need to be tough in the circle and we have to improve a lot." "Improve a lot" isn't a hyperbole, either.
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We’re not good enough to play in Olympics: Chetri India's disastrous hockey campaign in the London Games ended with a humiliating bottom spot finish out of 12 competing nations, and it prompted a dejected skipper Bharat Chetri to say that the former champions were not good enough to play at a big stage like the Olympics. "We thought we could do well here, but the team was not good enough for a top-class event like the Olympic Games," said Chetri after India lost 2-3 to South Africa in the 11-12th place classification match at the Riverbank Arena here today. The India-South Africa match-up was between the last placed teams in the two preliminary groups. India had lost all their five pool matches and today's loss to South Africa completed the most miserable show at the Olympics for the eight-time gold medallists, who in 2008 had failed to qualify for the Beijing Games. India were placed 10th in the world rankings ahead of the Olympic Games. The Indian team got the bronze medal at the Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia two months ago, but Chetri said experience was key to success in a top-notch event like the Olympic Games. "We need to be better prepared for such events, where experience seems to matter a lot more than we thought," said the Indian custodian who did not play today. "Though we thought ourselves to be a good team, we failed to justify the expectations," he said. — PTI
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HI orders inquiry into disastrous performance New Delhi: Stunned by the national team's humiliating bottom-place finish in the London Olympics, Hockey India secretary general Narender Batra, while taking full responsibility, has ordered an internal inquiry into the debacle. The internal reports of coach Michael Nobbs, the team manager and physiotherapist would be submitted to HI within ten days and HI's response would be known within a month, according to Batra. Eight-time champions India finished last in the 12-team Olympic hockey competition, suffering an unprecedented washout, after being beaten 2-3 by South Africa in the 11-12th place classification match here today. Batra was appalled by the team's poor performance. "Being the head of the family, I take moral responsibility for the debacle. I would like to apologise to the nation on behalf of the entire team," Batra told PTI from London. "The coaches, manager, physiotherapist all will submit their individual reports to HI within 10 days. We will then analyse the reports internally with our Coaching and Development Committee and come up with our own findings within 30 days," he informed. "We will also call some former players and take their suggestions before taking any decision. We will take all corrective steps necessary to get things in order." Asked whether any heads will roll after the dubious campaign, Batra refused to pinpoint a particular individual. — PTI
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yogi’s grand moment
Chandigarh, August 11 Born in a well-to-do family with both parents serving as government school teachers, Yogeshwar started wrestling because his grandfather wanted him to win a medal at the Olympics. Yogeshwar's uncle Hari Singh, who took him to the 'akhara' for the first time, says, "His grandfather was a very popular wrestler of the region. 'Unki jaangh pakdi issne… (Yogeshwar followed in his footsteps). No one else in the family had any interest in wrestling." It's true that unlike other wrestlers who have to grapple with poverty even as they pursue this ruthless sport Yogeshwar didn't have to face as many practical hardships, but it was only his love and devotion towards wrestling that made him an Olympic champ on Saturday.
Writing's on the wall
Yogeshwar's newly-built three-storeyed house can be considered grand in a village setting, but what really catches the eye is the sight of five gigantic Olympic rings that almost cover the structure's front wall. Yogeshwar says they were embossed on his insistence. "Inse dhyaan rehta hai (They act as a reminder). Every time I take leave from a camp and return home, it reminds me of an unfinished task," he says. For Yogeshwar, the writing was clearly on the wall. Dutt's path to Bronze
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Jamaica win relay gold London, August 11 It was the same Jamaican quartet of Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake and Bolt that set the previous mark of 37.04 at the world championships in Daegu last year. The United States team of Trell Kimmons, individual bronze medallist Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay and Ryan Bailey won silver in 37.04 to equal the old record. Canada finished third but were disqualified, leaving the athletes in tears on the track as Trinidad and Tobago were awarded the bronze.
