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Olympics: History again as Phelps wins 200m IM gold
Soni sets another world record to win 200 breast
Olympics: Clary wins 200m backstroke gold
Saudi judo fighter prepares for battle
Zhang claims table tennis gold for China
Douglas wins all-around title, giving her 2nd gold
Sharapova advances to Olympic semifinals
Roger Federer advances to Olympic semifinals
Iraq attacks kill 33 people: officials
Oil prices fall after ECB offers no new aid
Euro falls after ECB head disappoints
Steve Finn denied wicket by dead ball decision
Petersen ton guides South Africa to 262/5
Black Caps out for 260 against Windies
Olympics: China gold haul matched by USA

Olympics: History again as Phelps wins 200m IM gold

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Michael Phelps made more Olympic history Thursday, winning gold in the men s 200m individual medley to become the first man to win the same individual swimming event at three straight Games. Phelps, denied trebles in London in the 400m medley and 200m butterfly, delivered a vintage performance to win in 1min 54.27sec and collect his 20th career Olympic medal -- and his 16th gold. American Ryan Lochte, the world champion and world record-holder, took silver in 1:54.90 and Laszlo Cseh of Hungar earned bronze in 1:56.22. Although it was his first individual gold of the 2012 Games, there was no fist-pumping celebration from Phelps but instead a smile of quiet satisfaction as his mother and sister cheered from the stands.

Soni sets another world record to win 200 breast

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Rebecca Soni of the United States set another world record to defend her 200-metre breaststroke title at the London Olympics on Thursday. Soni clocked 2 minutes, 19.59 seconds to improve on her own mark from Wednesday s semifinals by 0.41 seconds. It was the sixth world record in the pool at these games. Satomi Suzuki of Japan touched in 2:20.72 to take the silver medal and Iuliia Efimova of Russia finished in 2:20.92 for bronze. Soni was also favored to win the 100 breast but took silver behind surprise 15-year-old winner Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania. Meilutyte did not enter the 200.

Olympics: Clary wins 200m backstroke gold

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Tyler Clary won the gold medal in the Olympic men s swimming 200m backstroke here Thursday, denying US team-mate Ryan Lochte a repeat victory. Clary overhauled Lochte on the final lap to win in an Olympic record of 1min 53.41sec with Ryosuke Irie of Japan taking silver in 1:53.78. Lochte, the world and Olympic champion who had led at every turn, settled for bronze in 1:53.94. "The fact I am the Olympic champion and Olympic record holder is something that is very humbling," Clary said. "It has also motivated me for the next four years. "I stuck to my guns, kept my stroke on and was able to come by those last two on the last 15 metres and get my hand on the wall. "That was the perfect race I swam tonight, there is nothing I could have done better, I am esctatic." Lochte was due back in the pool half an hour later taking on Michael Phelps in the 200m individual medley final.

Saudi judo fighter prepares for battle

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Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani will take on Puerto Rico s Melissa Mojica in a preliminary match early Friday that is likely to be over in record time. The real drama will be after that, in reaction to what she ll be wearing in front of male spectators. Shahrkhani, one of the first two women ever to compete at the games for the conservative Gulf kingdom, will fight in a modified hijab under a deal worked out between Olympic officials, the international judo federation, and Saudi authorities. While the 18-year-old has many supporters in the region, the compromise has not been nearly enough to satisfy hard-liners who say she is dishonoring herself and her family by competing in front of men and in form fitting clothes. Several have told her not to jeopardize her place in the afterlife for a fleeting bit of fame on earth. Others have warned that she and her family could face ostracism when she goes home. "She will definitely face difficulties (back home)," Hashem Abdo Hashem, editor-in-chief of Saudi s Arabic daily newspaper Okaz, told The Associated Press. "The society here will look at her negatively." A more immediate worry for Shahrkhani comes in the form of Mojica, an 85-kilogram (187-pound) fighter who is the 24th ranked judo fighter in the world and is skilled at groundwork and aggressive grappling. Like every other athlete in the competition, Mojica holds a black belt and has honed her skills by training with men, while Shahrkhani is a virtual novice, a blue belt who has only been at the sport for two years. After blue comes brown, and then there are ten degrees of black.

