The IOC are growing increasingly frustrated at Britain’s refusal to introduce legislation to outlaw the possession, supply and distribution of performance-enhancing drugs.

Their stance leaves them out of step with other European countries such as Sweden, France, Italy, Greece and Germany where anti-doping laws mean athletes and their suppliers can go to jail.

Arne Ljungqvist, the chairman of the IOC’s medical commission, said he would be pressing for a change in the British law, which would be an important legacy of the 2012 Olympics.

The subject will be raised by the IOC when Olympic host and bidding cities gather in London later this month for a post-Beijing debrief.

The IOC are considering making it a condition of bidding for future Olympic Games that candidate countries have anti-doping laws. In the meantime, just as the Chinese authorities were persuaded to introduce new legislation in the run-up to this summer’s Games, Britain will be under pressure to fall into line.

Ljungqvist, who is also a board member of the World Anti-Doping Agency, said: “I think legislation is very important that criminalises certain offences as detailed in the WADA code because it allows public authorities to intervene where we cannot.

“We as sports authorities have our limited possibilities regulated by our code. We can do testing but we cannot do searches.”

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Cheating athletes who evaded detection during the Olympic Games in Beijing will only know if they got away with it in eight years’ time.
Jacques Rogge, the chairman of the International Olympic Committee, which has a statute of limitations on results of eight years, said that the urine and blood samples taken from competitors in Beijing can be repeatedly tested until 2016 as scientists develop new methods of analysis.
The process has already started, with 5,000 samples shipped from Beijing to Lausanne so that they can be tested for Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator, or Cera, a new generation of the blood-booster drug, EPO discovered recently in the urine of cyclists on this summer’s Tour de France.
Rogge said: “This is the first stage of retroactive testing.
“We are going to keep, to preserve the urine and the blood for eight years.

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NBA commissioner David Stern said Sunday the league likely would play regular-season games in London before the British capital hosts the 2012 Olympics.
Stern, however, also said the possibility of taking meaningful games to Europe was nowhere near a done deal.
“Although we have no plans on the drawing board, it has been suggested to us that we should schedule in the next three years or so some regular-season games here – more than just one – on some regular basis,” Stern said before the New Jersey Nets-Miami Heat pre-season game at the O2 Arena. “It’s fair to say that we’ll see a minimum of one and possibly more regular-season games by 2012.”
Stern sees the Olympics as a springboard to increasing the NBA’s marketability in Britain, which is one of the richest countries in the world.
Dwyane Wade, possibly the most recognized player on the court, said he enjoyed the energy in the building during Sunday’s pre-season game.
“We don’t really grow up thinking that people will one day know us worldwide,” said Wade, who scored 18 points for the Heat in the 94-92 loss to the Nets. “It’s a great feeling.”

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The International Olympic Committee is to retest frozen blood samples taken from athletes during the Beijing Games in August for traces of Cera, the so-called “third-generation erythropoietin“.
It announced the move after Tour de France officials confirmed on Tuesday that the German rider Stefan Schumacher and the Italians Riccardo Ricco and Leonardo Piepoli had tested positive this year for Cera, which is a form of EPO that has a longer-lasting effect in boosting the blood’s oxygen delivery system.
“The IOC intends to retest the samples collected this summer during the Olympic Games in Beijing,” the IOC spokeswoman, Emmanuelle Moreau, said. “Substances that will be tested for across all sports include EPO Cera.
“All samples are currently being repatriated to the Wada [the World Anti-Doping Agency]-accredited laboratory in Lausanne where Olympic samples are usually stored after the Games. The details of the retesting procedure are currently being discussed with Wada.”

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London Games will be much more fun than those in Beijing, says London mayor

Boris Johnson said today that the 2012 Olympics would be “much, much more fun” than the Beijing Games as he unveiled a vision of the “party atmosphere” they could bring to London.

Giving evidence to a committee of MPs, the London mayor suggested that visitors could be issued with BlackBerry-style gadgets to help them follow events.

And he also insisted that the cost of the Games would not rise above the £9.3bn ceiling set on the budget, even with economic conditions worsening.

