Archive for world champion

London 2012 Day 15 Review: Usain Bolt leads record breakers

by admin
August 13th, 2012

Usain Bolt of Jamaica crosses the finish line ahead of Ryan Bailey of the USA to win gold and set a new world record for Jamaica of 36.84 during the Men’s 4 x 100m Relay final on Day 15 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium.

Usain Bolt brought the action at the Olympic Stadium to a fitting close, as he anchored the Jamaican 4 x 100m Relay team to gold in a new world record.

He was only level with the USA’s Ryan Bailey when he took the baton after the first three legs run by Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Yohan Blake, but stormed down the home straight to stop the clock at 36.84, taking 0.2 seconds off their previous record.

The USA claimed silver and Trinidad and Tobago the bronze.

Britain’s Mo Farah was also celebrating on an amazing night, having earlier joined an elite list of athletes to complete the Olympic long-distance double by backing up his 10,000m title with the 5000m crown.

Russia’s Mariya Savinova produced a perfectly-timed race to claim gold in the women’s 800m, beating former world champion Caster Semenya by more than a second, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott was the winner of the men’s Javelin Throw and Russia’s Anna Chicherova claimed High Jump gold.

The most emphatic win of the night came in the women’s 4 x 400m Relay as the USA stormed to gold, with the quartet of DeeDee Trotter, Allyson Felix, Francena McCorory and Sanya Richards-Ross leading from start to finish to beat Russia by almost three-and-a-half seconds. Jamaica claimed the bronze medal.

In the men’s Olympic Football final, Mexico secured arguably the greatest triumph in their history by winning London 2012 gold with a 2-1 win over Brazil at Wembley Stadium.

Oribe Peralta wrote his name into Mexican folklore with a double against the five-time world champions, who many believed were destined finally to end their agonising wait for Olympic Games glory.

At Eton Dorney, New Zealand’s Lisa Carrington stormed to gold in the women’s Kayak Singles (K1) 200m. Making her Olympic debut, Carrington left experienced European kayakers trailing in her wake as she cruised home ahead of Ukrainian Inna Osypenko-Radomska and Hungarian Natasa Douchev-Janics.

Ukrainian Yuri Cheban took gold in the men’s Canoe Single (C1) 200m and the Russian pair of Yury Postrigay and Alexander Dyachenko won the men’s Kayak Double (K2) 200m sprint.

The home fans also had something to cheer as Britain’s Ed McKeever powered home to claim the men’s Kayak Single (K1) 200m.

Russia’s Sergey Kirdyapkin won the 50km Race Walk in an Olympic record time.

The former world champion finished in 3:35.59, almost a minute clear of Australia’s Jared Tallent, who took silver for the second Games in succession, with China’s Si Tianfeng claiming bronze.

The women’s 20km Race walk title went to Russia’s Elena Lashmanova in a new world record time of 1:25.02.

France claimed a 10th gold medal as Julie Bresset cruised to victory in the women’s Cross-country Mountain Bike at Hadleigh Farm. World Under-23 champion Bresset led from the gun and triumphed in 1:30.52.

Russia’s Evgeniya Kanaeva became the first rhythmic gymnast to defend an Olympic title after she won gold with a series of breathtaking performances in the Individual All-Round final at Wembley Arena.

Kanaeva was in a class of her own as she scored 116.900 to retain her title, ahead of fellow Russian Daria Dmitrieva (114.500) in silver with Liubou Charkashyna of Belarus (111.700) taking bronze.

Tamara Echegoyen-skippered Spain surprised favourites Australia to win gold in the women’s Elliot 6m Match Racing class – the last Sailing medal of London 2012.

Australia twice recovered from going behind in the best-of-five series, but Echegoyen, Sofia Toro and Angela Pumariega went on to ensure Spain topped the podium.

Brazil retained their Olympic Volleyball title courtesy of a fine performance against the USA. In a repeat of the Beijing 2008 showpiece, the South Americans once again got the better of their arch-rivals, seeing them off 3-1.

Artur Taymazov cemented his place in Freestyle Wrestling history after he beat Davit Modzmanashvili to win his third successive gold in the 120kg class.