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Oranje squeeze for Argentines London, August 11
So they did in the second half. Argentina keeper Florencia Mutio saved Paumen's direct shot but had no chance with Van den Heuvel's rebound. That set the sea of orange fans roaring and a Dutch brass band picking up their tunes before Paumen scored with a hard drag flick just below the crossbar from a penalty corner. Paumen, who scored 11 times at the Beijing Games, has an Olympic record total of 14 goals, though the Dutch skipper had not scored in London until the semi-final against New Zealand when she grabbed two penalty corner goals that kept her side in the tournament after they trailed twice. "I promised. I told you that the goals were coming when they matter," a beaming Paumen said, wearing her gold medal. “Four years ago it was also an amazing feeling. It's amazing again now. Four years ago I was another player. Both are really great, but this (medal) is bigger and heavier." Max Caldas, the Dutch coach, said the victory showed his side's global dominance. "The girls made a commitment to be better than better," Caldas said. “To be the best in the world is better than to be world champion. To be world champion, you do it only once and to be the best in the world you do it every day. My girls are amazing." The Dutch victory again shattered Argentina captain Luciana Aymar's dream of achieving her first Olympic title. But the record seven-times world player of the year, who celebrated her 35th birthday on Friday, refused to rule out that she would come back trying for Olympic gold at Rio in 2016. — Reuters
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The Who, Spice Girls to rock closing ceremony
London, August 11 The Spice Girls and The Who are among the acts prepping performances to celebrate the end of the Olympics. Although organizers have tried to the ceremony under wraps, many details have leaked out in the British media, and some of the performers have let the cat out of the bag themselves. Director David Arnold is calling the production “the greatest after-party in the world.” “If the opening ceremony was the wedding, then we’re the wedding reception,” Arnold told the Daily Telegraph.
The Who, George Michael, Muse and Ed Sheeran have all said they will take part in a show that will include performances of 30 British hit singles from the past five decades. The Pet Shop Boys, Annie Lennox and Fatboy Slim will also be on hand to get people dancing. Tips and photos have emerged from the rehearsal venue, an old car plant in east London. The Spice Girls were photographed dancing atop black London taxis, so a rendition of their biggest hit, “Wannabe,” seems possible. So does an appearance by surviving members of Queen, whose “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions” have been ever-present at the games. And Ray Davies of The Kinks is tipped to perform his majestic London ballad “Waterloo Sunset.” Paul McCartney has already performed at the opening ceremony, but it’s inconceivable that there won’t be a bit of Beatles music in a tribute to the best of British pop. And organizers will want to include younger acts such as Tinie Tempah, Jessie J, Emeli Sande and the Kaiser Chiefs. Organizers have said they want the ceremony to be a “cheeky” reflection of modern Britain, so expect touches of Monty Pythonesque humor, perhaps even Python Eric Idle leading a mass rendition of “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.” The Daily Mail newspaper published photographs of what it said was the set, involving reconstructions of London landmarks such as St. Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge. There will also be an 8-minute section of song and dance created by the next Summer Games host country, Brazil. Expect samba, colorful costumes and some 300 performers, including supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio. And of course there will be ceremonial elements, including an athletes’ march, the raising of the flags of Greece, birthplace of the Olympics, current host Britain and 2016 games host Brazil, speeches and the extinguishing of the Olympic cauldron, marking the handover of the games to Rio. Smaller parties are popping up all around the Olympics to mark the end of the games, too. A lucky elite will take to the water for festivities on yachts. Nearly a dozen of the world’s most luxurious vessels, including the 413-foot (126-meter) Octopus, owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, are docked in east London near the Olympic site. “It’s going to be a big party, no doubt,” said Benjamin Sutton, director of communications for “superyacht concierge service” MGMT. — AP
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Quantum Leap
