Friday, August 22, 2008

Nelson Evora of Portugal wins men's triple jump

Nelson Evora of Portugal competes during the men's triple jump final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Nelson Evora won the gold with 17.67 metres.


Nelson Evora of Portugal celebrates after the men's triple jump final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Nelson Evora won the gold with 17.67 metres.


Nelson Evora of Portugal celebrates after the men's triple jump final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Nelson Evora won the gold with 17.67 metres.
Portugal's Nelson Evora flew 17.67 meters to win the Olympic men's triple jump gold medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing on Thursday.

Britain's Phillips took the silver with 17.62 meters and Bahamas' Leevan Sands got the bronze with 17.59.

Canadian Lamaze wins jumping individual gold

Canadian rider Eric Lamaze jumps his horse Hickstead over an obstacle during the individual jumping final of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games equestrian events in Hong Kong, China, Aug. 21, 2008.


Canadian rider Eric Lamaze waves to spectators during the victory ceremony of individual jumping final of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games equestrian events in Hong Kong, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Eric Lamaze won the gold medal of the event with total penalty of 0 and penalty of 0 in jump-off.


U.S. rider Mclain Ward riding on horse Sapphire kicks off the obstacle during jump-off of the individual jumping final of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games equestrian events in Hong Kong, China, Aug21, 2008. Mclain Ward missed a good chance to win bronze medal after his horse kicked off the last obstacle during jump-off for the bronze medal.
Eric Lamaze of Canada, riding HICKSTEAD, won the Individual Jumping gold, holding off a strong challenge from Rolf-Goran Bengtsson of Sweden and his horse NINJA in the last Equestrian event of the Beijing Olympic Games at the Shatin Equestrian Venue on Thursday night.

In the final Round B, Eric Lamaze and Rolf-Goran Bengtsson were tied for first place on zero penalties. They were forced into a jump-off to decide the winner of the Individual Jumping.

Eric Lamaze finished on zero penalties while Rolf-Goran Bengtsson ended on 4 penalties in the jump-off showdown.

Beezie Madden of the United States, riding AUTHENTIC, came third and claimed the bronze medal.

In an interview with reporters after winning the gold, Eric Lamaze said "It will take a while for it to sink in. It's a dream come true. I love Hong Kong. I am going to cheer with friends, and thank everybody."

On winning a silver medal, Swedish rider Bengtsson said "I am very happy with second place.

Bronze medal holder, Beezie Madden said "I'm extremely happy. Our goal was to do well and to defend our gold medal from Athens, which we did as a team."

"I said I would love to have an individual medal, and I got it. Bronze is good," Madden added.

There are a total of six Olympic equestrian gold medals. During the 11-day competitions here, Germans have won three gold medals --Team Eventing, Individual Eventing and Team Dressage.

Defending gold medallist the United States won the Olympic Equestrian Jumping Team gold medal.

Netherlands's Anky van Grunsven won the Olympic Dressage Individual gold.

Eric Lamaze of Canada won the Individual Jumping gold.

Alex Schwazer claims first athletics gold medal for Italy

Italy's Alex Schwazer crosses the finish line during men's 50km walk final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. Alex Schwazer won the title and set a new Olympic record.
Italian Alex Schwazer won his country's first athletics gold medal at the Beijing Olympics by claiming the men's 50km walk title in Beijing on Friday.

Schwazer timed three hours, 37 minutes and 09 seconds to finish the walking marathon in a new Olympic record. The former record of 3:38:29 was held by Ivanenko Vyacheslav of Soviet Union at Seoul 20 years ago.

Australian Jared Tallent moved a step forward from his bronze medal at men's 50km walk to take the silver medal with 3:39:27, he placed third at men's 50km walk last Saturday.

Denis Nizhegorodov of Russia finished third at 3:40:14.

The 24-year-old Schwazer, bronze medalist at 2007 World Championship at Osaka, Japan, took an early lead from the start and never lost contention in the leading group, he launched the final sprint in the last 5km and rallied to cross the line without any resistance.


Athletes competes during men's 50km walk at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008.


Germany's Andre Hohne falls down during men's 50km walk at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008.