Sponsor: News from Japan – Giappone News

At its first hearing since the Beijing Olympics, Johnson told the Commons culture committee that the event in China was “fantastic” but that he wanted the London Games to excel in a different way.

The 2012 Olympics would be “more friendly, more intimate”, he said. The venues would be “cosier”.

“We can produce a Games that’s just as good, if not better, without spending all that money,” said Johnson, referring to the £20bn cost of the Chinese Olympics.

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The London Olympic Games budget will break through the 10 billion ($A22 billion) barrier, largely because officials have ”vastly underestimated” the cost of protecting the event from terrorists, The Independent on Sunday has revealed.

Security costs for the 2012 Games were now likely to reach $A3.3 billion nearly three times the original estimate, a senior official involved in planning the event said.

The army was to be drafted to help protect athletes and spectators from an atrocity, the official revealed. Military helicopters would patrol overhead and jets would be on standby to intercept any suspect private plane heading for the main Olympic stadium in east London. Under Treasury rules, the Ministry of Defence would charge the Olympic authorities for such a deployment.

The security operation is expected to be the largest in peacetime Britain, with the two-week event classed in Whitehall as a major terrorist target. Yet detailed planning for policing and security has barely started.

Insiders said a price could not be put on preventing a large-scale terrorist attack on the main Olympic site or in London’s parks, where thousands will watch the events on giant TV screens.

The London bombings of July 7, 2005, took place the day after the capital celebrated winning the 2012 bid.

”It will cost whatever it takes to ensure terrorism does not once again try to rob London of celebrating the 2012 Games,” a source said.

The insider said security planning was ”basically starting from scratch. There are no detailed plans yet but of course it will cost far more, around 1.5 billion [$A3.3billion].”

Balancing security concerns with ensuring spectators can enjoy a friendly and open atmosphere in contrast to Beijing’s rigid controls is proving to be the greatest headache for organisers, alongside transport.

Officials want the experience of 2012 to be open and shared by all Londoners, with street parties similar to those in Sydney at the turn of the millennium. Giant video screens will be placed in Hyde Park and at other sites where events will take place.

In addition to police officers from Scotland Yard and other forces, tens of thousands of volunteers will be needed to check bags and tickets. Unmanned military planes, as used to monitor the Taliban in Afghanistan, could be deployed to monitor suspected terrorist aircraft.

The transport network is likely to carry 240,000 passengers an hour during the Games. Extra officers will be needed to identify suspected bombers, and stadiums will be built with special blast-proof material, including shatter-proof glass.

Officials from the Cabinet Office and the Home Office have been meeting regularly to discuss the operation.

If organisers are to keep to budget promises, cuts will have to be made elsewhere, such as in the construction of stadiums and the Olympic village to house 17,000 athletes, and in the funding of the 2012 ”legacy”, intended to promote sport in the community.

source: canberratimes.com.au

Sport News

KAWASAKI: Athens Olympic gold medallist Koji Murofushi of Japan won the hammer throw with his last attempt at the Kawasaki track and field meet on Tuesday.

Murofushi, who finished fifth at the Beijing Olympics in August, threw 81.02 metres to beat Krisztian Pars of Hungary. Beijing Olympic champion Primoz Kozmus of Slovenia was a disappointing third with 78.59 metres.

“It was a very good throw. I’m really glad that I was able to mark such a good record with my last throw in my last competition of the season,” said Murofushi. “I couldn’t practise well because of a cold so I think this is the result I achieved with my technique. It was a good competition and I’m looking forward to the next season.” Meanwhile, Nobuharu Asahara, who anchored the Japanese team to win the 4x100m relay bronze in Beijing, put an end to his career with a third-place finish in 10.37 secs. The 100 metre race was won by Harry Aikines-Aryeetey of Britain in 10.19, followed by Michael Rodgers of the United States in 10.26.

“I competed for more than 20 years. A great part of my life was to run. It’s great to finish my career by receiving a medal as a present at the end,” said Asahara, now aged 36.