Taymazov, who also has a silver from Sydney, defeated the Georgian 1-0 1-0 to become the only wrestler in history to win three gold medals.

Jan Philipp Rabente was the unlikely hero as he scored twice as Germany successfully defended their Olympic men’s Hockey title with victory over the Netherlands.

American David Boudia won the 10m Platform Diving final, edging out former world champion Qiu Bo and home hope Tom Daley while David Svoboda clinched the Modern Pentathlon crown.

Elsewhere, the USA beat France to win the women’s Basketball title 86-50.

Milica Mandic claimed Serbia’s first Taekwondo Olympic gold when she beat Anne-Caroline Graffe of France 9-7 in the women’s + 67kg final.

The men’s +80kg gold was won by Rome policeman Carlo Molfetta on judges’ decision after a classic final against Anthony Obame, whose silver was a first Olympic medal for Gabon.

China’s Zou Shiming became the first man to retain the Light Fly Weight Olympic Boxing title, claiming victory in the gold-medal match against Thailand’s Kaeo Pongprayoon.

Great Britain’s Luke Campbell claimed the Bantam Weight title with victory over Ireland’s John Joe Nevin, while Ukrainian top seed Oleksandr Usyk claimed the prestigious Heavy Weight gold after seeing off the committed Italian Clemente Russo.

Japanese Middle Weight Ryota Murata edged a close final against Brazil’s Esquiva Falcao Florentino 14-13.

BM

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London Day 13 Review: Golden night for ‘legend’ Bolt

by admin
August 11th, 2012

Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrates after winning gold in the men’s 200m final on Day 13 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium.

The Jamaican successfully defended his 100m title on Sunday night and he followed that with another imperious performance today, leading a Jamaican clean-sweep in the 200m ahead of 100m silver medallist Yohan Blake and Warren Weir.

Bolt’s winning time of 19.32 was outside his own world record of 19.19, which he felt might be a possibility, but the 80,000 crowd had already witnessed one such record after a stunning performance from Kenya’s David Rudisha.

Rudisha stormed to victory in the 800m and broke his own world record in the process, racing through the first lap in 49.28 seconds and powering to the gold medal in 1:40.91.

Eighteen-year-old Nijel Amos of Botswana claimed silver in a world junior record of 1:41.73 ahead of 17-year-old Kenyan Timothy Kitum.

American Christian Taylor then added the Olympic title to his world Triple Jump crown with a superb jump of 17.81m, the longest in the world this year.

That left him 19cm ahead of team-mate Will Claye (17.62m), with Italy’s Fabrizio Donato taking bronze with 17.48m.

World record holder Ashton Eaton claimed Decathlon gold in the final event of the night.

Eaton took a 151-point lead over team-mate Trey Hardee into the 1500m and finished ahead of the two-time world champion to end up 198 points clear after two gruelling days of competition. Cuba’s Leonel Suarez claimed bronze.

Earlier in the day, Eva Risztov had stunned home favourite and world title holder Keri-anne Payne to claim gold in the women’s 10km Marathon Swimming.

The Hungarian won in 1:57:38.2, holding off a fast-finishing Haley Anderson.

Martina Grimaldi was third, holding off Payne’s late sprint by 0.4 seconds.

China’s Chen Ruolin successfully defended her women’s 10m Platform title at the Aquatics Centre with a score of 422.30.

Sixteen-year-old Australian Brittany Broben was Chen’s closest challenger but even then she was still a massive 55.80 points further back.

Pandelela Rinong Pamg took bronze for Malaysia as she edged out a tight pack behind her with a score of 359.20.

The USA took Olympic gold in the women’s Water Polo with a convincing 8-5 victory over Spain.

Maggie Steffens scored five goals for the USA as they cruised past the Europeans.

Australia took bronze with a dramatic 13-11 extra-time win over Hungary.

There was more to celebrate for the USA’s women as they beat Japan 2-1 to take Football gold at Wembley.

Carli Lloyd’s brilliant two goals in the final were enough for the USA to complete a hat-trick of Olympic titles, as the midfielder added to her winner in the Beijing 2008 final.

