Saturday, August 23, 2008

Ethiopia's Dibaba completes golden double

Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia celebrates after the women's 5,000m final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. Tirunesh Dibab won the gold.

Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia competes during the women's 5,000m final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. Tirunesh Dibaba won the title.
Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba won her second gold medal at the Beijing Olympics as she took the women's 5,000 meters gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Games here on Friday.

Dibaba, 23, clocked 15 minutes 41.40 seconds for her second gold medal at the Games, following her win in the 10,000m.

Turkey's Elvan Abeylegesse took the silver in 15:42.74 and another Ethiopian Meseret Defar, the defending champion, won the bronze in 15:44.12.

Source: Xinhua

Russia wins women's 4X100m relay gold

Russia's Yulia Chermoshanskaya reacts after the women's 4x100m relay final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. The Russian team won the title.

Russia's Evgeniya Polyakova sprints out during the women's 4x100m relay final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. The Russian team won the title.

Russia's runners react after the women's 4x100m relay final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. The Russian team won the title.
Russia scored a surprise win in thewomen's 4x100 meters relay at the Beijing Olympic Games here on Friday.

The Russian quartet, including Evgeniya Polyakova, Aleksandra Fedoriva, Yulia Gushchina and Yuliya Chermoshanskaya, clocked a season best of 42.31 seconds for the gold. Belgium took the silver in 42.54 seconds and Nigeria won the bronze in 43.04.

Pre-race favorite Jamaica did not finish the race.

Source: Xinhua

Netherlands claim gold in Olympic women's hockey

Tang Chunling of China vies for the ball during women's gold medal match between China and the Netherlands at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games hockey event in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. The Netherlands won the match and grabbed the gold medal.

World champions the Netherlands snatched the Olympic women's hockey gold with a 2-0 win over China on Friday.

It is their first Olympic hockey title since the Los Angeles Games 24 years ago.

Hosts China also picked up their first ever medal at the Olympic Games.

The first half saw a 0-0 tie, in which the Dutch's four penalty corners were all saved by Chinese goalie Zhang Yimeng.

A penalty corner converted by Van As Naomj in the 51st minute broke the tie and gave the Netherlands 1-0 lead. Maartje Goderie added another in the 62nd and sealed their 2-0 win.

World No. 2 Argentina took the bronze with a 3-1 win over defending champions Germany.

Source: Xinhua

Bolt leads Jamaica to 4x100m relay gold with new world records

Two sprint gold medals winner Usain Bolt led Jamaica to the men's 4x100 meters win with a new world record at the Beijing Olympic Games on Friday.

Bolt, who broke both the 100m and 200m world records en route to the gold medals, ran the third leg and gave the Jamaicans a big lead before handing the baton to Asafa Powell, the former world 100m record holder. Powell easily anchored the race in 37.10 seconds, breaking the previous mark of 37.40 set by the United States in the 1992 Olympic Games.

Trinidad and Tobago took the silver in 38.06 seconds and Japan won the bronze in 38.15.

Source: Xinhua

Argentina wins men's soccer gold at Beijing Olympics

Sergio Aguero of Argentina dribbles during the men's gold match of football event between Nigeria and Argentina at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008.

Olubayo Adefemi of Nigeria vies for the ball with Angel Di Maria of Argentina during the men's gold match of football event between Nigeria and Argentina at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008.

Angel Di Maria of Argentina makes a goal during the men's gold match of football event between Nigeria and Argentina at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008.


Fernando Gago of Argentina vies for the ball with Ebenezer Ajilore of Nigeria during the men's gold match of football event between Nigeria and Argentina at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008. Argentina won the match and claimed the title of the event.

Angel flies to help Argentina defend Olympic title

Angel Di Maria of Argentina makes a goal during the men's gold match of football event between Nigeria and Argentina at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008.

Defending champion Argentina repeated its victory in the final of men's soccer at Beijing Olympics on Saturday, as striker Angel Di Maria scored the only goal to help the team edge Nigeria to seal the title.

Watched by a crowd of 89,102, Di Maria, already having playing an answer man to matches in group stage, collected a through ball from Lionel Messi and calmly finished the clear shot on the 58th minute, claiming their two consecutive wins at Olympic men's soccer final as they were already crowned four years ago in Athens.

