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Ward salvages U.S. team with gold medal win
AP
Light heavyweight Andre Ward is the only American boxer to win a gold in Athens.
Posted: Sunday August 29, 2004 9:35AM;
Updated: Sunday August 29, 2004 10:00AM
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Andre Ward saved the best for last for the U.S. boxing team.
Ward won the gold medal at light heavyweight Sunday, beating Magomed Aripgadjiev of Belarus 20-13 to claim a bit of redemption for an American team that had taken a beating at the Olympics.
Fighting in the last bout of the games, Ward found his mark with quick inside punches in the third round to win the first boxing gold for the United States since David Reid won in 1996.
Ward trailed after two rounds, but came on strong in the final two rounds despite a swelling around his right eye that coaches worked on in the corner between rounds. He won the third round 7-2, then remained aggressive in the final round to widen his margin of victory.
Cuba had another big day Sunday, winning three more finals to bring its boxing gold medal count to five, two more than Russia. Defending Olympic champion Guillermo Rigondeaux and Mario Kindelan both won, as did light flyweight Yari Bhartelemy.
The Cuban total didn't match the seven golds won in the 1992 Olympics, but it was better than the four Cuba took home in each of the last two games.
In perhaps the most anticipated final, Kindelan beat teenage sensation Amir Khan of Britain for the lightweight gold.
Kindelan was too wily and experienced for the 17-year-old Khan, who had won four straight fights in impressive fashion. The Cuban piled up points counterpunching, then got out of the way when Khan tried to press the fight.
Late in the fourth round, Khan had the crowd roaring when he landed a series of right hands, but it was never enough and he ended up dropping a 30-22 decision to the 33-year-old Cuban, who said he would retire after the games.
"You stick around and you'll be the next gold medalist and next world champion," Kindelan told Khan after the fight.
Russian super heavyweight Alexander Povetkin, meanwhile, won a gold without having to throw a punch. Povetkin's opponent in the finals, Mohamed Aly of Egypt failed the morning medical exam.
Ward's medal was one of two for the U.S. team, which brought nine boxers to Athens. Earlier, Andre Dirrell won a bronze at middleweight.
Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/2004/
Some interesting comments about Olympics being a success.
I scanned and read a few, I'll go back and read more later.
Greece set for Games farewell
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/default.stm
Closing ceremony
Sunday 29 August , 1900 BST
Live on BBC1, Five Live and BBC Sport website
Athens will bid farewell to the 2004 Olympic Games in a spectacular closing ceremony on Sunday.
The main stadium will be turned into a giant wheatfield and 250,000 balloons will cascade from a night sky exploding with fireworks.
Despite various doping scandals and poor attendance figures, the 2004 Olympics have been well received.
"The Games have been a great success," said International Olympic Committee spokesman Giselle Davies.
And after confounding sceptics by completing preparations in time for the opening ceremony, organisers are promising that the Games will depart Athens in style.
"Greece is going to go out with one big party," said Lois Jacobs, producer of the closing ceremony.
They really did a fantastic job - I am very, very happy about the Games
IOC president Jacques Rogge
The opening of the Games was overshadowed by the missed drugs tests of Greek athletics stars Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou.
And a steady stream of failed drugs tests along with a slew of protests against results on technical grounds threatened to undermine the Olympics' return to their spiritual home.
But pre-Games fears over construction and security proved groundless and the two-week extravaganza had many highlights, including two notable athletics doubles.
Holmes given Olympic honour
Kelly Holmes will carry the flag for Britain at the closing ceremony after her double gold in the 800m and 1500m helped the team beat their medal haul from Sydney four years earlier.
And Morrocan Hicham El Guerrouj became the first man since Paavo Nurmi in 1924 to win both the 1,500m and 5,000m.
Earlier in the Games, US swimmer Michael Phelps had scooped six gold medals.
"It has been a good Games," added Jacobs. "The Greeks have been very hospitable and what people feared has not transpired."
Academy: Meet the Olympics' unsung heroes
One fear that did have substance was that of low ticket sales with many events watched by sparse crowds.
However, when present, the Athens public were not afraid to make their presence felt with crowd pressure forcing a delay to the men's 200m and an upgrade to the marks awarded to Russian gymnast Alexei Nemov in the men's horizontal bars.
Team GB also had its ups and downs, with Matthew Pinsent's tears after winning his fourth Olympic gold contrasting with the tears of despair as Paula Radcliffe saw her marathon dreams disappear.
Olympics message boards:
Have the 2004 Games been a success?
One nation enjoying its best-ever Olympics was China, whose bumper tally of golds included the nation's first-ever athletics track titles.
And as the 28th Olympiad in Athens draws to a close, China will take over the baton with the Olympic flame beginning its journey to the 2008 Games in Beijing.
Academy: Test your Olympic knowledge here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/3607622.stm
Have the Athens Olympics been a success?
The 28th Olympic Games is set to reach its finale on Sunday with a closing ceremony in Athens.
Team GB started slowly but currently have 30 medals, exceeding their total medal tally from the 1992 Barcelona Games.
The latest successes came from Kelly Holmes's second gold, in the 1500m final, and Britain's men's relay team who took gold in the 4x100m final.
On Sunday Britain's 17-year-old Amir Khan took silver in boxing's lightweight division after losing 30-22 to Cuban Mario Kindelan.
Have the Athens Olympics been a success? What are your memories of the various sporting events? How has Team GB performed? Are the Games still the greatest sports show on Earth?
The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we have received so far:
I would have liked to have seen the BBC coverage showing more medal ceremonies for countries other than just the UK
Alan Asbridge, Glastonbury, UK
I am usually against too much sport on TV but I have enjoyed every minute of the Athens Olympics
Wright, Amersham, Buckinghamshire
I am usually against too much sport on TV but I have enjoyed every minute of the Athens Olympics and as far as I am concerned, the best ever TV coverage. I will be disappointed when they come to an end this evening
Wright, Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Sorry but the thought of athletes enhancing performance with drugs and for sure there are some who have not been caught turns me right off.
Graham Moir, Ladysmith Canada
Not really! Billions of dollars wasted putting Greece into penury while ignoring Aids globally, Darfur, global starvation of children, and international poverty. For some trinkets?
Kish Hahn, Waterloo, Canada
I was a volunteer during the 1984 Olympics in LA and thoroughly enjoyed the spirit of the Games and meeting people from all over the world. I wish I could have attended the Olympics this year in Athens, but alas, could not. I admire all the athletes who worked their whole lives to get to this point and wish them well, whatever nationality they may be. I commend the Greeks for hosting a successful and fun Olympics. I'm especially proud of Natalie Coughlin of the US, who was my cousin's roommate in college at UC Berkeley. Go Bears!
John, Los Angeles, California
For the last two weeks I have lived and slept the Games
Jo E, England
These Olympics have been the most entertaining for as long as I can remember. For the last two weeks I have lived and slept the Games. I am in total awe of all the participants, but most of all the GB team. From diving to rowing, from cycling to running, they were all awesome. Well done team GB, well done everyone who took part, well done BBC and well done Athens.
Jo E, England
Even with all the medals we've won during the Olympic Games, one athlete is going to be remembered above all others, and for a very long time. Paula Radcliffe. Unfotunately, she'll be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Dave, Doncaster, UK
Yes, the Olympics still reign supreme. Team GB have performed brilliantly. More money from the lottery fund please!! Sports facilities for everyone has surely got to be money well spent, especially with child obesity on the increase!!!
Annemarie Hoyle, Chorley, England
I think we should at least try to beat this medal tally by the next games in 2008
Steve Kite, Bournemouth
Well done to Team GB. Yes, I think the games are the greatest because they bring the world closer together. My memories are of Kelly Holmes' marvellous achievements in the 800m and 1500m. Team GB have performed well but they should do better. I think we should at least try to beat this medal tally by the next games in 2008 and should look at these results as the start of something great for the future.
Steve Kite, Bournemouth
The Games have been okay but not the best ever. Several outstanding moments in many sports and some excellent performances by the GB team. The one weak area I feel has been the officials. Several poor scores and diabolical decisions have cost some of the participants four years' hard work. Oh, and wasn't it unfortunate that the American basketball team missed out on gold?!
Dave Hartley, Maidstone UK
We sent over 270 people that we can be proud of... oh, and Paula.
Alfie Noakes, North of England, UK
The Olympic "games" are a drugs festival - nothing more. To think anything else is naive.
Steve, Basingstoke, England
I hated all the people that were accusing the Greeks of running late
Nick Vlastaris, Ipswich UK
I am very pleased that the Olympic Games went as expected. I hated all the people that were accusing the Greeks of running late and that they would not be ready for the games, which was nonsense. We proved that we can do as good a job, or even better, than any other nation and finally all the critics should shut up and apologise for complaining so much.
Nick Vlastaris, Ipswich UK
I haven't been back to Athens for many years - my daughter leaned to walk on the Acropolis. Even then I thought that Athens was a very nice city. Now, with all of the improvements needed to host the Olympics, it will be a great place to visit. Also, one cannot overlook the significance of holding the games where they started. A great country and a wonderful people.
Neal, Lansing, USA
I applaud the effort and celebration of sport and friendship. Wouldn't it have been more sporting and friendly if Olympic merchandising was not made in sweat shops?
Bilal, London
For the first time in living memory the Greeks, and I amongst them, are proud to be Greek!
Stelios Haji-Ioannou, London, UK
For the first time in living memory the Greeks, and I amongst them, are proud to be Greek! This should have a long-lasting effect for the benefit of the nation! Now it's cool to be Greek!
Stelios Haji-Ioannou, London, UK
When you witness truly unexpected events such as the GB victory in the 4x100m, you realise just how wonderful these games have been. Despite the various scandals off the track, the Athenians have done themselves proud and they'll be remembered rather fondly in years to come.
