China rules in gymnastics

The raised index fingers of China's gymnasts left little doubt that men's team had won the Olympic title except for quarter-hour, British fans clapped and cheered because the hosts snared an surprising silver on Monday.

Except they'd not.

Three-time world champion Kohei Uchimura couldn't believe his eyes, or the scoreboard, when his pommel horse score of thirteen.466 flashed up to point out that Japan, who had been lying second going into the ultimate rotation, had dived out of the medals to fourth.

That left Louis Smith and his British teammates leaping for joy whereas the quintet from Ukraine exchanged high fives as they celebrated grabbing a last-gasp bronze.

However, at the same time as the roaring fans stamped their feet in approval and Princes William and Harry joined in to grant Britain's famous 5 a standing ovation, Japanese officers scrambled to lodge an charm against Uchimura's score.

Suddenly all celebrations came to a standstill as fifteen,500 pairs of eyes turned to the large screen hanging from the domed roof of the North Greenwich Arena as gymnasts, fans and media waited for the decision.

For quarter-hour, officers huddled around a video screen as they reviewed once more and once more Uchimura's dismount from the pommel horse.

As the big scoreboard flashed the message, "Men's pommel horse inquiry accepted", Uchimura and his teammates sat stone-faced as officers scrutinized the image of the 23-year-old finishing a messy dismount once going into a handstand with legs splayed on the block of wood.

Japan silver

When the judgement was finally announced, it showed that Uchimura's score had been increased by zero.7 of some extent, enough to bump Japan up to silver and Britain right down to a bronze.

The crowd booed, Uchimura and co, who had been going for gold, smiled in relief and Ukraine's dejected gymnasts stormed out in disgust.

Smith, Daniel Purvis, Kristian Thomas, Max Whitlock and Sam Oldham couldn't care less as they whooped in delight, knowing Britain had won their initial Olympic team medal during a century.

"We knew whichever approach it we have a tendency tont we were obtaining a medal," coach Eddie Van Hoof told a news conference. "A silver would are nice however we'll take the bronze anyway."

The whole episode revived reminiscences of the 2004 Athens all-around judging scandal when it transpired that the gold medal would have gone to South Korea's Yang Tae-young and not Paul Hamm had it not been for a scoring error.

While Hamm had to attend for 3 months before discovering he may keep the gold medal once being drawn into a legal wrangle, the presence of the moment replay system on Monday settled the dispute before any medals were handed out.

"I assume it's the primary Olympics where this happened, that we have a tendency to had to alter a score that modified a ranking within the medals, as so much as I keep in mind," Andre Gueisbuhler, secretary-general of the sport's ruling body FIG, told reporters.

All the late drama stole the spotlight faraway from the triumphant Chinese, who obliterated the opposition by four.045 points to win their third team crown in four Olympics.

Reports of the Chinese team's demise, following a sloppy performance in qualifying once they finished sixth, turned out to be greatly exaggerated as they kept their poise on all six equipment to end with a complete of 275.997.

No smokescreen

Asked if they'd been attempting to fool folks with their qualifying performance, Zou Kai, who along side Chen Yibing is one among the 2 survivors from the category of 2008 that won seven of the eight golds up for grabs in Beijing, said: "It wasn't a smokescreen."

Monday's awe-inspiring show, once they were the sole ones not fall off any equipment, meant the team who have won 5 successive world crowns and 2 successive Olympic titles haven't been overwhelmed for eight years.

"From the Beijing Games we've got been watching the rear of the Chinese and even if the athletes have modified, they're still robust. The Chinese team had no mistakes in any respect," observed Uchimura.

Mistakes, and plenty of them, price the us expensive in one among the foremost action-packed Olympic men's finals.

Tipped to become the primary yank men's team to win the title since 1984, they spectacularly imploded and finished fifth once the pommel horse once more proved to be their nemesis.

Danell Leyva fell off throughout his swivels whereas John Orozco sat down on the picket block and did not regain his momentum as he wobbled through the remainder of his routine to draw twelve.733 - rock bottom mark earned amongst the highest six groups.