Zhang claims table tennis gold for China

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China has won two gold medals in two days in Olympic table tennis both in all-China finals. In other sports and from other nations that would call for chest-bumping, high-fiving, boasting and raucous celebrations. At least, a few smiles. There was almost none of that from Zhang Jike, who defeated teammate Wang Hao in Thursday men s singles final. Zhang s lone hint of happiness, celebrating his first Olympic gold medal, lasted about as long as a good pingpong rally. After the winning point to take the match 4-1, Zhang leaped over a one-meter barrier surrounding the playing area looking like Chinese Olympic hurdler Liu Xiang raced to the medal podium and kneeled down and kissed the top platform designated for the gold medalist. "It was spontaneous," he said. "If you plan everything, you can t do it well." That was the beginning and the end of any public show of joy or surprise. Minutes later on the medal podium, his eyes glazed over and he seemed far away. Taking questions from Chinese and non-Chinese reporters, he often looked distracted, burying his chin in his shoulder as he looked down. "We just finished a very exciting competition, and so my whole body is still not there," Zhang said. "I may appear a little down, but that s normal." Trying to explain the lack of exuberance, several Chinese reporters suggested pingpong is seen as a "total team game" in China, where it s the national pastime for 1.3 billion people. Chinese players are expected to win they have 22 of 26 gold medals since the game entered the 1988 Olympics and beating a friend and teammate calls for restraint and respect.

Douglas wins all-around title, giving her 2nd gold

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Make it a pair of Olympic gymnastics gold medals for Gabby Douglas, who added the all-around title Thursday to the one she won with the U.S. team two nights ago at the London Games. Douglas became the third straight American to win gymnastics  biggest prize, taking the lead on the first event Thursday and never really letting anyone else get close. She finished with a score of 62.232, less than three-tenths ahead of Viktoria Komova of Russia. Aliya Mustafina won the bronze. Douglas brought the house down with her energetic floor routine, and U.S. teammates Jordyn Wieber, McKayla Maroney and Kyla Ross jumped to their feet and cheered when she finished. Douglas flashed a smile and coach Liang Chow lifted her off the podium. Komova s floor routine was impressive, as well, and she stood at the center of the arena staring intently at the scoreboard, her folded hands at her mouth. When the final standings flashed, her head dropped and she hurried to the sidelines, tears falling. Douglas finished with a score of 62.232, about three-tenths ahead of the Russian.

Sharapova advances to Olympic semifinals

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Maria Sharapova powered to a 6-2, 7-5 win over Belgium s Kim Clijsters as the Russian world number three booked an Olympic semi-final clash with compatriot Maria Kirilenko. Sharapova will play the 14th seed for a place in the final at Wimbledon after ending Clijsters s hopes of a medal in her penultimate tournament before retiring for the second and final time after the US Open. "My previous matches against Kim have been quite difficult. I had so many opportunities to win in the past and I knew I had to step up today and stay extra focused," Sharapova said. "She s such a tough competitor. I knew I needed to play at a high level to beat her and I was happy that I did that. "The Olympics are so different, obviously very unique, and to have a chance to get to the final, that s what it s all about." French Open champion Sharapova and former world number one Clijsters have eight Grand Slam titles between them, but both were competing in their first Olympics and they have been relishing the experience. Clijsters had advanced to the last eight without dropping a set, so this was a frustrating way to say farewell to the All England Club, but she could have few complaints after being overpowered by Sharapova on Centre Court. "I didn t have many chances and overall she was the better player," Clijsters said. "Of all the matches I ve played against her this is the best that she s served, and on grass it s going to be tough to beat her. "But it was great. It s a nice experience every time you go out on Centre Court so I m happy to say that my last match at Wimbledon was on Centre Court." The 29-year-old made a sloppy start as a double-fault on break point in the opening game gifted Sharapova the lead. Clijsters broke back to level at 2-2 but Sharapova delivered a ruthless response as she won the next four games, breaking twice, to take the set in stunning style. When Sharapova landed an early break in the second set, it looked all over for Clijsters. The Belgian refused to buckle and broke back to level at 3-3, but Sharapova wasn t in the mood to be subdued and one last break at 5-5 was enough to end Clijsters s resistance.