Other Beijing Olympic champions duly won their events, with Tomasz Majewski of Poland winning the men’s shot put with 19.63m and Tatiana Lebedeva of Russia winning the women’s long jump with 6.81m. In the women’s 100m, Chisato Fukushima brought the title home for the first time for Japan by clocking 11.70 secs, beating American Candice Davis into second. The 2005 world champion Bershawn Jackson of the United States coasted to an easy victory in the men’s 400m hurdles in 49.33 secs, while 2007 world champion Donald Thomas of Bahamas won the men’s high jump with 2.24m.

from: dailytimes.com.pk

KAWASAKI, Japan: Olympic bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson of the United States won the 400-meter hurdles Tuesday at the Super Track and Field meet.

Jackson got off to a slow start but recovered to surge ahead of Kenji Narisako of Japan down the stretch in 49.33 seconds. Narisako finished in 49.68.

American Miriam Barnes won the women’s 400 in 53.18. Damu Cherry of the U.S. took the 100 hurdles in 13.07, while teammate Candice Davis trailed by 0.06.

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey of Britain won the 100 in 10.19, edging American Michael Rodgers by 0.07. Nobuharu Asahara of Japan, running his last race, followed in 10.37.

Koji Murofushi of Japan won the hammer throw with a heave of 265 feet, 10 inches, ahead of Krisztian Pars of Hungary at 264-8 and Beijing gold medalist Primoz Kozmus of Slovenia at 257-10.

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from: iht.com

Beijing capped its six-week run as the center of world sports, ushering out the Paralympic Games on Wednesday with a lavish closing ceremony.
The ceremony marked the end of seven intensive years of preparations and $40 billion in spending on venues and infrastructure — all meant to symbolize China’s emergence as a leading nation in the 21st century.
A 91,000 sellout crowd in the Bird’s Nest National Stadium saw the ceremonial flame extinguished and the event formally handed over to London, which will host the next Olympics and Paralympics in 2012.
As with the Olympics, officials praised their Chinese hosts for the striking venues, tight organization and stadiums that were mostly filled for 11 days of competition.
The games were held in nearly perfect weather with blue skies and light traffic, leaving Beijing’s chronic air pollution a distant memory.
However, traffic control measures are slated to end Saturday, with 2 million vehicles expected to return to the roads. In addition, heavy industry — shuttered for two months — and building construction is expected to return to pre-games levels, along with accompanying pollution.
“These games have been great games,” said Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee. “Everybody realizes that. These are the greatest Paralympic Games ever.”
The symbolic hand over came as London Mayor Boris Johnson and Beijing counterpart Guo Jinlong gathered on the infield. The London handover segment featured a red London double-decker bus, London landmarks like Nelson’s Column and a moment when a “tea lady” arrived and the show stopped.
Because if one thing unites China and Britain, it is the agreement that all things — even an Olympic ceremony — must stop for tea.
China led the gold-medal table in the Olympics and did the same in the Paralympics, winning 89 gold and 211 overall. Britain was No. 2 with 42 gold and 102 overall. The United States was No. 3 with 36 and 99.
South African swimmer Natalie Du Toit, who also competed in the Olympics, won five gold medals. She lost her left leg after a 2001 motorcycle crash.
Compatriot Oscar Pistroius, a double-amputee sprinter who runs on carbon-fiber legs, won three golds in 100, 200 and 400 meters.
He is hoping to run against able-bodied athletes in next year’s world championships in Berlin, and the London Games. Du Toit also plans to compete in the regular Olympics in London, in the 800-meter freestyle and the 10-kilometer open-water swim.
Four athletes were sent home for failing pre-competition doping tests — a German wheelchair basketballer, and powerlifters from Pakistan, Ukraine and Mali.
In a lunch Wednesday for foreign dignitaries, China president Hu Jintao said the Paralympics would push the government to improve care for the disabled, who historically have received little help or visibility in Chinese society.
“The Chinese government and people will build on the success of the Beijing Paralympic Games to carry forward the humanitarian spirit and advance in an all-round way the well-being of people with a disability in China,” the state-run Xinhua news agency reported Hu saying.
Four thousand athletes from 147 regions and countries took part. That number is expected to reach 4,200 in Britain, which gave birth to the modern-day Paralympic Games. The genesis of the games came in 1948, when German neurologist Ludwig Guttman organized an athletic event in Buckinghamshire — northwest of central London — for soldiers wounded in World War II.
Unlike the tight security at the Olympics, security was much looser during the Paralympics, with the Olympic Green area filled nightly with people lingering on strolls between venues.
That area was often nearly empty during the Olympics, as ordinary citizens were not given access.
It also ends a special run for 100,000 games volunteers, who staffed every nook and cranny at the venues. Their friendly efforts were credited with softening the image of China’s authoritarian government, which before and during the Olympics cracked down on security, visas and battled with journalists over blocked Internet access and freedom-of-the press issues.
“It’s no use to be sad, it’s all ending anyway,” said Jiang Wei, a 19-year-old university student who worked since July 8 in the main press center. “We can take memories and get on with our lives.”