London, August 11 Germans Bjorn Otto, 34, and his 22-year-old compatriot Raphael Holzdeppe cleared 5.91m, but Holzdeppe had more missed attempts which meant Otto took silver. European champion Lavillenie, who also holds the world and European indoor championship titles, had been favourite for gold and looked the part in his first three vaults, sailing over at the first attempt each time to roars from the crowd. The race for gold quickly whittled down to Lavillenie versus the German duo, who took the momentum with first-time clearances at 5.91 metres - a new personal best for Holzdeppe - while Lavillenie failed and then passed at the mark. But the glory was to go to the Frenchman who took bronze at the world championships in Daegu last year, sailing over at 5.97 without reply from his German rivals. "I can't really believe it. Maybe tomorrow I will wake up and realise that I am an Olympic champion. The Germans were very strong and they pushed me to my limits. This has to be the best thing in my life," the 25-year-old Lavillenie told reporters. Otto is in the best form of his career this year, finishing second to Lavillenie at the world indoor championships and European championships, but said he would not rest with second. "He (Lavillenie) has won every gold this year and beating me on many occasion, so he must be very proud. But the year is not over. There is still a bill that needs to be settled," he said. Britain's Steve Lewis was fifth with an impressive 5.75m, while Australia's defending champion Steve Hooker, who has suffered from a crisis of confidence this season, made a swift exit after failing to clear his first height of 5.65 metres. The 30-year-old had passed on the first mark of 5.50 but looked nervous before all three attempts at 5.65, crashing down onto the mat with the bar in his hands on his final try. He then had to watch on as Lavillenie beat his Olympic record of 5.96m set in 2008. After winning in Beijing, Hooker's dominance extended to winning the 2009 world championship and the indoor title in 2010, but he has suffered a miserable time since, first with injury and then with his confidence. — Reuters
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tribune exclusive Uruguay’s talismanic forward Luis Suarez has made it to the news as much for his skill, as for his controversies. In an exclusive interview, Suarez talks about being booed at the Games, to playing at Old Trafford and a lot more.
The public can do whatever they want to do, it is not something that interests me. I just got on with the game. They boo me at almost every stadium in England, so this doesn't worry me in the least. I am used to it, it's normal in England. I want to highlight the support the Uruguayan fans gave us. How did it feel to go back to Manchester United's home, Old Trafford, with Uruguay in the Olympics? I don't really know Old Trafford that well. I have played one match there. I have played just once at many stadiums, so I don't have to give advice to anyone on the stadiums we play at. It's a great stadium. What we have to do is play football at a spectacular ground. I am representing Uruguay and that's all that matters to me. I said before that the English press is what matters least to me. I am proud to represent my country. What did your role as Uruguay captain in the Olympics entail? I try to correct my teammates when they make a mistake and also congratulate them when they do well. That's the way I am. I don't do it just because I am one of the over- age players. The important thing is the team, the unity and humbleness in the group and the hard work. Do you dictate who does and says what on the pitch and in the dressing room? Just because I am captain, it doesn't mean I have a priority when it comes to speaking. We are all responsible for talking and for accepting criticism - and that includes me. How did you feel about losing 2-0 to Great Britain and going out at the group stages? There are no excuses. We made two mistakes for the goals we conceded to GB and we had opportunities to score - but we didn't take them. You can't blame the defence – we made mistakes in attack too. The team gave everything they had despite not playing well at times. You recently signed a new long-term contract at Liverpool – what does that mean to you? To sign a new contract with Liverpool is unbelievable for me because I am so happy here at both the club and also in the city. That is important for me and I am very happy with my new contract. When you are a kid, everybody wants to play for Liverpool. I am here now and it is a dream for me, and now I am a Liverpool fan. Do you feel you are settled in England now? I am happy off the pitch because the people of Liverpool are good with me and my family. I try my best on the pitch and when you are happy off the pitch, you are happy on the pitch. Liverpool fans are regarded as some of the most passionate in the world – what is it like playing in front of them? I want to say thank-you to the fans because they are our 12th player. The supporters of Liverpool are unbelievable. Five or six years ago I watched on TV the stadium and the club, and now I play here and the supporters have helped me. That's very important for me.— PMG