Russia's Denis Nizhegorodov competes during men's 50km walk outside the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008.


China's Li Jianbo competes with Russia's Denis Nizhegorodov during men's 50km walk at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008.
Source:Xinhua

U.S. duo Dalhausser/Rogers win beach volleyball gold

Todd Rogers of the United States spikes the ball over Fabio Magalhaes of Brazil during the beach volleyball gold medal match at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. Philip Dalhausser/Todd Rogers of the United States defeated Marcio Araujo/Fabio Magalhaes of Brazil and grabbed the gold medal of the event.
Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers of the United States defeated Marcio Araujo and Fabio Luiz Magalhaes of Brazil in the men's beach volleyball final at the Beijing Olympics on Friday.

The Americans won 2-1 with the three sets going 23-21, 17-21 and 15-4 in their favor. And the Brazilian duo claimed the silver medals.

The Americans trailed 1-6 as the first set began but were able to catch up for a 10-all tie. The two teams then traded points to 19-19 before a spike by Rogers sent the U.S. team to set point and the Americans led to end the first set 23-21.

In the second set, the two teams traded points to 15-15 before the Brazilian pair outscored and got the set point 20-16 and finishing the set 21-17.

Philip Dalhausser and Todd Rogers of the United States celebrate after the beach volleyball gold medal match at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008.

The efficiency of the 2.06-meter Dalhausser at the net left the Brazilians almost no resistance in the third set and increased the scores of the U.S. duo steadily set as the Americans claimed the decider 15-4.

"It's the best feeling , I can't believe it," said Dalhausser after the match.

"We were prepared for a three-set match," he said on the setback of the second set.

Dalhausser and Rogers, the 2007 world champions, have been widely considered to be gold favorites.

Dalhausser was FIVB World Tour best blocker in 2006 and 2007 and best hitter in 2007 while his partner Rogers was best FIVB World Tour defensive player in 2006 and 2007. They were also placed first on the Olympic qualification ranking.

In the bronze medal match earlier Friday, Brazil's Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos defeated Gerogian pair Renato Gomes and Jorge Terceiro in straight sets to win the bronze medals.
Silver medalists Fabio Magalhaes/Marcio Araujo of Brazil, gold medalists Philip Dalhausser/Todd Rogers of the United States and bronze medalists Ricardo Santos/Emanuel Rego of Brazil pose on the podium during awarding ceremony of men's beach volleyball at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008.

Olympic souvenir stores see sales boom as team China collects gold

A man looks at commemorative coins of "fuwa", mascots of Beijing Olympic Games in a shop in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 12, 2008. The Olympic souvenirs sell briskly in Taiyuan as the event goes on.
As the Chinese Olympic team's gold rush slows, the Games souvenir stores are seeing a boom of their own.

Stores around Beijing reported total sales of close to 2.3 billion yuan during the first seven months this year, and have generated over 212 million yuan of taxes, according to the Beijing Youth Daily quoting data from the city's local taxation bureau.

"Sales have grown from the 40,000 yuan a day when our store first opened late in July, to 1 million yuan right before the Games, and to 2 million over the past few days," said a woman manager surnamed Pang at the souvenir store in the Olympic Village.


A mother and her child buy Olympic souvenirs in a shop in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 12, 2008. The Olympic souvenirs sell briskly in Taiyuan as the event goes on.

The Fuwa mascots are the biggest catch, with 4,000 sold to athletes, officials and journalists every day, accounting for more than 20 percent of the total sales, said Pang.

Tee-shirts, badges and stationery bearing Olympic symbols are also popular, said Pang, adding that each customer was spending at least 4,000 yuan these days in a single purchase.

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Flagship Shop, the city's largest souvenir store at its main shopping area Wangfujing Street, has received 70,000 to 80,000 customers a day since the Olympics opened on Aug. 8, and is already planning to expand its hours by two hours each day to cope with the crowds.

Daily sales volume hit 5 million yuan, a 20 to 30-percent rise from before the Olympics, store staff told Xinhua.

The 1,000-square-meter store offers items ranging from commemorative coins, sunglasses, models of the venues like the Bird's Nest and Water Cube, to commemorative vases priced at 49,800 yuan.