from: ap.google.com

The high-spirit United States beat Australia 53-44 to win their third Paralympic gold in wheelchair rugby here on Tuesday.

The U.S. team won their first two gold medals since the wheelchair rugby was introduced to the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics as a demonstration sport. They took the bronze in Athens four year ago.

Having a redemption of Athens’ loss, the exciting Americans celebrated their fifth straight victory at the tournament with a “wheelchair dance”, spinning their “vehicles” at the court, while the Aussies, with obvious disappointment on the face, gave each other consoling hugs.

“Winning a gold medal compares only to when I was born and when I got married,” said Will Groulx, the American leading scorer.

“This feels so great. We set a goal four years ago, we promised to each other we were going to make it and it is great to see how all the hard work and determination became a gold medal.”

The Aussies, who won a silver at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, should be proud of their own performances as the Americans hardly took any advantage to end the second quarter 21-20.

However, the world’s No. 1 U.S. strengthened their defense at the second half of the game, when the Australian top scorer Ryley Batt often found himself blocked by two or three aggressive Americans.

Will Groulx, who scored 11 of his 16 goals, helped the U.S. to establish a five goal lead by the third quarter and extended the gap to seven in the end.

However, the 19-year-old Australian “Magic Boy” Batt remained the shiniest star of the game with 23 goals and 12 assists.

“I’m not disappointed at all. I would have liked to win gold of course but the U.S. played a better game. Both teams had such great defence, you couldn’t have asked for a better match,” said Batt.

Earlier, the Athens runner-up Canada defeated Britain 47-41 to win the bronze medal. The Britons, ranked No. 4 in the world, repeated their Athens 2004 fourth place.

Mike Whitehead scored 14 goals to become Canda’s best scorer, while Briton Troye Collins led his teammates with 16 goals.

In another two matches of the day, defending champion New Zealand beat Germany 28-25 to place fifth.

The New Zealanders were far from their tournament goals as they missed out on the semifinals by losing the first two preliminaries to Britain and Australia with identical 39-38. Germany, however, bettered their Athens position of seventh to stand on the sixth.

New Zealand captain David Klinkhamer took the fifth finish as a “complete heartbreak”, saying his team “has gone from hero (winning Athens gold) to zero”.

“We underperformed and there is no way to sugar coat it,” said Klinkhamer. “We failed in executing our game plan and we lacked basic rugby techniques. We don’t get to compete often and need to travel more.”

Asian powerhouse Japan, who are also set for a medal, suffered another major setback after they surprisingly lost to Germany at the first round of the fifth place playoffs.

However, the Japanese, most of whom got a haircut to show their determination to win after preliminaries, found no trouble to defeat inexperienced China, trouncing the host 58-32 to finish seventh.

China, who trained less than one year, finished their first Paralympics with five straight losses but showed no regret after the match.

“As rookies, we are here to learn from the world’s top-level teams and I’m proud that we have been improving match by match and my players have never given up on the court,” said China head coach Wen Yan.

“The losses have only inspired us to work harder to do better in London,” she said.

from: xinhuanet.com

Oscar Pistorius completed his gold-medal haul at the Paralympics on Tuesday, winning the 400 meters to go with sprint victories in the 100 and 200.