Messi and his Barcelona teammate Sergio Aguero were not given many chances to score as the Nigerian defenders tried hard to manmark the duo, which, however, also left much space for Di Maria to come up and break Nigeria's defense line.


Luciano Monzon of Argentina heads the ball during the men's gold match of football event between Nigeria and Argentina at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008. Argentina beat Nigeria 1-0 and claimed the title in this event.

Messi earned himself a chance at the 77th minute when he stole the ball from Nigerian defender. Boosting up in speed, Messi struck his trademark left-footed shot which was eventually blocked away by Nigerian central defender Onyekachi Apam.

The Nigerians had quite a number of chances to even the score as Argentina gave up the middlefield after taking the lead. Striker Victor Obinna almost scored on 63rd minute from a right pass, but his shot was blocked by goalkeeper Sergio Romero with his body.

Nigeria's best chance came in a sudden flank attack when midfielder Ever Banega delivered a beautiful pass from the right side, but two of the Nigerian strikers, Peter Odemwingie and Emmanuel Ekpo, both charged into the area, failed to catch.


Ezequiel Garay of Argentina vies for the ball during the men's gold match of football event between Nigeria and Argentina at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008. Argentina beat Nigeria 1-0 and claimed the title in this event.

Source: Xinhua

Bronze medal restores confidence of China's women volleyballers

Players of China celebrate their victory over Cuba after Women's Bronze Medal Match of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games volleyball event in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008. China beat Cuba 3-1 and grabbed the bronze.

Just as their favorite song - "Sunshine Comes after Rainstorm" - goes, a smiling Chinese team rallied to remedy their semifinal loss with a consoling bronze medal at the Olympic women's volleyball on Saturday.

The three-time Olympic champion Cuba finished their Beijing journey with a disappointing fourth place.

Inspired by the deafening cheers of more than 14,000 Chinese fans, the host beat Cuba 25-16, 21-25, 25-13 and 25-20 in the pride-saving match.


Players of China celebrate their victory over Cuba after Women's Bronze Medal Match of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games volleyball event in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008. China beat Cuba 3-1 and grabbed the bronze.

"They were so hopeless that I believed they gave up at the third set," said a home fan Yi Sheng, referring to the disappointing performances of the Chinese women in the semifinal against Brazil on Thursday. The defending champion lost surprisingly in straight sets and they only took 14 points in the third set.

"But today, I saw perseverance on them again, the most valuable quality which I think helped them win the Athens gold and will help to overcome the adversities to be stronger in the future, " the 28-year-old sales manager from a Beijing-based oil company told Xinhua after the match.

"In this aspect, the bronze medal means much more than the gold medal," he said.

Due to a slow start, China opened the match with a dismal 2-6, when the ace spikers Wang Yimei and captain Feng Kun scored five points to help the host take over lead 7-6. Though the Cubans followed up closely, the Chinese managed to keep a slight advantage to 14-13.

China launched a stunning 8-2 run to enlarge the gap to 22-15. Wang's service error helped Cuba pull back one point, but her two ace serves helped China take the set 25-16.

The Cuban spikers came back to life in the second set to establish an early led 9-4 with quick spikes of Nancy Carrillo and Yanelis Santos. China strived to catch up before a 17-all, when Carrillo and another high jumper Rosir Calderon broke the tie and crushed China's attempts to bounce back with attacks from the left flank and the middle court, 24-21 in favor of Cuba.

Veteran captain Yumilka Ruiz sealed the set 25-21 with an unanswered spike.

China staged a brilliant attacking wave from the start of the following set with a 8-4 lead and extended the winning momentum to take the set 25-13.

China took an early lead 10-5 and 15-10 in the fourth set, when Cuba surged back 20-21 with the astonishing performance of its wing hitter Calderon. But that was the furthest they could go. China clinched the meaning victory 25-20 with a spike of middle blocker Zhao Ruirui.

Later on Saturday night, Brazil, who sailed into final without losing a single set, will fight for their first-ever Olympic gold against the United States. The latter, led by China-born head coach Lang Ping, made their historic return to the gold medal match in 24 years after toppling Cuba 3-0.

Source: Xinhua