BEIJING, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- In another fireworks-hailed spectacular, London officially took over the reins of the next Olympics from China, which will continue to celebrate in the days and months ahead their euphoric achievement of 51 gold to dislodge the United States for the first time to top the Games.
London Mayor Boris Johnson received the Olympic flag carrying the familiar five interlocking rings from International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge in a symbolic handover.
In his customary speech, Rogge declared: "These were truly exceptional Games."
Amid the celebrations, the IOC chief began with a note of next month's Paralympics and extended his wishes to the disabled athletes, saying "they also inspire us.
"In another special for the night, Kenyan pride soared and so did their national flag for the victory of Samuel Wansiru in the men's marathon. He received his gold medal from Rogge in an unprecedented honour at an Olympics closing.
Thousands of athletes poured into the stadium from four directions and partied on the blue tarpaulin covered field to the beat of drums, songs and dances after 17 days of high pressure competition, tears and joy.
In the carnival air and the flags of the 204 contesting nations, even China's basketball 'giant' Yao Ming was hard to spot and the crowd roared when he was picked up by television cameras.
The greatest moment of the Games was a superb 9.69s world 100m record from Jamaica's Usain Bolt, which eclipsed even the scourge of doping that the Games still could not shake off.
For the first time, Malaysia had a woman flag bearer in the Olympic, young diver Elizabeth Jimie was given the honour.
So did China who passed the flag Yao Ming carried in the opening to 33-year-old Zhang Ning, who defended her badminton women's singles title, for the closing.
In a brief slot for the next Olympics host, London's famous street sight, the red double decker bus with a plate registration "LONDON 2012" rolled into the national Bird's Nest stadium and came to a stop in front of the VIP bus.
The top of the bus the unfolded into a mobile stage for a pulsating performance by singer Leona Lewis and guitarist Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fame.
They were joined by England's most famous soccer face, David Beckham, who wasn't even born yet when London last hosted the Games in 1948 after its first time in 1908.
At a press conference earlier today, Rogge said London would be challenged by the "very high bar" set by China.
"So it's going to be a challenge for London and also all subsequent Games. My hope will be that London can even put the bar higher so we have this constant evolution and improvement of the Olympic Games," he said.
The icing on the cake for China was topping the medals table for the first time with 51 gold although the much hoped for gold from hurdler Liu Xiang went awry after he withdrew due to injury.
The United States ended with 36, the same as in Athens. Russia was third with 23 gold and the 2012 hosts were fourth with 19.
Also getting a roll call during Sunday night's ceremony were the four new members of the IOC Athletes Commission, who were elected by the 11,000 athletes here.
They were South Korea's Moon Dae Sung (taekwondo), Russia's Alexander Popov (swimming), Germany's Claudia Bokel (fencing) and Cuba's Yumilka Ruiz-luares (volleyball).
The commission is now headed by Namibia's former sprinting great Frankie Fredericks.
-- BERNAMA
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Olympic Day 15 : Taekwondo - No Last Gasp Medal From Taekwondo For Malaysia
BEIJING, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's last gasp of hope for an Olympic medal from taekwondo through Che Chew Chan fizzled out after she was first ousted in the quarterfinals and lost another opportunity in the bronze repechage.
"I was worried about too many things at a time and that perhaps added to the pressure and affected my own performance," said Chew Chan who was unable to hide her disappointment at losing 1-5 to Egypt's Noha Abd Rabo in the repechage.
"I had beaten her before in the Korea Open in 2006. But today, I could not judge the distance in making my attacks in the last two matches," said the national exponent who also scored only one point against Nina Solheim in the quarterfinals in the afternoon.
Chew Chan said there was little separating the standards of the contestants.
"It goes down to who performs better during the fight and when I got the chance to go into the repechage, it was like God giving me a second chance," she said.
Her defeat closes the chapter on Malaysia's outing in the Beijing Games with one silver to show from shuttler Lee Chong Wei.
In the morning, the 25-year-old Chew Chan beat Uzbekistan's Evgeniya Karimova 5-4 to become the first national exponent to advance into the Olympics last eight at the Beijing University of Science and Technology.
But in her next bout, the Malaysian could not land any of her kicks.
Although Solheim tumbled five times to the ground, she made good from the few opportunities she came close to the Malaysian.
"I tried to attack her head but also missed. I misjudged the distance and whenever I kicked, she kicked back. I did my best but I am not satisfied because I tried and lost," Chew Chan said.
National coach R.Dhanaraj said Chew Chan's biggest mistake was not following on her attacks.
Malaysia's other taekwondo challenger, Elaine Teo also lost in bronze repechage in the below 57kg category.
Malaysia have been participating in the Olympics taekwondo competition since it was introduced in the 2000 Sydney Games but have yet to get a rostrum finish.
When the Korean martial art was a demonstration sports, M. Vasugi and Hii King Hung returned with bronze medals from the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Games respectively.
-- BERNAMA
"I was worried about too many things at a time and that perhaps added to the pressure and affected my own performance," said Chew Chan who was unable to hide her disappointment at losing 1-5 to Egypt's Noha Abd Rabo in the repechage.
"I had beaten her before in the Korea Open in 2006. But today, I could not judge the distance in making my attacks in the last two matches," said the national exponent who also scored only one point against Nina Solheim in the quarterfinals in the afternoon.
Chew Chan said there was little separating the standards of the contestants.
"It goes down to who performs better during the fight and when I got the chance to go into the repechage, it was like God giving me a second chance," she said.
Her defeat closes the chapter on Malaysia's outing in the Beijing Games with one silver to show from shuttler Lee Chong Wei.
In the morning, the 25-year-old Chew Chan beat Uzbekistan's Evgeniya Karimova 5-4 to become the first national exponent to advance into the Olympics last eight at the Beijing University of Science and Technology.
But in her next bout, the Malaysian could not land any of her kicks.
Although Solheim tumbled five times to the ground, she made good from the few opportunities she came close to the Malaysian.
"I tried to attack her head but also missed. I misjudged the distance and whenever I kicked, she kicked back. I did my best but I am not satisfied because I tried and lost," Chew Chan said.
National coach R.Dhanaraj said Chew Chan's biggest mistake was not following on her attacks.
Malaysia's other taekwondo challenger, Elaine Teo also lost in bronze repechage in the below 57kg category.
Malaysia have been participating in the Olympics taekwondo competition since it was introduced in the 2000 Sydney Games but have yet to get a rostrum finish.
When the Korean martial art was a demonstration sports, M. Vasugi and Hii King Hung returned with bronze medals from the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Games respectively.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 14 : Taekwondo - Chew Chan Makes Taekwondo Quarter-finals
BEIJING, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- Che Chew Chan is keeping Malaysia's medal hopes alive after beating Uzbekistan's Evgeniya Karimova 5-4 this morning, to make it into the Olympics women's taekwondo above 67kg class quarter-finals.
She will meet Nina Solheim of Norway in the last eight scheduled this afternoon. Solheim is currently Europe's third-ranked middleweight champion.
If she wins, the Malaysian will be in the semis against Carmen Marton of Australia or Natalia Falavigna of Brazil. The final will also be completed today.
Chew Chan, who has beaten Karimova in the Asian qualifying round for the Olympics in December, trailed by a point in the first round but came back in the second to reel off four points against the Uzbek to lead 4-1.
"This is the first win for Malaysia in taekwondo in the first round of the Olympics. I have to win the next two matches if I want to get the gold, so I told myself, I cannot lose this match," said the 25-year-old Universiti Putra Malaysia student.
-- BERNAMA
She will meet Nina Solheim of Norway in the last eight scheduled this afternoon. Solheim is currently Europe's third-ranked middleweight champion.
If she wins, the Malaysian will be in the semis against Carmen Marton of Australia or Natalia Falavigna of Brazil. The final will also be completed today.
Chew Chan, who has beaten Karimova in the Asian qualifying round for the Olympics in December, trailed by a point in the first round but came back in the second to reel off four points against the Uzbek to lead 4-1.
"This is the first win for Malaysia in taekwondo in the first round of the Olympics. I have to win the next two matches if I want to get the gold, so I told myself, I cannot lose this match," said the 25-year-old Universiti Putra Malaysia student.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 14 : Wushu - Malaysia Pick Up Third Medal From Beijing 2008 Wushu Meet
BEIJING, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- Woman exponent Chai Fong Ying added a silver in a third medal for Malaysia at the Wushu tournament Beijing 2008 this morning.
She pipped Japanese Ai Miyoka by four-hundreth of a point for second place behind China's Cui Wenjuan in the taijiquan and taijijian combined event at the Olympics Sports Centre gymnasium.
Fong Ying scored a 9.70 in the taijijian this morning to add to her overnight 9.64 in the taijiquan for a total of 19.34, while the Chinese gold medallist was ahead with 19.69 points.
For the tournament here, the taijiquan, a soft and slow fluent movement martial art, is combined with the taijijian, which involves taijiquan and swordplay, as one event.
Yesterday, Malaysia gained two bronzes from Pui Fook Chien and Diana Bong.
The three-day wushu tournament is held in conjunction with the Olympic Games. The medals are not counted in the Olympic tally.
A total of 10 gold medals are at stake in the tournament which is split into floor disciplines called "taolu" and combat fighting known as "sanshou". China has won five golds, so far.Malaysia's seven competitors here are Ang Eng Chong (men's changquan), Lee Yang (men's taijiquan and taijijian combined), Lim Yew Fai (men's jianshu and qiangshu combined), Pui Fook Chien (men's nanquan and nangun combined), Diana Bong (women's nanquan and nandao combined), Chai Fong Wei (women's daoshu and gunshu combined) and Chai Fong Ying (women's taijiquan and taijijuan combined).
-- BERNAMA
She pipped Japanese Ai Miyoka by four-hundreth of a point for second place behind China's Cui Wenjuan in the taijiquan and taijijian combined event at the Olympics Sports Centre gymnasium.
Fong Ying scored a 9.70 in the taijijian this morning to add to her overnight 9.64 in the taijiquan for a total of 19.34, while the Chinese gold medallist was ahead with 19.69 points.
For the tournament here, the taijiquan, a soft and slow fluent movement martial art, is combined with the taijijian, which involves taijiquan and swordplay, as one event.
Yesterday, Malaysia gained two bronzes from Pui Fook Chien and Diana Bong.
The three-day wushu tournament is held in conjunction with the Olympic Games. The medals are not counted in the Olympic tally.
A total of 10 gold medals are at stake in the tournament which is split into floor disciplines called "taolu" and combat fighting known as "sanshou". China has won five golds, so far.Malaysia's seven competitors here are Ang Eng Chong (men's changquan), Lee Yang (men's taijiquan and taijijian combined), Lim Yew Fai (men's jianshu and qiangshu combined), Pui Fook Chien (men's nanquan and nangun combined), Diana Bong (women's nanquan and nandao combined), Chai Fong Wei (women's daoshu and gunshu combined) and Chai Fong Ying (women's taijiquan and taijijuan combined).
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 13 : Wushu - Malaysia's World Bronze Medallist Disappoints In Men's Changquan
BEIJING, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's world bronze medallist Ang Eng Chong finished a disappointing eighth with 9.25 points in the men's changquan on the second day of the Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008.
China's world champion Yuan Xiachao was near flawless as he delighted the home crowd in the long fist discipline to grab the gold with 9.83 points while Semen Udelov of Russia and Ehsan Pewyghambari of Iran took the silver and bronze this morning.
Watching on was China's Jet Li, himself a child wushu star who punched and kicked his way to film stardom and Hollywood. He made a quick exit soon after he was caught by television cameras inside the venue at the Olympic Sports Centre gymnasium.
Malaysia's reigning world champion Chai Fong Ying is lagging behind in the taijiquan. She will have to step up in the next routine, the taijijian, Saturday night to improve her medal contention.
In the taijiquan this morning, the 21-year-old Malaysian was in third spot with 9.64 points. China's Cui Wenjuan is leading with 9.85 points, Japan's Ai Miyaoka is second with 9.66 points and Taiwan's Fan Man Yun is lurking in fourth place with 9.62 points.
For the tournament here, the taijiquan, a soft and slow fluent movement martial art, is combined with the taijijian, which involves taijiquan and swordplay, as one event.
Tonight, national pugilist Pui Fook Chien will complete the nangun, a southern China cudgel displine, in the men's nanquan and nangun combined event and if he produces another solid performance, he will go home with a medal.
Fook Chien was joint second in the nanquan, the southern China style of fist boxing, yesterday, with Kok Nakata of Japan on 9.72 points, just two hundreth of a point behind leader Willy Wang of the Philippines.Another Malaysian, Diana Bong, will be in the women's nanquan tonight after her seventh placing in the nandao, an element of nanquan but which uses a short broad sword, yesterday. The medals are awarded for the nanquan and nandao combined event in the women's competition.
Lee Yang, Malaysia's world bronze medallist in 2005, will start off tonight in the men's taijijian and in the taijiquan tomorrow night.
A total of 10 gold medals are at stake in the tournament, which is split into floor disciplines called "tao lu" and combat fighting known as "sanshou", held alongside the Olympic Games.China have grabbed three gold already in the men's changquan, men's daoshu and gunshu combined event and women's jiangshu and qiangshu combined event. The women's changquan gold was lifted by Iran's Daria Tarasova.
Malaysia's seven competitors here are Ang Eng Chong (men's changquan), Lee Yang (men's taijiquan and taijijian combined), Lim Yew Fai (men's jianshu and qiangshu combined), Pui Fook Chien (men's nanquan and nangun combined), Diana Bong (women's nanquan and nandao combined), Chai Fong Wei (women's daoshu and gunshu combined) and Chai Fong Ying (women's taijiquan and taijijuan combined).
-- BERNAMA
China's world champion Yuan Xiachao was near flawless as he delighted the home crowd in the long fist discipline to grab the gold with 9.83 points while Semen Udelov of Russia and Ehsan Pewyghambari of Iran took the silver and bronze this morning.
Watching on was China's Jet Li, himself a child wushu star who punched and kicked his way to film stardom and Hollywood. He made a quick exit soon after he was caught by television cameras inside the venue at the Olympic Sports Centre gymnasium.
Malaysia's reigning world champion Chai Fong Ying is lagging behind in the taijiquan. She will have to step up in the next routine, the taijijian, Saturday night to improve her medal contention.
In the taijiquan this morning, the 21-year-old Malaysian was in third spot with 9.64 points. China's Cui Wenjuan is leading with 9.85 points, Japan's Ai Miyaoka is second with 9.66 points and Taiwan's Fan Man Yun is lurking in fourth place with 9.62 points.
For the tournament here, the taijiquan, a soft and slow fluent movement martial art, is combined with the taijijian, which involves taijiquan and swordplay, as one event.
Tonight, national pugilist Pui Fook Chien will complete the nangun, a southern China cudgel displine, in the men's nanquan and nangun combined event and if he produces another solid performance, he will go home with a medal.
Fook Chien was joint second in the nanquan, the southern China style of fist boxing, yesterday, with Kok Nakata of Japan on 9.72 points, just two hundreth of a point behind leader Willy Wang of the Philippines.Another Malaysian, Diana Bong, will be in the women's nanquan tonight after her seventh placing in the nandao, an element of nanquan but which uses a short broad sword, yesterday. The medals are awarded for the nanquan and nandao combined event in the women's competition.
Lee Yang, Malaysia's world bronze medallist in 2005, will start off tonight in the men's taijijian and in the taijiquan tomorrow night.
A total of 10 gold medals are at stake in the tournament, which is split into floor disciplines called "tao lu" and combat fighting known as "sanshou", held alongside the Olympic Games.China have grabbed three gold already in the men's changquan, men's daoshu and gunshu combined event and women's jiangshu and qiangshu combined event. The women's changquan gold was lifted by Iran's Daria Tarasova.
Malaysia's seven competitors here are Ang Eng Chong (men's changquan), Lee Yang (men's taijiquan and taijijian combined), Lim Yew Fai (men's jianshu and qiangshu combined), Pui Fook Chien (men's nanquan and nangun combined), Diana Bong (women's nanquan and nandao combined), Chai Fong Wei (women's daoshu and gunshu combined) and Chai Fong Ying (women's taijiquan and taijijuan combined).
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 13 : Diving - Bryan Misses Semifinals Boat Again
BEIJING, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's Bryan Nickson Lomas was outclassed in his bid to enter the Olympics semifinals for the first time when he finished 26th out of a field of 30 in the men's 10m platform dive Friday night.
The Malaysian teenager who has not upped the difficulty of his dives paid costly for his inconsistency in the qualifying round where China's Zhou Luxin set a scorching pace with 539.80 points from six dives.
