Wimbledon Champion Rafael Nadal Take Olympic Gold

Wimbledon Champion Rafael Nadal win the men's tennis gold in the Olympic by beating Chile's Fernando Gonzalez 6-3 7-6 6-3 and kept up a remarkable year for Spanish sport. The gold medal was the first ever for Spain in Olympic tennis.

"I just want to enjoy this moment because I'm having an unbelievable year," Nadal said. "It's more than my best dreams so I want to enjoy the moment. I know how difficult it is to win these things. Winning here for me is unbelievable."

Having eased to the first set, Nadal saved two set points in the second to force a tie-break, which he won 7-2.

Early breaks of serve in the third set gave Nadal vital momentum and from that point Gonzalez was on the back foot.

Nadal won it on his fourth match point, when Gonzalez's attempt to return his forehand drive went into the net.

Gonzalez added silver to his singles bronze and doubles gold from Athens 2004.

"The Olympics means really a lot to me," he said. "I'm little bit sad about the match, but all things considered, I'm really happy."

Nadal was already assured of taking over the number one ranking on Monday for the first time, ending Roger Federer's reign after four-and-a-half years.

Hel has won 38 of his past 39 matches, including victories over Federer in the finals at the French Open and Wimbledon.

Men's singles has traditionally been an upset-filled event at the Olympics, and Nadal is the first player ranked in the top five to win gold.

FYI - 2008 Beijing Olympic Sports

Roger Federer Still In Contention For Olympic Gold Medal

BEIJING - A dream of Olympic gold medal is still alive for Roger Federer in joining Swiss teammate Stanislas Wawrinka beating American twins Bob and Mike Bryan and get the privileged in the final of the men's doubles Olympic competition.

The fourth-seeded Swiss pair collapsed to the ground and hugged each other after beating the top-ranked duo in the tournament, 7-6 (6), 6-4.

"I'm very excited," said Federer, who was knocked out of the single's on Thursday. "Having beaten the best in the world and going for gold — this is a big moment in my career."

An Olympic medal is one of the few glories that has eluded Federer, who holds 55 titles that include 12 Grand Slam trophies. Federer's best Olympic showing was a singles semifinal appearance at the 2000 Sydney Games.

The Swiss star, who is struggling to overcome a yearlong slump, came to Beijing knowing he would lose the No. 1 ranking to Rafael Nadal next week after 4½ years on top.

Federer seldom plays doubles, but put on an inspired performance packed with well-placed winners that had the world's best doubles team swinging their rackets at the air as balls sped by.

The Bryan brothers, who have been playing tennis since the age of 2, have won 48 titles together but never an Olympic medal. The twins reached the doubles quarterfinals in Athens four years ago.

It was the second match of the day for the Swiss players, who just a few hours earlier beat Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi of India 6-2, 6-4 in a rain-delayed quarterfinal.

"They both came up guns-a-blazing," Paes said. "We got stuck with Roger just playing unbelievable tennis."

It was a turnaround from the night before, when Federer put on a lackluster performance in his singles quarterfinal against James Blake and was eliminated in straight sets.

Federer and Wawrinka will face unseeded Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson in the final Saturday. The Swedes beat French duo Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra 7-6 (6), 4-6, 19-17.

Their third set tiebreaker went back-and-forth with head-to-head battles at net for 36 games, setting an Olympic men's record for most games in a set. The old record was 34 games.

The second-seeded Venus and Serena Williams, both eliminated in singles Thursday, also completed a suspended second-round doubles match and beat Ayumi Morita and Ai Sugiyama of Japan 7-5, 6-2.

Another set of sisters, Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine, beat Italian pair Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 3-6, 7-5.

FYI - 2008 Beijing Olympic Sports

US Softball Team Runs 18 Olympic Winning Streak

BEIJING – The US softball team running its Olympic winning streak to 18, forced to play two games in one day beating Canada 8-1 when the US softball team scored four unearned runs in the sixth inning.

After beating Japan, 7-0, the Americans resumed their suspended game with Canada from Thursday trailing, 1-0, in the fourth inning.

The three-time defending gold medalists were five outs away from suffering their first loss since the 2000 games, when Canadian shortstop Jennifer Salling made two errors and pitcher Dione Meier hit a batter with the bases loaded to force in the tying run and threw a wild pitch to give USA a 2-1 lead.

Cat Osterman pitched three no-hit innings for USA (4-0), which added four insurance runs in the seventh.

Jessica Mendoza hit a pair of two-run homers, Natasha Watley homered leading off the game and Crystl Bustos banged another one over the wall in the win over Japan.

Earlier Friday, the Canadians defeated China 1-0, their first win in Olympic play over the host nation and one that all but assured Canada (3-1) a spot in next week's medal round.

Lauren Bay Regula pitched out of a none-out, bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning when Canada survived a debatable interference call against shortstop Jennifer Salling on a rundown that put the Chinese in scoring position.