Tom, Rochester
Carole from the UK who is happy she missed this "silly spectacle" is definitely the loser. The winners are we privileged spectators, all the competitors and, of course, Athens. Well done BBC, brilliant coverage on both TV and Radio. But I would like Brendan Foster to stop his incessant talking - he's not on radio and we can see what's happening!
Brian Edwards, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Paula Radcliffe is a great athlete and should not feel that she has let us down
Max, London
I think GB did very well, particularly the black and Asian competitors. Paula Radcliffe is a great athlete and should not feel that she has let us down but next time let's not waste money sending Tim Henman.
Roger, Oxford
For me, it was nowhere near as good as Sydney four years ago. I thought the behaviour of the Greek crowd before the start of the men's 200m final was disgraceful. Booing eight men who earnt their place in that final without the need for drugs was not how a supposedly sport-embracing nation should act
Max, London
I feel I must say thanks to the British Olympic team for the heart and soul they have all put into their performances. They have really been great - especially Kelly Holmes and the 4x100 men's relay team. Brilliant.
Valerie, England
I nor colleagues and family have watched this silly spectacle and from the small bits on the news realise that we have missed nothing at all.
Carole, UK
The highlight for me has to be Amir Khan getting to the final
Tyra, London
Yes the Olympics have been a success especially for Team GB. The highlight for me has to be the only Asian in the team, Amir Khan, getting to the final. It's great to see people from all races, all over the United Kingdom supporting him. I wish him all the best for Sunday, whatever medal he brings home.
Tyra, London
We sent 270+ competitors to Athens and approx 1/5 of them will return home with a medal. I think that's a pretty good haul. But I think we apply too much pressure to our hopefuls. Let's not build them up before the event and save the praise for when it's deserved afterwards.
Elaine Hogan, Edinburgh, UK
Being Greek and knowing how Greeks work, I never had a doubt in my mind that the Athens Olympics would be a success, despite the fact that construction was taking place until the last hours before the opening! Beyond the success of the Games, the legacy left for Athens, a city that used to look old, dirty and well... with the public transport from hell, is what matters the most. Athens looks beautiful and attractive both for the millions of people who visit it every year and its residents. A job well done!!
Panagiotis Vagenas, London, UK
The Olympic Games is always great but I think it's been especially good this time as a British supporter as we didn't have such high expectations. Therefore the medals we have achieved have been very exciting and all the more appreciated, as were any good placings.
Judy Malone, Bristol, England
The glory of the Olympics in their homeland
Dr. John L Collins, London, UK
My son Aidan (age 7) and I visited the Olympics whilst on holiday in the Greek Cycladic islands; what a marvellous spectacle it is! The glory of the Olympics in their homeland, a spectacular opening ceremony - visually stunning and superbly performed - incredible arenas full of the world's best sportsmen and sportswomen, incredibly well managed in every respect in a sparkling Athens! Of course it's been a success and has shown that - despite considerable anti-Greek sentiments around the Olympics beforehand - the Greeks have pulled a very sizable and beautiful rabbit out of a wonderfully rebuilt hat, truly the greatest sports show on Earth.
Dr. John L Collins, London, UK
I would say that the Team GB's performances have been much better than I was anticipating. However, I would say that the Men's Athletics team has been woeful.
Chloe Sanderson, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Successful - yes, but there are two areas for improvement. First the organisers need to improve safety standards during construction. Far too many people were killed or injured building the facilities. In the Games themselves the judging of the subjective events needs to be clearer so that there is never any doubt that the medals have really gone to the best competitors.
Russell O'Brien, Nottingham, England
It was great to see the pride of the Greek people
Barbara, IL, USA
I thought the Olympics were a success. The TV coverage was good. It was great to see the pride of the Greek people. I really enjoyed watching the venues. I love the swimming, diving, and all the gymnastics. This time I watched water polo for the first time and thought it was interesting. I didn't get into the shooting, but though the canoeing and white water rafting was great. I loved all the vollyball. Track and field isn't my favourite, but I found that interesting too. The only thing that concerns me is the judging. That doesn't always seem to be up to par.
Barbara, IL, USA
Yes, these games have been a huge success. The venues and facilities have been fantastic, particularly the beautiful Olympic stadium. The opening ceremony was the best to date. From a British point of view the games haven't been as successful as I'd hoped - we haven't beaten the gold medals total that we achieved in Sydney. However, seven golds and the chance of two more before it ends is very decent.
Michael, Liverpool, UK
The Olympics this year appear to have been pulled off well in most instances, but scoring seemed to be a common weakness in some events. It's a shame that Greek bitterness over the pre-game events overshadowed the 200m final.
Andrew Bell, Edinburgh, UK
These games were okay, but spoiled for me by the excessive hype over Paula Radcliffe failing to finish the races. Don't the press have anything better to talk about? The heat got the better of her... so what!! Kelly Holmes' win for me was the crowning achievement, and I'd like to see Amir Khan take the gold medal. One thought though - there are now so many events in the Olympics, beach volleyball and the like... how (and where) could the UK host these games, especially with the unpredictable summer weather??
Alvin Shillingford, London, UK
Although the British team performed better then some sections of the media predicted, for the amount of money spent on sport we should be beating teams such as Ukraine and South Korean in the medal table. On another note it is time the BBC learnt that a British athlete can perform badly, and when they do perform badly it is ok to admit this.
Mark, Cambridge
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/3608176.stm
Dismay for Kipketer
AFP
JAVIER SORIANO
Wilson Kipketer can't believe it as his quest for Olympic gold fell just short. The Dane led the 800m down the stretch but was beaten by a devastating sprint from Russian winner Yuriy Borzakovsky.
08/29/2004 01:32 © AFP
Monumental
AFP
GABRIEL BOUYS
Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj completed a fantastic double on Saturday
adding the 5000 m title to the 1500m gold he won earlier in the week.
No man had won both races since 1924.
08/29/2004 01:32 © AFP
Gimme a smile!
The USA's Stephon Marbury, left, and Allen Iverson wear long looks after receiving their bronze medals at the Olympic Indoor Hall during the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece on Saturday,
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
USA's Richard Jefferson, left, Lamar Odom, center, and Tim Duncan, right, stand together wearing their bronze medals during the medals ceremony at the men's basketball finals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens Saturday,
(AP Photo/Dusan Vranic)
August 28, 2004
Mia Hamm tabbed honor of flag bearer
Soccer star says carrying U.S. flag a ‘tremendous honor’
Thanassis Stavrakis / AP
Mia Hamm was reportedly told she will carry the U.S. flag at the closing ceremony on Sunday.
The Associated Press
Updated: 7:26 p.m. ET Aug. 28, 2004
ATHENS, Greece - Retiring soccer star Mia Hamm was elected by her fellow U.S. athletes to carry the nation’s flag in Sunday’s closing Olympic ceremony.
Hamm won her second Olympic gold medal this week when the U.S. team beat Brazil in Thursday’s final. She also was part of the 1996 gold medal team, as well as the 2000 team that took silver.
Hamm, 32, is leaving the game after a 17-year career in which she scored a world-record 153 goals and helped the United States win two World Cups. She will play her final games in a U.S. uniform this fall during a celebration tour of exhibition games.
“This is emotional, and I’m truly speechless,” Hamm said. “I was expecting to be a follower tomorrow night, just to go wherever I was pointed, and now I’m carrying the flag. It’s a tremendous honor and I thank my fellow Olympians for thinking of me.”
Hamm is first soccer player ever chosen to carry the American flag at an Olympics.
© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5851142/
Why did U.S. men lose? Lack of skill
Group of NBA stars not good enough to win Olympics
Tami Chappell / Reuters
There is no question Richard Jefferson, left, Allen Iverson and their U.S. teammates played harder
than any other team in the Olympics, but the team simply wasn't skilled enough to win,
writes columnist Michael Wilbon of The Washington Post.
Updated: 5:58 p.m. ET Aug. 28, 2004
COMMENTARY
By Michael Wilbon
Columnist
Updated: 5:58 p.m. ET Aug. 28, 2004ATHENS, Greece - The dirty little secret about this U.S. men's basketball team is that it has played harder than any team in the Olympics and has been superior at doing anything that required plain old-fashioned effort. If there was a ball on the floor, the Americans were almost certain to dive on it first. If there was a loose rebound, the U.S. players were usually quicker to it than anybody. It wasn't a lack of desire or fight that led the U.S. men to the bronze medal game.
It was a lack of skill.
More..........
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5845326/
France's Absalon new king of mountain bikes -
Wife collapses as gold medalist turns up heat on competition
Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
Julien Absalon of France navigates a corner on the way
to the gold medal Saturday in the men's mountain bike race.
The Associated Press
Updated: 2:31 p.m. ET Aug. 28, 2004
ATHENS, Greece - Julien Absalon spent the last three months studying a tape he’d made of the Olympic mountain bike course, analyzing every twist and turn in search of an edge.
The Frenchman left the course with more pictures Saturday — in these, he was holding a gold medal.
Absalon, a 24-year-old former junior world champion, won the final cycling event of the Athens Games, finishing the rugged 26.9 miles in 2 hours, 15 minutes, 2 seconds.
“My preparation was very tough,” Absalon said. “I’ve dreamed of this moment a hundred times before. Now it’s true. It’s for real.”
Jose Antonio Hermida of Spain finished one minute back and won silver; the Netherlands’ Bart Brentjens, the world’s No. 1 rider and 1996 Olympic champion, took the bronze. Brentjens was only one second behind Absalon after three laps, yet finished 2:03 back.
“In the end, the tank just doesn’t stay full,” Brentjens said.
Todd Wells of Durango, Colo. finished 19th, matching the best-ever Olympic finish by an American men’s mountain biker. Wells’ time was 2:24:37, or 9:35 behind Absalon, who entered the race fourth in the International Cycling Union’s world rankings.
“He’s always right up there,” Wells said. “It’s not a surprise that he won, not by any means.”
Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski of Boulder, Colo. placed 21st; he, like Wells, was making his Olympic debut. Horgan-Kobelski outsprinted Czech rider Radim Korinek to the finish line and finished in 2:25:28. Both Americans were slowed by a crash on the starting lap, and couldn’t catch the lead pack.