Roger Federer advances to Olympic semifinals

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Roger Federer s final shot of the day clipped the let cord, dribbled over the net and settled softly in the grass, beyond even 6-foot-9 (2.06-metre) John Isner s reach. The crowd responded with a collective "aww," Isner grimaced and Federer offered a sheepish wave of apology. But after all these years, he s probably overdue for a little luck in the Olympics. Federer advanced Thursday to the semifinals by beating Isner 6-4, 7-6 (5). With that tall hurdle cleared, the 17-time Grand Slam champion needs one more win to clinch the first Olympic singles medal of his career, which would plug the biggest hole in a remarkable resume. On Friday, Federer will face No. 8-seeded Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina. Del Potro advanced by beating No. 15 Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-4, 7-6 (4).

Iraq attacks kill 33 people: officials

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Iraq attacks mainly targeting security force personnel killed at least 33 people on Thursday, officials said, after government figures showed July was the bloodiest month in almost two years. At least 39 people have been killed in violence in the first two days of August, which have seen a number of attacks on security forces and their facilities, including a prison, a military site and checkpoints. At least nine people were killed and at least 32 wounded in a car bombing in the Husseiniyah area of north Baghdad, medical officials said. In the northern oil city of Kirkuk, militants attacked the home of a Turkmen family, cutting the throats of a father, mother and two daughters, an AFP correspondent reported. Gunmen killed seven soldiers and wounded 11 others in three separate attacks south of the city, according to security and medical officials and Shalal Abed Ahmed, mayor of Tuz Khurmatu, where one of the attacks took place. Gunmen also shot dead four police in Tikrit, north of Baghdad, while three members of the Sahwa anti-Qaeda militia were killed by a bomb near Balad, also north of the capital, security and medical officials said. And gunmen attacked a checkpoint near a police station northeast of Samarra, killing one police and one Sahwa member, a police captain and a hospital source in Samarra said. An army officer said that gunmen attacked a checkpoint near Dujail, north of Baghdad, killing a soldier and kidnapping four others. And Colonel Obeid Ibrahim al-Kataa was killed along with two other police in clashes with gunmen who tried to take control of a checkpoint in Al-Rutba, in the far west, police officers said. In the Euphrates Valley, a police major said a patrol was hit by a roadside bomb in Haditha, wounding four police, while three police were wounded in another attack by gunmen on a checkpoint east of the town. South of Kirkuk, six gunmen wearing explosive belts tried to attack a military site but five of them were killed and the sixth seriously wounded and the attack failed, Staff Brigadier General Mohammed Khalaf Saeed al-Dulaimi said. And a police captain said that three gunmen, one of them wearing an explosive belt, tried to attack a police checkpoint in Baiji, north of Baghdad, but all three were killed. Al-Qaeda front group the Islamic State of Iraq has said it will look to retake territory in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in an offensive slammed by Washington as "cowardly", and appealed for Sunni Arab tribes to send fighters in a recording posted in the name of its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Oil prices fall after ECB offers no new aid

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Oil prices fell Thursday after the European Central Bank announced no immediate action on the eurozone sovereign debt crisis, disappointing investors. New York s main contract, light sweet crude for September, finished at $87.13 a barrel, down $1.78 from Wednesday s closing level. Brent North Sea crude for delivery in September slipped six cents to $105.90 a barrel in London trade. ECB president Mario Draghi, after a one-day monetary policy meeting Thursday, revealed no concrete measures to ease debt pressures in the eurozone. Europe s main stock exchanges retreated as traders were disappointed that encouraging comments by the central banker last week were not backed up by new policy steps. "It seems that Mario Draghi s speech was fairly bewildering, creating more uncertainty about the fragile economic conditions in the eurozone and hurting investors  sentiment," said Sucden brokers commodities analyst Myrto Sokou. "Thus, the euro came under pressure against the US dollar, prompting investors to another round of sell-off in the markets." A stronger US currency makes dollar-priced crude oil less attractive to buyers using weaker currencies, tending to dent demand. Oil prices had risen on Wednesday, boosted by a sharper-than-expected drop in US crude stockpiles that sparked hopes for stronger demand in the biggest oil-consuming country. The US Federal Reserve s decision Wednesday to keep monetary policy unchanged after a two-day meeting was widely expected but disappointed some investors who had hoped for additional economic stimulus.