In the evening session, Australia (1-2) played Taiwan (1-2) and Venezuela (0-3) faced the Netherlands (0-3).

FYI - 2008 Beijing Olympic Sports

Michael Phelps Wins 2nd Gold In Swimming

BEIJING – Michael Phelps winning his second gold of the Beijing Olympics and his teammates set a record in winning the 4x100 freestyle relay, barely beating France in three minutes, 8.24 seconds. Michael Phelps is trying to win eight golds at the Beijing Games. “You could tell I was pretty excited, “I lost my voice and I was definitely pretty emotional out there." said Phelps.

Kosuke Kitajima of Japan defended his 100-meter breaststroke Olympic title in a record time of 58.91 seconds, and Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe shaved two tenths of a second off the 100-meter backstroke record to win her semifinal in 58.77 seconds.

The first positive doping test at the Beijing Games also was announced Monday. Spanish cyclist Maria Isabel Moreno was ousted from the games after testing positive for EPO, a blood-boosting hormone that enhances endurance.

The International Olympic Committee said Moreno, who was to compete in the women’s individual time trial, was tested in the athletes’ village on July 31 and left China later that day before the result was in.

Moreno is the first athlete caught under the IOC’s Beijing drug-testing program, which includes a record 4,500 doping controls.

In the swimming pool, Phelps’ hopes of breaking Mark Spitz’s record of seven golds in a single games appeared doomed when the French team took the lead of the relay at the 250-meter mark.

They were 4.03 seconds under world-record pace at 350 meters before Jason Lezak, the oldest American male swimmer at 32, rallied over the closing strokes. Nearly a body length behind Alain Bernard at the final turn, he overtook the Frenchman at the wall by a fingertip.

After winning seven straight golds in the event, the Americans were beaten by Australia and South Africa at the last two Olympics.

“I’ve been on the last two relays where we come up short," Lezak said. “To be honest with you I got really tired of losing. I finished real strong."

The US team shattered the world record of 3:12.23 they set Sunday in the preliminaries. Australia won bronze in 3:09.91.

Phelps, who swam the first leg, thrust both arms toward the roof after Lezak’s incredible finish.

“I was going nuts," Phelps said. “As soon as (Lezak) came off that last wall, I started going crazy. We’re a team. We went in as a team and now we’re exiting as a team — and we’re going out with that gold that we needed to get back."

Phelps also advanced to the 200 freestyle final, qualifying fourth-fastest in his semifinal in 1:46.28, a day after he shattered the 400 individual medley world record to win his first gold medal. The American lost his heat to teammate Peter Vanderkaay, whose time of 1:45.76 made him the leading qualifier for Tuesday’s final. Park Tae-hwan of South Korea was second-fastest, followed by Jean Basson of South Africa.

Coventry broke the record of 58.97 set by Natalie Coughlin at last month’s US trials. The two are the fastest going into Tuesday’s final.

In the men’s 100 breaststroke, Kitajima rallied from third after 50 meters to break the 59.13 world record set by Brendan Hansen of the United States two years ago.

“It was perfect," Kitajima said.

Libby Trickett captured her first Olympic gold in the women’s 100 butterfly in 56.73 seconds, just 0.12 off the world record, and Rebecca Adlington of Britain rallied in the final meters to overhaul Katie Hoff of the United States and take the gold in the 400 freestyle in 4:03.22.

Hoff was second in 4:03.29, Joanne Jackson of Britain won the bronze in 4:03.52.

Medals will also be awarded Monday in weightlifting, with the women competing in the 58-kilogram category and the men at 62 kg, and in the women’s individual foil in fencing. Shooting will hold the men’s 10-meter air rifle and the women’s trap finals, while the men will compete for the 10-meter platform synchronized diving gold.

FYI - 2008 Beijing Olympic Sports

Nicole Cooke Rides Great Britain First Gold

Great Britain's first gold medal of the Beijing Olympics claimed by Nicole Cooke in a women's cycling road race. Cooke time of three hours, 32 minutes and 24 seconds gives her finish to perfection, powering off the front and away from Emma Johansson and Tatiana Guderzo in the sprint to the line.

Cooke, 25, was in a group of five that pulled away from the peloton in the final stretch to the finish.

"We did it, it was perfect. It's a dream come true," said Cooke, who became the first Welsh person to win Olympic gold for 36 years.

Having finished a disappointing fifth at the Athens Olympics in 2004, her delight as she crossed the line first was obvious as she leap off her bike and whooped with delight, racing to hug her team-mates.

"I came over the line and there was so much - I was just so happy and there were so many emotions that were coming out all at once. I made so much noise because I guess that's just the person I am.

"I want to thank all the people who have been there from the start. I have worked so hard, I am so happy.

