Tomkins leads Australians as Games declared open
Saturday, August 9, 2008 - 2:15 AM

Australia's five-time Olympian James Tomkins led the Australian delegation into Beijing's Bird's Nest stadium before the 2008 Beijing Games were offically declared open after a spectacular opening ceremony this morning (Australian time).

"For a long time, China has dreamed of opening its doors and inviting the world's athletes to Beijing for the Olympic Games," said Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"Tonight that dream comes true. Congratulations, Beijing."

Chinese gymnastics champion and business supremo Li Ning lit the cauldron at the end of the ceremony, after he was lifted high off the ground by cables and swung around the stadium.

A final fireworks display followed the lighting of the cauldron, with explosions on the stadium and all around the city.

In an innovation for the Beijing Games, veteran rower Tomkins was followed by a group of five-time Olympians and the athletes followed according to how many Games they had attended.

A group of debutants brought up the rear for the Australian team.

There was widespread concern that rain would dampen the spirits of the 91,000-strong crowd at the opening ceremony but the weather stayed kind apart from the ever-present smog, which was reportedly threatening to delay today's men's cycling road race.

News Limited websites reported that Olympic organisers informed broadcasters around the world that there was a high chance of the event being delayed some hours or even until Sunday.

Cauldron-lighter Li is a national hero in China after winning three gold medals, two silver and one bronze at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He is also the founder of a popular sportswear company bearing his name.

The identity of the person who lights the cauldron is traditionally kept secret until the final moments of the ceremony, and Chinese authorities went to extraordinary lengths to keep details from the public.

But the website for media at the Olympics on this occasion published the details shortly after the nearly three-and-a-half hour ceremony began.

Chinese female table tennis star Zhang Yining and gymnastics referee Huang Liping took the Olympic oaths.

The two took the oaths on behalf of the more than 10,000 athletes who will be competing in the Games, Xinhua reported.

Zhang won two gold medals at the 2004 Athens Games and Huang is a former world champion gymnast, who will act as a referee in Beijing, the report said.

Dazzling ceremony


An army of 2,008 drummers pounded out the countdown to the Games, which mark among other things China's emergence from impoverished isolation to economic might.

Around 80 world leaders, including Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and US President George W Bush, joined 91,000 excited spectators in the majestic Bird's Nest stadium for the opening show. The global television audience was expected to exceed one billion viewers.

Some 14,000 performers and 29,000 firework shells were primed for the show, with film director Zhang Yimou, whose work was once banned in China, offering up a sweeping, cinematic vision of 5,000 years of Chinese history.

According to Olympic tradition Greece kicked off the procession of athletes, with the rest of the nations following according to the Chinese alphabet.

A huge roar accompanied the entrance of the Chinese team into the Bird's Nest, led by basketball superstar Yao Ming.The crowd erupted with thousands of Chinese waving red cloths to welcome their team.

Sudanese refugee Lopez Lomong led the powerful US delegation.

The middle-distance runner was a controversial choice as China has come in for widescale criticism for its support of the Sudanese government in the buildup to the Games.

Iraq's five-strong delegation marched proudly into the stadium, led by rower Hamzah Al-Hilfi.

Iraqi participation at the Games had been in doubt up until the last minute over political interference in the running of the Iraqi National Olympic Committee.

History-making swimmer Natalie du Toit led the South African squad into the National Stadium in Friday's Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.

The Games of the 29th Olympiad run until August 24, with 10,500 athletes from a record 204 nations chasing 302 gold medals in 28 sports.

Multi bet - I was going to take a multi bet today, on the olympic tennis. But no money in the tab account. Too lazy, and too cold to venture down to the tab. So I won't be betting today. These were my tips -
1555 Essendon over 15 1/2 pts $1.72
44807 Blake $1.22
44865 CIlic $1.45
44832 Davydenko $1.53
44774 Robredo $1.60
44869 Ferrer $1.38
Odds of $10.27

Like Axe Handle to bounce back in the winners circle @ Port Pirie today also.

August 10, 2008 12:50pm

STEPHANIE Rice has won Australia's first gold medal of the Olympic Games, smashing the world record in the women's 400m individual medley final
Rice took it out hard and was under world record pace all the way, setting a new mark of 4min29.45sec.

It was more than 1.5sec under the record set by American Katie Hoff at the US trials in June.