Euro falls after ECB head disappoints

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The euro is falling against the dollar after the head of the European Central Bank didn t offer any concrete new measures to help Europe s economy. Traders had expected the central bank s president, Mario Draghi, to announce some sort of plan after he said last week that he will do "whatever it takes" to save the euro. The euro fell to $1.2178 in afternoon trading from $1.2233 late Wednesday. The British pound fell to $1.5515 from $1.5552. The dollar rose to 0.9863 Swiss franc from 0.9821 Swiss franc. The dollar fell to 78.23 Japanese yen from 78.47 yen.

Steve Finn denied wicket by dead ball decision

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The International Cricket Council and the Marylebone Cricket Club have stepped into a row over a dead ball dismissal by Steven Finn on day one of the second test at Headingley between England and South Africa on Thursday. The England quick bowler was controversially denied the wicket of South Africa captain Graeme Smith in the 12th over of the morning session when the batsman edged Finn to England captain Andrew Strauss at first slip. In a joint statement, the ICC and the MCC the guardians of the laws of the game confirmed umpire Steve Davis had ruled the ball was dead because Finn had dislodged the bails in his bowling follow through. "Jeff Crowe, ICC Match Referee, (said) that Finn had broken the wicket at least three times prior to this specific incident," the statement said. "Both batsmen complained that it was a distraction and Finn was told to move over. The umpires decided that if it happened again they would call dead ball. It did and so Davis called it under 23.4(b)(vi)." Strauss had an animated discussion with umpire Davis after the decision, but the law in question says: "An umpire shall call and signal dead ball when the striker is distracted by any noise or movement while receiving." Smith clearly wasn t distracted when Finn collided with the stumps for a fifth time in the 20th over because he pulled the ball to the deep midwicket fence, only for Davis to again call dead ball and negate the boundary. Davis then denied Smith a second boundary when Finn once again brushed the stumps in the first over after lunch. "A precedent may have been set but it remains to be seen whether dead ball will be called on each occasion that this happens for the remainder of the match," the statement added. "Unlike some other laws, there is no specified warning procedure for this situation. MCC s Laws sub-committee will discuss the matter at its next meeting and will work closely with ICC on issuing guidance to umpires."

Petersen ton guides South Africa to 262/5

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Opening batsman Alviro Petersen ground out a century as South Africa battled England s all-pace attack on the first day of the second Test at Headingley on Thursday. South Africa reached 262 for five at the close after being sent in to bat. Petersen made 124 not out off 266 balls. Petersen, who was out for a duck in South Africa s run feast in their innings win in the first Test at the Oval, played an innings of contrasting halves. He reached 50 off just 78 balls with seven fours, dominating the strike while captain Graeme Smith made only 10, but went on the defensive as South Africa lost three wickets after lunch. It took him another 137 balls to notch his fourth Test century. On a day of fluctuating fortunes, England had a frustrating morning, which included a dropped catch and fast bowler Steven Finn being denied a wicket when "dead ball" was called after he bumped into the stumps at the bowler s end while delivering the ball. But England came back strongly after lunch, when clouds rolled in and their bowlers gained some assistance after a largely sunny morning. After more than ten hours without taking a wicket, England dismissed all three of South Africa s heavy scorers in the first Test in the space of 12.4 overs. But Petersen and AB de Villiers steadied the innings in a painstaking fourth wicket stand of 97 off 199 balls. The second new ball brought two quick wickets for England, however, as De Villiers was bowled by Stuart Broad and Finn finally had success when he bowled nightwatchman Dale Steyn. Petersen and captain Graeme Smith put on 120 for the first wicket before Smith flicked Tim Bresnan to backward square leg to be caught for 52. Hashim Amla, who scored a South African record 311 not out in the first Test, followed soon afterwards, run out for nine after a mix-up with Petersen. England s third success came when Jacques Kallis was caught low down at second slip by Alastair Cook off James Anderson for 19. Smith s wicket was the first success for England in six hours and two minutes of play, during which 497 runs were scored, 377 of them in an unbeaten third wicket partnership between Amla and Kallis at the Oval. South Africa won the first Test by an innings and 12 runs. Petersen was dropped at second slip off Anderson when he had 29, with Cook putting down a straightforward chance just below waist height. Cook was fielding in the slips because England dropped Graeme Swann, ending a sequence of 43 successive Tests for the off-spinner. Three balls earlier Petersen edged Anderson at catchable height between third slip and gully for four. In the next over fast bowler Finn, who replaced Swann, was denied a wicket when Smith, on six, edged him to England captain Andrew Strauss at first slip. But umpire Steve Davis had called "dead ball" because Finn broke the stumps at the bowler s end with his right knee. It was the fourth time Finn s knee made contact with the stumps but the first time the umpire intervened. There were four further "dead ball" calls against Finn, with two of them denying boundaries for Smith.