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Mexico shatter Brazil’s golden dreams London, August 11 Brazil, the hot favourites and desperate to win the only major football title to elude them, ended with the silver for the third time after two goals from Oribe Peralta - the first after 28 seconds - sent them crashing to defeat. Their players, who won all five matches scoring 15 goals on their way to the final, looked utterly crestfallen on the victory podium as their 60-year search for the Olympic gold, which looked certain to end here, continues. The result threatens the position of coach Mano Menezes, who is also the coach of the senior side and hopes to be in charge when Brazil host the World Cup in two years time. Brazil's young side - the Olympics is essentially an Under-23 competition with three over age players allowed - were stunned by Peralta's first minute goal which came after a mix-up between Sandro and Rafael. They never really got back into the match until after half-time when the likes of Olympic poster boy Neymar, Oscar and Leandro Damiao began to click. That was largely because of the influence of Hulk, who replaced Alex Sandro after 32 minutes and Brazil were an improved side after the break. But Mexico, who beat them in a friendly before the Olympics, were never ruffled. Even without their injured playmaker Giovani Dos Santos, they kept their composure and doubled their lead when Peralta powered in their second with a 75th minute header from a free-kick only minutes after having a goal ruled out for offside. They conceded late into added time when Hulk angled a shot home and survived a header from Oscar soon after when he should have equalised - but held on for Mexico's first gold of the London Games and their first major international football title. Their previous best Olympic performance was a fourth place finish at the 1968 Mexico Games and their best World Cup performances came in the two World Cups they hosted in 1970 and 1986 when they reached the quarter-finals. The attendance at Wembley of 86,162 was also the highest for any event in these Games and took the total attendance for the men's and women's tournaments to a staggering 2.18 million. The only controversy of the afternoon went largely unnoticed by most of those here though. Only 17 South Korean players were on the podium from their 18-man squad to collect their bronze medals after the IOC disqualified Park Jong-woo for displaying a political banner after they beat Japan 2-0 in the third-fourth playoff match at Cardiff on Friday.— Reuters
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Farewell: Oscar’s night at London
London, August 11 A double-amputee now known globally as the ‘Blade Runner,’ Pistorius anchored the South Africa team in the 4x400-meter relay final at the London Olympics last night, bringing the roaring 80,000-strong crowd to its feet despite him crossing the finish line in eighth place. He can proudly add "Olympic finalist" to his long list of trail-blazing achievements. “This whole experience was amazing ... to step out here in an Olympic final is more than I could have ever hoped for," Pistorius said. "That opportunity to come here once again and finish today and not yesterday is a dream come true." Pistorius said the atmosphere, the crowd, the competition, the experience were all "far beyond my expectations." "If I took all the positive things I thought might come out of this and multiply it by 10, it still couldn't come close." He almost didn't make it, for so many reasons. Born without fibulas, he had his legs amputated below the knee before he was a year old. He learned how to walk on prosthetics and even dabbled with playing rugby until a leg injury made him turn to athletics. After winning his long struggle with track and field authorities for the right to compete in able-bodied events, Pistorius qualified for the 400-meter semifinals in his debut run at the Olympics last weekend. He finished last in his semifinal but that didn't deter the first amputee runner to ever compete in track and field at the Olympics. He had ambitions of winning an Olympic medal, and they weren't far-fetched, considering he helped South Africa win a world championship silver medal last year at Daegu, South Korea, where he ran in the heats but missed the final.In the relay heats on Thursday, his teammate Ofentse Mogawane tangled with a Kenyan runner and dropped the baton as he crashed to the track, a full length of the straight away from where he was supposed to hand it to Pistorius. The 25-year-old then walked away from changeover zone on his carbon fiber blades, believing his Olympics were over because South Africa did not finish heat. But after a series of protests and appeals, the Kenyan team was disqualified and, in a very rare move, South Africa was added as ninth team to the final. South Africa was already trailing yesterday when Pistorius took the baton to run the final lap, and he finished almost seven seconds behind the winning team from Bahamas. — Reuters