“This is the Olympics, and I wasn’t going to leave anything out there,” Horgan-Kobelski said. “And I did that. You can’t help but be satisfied when you’ve given it everything you can.”
It was the final cycling event of the Athens Games. Australia, with 10 medals, dominated the overall standings; Germany, with six medals, finished second; the United States won three medals, all in the road time trials on Aug. 18.
Weather again played a significant factor, as it has in virtually every road and mountain cycling event at the Athens Games. Temperatures reached 90 at the Mount Parnitha course, and the bright sunshine took a toll.
With two laps remaining, Absalon’s French teammate, 2000 Olympic champion Miguel Martinez, dropped out because of dehydration and cramps. And as her husband passed by one lap later, Emilie Absalon collapsed in the sun and remained down on the gravel for several minutes.
Her husband, though, remained cool all day.
He spent much of the first half of the race in a tight battle at the front, with a half-dozen riders separated by a few seconds. Midway through the fifth lap of the seven-lap spin around the course, Absalon took off and no one could stay with him.
“I accelerated and that was working,” Absalon said. “So I pursued on the same tempo.”
Absalon was among the favorites, especially after winning the Olympic preview event at Mount Parnitha in May. Belgian world champion Filip Meirhaeghe — a silver medalist at Sydney — pulled out of the field last month after testing positive for EPO, which increases endurance by pumping more oxygen to red blood cells.
The Olympic race completed a long road for Wells, who quit his job as a project manager for IBM in 2001 — abandoning six-figure earning potential and instead opting to make his living riding in races where a typical first prize is about $3,000.
“You always want to do better,” Wells said. “But today, that was all I had.”
Mountain Biking - Men's (medals: Aug. 28th)
Medal Athlete Country Result
Gold Julien Absalon France 2:15.02
Silver Jose Antonio Hermida Spain 2:16:02
Bronze Bart Brentjens Netherlands 2:17:05
• NBCO: Schedules, preliminary result and complete final results
Britain upsets U.S. in men’s 400 relay
Another sloppy baton pass dooms favored Americans
Toby Melville / Reuters
Britain's Mark Lewis-Francis, right, crosses the finish line to win the men's
400 relay final ahead of Maurice Greene of the U.S.
The Associated Press
Updated: 7:29 p.m. ET Aug. 28, 2004
ATHENS, Greece - Maurice Greene grabbed the baton and accelerated toward the finish, blowing past a Nigerian and reeling in Britain’s Mark Lewis-Francis.
But even the self-proclaimed greatest sprinter of all time could not make up for a sloppy handoff earlier in the race Saturday, and his chest crossed the line just a hair behind the Brit’s. The United States was forced to settle for silver by an excruciating hundredth of a second on a night their teammates easily won gold in two other relays.
“I almost caught him in the end, but almost isn’t good enough,” Greene said. “I hope we pleased the fans and I hope we didn’t let anybody down. If we did, I apologize.”
The mighty men of U.S. sprinting, who’ve dominated the Athens Games with five of the six medals in the 100 and 200, lost the 400-meter relay for only the fifth time in Olympic history.
A sloppy baton pass from Justin Gatlin to Coby Miller in the middle of the race left Greene too much ground to make up.
“Because of the crowd noise I couldn’t hear Gatlin call ’stick,”’ said Miller, who ran the third leg. “So I slowed down, because if I had run out of my pass zone we wouldn’t have won a medal at all.”
Gatlin said he stepped on Miller’s foot and ripped a hole in his shoe, “just like somebody cut it with scissors.”
“Thank God I didn’t cut him,” Gatlin said. “I think he did a good job making up ground, especially with a ripped shoe.”
One night earlier, a bad handoff from Marion Jones to 100 silver medalist Lauryn Williams knocked the heavily favored U.S. women out of their relay.
The U.S. team finished with 24 track and field medals, tops among all nations and the most by Americans since 30 in 1992. The men had 18 — also the best showing since 1992 — but the six women’s medals were the fewest since three in 1976.
Greene took the baton in second place and with a burst of speed in the final 30 meters, he almost made up the gap behind Lewis-Francis. If the race was five meters longer, he probably would have won.
Lewis-Francis crossed the finish line and turned to yell in Greene’s direction. His British team won in 38.07 seconds, and the Americans won silver in 38.08 — after saying for days they would smash the world record of 37.40. Nigeria took bronze.
“I wasn’t worried about Maurice Greene, I knew I had it as soon as I got the baton,” Lewis-Francis said. “We have proved everyone wrong today. Everyone ran the race of their life.”
Since 1920, the United States had won every 400-meter relay except for a silver in 1996, disqualifications in 1960 and 1988 for going out of the exchange zone, and the 1980 boycotted games.
On Saturday, instead of preening and clowning on the victory stand as they did with their gold medals in 2000, the relay team was subdued as they accepted their silver.
U.S.’s Lopez takes men's taekwondo gold
American jumps up to 80kg class, wins another Olympic title
China's world champ wins women's 67kg gold
Al Behrman / AP
Steven Lopez, left, from the U.S., competes against Yossef Karami, from Iran, in the men's under 80kg class Saturday. Lopez won to advance to the gold medal match where he beat Turkey's Bahri Tanrikulu.
The Associated Press
Updated: 6:14 p.m. ET Aug. 28, 2004
U.S. double gold winner Wariner turning pro
Michael Johnson's coach will continue to work with track sensation
Dylan Martinez / Reuters
Jeremy Wariner celebrates winning the 400-meter final.
The Associated Press
Updated: 6:27 p.m. ET Aug. 28, 2004
ATHENS, Greece - Jeremy Wariner decided it was the right time to turn pro after winning two Olympic gold medals.
Wariner announced his decision Saturday night after taking gold with the 1,600-meter relay team, adding to the gold he won in the 400. He plans to stay at Baylor to continue his education. Classes start next week.
“I’ve done all I can do. Now it’s time for me to step to the next stage and see what I can do there,” Wariner said.
Wariner also pulled the double earlier this year at the NCAA outdoor championships, winning the 400 and helping Baylor take the 1,600 relay. He also won the U.S. Olympic trials and led a 1-2-3 finish in the 400 earlier this week.
He will stay with Baylor coach Clyde Hart, who also guided Michael Johnson to Olympic gold.
“I think it’s the right decision,” Hart said. “He has a window of opportunity of about 10-12 years, and every year he delays it something could happen. He has a rare opportunity. If he had come in here and had a good meet he still would have gotten good offers.
“But now with two gold medals, it’s an opportunity you can’t pass up. I certainly understand that and I’m very supportive of it.”
Wariner said he started thinking about turning pro after the NCAA season, but made the final decision during the Olympics. He has not signed any endorsement deals yet, but will talk to Nike, Adidas and Reebok next week.
© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Russia defends title in team Rhythmic
Russia performs during the group all-around final round of the Rhythmic Gymnastic
at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004.
Russia won the gold medal.
(AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
SportsYahoo.com
Updated on Saturday, Aug 28, 2004 10:49 am EDT
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- The Russians had to jump through some hoops to win a gold medal -- literally.
The defending Olympic champions won another gold in group rhythmic gymnastics Saturday, scoring 51.100 points to edge Italy and Bulgaria in the colorful smorgasbord of tossing and twirling.
Eight teams of five women each vied for the championship. Each had two turns on the mat -- one with five ribbons, the other with three hoops and two balls.
The Russians also won a bronze in 1996, the year group rhythmic was added to the games. Italy won its first Olympic medal in the sport. Bulgaria, which won silver at the Atlanta Olympics, returned to the medal stand after being shut out in 2000.
China Dolls
AFP
JOEL SAGET
The girls from China turned in an eye pleasing performance in the final of the team rhythmic gymnastics.
They eventually settled for sixth place as world champions Russia claimed gold.
08/29/2004 00:40 © AFP
Medals Awarded
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/2004/medaltracker/medalTrackerByTotal.html
Last Updated Sat. Aug 28, 6:03 PM
Sort By Total Medals Gold Medals Silver Medals Bronze Medals Countries Sports
Country Total Medals Gold Silver Bronze
United States 100 34 38 28
Russia 81 23 26 32
China 61 31 17 13
Australia 49 17 16 16
Germany 47 14 15 18
Japan 36 15 10 11
France 31 11 8 12
Italy 29 9 10 10
Great Britain 29 9 8 12
South Korea 27 8 11 8
Netherlands 22 4 9 9
Ukraine 21 9 5 7
Cuba 20 5 6 9
Romania 19 8 5 6
Spain 19 3 11 5
Hungary 17 8 6 3
Greece 15 6 5 4
Belarus 14 2 4 8
Canada 12 3 6 3
Bulgaria 12 2 1 9
Poland 10 3 2 5
Brazil 8 3 3 2
Turkey 8 3 2 3
Czech Republic 8 1 3 4
Sweden 7 4 1 2
Thailand 7 3 0 4
Austria 7 2 4 1
Ethiopia 7 2 3 2
Kenya 7 1 4 2
Denmark 7 1 0 6
Norway 6 5 0 1
Slovakia 6 2 2 2
Argentina 6 2 0 4
South Africa 6 1 3 2
New Zealand 5 3 2 0
Chinese Taipei 5 2 2 1
Jamaica 5 2 1 2
Switzerland 5 1 1 3
North Korea 5 0 4 1
Kazakhstan 5 0 3 2
Georgia 4 2 2 0
Iran 4 2 1 1
Indonesia 4 1 1 2
Azerbaijan 4 1 0 3
Latvia 4 0 4 0
Mexico 4 0 3 1
Croatia 4 0 2 2
Slovenia 4 0 1 3
Morocco 3 2 1 0
Chile 3 2 0 1
Lithuania 3 1 2 0
Zimbabwe 3 1 1 1
Belgium 3 1 0 2
Egypt 3 1 0 2
Portugal 3 0 2 1
Estonia 3 0 1 2
Uzbekistan 2 2 0 0
Bahamas 2 1 0 1
Israel 2 1 0 1
Finland 2 0 2 0
Colombia 2 0 0 2
Nigeria 2 0 0 2
Cameroon 1 1 0 0
Dominican Republic 1 1 0 0
Ireland 1 1 0 0
United Arab Emirates 1 1 0 0
Hong Kong, China 1 0 1 0
India 1 0 1 0
Paraguay 1 0 1 0
Serbia and Montenegro 1 0 1 0
Eritrea 1 0 0 1
Mongolia 1 0 0 1
Syria 1 0 0 1
Trinidad & Tobago 1 0 0 1
Venezuela 1 0 0 1
Last Updated Sat. Aug 28, 6:03 PM
Thanks, It's been fun, but will soon be over.