Yuki Ogimi pulled a goal back for Japan, who had plenty of chances to equalise and were denied by the woodwork.

Germany stunned world champions Brazil to take gold in the men’s Beach Volleyball – the first Europeans to become Olympic champions.

Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann won by two sets to one, 23-21 16-21 16-14, but it took them five match points to settle the contest.

Latvian pair Martins Plavins and Janis Smedins took bronze in a surprise 2-1 victory over the Netherlands’ Reinder Nummerdor and Richard Schull.

It was also a good day for Germany at Eton Dorney with two golds.

The pairing of Peter Kretschmer and Kurt Kuschela comfortably won the men’s Canoe Double (C2) 1000m, with Franziska Weber and Tina Dietze landing gold in the women’s Kayak Double (K2) 500m.

The men’s Kayak Four (K4) 1000m was won by the Australian quartet of Dave Smith, Tate Smith, Murray Stewart and Jacob Clear while Hungary’s Danuta Kozak landed the women’s Kayak Single (K1) 500m title.

British Dressage star Charlotte Dujardin won her second gold medal of London 2012 when she was crowned Olympic Individual Dressage champion at Greenwich Park.

Dutch rider Adelinde Cornelissen came second, with another Briton, Laura Bechtolsheimer, third.

The Host Nation were also successful in the women’s Boxing, as Nicola Adams made history.

Adams overwhelmed China’s double world champion Ren Cancan 16-7 to be crowned the first ever Olympic women’s Boxing champion at ExCeL.

Katie Taylor followed Adams into the ring and delighted the hordes of Irish fans with a hard-fought 10-8 defeat of Russia’s Sofya Ochigava.

America’s Claressa Shields won the women’s Middle Weight division.

Jade Jones sealed a successful day for GB by winning their first-ever Taekwondo gold, overcoming Hou Yuzhuo of China in the women’s Under 57kg final.

Saori Yoshida won her third successive Olympic gold to maintain Japan’s dominance of women’s Wrestling at London 2012.

Yoshida beat Canada’s Tonya Lynn Verbeek 3-0 2-0 in tonight’s final of the 55kg weight category.

Jackeline Renteria Castillo of Colombia and Azerbaijan’s Yuliya Ratkevich claimed the two bronze medals.

Later, Russia’s Natalia Vorobieva stunned Stanka Zlateva Hristova to take gold in thrilling style in the 72kg division.

Maider Unda earlier won bronze to claim Spain’s first-ever Wrestling medal while Kazakhstan’s Guzel Manyurova won the division’s other bronze.

In the Hockey, defending Olympic champions Germany twice came from behind to beat favourites Australia 4-2 to book their place in the final.

They will face Holland who beat Great Britain 9-2 in a thriller at the Riverbank Arena.

Defending champions Brazil set up a repeat of the 2008 women’s Olympic Volleyball final with the United States by seeing off Japan 3-0.

Earlier in the day, the USA had beaten South Korea by the same score.

Heidi Loke scored eight goals and Norway stayed on course for a second successive Olympic gold medal in women’s Handball as they reached Saturday’s final with a 31-25 victory over the Republic of Korea. They will face Montenegro, who beat Spain 27-26 courtesy of nine goals from Katarina Bulatovic.

The medal race in the men’s 470 Sailing event was postponed due to light winds on the south coast.

France will play in the final of the Olympic women’s Basketball tournament for the first time after pulling away late on for a comfortable 81-64 victory over Russia.

The final gold medal of the evening went to Czech Barbora Spotakova, who successfully defended her Javelin Throw title with a throw of 69.55m.

BM

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China’s Zou through as women reach a landmark

by admin
August 10th, 2012

Claressa Shields (L) of the United States in action against Marina Volnova of Kazakhstan during the women’s Middle Weight Boxing semi-finals on Day 12.

China’s Zou Shiming defeated Kazakhstan’s Birzhan Zhakypov to contest another gold in the men’s Light Fly Weight quarter-finals.

The three-time world champion won the bout by 13 points to 10 as Zhakypov could not match him.