Black Caps out for 260 against Windies

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Kemar Roach took four wickets as the West Indies dismissed New Zealand for 260 before stumps on the first day of the second test at Sabina Park on Thursday. Roach finished with 4-70 and both Tino Best and Narsingh Deonarine took two wickets. Martin Guptill top-scored for New Zealand with 71 and Ross Taylor contributed 60. That left the home side having to bat five overs before stumps, which Chris Gayle and Kieran Powell safely negotiated for the addition of 11 runs. An unbeaten 62 from Guptill earlier helped New Zealand to reach tea on 152 for three. West Indies, leading the two-match series 1-0, struck two early blows before lunch in restricting New Zealand to 74 for 2 having won the toss and electing to field. Guptill formed a fine partnership with skipper Taylor, punishing some wayward bowling from Roach. The Black Caps  captain brought up his half-century off 91 balls, including eight fours and the pair reached another milestone with a 100-run partnership. New Zealand were without spinner Daniel Vettori and also batsman Daniel Flynn owing to groin strains suffered in the opening Test which the Black Caps lost by nine wickets. Guptill, who made 97 in the first innings of the opening Test, and recalled South Africa-born Bradley John Watling opened on a pitch moist from overnight rain. But Watling had made just two when Roach had him caught at first slip by Gayle after a forward poke with the score on just ten. There was worse to follow for the visitors as having added just a bye they had number three Brendon McCullum edged to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin for a duck of the bowling of Tino Best. Taylor arrived to steady the ship with Guptill as they saw their side through to lunch without further loss having put on a partnership of 62.

Olympics: China gold haul matched by USA

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China were caught by the United States at the top of the London Olympics medals table on a day of mixed fortunes for the ex-hosts on Thursday. Zhang Jike s men s table tennis win was the only success for China as the five-day leaders were matched on 18 gold medals by the American team, who totted up six new titles. China briefly celebrated their first ever cycling gold -- before they were cruelly relegated to silver for an infringement in the women s team sprint final. And badminton ace Yu Yang quit the sport in disgust after she was among a group of players disqualified in a match-throwing scandal which rocked the Games and made waves in Asia. "This is my last time competing. Goodbye Badminton World Federation, goodbye my beloved badminton," Yu Yang said on her Weibo, or microblog. "You have heartlessly shattered our dreams." In brighter news, top seed Zhang beat team-mate Wang Hao 4-1 to maintain China s grip on the table tennis competition. The women s final was also an all-Chinese affair. "I m very excited, it s my first time at the Olympics and it has been my dream to win the gold medal since I started playing," said Zhang, 24, who completed a career grand slam of the Olympic, world and World Cup titles. Leander Paes and Sania Mirza kept India s tennis hopes alive with a victory in the mixed doubles. But Japan s Kei Nishikori went crashing out of the men s singles at the hands of Juan Martin del Potro. In the Olympic Park Velodrome, Guo Shuang and Gong Jinjie dominated the women s sprint with two new world records, and then appeared to have won the final against Germany. But the Chinese pair were demoted to silver after judges spotted an illegal changeover. "We have to accept it," said Gong. "Today s events probably will be a driving force for the races after today. The achievement that we made today is undeniable." At Wembley Arena, China s defending badminton champion Lin Dan had to dig deep to see off Sho Sasaki, and Malaysian top seed Lee Chong Wei also reached the semi-finals as he continues his recovery from serious injury. It was a pleasing return to action after Wednesday s scandal, when eight women s doubles players were disqualified for trying to lose group games in a bid to secure easier quarter-finals. Lin will next face South Korea s Lee Hyun-Il and top seed Lee will play China s Chen Long, who ended the campaign of soon-to-retire Danish veteran Peter Gade. In the women s competition, Saina Nehwal became the first Indian player to reach the Olympic semi-finals, where she will face world champion Wang Yihan. Ki Bo-Bae added women s individual archery gold to her team title but there was bad news for Chinese basketball fans when NBA star Yi Jianlian suffered a knee injury in their 81-61 loss to Australia.

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Cricket - Sports

Friday, August 3, 2012

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