The man nicknamed Silent Ninja owing to his inability to point out any emotions - win or lose - struggled to carry back his tears on Monday and many minutes later, they were welling up once more as he crash landed from the vault.

It was a sense all too acquainted to Japan's Koji Yamamuro who drew gasps once landing on his face and knees.

Pain etched on his face, Yamamuro hopped off the platform on his right foot and was given a piggy-back ride out of the podium as his day ended.

But when it absolutely was time for the presentation ceremony, he was hopping back out once more, together with his arms around 2 teammates as they created their thanks to stage.

Djokovic faces unseeded Roddick

In Andy Roddick's words, he and Novak Djokovic are through the tense mechanics of an enormous match "a million" times: the pressure, the occasion, the formidable opponent. The Olympics, though, bring an uncommon twist.

Roddick, a three-time Wimbledon finalist, and Djokovic, the 2011 champion at the All England Club, can play Tuesday within the second spherical of the Olympics. each are cautious of every other's strengths, and aware that this match is a few ton quite a private victory.

"Ninety-five p.c of the time, when a tennis player plays, it's for pretty selfish motives, and in the week isn't one among those," Roddick said Monday once defeating Martin Klizan of Slovakia, 7-5, 6-4.

Serena Williams beat Urszula Radwanska of Poland, 6-2, 6-3 within the second spherical on Court one, simply weeks once defeating Radwanska's sister, Agnieszka, within the Wimbledon final this month. On Wednesday, the five-time Wimbledon champion plays No. 13-seeded Vera Zvonareva, the Russian she beat in 2010 for the fourth of these titles.
"She's taking part in therefore well, moving well, doing everything nice," Williams said. "It's not a simple tournament. you've got to induce out there. taking part in somebody therefore robust therefore soon, it's aiming to be an honest challenge on behalf of me."
Top-seeded Roger Federer created a quick look on Centre Court, beating Julien Benneteau of France 6-2, 6-2 in but an hour to succeed in the third spherical.
Second-seeded Djokovic, who lost to Federer within the semifinals at Wimbledon, would appear to possess the sting over Roddick, whose world ranking has slipped to twenty two. The Serb wasn't complacent.
"Andy has one among the strongest serves within the world, ever, and it's his biggest weapon," Djokovic said. "The grass courts this year are terribly quick and it is a low bounce, therefore i feel i will be able to ought to be on high of my game so as to win that match."
Even as he ready for the competition, Djokovic relished the "special feeling" of being a part of one thing larger, a team that represents his country.
"We all support one another, we have a tendency to all keep near one another, and this is often the necessary issue," he said. "We all try and fancy each moment of it."
Roddick created similar remarks, saying it absolutely was an honor to be asked to play for the us within the Olympics, which he was happy that London was chosen for the event as a result of it's an area he is aware of well. He said it absolutely was "my own fault" that he was facing Djokovic therefore soon within the tournament as a result of he's unseeded.
"The guy has been the most effective player within the world over the last few years. It's aiming to be robust," Roddick said. "But things, we've each been through it 1,000,000 times. i am aiming to ought to serve well and take some probabilities on returns."
Roddick's Olympic match, delayed daily by rain, was his initial in eight years. He lost within the third spherical at the 2004 Games and skipped Beijing in 2008.
The Olympics have dazed a number of the tradition at Wimbledon, erecting purple backdrops and discarding the white-only rule for tennis garb. Roddick said he had taken some "wrong turns" round the grounds as he gets used to the various setup.
"We grasp that Wimbledon are going to be Wimbledon once more next year," Federer said. "But right away, it is the Olympic Games. it's imagined to show a discrepancy."
The seven-time Wimbledon winner said the prices for Olympic tennis were low as a result of an existing facility is getting used. He noted the Olympic website in Sydney hosts an enormous tournament, and said it absolutely was a pity that an equivalent website in Athens does not have a tournament.
"Beijing was additionally a good stadium," Federer said. "It has its edges still for tennis, that they still use the Olympic sites then. they do not use it in Barcelona, i do not assume either, as a result of i used to be simply there recently. however you'd hope that they'd as a result of they are doing build one thing huge."
Also Monday, Venus Williams began her bid for a record fourth gold medal in Olympic tennis by beating Sara Errani of Italy, 6-3, 6-1.
It was a formidable showing from Williams, who is unseeded and drew a tricky first-round foe. Errani has won four titles this year, was the runner-up at the French Open and is ranked a career-high No. 9.
But Williams was in fine kind on the Wimbledon grass, where she has won 5 of her seven Grand Slam titles.
Venus Williams was diagnosed last year with an autoimmune disease that may cause fatigue, however she nonetheless began 2012 determined to create the Olympics for the fourth time. She won the gold medal in singles at the 2000 Games and teamed with Serena to require the gold in doubles in 2000 and 2008.
Top-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus defeated Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania on Centre Court, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.
Lleyton Hewitt of Australian and Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, each three-time Olympians, won their gap matches. No. 9-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina, No. thirteen Marin Cilic of Croatia, No. sixteen Richard Gasquet of France and big-serving Milos Raonic of Canada additionally advanced.
In doubles, the Williams sisters began a bid for his or her third Olympic doubles gold medal by eliminating Sorana Cirstea and Simona Halep of Romania 6-3, 6-2. They won in 2000 and 2008. Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka, who won gold in 2008, defeated Kei Nishikori and Go Soeda of Japan, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material might not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Missy Franklin captures gold in one hundred back