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This Oussama rules both worlds! London, August 11 Mellouli won the 1,500 metres freestyle gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and used his superior speed to burst clear of his rivals and win the gruelling 10-kilometre race in the Serpentine in London's Hyde Park. “I can't explain it, I can't really describe it," Mellouli said after pumping his chest when he finished. “I don't think this has ever been done before. This is probably one of the toughest things to do. “I'm a pretty solid guy and I never react but you saw that reaction, that says it all." Germany's Thomas Lurz won the silver and Richard Weinberger of Canada bronze but no-one could keep up with the 28-year-old Mellouli after he charged into the lead on the fifth of the six loops. He quickly opened up a three-body-length lead over the chasing pack and maintained his advantage. — Reuters
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Rave reviews for women’s boxing debut in Olympics London, August 11 The debut tournament got rave reviews from fans, boxers and Olympic officials who loved the sold-out crowds, evenly matched bouts and the emergence of stars on the international stage, including Ireland's Katie Taylor, US teenager Claressa Shields and Britain's Nicola Adams. IOC President Jacques Rogge says he's thrilled the competition removed any doubt of the sport's Olympic worthiness. AIBA President Wu Ching-Kuo is determined to at least double the Olympic field for the 2016 Games in Brazil. And Taylor can't wait to see what happens over the next four years after these four days of history in the London ring. “Hopefully there are a lot of young girls sitting at home watching this, and they will realize this is what they can work towards," said Taylor, who won gold in the lightweight final. "This is amazing for women's boxing." Even in an Olympics featuring several milestone achievements for women, the boxing stood out. Every session at ExCel arena pulsed with excitement, with each of Taylor's three fights turning into a celebration of Irish pride. Thousands of fans waved flags and wore elaborate green-and-orange outfits to cheer every punch thrown by the Bray Brawler, just the ninth gold medalist in Ireland's Olympic history. The three British women's boxers got frenzied receptions, and the fans quickly realized Shields and Russian lightweight Sofya Ochigava were singular athletes as well. Shields, the 17-year-old middleweight with the vicious right hand, made new fans and established herself as the future of the women's sport with her three dominant victories on the way to a gold medal. "I've been to three Olympic Games, six world championships, three Commonwealth Games, and that was the loudest noise I've ever heard in a boxing arena," said Terry Edwards, the former coach of the British team. “The atmosphere was absolutely fantastic." The novelty of the sport wasn't the only reason for the excitement. Women's boxing can be a fascinating sport, frequently featuring cleaner technique and higher energy than the men's amateur sport, and the 36 elite fighters assembled in London put on a four-day show. "Everybody is getting to see what we've been seeing for 10 years," said U.S. assistant coach Charles Leverette. — Reuters
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US banish demons with record run London, August 11 Since the last of four successive golds for the country in Atlanta in 1996, botched baton exchanges had kept the American teams packed with talent off top of the podium in a cycle that many thought was destined to continue. "There was a cloud hanging over us, with people saying 'they can't do this, they're going to drop the stick' but we did it," said Carmelita Jeter, who ran the final leg to win her first Olympic gold. "I knew that if we got the stick around then all I had to do was to bring it home. "I knew that these girls were going to run their hearts out. I knew we were running fast. I was already pointing at the clock, saying 'there it is'." The Americans ran the lap in 40.82 to smash the record held since 1985 by former East Germany. — Reuters
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Archers insulted coach Limba Ram in London: Sources