Bryan totalled 384.45 points, very distant from the 18th spot, the last semifinal ticket, that was clinched by Colombia's Juan Geullermo Uran with 418 points.
It was a disappointing outing for the 18-year-old national diver who missed the cut in Athens four years ago with a 19th finishing.
Friday night, he was clustered in joint 19th with four others after the first round with identical 72 points. He slipped two rungs after getting 68.85 for his second dive, a reverse two-and-a-half somersault.
But he plunged himself into jeopardy in the next two attempts. His body arched into the waters for a costly low of 44.80 in his third dive and he did little better with the fourth to post a 49.50 and was relegated to 27th spot.
He came back with 74.40 and 74.80 in the last two dives and it was all over.At the top, Zhou gave a clear hands off warning to the rest with his leading margin of 30 points and a stunning 99 point score in his fourth jump, a back three-and-an-half somersault.
Also in the top group were Australia's Matthew Mitchum who qualified second best with 509.60 and Russian world champion Gleb Galperin who is making a comeback from a spinal injury last year.
The semifinals and final are scheduled Saturday.
-- BERNAMA
The Malaysian teenager who has not upped the difficulty of his dives paid costly for his inconsistency in the qualifying round where China's Zhou Luxin set a scorching pace with 539.80 points from six dives.
Bryan totalled 384.45 points, very distant from the 18th spot, the last semifinal ticket, that was clinched by Colombia's Juan Geullermo Uran with 418 points.
It was a disappointing outing for the 18-year-old national diver who missed the cut in Athens four years ago with a 19th finishing.
Friday night, he was clustered in joint 19th with four others after the first round with identical 72 points. He slipped two rungs after getting 68.85 for his second dive, a reverse two-and-a-half somersault.
But he plunged himself into jeopardy in the next two attempts. His body arched into the waters for a costly low of 44.80 in his third dive and he did little better with the fourth to post a 49.50 and was relegated to 27th spot.
He came back with 74.40 and 74.80 in the last two dives and it was all over.At the top, Zhou gave a clear hands off warning to the rest with his leading margin of 30 points and a stunning 99 point score in his fourth jump, a back three-and-an-half somersault.
Also in the top group were Australia's Matthew Mitchum who qualified second best with 509.60 and Russian world champion Gleb Galperin who is making a comeback from a spinal injury last year.
The semifinals and final are scheduled Saturday.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 12 : Walking - Ice Water Knocks Out Yu Fang
BEIJING, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- While rain could not stop Russia's Olga Kaniskina from carving the Olympics record in the women's 20km walk Thursday, Malaysia's Yuan Yu Fang did not get to see the finish line.The veteran walker dropped out after 12km due to stomach pains which hit her soon after the start.
"I took some ice water this morning, maybe it was because of that. It got so uncomfortable that I couldn't continue any more," said the 32-year-old of her dismal exit from her third Olympics.
In Athens, she was 35th and was aiming for at least 15th spot this time in a field of 48 entries.
After the first two kilometres, Yu Fang was in 21st place and a distant 35th after four kilometres. She passed the sixth kilometre mark in 40th position and by the middle of the race, she was trailing 46th in the last group.
Kaniskina only let her emotions show as she strode to the finish to celebrate a Games record of 1:26:31s, surpassing the previous mark of 1:29:05s set by Wang Liping of China in Sydney in 2000.
The rain and the sodden track had left questions as to whether the Russian champion could demolish the three-year-old world record of 1:25:41s belonging to compatriot Olimpiada Ivanova.
Yu Fang had qualified for the Olympics with her season's best of 1:32:48s, outside her national record of 1:32:25s.
The 15th place in the race today went to Germany's Sabine Zimmer who clocked 1:30:19s.
Yu Fang was the last of three field athletes entered by Malaysia. Both woman pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu and man high jumper Lee Hup Wei failed to advance from the qualifying rounds.
-- BERNAMA
"I took some ice water this morning, maybe it was because of that. It got so uncomfortable that I couldn't continue any more," said the 32-year-old of her dismal exit from her third Olympics.
In Athens, she was 35th and was aiming for at least 15th spot this time in a field of 48 entries.
After the first two kilometres, Yu Fang was in 21st place and a distant 35th after four kilometres. She passed the sixth kilometre mark in 40th position and by the middle of the race, she was trailing 46th in the last group.
Kaniskina only let her emotions show as she strode to the finish to celebrate a Games record of 1:26:31s, surpassing the previous mark of 1:29:05s set by Wang Liping of China in Sydney in 2000.
The rain and the sodden track had left questions as to whether the Russian champion could demolish the three-year-old world record of 1:25:41s belonging to compatriot Olimpiada Ivanova.
Yu Fang had qualified for the Olympics with her season's best of 1:32:48s, outside her national record of 1:32:25s.
The 15th place in the race today went to Germany's Sabine Zimmer who clocked 1:30:19s.
Yu Fang was the last of three field athletes entered by Malaysia. Both woman pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu and man high jumper Lee Hup Wei failed to advance from the qualifying rounds.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 12 : Taekwondo - Elaine Out, Only Chew Chan Left In Taekwondo
BEIJING, Aug 21 (Bernama) - Malaysia's taekwondo challenge in the Olympics has whittled down to Che Chew Chan after Elaine Teo was beaten in the repechage of the below 57kg class Thursday where a bronze medal was at stake.
Teo's exit leaves Chew Chan as the only and final glimmer of hope left for the Malaysian contingent which has produced a silver medal from shuttler Lee Chong Wei thus far.Chew Chan is in the above 67kg contest that will be determined on Saturday, also at the Beijing Science and Technology University gymnasium.
Teo was shown the door in the first round in the morning, outscored 7-4 by former European champion Azize Tanrikulu of Turkey.Thanks to Azize who made her way into the final, the Malaysian gained a second chance, after waiting for seven hours, to fight in the repechage where two bronze medals were at stake.
Losers to the finalists from all stages make it into the repechage.But former world champion Diana Lopez of the United States, who is a head taller and with longer reach, beat Teo 3-0 in the first round of the repechage. Lopez was ousted 5-3 by Azize in the semifinals.
"I was satisfied despite losing in the bout in the morning but not in the repechage because I could not strike back at Lopez. I was waiting for her to attack me but she used the same strategy," said Teo.
"If I move in first, she will attack me easily," said the Malaysian who could not land any kicks on the American who had beaten her 5-0 in their previous meeting during the Olympic test event at the same venue.
If she had won, Teo would have made it into the bronze medal match against Italy's Veronica Calabrese.
Her second Olympics bid was a mismatch from the start.Due to a mistake in her entry form for the Asian qualifying tournament, Teo was marked for the higher class and she had to put on four more kilogrammes to go into her contest here.
"I am fighting two classes above my usual. After this, I will have to reduce weight to get back to the 51kg class," said Teo who lost in the first round of the 47kg category in Athens.
-- BERNAMA
Teo's exit leaves Chew Chan as the only and final glimmer of hope left for the Malaysian contingent which has produced a silver medal from shuttler Lee Chong Wei thus far.Chew Chan is in the above 67kg contest that will be determined on Saturday, also at the Beijing Science and Technology University gymnasium.
Teo was shown the door in the first round in the morning, outscored 7-4 by former European champion Azize Tanrikulu of Turkey.Thanks to Azize who made her way into the final, the Malaysian gained a second chance, after waiting for seven hours, to fight in the repechage where two bronze medals were at stake.
Losers to the finalists from all stages make it into the repechage.But former world champion Diana Lopez of the United States, who is a head taller and with longer reach, beat Teo 3-0 in the first round of the repechage. Lopez was ousted 5-3 by Azize in the semifinals.
"I was satisfied despite losing in the bout in the morning but not in the repechage because I could not strike back at Lopez. I was waiting for her to attack me but she used the same strategy," said Teo.
"If I move in first, she will attack me easily," said the Malaysian who could not land any kicks on the American who had beaten her 5-0 in their previous meeting during the Olympic test event at the same venue.
If she had won, Teo would have made it into the bronze medal match against Italy's Veronica Calabrese.
Her second Olympics bid was a mismatch from the start.Due to a mistake in her entry form for the Asian qualifying tournament, Teo was marked for the higher class and she had to put on four more kilogrammes to go into her contest here.
"I am fighting two classes above my usual. After this, I will have to reduce weight to get back to the 51kg class," said Teo who lost in the first round of the 47kg category in Athens.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 12 : Malaysia's Pui Off To Good Start In Beijing 2008 Wushu TournamentMalaysia's Pui Off To Good Start In Beijing 2008 Wushu Tournament
BEIJING, Aug 21 (Bernama) - National pugilist Pui Fook Chien opened strongly in the Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008, which started Thursday to coincide with the Olympic Games.
Fook Chien is lying joint second in the men's nanquan and nangun combined category, which brings together the southern China fist boxing style and cudgel disciplines respectively, at the Olympic Sports Centre gymnasium .
Fook Chien and Koki Nakata of Japan both scored 9.72 points in the nanquan, just two hundredth of a point behind leader Willy Wang of the Philippines, as the contest heads in the nangun discipline Friday night for the medal decider.
In the women's nandao, the southern China broadsword event, Diana Bong is in seventh spot with 9.44 points after the first part of the nandao and nanquan combined contest. The nanquan is also scheduled Friday night.
The wushu tournament comprising the 'taolu' and 'sanshou' competitions has over 100 exponents from 43 countries participating in 15 events.
Malaysia have sent seven exponents to take part in the 'taolu' floor discipline competition, featuring a series of attack and defense movements using bare hands or the use of weapons like the cudgel, spear and broadsword.The 'sanshou' is a combative contest with each bout consisting of three two-minute rounds.
The Malaysian competitors here are Ang Eng Chong (men's changquan), Lee Yang (men's taijiquan and taijijian combined), Lim Yew Fai (men's jianshu and qiangshu combined), Pui Fook Chien (men's nanquan and nangun combined), Diana Bong (women's nanquan and nandao combined), Chai Fong Wei (women's daoshu and gunshu combined) and Chai Fong Ying (women's taijiquan and taijijuan combined).
International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge is scheduled among the medal presenters for the wushu winners Friday. The medals, however, are not counted in the Olympics tally.
-- BERNAMA
Fook Chien is lying joint second in the men's nanquan and nangun combined category, which brings together the southern China fist boxing style and cudgel disciplines respectively, at the Olympic Sports Centre gymnasium .
Fook Chien and Koki Nakata of Japan both scored 9.72 points in the nanquan, just two hundredth of a point behind leader Willy Wang of the Philippines, as the contest heads in the nangun discipline Friday night for the medal decider.
In the women's nandao, the southern China broadsword event, Diana Bong is in seventh spot with 9.44 points after the first part of the nandao and nanquan combined contest. The nanquan is also scheduled Friday night.
The wushu tournament comprising the 'taolu' and 'sanshou' competitions has over 100 exponents from 43 countries participating in 15 events.
Malaysia have sent seven exponents to take part in the 'taolu' floor discipline competition, featuring a series of attack and defense movements using bare hands or the use of weapons like the cudgel, spear and broadsword.The 'sanshou' is a combative contest with each bout consisting of three two-minute rounds.
The Malaysian competitors here are Ang Eng Chong (men's changquan), Lee Yang (men's taijiquan and taijijian combined), Lim Yew Fai (men's jianshu and qiangshu combined), Pui Fook Chien (men's nanquan and nangun combined), Diana Bong (women's nanquan and nandao combined), Chai Fong Wei (women's daoshu and gunshu combined) and Chai Fong Ying (women's taijiquan and taijijuan combined).
International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge is scheduled among the medal presenters for the wushu winners Friday. The medals, however, are not counted in the Olympics tally.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 11 : Diving - Malaysia's Pandelela Placed 27th In Women's Platform Dive
BEIJING, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Young Pandelela Rinong, out to gain experience, was a bundle of nerves in making her Olympics debut in the women's 10m platform and finished 27th out of 29 contestants with 249.20 points.
The Malaysian, the youngest on the platform, got off to a wobbly start with a low of 36.45 points and was placed 29th after the first dive.
She recovered six rungs to 23th in her second dive with 53.65 points and in her third -- despite posting her best show of the night with 67.50 from a forward three an a half somersault -- she slid to 26th spot.
By the fourth she was in 25th place after marking 57.60s. In the fifth and last jump of the qualifying round, a nervous Pandelela could not hold herself together as she flailed into the waters with her worst of 34 points.
Behind the Malaysian were Natalia Goncharova of Russia who had 240.45 points and Annett Gamm of France with 234.20.
China's Chen Ruolin stunned with a 96.90 in the fifth round with a back two and one half somersault with one and a half twists to lead the field of 18 into the semifinals with a total of 428.80 points.
China have already grabbed six golds from the diving board and are tipped to wrest both the men's and women's 10m platform for a clean sweep.
Malaysia's platform ace, Bryan Nickson Lomas, hits the dive board on Friday, with hopes of making the last 18 to qualify for the semifinal.
He was placed 19th in Athens and was ranked seventh in the World Diving Championships last year.
-- BERNAMA
The Malaysian, the youngest on the platform, got off to a wobbly start with a low of 36.45 points and was placed 29th after the first dive.
She recovered six rungs to 23th in her second dive with 53.65 points and in her third -- despite posting her best show of the night with 67.50 from a forward three an a half somersault -- she slid to 26th spot.
By the fourth she was in 25th place after marking 57.60s. In the fifth and last jump of the qualifying round, a nervous Pandelela could not hold herself together as she flailed into the waters with her worst of 34 points.
Behind the Malaysian were Natalia Goncharova of Russia who had 240.45 points and Annett Gamm of France with 234.20.
China's Chen Ruolin stunned with a 96.90 in the fifth round with a back two and one half somersault with one and a half twists to lead the field of 18 into the semifinals with a total of 428.80 points.
China have already grabbed six golds from the diving board and are tipped to wrest both the men's and women's 10m platform for a clean sweep.
Malaysia's platform ace, Bryan Nickson Lomas, hits the dive board on Friday, with hopes of making the last 18 to qualify for the semifinal.
He was placed 19th in Athens and was ranked seventh in the World Diving Championships last year.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 11 : Taekwondo - Taekwondo Girls In Final Kick For Medals
BEIJING, Aug 20 (Bernama) - They passed each other at the weighing-in Wednesday but no words were exchanged.
Surprise could play the decider when Malaysia's Elaine Teo faces former European number one Azizi Tanrikulu of Turkey in their opening bout of the Olympics taekwondo below 57kg class Thursday.
Teo and teammate, Che Chew Chan, are Malaysia's last chance of a medal in the Games after shuttler Lee Chong Wei returned with the men's singles silver medal.
Che is in the above 67kg contest that will be determined on Saturday, also at the Beijing Science and Technology University gymnasium.
Teo is shorter and lighter than her Turkish opponent but she is counting on the fact that neither knows much of the other.
"We don't know each other, so there may be a surprise. Much will depend on tomorrow... if my feeling is good, everything will be good," said Teo who made her debut in the Athens Olympics in the light flyweight category of below 49kg and exited after the first round.
A mistake in her entry for the Asian qualifying tournament marked her for the higher class and since the SEA Games in December, the 27-year-old who is ranked fifth in Asia has had to pile on four more kilogrammes to tip the scales at 54kg.
Putting on weight was the easy part, turning the extra into muscle meant more weight training, she said.
Tanrikulu, younger by five years, was fifth in the European Championships this year. She stands at 1.72m, as compared to her 1.65m Malaysian rival and weighs closer to 57kg.Melaka-born Teo said Athens had been a good experience.
"I can control my feelings better, and better handle tension and nervousness. I am not thinking ahead but one bout at a time," she said.
If she wins, she will move into a quarterfinals bout against Diana Lopez of the United States or Chonnapas Premwaew of Thailand.
Lopez was the 2005 featherweight world champion and number three in the same tournament last year. The Thai girl was number two in the Asian championships, two years ago.
-- BERNAMA
Surprise could play the decider when Malaysia's Elaine Teo faces former European number one Azizi Tanrikulu of Turkey in their opening bout of the Olympics taekwondo below 57kg class Thursday.
Teo and teammate, Che Chew Chan, are Malaysia's last chance of a medal in the Games after shuttler Lee Chong Wei returned with the men's singles silver medal.
Che is in the above 67kg contest that will be determined on Saturday, also at the Beijing Science and Technology University gymnasium.
Teo is shorter and lighter than her Turkish opponent but she is counting on the fact that neither knows much of the other.
"We don't know each other, so there may be a surprise. Much will depend on tomorrow... if my feeling is good, everything will be good," said Teo who made her debut in the Athens Olympics in the light flyweight category of below 49kg and exited after the first round.