Her dad cried Monday night. therefore did her mom. Even her coach welled up over what they'd simply witnessed, Missy Franklin, the new pride of yankee swimming, turning into an Olympic gold medalist for the primary time.
Dick Franklin, Missy's father, could be a huge hulking ex-Canadian soccer player. He hadn't cried during a long term, he said. When was the last time?
"The day she was born," he said.
On that day, seventeen years ago, Dick never thought he'd sooner or later stare down from the Olympic Aquatics Centre and see his daughter hear the national anthem with a gold medal round her neck. Frankly, neither did his daughter.
Not now. Not once Missy recently finished her junior year of highschool in Colorado.
"I cannot even place into words," a beaming Franklin said afterward. "It was completely indescribable. once considering it and imagining it for thus long, it does not appear real. It extremely does not. you think that regarding it therefore usually you're feeling like you are dreaming.
"I still feel like somebody must pinch me."
She required to pinch the opposite swimmers. Were they dreaming, or did they extremely see this 17-year-old lady roar from behind to win the 100-meter backstroke and break the yank record with a fifty eight.33-second time shortly once swimming a 200-meter freestyle semifinal?
Yes, they did. Franklin's exceptional feat can go down in yank swimming lore. She qualified eighth for Tuesday night's two hundred freestyle final, jumped out of the pool,


jumped into the diving pool, swam many laps, jumped out and won a gold medal. All within the area of quarter-hour.
Afterward, one among teammates came up to her, gave her a high-five and said quantity} amount of your time he is had between Olympic swims was half-hour.
"I cannot believe you simply did that!" Michael Phelps told her.
Neither did her oldsters.
"We could not believe it," said her mom, D.A. "The one hundred back is not even her event. it is the two hundred back. She feels she gets stronger the longer the race. If there was a four hundred back, nobody would ever bit her."
Franklin trailed a lot of of the race however surged to the end to edge Australia's Emily Seebohm, second at fifty eight.68. Seebohm came in red hot. She had broken the Olympic record in Sunday morning's prelims with a fifty eight.23 then blazed to a fifty eight.39 within the semis. Franklin, who had the most effective time within the world coming into the meet at fifty eight.85, was suddenly the hunter rather than the hunted. And Seebohm had rested all day.
"That's Missy," her coach, Todd Schmitz, said. "She's wired a bit differently than everyone else."
Franklin started as if swimming the two hundred freestyle was the worst call of her life. Her begin within the backstroke was horrific. once twenty five meters, she stood seventh. And Seebohm, within the lead, was cooking.
"You extremely cannot have those moments in swimming, however swimming is therefore mental," Franklin said. "You ought to simply grasp you'll be able to do it. you've got to possess religion in yourself. If you've got those moments, honestly, you've got to stay telling yourself you'll be able to do it."
Always a powerful nearer, Franklin cut a swath to the primary wall. She created the flip in second in twenty eight.82. however Seebohm turned in twenty eight.57.
Franklin, swimming in lane 5, caught Seebohm, in lane four, with regarding twenty five meters left and hit the wall at fifty eight.33, breaking Natalie Coughlin's 2008 U.S. record of fifty eight.94.
On the victory stand, Franklin wasn't in far better form -- except for a distinct reason.
"I was attempting to sing, however i used to be crying at an equivalent time," Franklin said. "Then I forgot the words, however I did not grasp what i used to be doing. however simply seeing that flag being raised it absolutely was therefore incredibly unbelievable, I may never have dreamed it might feel like that."
She currently includes a bronze and a gold and 5 events left to swim. The record for many Olympic medals by an yank girl is Coughlin's six in Beijing. Franklin has 2 a lot of relays, the two hundred and one hundred freestyle and eventually, her best event, the two hundred backstroke.