Devendro Singh Laishram made an exit after losing to Irishman Paddy Barnes 23-18. Devendro was the last of the eight Indian boxers to bid farewell to the ring as the nation failed to claim a single medal in the men’s Boxing.

Thailand’s Kaeo Pongprayoon won a well-fought bout against Aleksandar Aleksandrov from Bulgaria.

Pongprayoon guaranteed at least a bronze as he booked his place in the semis, continuing his winning form on his Olympic Games debut.

In the men’s Light Welter Weight category, world bronze medallist and third seeded Vincenzo Mangiacapre defeated Kazakh Daniyar Yeleussinov 16-12 with a bout ending in a tense finish.

British boxer Thomas Stalker missed out on a medal as he lost to Mongolia’s Munkh-Erdene Uranchimeg 23-22.

Uranchimeg said: ‘My soul is full of emotion. I have been in the Olympics three times now – Athens, Beijing and now London.

‘It has been my long-standing dream to get a medal, which I have now achieved.’

Brazilian Yamaguchi Falcao Florentino caused another upset as he defeated top seed and reigning world champion Julio la Cruz Peraza from Cuba 18-15 in the men’s Light Heavy Weight division.

After a tied first round, Florentino overpowered the Cuban champion giving him little time to recover from his aggressive jabs and hooks.

Despite the USA men going home without a medal for the first time in Olympic Games history, their women’s team have a shot at gold after 17-year-old Claressa Shields overpowered Kazakhstans Marina Volnova 29-15.

She was one of the big winners on a day when history was made, as the first women’s Olympic Boxing medals were won.

Shields will face powerful Russian Nadezda Torlopova in the final on Thursday after Torlopova, a former world champion at Super Heavy Weight, powered through 12-10 in a close fight with Li Jinzi of China.

Katie Taylor moved into the Light Weight final with a 17-9 win over Tajikistan’s Mavzuna Chorieva at the ExCeL.

Her final will be against Russia’s Sofya Ochigava, who advanced from her semi-final against Brazil’s Adriana Araujo.

Meanwhile, Great Britain’s Nicola Adams will fight rival Ren Cancan of China for the women’s Fly Weight gold after getting the better of five-time world champion Mary Kom in their semi-final.

Ren made it through following her victory over Marlen Esparza of the USA, who was guaranteed a bronze medal – along with all the other semi-final losers.

BM

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India’s Mary Kom sets up Boxing medal

by admin
August 8th, 2012

India’s Mary Kom hopes for gold in London.

The 29-year-old five-time world champion fought her way to a 15-6 victory and there was no disguising her delight.

She said: ‘I’m so, so happy. This is the first time women’s boxing has been included in the Olympics. I waited for so many years to be a part of the Olympics and when I have become a part of it, it feels so good to go back home with a medal.’

Kom, weighing 46kg, is fighting in a higher category than she is used to, with Fly Weight allowing boxers to weigh up to 51kg.

She said: ‘If there was a lower weight category that was included in the Olympics, I would have definitely been an Olympic champion.

‘But this is a new weight category for me and I am just glad that everything’s working for me. I have been trying to gain weight so badly. All I do is eat, eat and eat.’

Kom, who will face Britain’s Nicola Adams next on Wednesday, had the lead from the opening round against Rahali as she manoeuvred her way around her opponent, winning the approval of the crowd.

The Indian said: ‘I feel so good when I hear the crowd shouting out my name. They say ‘Go Mary!’ and that actually makes me step up my game.’

China’s world champion Ren Cancan also proceeded to the semis after defeating Russian Elena Savelyeva 12-7.

American Claressa Shields was off to a slow start as she lost her first two rounds to Swedish Anna Laurell in the Middle Weight quarter-finals. But Shields fought back to clinch a semi-final berth.

BM

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London 2012: World’s fastest men prepare for action in London

by admin
August 6th, 2012

Usain Bolt reminds the world who he believes is the number one 100 metres runner.

After false-starting in the World Championships final last year, defending champion Usain Bolt has a point to prove but faces strong competition from the likes of countrymen Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell, plus Tyson Gay of the USA.