Australia third in women's 4x100m freestyle relay
August 10, 2008 01:28pm

Australia's quartet started poorly but finished strongly for third.
AUSTRALIA have finished third in their defence of the women's 4x100m freestyle relay title won in Athens.
The Australian quartet of Cate Campbell, Alice Mills, Melanie Schlanger, Libby Trickett won the bronze medal behind the word record-holding Netherlands team and the United States.

Australia seemed unlikely to win a medal at the halfway point, but Schlanger produced an outstanding effort on the third leg to improve from seventh to third, and Trickett saw the team to a spot on the dais.

Monday, August 11, 2008 - 1:23 PM

Libby Trickett secured Australia's second gold medal of the Olympic Games with victory in the 100 metres butterfly at the Water Cube in Beijing.

Trickett won in a time of 56.73 after splitting the 50m in 26.77, while Jess Schipper, the world record holder in the 200m butterfly, finished third in 57.25 behind American Christine Magnuson (57.10).

It is Trickett's second Olympic gold medal after winning with the women's 4x100m freestyle relay team in Athens in 2004, and she becomes the third Australian gold medallist in the event following Lyn McClements (1968) and Petria Thomas from Athens.

Trickett says her victory was a dream come true, but followed some extremely nervous moments.

"It's more than I could have dreamed," she said. "I just feel probably more than anything relieved.

"Before the race I felt like I was going to vomit, I was probably that nervous!

"But then just before I walked out I had an amazing sense of calm."

The 23-year-old world champion was under world record pace at the 50m and finished just .12 of a second outside the world record set by Dutch swimmer Inge de Bruijn at the Sydney Olympics.

Trickett punched the water in frustration when she looked at the screen and saw that she had just missed out on breaking the eight-year world record, but then the realisation of her first Olympic gold medal sunk in.

Suit trouble


After the race Schipper told the media she had had trouble doing up her suit in the lead-up to the race and had to switch to an alternative suit.

Trickett, who was a favourite at the Athens Games but failed to produce her best when it counted most, said she just wanted to do her best.

"I just said to myself, more than anything I want to walk away with absolutely no regrets.

"And you know, to come up with not only a gold medal but a personal best time in these sorts of circumstances, honestly it's more than I could have dreamed and hoped for."

She paid tribute to her team-mate, Schipper.

"I'm just so happy, and I get to share the medal presentation with Jess [Schipper] which is really special for me, because I wouldn't be here without her.

"So that's really important for me as well."

Schipper was happy with her efforts.

"I just came in here wanting to go better than I did in Athens and get an individual medal," she said.

"So I'm pretty happy with the way it all turned out."

"I had a bit of a problem in marshalling, my suit wouldn't zip up," she said.

Swimming officials said an alternative suit had to be found for Schipper just minutes before the race started.

Trickett qualified fastest for the final with a time of 57.05 seconds in yesterday's first semi-final, while Schipper posted a time of 57.43 seconds to win the second semi.

Monday, August 11, 2008 - 1:52 PM

Eamon Sullivan set a new world record with a stunning lead-off leg as Australia took bronze behind America in the 4x100m relay.

Sullivan broke the 100m world record with a time of 47.24 seconds to hand the Australians an early lead, but they could not maintain the pace in the final three legs and finished third in 3:09.91.

Sullivan bested the 47.50 set by France's Alain Bernard in Eindhoven on March 22.

Michael Phelps's bid for eight gold medals is still alive after the United States came from behind to win the event in world record time ahead of France and Australia.

Jason Lezak overhauled Bernard in the final 25 metres of the race to secure gold for America in a time of 3:08.24, with France second in 3:08.32.

The Australian team of Sullivan, Ashley Callus, Andrew Lauterstein and Matt Targett were off the pace in the heats and semi-finals, but stepped up to claim the bronze on the back of Sullivan's stunning opening leg.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 - 2:28 PM

Leisel Jones claimed her first individual Olympic gold medal and Australia's third in Beijing with a thumping victory in the women's 100 metres breaststroke final at the Water Cube.

Jones went into the final as a red-hot favourite after swimming more than a second faster than her nearest rival in the semi-final, and comfortably took gold in an Olympic record time of 1:05.17.

Jones says all that mattered today was to hit the wall first, something she could not manage as an individual in an Olympic event at either the Sydney or Athens Games.

"A little bit of shock, and probably more relief I guess," she said.