Mark Todds ride for an area in history

Early tomorrow morning New Zealand equestrian rider Mark Todd can ride off for a trial at his fifth Olympic medal and potential third gold, which is able to arguably rank him as New Zealand's greatest ever Olympian.

After surviving a brush with a bull elephant earlier within the year Todd, competing during a record seventh Olympics, currently faces an equally imposing challenge of reaching the heights of recent Zealand's most successful Olympians with 2 a lot of medals up for grabs.

Here's a breakdown of when and the way New Zealand's initial medal of London 2012 may be won.

WHAT:
Todd and his horse Campino sit in third place heading into the third and final stage of the three-day eventing, the showjumping. once a 3rd putting within the dressage stage, Todd rode a near-perfect run within the cross country together with his solely mistake drawing close the ultimate jump across the end line.


A mistake-free run would have seen him sit in gold medal position however the one error places him solely zero.20 penalty points behind Germany's Ingrid Klimke and Sweden's Sara Algotsson Ostholt who share high spot.

With four penalty points for a dropped rail within the showjumping, one mistake from his rivals may see Todd move into gold. Conversely with but 3 points separating the highest six, a slip-up by Todd may see him drop of the medals utterly.

WHEN:
The team section of the showjumping begins at nine.30pm NZT and can finish simply once midnight. New Zealand currently sit in fourth simply behind Sweden, therefore Todd may have a his fifth Olympic medal before his individual ride begins.

From 1.30am the highest twenty five riders have a second shot at the showjumping course with their scores counting towards the individual medals. Todd can jump third to last which is able to be around a pair of.30am.

RIVALS:
Current leader Klimke won gold within the team event with Germany four years ago and finished fifth within the individual event, an equivalent putting she had in Athens in 2004. With Germany leading the team event, Klimke is in line to become the primary rider since Britain's Richard Meade in Munich forty years ago to win 2 golds in eventing.

Algotsson Ostholt is trying to become the primary Swede to win a medal within the individual eventing since 1972. The country's last individual eventing gold was in 1956. The pressure is additionally on the Swedish team with their drought within the team event going additional back to 1952.

Fourth placed Michael Jung from Germany is taken into account one among the most effective in eventing showjumping and would have an opportunity to place real pressure on the highest 3 with a transparent spherical.

British pair Kristina Cook and Mary King are each but three.0 penalty points behind Todd and can have the house crowd on their aspect.

WHAT'S AT STAKE?:
Todd, who was named rider of the twentieth Century by equestrian's governing body, may achieve a rare feat of 3 Olympic gold medals over a span of twenty eight years.

A third gold would place him during a share of second amongst New Zealand's most successful Olympians with middle distance runner Peter Snell and canoiest Paul MacDonald.

Ian Ferguson is that the most successful with four golds.

Any medal would take his overall haul to 5, a tie with Ferguson and MacDonald, however he may finish the day with 2 medals in London putting him on high of the list.