"You wear something, you get a little something. They'll say 'Where did you get that?' You say, 'Well, I went to China. Had a great time'," said Albert Clarke from the United States as he picking eight tee-shirts for himself.

Sales of Olympic souvenirs would end at all 6,300 souvenir stores around China by March next year, according to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad .


Source:Xinhua

China's Zhang, Wang to fight for women's singles gold in Olympic table tennis

China's table tennis veteran Wang Nan beat her higher-ranked teammate Guo Yue 4-2 in the Olympic women's singles competition in Beijing on Friday, setting up an all-Chinese final with defending gold medalist Zhang Yining.

Wang Nan of China reacts while competing with Guo Yue of China during the women's singles semifinal at Beijing Olympic Games table tennis event in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. Wang Nan won the match 4-2.
Wang, known as the "Big Sister" in the national team, fought off world champion Guo 3-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-7, 11-3 and 11-6 in the semifinal, though the 30-year-old had never beaten Guo in the last two years except in the 2007 Japan Open.

Wang said earlier this year that an Olympic appearance at home and even a gold medal would be the perfect way to wrap up her career. She is the sport's most decorated player, with more than 20 world titles.

After winning her fourth Olympic gold five days ago in the team event, the Grand Slam veteran showed no signs of slowing down in her drive for another medal in the singles. Her fans cheered her on and her husband watched her play from the stands.

Wang told the reporters:"I was in control of the whole match and Guo was not calm enough when the match was tied at 2-2."

"I experienced ups and downs in my career, but I rose to every challenge and held out till today. I'm very satisfied about reaching the final," she said.

Guo said that "I was prepared for possible difficulties and played well in the first four games. But I lost for the lack of experience."


Zhang Yining of China celebrates after defeating Li Jia Wei of Singapore during the women's singles semifinal at Beijing Olympic Games table tennis event in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. Zhang Yining won the match 4-1.
Earlier in the day, world number one Zhang Yining also stormed into the final, beating former schoolmate Li Jia Wei of Singapore 9-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8 and 11-5.

"I think Li fought really hard today. She has participated in three Olympic Games, so she is actually more experienced than me in international competitions," Zhang said.

"But I knew I would win once I got over the first game," she said. "The final won't be easy because teammates know each other very well."

Li believed she played very well, adding:"It's an achievement for me to finish in the top four while the other three are all Chinese players."

Both Zhang and Li were born in Beijing in 1981. They attended the same school in the Chinese capital between 1986-96.

Li went to Singapore in 1996 under the foreign recruitment scheme of the Singapore Table Tennis Association, and gained Singaporean citizenship in 1999.

Li will meet Guo in the bronze medal contest later on Friday.

Source:Xinhua

Vajda of Hungary wins men's canoe single (C1) 1,000m gold

Attila Sandor Vajda of Hungary crosses the finish line in the Canoe single 1000m men final of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Canoe/Kayak Flatwater event in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. Attlia Sandor Vajda clinched the gold medal in this event with a time of 3:50.467.
-- Attila Sandor Vajda of Hungary came from behind to win the gold medal in the Olympic canoe flatwater men's single 1,000 meters in the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park on Friday.

Vajda won comfortably in 3 minutes, 50.467 seconds, ahead of defending Olympic champion David Cal of Spain who took silver in 3:52.751. Thomas Hall of Canada, who won two pre-Games World Cups, took bronze in 3:53.653.

The 25-year-old Hungarian, bronze medalist in Athens and reigning world champion, were in sixth place by the 500 meters. But a late charge made him lead by the 750 meters and he hold on to the lead by the finish line.

Vadim Menkov of Uzbekistan led by the 500 meters, but finished in fourth place.

Andreas Dittmer of Germany, silver medalist in Athens, came in a disappointing eighth. The German won the C1 500m gold in Athens and also took the C2 1,000m title in Atlanta and the C1 1,000m title in Sydney.


Attila Sandor Vajda of Hungary competes in the Canoe single 1000m men final of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Canoe/Kayak Flatwater event in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. Attlia Sandor Vajda clinched the gold medal in this event with a time of 3:50.467.
Source:Xinhua