Right before the Olympics I came across occasional Olympics related articles,
but didn't know the appropriate place to post them.
So, the logical thing to do was to create an Olympics board.
In a couple more days it will be all over.
BTW you and Art have done a great job with the board, providing the updates and the pictures. Congrats!
very cool pic...
They have done a GREAT job. And funny too the witewater kayak competition was done on a man made river with salt water piped in from the ocean. The only complaint from the competitors was the taste of the salt spray in the rapids.
Other than that they all said it was a first class venue for the whitewater competition.
Unbelievable. Not since 1912!!!!! Surprisingly swimming is fairly big here in NC but they don't have any diving for the kids. I'm wondering if it's come down to a liability issue that won't allow the little kids to dive anymore and therefore we're not excelling anymore????
I am sorry but synchronized hoola hoops should not be an Olympic sport for chrissakes!!!!
Athens deserves a gold medal for 2004 Games
Predictions of chaos never came true as Greece proved it could do it
Updated: 3:56 a.m. ET Aug. 28, 2004
ATHENS, Greece - It’s official — the Olympics were a success. The venues were not only finished but they stayed standing, transportation ran on time, streets were clean and security did such a good job that even petty crime went down.
Despite the years of predictions that the Games would be nothing short of chaotic, Athens did more than just pull it off — it hosted what most visitors are calling an unforgettable experience.
In the months leading up to the Olympics, the organizers tried to convince the world. With press conferences and media interviews, they insisted that Athens would be ready. But few believed it — not even the Greeks.
“Three months ago I passed the stadium and was so nervous. I thought there was no way they could get it done in time,” said Athens resident Vicky Micheli, 22. “The last two months I’ve seen Athens totally change.”
In some ways the Greeks are lucky. They did what needed to be done, but they are also blessed with a forgiving audience who turned a blind eye to anything that was less-than-perfect.
“You can really feel the Olympic spirit,” said Canadian Marina Marinou, an Olympic volunteer nurse and resident of Athens for the past eight years. “The world is one in Athens.”
When else is it possible to bring together people from 202 nations and not witness one fight? When else can you wave your flag, be proud of where you come from and still admire your opponents for their hard work?
Despite the rave reviews, the perception still exists outside Athens that the Games were as chaotic as the media predicted in the months leading up to the Games. The public just can’t seem to believe that not only is everything finished and running smoothly, it is also a lot of fun to be here.
“When I got back the only thing people would say to me was, “How was it? It was a disaster, right?” said Robert Stafler, 29, who came to the Games from Tel Aviv last week for five days. “No one can believe how much fun it actually was.”
In Athens, the first thing the residents ask visitors is, “Honestly, what do you think of our country? Don’t say you like it just because I am Greek.”
And when the answer is a positive, “It’s beautiful,” or “The Greeks are wonderful hosts,” a self-satisfied smile appears on the questioners’ faces. Unfailingly, their response is a proud, “It is the most beautiful country,” or “We proved that we can do anything.”
That feeling of national pride is evident all over the flag-draped capital.
"There is another spirit in the city: the self-esteem, the feeling that we can make it, a feeling that everybody is responsible for the future of this country," Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyannis told Reuters on Friday.
Athens has convinced itself and its Olympic visitors of its greatness, now it’s time to convince the rest of the world.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5844181/
Olympics marred only by politics and money
Iraqi soccer ‘Cinderella’ story used to justify and simplify war,
money too prevalent in an otherwise glorious Games
REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK
By Martin Fletcher
Correspondent
NBC News
Updated: 9:03 a.m. ET Aug. 28, 2004
For a foreign correspondent used to covering the sounds of war, chaos and bombs, the bang of the starting pistol and the order of track and field are more than a welcome break
But although the Olympic Games reflect the pinnacle of human achievement in many fields and are startlingly impressive on many levels, such as the physical strength and beauty of the athletes, the majestic architecture of the venues, television's total mastery of its medium, nevertheless I'm bothered by some of what I see.
For instance, the Cinderella story of the Iraqi soccer team. From nowhere they reached the semifinals, accompanied by a rising crescendo of media hype, stressing how far they've come, from Odai's torture chambers to Olympic glory, the subtext being that they should be thankful for the war. Their success somehow justified the invasion of Iraq, and even President Bush, when asked about his favorite Olympic spectacle answered, rather unconvincingly, "the Iraqi soccer team."
Mostly unreported was the uncomfortable fact that the only people who didn't seem to share this fervor was the Iraqi soccer team and their Iraqi fans. Players were quoted as saying they hated America and the occupation of their country and their coach said that his players talked about killing six Americans. But little of this was allowed to undermine the rousing narrative of their success.
Truer to form was the reaction of one of their fans when Iraq lost to Argentina. As the disappointed Iraqi fan passed NBC cameraman Sebastian Rich he sucker-punched him in the back, sending Sebastian to the hospital with a suspected bruised kidney. At least Sebastian didn't get his head cut off.
Then there's the television executive, when asked about the success of the broadcasting, responded that the most important thing was that the advertisers were happy.
As a matter of fact, from what I saw, so were the athletes and the spectators but that appeared to be of secondary interest. But at least the executive was telling it like it was.
It's all about the money. The Olympics are a gigantic selling opportunity and everybody involved milks the golden cow for all they can. From special edition Olympic watches to anything with the Olympic rings on it, through Athenian taxi-drivers who seem directly descended from the charioteers of the early Olympics to my hotel owner who jacked his prices up six-fold, the Olympics are the pinnacle of the quick buck.
But these are small disappointments compared to the sheer joy and fun of being here. And to mark my unexpected small involvement in Athens 2004, here are my personal medal awards.
Gold goes to the 60,000 unpaid Greek volunteers, mostly students, who slept in the homes of friends, hitch-hiked to work and smiled till their cheeks ached, all to help give Greece a good name. They did.
Silver is awarded to the Olympic driving lane which allowed accredited Olympics visitors to bypass horrendous traffic jams. The silver is shared with the rest of the Athens drivers who could have complained at this blatant favoritism. They didn't.
Bronze goes to youth. I must say, surrounded by all these incredibly fit athletes who appear to be a super-species from a different planet, I've never felt so old. Luckily most journalists look even worse than me.
And finally, before returning to my usual beat of bombs and chaos that I mentioned at the top, a note to NBC executives. I know a lot about skiing. hint hint.
Martin Fletcher is the NBC News Bureau Chief and lead correspondent in Tel Aviv. He is currently on assignment in Athens.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5846934/
West Coast viewers miss Dream Team collapse
Sam Kellerman / FOXSports.com
Aug. 28, 2004
Posted: 1 hour ago
Hey, NBC programmers. Need a new one? Cause I'm about to rip it for you.
You decided that I wasn't allowed to watch Team USA play the basketball semifinal against Argentina until after the game was over.
The TV listings said the game would air live at 1 pm, Eastern Time. Which led me to believe that it would play live on the West Coast, where I currently reside, at 10 am, given the three hour time difference.
It never even occurred to me that the programmers at NBC would prevent California — a state with an economy bigger than all but four nations in the world — from watching a game of worldwide importance live.
But they were indeed that stupid over at the No Basketball Conscience network.
I turned on my TV set at 10:00 am, Friday morning, ready to support the twelve NBA players who decided that representing America in the 2004 Olympic Games was more important than anything else on their summer schedules.
What did I see when I tuned in to NBC? The Ellen Degeneres show. I turned to the USA Channel, where team USA's previous games had been played, but all I saw was something about sharks. I quickly scoured every NBC-affiliated network on cable — you know, all those unwatchable, half-assed news channels — but Team USA was nowhere to be found.
So I logged onto NBC's olympic website, where I discovered the unfathomable truth: the basketball semifinal would be played at the same time — 1 pm — on both coasts. Meaning live in New York, but on tape in Los Angeles.
On tape in Los Angeles! Home to the NBA's greatest ever basketball franchise, the Lakers. The setting for most of basketball's most legendary careers — those of Wilt, West, Kareem, Magic, Shaq, Kobe — the players who inspired people all over the globe to love and learn the game. Los Angeles, the basketball capital of the world.
I was forced to sit in front of my computer, in Los Angeles, log onto an Olympics site, and hit the refresh button every five seconds. Watching the numbers change next to where it said ARG and USA, I followed the drama in its coldest form, as two scores racing each other up while the clock ticked down. This method of "watching" was demeaning. I say that without a trace of humor or melodrama or irony or dry wit. I'm deadly serious. It was demeaning and insulting.
I'm the kind of guy who doesn't like to insult people. If you read my past articles on this site, you will notice that I almost always choose to write in a positive tone about someone who is accomplishing something special in sports. Unlike some other journalists, I prefer to give the deserving their props, rather than tear people down.
But if you step on my toes hard enough, I will whup your ass one way or another. NBC, you made me do this.
It's no wonder that ABC now has the NBA Finals, while Fox has the two biggest events in American sports — the World Series and the Super Bowl. It makes perfect sense that NBC is currently completely shut out of championship coverage in the great triumvirate of team sports in this country.