It promises to be a great night in the Olympic Stadium with the finals of the women’s 400m, men’s 3000m Steeplechase, women’s Triple Jump and men’s Hammer Throw also taking place. The streets of London also provide a familiar setting for the women’s Marathon at 11am.

There are three finals in the Artistic Gymnastics and Host Nation Great Britain could claim their first ever Olympic gold in the sport in the Pommel Horse final.

Louis Smith, who topped qualifying with a score of 15.800, is looking to upgrade the bronze medal he won in Beijing four years ago and is set to do battle with his rival, double world champion Krisztian Berki.

China’s Zou Kai is also looking to defend his men’s Floor Competition title when he takes on newly-crowned Olympic All-Around champion Kohei Uchimura.

In the women’s Vault, McKayla Maroney, who helped the USA to Team gold on Tuesday, is hot favourite to add the Olympic title to her world crown.

The men’s Singles final in the Tennis is a repeat of the Wimbledon showdown exactly four weeks earlier at the same venue as Roger Federer takes on Andy Murray, while the Briton will be back in action following this in the final of the Mixed Doubles alongside Laura Robson.

The men’s Badminton Singles final is a repeat of the Beijing showpiece of four years ago between all-time greats and rivals Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei, who is bidding to win Malaysia’s first Olympic gold in any sport.

In the men’s Doubles, Denmark’s Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen could claim only Europe’s second Olympic Badminton gold when they take on China’s top seeds Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng.

Hockey heavyweights Germany and the Netherlands face-off against each other with top spot in Pool B at stake, while the stand-out match in Pool A sees world number ones Australia go head-to-head with Great Britain.

In Sailing, Britain’s Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson are guaranteed a place on the podium and head into the medal race of the Star class with an eight-point lead over Brazil’s Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada.

In the Finn class, Ben Ainslie goes for a fourth Olympic gold but heads into the final race two points behind Denmark’s Jonas Hogh-Christensen.

Further gold medals are up for grabs in the Velodrome in the men’s Omnium, the women’s 3m Springboard Diving at the Aquatics Centre and the men’s Team Foil at ExCeL.

The finals of the men’s 50m Pistol in Shooting, the women’s +75kg event in the Weightlifting and the 55kg and 74kg categories in the Greco-Roman Wrestling add to the drama in store.

BM

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India’s ‘Queen of the ring’ prepares for Olympics

by admin
June 27th, 2012

India’s Mary Kom hopes for gold in London.

NEW DELHI: A mother of two, a five-time world champion and an inspiration for millions, India’s ‘Queen of the ring’ Mary Kom has set her mind on winning the first-ever women’s boxing Olympics gold medal in London.

Born into a farmer’s family in Kangathei village in Manipur, life was not easy for Kom.

Recalling her early life, she says the then Manipuri boxer Dingko Singh, who won a gold at the Asian Games in Bangkok was her biggest inspiration.

From then to now, Kom has been a five-time world champion and is currently on a quest to grab gold at the Lonodn Olympics, which began last month.

Mary lost in the quarterfinals of World Championship earlier this year, but having secured a place for herself in the Olympics, she told Bikyamasr.com that she hopes to be prepared.

Commenting about the areas she needs to work on, she bursts into laughter saying, “I have to improve everything, I need workout more, maintain my performance and analyze my opponents.”

Shifting the weight category was not easy for her, not only did she have to gain weight but fight women much taller than her who moved down to the 51 category.

“Its quite difficult fighting with taller women, its very easy with the shorter ones. I need to jump to box the taller women,” she said.

When she is not fighting women in the ring and training for her games she likes to spend time running around her house with her two boys Rengpa and Nainai.

Shifting from Hindi to English regularly along with the bouts of laughter, Kom says, “I will be fighting on my sons birthday, August 5th.”

Kom talks fondly of the undying support her husband has given her as her manager, as a father and as a husband. Holding back her tears, she recalls the time when her husband chose to hide her son’s heart problems just so that she could concentrate of her game.

Comparing other sports with cricket, the boxer became emotional.

“I am very upset, no one recognizes me even after being a five-time world champion. Even after having my kids I am still trying to do my best,” she added.

Now she is off to London.

BM

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