Kolkata, August 11 According to a team source, Limba was at loggerheads with Deepika and Jayanta who apparently stopped communicating with him. While Deepika was not available for reaction, Talukdar dismissed the allegations, saying, "It's all false. Everything was smooth in the camp." Indian archers drew a blank at the Games, bowing out by the quarterfinal stage in both the team and individual events. Deepika, a world number one going into the Games, was touted as a strong medal hope but flopped miserably at the Lord's Cricket Ground where the competitions were held. Limba, whose contract with the AAI expired after the Olympics, was not available for reaction as he left this morning to Jaipur to rejoin the Rajasthan Sports Council as sports officer. The source claimed that Limba was disturbed with the attitude shown by his wards and the three-time Olympian was not keen to accompany the team to the London Games. "Top archer Jayanta Talukdar had stopped talking to him since the World Cup Stage III in USA, while others too were not listening to his advice," the source told PTI. "Talukdar had showed dissidence and fought with the coach, challenging him openly. He (Limba) went only on the insistence of AAI secretary general Paresh Nath Mukherjee," he said. In fact, such was the bad blood in the camp, the AAI had to take an assistant coach, Subedar Ravi Shankar of the Army, to facilitate communication. — PTI
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It is great to see Yuvraj Singh back: Gambhir
New Delhi, August 11 "Your responsibilities and commitment towards the team don't change with change in designation. I am not in the team for my vice-captaincy. I am in the team to score runs and win matches for my country," Gambhir retorted when asked for his reaction after being reinstated as Mahendra Singh Dhoni's deputy. Gambhir welcomed the inclusion of Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh in the squad. "Yuvraj has been a match-winner and it is great to see him back in the team. As to whether the mood of the dressing room will be upbeat with Yuvraj coming back, I believe it's not dependant on any particular individual. It is about collective effort which constitutes of each and every member of the team," the left-hander said. On Harbhajan, Gambhir said, "I am happy that Harbhajan is in the squad because in big tournaments, you need players like him. It's just not like that he has played 98 Tests and 229 ODIs. He is a big-occasion man." He seemed a bit miffed when a scribe asked whether Piyush Chawla is in the team because he is a "lucky mascot" for World Cup squad, having been a part of the 2011 team. "I have never believed in luck and lucky mascots. For me, there is only one thing that can ensure you success at the highest level -- that is called hard work. I will always remain a firm believer that there can't be any substitute for sheer hard work." The senior opener admitted that his recent string of good scores in Sri Lanka will act as a morale booster, but that will be of little consequence when they play the World Twenty20 in the island nation. "World T20 will be a different ballgame altogether but we have played so many times in Sri Lanka that we are aware about the conditions over there." Talking about the necessity to adapt while having to quickly switch formats, Gambhir said that the two T20 Internationals against New Zealand will be crucial. "Yes, we will be playing Test cricket next but then we will be playing a couple of T20 Internationals. Also once, we reach Sri Lanka, we will be playing a few more practice T20 games. Before the tournament starts, we would have played four to five T20 matches and that would serve as good enough preparation for the World Cup." — PTI
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London, August 11
Get ready for a star-studded spectacular: Olympic Stadium is being transformed into a giant jukebox of British pop and pizazz for the closing ceremonies of the London Games.
The Spice Girls and The Who are among the acts prepping performances to celebrate the end of the Olympics. Although organizers have tried to the ceremony under wraps, many details have leaked out in the British media, and some of the performers have let the cat out of the bag themselves.
London, August 11
London, August 11
The 29-year-old wrestler defeated a career-threatening knee injury in 2006, which reoccurred in 2009 and he was docked in South Africa for six months. But this son-of the soil did not let anything pin him to the ground. Though he lost his father Ram Mehar Singh in the interim, his zeal for an Olympic medal did not die down even a bit. In fact, he worked even more hard, and today, he can proudly look heavenwards and smile.
Qualification
Pre Quarters
Repechage 
Jong Myong Ri (North Korea) 
The two sides had largely cancelled each other out in the first half but the Dutch took control after the break - leaving Argentina hardly any space to threaten. "We saved the best for last. We were so on the ball, so aggressive. Crazy," said Naomi van As, who already won gold in Beijing.
"Maartje and me, we looked at each other during the break and I said to her 'we're going to grab it'. We dominated." 
You were booed at all of Uruguay’s matches at the Olympic Games – how do you feel about that?