"It has been a long journey. It's been a long eight years.

"And I think just a lot of relief that the training was definitely worth it. I couldn't care less about the time.

"An Olympic gold is an Olympic gold. It really didn't matter how it went, how I raced I couldn't care less."

Jones says she was excited before the race.

"I had a pretty bad sleep last night," she said.

"I woke up and I was just so excited. I think I was excited about racing.

"I was almost skipping out there I was so excited. I really enjoyed it."

Aiming for London


Jones suggested she would keep swimming with London in 2012 in mind.

"I think I've enjoyed it so much, I think I would hate to finish and know there was still a flame burning inside," she said.

"I think I've still got so much more growing to do, and so much more learning.

"Amanda Beard's on her fourth Olympics, so it's certainly not out of the question."

Jones emerged from the blocks at the head of the field slightly in front of compatriot Tarnee White, and split the 50m inside world record time.

She powered away in the final 50m to finish well ahead of American Rebecca Soni (1:06.73) and Austrian Mirna Jukic (1:07.34).

White faded towards the back end of the race to finish in sixth position in a time of 1:07.63.

While she was happy with the gold, Jones says it was her win at the World Championships in Canada in 2005 that remains her proudest achievement.

"Olympic golds are important, but in terms of personal experience and in terms of personal growth I think that was my most important swim.

"Olympic gold is really nice, it's what we all come here for.

"But certainly Montreal was more about my personal experience.

"And I think that will still reign over this Olympic gold, because I found out so much of myself.

"After Athens I learned so much. And that was my first individual World Championship [gold].

"I think that one probably still is more important to me than this."

After bursting onto the scene with a silver medal in the 100m in Sydney as a 14-year-old, Jones could not crack gold in the 100m or 200m in Athens.

Jones swam 1:05.80 to comfortably win the second semi, ahead of second-fastest qualifier Soni. Jukic started from lane three after recording 1:07.27 in the semis.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 - 2:02 PM

Australia's Hayden Stoeckel has dead-heated for bronze in the men's 100 metres backstroke with American Aaron Peirsol breaking the world record to win gold.

Another American, Matt Grevers, finished just 0.07 of a second ahead of Stoeckel and Russian Arkady Vyatchanin.

Peirsol, the defending champion, led from start to finish to set a new world mark of 52.54 seconds.

Stoeckel reacted to his by saying he had over-achieved. "It's just amazement, really," he said.

"I came into the Olympics not really thinking I'd get a medal or anything. I just wanted to make the final. I'm just thrilled."

Stoeckel says he initially thought he had missed out on a medal.

"I saw four next to my name, and then I realised it was the lane," he said.

"Then I saw Arkady [Vyatchanin] with third and I thought, I didn't get a podium.

"And then I saw I got equal third, and I was like - 'yes' - so I got up there. It was just an amazing feeling."

He also paid tribute to his family.

"I've had really supportive parents, and I love them dearly, and also my sister she's been really supportive," he said.

"That's been really great, just to get me up there, and it's paid off."

Stoeckel says moving home to Adelaide and working with a sports psychiatrist has been integral to his improvement as a swimmer.

"Pain. Nobody likes pain. But I don't mind it now," he said.

"Bring it on."

Stunning swim


Stoeckel stunned his rivals yesterday by swimming what was then the second-fastest time in history to win his semi-final.

Stoeckel set a new Olympic record and narrowly missed out on Peirsol's world mark with a time of 52.97.

Fellow Australian Ashley Delaney snuck into the final with the eighth-fastest time of 53.76.

He improved to finish fifth in the final.

August 12, 2008 05:36pm

Melissa Wu and Briony Cole have won silver at the Beijing Olympics 10m platform diving final.

AUSTRALIAN Olympic rookies Melissa Wu and Briony Cole have claimed the Olympic silver medal in the women's synchronised 10m platform.
The duo delivered a superb performance to amass 335.16 points and finish behind only the dominant home team which continued China's undefeated run at the Water Cube.

Wang Xin and Chen Ruolin were near faultless throughout and won the gold medal with an outstanding 363.54 points while Mexico's Paola Espinosa and Tatiana Ortiz took bronze with 330.06 points.

The Australians were just over one point ahead of the Mexicans heading into the final round but nailed a wonderful 87.72 point dive to hold off their rivals.

It was also Australia's first diving medal at these Games following two previous days of disappointments in synchronised events.