A mistake in her entry for the Asian qualifying tournament marked her for the higher class and since the SEA Games in December, the 27-year-old who is ranked fifth in Asia has had to pile on four more kilogrammes to tip the scales at 54kg.
Putting on weight was the easy part, turning the extra into muscle meant more weight training, she said.
Tanrikulu, younger by five years, was fifth in the European Championships this year. She stands at 1.72m, as compared to her 1.65m Malaysian rival and weighs closer to 57kg.Melaka-born Teo said Athens had been a good experience.
"I can control my feelings better, and better handle tension and nervousness. I am not thinking ahead but one bout at a time," she said.
If she wins, she will move into a quarterfinals bout against Diana Lopez of the United States or Chonnapas Premwaew of Thailand.
Lopez was the 2005 featherweight world champion and number three in the same tournament last year. The Thai girl was number two in the Asian championships, two years ago.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 10 : Cycling - Azizulhasni Finishes 8th In Men's Sprint
BEIJING, Aug 19 (Bernama) - National cyclist Azizulhasni Awang placed 8th in the men's sprint today after he was beaten in the quarterfinals yesterday by world champion Chris Hoy of Great Britain.
The 20-year-old national was shut out by Dutch duo, former world champion Theo Bos and Teun Mulder, with Kevin Sireau of France leading the pack in the 5th to 8th placing race-off at the Laoshan Velodrome.
Sireau crossed first in 10.719s for 5th spot followed by Mulder, Bos and the Malaysian, a first timer in the Games.
Azziulhasni has said he will take a break back in his kampong in Dungun, Terengganu, to celebrate Hari Raya before resuming training in Melbourne.'
The national team had been training in Melbourne and spent several weeks in Spain before coming to Beijing.-- BERNAMA
The 20-year-old national was shut out by Dutch duo, former world champion Theo Bos and Teun Mulder, with Kevin Sireau of France leading the pack in the 5th to 8th placing race-off at the Laoshan Velodrome.
Sireau crossed first in 10.719s for 5th spot followed by Mulder, Bos and the Malaysian, a first timer in the Games.
Azziulhasni has said he will take a break back in his kampong in Dungun, Terengganu, to celebrate Hari Raya before resuming training in Melbourne.'
The national team had been training in Melbourne and spent several weeks in Spain before coming to Beijing.-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 9 : Only Six Malaysians Left In Olympics Contest
BEIJING, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- Only six Malaysian athletes are left as the doors to another medal for Malaysia from the Beijing Olympics are closed to allow merely a peek, after Lee Chong Wei's silver from badminton.
Tuesday, cyclist Azizulhasni Awang races for fifth to eighth placing in the men's sprint. His rivals are former wold champion Theo Bos of the Netherlands, Kein Sireau of France and another Dutch rider, Tuen Mulder.
On Wednesday, diver Pandelela Rinong, the 'baby' of the 33-athlete contingent, will take to the 10m platform only to glean experience. The 15-year-old, who was plucked as a young talent at nine, is the youngest diver to win a gold medal in the SEA Games last year, in the synchronised event.
Teammate, Bryan Nickson Lomas, hits the dive board on Friday, with hopes of making the last 18 to qualify for the semifinal. He was placed 19th in Athens and was ranked seventh in the World Diving Championships last year.
Walking mum Yuan Yu Fang's 20km event is on Thursday morning. The former Chinese national who became a Malaysian citizen in 1997 timed 1:32.48s at the Asian Race Walking Championships in Japan this year.
Also on Thursday, taekwondo exponent Elaine Teo will square off against Azize Tanrikulu of Turkey in the featherweight (below 57kg ). If she wins, she will move into a quarterfinal bout against Diana Lopez of the United States or Chonnapas Premwaew of Thailand.
Tanrikulu was fifth in the European Championships this year.
Che Chew Chan, the other taekwondo pugilist, who upset China's reigning Olympic champion Luo Wei in the Asian Championships in April this year enroute to a silver medal, is the last Malaysian to take the competition in the middleweight contest on Saturday, the eve of the Games closing.
Che opens her Olympics debut against Evgeniya Karimova of Uzbekistan who was fifth place in heavyweight category in the Asian tournament this year.
Chong Wei's runner-up place to China's Lin Dan for the badminton men's singles crown, the only podium achievement by Malaysia in the outing here, raises Malaysia's overall medals in Olympics history to two silver and two bronze medals.-- BERNAMA
Tuesday, cyclist Azizulhasni Awang races for fifth to eighth placing in the men's sprint. His rivals are former wold champion Theo Bos of the Netherlands, Kein Sireau of France and another Dutch rider, Tuen Mulder.
On Wednesday, diver Pandelela Rinong, the 'baby' of the 33-athlete contingent, will take to the 10m platform only to glean experience. The 15-year-old, who was plucked as a young talent at nine, is the youngest diver to win a gold medal in the SEA Games last year, in the synchronised event.
Teammate, Bryan Nickson Lomas, hits the dive board on Friday, with hopes of making the last 18 to qualify for the semifinal. He was placed 19th in Athens and was ranked seventh in the World Diving Championships last year.
Walking mum Yuan Yu Fang's 20km event is on Thursday morning. The former Chinese national who became a Malaysian citizen in 1997 timed 1:32.48s at the Asian Race Walking Championships in Japan this year.
Also on Thursday, taekwondo exponent Elaine Teo will square off against Azize Tanrikulu of Turkey in the featherweight (below 57kg ). If she wins, she will move into a quarterfinal bout against Diana Lopez of the United States or Chonnapas Premwaew of Thailand.
Tanrikulu was fifth in the European Championships this year.
Che Chew Chan, the other taekwondo pugilist, who upset China's reigning Olympic champion Luo Wei in the Asian Championships in April this year enroute to a silver medal, is the last Malaysian to take the competition in the middleweight contest on Saturday, the eve of the Games closing.
Che opens her Olympics debut against Evgeniya Karimova of Uzbekistan who was fifth place in heavyweight category in the Asian tournament this year.
Chong Wei's runner-up place to China's Lin Dan for the badminton men's singles crown, the only podium achievement by Malaysia in the outing here, raises Malaysia's overall medals in Olympics history to two silver and two bronze medals.-- BERNAMA
Monday, August 18, 2008
Olympic Day 9 - Athletic - Malaysian High Jumper Heads For Exit
BEIJING, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's presence in the Olympics track and field contest has shrivelled to only woman walker Yuan Yu Fang.
After pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu's exit Saturday, high jumper Lee Hup Wei followed suit Sunday.
Hup Wei managed only 2.20m and was placed 32nd out of 39.
Only the top 12 qualified for the final with the cutoff at 2.25m.
The Malaysian, making his Olympics debut, struggled with his jumps. He cleared 2.15m only after a second try and 2.20m in his third attempt before faltering at 2.25m.
Yu Fang's 20km walk is scheduled on Aug 21.
-- BERNAMA
After pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu's exit Saturday, high jumper Lee Hup Wei followed suit Sunday.
Hup Wei managed only 2.20m and was placed 32nd out of 39.
Only the top 12 qualified for the final with the cutoff at 2.25m.
The Malaysian, making his Olympics debut, struggled with his jumps. He cleared 2.15m only after a second try and 2.20m in his third attempt before faltering at 2.25m.
Yu Fang's 20km walk is scheduled on Aug 21.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 9 : Badminton - Olympics Gold Eludes Malaysia, Chong Wei Gets Silver
BEIJING, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- The much-coveted Olympics gold eluded Malaysia's reach again after Lee Choong Wei was left clutching the silver from a sound thrashing by China's Lin Dan in the showdown for the badminton men's singles crown.
The entire nation was riveted on the match waiting to celebrate finally a gold but the 41-minute bout was such an anti-climax.
Chong Wei was outclassed by the reigning two-time world champion who was in superb control all the way and led from start to finish to wrap the gold medal for his first time at 21-12, 21-8.
Lin Dan is the first world champion to be crowned Olympic champion.
Chong Wei conceded that it was his easiest defeat ever to Lin Dan after more than a dozen meetings.
"I felt some pressure but that was not a factor. I lost and I have no excuses. Lin Dan played very well tonight," said the 26-year-old Chong Wei, who is the first Malaysian singles to enter the Olympics final.
"I could not match his speed and I could not get around him no matter how. Coach asked to me speed up the game but I just couldn't," he said when asked what instructions he got from coach Misbun Sidek during the break.
Chong Wei's second finishing raises Malaysia's Olympic medal tally to two silvers and two bronzes.
In 1992, brothers Razif and Jalani Sidek clinched a bronze. In 1996, Cheah Soon Kit and partner, Yap Kim Hock -- now national head coach, got a silver, and Rashid Sidek added a single's bronze.
Asked if he will stay on for a third Olympics, Chong Wei said he will look to the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou for now.
"Though we didn't win gold, national badminton has achieved the pinnacle at this prestigious games. We will try again at London Olympics," said Badminton Association of Malaysia president Datuk Nadzmi Salleh.
Lin Dan delighted the home crowd with his sharp smashes that sent Chong Wei diving to the left and right and he was preening with confidence from easily reeling off point after point to stretch the gap from 7-1 to 13-5 to reach game point in the first at 20-10.
In the second, Lin Dan whipped up an 8-0 lead before he sent a hasty backhand into the net to break the duck for Chong Wei but he never lost his domination one bit and cried as he hugged his coaches and saluted the crowds after the victory.
The only thing he lost tonight were his shoes which he threw joyfully to the home fans.
"It was the best match I have played in my career," said Lin Dan, adding that he was mentally prepared to be satisfied with a silver because his Malaysian rival was currently among the world's best.
His win marks the second time China lifted the men's singles crown after Ji Xinpeng in Sydney in 2000 and erases Lin Dan's embarrassing first round exit from the Athens Games four years ago where he was also the favourites.
The victory also gave China a repeat of their three gold haul from Athens. Besides the men's singles, China won the women's singles and women's doubles.
Indonesia took the men's doubles title and South Korea the mixed double gold.
-- BERNAMA
The entire nation was riveted on the match waiting to celebrate finally a gold but the 41-minute bout was such an anti-climax.
Chong Wei was outclassed by the reigning two-time world champion who was in superb control all the way and led from start to finish to wrap the gold medal for his first time at 21-12, 21-8.
Lin Dan is the first world champion to be crowned Olympic champion.
Chong Wei conceded that it was his easiest defeat ever to Lin Dan after more than a dozen meetings.
"I felt some pressure but that was not a factor. I lost and I have no excuses. Lin Dan played very well tonight," said the 26-year-old Chong Wei, who is the first Malaysian singles to enter the Olympics final.
"I could not match his speed and I could not get around him no matter how. Coach asked to me speed up the game but I just couldn't," he said when asked what instructions he got from coach Misbun Sidek during the break.
Chong Wei's second finishing raises Malaysia's Olympic medal tally to two silvers and two bronzes.
In 1992, brothers Razif and Jalani Sidek clinched a bronze. In 1996, Cheah Soon Kit and partner, Yap Kim Hock -- now national head coach, got a silver, and Rashid Sidek added a single's bronze.
Asked if he will stay on for a third Olympics, Chong Wei said he will look to the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou for now.
"Though we didn't win gold, national badminton has achieved the pinnacle at this prestigious games. We will try again at London Olympics," said Badminton Association of Malaysia president Datuk Nadzmi Salleh.
Lin Dan delighted the home crowd with his sharp smashes that sent Chong Wei diving to the left and right and he was preening with confidence from easily reeling off point after point to stretch the gap from 7-1 to 13-5 to reach game point in the first at 20-10.
In the second, Lin Dan whipped up an 8-0 lead before he sent a hasty backhand into the net to break the duck for Chong Wei but he never lost his domination one bit and cried as he hugged his coaches and saluted the crowds after the victory.
The only thing he lost tonight were his shoes which he threw joyfully to the home fans.
"It was the best match I have played in my career," said Lin Dan, adding that he was mentally prepared to be satisfied with a silver because his Malaysian rival was currently among the world's best.
His win marks the second time China lifted the men's singles crown after Ji Xinpeng in Sydney in 2000 and erases Lin Dan's embarrassing first round exit from the Athens Games four years ago where he was also the favourites.
The victory also gave China a repeat of their three gold haul from Athens. Besides the men's singles, China won the women's singles and women's doubles.
Indonesia took the men's doubles title and South Korea the mixed double gold.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 9 : Sailing - Kevin Lim Remains In Tail Of Laser Event
BEIJING, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Kevin Lim struggled to find a second wind to lift him from the bottom of the pool in the Olympics laser competition when he again trailed in the sixth race Sunday, to stay at an overall 36th in Qingdao.
The 32-year-old, who is in his fourth Olympics, finished 36th Sunday with four races left to the medal round.
Lim has already given up on his initial target of a top 20 finish. His best achievement in the Olympics was a 22nd place in Sydney in 2000.
-- BERNAMA
The 32-year-old, who is in his fourth Olympics, finished 36th Sunday with four races left to the medal round.
Lim has already given up on his initial target of a top 20 finish. His best achievement in the Olympics was a 22nd place in Sydney in 2000.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 9 : Cycling - Cyclist Azizulhasni Makes It To Sprint Quarterfinals
BEIJING, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- National cyclist Azizulhasni Awang survived tough competition Sunday to sneak into the quarterfinals of the Olympics men's sprint, in his last event.
But the pint-sized 20-year-old faces a formidable opponent in the last eight scheduled for Monday evening. He will race against Chris Hoy, gold winner in a 1-2 finish by Great Britain in the Keirin event Saturday.
Unless Azizulhasni upsets Hoy, he will find himself racing for fifth to eighth place on Tuesday.
Azizulhasni timed the seventh fastest of 10.272s in the qualifying round to pick 18 riders from 21 contenders for the first round.
"His seventh ranking is already a good result and Malaysia should be proud that he made the quarterfinals. He will have a tough race tomorrow but it will not be based on power alone; strategy will play a role and riders can make mistakes," said team manager Abu Samah Wahab.
In the first round, Azizulhasni was beaten by defending champion Ryan Bayley of Australia but the Malaysian was back in business in staving off Tsubasa Kitatsuru of Japan and Lukasz Kwiatkowski of Poland in the repechage with a time of 10.959s.
In the second round, British rider Kenny Jason outpowered Azizulhasni, forcing the Malaysian back into a repechage.
Despite being stretched over four races, he hung on grittily to edge Stefan Nimke of Germany and Roberto Chiappa of Italy to win in 11.010s.
Saturday, Azizulhasni, the Asian sprint and Keirin champion, was ousted from the second round of the Keirin after a tactical blunder.
-- BERNAMA
But the pint-sized 20-year-old faces a formidable opponent in the last eight scheduled for Monday evening. He will race against Chris Hoy, gold winner in a 1-2 finish by Great Britain in the Keirin event Saturday.
Unless Azizulhasni upsets Hoy, he will find himself racing for fifth to eighth place on Tuesday.
Azizulhasni timed the seventh fastest of 10.272s in the qualifying round to pick 18 riders from 21 contenders for the first round.
"His seventh ranking is already a good result and Malaysia should be proud that he made the quarterfinals. He will have a tough race tomorrow but it will not be based on power alone; strategy will play a role and riders can make mistakes," said team manager Abu Samah Wahab.
In the first round, Azizulhasni was beaten by defending champion Ryan Bayley of Australia but the Malaysian was back in business in staving off Tsubasa Kitatsuru of Japan and Lukasz Kwiatkowski of Poland in the repechage with a time of 10.959s.
In the second round, British rider Kenny Jason outpowered Azizulhasni, forcing the Malaysian back into a repechage.
Despite being stretched over four races, he hung on grittily to edge Stefan Nimke of Germany and Roberto Chiappa of Italy to win in 11.010s.
Saturday, Azizulhasni, the Asian sprint and Keirin champion, was ousted from the second round of the Keirin after a tactical blunder.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 8 : Cycling - Azizulhasni, Josiah Flop In Keirin Challenge
BEIJING, Aug 16 (Bernama) - National cyclist Azizulhasni Awang and Josiah Ng made promising starts but ended in a cloud of disappointment after both failed to qualify for the Olympics keirin final at the Laoshan Velodrome Saturday.
Azizul, the Asian keirin and sprint champion, finished 10th while Ng was ninth.
"I rode my heart out," said Ng who had finished sixth in Athens. The 28-year-old reckons he still has another two Olympics in him.
Azizulhasni had only three rivals in his second round heat but the pint-sized Terengganu rider bungled when he found himself trapped behind the group coming into the last corner.