I think the NFL, MLB, and NBA are too unabashedly American for NBC, a network which seems to relish covering an international sporting event where American athletes are discouraged from showing outward pride about where they're from.
Judging from their news department's fawning coverage of the United Nations and harsh coverage of the Bush administration, it does seem as though NBC believes that America should know its place.
As far as sports coverage goes, the peacock has buried its head so far up its own tail feathers that it was unable to see why the entire west coast of the United States would want to watch live coverage of the most important game in USA Olympic basketball history.
Good job, you freaking imbeciles. At least you still have Seinfeld and Friends. Oh wait, you don't.
http://msn.foxsports.com/id/2707982
U.S. divers shut out for first time in 92 years
Beth Harris / Associated Press
Aug. 28, 2004
Posted: 17 hours ago
ATHENS, Greece (AP) - U.S. divers won't be getting any medals at these Olympics - a stunning result for a country that used to rule the boards.
The first shutout in 92 years was assured when Caesar Garcia and Kyle Prandi failed to advance out of the 10-meter platform preliminaries Friday.
Now comes the job of figuring out what went wrong.
"It is a surprise and it's been a difficult games for USA Diving," team leader Russ Bertram said. "We've struggled internationally for a while."
The slowdown started in 1996, when the Americans earned only a couple of bronzes in Atlanta. Then Laura Wilkinson won a surprise gold four years ago, the only diving medal captured in Sydney.
This time, the highest U.S. finish was a fifth by Wilkinson on 10-meter platform, with four divers - Kimiko Soldati, Justin Wilcock, Garcia and Prandi - failing to get out of the preliminaries in their events.
"This games proved more than anything that diving is a very precarious sport," Bertram said. "There were many events that the expected outcome was not what it was. Things can shift in a heartbeat."
The Americans' showing is arguably their worst ever. The only other time they failed to win a medal was the 1912 Stockholm Games, when there were four diving events. In Athens, there were twice as many.
Because of IOC rules limiting the number of spots for each country, the United States wasn't able to bring its specialists in every event.
USA Diving used a new selection format this year, picking the synchro teams first. The top two divers in each individual event weren't necessarily guaranteed a spot on the Olympic team as in previous years.
"We were under some of the most difficult constrictions ever on selection procedures," said Bertram, adding that USA Diving believed its best medal hopes were in synchro because only eight countries competed in those events.
Troy and Justin Dumais were second going into the final round of the synchro springboard competition. China's duo was first, but amazingly scored zero points, leaving the door open for the brothers. But they missed their tandem dive and wound up sixth.
"It was one fluke dive here and there that cost us," said Jeff Shaffer, who coaches Garcia. "Justin and Troy were right there to win the gold. It just didn't work out."
Prandi finished third on the platform at the U.S. trials, which wouldn't have been good enough to qualify in past years. He made it this time by being on the synchronized team, pairing with Mark Ruiz to finish last off the tower.
The United States was once the world's diving superpower, winning 41 of the 62 gold medals available between 1904 - when the sport made its Olympic debut at St. Louis - and the 1976 Montreal Games.
The balance of power began shifting in the 1980s, despite the brilliance of Greg Louganis.
Shaffer isn't sure where to lay the blame.
"We need to find a way to compete up to the level that they always have at these meets. Honestly, I don't think it's a lack of ability," he said. "Maybe it's just discipline, maybe we just need to be a little more dedicated to being better today than we were yesterday. We don't need to get excited about getting 8s, when a little correction can make it a 9."
Five divers on the 11-member U.S. team - Wilkinson, Soldati, the Dumais brothers and Wilcock - train together with coach Ken Armstrong at The Woodlands complex near Houston.
But the United States still lacks the financial backing of countries such as China, where government support allows athletes to focus on their performances - not putting meals on the table and paying bills.
"It's difficult times when it comes to supporting our athletes in the U.S.," said Bertram, a former elite diver. "We're a small sport. The funding for these kids is key. My hope is that we can find ways to again make these kids' daily training conducive to success, and that means more financial support."
Rachelle Kunkel, who finished ninth on 3-meter springboard, sandwiches her training around a 36-hour-a-week job as a labor and delivery nurse. She has no sponsors.
China could win its sixth diving gold of the Athens Games in men's 10-meter platform Saturday.
"When China selects their team, sometimes they leave their gold medalists home," Shaffer said. "They want to bring in younger divers, but our system doesn't allow it."
Teenagers Thomas Finchum and Brittany Viola were left off the team, despite finishing second in their events at the trials.
"It would have been good to have them here," Shaffer said. "It would be in our best interest to really accelerate their competition schedule, so they can get as much experience as possible before 2008."
Bertram cited Finchum's emergence as proof of U.S. efforts to identify rising talent, which can take up to seven years to pay off at the Olympics.
"We're going to surprise a lot of people next time around," Bertram said.
http://msn.foxsports.com/story/2707966
Taekwondo athlete released from hospital
Associated Press
Aug. 28, 2004
Posted: 19 minutes ago
ATHENS, Greece (AP) - An athlete from the Central African Republic was released from the hospital Saturday, one day after he was briefly being knocked unconscious in an Olympic taekwondo bout.
Bertrand Gbongou Liango was hospitalized for precautionary tests after he was kicked in the left side of the head by Tuncay Caliskan of Austria during their 150-pound (68 kg) preliminary bout Friday. His head snapped back and he fell face-down to the mat.
He lay motionless while being counted out and was carried off on a stretcher.
Liango was released from Kat hospital in Athens on Saturday afternoon, the Greek health ministry said. He sustained a concussion.
Liango, 22, was unconscious but breathing as he was carried off and after a couple minutes he started moving his hands and regained consciousness, according to a doctor at the site.
Liango was leading 4-1 in the third and final round of his bout when a roundhouse kick from Caliskan knocked him unconscious.
Caliskan's kick was legal. In taekwondo, competitors score points by kicking or punching their opponents. They are allowed to punch only the body, but can kick their opponent's head.
Blows to the head count for two points, and a blow to the body is worth one point. Competitors wear padded headgear and chest and abdomen protectors.
http://msn.foxsports.com/story/2706752
Danish Dynamite
AFP
ADRIAN DENNIS
Denmark and their powerful women's handball team will play for the gold medal on Saturday after they thrashed the Ukraine 29-20. South Korea will be their opponents after they edged France by one goal in the other semi-final.
08/28/2004 17:31 © AFP
Can Can
AFP
MAXIM MARMUR
Two gold medals in the space of half-an-hour on Saturday morning
had Hungary's Natasa Janics dancing with joy.
She took the Olympic title in women's 500m K1 and K2.
08/28/2004 17:31 © AFP
Lords of the Ring
AFP
FAYEZ NURELDINE
At the eye-catching wrestling stadium the freestyle 96kg competition was in full swing on Saturday.
08/28/2004 17:31 © AFP
China equalled world record in 110m hurdles
AFP
ROBERTO SCHMIDT
China's Liu Xiang pushed himself to the limit as he won the 110m hurdles and equalled the world record.
There was disappointment for France as their man Ladji Doucoure stumbled at the last hurdle and finished last.
08/28/2004 17:31 © AFP
Powell Scraps Plan to Attend Olympics Ceremony
Greek activists display banner on the Acropolis hours before a scheduled visit
by the Secretary of State Colin Powell to Greece August 28, 2004.
Photo by John Kolesidis/Reuters
Sat Aug 28, 2004 07:39 AM ET
By Michele Kambas
ATHENS (Reuters) - Secretary of State Colin Powell abruptly canceled plans to attend the Olympics closing ceremony in Athens on Sunday, a visit that had triggered angry protests from anti-war groups.
The State Department said the cancellation was forced in part because of events in Iraq and Sudan.
U.S. and Greek officials denied Powell changed plans because of protests against U.S. foreign policy that were dispersed when police hurled tear gas on Friday at about 1,000 demonstrators headed in the direction of the U.S. Embassy in Athens.
But Greek activists, who said the threat of street protests also forced Powell to cancel a trip in 2003, were crowing with victory.
"Of course, the cancellation was linked to our protests," activist Yiannis Sifakakis told Reuters. "This is a huge victory for the anti-war movement which protested by the thousands in the streets of Athens last night."
U.S. foreign policy on issues ranging from the Middle East conflict, its war on terror and the war in Iraq is deeply unpopular among Greeks.
On Saturday Greek activists hoisted a massive banner saying "Powell Killer Go Home" on the Acropolis hillside towering over Athens to protest against his planned 24-hour visit. A Greek government source described the use of the site as deplorable.
Later, about 1,500 members of the Greek Communist Party peacefully marched through Athens chanting "Get the Killer Imperialists Out of Greece."
"Secretary of State Colin Powell informed Greek Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis that due to the press of business in Washington the secretary would not be able to travel to Athens to attend the closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said in a statement.
Powell called Molyviatis on Friday and "expressed his congratulations to the government and people of Greece for hosting a spectacular, safe and successful Olympics."
The Greek government said the two agreed Powell would visit Greece in the first half of October.
The fact that Powell would come was the "best answer to all the wrong speculation claiming that the demonstrations were the reason for the cancellation," a Greek foreign ministry source said.
The International Olympic Committee declined to comment on Powell's decision.
Some Americans in central Syndagma Square appeared startled at a procession of red flag-waving Greeks carrying posters vilifying Powell.
"Powell is anything but a killer. This makes me sick to the stomach. It is very disheartening," said Judith Foudy, a tourist from California.
Before news of the cancellation became known, activists had been secretly planning to stage further protests over the weekend, sources in the anti-war movement said.
A senior U.S. official hinted that Powell's trip might have caused unspecified difficulties for Greece, which has mounted a major security operation to keep the Olympics safe.
"The Greeks have done a terrific job with the Olympics and the last thing that we want to do is have complications with a trip that might detract from their success," said the official, who asked not to be named.
© Copyright Reuters 2004. All rights reserved. Any copying, re-publication or re-distribution of Reuters content or of any content used on this site, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without prior written consent of Reuters.