Cole combined with Sharleen Stratton for fifth place in the 3m springboard last Sunday while men's 10m platform pairing Mathew Helm and Robert Newbery missed bronze yesterday by less than half a point.

Wu and Cole however had been the biggest medal hopes of the dive team after claiming silver at last year's world championships in this event.

At just 16 years of age Wu is one of the youngest members of the Australian Olympic team and considered the star of the future.

Australian canoe battler Robin Bell wins bronze in C1 class at Beijing Olympics
August 12, 2008 06:45pm

AUSTRALIA'S battler of Beijing, Robin Bell, has created history by becoming the first Australian to win an Olympic whitewater medal with bronze in the C1 final.
The 30-year-old from Sydney who struggles to pay his rent, claimed the historic medal with one of the performances of his career.

Placed fifth going into the final after clocking 91.16secs in the semi final, Bell grabbed bronze with a final combined time of 180.59secs.

A remarkable final run by 1996 Gold medallist Michael Martikan elevated him above Great Britain's David Florence (Silver) to take Gold.

World number three Bell qualified for the final in fifth place after a sluggish start out of the blocks, but he battled to complete the tricky course in 89.16s before being handed a two-second penalty, well after his time was posted.

If he hadn't been hit with the penalty, the Sydney paddler would have been sitting second going into the final, just 0.18s behind Martikan and with an excellent chance to claim Gold.

Australia, which has enjoyed 15 Olympic podium finishes in kayaking, has never claimed a canoeing Gold medal in Games history.

Its only medal in canoe or kayak slalom events came 16 years ago when Danielle Woodward picked up silver in the K1 slalom at the Barcelona Games.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 - 6:06 AM

Australia's equestrian team won silver in the eventing competition in Hong Kong on Tuesday evening after an imperious display from the Germans in the showjumping final secured a win in the three-day tournament.

Hinrich Peter Romeike dropped just one rail on a superb final run for the Germans, giving them a 5.10 penalty buffer over Australia's team of Shane Rose, Sonja Johnson, Lucinda Fredericks, Clayton Fredericks and Megan Jones.

Jones came agonisingly close to a silver medal in the individual equestrian event, but was forced to settle for fourth after her horse Irish Jester clipped the very last rail on the course.

A flawless run from Romeike atop his horse Marius in the individual event secured him a second gold medal for the evening with a total of 54.20 penalty points, ahead of American Gina Miles and Britain's Kristina Cook.

Clayton Fredericks finished seventh in the individual standings with Johnson back in 10th.

In the team event, Germany had led after the cross-country section on Monday, and Australia took top spot in the opening dressage event.

A strong all-round performance saw Germany's mixed team of Romeike, Peter Thomsen, Frank Ostholt, Andreas Dibowski and Ingrid Klimke restrict itself to just 166.10 penalty points.

Jones had the penultimate ride of the evening and Australia's last, producing a near-flawless display atop Irish Jester to record just 4 penalty points.

Romeike needed to knock off at least three rails to put Australia into gold medal contention, but a fine run completed the strongest individual performance of the tournament and saw the Germans to safety atop the medal podium.

Rose says it was too hard to peg the Germans back on the tough Hong Kong course.

"It proved very difficult for most of the combinations out there. The rest of the team did a great job, and it's great to have that silver medal," he said.

Great Britain finished third on 185.70 points, 14.5 adrift of the Australians.

Clayton Fredericks, linchpin of the Australian team aboard Ben Along Time, said his team came to Hong Kong to win gold, describing it as "everything we have worked for".

But he conceded an Olympic medal, whatever the colour, was worth the work.

Romeike, on his gelding Marius, clinched the gold for his team as the last of 57 riders to take on the 13 fences.

His one fault, which cost him 4 penalty points, may have been a personal disappointment for a man who has taken his hobby to Olympian heights.

This victory was consolation of sorts for Germany's bitter loss in the Athens Games in 2004, when the gold medal was taken away from the team and given to France after Bettina Hoy, one of the best-known riders in the world, was penalised for crossing the start line twice.

Two of the Germans jumped clear rounds - Andreas Dibowski on Butts Leon and Frank Ostholt on Mr Medicott.

The British knew early on they were playing for third place, with team anchor William Fox-Pitt telling reporters after his own imperfect round he hoped he had done "enough to keep us in the hunt for the bronze medal".