His desperate attempt to cut out was blocked by Edgar Ross of Great Britain, Kiyofumi Nagai of Japan and Carsten Bergemann of Germany, who all qualified into the final from the heat.
Team manager Abu Samah Abdul Wahab said Azizulhasni's bid was wrecked by a wrong tactic because he did not follow coach John Beasley's order to stay in front.
The heat was depleted after Polish rider Kamil Kuczynski's bicycle flipped soon after the start and Dutch former world champion Theo Bos went smack into him.
Ng has tough company in current world champion and eventual gold winner Chris Hoy of Great Britain and Australians, Ryan Bayley and Kelly Shane in his second round heat.
Bayley, the gold winner for the individual sprit and keirin in Athens, played sacrifical hare for Shane to get upfront and ended up second, sandwiched between Hoy and Frenchman Arnaud Tournant to enter the final.
In the first round, Azizulhasni had Shane breathing down on him to the finish line in Heat 2 but the Malaysian held on stubbornly to arrive first.
Ng, initially placed third in Heat 3, was moved up to second to advance into the next round after second-placed Italian, Roberto Chiappa was relegated for pushing Nagai.
The Japanese came back from the repechage to make it into the second round and he took the bronze behind the 1-2 finish by Great Britain, with Ross Edgar taking the silver.
Of the three events entered by Malaysia, the national cyclists had high hopes of making the keirin six-man final.
Azizulhasni has a final event Sunday. He is the sole Malaysian rider in the 200m sprint.
Friday, he had teamed up with Ng and Rizal Tisin in the team sprint and the trio smashed the national record in finishing seventh fastest in the qualifying round, although they did not make headway after that.
-- BERNAMA
Azizul, the Asian keirin and sprint champion, finished 10th while Ng was ninth.
"I rode my heart out," said Ng who had finished sixth in Athens. The 28-year-old reckons he still has another two Olympics in him.
Azizulhasni had only three rivals in his second round heat but the pint-sized Terengganu rider bungled when he found himself trapped behind the group coming into the last corner.
His desperate attempt to cut out was blocked by Edgar Ross of Great Britain, Kiyofumi Nagai of Japan and Carsten Bergemann of Germany, who all qualified into the final from the heat.
Team manager Abu Samah Abdul Wahab said Azizulhasni's bid was wrecked by a wrong tactic because he did not follow coach John Beasley's order to stay in front.
The heat was depleted after Polish rider Kamil Kuczynski's bicycle flipped soon after the start and Dutch former world champion Theo Bos went smack into him.
Ng has tough company in current world champion and eventual gold winner Chris Hoy of Great Britain and Australians, Ryan Bayley and Kelly Shane in his second round heat.
Bayley, the gold winner for the individual sprit and keirin in Athens, played sacrifical hare for Shane to get upfront and ended up second, sandwiched between Hoy and Frenchman Arnaud Tournant to enter the final.
In the first round, Azizulhasni had Shane breathing down on him to the finish line in Heat 2 but the Malaysian held on stubbornly to arrive first.
Ng, initially placed third in Heat 3, was moved up to second to advance into the next round after second-placed Italian, Roberto Chiappa was relegated for pushing Nagai.
The Japanese came back from the repechage to make it into the second round and he took the bronze behind the 1-2 finish by Great Britain, with Ross Edgar taking the silver.
Of the three events entered by Malaysia, the national cyclists had high hopes of making the keirin six-man final.
Azizulhasni has a final event Sunday. He is the sole Malaysian rider in the 200m sprint.
Friday, he had teamed up with Ng and Rizal Tisin in the team sprint and the trio smashed the national record in finishing seventh fastest in the qualifying round, although they did not make headway after that.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 8 - Sailing - Sailor Kevin Lim In 35th Spot Midway Of Laser Race
BEIJING, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Kevin Lim finished 22nd in race five of the Olympics laser sailing event in Qingdao to improve his overall position to 35th, two better from overnight, as the competition reached its halfway point Saturday.
"We had a long day out for seven hours but only one race was held. We were ready for the next but somehow the race committee didn't call for the start and we came back after three to four hours of waiting," said Lim when contacted.
The competition with 43 sailors was to have finished all 10 races today before the medal round but low winds have scuttled the schedule.
Lim who had aimed to finish in the top 20 has also scaled back on his hopes.
"I pushed too hard in the first few races and took too many risks. Now I will just sail my usual and see how best it will take me," said Lim, who is at his fourth Olympics.
-- BERNAMA
"We had a long day out for seven hours but only one race was held. We were ready for the next but somehow the race committee didn't call for the start and we came back after three to four hours of waiting," said Lim when contacted.
The competition with 43 sailors was to have finished all 10 races today before the medal round but low winds have scuttled the schedule.
Lim who had aimed to finish in the top 20 has also scaled back on his hopes.
"I pushed too hard in the first few races and took too many risks. Now I will just sail my usual and see how best it will take me," said Lim, who is at his fourth Olympics.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 8 - Athletic - Pole Vaulter Roslinda Misses Cut For Final
BEIJING, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu missed the Olympic finals when she failed all three attempts to match her national record of 4.40m which was the cutoff mark for the 12 qualifiers today.
The 26-year-old cleared 4.30m, which she had consistently done this season but was off her national mark set two years ago in Spain.
She started her opening height of 4m and proceeded to 4.15m and 4.30m, all cleared in first tries.
Roslinda is one of only two field athletes for the athletics programme here.
With her ouster, only the men's high jumper Lee Hup Wei is left and his qualifying round is scheduled for tomorrow night.
-- BERNAMA
The 26-year-old cleared 4.30m, which she had consistently done this season but was off her national mark set two years ago in Spain.
She started her opening height of 4m and proceeded to 4.15m and 4.30m, all cleared in first tries.
Roslinda is one of only two field athletes for the athletics programme here.
With her ouster, only the men's high jumper Lee Hup Wei is left and his qualifying round is scheduled for tomorrow night.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 8 - Sailing - Malaysian Sailor Down Two Rungs In 39th Spot
BEIJING, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Kevin Lim dropped another two rungs to 39th place after the fourth race of the Olympics laser sailing event in Qingdao Friday.
Once again, low wind held up the competition which has fallen behind schedule.
"We were sitting in our boats for an hour today for the start before we were recalled," said Lim when contacted before the fourth race.
Lim, taking part in his fourth Olympics, is aiming for a top 20 finish among the 43 competitors.
The laser contest started Tuesday with two races planned daily but so far only four of eight races could be completed.
-- BERNAMA
Once again, low wind held up the competition which has fallen behind schedule.
"We were sitting in our boats for an hour today for the start before we were recalled," said Lim when contacted before the fourth race.
Lim, taking part in his fourth Olympics, is aiming for a top 20 finish among the 43 competitors.
The laser contest started Tuesday with two races planned daily but so far only four of eight races could be completed.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 8 - Shooting - Shooter Hasli Izwan In 16th Spot After First Stage
BEIJING, AUG 15 (Bernama) -- Hasli Izwan Amir Hasan, the sole national shooter in the Olympics, is lying 16th after the first stage of the men's 25m rapid fire pistol with a score of 279 Friday.
The second stage, also over 30 shots, is scheduled Saturday.
Hasli Izwan, who holds the national record of 581, fired 96 and 95 before slipping with an 88 to end the first stage.
In the lead was Russia's Leonid Ekimov with 291, just two ahead of Oleksandr Petriv of Ukraine, Keith Sanderson of the United States and Christian Reitz of Germany who were all on 289.
Only the top six shooters from the two stages qualify for the final.
-- BERNAMA
The second stage, also over 30 shots, is scheduled Saturday.
Hasli Izwan, who holds the national record of 581, fired 96 and 95 before slipping with an 88 to end the first stage.
In the lead was Russia's Leonid Ekimov with 291, just two ahead of Oleksandr Petriv of Ukraine, Keith Sanderson of the United States and Christian Reitz of Germany who were all on 289.
Only the top six shooters from the two stages qualify for the final.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 8 : Archery - Archer Chu Sian Outshoots Olympic Record Holder
BEIJING, Aug 15 (Bernama) – Malaysia's Cheng Chu Sian upset Olympic record holder Lee Chang Hwan to qualify for the archery individual quarterfinals where his advance was halted by Russia's Bair Badenov at 109-104 Friday.
Cheng's performance was a first for Malaysian archery history in a sport that is still relatively unpopular back home. Malaysian archers are in the Olympics for only the second time and Cheng is making his debut.
The 22-year-old from Penang was level against his Russian rival after the first three arrows but he dropped back with two sevens during the rest of the way.
By the 12th and final arrow, the very consistent Badenov needed just four points to claim victory and he struck an eight to wrap it up.
"I made a mistake and ended up with the sevens, it is too technical to explain," said Cheng who had surprised the field in the morning by beating Lee in a two-arrow shoot-off after they tied 105-105 after the regular contest.
In the ensuing nail-biting drama, both scored a nine with their first arrow and in the second, Lee, aimed first and again struck a nine.
Cheng saw his chance. He stepped up and displaying nerves of steel, he hit the bull's eye for the second time in the third round bout.
The arena erupted into resounding applause to the dismay of a large crowd of Korean fans who had come to cheer for the much-experienced Lee.
"I wanted to make up for the team event, I told myself that I must do my best. I went to sleep early last night," said Cheng.
"I have beaten him before but I cannot recall when. Lee has also lost to Wan Khalmizam before and possibly because of this, he is under a lot of pressure when he faces opposition from Malaysia," he added.
Lee, who is a part of the South Korea gold winning team, scored an Olympic record of 117 only two days ago in the first round.
Cheng, who is the highest ranked Malaysian in the world standing at number 13, had fared the worst during the team quarterfinals in teaming up with Wan Khalmizam Abd Aziz and Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman.
RESULT:
THIRD ROUND;
Cheng Chu Sian (MAS): 9-8-8-9-9-9-9-9-8-8-10-9 = 105
Lee Chang Hwan (KOR): 9-9-7-8-8-9-9-10-9-9-9-9 = 105
SHOOTOFF:
Cheng Chu Sian (MAS) 9-10
Lee Chang Hwan (KOR) 9-9
QUARTERFINALS:
Cheng Chu Sian (MAS): 8-10-9-7-9-9-8-9-9-7-10-9 = 104
Bair Badenov (RUS): 9-10-8-9-10-9-9-9-9-10-9-8 = 109
-- BERNAMA
Cheng's performance was a first for Malaysian archery history in a sport that is still relatively unpopular back home. Malaysian archers are in the Olympics for only the second time and Cheng is making his debut.
The 22-year-old from Penang was level against his Russian rival after the first three arrows but he dropped back with two sevens during the rest of the way.
By the 12th and final arrow, the very consistent Badenov needed just four points to claim victory and he struck an eight to wrap it up.
"I made a mistake and ended up with the sevens, it is too technical to explain," said Cheng who had surprised the field in the morning by beating Lee in a two-arrow shoot-off after they tied 105-105 after the regular contest.
In the ensuing nail-biting drama, both scored a nine with their first arrow and in the second, Lee, aimed first and again struck a nine.
Cheng saw his chance. He stepped up and displaying nerves of steel, he hit the bull's eye for the second time in the third round bout.
The arena erupted into resounding applause to the dismay of a large crowd of Korean fans who had come to cheer for the much-experienced Lee.
"I wanted to make up for the team event, I told myself that I must do my best. I went to sleep early last night," said Cheng.
"I have beaten him before but I cannot recall when. Lee has also lost to Wan Khalmizam before and possibly because of this, he is under a lot of pressure when he faces opposition from Malaysia," he added.
Lee, who is a part of the South Korea gold winning team, scored an Olympic record of 117 only two days ago in the first round.
Cheng, who is the highest ranked Malaysian in the world standing at number 13, had fared the worst during the team quarterfinals in teaming up with Wan Khalmizam Abd Aziz and Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman.
RESULT:
THIRD ROUND;
Cheng Chu Sian (MAS): 9-8-8-9-9-9-9-9-8-8-10-9 = 105
Lee Chang Hwan (KOR): 9-9-7-8-8-9-9-10-9-9-9-9 = 105
SHOOTOFF:
Cheng Chu Sian (MAS) 9-10
Lee Chang Hwan (KOR) 9-9
QUARTERFINALS:
Cheng Chu Sian (MAS): 8-10-9-7-9-9-8-9-9-7-10-9 = 104
Bair Badenov (RUS): 9-10-8-9-10-9-9-9-9-10-9-8 = 109
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 8 : Cycling - Cyclists Break National Record, 7th In Team Sprint
BEIJING, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- The cycling trio of Azizul Hasni Awang, Josiah Ng and Rizal Tisin set a national record during the team sprint qualifying round at the Laoshan Velodrome Friday.
The team posted 44.725s to eclipse the previous mark of 45.511s in coming out seventh fastest among the eight qualifers for the first round.
But they were beaten in the first round by France who were the second fastest in qualifying. The Malaysians clocked 44.822s while France, the eventual silver medalist, timed 43.656s.
Great Britain sprinted to the gold in 43.128s, edging France by five-tenths of a second.
Azizul had said before the race, the fast track in Laoshan was ideal for the team to break the national record.
He and Josiah will be at the velodrome again Saturday for the keirin event in which the latter finished in sixth spot in the Athens games.
-- BERNAMA
The team posted 44.725s to eclipse the previous mark of 45.511s in coming out seventh fastest among the eight qualifers for the first round.
But they were beaten in the first round by France who were the second fastest in qualifying. The Malaysians clocked 44.822s while France, the eventual silver medalist, timed 43.656s.
Great Britain sprinted to the gold in 43.128s, edging France by five-tenths of a second.
Azizul had said before the race, the fast track in Laoshan was ideal for the team to break the national record.
He and Josiah will be at the velodrome again Saturday for the keirin event in which the latter finished in sixth spot in the Athens games.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 7 : Archery - Malaysian Cheng Chu Sian Moves On To Archery Quarterfinals
BEIJING, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Cheng Chu Sian beat Olympic record holder Lee Chang Hwan of Korea in a tie-breaker to qualify for the Beijing Olympics men's individual archery quarterfinals.
-- BERNAMA
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 7 : Swimming - Malaysian Girls Share 21st Spot In 3m Spring Board
BEIJING, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Leong Mun Yee and Elizabeth Jimie failed to advance into the semifinals of the women's 3m springboard.
They shared 21st spot after the preliminary five rounds on 253.50 points in a field of 30 divers dominated by Chinese dive queen Guo Jingjing who scored 373.90s.
Only the top 18 qualify for the semifinals.
Mun Yee was marked 54 points in her opening dive for 17th position. She was overall 18th and 20th in the second and third round respectively.
But she lost her composure to slip to 30th in the fourth dive scoring only 33 points.
It was too big a gap to close although she finished strongly with an inward two and a half somersault in the fifth and final jump for 64 points.
"I was not confident in the third and fourth," said the 24-year-old in wrapping up her third Olympics.
Elizabeth scored 48, 54, 42, 52 and 57 in her dives to move from 25th spot to finish four rungs up
Malaysia's two other divers, Bryan Lomas and Pandelela Rinong will take to the men's and women's 10m platform on Wednesday.
-- BERNAMA
They shared 21st spot after the preliminary five rounds on 253.50 points in a field of 30 divers dominated by Chinese dive queen Guo Jingjing who scored 373.90s.
Only the top 18 qualify for the semifinals.
Mun Yee was marked 54 points in her opening dive for 17th position. She was overall 18th and 20th in the second and third round respectively.
But she lost her composure to slip to 30th in the fourth dive scoring only 33 points.
It was too big a gap to close although she finished strongly with an inward two and a half somersault in the fifth and final jump for 64 points.
"I was not confident in the third and fourth," said the 24-year-old in wrapping up her third Olympics.
Elizabeth scored 48, 54, 42, 52 and 57 in her dives to move from 25th spot to finish four rungs up
Malaysia's two other divers, Bryan Lomas and Pandelela Rinong will take to the men's and women's 10m platform on Wednesday.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 7 : Badminton - Chong Wei Makes History, Fourth Olympic Medal For Malaysia
BEIJING, Aug 15 (Bernama) - Shuttler Lee Chong Wei delivered Malaysia it's fourth Olympics medal when he rose above intense pressure to book himself into the men's singles final with a 21-18, 13-21, 21-13 victory over South Korea's Lee Hyun il Friday night.
The 26-year-old Lee sank down on the court with relief and rolled onto his back before sprinting up on his feet to hug coach Misbun Sidek as he broke a 12-year Olympic medal drought Malaysia has been facing.