Final Event of the Decathlon
The final event of the decathlon, the 1500 m, left competitors laying on the track in exhaustion.
The decathlon was won by Czech Roman Sebrle; American Bryan Clay took silver.
Eric Fefergert/Getty Images
Aug. 24, 2004
NBCOLYMPICS.com
Wordld record holder in the 1500 m
The world record holder in the 1500 m and the mile, Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco confirmed his status as the greatest middle distance runner of his generation by winning an Olympic gold medal in the 1500 m.
Eric Fefergert/Getty Images
Aug. 24, 2004
NBCOLYMPICS.com
Playing ball into the sunset ...
On the softball diamond, the US women beat China 4-0 with Lori Harrigan pitching a one-hitter.
Eric Fefergert/Getty Images
Aug. 17, 2004
NBCOLYMPICS.com
War-torn nation has enjoyed escape of soccer
SOCCER Crazed Iraqi fans
The Associated Press
Updated: 7:49 p.m. ET Aug. 25, 2004
BAGHDAD, Iraq - In this downtrodden country, where the only thing that can be counted on is a daily dose of dark news, Iraq’s scrappy Olympic soccer team interrupted the daily blues with a string of improbable victories.
But on Wednesday, Iraq slumped back into the familiar reality of defeat after a batch of fleet-footed Paraguayans toppled the dashing Iraqis 3-1 in Athens.
“What a waste!” yelled Saad Abbas, slapping the couch with his palm as an Iraqi goal shot flew wide of the net.
“It’s a crime!” shouted Saadi al-Asidy, throwing his arms into the air. “They’re not concentrating in the goal.”
Despite the loss, Iraq still has a shot at a bronze medal when it plays Italy on Friday.
It was a frustrating night in the faux Moorish lobby lounge of the Palestine Hotel, where a bank of chain-smoking employees hunched around the wide-screen TV. The men bellowed curses as Iraq’s offense, dribbling downfield in their shimmering green uniforms, flubbed shot after shot on the Paraguayans’ goal.
“We’ve always got bad news — explosions, terrorists, bloody things,” Abbas said in a reedy baritone tempered from two hours of smoking and shouting. “We’d like to hear some nice news.”
“We’re looking for a little joy,” added al-Asidy, slumping back as an Iraqi shot landed on top of the net, rather than inside it.
The low point in the match — and in the bar — came late in the second half. Paraguayan player Jose Cardozo, in his red, white and blue uniform, scampered alone down the field and scored an easy goal, the team’s third. The Iraqis had yet to net one of their own.
“Why? Why?” erupted one man, who cursed Iraq’s goalkeeper.
“Don’t blame him, it’s the defense’s fault,” al-Asidy said, pointing out that Iraq’s defenders had been foolishly clumped around Paraguay’s goal in a failed attempt to notch a point of their own.
Al-Asidy rationalized the loss by pointing out that the hastily organized Iraqi team had, until recently, few of the amenities of other Olympic teams.
Not only do the games come during a long guerrilla offensive in Najaf. Just a year ago, Iraq’s soccer federation had been disbanded, the team had no facilities and no cash and the nation had been suspended by the International Olympic Committee.
The IOC reinstated Iraq only in February, giving it time to prepare for the games. It still can’t play on home turf because other nations won’t come here.
Just qualifying for the Olympics was a feat for the Iraqis. But the gritty team beat Portugal, Costa Rica and Australia, converting the Iraqis into the games’ favorite underdog and giving the beleaguered nation a much-needed boost in pride.
Abbas said Iraq’s rebels ought to consider backing their national team instead of sowing chaos.
“In our entire history we’ve never gotten this far,” he said. “It’s a sign that the Iraqi people like to compete with other nations and see the rest of the world.
“We’re a clever people. We just need an opportunity to prove ourselves.”
© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Argentina wins first Olympic gold in soccer -
Early goal puts Argentina past Paraguay 1-0
Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Argentina's Carlos Tevez scored the game-winning goal in the 18th minute.
By Erika Sauerwein, NBCOlympics.com
POSTED: Saturday, August 28, 5:31 a.m.
UPDATED: Saturday, August 28, 9:51 a.m.
No team has ever dominated the men's Olympic tournament as Argentina did in Athens.
With a 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the gold-medal match Saturday at the main Olympic Stadium in Athens, Argentina (6-0) became the first team, since group play was introduced, to go through the tournament without conceding a goal.
Argentina recorded an amazing 17 goals for the tournament and gave up none.
Coming into the game, dazzling striker Carlos Tevez led all tournament scorers with seven goals and he continued his scoring streak against Paraguay. He netted Argentina's lone goal in the 18th minute, getting just enough of a foot on a Mauro Rosales cross to flick it past goalkeeper Diego Barreto.
The victory gives Argentina's its first Olympic gold in soccer. It also gives Argentina its first gold medal since the 1952 Games.
"As always we got into the game quickly and we scored easily in the first 20 minutes," Andres D Alessandro said. "We made history and we dedicate this win and the gold medal to the people of Argentina."
Despite the loss, Paraguay (4-2) also made history. Just by making it to the final game, Paraguay ensured its country its first Olympic medal in any event.
"It was a tough group from the beginning for us, but we overcame all the difficulties and winning the silver medal is very important," Paraguay's Edgar Barreto said.
The game, which marked the first all-South American match-up for gold since the 1928 Amsterdam Games, was a physical one. The game featured eight yellow cards and two red cards. Only one card belonged to Argentina.
Paraguay, which was obviously outclassed in the match up, was without its star striker in overage player Jose Cardozo, who was injured. Cardozo had a team-leading five goals in the tournament.
Argentina's offensive chemistry started clicking early as the team posted several shots.
The game's physical nature started in the 30th minute when veteran defender Carlos Gamarra gave Tevez a brutal elbow to the face. Gamarra surprisingly only received a yellow card, but the incident caused some pushing between the two teams.
Argentina continued to have several chances to ice the game in the second half, but the team failed to score again. In the 53rd minute, Tevez turned inside the box, but his powerful shot was just wide of the goal.
The first of Paraguay's two red cards came in the 66th minute. Emilio Martinez was sent off the field for giving D Alessandro a shot to the face.
Despite playing a man down, Paraguay's offense was actually sparked by the incident. Paraguay finally gave Argentinean goalkeeper German Lux some action. (Lux was forced to just make 14 saves for the tournament.)
Perhaps Paraguay's best chance of the game came in the 72nd minute when Diego Figueredo took a pass inside the box. He beat two defenders to get off a quality shot, but Lux's outstretched hand was able to get part of the ball and send it wide. Paraguay had another chance in the 80th minute, when a free kick was bobbled by Lux.
With eight minutes left in the game Paraguay found itself two-men down. Figueredo received his second yellow card of the game when he intentionally played the ball with his hands.
With the victory, Argentina eases the pain of a bitter shootout loss to rival Brazil in the Copa America final last month.
Argentina, which has two silvers in Olympic soccer, came close to gold at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Argentina led 2-1 in the second half of the gold-medal match, but Nigeria scored twice in the last 17 minutes to win 3-2.
Elbowing gets a yellow card
Paraguay's captain Carlos Gamarra got a yellow card for elbowing Argentina's Carlos Tevez in the face.
AP
Posted: Saturday August 28, 2004 4:58AM;
Updated: Saturday August 28, 2004 5:22AM
Absalon gives France gold at last
France's Julien Absalon rides during the men's Olympic mountain bike
cross country race at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games August 28, 2004.
28/08/2004
REUTERS/Jason Reed
By Gideon Long
ATHENS, Aug 28 (Reuters) - The French cycling team salvaged some pride from an otherwise dismal Olympics on Saturday when Julien Absalon won gold in the mountain bike cross country race.
Absalon completed the 43.3-km course on the dusty tracks of Mount Parnitha in two and a quarter hours, grabbing a French tri-colour as he rode to the line and waving it aloft while pointing to the sky.
Spain's Jose Antonio Hermida, who turned 26 on Tuesday, gave himself a silver medal as a late birthday present.
He dropped his bike after crossing the line and fell spreadeagled on his back before getting up and running over to embrace Absalon.
Dutchman Bart Brentjens held off a spirited late attack from Belgium's Roul Paulissen to take bronze, eight years after he won the inaugural Olympic mountain bike title in Atlanta.
Defending champion Miguel Martinez of France kept pace with the leaders for the first five of seven laps before pulling out.
Absalon, who brought a huge following with him from the town of Raon aux Bois in north-east France, was in the leading pack for most of the race, staged in searing Athens heat.
He and Hermida broke from the pack two laps from the end and the 23-year-old finally saw off the Spaniard over the last 6 km.
His victory will be gratefully received by a French cycling team which has had one of its worst Olympics ever.
Before Saturday the French had taken just one silver and one bronze from 15 races on road, track and mountain, and had been largely overshadowed by the Australians, British, Germans, Dutch and Spanish.
Austria celebrates gold for multihull sailing event
Austria's skipper Roman Hagara, center, and crew Hans Peter Steinacher, left, celebrate with teammates after they won the final race of the Men's Tornado multihull sailing event at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004. Austria's Tornado crew won the gold medal.
(AP Photo/Herbert Knosowski)
Austria's skipper Roman Hagara still flies the Austrian flag after he jumped into the water to celebrate his victory in the final race of the men's Tornado multihull sailing event.
(AP Photo/Herbert Knosowski)
August 28, 2004
Abdallah takes silver; African taekwondo athlete knocked out
Posted 8/27/2004 11:20 AM
Updated 8/27/2004 4:07 PM
ATHENS (AP) — Nia Abdallah's lack of international experience turned out to be her biggest asset in the Olympic taekwondo tournament.
"I don't think anybody expected me to do anything here," she said.
Abdallah won a silver medal in taekwondo Friday, advancing all the way to the final before losing 2-1 to Jang Ji-won of South Korea in the 126-pound (57 kg) class. Iridia Salazar Blanco of Mexico won the bronze.