"I don't think it has sunk in yet. I still feel like the normal Nicole from before the race. But it's just so exciting."

Emma Pooley, who played a crucial pacemaking role in Cooke's gold-medal bid, came 23rd while the third member of the British team Sharon Laws, who broke her leg six weeks ago but recovered in time to make the trip, finished in 35th.

"We all knew that we were good riders, but the best chance that we had was to ride as a team," added Cooke, the 2002 Commonwealth Games road race champion and two-time winner of the World Cup series.

"Emma was going for her own bid for glory, but it meant that I could ride defensively and also save myself. I think it put the other teams on the back foot."

Simon Clegg, Team GB's chef de mission, added: "Nicole has just secured Team GB's first medal - and what a medal. It's not only gold but it's Britain's 200th gold medal from the modern Olympic Games.

"Emma and Sharon did an awesome job in supporting Nicole in her race for gold."

The 126km race was run in appalling conditions, with heavy rain making the road treacherous in places.

On the final, 9km climb on the second of two laps of the grueling 23.8km Badaling loop, a number of attacks came but Guderzo was the first to hold off the peloton.

However a quartet containing Cooke, Johansson of Sweden, Christiane Soeder of Austria and and Denmark's Linda Melanie Villumsen Serup caught her up going into the final 10km.

At the bottom of the final climb, Cooke seemed to drop away from the other four riders as they turned the wet and slippy corner.

But she put on the gas during the lung-bursting slope to the finish and had enough in the tank to cross the line first.

"I knew (dropping back) was a risk but the corner was very wet. I knew I felt strong, I knew there was a hill and no-one would take it on - but I could," Cooke said.

"All congratulations to Nicole for a fantastic victory," said Olympics minister Tessa Jowell.

"What you can't perhaps quite sense at home is just the torrential rain that was falling on Beijing - and despite those incredibly tough weather conditions, she won. So it's a wonderful victory and a huge lift for Team GB."

Pre-race favorites Marianne Vos of the Netherlands, a former world road race champion, and Athens silver medalist Judith Arndt of Germany finished in a group of riders 21 seconds behind.

"Normally I'm good in the rain, but the problem was that it was really cold," said Vos. "We expected warm weather."

French great Jeannie Longo, 49, competing in her seventh Olympics, finished 33 seconds behind the winner in 24th.

FYI - 2008 Beijing Olympic Sports

US Basketball Team Defeated China Behind Overwhelming Crowd

The United States Olympic basketball team played China in the most awaited events in the Olympic Games beating the host country 101-70. The US basketball team were always expected to win. Among the spectators was President George Bush who took a surprise lead thanks to 7ft 6in Yao Ming, who plays for Houston Rockets.

The American class showed in the end with Dwayne Wade scoring 19 points.

To the great excitement of the crowd, the Chinese stayed with their illustrious opponents until well into the third quarter as the Americans missed a string of chances and limped to a 49-37 half-time lead.

However, with LeBron James scoring 18 points and Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard both contributing 13, the Americans eased clear of a tiring Chinese team.

More than a billion people were estimated to have seen the game on television.

US coach Mike Krzyzewski said: "More people were supposed to be watching this game than any other in basketball history, and we treated that as a great honor. Both teams responded to the magnitude of the event."

Yao, who scored 13 points, said: "It was a great game played in a fantastic atmosphere, with all the flags and cheering. Everyone was very proud."

Defending champions Argentina stumbled to a 79-75 loss to Lithuania despite 19 points from San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobli.

European champions Russia beat Iran 71-49 while Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points as Germany overwhelmed Angola 95-66.

FYI - 2008 Beijing Olympic Sports

Weightlifter Chen Xiexia Olympic Gold Record For China

Hosts China won their first gold medal of the 2008 Beijing Olympic on the opening day through the power arms of Chinese weightlifter Chen Xiexia who set an Olympic record. Xiexia took the 48kg class to huge cheers from the partisan crowd, clinching victory with a total of 212kg.

Turkey's Sibel Ozkan's total of 199kg earned silver, while Taiwanese lifter Chen Wei-Ling lifted 196kg for bronze.

Chen Xiexia, 25, lifted 95kg in the snatch and set a new record for the class with 117kg in the clean and jerk.

The 2004 Olympic champion, Nurcan Taylan of Turkey, was eliminated after three failed attempts in the snatch.

Wrapped in a Chinese flag, Chen sang along with the crowd to the national anthem after receiving her medal.

Her victory tempered the earlier disappointment for China when defending champion Du Li failed to get amongst the medals in the women's 10m air rifle event.

And it capped a dramatic 24 hours for the hosts after a dazzling opening ceremony.

"I have been thinking of winning a medal but never thought it would turn out to be the first gold medal for China," said an ecstatic Chen.

"I'm very happy and think I did a good job."

FYI - 2008 Beijing Olympic Sports