"The final match is to fight for Malaysia. This win is for me and my coach who has worked so hard to train me," said Chong Wei after the hour-long duel at the Beijing University of Technology gymnasium.
The Malaysian, the number two seed, will meet either favourite Lin Dan or another Chinese rival, Chen Jin in the showdown for the gold on Sunday night.
Chong Wei, who is the first Malaysian singles shuttler to qualify for the final, can earn the biggest accolade in the nation's sports history if he captures the gold, the first ever for the country, which has a silver and two bronze from the Games, all from badminton.
Not to mention the RM1 million carrot that was announced by the government for the country's first Olympic gold.
"The win tonight has lifted the pressure off me finally because I have got a medal now. This is my biggest match win because it is the Olympics and for the final, I will stay focused," he said.
He confessed that he had less than six hours of sleep worried about Friday night's encounter in which he had an easy 21-18 first game against Lee who was making a lot of unforced errors.
"In the second game, I just could not catch up with his speed," said Chong Wei who lost 10 points in a row for Lee to surge ahead 16-6 and take it at 21-13 to force a decider.
The turning point in the third game came for Chong Wei was when he pulled away to a 15-10 lead.
"I was confident at that juncture and just took one point after another. We were both going for the net and he made many mistakes," said Chong Wei who delivered two smashes for match point and home.
The unranked Lee is considered one of the hardest players to beat currently. He broke China's Bao Chunlai, the third seed, in the quarterfinal to set up a date with Chong Wei.
Malaysia last returned from the Olympics with honours in 1996 with a silver from the doubles pair of Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock and a bronze from singles, Rashid Sidek.
-- BERNAMA
The 26-year-old Lee sank down on the court with relief and rolled onto his back before sprinting up on his feet to hug coach Misbun Sidek as he broke a 12-year Olympic medal drought Malaysia has been facing.
"The final match is to fight for Malaysia. This win is for me and my coach who has worked so hard to train me," said Chong Wei after the hour-long duel at the Beijing University of Technology gymnasium.
The Malaysian, the number two seed, will meet either favourite Lin Dan or another Chinese rival, Chen Jin in the showdown for the gold on Sunday night.
Chong Wei, who is the first Malaysian singles shuttler to qualify for the final, can earn the biggest accolade in the nation's sports history if he captures the gold, the first ever for the country, which has a silver and two bronze from the Games, all from badminton.
Not to mention the RM1 million carrot that was announced by the government for the country's first Olympic gold.
"The win tonight has lifted the pressure off me finally because I have got a medal now. This is my biggest match win because it is the Olympics and for the final, I will stay focused," he said.
He confessed that he had less than six hours of sleep worried about Friday night's encounter in which he had an easy 21-18 first game against Lee who was making a lot of unforced errors.
"In the second game, I just could not catch up with his speed," said Chong Wei who lost 10 points in a row for Lee to surge ahead 16-6 and take it at 21-13 to force a decider.
The turning point in the third game came for Chong Wei was when he pulled away to a 15-10 lead.
"I was confident at that juncture and just took one point after another. We were both going for the net and he made many mistakes," said Chong Wei who delivered two smashes for match point and home.
The unranked Lee is considered one of the hardest players to beat currently. He broke China's Bao Chunlai, the third seed, in the quarterfinal to set up a date with Chong Wei.
Malaysia last returned from the Olympics with honours in 1996 with a silver from the doubles pair of Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock and a bronze from singles, Rashid Sidek.
-- BERNAMA
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Olympic Day 6 : Badminton - Chong Wei Advances Into Semis, A Match Away From Medal
BEIJING, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysian shuttler Lee Chong Wei breezed into the Olympics men's singles semifinals with an easy 21-9, 21-11 win over Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro Thursday, placing himself just a match away from a medal.
Chong Wei, the second seed behind China's world champion Lin Dan, will face either Bao Chunlai, also of China, or Lee Hyunil of South Korea in the last four scheduled for Friday evening at the Beijing University of Technology gymnasium.
"Bao and Lee are two very tough players. I will not spend time thinking about them, how good they are. All I want is to focus and prepare the best I can," said the 26-year-old who is rated Malaysia's best medal hope from the onset.
Chong Wei admitted that being the sole shuttler left in contention has racheted up the pressure on him as he becomes Malaysia's second singles player to qualify for the Olympic semifinals after Rashid Sidek who returned with a bronze medal from Atlanta in 1996.
"I am not thinking of any medal now but to take one match at a time. I will take a rest and watch the television this evening when Bao and Lee play instead of coming to the stadium," he added.
China confirmed a semifinal berth this morning with fourth seed Chen Jing ousting Taiwan's Hsieh Yu Hsing 21-8, 21-14.
Favourite Lin Dan plays his quarterfinal bout against aging Danish star Peter Gade and the winner will meet Chen.
Chong Wei had a tensed start against Sony, the Athens bronze medallist, but when he reached 11-8, the Malaysian played with better confidence and when he got into stride, his Indonesian rival buckled under the quick attacks and rapid pace.
"I didn't expect it to be an easy victory but today was not too good a performance from me. I chased every ball and my game strategy was to be quicker at the net," he said of the 32-minute encounter.
He is the only shuttler left after last night saw the exits of women's singles Wong Mew Choo and men's pair of Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong at the quarterfinal stage.
Malaysia is counting on the badminton team to get a rostrum finish. Since its inclusion in the 1992 Barcelona Games, it is the only sport to deliver one silver and two bronze medals but after the 1996 Atlanta Games, Malaysia had returned empty handed from Sydney and Athens.
To whet the appetite of the athletes to break the drought, the government announced before the departure to Beijing a RM1 million bounty for the first gold and RM300,000 and RM100,000 for the silver and bronze respectively.
-- BERNAMA
Chong Wei, the second seed behind China's world champion Lin Dan, will face either Bao Chunlai, also of China, or Lee Hyunil of South Korea in the last four scheduled for Friday evening at the Beijing University of Technology gymnasium.
"Bao and Lee are two very tough players. I will not spend time thinking about them, how good they are. All I want is to focus and prepare the best I can," said the 26-year-old who is rated Malaysia's best medal hope from the onset.
Chong Wei admitted that being the sole shuttler left in contention has racheted up the pressure on him as he becomes Malaysia's second singles player to qualify for the Olympic semifinals after Rashid Sidek who returned with a bronze medal from Atlanta in 1996.
"I am not thinking of any medal now but to take one match at a time. I will take a rest and watch the television this evening when Bao and Lee play instead of coming to the stadium," he added.
China confirmed a semifinal berth this morning with fourth seed Chen Jing ousting Taiwan's Hsieh Yu Hsing 21-8, 21-14.
Favourite Lin Dan plays his quarterfinal bout against aging Danish star Peter Gade and the winner will meet Chen.
Chong Wei had a tensed start against Sony, the Athens bronze medallist, but when he reached 11-8, the Malaysian played with better confidence and when he got into stride, his Indonesian rival buckled under the quick attacks and rapid pace.
"I didn't expect it to be an easy victory but today was not too good a performance from me. I chased every ball and my game strategy was to be quicker at the net," he said of the 32-minute encounter.
He is the only shuttler left after last night saw the exits of women's singles Wong Mew Choo and men's pair of Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong at the quarterfinal stage.
Malaysia is counting on the badminton team to get a rostrum finish. Since its inclusion in the 1992 Barcelona Games, it is the only sport to deliver one silver and two bronze medals but after the 1996 Atlanta Games, Malaysia had returned empty handed from Sydney and Athens.
To whet the appetite of the athletes to break the drought, the government announced before the departure to Beijing a RM1 million bounty for the first gold and RM300,000 and RM100,000 for the silver and bronze respectively.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 5 : Swimming - Swimmer Yi Ting Goes Home With National Record
BEIJING, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Siow Yi Ting is going home from the Olympics with a national record for the women's 200m breaststroke.
She won her heat in 2:27.80s Wednesday night to shatter her own national mark of 2:29.21s, becoming the second record-breaker in the swimming squad after Daniel Bego in the men's 200m freestyle.
Her time was the 19th fastest of the 40 swimmers in the event. The last to make it into the semifinals was Jeong Darae of South Korea with 2:27.28s.
Yi Ting splashed to a season best of 2:17.11s in the 200m individual medley two days ago. She holds the national record of 2:16.92s.
-- BERNAMA
She won her heat in 2:27.80s Wednesday night to shatter her own national mark of 2:29.21s, becoming the second record-breaker in the swimming squad after Daniel Bego in the men's 200m freestyle.
Her time was the 19th fastest of the 40 swimmers in the event. The last to make it into the semifinals was Jeong Darae of South Korea with 2:27.28s.
Yi Ting splashed to a season best of 2:17.11s in the 200m individual medley two days ago. She holds the national record of 2:16.92s.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 5 : Badminton - Mew Choo Bows Out In Spate Of Mistakes
BEIJING, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's Wong Mew Choo ended her Olympics debut in a spate of mistakes against third seed, Lu Lan of China, who claimed a place in the women's singles semifinals with a 21-7, 29-27 victory Wednesday night.
Mew Choo squandered nine game points in the second bout after a tame fight in the first.
"Lu Lan was very well prepared and I could not find a chink in her during the first game. I tried to the left and to the right but she was always there," said Mew Choo, very subdued in her defeat.
The 25-year-old is Malaysia's first woman shuttler in the Olympics and before this match, she had beaten Lu Lan twice in five enounters.
Lu Lan did not have a difficult time in the first game, she sent Mew Choo scampering all over the court.
In the second, they fought evenly and Mew Choo regained her confidence after pulling away to 14-9. But at 20-14, the Malaysian struck a bad patch, coming away the loser in most of the rallies either hitting out or into the net.
"It was like my hand was disobeying me. Lu Lan became more confident with every point she gained and I became so nervous and made many mistakes," said Mew Choo.
The second game was the highest scoring so far in the Olympics here.
In a quarterfinal match in the morning, Indonesia's Maria Kristin Yulianti of Indonesia was stretched to 28-26 in the first game with India's Saina Nehwal before the Indonesian booked herself into the semifinals against defending champion Zhang Ning of China.
Malaysia's men doubles pair, Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong, are also playing in the quarterfinals later tonight against top seeds and world champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia.
-- BERNAMA
Mew Choo squandered nine game points in the second bout after a tame fight in the first.
"Lu Lan was very well prepared and I could not find a chink in her during the first game. I tried to the left and to the right but she was always there," said Mew Choo, very subdued in her defeat.
The 25-year-old is Malaysia's first woman shuttler in the Olympics and before this match, she had beaten Lu Lan twice in five enounters.
Lu Lan did not have a difficult time in the first game, she sent Mew Choo scampering all over the court.
In the second, they fought evenly and Mew Choo regained her confidence after pulling away to 14-9. But at 20-14, the Malaysian struck a bad patch, coming away the loser in most of the rallies either hitting out or into the net.
"It was like my hand was disobeying me. Lu Lan became more confident with every point she gained and I became so nervous and made many mistakes," said Mew Choo.
The second game was the highest scoring so far in the Olympics here.
In a quarterfinal match in the morning, Indonesia's Maria Kristin Yulianti of Indonesia was stretched to 28-26 in the first game with India's Saina Nehwal before the Indonesian booked herself into the semifinals against defending champion Zhang Ning of China.
Malaysia's men doubles pair, Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong, are also playing in the quarterfinals later tonight against top seeds and world champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 5 : Sailing - Sailor Kevin In 37th Spot After Three Races
BEIJING, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Malaysian sailor Kevin Lim is lying in 37th place after three races in the Olympics laser category after the fourth race was rescheduled to Thursday due to lack of wind.
Lim was placed 28th in the third race after bungling the start yesterday and was disqualified. He came back to finish 24th in the second race out of a field of 43.
He had said that he would discard the opening race as competitors are allowed to drop their worst score of their 10 races.
The 32-year-old is aiming for a top 20 finish in his fourth Olympics.
The sailing event is being held in the port city of Qingdao and two laser races are scheduled daily.
-- BERNAMA
Lim was placed 28th in the third race after bungling the start yesterday and was disqualified. He came back to finish 24th in the second race out of a field of 43.
He had said that he would discard the opening race as competitors are allowed to drop their worst score of their 10 races.
The 32-year-old is aiming for a top 20 finish in his fourth Olympics.
The sailing event is being held in the port city of Qingdao and two laser races are scheduled daily.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 5 : Archery - Archer Chu Sian Enters Last 16 In Individual Contest
BEIJING, Aug 13 (Bernama) - National top archer Cheng Chu Sian bounced back from a dismal performance in the team running to enter the last 16 of the Olympics men's individual competition Wednesday.
Teammates Wan Khalmizam Abd Aziz and Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman were both beaten by a point in the first round.
Chu Sian opened with a 109-101 win over Australia's Matthew Gray and proceeded to beat Matti Hatava of Finland 110-103 in the second round of the individual tussle which is decided over 12 arrows.
But Friday, Chu Sian faces a tough hurdle in Lee Chang Hwan, a member of the South Korean team that retained the gold medal with an Olympic record.
The outcome will advance the winner into the quarterfinals.
Lee was in shattering form, scoring a near perfect 117 out of 120 for an Olympic record in beating Yusuf Goktug of Turkey to enter round three.
The Games' previous 115 mark set in Atlanta was also broken by Polish challenger, Jacek Proc, who scored 116.
Wan Khalmizam lost 105-106 to Alexandru Bodnar of Romania while Muhd Marbawi was edged out by Taiwan's Chen Szu Yuan 107-106.
Wan Khalmizam, a 22-year-old mass communications student, was the best of the trio in coming out fifth in the rankings. He smashed his own national record over 72 arrows with a 674 as the team set a Malaysian record of 1,993 here.
Coach Lee Jae Hyung said earlier that it would be an achievement if any of the archers reached the last 16 because of the world class field.
-- BERNAMA
Teammates Wan Khalmizam Abd Aziz and Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman were both beaten by a point in the first round.
Chu Sian opened with a 109-101 win over Australia's Matthew Gray and proceeded to beat Matti Hatava of Finland 110-103 in the second round of the individual tussle which is decided over 12 arrows.
But Friday, Chu Sian faces a tough hurdle in Lee Chang Hwan, a member of the South Korean team that retained the gold medal with an Olympic record.
The outcome will advance the winner into the quarterfinals.
Lee was in shattering form, scoring a near perfect 117 out of 120 for an Olympic record in beating Yusuf Goktug of Turkey to enter round three.
The Games' previous 115 mark set in Atlanta was also broken by Polish challenger, Jacek Proc, who scored 116.
Wan Khalmizam lost 105-106 to Alexandru Bodnar of Romania while Muhd Marbawi was edged out by Taiwan's Chen Szu Yuan 107-106.
Wan Khalmizam, a 22-year-old mass communications student, was the best of the trio in coming out fifth in the rankings. He smashed his own national record over 72 arrows with a 674 as the team set a Malaysian record of 1,993 here.
Coach Lee Jae Hyung said earlier that it would be an achievement if any of the archers reached the last 16 because of the world class field.
-- BERNAMA
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Olympic Day 5 : Badminton - Big Day For Mew Choo, Doubles Pair To Fight For Olympics Semis
BEIJING, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- A big day awaits Malaysian woman shuttler Wong Mew Choo and men's pair Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong Wednesday to battle for a place in the Olympic semifinals.
Mew Choo, making history as the first Malaysian woman singles to qualify for the Olympics, squares off against China's third seed Lu Lan whom she has beaten twice and lost thrice to.
It is also the first major test for both who had two easy rounds enroute to the last eight, along with top seed Xie Xingfang and defending champion Zhang Ning, both from China.
To advance into the semis, Kien Keat and Boon Heong must upstage Indonesian world champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan Wednesday night.
Lee Chong Wei, the number two seed for the men's singles crown, takes a day's rest to scheme against Athens bronze medallist Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia.
After a heart-breaking debut in the team's event, the archery trio of Wan Khalmizam Abd Aziz, Cheng Chu Sian and Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman resumed training for the individual contest tomorrow but the odds are against them in the high-class field.
Wan Khalmizam, who outdid his own expectations with an individual fifth ranking here, faces off with Alexandru Bodnar of Romania in the first round of the 64-field knockout competition decided over 12 arrows.
Chu Sian confronts Mathew Gray of Australia while Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman is matched against Chen Szu Yuan of Taiwan.
Swimmer Siow Yi Ting takes to the pool again for her second and last event, the 200m breastroke in which she holds the national record of 2:29.21s. She warmed up yesterday with a season best of 2:171.11s in the 200m individual medley in her third Olympics.
In Qingdao, Kevin Lim continues in the third and fourth race of the one-man Laser in Qingdao port city.