Later, Hadi Saei Bonehkohal of Iran won the gold medal in the men's 150-pound (68 kg) division, beating Chih Hsiung Huang of Taiwan 4-3. Song Myeong-seob of South Korea got the bronze.
Abdallah, a little-known competitor from Houston, was the first American woman to win an Olympic match in taekwondo, added as an official sport in Sydney in 2000.
"Just me winning my first fight was putting myself in the record books," she said. "I'm happy for what I got."
She beat Margarita Mkrtchyan of Russia in the first round, Cristiana Corsi of Italy in the second and Nootcharin Sukkhongdumnoen of Thailand in the semifinals. Only Mkrtchyan had faced Abdallah before.
"I was a newcomer," said Abdalah, who felt that was an advantage.
In the final, the 20-year-old Abdallah fell behind early and didn't score until the third and last round. Still, she was thrilled with her performance.
"This is an amazing time in my life," she said. "I got a silver medal. Everyone is asking for my picture and everything. I'm just glad to be here."
Men's 68kg match
Also on Friday, a taekwondo competitor from the Central African Republic was hospitalized for precautionary tests after being knocked out during a preliminary bout.
Bertrand Gbongou Liango was kicked in the left side of the head by Tuncay Caliskan of Austria during their 150-pound (68 kg) bout. His head snapped back and he then fell face-down to the mat. He lay motionless while being counted out and was carried off on a stretcher.
Liango, 22, was unconscious but breathing as he was carried off, a venue manager said.
Hadi Saei Bonehkohal of Iran ended up winning the gold medal in the men's 68-kilogram bout, beating Chih Hsiung Huang of Taiwan 4-3. Song Myeong-seob of South Korea got the bronze.
After a couple minutes he started moving his hands, breathing easily and regained consciousness, a doctor at the site said in a statement. Liango was undergoing tests at Tzanio Hospital and will remain there for at least 24 hours.
"Thank god Bertrand is OK," said Liango's coach, Zacques Dominik. "We saw him moving his hands and breathing. Everything is going well."
Liango was leading 4-1 in the third and final round of his bout when a roundhouse kick from Caliskan knocked him unconscious.
"It is the nature of our sport," Caliskan said. "I tried to win the match, which was the same thing that my opponent did. I send him my best wishes."
Caliskan's kick was legal. In taekwondo, competitors score points by kicking or punching their opponents. They are allowed to punch only the body, but can kick the their opponent's head.
Blows to the head count for two points, and a blow to the body is worth one point. Competitors wear padded headgear and chest and abdomen protectors.
"It is an ordinary technique," Austria coach Mustafa Atalar said. "My athlete tried to win the match and not to harm his opponent. He executed the kick but the other athlete didn't take the right defensive position. This was the first time that I saw this kick cause such damage."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Athens police fire tear gas at protesters against Powell
Organizer Maria Panagiotou talks to the media about planned protest
against U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.
By Derek Gatopoulos, AP
Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY
Posted 8/27/2004 1:24 PM
Updated 8/27/2004 4:09 PM
ATHENS — Police fired rounds of tear gas into a rowdy crowd of ant-war demonstrators marching in protest of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit here for this weekend' closing ceremonies of the 2004 Olympic Games.
No one was seriously injured during the two-hour march, the largest protest of any kind during the event which ends Sunday night.
The clash with Greek riot police occurred about 9:15 p.m., when protestors shouting "Powell out," and "No occupation of Iraq," rushed authorities near the downtown Greek Parliment Building.
Police responded with volleys of tear gas, chasing the crowd, one Greek official estimated at 1,000 people, down Panepistimiou St., and past the University of Athens.
On the run, some of the protestors toppled trash cans and set fire to two piles of garbage.
"Powell is the architect of this Iraq war," said Pantelis Gaupielidis, a 28-year-old computer engineer wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the slogan, "I love Iraq."
"He is one of the most dangerous ones."
George Papaiuanou, 48, said he had joined the march because the U.S. "did not have a right to attack Iraq."
The evening march started slowly Friday, but grew larger and more vocal about 30 minutes after the start, when the demonstrators reached Syntagma Square, a prominent downtown public square filled with Olympic visitors who jostled for photographs of the stream of demonstrators."
The protest was expected to end at the U.S. Embassy, but the demonstration was largely dispersed before protestors arrived at the heavily guarded compound.
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/athens/news/2004-08-27-powell-protest_x.htm
Russians sweep long jump; Jones places fifth
Posted: Friday August 27, 2004 2:58PM;
Updated: Friday August 27, 2004 3:00PM
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Marion Jones climbed out of the long jump pit and immediately waved in resignation to the crowd. There would be no individual medal for her in Athens.
But she still had a chance for a team medal. Exactly 61 minutes after her final jump, she was to return to the track to run the second leg of the U.S. 400-meter relay.
Jones had been trying to do in a few hours what few elite athletes can achieve in a lifetime -- win two Olympic medals, one on the track and one on the field. But she finished fifth in the long jump, getting progressively worse with each leap, and could only watch as Tatyana Lebedeva led an unprecedented Russian sweep of the medals.
As Lebedeva and her compatriots took a victory lap, Jones walked around the track in the opposite direction -- toward the practice track, where her relay teammates awaited.
Bronwyn Thompson of Australia, who was fourth in the long jump, said all the pressures on Jones -- including a drug probe and motherhood -- seem to have changed the once-invincible champion.
``She doesn't seem to have the same aura as she used to. And she doesn't exude the same sort of confidence as she used to,'' Thompson said. ``It probably has to do where her head was at because of the controversy surrounding her. I think it was very difficult for her to get her head in the right place tonight.''
In the 110-meter hurdles, Liu Xiang of China tied the world record and smashed the Olympic record by .04 seconds while winning in 12.91. American Terrence Trammell won silver for the second straight Olympics, finishing way behind Liu in 13.18, and defending champion Anier Garcia of Cuba took bronze in 13.20. Garcia tumbled as he crossed the finish line, doing a somersault on the track.
``This is a miracle,'' Liu said. ``I'm too tired to even cry. I never ran so fast. I am very proud, not just for myself and China, but for Asia and the yellow-skinned people. To come out and be perfect, I'm shocked.''
Other winners Friday were Robert Korzeniowski of Poland, who took his third consecutive gold medal in the 50-kilometer walk; Osleidys Menendez of Cuba in the javelin; and Xing Huina of China in the women's 10,000.
Winning multiple medals is nothing new for Jones, who captured five -- three gold and two bronze -- at the 2000 Sydney Games. But in Athens, her only chance for medals came all at once. The finals of her two events were both on Friday night.
Jones fouled on her first long jump attempt and then leaped 22 feet, 5 3/4 inches on her second attempt -- which was delayed three minutes by the medal ceremony for the men's 50-kilometer walk.
On her third jump, Jones again had to wait. She paused for a heat of the 1,600-meter relay, which included Greece and the United States and got the crowd going. When she finally jumped, Jones took off well ahead of the line and landed 22-4 1/2 away.
Before her fourth attempt, Jones slapped her thighs and said ``C'mon baby, c'mon.'' But she had no improvement, jumping 22-1. She fouled on her fifth jump.
The victory ceremony for the men's 200 came just as Jones was about to make her sixth attempt. She stood at attention during ``The Star-Spangled Banner,'' occasionally shaking her legs, then walked to the end of the runway. She swung her arms three times, sped toward the pit -- and jumped 21-9.
Lebedeva, who won a bronze in the triple jump four days earlier, leaped 23-2 1/2 to take the long jump gold. Irina Simagina was second at 23-1 3/4 and Tatyana Kotova won the bronze. It was the first long jump sweep in Olympic history.
In the first round of the men's 400-meter relay, Maurice Greene anchored the U.S. squad to victory in its heat in 38.02 seconds -- the second-best time in the world this year. And Friday night's squad didn't even include 100 winner Justin Gatlin, who will join the team for Saturday's final.
Jones' inclusion on the relay squad could cause complications long after the Olympics.
Jones is under investigation by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, and if she is found guilty of using banned drugs it could impact any medal the team might win.
Jones repeatedly has denied using performance-enhancing substances. But ex-husband C.J. Hunter reportedly has told federal agents Jones used banned drugs before, during and after the Sydney Games.
Updated on Friday, Aug 27, 2004 3:42 pm EDT
http://sports.yahoo.com/oly/track_field/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpY29qbG50BF9TAzk2NjcyOTgwBHNlYwN0aA--?slug=...
Good for the girls! ;)
They'll be back in 2008 and better too!
Hoops - U.S.edges Russia 66-62 to make final
Sheryl Swoopes keyed the U.S.' sixth straight win over Russia
in Olympic and world championship play.
AP
Posted: Friday August 27, 2004 9:50AM;
Updated: Friday August 27, 2004 12:27PM
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Frustrated by fouls, turnovers and a feisty opponent, the United States desperately looked for help.
Along came Sheryl Swoopes.
Swoopes made three big plays at the end -- two baskets and another on defense -- to help the United States squeeze out a 66-62 semifinal victory over Russia on Friday. Now, only one game stands between the U.S. team and a third straight gold medal. The Americans will play either Australia or Brazil on Saturday.
"We just weathered the storm," Lisa Leslie said. "We showed a lot of heart and stayed together and Swoopes stepped up big at the end."
This one was neither easy nor pretty. After winning their first six games by an average of 29 points, the Americans found themselves in the rare position of having to fend off an opponent with time running out.
Enter Swoopes, who hadn't made a basket in this game.
With her team clinging to a 60-58 lead, Swoopes buried a jumper from the left wing with 3:54 remaining, just beating the shot clock. She tipped a Russian shot at the other end, then scored again, hitting a 10-footer from the left baseline to make it 64-58 with 3:15 left.
When Lisa Leslie fed Tina Thompson for a layup, it was 66-58 with 2:50 to go, enough of a cushion for the United States to hold on for its 24th straight victory in the Olympics.