Todd's second triumph in 1988 was ranked no.11 within the Herald's list of twenty NZ Olympic Moments.

ODDS:
Australian bookies sportsbet.com.au have listed Todd as joint-favourite with Jung to require the gold at $3.75. Klimke is listed at $5.50 and Algottson Ostholt at $4.50.

TODD'S CV
1984 - Gold - Individual 3 Day Event
1988 - Gold - Individual 3 Day Event
1988 - Bronze - Team 3 Day Event
2000 - Bronze - Individual 3 Day Event

China Adds Shooting Diving Golds London Olympics Medals

China added gold medals in shooting and diving to elevate its London Olympics total to 6 as U.S. shooter Kimberly Rhode became the primary yankee girl to win a medal in a private sport in 5 straight games.

Wenjun Guo took the women’s 10-meter air pistol title yesterday, with compatriots Wu Minxia and He Zi taking gold within the women’s synchronized 3-meter springboard diving. France won the men’s 400-meter freestyle relay at hand the U.S. solely its third loss within the event.

The victories helped offer China twelve total medals, another than the U.S. Italy has 2 golds, 3 silvers and 2 bronze medals. Wu secured her third consecutive Olympic title within the event once the Chinese combine led from the primary to last dive.

“It is already a miracle what I even have achieved,” Wu, whose early career was blighted by injuries, told reporters.

Rhode set an Olympic record in winning the women’s skeet shooting event, finishing with a final score of ninety nine once setting a qualifying record with seventy four. Ning Wei of China won the silver, whereas Danka Bartekova of Slovakia won a shootout with Marina Belikova of Russia to require the bronze.

Wenjun had 488.1 points within the one0-meter air pistol. France’s Celine Goberville got the silver by beating Ukraine’s Olena Kostevych during a shootout once they tied with 486.6 points. Wu and He finished previous the yankee team of Kelci Bryant and Abigail Johnston, and Canada’s Jennifer Abel and Emilie Heymans within the diving.


Swimming Records


Dana Vollmer of the U.S. won the women’s 100-meter butterfly during a world record time of fifty five.98 seconds to beat the mark set by Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom in Rome in 2009.

“Everything went as I might have needed,” Vollmer said.

South African Cameron van der Burgh set a world record of fifty eight.46 seconds to win the men’s 100-meter breaststroke.

Marianne Vos of the Netherlands out-sprinted Britain’s Elizabeth Armitstead and Russia’s Olga Zabelinskaya within the women’s cycling road race. Armitstead’s silver was the primary medal for the host nation.

The 3 riders led a breakaway and, with the most pack unable to catch them, it became a fight between the trio for the medals. Vos accelerated toward the road and Armitstead and Zabelinskaya were unable to bridge the gap.

Gold medals are going to be awarded these days in diving, fencing, judo, shooting, weightlifting and men’s team inventive gymnastics. Four swimming finals are scheduled, together with the men’s 200- meter freestyle.


Radcliffe Out


Paula Radcliffe, holder of the women’s marathon world record, can miss her likelihood to win an Olympic medal for Britain once being dominated out with a foot injury. Britain can ask for to interchange her with Freya Murray for the Aug. 5 race.

Kevin Durant scored twenty two points to guide the U.S. men’s basketball team to a 98-71 victory over France in their gap game. Kevin Love had fourteen points and Kobe Bryant scored ten. Ali Traore got twelve points and Tony Parker added ten for France.

Nigeria defeated Tunisia 60-56 within the alternative cluster A match, whereas in cluster B, Brazil remained to beat Australia 75-71 and Spain defeated China 95-80. Russia beat Britain 95-75.

In men’s soccer, world and European champion Spain was eliminated following a shock 1-0 loss to Honduras.

Uzbek gymnast Luiza Galiulina was suspended once testing positive for the banned drug furosemide during a urine sample given on July twenty five, the International Olympic Committee said.