He suffered a setback for overshooting the starting line and was disqualified in race one today.
-- BERNAMA
Mew Choo, making history as the first Malaysian woman singles to qualify for the Olympics, squares off against China's third seed Lu Lan whom she has beaten twice and lost thrice to.
It is also the first major test for both who had two easy rounds enroute to the last eight, along with top seed Xie Xingfang and defending champion Zhang Ning, both from China.
To advance into the semis, Kien Keat and Boon Heong must upstage Indonesian world champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan Wednesday night.
Lee Chong Wei, the number two seed for the men's singles crown, takes a day's rest to scheme against Athens bronze medallist Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia.
After a heart-breaking debut in the team's event, the archery trio of Wan Khalmizam Abd Aziz, Cheng Chu Sian and Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman resumed training for the individual contest tomorrow but the odds are against them in the high-class field.
Wan Khalmizam, who outdid his own expectations with an individual fifth ranking here, faces off with Alexandru Bodnar of Romania in the first round of the 64-field knockout competition decided over 12 arrows.
Chu Sian confronts Mathew Gray of Australia while Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman is matched against Chen Szu Yuan of Taiwan.
Swimmer Siow Yi Ting takes to the pool again for her second and last event, the 200m breastroke in which she holds the national record of 2:29.21s. She warmed up yesterday with a season best of 2:171.11s in the 200m individual medley in her third Olympics.
In Qingdao, Kevin Lim continues in the third and fourth race of the one-man Laser in Qingdao port city.
He suffered a setback for overshooting the starting line and was disqualified in race one today.
-- BERNAMA
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Olympic Day 5 : Badminton - Kien Keat And Boon Heong Back On Roll
BEIJING, Aug 12 (Bernama) - They stepped into court fearing the worst but after 34 minutes, Malaysia's Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong came off winners over their opening rivals in the Olympics badminton men's doubles in clear jubilance.
"It is unbelieveable that we got our rhythm going again," said an elated Kien Keat after a display of their long-missed brilliance in whipping Japan's Ikeda Shintaro and Shuichi Sakamoto 21-12, 21-16 to clinch a quarterfinals' berth.
It was a signal of a return to form for the young pair who have been lagging behind this year after taking the badminton world by storm in pocketing nine major internationals in 2006 and 2007, including the Doha Asian Games and last year's All-England title.
"We have regained our combination. Initially, we were rather afraid but this win has boosted our confidence," said Boon Heong.
They were expected to have a tough fight as they had lost their last two encounters against the Japanese, but from the start, the Malaysians went on a rampage, attacking and defending with such swiftness to wrap up the first game in just 13 minutes.
In the second game, Shintaro and Sakamoto tried to slow down the pace and saved match point five times but the Malaysians could not be thrown off track and Boon Heong finished it off with a smash.
The quarterfinals will be an acid test for the Malaysians to prove that they have finally regained their act together and if they pass, they cannot ask for a more timely comeback than in their Olympics debut.
They will be meeting world champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan, the favourites, who were given a stiff run by China's Guo Zhendong and Xie Zhongbo before edging them 22-20, 10-21, 21-17 Tuesday night.
"We will be the underdogs going up against the Indonesians but the win tonight has boosted our confidence," said Boon Heong although they have never been defeated by Marko and Hendra before.
-- BERNAMA
"It is unbelieveable that we got our rhythm going again," said an elated Kien Keat after a display of their long-missed brilliance in whipping Japan's Ikeda Shintaro and Shuichi Sakamoto 21-12, 21-16 to clinch a quarterfinals' berth.
It was a signal of a return to form for the young pair who have been lagging behind this year after taking the badminton world by storm in pocketing nine major internationals in 2006 and 2007, including the Doha Asian Games and last year's All-England title.
"We have regained our combination. Initially, we were rather afraid but this win has boosted our confidence," said Boon Heong.
They were expected to have a tough fight as they had lost their last two encounters against the Japanese, but from the start, the Malaysians went on a rampage, attacking and defending with such swiftness to wrap up the first game in just 13 minutes.
In the second game, Shintaro and Sakamoto tried to slow down the pace and saved match point five times but the Malaysians could not be thrown off track and Boon Heong finished it off with a smash.
The quarterfinals will be an acid test for the Malaysians to prove that they have finally regained their act together and if they pass, they cannot ask for a more timely comeback than in their Olympics debut.
They will be meeting world champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan, the favourites, who were given a stiff run by China's Guo Zhendong and Xie Zhongbo before edging them 22-20, 10-21, 21-17 Tuesday night.
"We will be the underdogs going up against the Indonesians but the win tonight has boosted our confidence," said Boon Heong although they have never been defeated by Marko and Hendra before.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 5 : Sailing - Kevin Sails Into Trouble In Opening Race
BEIJING, Aug 12 (Bernama) -- Sailor Kevin Lim got off to a foul start when he was disqualified from the opening race for going over the starting line when the laser event got underway in Qingdao today. He came back in the second race to finish 24th with 2.58 penalty points.
But all is not lost for the 32-year-old, the sole Malaysian athlete in sailing, as competitors can discard one result from the 10 races.
"Presumably this is the race I will have to discard but this puts me in a difficult position because I will have to be quite cautious for the rest of the week," he said when contacted in the port city.
"I am quite upset. I thought I was behind the line. It left me very cautious in the second race," said Lim who is aiming for a top-0 finish in his fourth Olympics in the field of 43.
Only two sailors cleared the course without trouble, Argentina's Julio Alsogaray who was ahead after the first race and Frenchman Jean Baptiste Bernaz who was first in the second.
Australia-based Lim said sailing conditions would be variable tomorrow because winds were forecast from the north instead of usually from the southeast.
-- BERNAMA
But all is not lost for the 32-year-old, the sole Malaysian athlete in sailing, as competitors can discard one result from the 10 races.
"Presumably this is the race I will have to discard but this puts me in a difficult position because I will have to be quite cautious for the rest of the week," he said when contacted in the port city.
"I am quite upset. I thought I was behind the line. It left me very cautious in the second race," said Lim who is aiming for a top-0 finish in his fourth Olympics in the field of 43.
Only two sailors cleared the course without trouble, Argentina's Julio Alsogaray who was ahead after the first race and Frenchman Jean Baptiste Bernaz who was first in the second.
Australia-based Lim said sailing conditions would be variable tomorrow because winds were forecast from the north instead of usually from the southeast.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 5 : Archery - Wan Khalmizam Fights Inexperience In Individual Contest
BEIJING, Aug 12 (Bernama) - Wan Khalmizam Abd Aziz, the strongest of the three-man archery squad for the Olympics here, will have to overcome his own inexperience in tomorrow's individual championship even though he goes in as the fifth ranked.
He confessed that he was surprised by his own form here, shattering the national record over 72 arrows when he finished fifth in the rankings with a score of 674, and firing a 75 out of 80 in yesterday's team quarterfinals where Malaysia were beaten by eventual silver medallist, Italy.
Alongside Cheng Chu Sian and Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman, the team made their Olympics debut by smashing the national record with a new high of 1993 during the rankings contest, surpassing their own previous record of 1980 set last year.
"I have never shot like this. I hope I can continue to do my best and my target for tomorrow is 110," said the 21-year-old Universiti Putra Malaysia mass communications student from Kelantan, who took up the sport six years ago.
"But I have no experience in individual contests, all this while we were strong as a team. In yesterday's competition, I was too nervous and shivered in the arena," he said.
National coach Lee Jae Hyung had said Malaysia had only a slim chance in the individual because of the high-standard and it would be an achievement if any of the archers made the last 16 out of a field of 64 in the knockout competition decided over 12 arrows.
In the first round, Wan Khalmizam faces Alexandru Bodnar of Romania.
Chu Sian squares off against Mathew Gray of Australia while Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman will vie against Chen Szu Yuan of Taiwan
.-- BERNAMA
He confessed that he was surprised by his own form here, shattering the national record over 72 arrows when he finished fifth in the rankings with a score of 674, and firing a 75 out of 80 in yesterday's team quarterfinals where Malaysia were beaten by eventual silver medallist, Italy.
Alongside Cheng Chu Sian and Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman, the team made their Olympics debut by smashing the national record with a new high of 1993 during the rankings contest, surpassing their own previous record of 1980 set last year.
"I have never shot like this. I hope I can continue to do my best and my target for tomorrow is 110," said the 21-year-old Universiti Putra Malaysia mass communications student from Kelantan, who took up the sport six years ago.
"But I have no experience in individual contests, all this while we were strong as a team. In yesterday's competition, I was too nervous and shivered in the arena," he said.
National coach Lee Jae Hyung had said Malaysia had only a slim chance in the individual because of the high-standard and it would be an achievement if any of the archers made the last 16 out of a field of 64 in the knockout competition decided over 12 arrows.
In the first round, Wan Khalmizam faces Alexandru Bodnar of Romania.
Chu Sian squares off against Mathew Gray of Australia while Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman will vie against Chen Szu Yuan of Taiwan
.-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 5 - Badminton - Chong Wei, Sony Kuncoro In Badminton Quarterfinal Clash
BEIJING, Aug 12 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's best Olympic medal prospect, Lee Chong Wei, and Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro have confirmed a quarterfinal clash in the Olympics badminton men's singles on Thursday.
Chong Wei, the second seed here behind China's reigning world champion Lin Dan, as expected, booked himself into the last eight with an effortless 21-5, 21-7 win over Lithuania's Kestutis Navickas in the third round this morning.
Sony, the only Indonesian left in the tussle after defending champion Taufik Hidayat's ouster yesterday, made his way in with a 21-13, 21-18 win over Vladyslav Druzchenko of Ukraine.
Sony made last year's world championship a nightmare for Chong Wei by beating the Malaysian in the second round in Kuala Lumpur. But Chong Wei avenged himself in the ensuing Denmark Open and China Open.
"Past records won't count now. Sony is a very tough attacking player. I know his game well but this may change for the Olympics here, so I have to make sure I am in the best condition to face him," said Chong Wei.
The 26-year-old Chong Wei is getting used to playing in the centre court and the draft inside the Beijing University of Technology gymnasium.
"I have played my two matches (so far) on the same court and I am getting used to the draft, and playing more consistently and making less mistakes," he said.
Sony said Taufik's loss will pressure him to salvage Indonesia's pride in winning the gold medal first won by Allan Budi Kusuma in Barcelona in 1992 and Taufik in Athens four years ago.
"I don't think of anything else except my own game. Chong Wei is seen to be in good form here but I am confident, I have my own strength," the Indonesian said.
The winner of the tie will head for the semifinal in the bottom half of the draw, either against China's third seed Bao Chunlai or the unranked but dangerous South Korean challenger, Lee Hyunil.
Chong Wei, the second seed here behind China's reigning world champion Lin Dan, as expected, booked himself into the last eight with an effortless 21-5, 21-7 win over Lithuania's Kestutis Navickas in the third round this morning.
Sony, the only Indonesian left in the tussle after defending champion Taufik Hidayat's ouster yesterday, made his way in with a 21-13, 21-18 win over Vladyslav Druzchenko of Ukraine.
Sony made last year's world championship a nightmare for Chong Wei by beating the Malaysian in the second round in Kuala Lumpur. But Chong Wei avenged himself in the ensuing Denmark Open and China Open.
"Past records won't count now. Sony is a very tough attacking player. I know his game well but this may change for the Olympics here, so I have to make sure I am in the best condition to face him," said Chong Wei.
The 26-year-old Chong Wei is getting used to playing in the centre court and the draft inside the Beijing University of Technology gymnasium.
"I have played my two matches (so far) on the same court and I am getting used to the draft, and playing more consistently and making less mistakes," he said.
Sony said Taufik's loss will pressure him to salvage Indonesia's pride in winning the gold medal first won by Allan Budi Kusuma in Barcelona in 1992 and Taufik in Athens four years ago.
"I don't think of anything else except my own game. Chong Wei is seen to be in good form here but I am confident, I have my own strength," the Indonesian said.
The winner of the tie will head for the semifinal in the bottom half of the draw, either against China's third seed Bao Chunlai or the unranked but dangerous South Korean challenger, Lee Hyunil.
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Olympic Day 4 : Badminton - Shuttlers Stay On Course For Quarterfinals On Day 4
BEIJING, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- While woman shuttler Wong Mew Choo takes a well deserved rest Tuesday to prepare for her quarterfinal battle, men's singles, Lee Chong Wei and Wong Choon Hann, will take to the third round of the Olympic men's singles.
For Chong Wei, it should be no more than a stroll over Kestutis Navickas of Lithuania to book himself into the last eight against Athens bronze medallist, Sony Dwi Kuncoro, the only Indonesian singles left after the ouster of defending champion Taufik Hidayat.
Choon Hann, who beat Taufik in straight sets Monday night, next meets either Nguyen Tienh Minh of Vietnam or Hsieh Yu Ching of Taiwan.
The men's doubles tussle opens Tuesday with all 16 pairs just a match away from the quarterfinals.
Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah are set to cruise through as they have only minnows, Chris Dednam and Roelor Dednam to beat.
But Malaysia's other pair, Koo Kien keat and Tan Boon Heong will have to be on their guard against the much-improved Shintaro Ikeda and Shuichi Sakamoto.
Sole sailor Kevin Lim will cast off Tuesday in the Laser race in Qingdao, with hopes of a top 20 finish in the single man dinghy event.
"It is going to be tricky because light winds are expected Tuesday and the current keeps changing. There is no other way except to watch how the others fare," said Lim when contacted in Qingdao.
-- BERNAMA
For Chong Wei, it should be no more than a stroll over Kestutis Navickas of Lithuania to book himself into the last eight against Athens bronze medallist, Sony Dwi Kuncoro, the only Indonesian singles left after the ouster of defending champion Taufik Hidayat.
Choon Hann, who beat Taufik in straight sets Monday night, next meets either Nguyen Tienh Minh of Vietnam or Hsieh Yu Ching of Taiwan.
The men's doubles tussle opens Tuesday with all 16 pairs just a match away from the quarterfinals.
Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah are set to cruise through as they have only minnows, Chris Dednam and Roelor Dednam to beat.
But Malaysia's other pair, Koo Kien keat and Tan Boon Heong will have to be on their guard against the much-improved Shintaro Ikeda and Shuichi Sakamoto.
Sole sailor Kevin Lim will cast off Tuesday in the Laser race in Qingdao, with hopes of a top 20 finish in the single man dinghy event.
"It is going to be tricky because light winds are expected Tuesday and the current keeps changing. There is no other way except to watch how the others fare," said Lim when contacted in Qingdao.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 4 : Swimming - Swimmers Off Best In Olympics Heats
BEIJING, Aug 11 (Bernama) - After shaving the national 200m freestyle record Sunday, Daniel Bego did not improve on his pet 200m butterfly when he completed his Olympic heats outside two minutes Monday evening.
The 18-year-old, who holds the national mark of 1:59.40s, clocked 2:01.28s in placing seventh at the National "Water Cube" Aquatics Centre.
He still has the 100m butterfly to race on Thursday. Daniel holds the national record for all three events.
Woman swimmer Siow Yi Ting swam her fastest 200m individual medley for the year, timing 2:17.11s for seventh spot in her heat, bettering her season's best of 2:18.52s.
Daniel and Yi Ting are among five swimmers who had qualified for the Games here.
-- BERNAMA
The 18-year-old, who holds the national mark of 1:59.40s, clocked 2:01.28s in placing seventh at the National "Water Cube" Aquatics Centre.
He still has the 100m butterfly to race on Thursday. Daniel holds the national record for all three events.
Woman swimmer Siow Yi Ting swam her fastest 200m individual medley for the year, timing 2:17.11s for seventh spot in her heat, bettering her season's best of 2:18.52s.
Daniel and Yi Ting are among five swimmers who had qualified for the Games here.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 4 - Badminton - Chong Wei, Choon Hann Advance, Mew Choo In Quarterfinals
BEIJING, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- Lee Chong Wei, Malaysia's top bet for a medal in the Olympics, and veteran Wong Choon Hann overcame tough openers to advance into the third round of the Olympics men's singles Monday.
National top women's singles Wong Mew Choo also stayed on course, booking herself a quarterfinal date with China's second seeded Lu Lan.
Chong Wei stamped his class over Ronald Susilo of Singapore 21-13, 21-14 while Choon Hann stopped defending champion Taufik Hidayat 21-19, 21-16.
"I recovered from dengue fever only recently but it is not why I lost. Choon Hann played well today and I didn't," said the Indonesian who turned 27 Sunday, adding that he does not see a fourth Olympics for himself.