That sigh of relief on the sideline came from U.S. coach Van Chancellor, who abandoned his more casual attire for a sharp gray sports coat and black slacks. By the start of the second half, the coat was off and Chancellor rarely sat down.
"Once I let the first one go, it felt really good. I kind of knew that one was going in," said Swoopes, who missed her first five shots and finished 2-for-8. "It felt really good to be able to come through down the stretch because I felt throughout the game I kind of let my teammates down."
Thompson led the United States with 14 points, including a key 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter. Leslie and Tamika Catchings scored 11 each and Catchings made an absolute pest of herself by poking the ball away, intercepting passes and running down loose balls. She finished with five steals and five rebounds.
Yolanda Griffith added 10 points and seven rebounds.
"We've been through everything now," Catchings said. "Now it's a matter of refocusing for the game tomorrow."
Russia, losing to the United States for the sixth straight time in Olympic and world championships play, got 13 points from Tatiana Shchegoleva and 11 from 6-foot-8 Maria Stepanova.
The United States led 37-33 at halftime and never gave up the lead in the second half, but it was still nerve-racking the whole way through.
Leading by as many as eight, the Americans saw their lead whittled to 45-44 when Stepanova made a free throw late in the third quarter.
Diana Taurasi and Shannon Johnson then came to the rescue. Taurasi hit a fadeaway from the left side and Johnson sank two straight foul-line jumpers for a 51-44 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Thompson's 3-pointer stretched the lead to 57-48 with 8:10 left, but back came Russia again. Or make that back came Oxana Rakhmatulina.
The Russian guard hit a 3 from the top of the key, the ball dancing off the rim and backboard before falling through, and scored on a leaner in the lane. When she hit another 3, the lead was 60-58. Then Swoopes stepped up to help the Americans regain control.
"That is the golden player," said Dawn Staley, who like Swoopes already has two gold medals. "We know she'll shine at the end of the game."
Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
Hoops - Gold eludes grasp of Team USA for first time since NBA players used
End of an era
While Manu Ginobili scored 29 points against the U.S., his Spurs teammate Tim Duncan fouled out of the first U.S. loss in the Olympics since NBA stars were added to the team.
AP
Posted: Friday August 27, 2004 2:44PM;
Updated: Friday August 27, 2004 3:46PM
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- For the first time since 1988, the Olympic men's basketball gold medal will not go to the United States.
Argentina won the semifinal 89-80 Friday, meaning bronze is the best the Americans can do, and the reason was simple: In a team game -- an Olympic sport not about individuals or superstars -- they got beat by a better team.
Manu Ginobili scored 29 points to lead his nation to another historical victory over the country that used to dominate the sport.
Argentina, with almost the exact same roster that made history in 2002 by becoming the first team to defeat an American squad of NBA players, will compete for it against the winner of Friday's late game between Lithuania and Italy.
The Argentines were the better passers, shooters and defenders, and they didn't need any gimmick defenses to prove it.
They confronted the Americans with a mixture of man-to-man and zone defenses and confounded them with an assortment of back picks that turned the start of the second half into a layup drill.
Argentina's players celebrated wildly when the game with the crowd yelling "Ole!" and U.S. coach Larry Brown walked over and gave a handshake and hug to his Argentine counterpart, Ruben Magnano, who played for Argentina against the 1992 Dream Team in Barcelona.
A dozen years later, Magnano's team became the first to knock America out of gold medal contention since the Soviet Union did it in Seoul in 1988.
NBA commissioner David Stern attended the third loss of the Athens Games for the Americans, who entered the tournament with a 109-2 record in prior Olympics.
Their first loss to Puerto Rico was shocking for its decisiveness, and their second to Lithuania finally got the message across to the players on the young American roster that the level of the competition was better than they had imagined.
The American team had been playing better since, and its best effort came Thursday in a victory over previously undefeated Spain.
But just a day later, they went back to missing 3-point shots, didn't get a breakout performance from any of their NBA stars and couldn't make a sustained comeback after they fell behind by a double-digit margin.
The first half ended with Argentina ahead 43-38 after its big men outplayed the Americans and showed themselves capable of playing with as much flair as anyone.
The half's prettiest play came on the 3-on-1 break when Hugo Sconochini, one of the team's elder statesmen, tossed a nifty behind-the-back pass to Alejandro Montecchia for a high-arching layup over Richard Jefferson that gave Argentina a 42-33 lead.
The Americans shot just 36 percent in the first half and didn't hit their first 3-pointer -- missing their first five -- until LeBron James made one 30 seconds before halftime
Argentina shot 54 percent overall and 11-for-22 from 3-point range, while the Americans finished just 32-for-77 (42 percent) and 3-for-11 on 3s. Stephon Marbury led the U.S. team with 18 points, and Tim Duncan had just 10 while being limited to 19 1-2 minutes because of foul trouble.
The third quarter began with Ginobili hitting a wide-open 3-pointer, Duncan picking up his third foul, Luis Scola, Ginobili and Fabricio Oberto getting inside for layups, and Marbury clanging a driving shot off the side of the backboard.
Suddenly, the Americans were down 53-40 and on the verge of having the game get away from them.
It soon did. Duncan was whistled for his fourth foul with 7:41 left in the third quarter, causing Brown to jump out of his chair and scream "NO!"
Next came a wide-open 3 from the right corner by Ginobili, and the lead was up to 16 -- 56-40.
The Americans quickly got their deficit down to six, but Montecchia and Ruben Wolkowyski knocked down 3s, and Ginobili added a rare four-point play -- just like the one from Lithuania's Sarunas Jasikevicius that doomed the Americans in their opening-round loss -- to make it 70-57 entering the fourth quarter.
The Americans trailed 76-65 when Duncan fouled out with five minutes left for hitting Ginobili with a hip check. The U.S. team eventually went to a trap and a full-court press in an effort to climb back, but Argentina handled it well and didn't let the Americans get closer than eight.
Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Olympics-Soccer-Italy beat Iraq to take bronze
ATHENS, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Italy extinguished Iraq's dreams
of an Olympic medal in the men's soccer tournament with a 1-0
win on Friday in their bronze medal match.
Italy's players wore black armbands for the game in
Thessaloniki in honour of an Italian journalist who was killed
by kidnappers in Iraq.
Parma striker Alberto Gilardino headed home a cross from
captain Andrea Pirlo after just eight minutes to end Iraqi hopes
of a second Olympic medal in the war-torn country's history.
Reporter Enzo Baldoni was seized by Islamic extremists on a
road between Baghdad and Najaf. The Italian government said on
Thursday that his captors had killed him.
Argentina take on Paraguay in the Athens Olympic final on
Saturday.
((Editing by Jeremy Laurence, Athens Olympics Desk; Reuters
Messaging: jeremy.laurence.reuters.com@reuters.net; +30 21 0003
1764))
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Aug-27-2004 19:34 GMT
Source RTRS Reuters News
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DNP EMK IQ IT LEN OLY PSC PSP RNP RTRS SOCC SPO MST/B/SPT/OLY
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Olympics-Medals table at 1815 GMT on Day 14
ATHENS, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Medals table at 1815 GMT on the
14th day of competition at the Olympics on Friday:
G S B T
1. United States 28 32 26 86
2. China 25 17 13 55
3. Russia 16 21 26 63
4. Australia 16 11 16 43
5. Japan 15 10 10 35
6. Germany 12 13 18 43
7. France 10 7 10 27
8. Italy 9 7 8 24
9. South Korea 8 10 7 25
10. Romania 8 5 5 18
11. Ukraine 8 4 7 19
12. Britain 7 8 11 26
13. Hungary 6 7 3 16
14. Greece 6 4 3 13
15. Netherlands 4 8 8 20
16. Sweden 4 1 2 7
17. Norway 4 0 1 5
18. Spain 3 9 5 17
19. Poland 3 2 4 9
20. New Zealand 3 2 0 5
21. Turkey 3 1 2 6
22. Canada 2 5 2 9
23. Cuba 2 4 7 13
24. Belarus 2 3 7 12
25= Brazil 2 2 2 6
25= Slovakia 2 2 2 6
27. Taiwan 2 2 1 5
28. Georgia 2 2 0 4
29. Bulgaria 2 1 8 11
30. Ethiopia 2 1 1 4
31. Thailand 2 0 4 6
32. Chile 2 0 1 3
33. Iran 2 0 0 2
34= Austria 1 4 1 6
34= Kenya 1 4 1 6
36. Czech Republic 1 3 4 8
37. Lithuania 1 2 0 3
38. Switzerland 1 1 3 5
39= Indonesia 1 1 2 4
39= South Africa 1 1 2 4
41= Jamaica 1 1 1 3
41= Zimbabwe 1 1 1 3
43. Morocco 1 1 0 2
44. Denmark 1 0 5 6
45. Azerbaijan 1 0 4 5
46= Belgium 1 0 2 3
46= Egypt 1 0 2 3
48= Bahamas 1 0 1 2
48= Israel 1 0 1 2
48= Uzbekistan 1 0 1 2
51= Cameroon 1 0 0 1
51= Dominican Republic 1 0 0 1
51= United Arab Emirates 1 0 0 1
54= Mexico 0 3 1 4
54= North Korea 0 3 1 4
56. Latvia 0 3 0 3
57. Kazakhstan 0 2 3 5
58. Croatia 0 2 2 4
59. Portugal 0 2 1 3
60. Finland 0 2 0 2
61. Slovenia 0 1 3 4
62. Estonia 0 1 2 3
63= Hong Kong 0 1 0 1
63= India 0 1 0 1
63= Serbia & Montenegro 0 1 0 1
66. Argentina 0 0 3 3
67. Colombia 0 0 2 2
68= Eritrea 0 0 1 1
68= Mongolia 0 0 1 1
68= Syria 0 0 1 1
68= Trinidad and Tobago 0 0 1 1
68= Venezuela 0 0 1 1
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Aug-27-2004 18:15 GMT
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