Drug Suspension


A final call are going to be created concerning her punishment by the disciplinary commission once the receipt of her backup testing sample, the IOC said. She’s the second athlete since the games began to be banned as a result of a failed drug take a look at once Albanian weightlifter Hysen Pulaku was suspended 2 days ago.

Team USA hardly tested in blowout mens basketball victory over France

Consider it passed -- even though the take a look at was primarily the basketball equivalent of coloring within the lines.
Kevin Durant scored twenty two points in his Olympic debut and also the U.S. men's team cruised past overmatched France 98-71 in its gap game at the London Olympics on Sunday afternoon.
The outcome left very little question that there is something to a lot of hassle the star-studded Americans on their thanks to the gold medal -- even though they can not ever live up to the "Dream Team."
"We simply played with angle," Durant said, "fighting for every ball, defending onerous and obtaining each rebound. that is how we have a tendency to beat groups that are onerous to beat."
Hard to beat?
The French offered very little resistance once a foul-plagued 1st quarter, never leading despite having 5 NBA players on their roster -- together with purpose guard Tony Parker, sporting black-rimmed goggles to shield the attention he injured during a big apple town nightclub melee last month.
"USA played an excellent game," Parker said, "especially defensively."
Kevin Love scored fourteen points off the bench for the Americans, and Kobe Bryant added ten before answering queries in fluent Italian once the sport. The Americans held the French to thirty-nine % shooting -- it had been even lower before a throwaway fourth quarter -- together with only 1 of their 1st sixteen 3-point tries.
"Not too unhealthy," purpose guard Chris Paul said. "Like we've been saying all along, our defense is what


makes us therefore sensible. As long as we have a tendency to leave and do this each night, we have a tendency to offer ourselves an opportunity to win."
The Americans can have over an opportunity -- attempt, a certainty -- once they meet No. 32-ranked Tunisia in their next game Tuesday. that may create the opener against No. 12-ranked France look as if it lessened to the wire.
"As long as we have a tendency to defend as we have a tendency to did these days, and that we get rebounds, we'll be fine," guard Russell Westbrook said.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski started Paul and Durant beside Bryant, LeBron James and center Tyson Chandler, the 3 regular starters throughout the team's pre-Olympic exhibition tour. however he was ready to substitute freely, using virtually everyone on the roster for a minimum of one quarter.
Even last man off the bench Anthony Davis played eight minutes.
"Overall, an honest 1st step," Krzyzewski said.

Kobe Brings His Drive to the Olympics

Kobe Bryant of the l.  a.   Lakers likes to compete. you'd assume that being on Team USA may be a bit additional relaxing for the accomplished star, however one thing tells me that Kobe still desires to win and isn't getting to place up with teammates that slack off on the court. additionally to rings and plenty of individual NBA awards, Bryant already encompasses a gold medal from the 2008 Olympics. Is that enough? fully not. can he be disappointed if Team doesn't get a gold medal in 2012? Yes.
A different venue
This is primarily an All-Star team that's taking their skills on the road. Granted, these don't seem to be essentially the highest players within the NBA, however this can be a bunch of men who are stars within the Association. However, this can be a distinct venue than the NBA All-Star Game, that is actually an over-produced defense-free exhibition. Here, there's a subject of national identity, and whereas not all of the players could grasp the importance of representing their country, this can be concerning pride.
Team leader?
There are many guys on this team that might be a considered the team "leader." However, is Kobe the default leader on this team? you'll actually argue that he's the foremost accomplished member of Team USA. additionally, he could also be the foremost competitive player on the squad, although he's the oldest athlete on the roster. the thought of being the "elder statesman" could also be partially applicable, however he'll still rip your heart out with a clutch jumper.
An unquenchable drive
You have to marvel if Kobe will relish this expertise or if his competitive fireplace causes him to invariably be centered even when the team beats France by twenty seven points. He has done the Olympic issue before, however Bryant is that the sort of guy who looks to own a competitive drive that never stops. One should marvel what he can do to feed that fireplace when he retires. Team USA ought to be ready to win another gold medal while not an excellent deal of hassle, however you have got to assume that Kobe can still push this team to win with authority.