"I will not retire yet but this is likely the last Olympics. There are many players back home who can take over," said Taufik on who he picked as the next Indonesian star.
Chong Wei, who is seeded number two behind two-time reigning world champion Lin Dan of China, took just 38 minutes to shatter any hope Ronald may have had of repeating his upset of Lin Dan in the Athens Olympics four years ago.
"I was feeling a little stiff since this was the first match. But after taking the lead, from 9-9 to 13-9, I cooled down and was more relaxed," said Chong Wei, who is now poised to breeze into the quarterfinals against Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro.
Sony dumped Chong Wei out of the second round at last year's World Championships in Kuala Lumpur. The Indonesian who was also the bronze medallist in Athens beat Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana 21-16, 21-14 in the second round.
Both Chong Wei and Sony have easy opponents in the third round scheduled Tuesday night and will have a day's rest on Wednesday before an expected stormy quarterfinals.
The win over his good friend Taufik left Choon Hann grinning from ear to ear. The Malaysian reached the last eight in his debut at the 2000 Sydney Games and in Athens, it was Taufik who bundled him out in the pre-quarterfinal round.
"The Olympics is always full of surprises. Everytime I play Taufik, the games are very close," said Choon Hann who refused to be carried away by the win and will focus one match at a time.
He said his next rival is either Vietnam's Nguyen Tien Minh or Hsieh Yu Hsing of Taiwan.
Favourite Lin Dan of China ousted Hong Kong's Ng Wei 21-16, 21-13 and faces tough fighting South Korean Park Sung hwan in the third round.
"I know many Chinese expect me to win the gold medal but as of now, I am not the defending champion. I will try my best," said the reigning two-time world champion.
Mew Choo appeared more relaxed after winning her second match although she overwhelmed Bulgaria's Petya Nedelcheva 21-16, 21-8.
"As this is my first Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals is good for my confidence. I have my own target of what I want to achieve here but I am not revealing it," she said.
Mew Choo meets China's second seed Lu Lan in the last eight Wednesday night. The two have clashed five times before with the Malaysian winning twice.
-- BERNAMA
National top women's singles Wong Mew Choo also stayed on course, booking herself a quarterfinal date with China's second seeded Lu Lan.
Chong Wei stamped his class over Ronald Susilo of Singapore 21-13, 21-14 while Choon Hann stopped defending champion Taufik Hidayat 21-19, 21-16.
"I recovered from dengue fever only recently but it is not why I lost. Choon Hann played well today and I didn't," said the Indonesian who turned 27 Sunday, adding that he does not see a fourth Olympics for himself.
"I will not retire yet but this is likely the last Olympics. There are many players back home who can take over," said Taufik on who he picked as the next Indonesian star.
Chong Wei, who is seeded number two behind two-time reigning world champion Lin Dan of China, took just 38 minutes to shatter any hope Ronald may have had of repeating his upset of Lin Dan in the Athens Olympics four years ago.
"I was feeling a little stiff since this was the first match. But after taking the lead, from 9-9 to 13-9, I cooled down and was more relaxed," said Chong Wei, who is now poised to breeze into the quarterfinals against Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro.
Sony dumped Chong Wei out of the second round at last year's World Championships in Kuala Lumpur. The Indonesian who was also the bronze medallist in Athens beat Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana 21-16, 21-14 in the second round.
Both Chong Wei and Sony have easy opponents in the third round scheduled Tuesday night and will have a day's rest on Wednesday before an expected stormy quarterfinals.
The win over his good friend Taufik left Choon Hann grinning from ear to ear. The Malaysian reached the last eight in his debut at the 2000 Sydney Games and in Athens, it was Taufik who bundled him out in the pre-quarterfinal round.
"The Olympics is always full of surprises. Everytime I play Taufik, the games are very close," said Choon Hann who refused to be carried away by the win and will focus one match at a time.
He said his next rival is either Vietnam's Nguyen Tien Minh or Hsieh Yu Hsing of Taiwan.
Favourite Lin Dan of China ousted Hong Kong's Ng Wei 21-16, 21-13 and faces tough fighting South Korean Park Sung hwan in the third round.
"I know many Chinese expect me to win the gold medal but as of now, I am not the defending champion. I will try my best," said the reigning two-time world champion.
Mew Choo appeared more relaxed after winning her second match although she overwhelmed Bulgaria's Petya Nedelcheva 21-16, 21-8.
"As this is my first Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals is good for my confidence. I have my own target of what I want to achieve here but I am not revealing it," she said.
Mew Choo meets China's second seed Lu Lan in the last eight Wednesday night. The two have clashed five times before with the Malaysian winning twice.
-- BERNAMA
Monday, August 11, 2008
Olympic : China Stuns With Dazzling Opener For 29th Olympiad
BEIJING, Aug 9 (Bernama) -- Dazzling fireworks soared above the iconic Bird's Nest Stadium and the rest of Beijing stretching to the Great Wall on its northwest as China stunned with a spectacular show under sweltering heat to raise the curtains on the 29th Olympic Games.
In the most tightly guarded secret of the ceremony, China's former gymnastics all-great Li Ning, a triple gold medallist in the 1984 Olympics, was hoisted up to the roof of the stadium and tipped the Games torch to a wire linked to the roof-high cauldron to light up the flames that will burn throughout the Games until Aug 24.
But not before he "ran" a lap around the canopy, the crowd below watched in awe at the former athlete who was voted the best athletes of the 20th century.
If at all, the well-choreographed show underscored determination of the host in gearing themselves up for the next stage, the battle for as many pieces of the 302 gold at stake and threaten the long-held top spot by the United States.
In Athens, China overtook Russia, scooping 32 gold just four short behind the U.S.
A burst of firecrackers raced around the rim of the canopy of the steel lattice-wrapped stadium to set off the start of the nearly hour-long extravaganzas that started at 8pm, reflecting the Chinese reverence of eight as an auspicious numeral.
Acrobats defied gravity with the aid of high wires dressed as divine fairies to gently coax the five rings of the Olympic movement into the heavens in hailing the presence of the Olympics returning to Asia after two decades for the third time in history.
In an impressive fusion of high-tech effect and history, a giant scroll was unfurled in a centrepiece canvas to showcase China's inventions for mankind including paper and printing blocks, and the stage for china's renowned pianist Lang Lang to woo the crowds.
Spectators were treated to the familiar touches of ancient Chinese warriors witnessed in blockbuster films made by award-winning director Zhang Yimou, the artistic maestro of the opening ceremony, who directed his biggest cast ever of 14,000, surpassing the 12,000 athletes vying for the 302 gold medals at stake.
China's army provided two-thirds of the performers who also staged a mass "tai chi" display and pounded 2,008 ancient Chinese drums to pump up the mood of audiences.
"I have never led such a huge team... you may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium but I know how hard they have worked for tonight," Zhang said.
British opera diva Sarah Brightman paired vocals with local singer, Liu Huan, to belt out the Games theme song entitled "You and Me" on top of a globe that rose from the floor of the stadium.
The athletes parade by the 204 participating countries was led by previous hosts, Greece, with China bringing up the tail with towering NBA star Yao Ming carrying the home flag accompanied by a child victim of the devastating earthquake that killed 69,000 in southwestern Sichuan province in May and triggered an outpouring of relief from around the world.
President Hu Jintao and top communist leaders stood up to wave at the homesters against thunderous applause and a sea of waving red flags from the stands with incessant chants of "Jiayou" , the battle cry of "Go China, Go".
An excited national cycling sprint king Azizul Hasni Awang led the Malaysian contingent around the track, with the men dressed in yellow and black 'baju Melayu' and women in 'baju kurung'.
Watching from the stands was Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin who was seated among an array of world leaders including U.S. President George W Bush and also International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge and his predecessor Juan Antonio Samaranch who presided over the awarding of the Games to China seven years ago.
The VIP box was aflutter with waving yellow fans as guests sought some respite from the stuffy air. Many athletes stripped off their blazers, their shirts soaked with sweat.
Loud cheers also greeted the Iraqi team which were reinstated at the last minute into the Games. Louder still were the reception for the United States and Hong Kong, the former British colony reverted to China's rule as a special administration region.
Woman table tennis star Zhang Yining took the oath on behalf of the athletes.
President Hu who described the Games as a historic moment for China and a century-old dream of the world's most populous nation officially declared the Games open to yet another burst of fireworks that constantly lit the night.
The IOC chief in his customary speech congratulated Beijing and urged athletes to reject doping and cheating which had plagued the Olympics, and be role models for the youths of the world.
"Athletes, the Games were created for you by our founder Pierre de Coubertin, These Games belong to you. These Games belong to you. Let them be the athletes' games, have fun," he added.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 4 : Archery - Malaysian Archers Stumble In Olympics Team Quarterfinals
BEIJING, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- Disappointment was written all over the faces of the Malaysian archery trio which failed to advance to the Olympics men's team semifinal after losing by five points to Italy today in their Olympics debut.
What stood out in their 213-218 loss to the Italians was their lack of exposure in the highly-charged atmosphere of the Olympic Archery Field where the Olympic record was broken twice before the semifinals, said national coach Lee Jae Hyung.
"We had expected to go into the semifinals. The team event was our best bet. The individual championship is of a very high standard and, frankly, our chances are much slimmer and it will be an achievement if any of them make it to the last 16," said Lee, a Korean national, who has been coaching in Malaysia since 2001.
In the 24-arrow team knockout shoot divided into four bouts, Malaysia scored 54-55-51-54 while Italy had 54-55-55-54.
Cheng Chu Sian, normally the strongest of the trio, succumbed to nerves and shot a low 67 while Wan Khalmizam Abd Aziz posted 75 and Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman returned 71.
"He is normally the strongest but in Beijing, Wan Khalmizam was the best of the three," Lee said.
Wan Khalmizam, who broke his own national 72-arrow record during the rankings contest, said: "I think I shot well, my teammates could have done better."
Cheng and Wan Khalmizam are ranked 13th and 81st, respectively, in the world standings while Muhd Marbawi is in 100th spot.
"In the third end, I shot a six. It was too far to the right. So, I adjusted direction to the left but it was too much to the left and then I shot a seven. I was so nervous I didn't adjust well," Cheng said.
Malaysia had booked themselves into the last eight as one of the top four teams in the rankings contest and, this morning, they waited for the outcome of the Italy-Canada match.
"The Italians gained some advantage from having played one match but the main reason for our failure is experience. This is the team's first Olympics, the top teams here have archers who have been competing ever since the 1996 Atlanta Games," he said.
Lee remained optimistic of the team's future, saying it needed more experience of playing in high-level tournaments.
"Top teams take part in eight to 10 meets in a year. Malaysia does about four times at the most. That has to be changed," he said.
Poland set an Olympic record of 223 in beating Australia enroute to the quarterfinals where they were beaten by formidable South Korea who stretched the mark to 224.
The men's individual competition is scheduled for Wednesday.
-- BERNAMA
What stood out in their 213-218 loss to the Italians was their lack of exposure in the highly-charged atmosphere of the Olympic Archery Field where the Olympic record was broken twice before the semifinals, said national coach Lee Jae Hyung.
"We had expected to go into the semifinals. The team event was our best bet. The individual championship is of a very high standard and, frankly, our chances are much slimmer and it will be an achievement if any of them make it to the last 16," said Lee, a Korean national, who has been coaching in Malaysia since 2001.
In the 24-arrow team knockout shoot divided into four bouts, Malaysia scored 54-55-51-54 while Italy had 54-55-55-54.
Cheng Chu Sian, normally the strongest of the trio, succumbed to nerves and shot a low 67 while Wan Khalmizam Abd Aziz posted 75 and Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman returned 71.
"He is normally the strongest but in Beijing, Wan Khalmizam was the best of the three," Lee said.
Wan Khalmizam, who broke his own national 72-arrow record during the rankings contest, said: "I think I shot well, my teammates could have done better."
Cheng and Wan Khalmizam are ranked 13th and 81st, respectively, in the world standings while Muhd Marbawi is in 100th spot.
"In the third end, I shot a six. It was too far to the right. So, I adjusted direction to the left but it was too much to the left and then I shot a seven. I was so nervous I didn't adjust well," Cheng said.
Malaysia had booked themselves into the last eight as one of the top four teams in the rankings contest and, this morning, they waited for the outcome of the Italy-Canada match.
"The Italians gained some advantage from having played one match but the main reason for our failure is experience. This is the team's first Olympics, the top teams here have archers who have been competing ever since the 1996 Atlanta Games," he said.
Lee remained optimistic of the team's future, saying it needed more experience of playing in high-level tournaments.
"Top teams take part in eight to 10 meets in a year. Malaysia does about four times at the most. That has to be changed," he said.
Poland set an Olympic record of 223 in beating Australia enroute to the quarterfinals where they were beaten by formidable South Korea who stretched the mark to 224.
The men's individual competition is scheduled for Wednesday.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 4 - Badminton - Shuttler Chong Wei Whips Ronald Susilo, Poised For Quarterfinals
BEIJING, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- Lee Chong Wei, Malaysia's top bet for a medal in the Olympics, stamped his class over Ronald Susilo of Singapore 21-13, 21-14 in his opening second-round match today as all badminton seeds took to the courts Monday.
Chong Wei, who is seeded number two behind two-time reigning world champion Lin Dan of China, took just 38 minutes to shatter any hope Ronald may have had of repeating his upset of Lin Dan in the Athens Olympics four years ago.
"I was feeling a little stiff since this was the first match. But after taking the lead, from 9-9 to 13-9, I cooled down and was more relaxed," said Chong Wei, who is now poised to breeze into the quarterfinals.
His third-round opponent is either Kestutis Navickas of Lithuania or Stanislav Pukhov of Russia and a win will see him into the last eight.
"No matter who (it's going to be), I will not underestimate my opponent," said Chong Wei of his next round tie.
Ronald was the biggest opening hurdle for Chong Wei but the 29-year-old former Indonesian national was no match for the more skilful and fitter Malaysian.
After an overly eager start, Chong Wei settled down to exert his control, making good his overhead smashes to attack Ronald to his right.
"I was also trying to make use of the draft in the second game. I am still adjusting to the wind," he said.
Lin Dan, under pressure to deliver the gold, meets Hong Kong's Ng Wei in the evening. Malaysia's other men's singles player, Wong Choon Hann, faces defending champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia.
-- BERNAMA
Chong Wei, who is seeded number two behind two-time reigning world champion Lin Dan of China, took just 38 minutes to shatter any hope Ronald may have had of repeating his upset of Lin Dan in the Athens Olympics four years ago.
"I was feeling a little stiff since this was the first match. But after taking the lead, from 9-9 to 13-9, I cooled down and was more relaxed," said Chong Wei, who is now poised to breeze into the quarterfinals.
His third-round opponent is either Kestutis Navickas of Lithuania or Stanislav Pukhov of Russia and a win will see him into the last eight.
"No matter who (it's going to be), I will not underestimate my opponent," said Chong Wei of his next round tie.
Ronald was the biggest opening hurdle for Chong Wei but the 29-year-old former Indonesian national was no match for the more skilful and fitter Malaysian.
After an overly eager start, Chong Wei settled down to exert his control, making good his overhead smashes to attack Ronald to his right.
"I was also trying to make use of the draft in the second game. I am still adjusting to the wind," he said.
Lin Dan, under pressure to deliver the gold, meets Hong Kong's Ng Wei in the evening. Malaysia's other men's singles player, Wong Choon Hann, faces defending champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 3 : Badminton - Mew Choo Strives To Stay Cool Under Olympic Pressure
BEIJING, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- Wong Mew Choo may have scalped several of the sport's biggest names but the Malaysian shuttler says she is getting the jitters in her Olympics debut and boyfriend, Lee Chong Wei, has been a tower of strength.
"He had one Olympic experience before and he keeps telling me not to be worried. I feel pressured here because the Olympics comes around once every four years, not like the world championships or other tournaments which are held every year," said the 25-year-old after an easy opening match Sunday night.
She took the opportunity instead to size up the arena at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium (BTG) in taking just 18 minutes to overwhelm South African minnow Kerry Lee Harrington 21-4, 21-4 in the second round.
Mew Choo said she was still trying to adjust to the draft inside the 7,500- capacity venue where all five badminton golds will be decided.
Asked if she was affected by camera flash from the stands despite repeated advice from the tournament organisers, the Malaysian said she did not notice the problem because she was more focused on the match and the overhead lights.
Asked by local newsmen about her target here, she replied: "My aim is not to think of any target at all but only the next match. I don't want to cause more anxiety to myself."
She is among the most watched outsider by China after denying Xie Xingfang the China Open crown in Guangzhou last year and beating Lu Lan in two of five encounters.
Xie and Lu are the first and third seeds while Mew Choo was given eighth billing. All three are in the upper half of the draw.
Mew Choo and Lu Lan are headed for a quarter-final clash. The Chinese cleared the second round, overpowering Karen Kune Foo of Mauritius who retired with cramps in the second game.
The Malaysian is again in for an easy third round as she is unlikely to be troubled by Bulgaria's Perva Nedelcheva or Egypt's Hadia Hosny.
"I have no idea of who they are but I will not write off any opponent," said Mew Choo.
She is the sole Malaysian women shuttler left after doubles pair, Chin Ee Hui and Wong Pei Tty, were ousted in their opening match earlier Sunday by fourth seeded Lee Hyojung and Lee Kyungwon of South Korea.
-- BERNAMA
"He had one Olympic experience before and he keeps telling me not to be worried. I feel pressured here because the Olympics comes around once every four years, not like the world championships or other tournaments which are held every year," said the 25-year-old after an easy opening match Sunday night.
She took the opportunity instead to size up the arena at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium (BTG) in taking just 18 minutes to overwhelm South African minnow Kerry Lee Harrington 21-4, 21-4 in the second round.
Mew Choo said she was still trying to adjust to the draft inside the 7,500- capacity venue where all five badminton golds will be decided.
Asked if she was affected by camera flash from the stands despite repeated advice from the tournament organisers, the Malaysian said she did not notice the problem because she was more focused on the match and the overhead lights.
Asked by local newsmen about her target here, she replied: "My aim is not to think of any target at all but only the next match. I don't want to cause more anxiety to myself."
She is among the most watched outsider by China after denying Xie Xingfang the China Open crown in Guangzhou last year and beating Lu Lan in two of five encounters.
Xie and Lu are the first and third seeds while Mew Choo was given eighth billing. All three are in the upper half of the draw.
Mew Choo and Lu Lan are headed for a quarter-final clash. The Chinese cleared the second round, overpowering Karen Kune Foo of Mauritius who retired with cramps in the second game.
The Malaysian is again in for an easy third round as she is unlikely to be troubled by Bulgaria's Perva Nedelcheva or Egypt's Hadia Hosny.
"I have no idea of who they are but I will not write off any opponent," said Mew Choo.
She is the sole Malaysian women shuttler left after doubles pair, Chin Ee Hui and Wong Pei Tty, were ousted in their opening match earlier Sunday by fourth seeded Lee Hyojung and Lee Kyungwon of South Korea.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 3 : Swimming - Daniel Bego Splashes To 200m Freestyle National Record
BEIJING, Aug 10 (Bernama) - Daniel Bego broke his own national 200m freestyle record in the Olympic heats Sunday night, clocking 1:50.92s to better his previous mark of 1:51.05s at the national 'Water Cube' aquatics centre.
He finished sixth out of seven in the race which was dominated by American swimmer Michael Phelps.
Daniel, who is from Sarawak, holds two other national marks for the 100m butterfly and the 200m butterfly, his remaining events in his Olympics debut.
He is down to race in the 200m butterfly Monday night with hopes of making the semi-finals. He has a best of 1:59.40s.
In the women's 400m freestyle, Khoo Cai Lin faded out, finishing sixth in her heat in 4:23.37s, off her season best of 4:18.20s.
She still has one more event, the 800m freestyle.
-- BERNAMA
He finished sixth out of seven in the race which was dominated by American swimmer Michael Phelps.
Daniel, who is from Sarawak, holds two other national marks for the 100m butterfly and the 200m butterfly, his remaining events in his Olympics debut.
He is down to race in the 200m butterfly Monday night with hopes of making the semi-finals. He has a best of 1:59.40s.
In the women's 400m freestyle, Khoo Cai Lin faded out, finishing sixth in her heat in 4:23.37s, off her season best of 4:18.20s.
She still has one more event, the 800m freestyle.
-- BERNAMA
Olympic Day 3 : Highlight - US NBA stars roll past China
BEIJING (AFP) — The US team of National Basketball Association stars began its quest for Olympic redemption Sunday with a 101-70 victory over a China team that gave glances of a challenge.
Dwyane Wade scored 19 points, LeBron James added 18 and Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard each added 13 for the Americans but China was impressive early, battling the US stars even for the first 14 minutes of the Group B contest.
US Olympic teams went 109-2 and won 12 gold medals through 2000 but were humbled in 2004 when NBA stars lost three times and settled for Athens bronze, sparking the new bid to reclaim the throne by the self-styled "Redeem Team".
China played surprisingly competitive with the Americans through most of the first half, the US pulling away only with a 20-7 run late in the second quarter on the way to a 49-37 half-time lead.
With an up-tempo style of their own, China showed vast progress over past meetings with NBA squads, showing aggressive defense and deadly 3-point shooting at times.
The much-awaited US-China showdown was expected to reach a global television audience approaching one billion people given the heavy interest in China and the worldwide appeal of the US NBA stars.
US President George W. Bush, his wife Laura and his father, former US president George Bush, plus former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger were among the famous faces in the sellout crowd of 18,000 at Wukesong Arena.
China could reach the quarter-finals on home hardwood and improve upon the team's eighth-place Olympic showings in 1996 and 2004, China's best finishes in global competition.
Americans had dominated all nine prior games with China in world and Olympic competition with the most lopsided verdict a 133-70 US win at the 1996 Olympics. China's narrowest defeat was an 84-65 drubbing from the 2002 worlds.
The Americans started James, Bryant, Jason Kidd, Carmelo Anthony and Howard against a Chinese lineup featuring three NBA talents, Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian plus former NBA player Wang ZhiZhi.
Had China upset the US NBA stars, it would have been among the great sport shockers of all time. And for a while, it wasn't such a far-fetched notion.
Chinese fans were treated to the trademark high-leaping slam dunks of the fast-paced US squad plus a China team that sparkled early.
Chinese 2.26m giant Yao hit a rare 3-pointer to open the scoring, pumping his fist after the feat, and Sun Yue, who has agreed to an NBA deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, added another to give China a 6-2 edge.
A 3-point play by James gave the US its first lead at 7-6 but Sun hit another 3-pointer and a fast-break basket to put China ahead 11-7. Yao was blocking shots and teammates were making steals to excite the sellout crowd.
Dwyane Wade and James each made spectacular dunks to spark a US run but China stayed close, equalizing at 29-29 on Sun's 3-pointer six minutes before half-time.
That's when the US stars took charge, Bryant nailing back-to-back slam dunks and lobbing a picture-perfect alley-oop pass to James for a slam dunk in a 20-8 run to pull ahead 49-37 at half-time and pull away for good.
The second half saw US speed and depth overwhelm China, which had a brief injury scare for hero Yao. He went down with 2:17 to play in the third quarter and grimaced when he rose before being taken out of the game.
Yao had suffered a broken left foot during the past NBA season that at one time put his Olympic status in doubt, so re-injury fears had some roots. But Yao returned and played well before being pulled to big cheers with 4:45 to go.
Dwyane Wade scored 19 points, LeBron James added 18 and Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard each added 13 for the Americans but China was impressive early, battling the US stars even for the first 14 minutes of the Group B contest.
US Olympic teams went 109-2 and won 12 gold medals through 2000 but were humbled in 2004 when NBA stars lost three times and settled for Athens bronze, sparking the new bid to reclaim the throne by the self-styled "Redeem Team".
China played surprisingly competitive with the Americans through most of the first half, the US pulling away only with a 20-7 run late in the second quarter on the way to a 49-37 half-time lead.
With an up-tempo style of their own, China showed vast progress over past meetings with NBA squads, showing aggressive defense and deadly 3-point shooting at times.
The much-awaited US-China showdown was expected to reach a global television audience approaching one billion people given the heavy interest in China and the worldwide appeal of the US NBA stars.
US President George W. Bush, his wife Laura and his father, former US president George Bush, plus former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger were among the famous faces in the sellout crowd of 18,000 at Wukesong Arena.
China could reach the quarter-finals on home hardwood and improve upon the team's eighth-place Olympic showings in 1996 and 2004, China's best finishes in global competition.
Americans had dominated all nine prior games with China in world and Olympic competition with the most lopsided verdict a 133-70 US win at the 1996 Olympics. China's narrowest defeat was an 84-65 drubbing from the 2002 worlds.
The Americans started James, Bryant, Jason Kidd, Carmelo Anthony and Howard against a Chinese lineup featuring three NBA talents, Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian plus former NBA player Wang ZhiZhi.
Had China upset the US NBA stars, it would have been among the great sport shockers of all time. And for a while, it wasn't such a far-fetched notion.
Chinese fans were treated to the trademark high-leaping slam dunks of the fast-paced US squad plus a China team that sparkled early.
Chinese 2.26m giant Yao hit a rare 3-pointer to open the scoring, pumping his fist after the feat, and Sun Yue, who has agreed to an NBA deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, added another to give China a 6-2 edge.
A 3-point play by James gave the US its first lead at 7-6 but Sun hit another 3-pointer and a fast-break basket to put China ahead 11-7. Yao was blocking shots and teammates were making steals to excite the sellout crowd.
Dwyane Wade and James each made spectacular dunks to spark a US run but China stayed close, equalizing at 29-29 on Sun's 3-pointer six minutes before half-time.
That's when the US stars took charge, Bryant nailing back-to-back slam dunks and lobbing a picture-perfect alley-oop pass to James for a slam dunk in a 20-8 run to pull ahead 49-37 at half-time and pull away for good.
The second half saw US speed and depth overwhelm China, which had a brief injury scare for hero Yao. He went down with 2:17 to play in the third quarter and grimaced when he rose before being taken out of the game.
Yao had suffered a broken left foot during the past NBA season that at one time put his Olympic status in doubt, so re-injury fears had some roots. But Yao returned and played well before being pulled to big cheers with 4:45 to go.
Olympic Day 2 : Badminton - Goodbye to Pei Tty-Eei Hui
IT finally poured in hazy Beijing today but that was just about the only piece of good news for badminton pair Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui as they crashed out rather tamely from the women's doubles.
Expected to give South Koreans Lee Hyo Jung-Lee Kyung Won a run for their money, the Malaysians instead let the occassion get to them as they crashed 21-14, 21-19 in 37 minutes.
"We put ourselves under pressure as we were too determined to perform well," was Pei Tty's explanation.
The pair now join swimmer Lew Yih Wey as Malaysians who have completed their Beijing Olympics outing.
Expected to give South Koreans Lee Hyo Jung-Lee Kyung Won a run for their money, the Malaysians instead let the occassion get to them as they crashed 21-14, 21-19 in 37 minutes.
"We put ourselves under pressure as we were too determined to perform well," was Pei Tty's explanation.
The pair now join swimmer Lew Yih Wey as Malaysians who have completed their Beijing Olympics outing.
Olympic Day 2 : Archery - Archers set sight on Olympics medal, in confident mood
Tham Choy Lin, BERNAMA
Malaysia’s world-ranked archery trio was back at training after securing a spot in the Olympics quarterfinals as a sense of confidence bubbles in camp after yesterday’s ranking contest.
“Everything is going according to plan. We have avoided the Koreans in the draw. The mood in camp is very good and they are confident,” said team manager Tan Sri Abdul Halil Mutalif.
Cheng Chu Sian, Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman and Wan Khalmizam Abdul Aziz set a new national mark of 1,993 in finishing third best in the ranking contest to earn a first-round bye for tomorrow’s team medal battle.
They shattered their own previous national best of 1,980 set last year. Wan Khalmizam also rewrote his national individual record to a new high of 674, two better than the previous total.
If they make the rostrum, they would enter the annals of Malaysian sports history because until now, only badminton has earned Malaysia glory in the Olympics with one silver and two bronze medals. South Korea, gold medallist at the previous two Olympics, are the fancied favourites.
They topped yesterday’s rankings over 72 arrows with Athens bronze medallist Ukraine in second place, just four points ahead of Malaysia.
The men’s team knockout battle is a day-long affair, culminating in the final in the evening. Losing semifinalists will vie for the bronze.
The number of arrows for the 12-country team competition is only 24, changed from 27 from the last Games in Athens. Each team member takes turns to shoot one arrow at a time.
Russia was the fourth team to secure a quarterfinal berth. Fighting for the remaining four slots in the last eight are Australia against Poland, Great Britain against China, Canada against Italy, and the United States against Taiwan.
The draw pits the Malaysians in the same half as the Ukranians and they will clash in the semifinals if they advance from the last eight.
In the quarterfinals, to begin shortly before noon, Malaysia will meet either Italy or Canada, whom they have not faced before.
“The archers are now used to top-level competition. They are prepared to take on any opponent,” said Abdul Halil.
South Korea are the world’s reigning record holder for the 24-arrow match with a score of 231. Two members of the record-breaking team — Lee Chang Hwan and Im Dong Hyun — are here.
The Olympics competition uses only the classic bow, otherwise known as the recurve bow with the limbs of the bow curved away from the archer.
Malaysia’s world-ranked archery trio was back at training after securing a spot in the Olympics quarterfinals as a sense of confidence bubbles in camp after yesterday’s ranking contest.
“Everything is going according to plan. We have avoided the Koreans in the draw. The mood in camp is very good and they are confident,” said team manager Tan Sri Abdul Halil Mutalif.
Cheng Chu Sian, Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman and Wan Khalmizam Abdul Aziz set a new national mark of 1,993 in finishing third best in the ranking contest to earn a first-round bye for tomorrow’s team medal battle.
They shattered their own previous national best of 1,980 set last year. Wan Khalmizam also rewrote his national individual record to a new high of 674, two better than the previous total.
If they make the rostrum, they would enter the annals of Malaysian sports history because until now, only badminton has earned Malaysia glory in the Olympics with one silver and two bronze medals. South Korea, gold medallist at the previous two Olympics, are the fancied favourites.
They topped yesterday’s rankings over 72 arrows with Athens bronze medallist Ukraine in second place, just four points ahead of Malaysia.
The men’s team knockout battle is a day-long affair, culminating in the final in the evening. Losing semifinalists will vie for the bronze.
The number of arrows for the 12-country team competition is only 24, changed from 27 from the last Games in Athens. Each team member takes turns to shoot one arrow at a time.
Russia was the fourth team to secure a quarterfinal berth. Fighting for the remaining four slots in the last eight are Australia against Poland, Great Britain against China, Canada against Italy, and the United States against Taiwan.
The draw pits the Malaysians in the same half as the Ukranians and they will clash in the semifinals if they advance from the last eight.
In the quarterfinals, to begin shortly before noon, Malaysia will meet either Italy or Canada, whom they have not faced before.
“The archers are now used to top-level competition. They are prepared to take on any opponent,” said Abdul Halil.
South Korea are the world’s reigning record holder for the 24-arrow match with a score of 231. Two members of the record-breaking team — Lee Chang Hwan and Im Dong Hyun — are here.
The Olympics competition uses only the classic bow, otherwise known as the recurve bow with the limbs of the bow curved away from the archer.
Olympic Day 2 : Badminton - Women's pair fall to South Korean fourth seeds
Tham Choy Lin, BERNAMA
National top doubles pair Chin Ee Hui and Wong Pei Tty were shown the exit by South Korean fourth seeds Lee Hyojung and Lee Kyungwon in the pre-quarterfinals round of the Olympics today.
Despite putting up a brave fight, the Malaysians were beaten 21-14, 21-19 at the Beijing University of Technology gymnasium, the battling ground for the sport’s five gold medals.
Ee Hui and Pei Tty have never won over the Korean pair which had whipped them in straight games in their last previous meeting before the Olympics, at the Korean Open quarterfinals.
In the second game, the Malaysians tied at 10-10 and closed the gap from 13-18 to 18-18 before they succumbed.
The Olympics doubles competition are confined to 16 pairs only. Ee Hui and Pei Tty were the sole Malaysian challenge.
National top doubles pair Chin Ee Hui and Wong Pei Tty were shown the exit by South Korean fourth seeds Lee Hyojung and Lee Kyungwon in the pre-quarterfinals round of the Olympics today.
Despite putting up a brave fight, the Malaysians were beaten 21-14, 21-19 at the Beijing University of Technology gymnasium, the battling ground for the sport’s five gold medals.
Ee Hui and Pei Tty have never won over the Korean pair which had whipped them in straight games in their last previous meeting before the Olympics, at the Korean Open quarterfinals.
In the second game, the Malaysians tied at 10-10 and closed the gap from 13-18 to 18-18 before they succumbed.
The Olympics doubles competition are confined to 16 pairs only. Ee Hui and Pei Tty were the sole Malaysian challenge.
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