The South African double amputee known as “The Blade Runner” finished in 47.49 seconds, a world record for his disability class.

Jim Bob Bizzell of the United States won the silver medal at the Bird’s Nest National Stadium, the venue for Olympic track and field. Ian Jones of Britain took the bronze.

Pistorius was cleared in May to run in the Beijing Olympics by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. This followed a decision by track and field’s governing body that said he was ineligible.

He then failed to make the Olympic qualifying standard in the 400. He needed to run 45.55, and his best time was 46.25 run against able-bodied athletes.

Pistorius’ next goal is to qualify for the world championships next year in Berlin, where he would face able-bodied runners. He also is looking toward the London 2012 Olympics.

“I’ve got a lot of work to do before that,” he said. “I have five or six able-bodied meets in Europe next year and those are all stepping stones to get to the bigger meets and perform there. I’m looking forward to next year’s calendar and next four years.”

Pistorius, who won gold in the 200 in the Athens Paralympics, runs on carbon-fiber blades. He was born without a fibula, a bone in the lower leg, and both legs were amputated below the knees when he was 11 months old.

Away from the Bird’s Nest, Ukraine defeated Russia 2-1 in seven-per-team soccer to win the gold medal. Volodymyr Antonyuk scored twice for Ukraine and Lasha Murvanadze had Russia’s only goal. Iran defeated Brazil 4-0 in the bronze-medal game.

In the wheelchair rugby final, the U.S. defeated Australia 53-44. Canada took the bronze-medal game, beating Britain 47-41.

In the men’s wheelchair basketball final, Australia beat Canada 72-60. Britain defeated the U.S. 85-77 for the bronze.

Speaking in Beijing on Tuesday, Sebastian Coe said London is ready to match — or surpass — the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics.

“It is a massive responsibility,” said Coe, chairman of the organizing committee for the 2012 London Games. “We don’t find it daunting. … Beijing has delivered a spectacular games and we will also deliver a spectacular games.”

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from: ap.google.com

Host nation China pulled away from its rivals at the Beijing Paralympics Friday as its medal tally soared over 100.
China has now won more medals in just over five days of competition than it did during the whole of last month’s Olympics, when it won exactly 100.
The Paralympic haul is made up of 34 golds, 40 silvers and 27 bronze. Second-placed Britain has 29 golds and an overall total of 61.
More than 4,000 competitors from nearly 150 countries and regions are battling for 472 gold medals in 20 sports at the eye-catching venues used for last month’s Olympics, such as the “Bird’s Nest” and the Water Cube.
China’s Olympic tally of 100 medals included 51 golds, meaning it finished atop the table ahead of the United States, with 36 golds.
The sports at the Paralympics, which end on September 17, include athletics, swimming, powerlifting, wheelchair fencing and five-a-side and seven-a-side football, as well as the lesser-known goalball and boccia.

source: thenews.com.pk

Natalie Du Toit of South Africa won her fourth gold medal in swimming at the Beijing Paralympics, taking the 400-meter freestyle on Friday in a world-record time for her disability group.

Du Toit, who lost a leg in a 2001 motorcycle crash, finished in 4 minutes, 43.81 seconds — 0.15 better than the mark she set three years ago in London.

One of two athletes in the Paralympics who also competed at the Beijing Olympics, Du Toit has set three disability group records in winning four golds. She also set records in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley. Her other gold came in the 100 freestyle, where she already holds the record.

She will wrap up her Paralympic program Sunday in the 50 freestyle, where she also holds the disability group record.

Du Toit won five golds and a silver at the Athens Paralympics, but chose to compete in only five events in Beijing. She said she could have done even better Friday.

“I had a really bad turn and had to stop and start again, which wasted a lot of energy,” she said. “I didn’t think I would do a best time.”

Du Toit finished 16th at the Beijing Olympics in the 10-kilometer open-water swim. A promising Olympian until her injury, she’s hoping to qualify for the 2012 London Games.

Fifty-four medals were up for grabs Friday. In the major disciplines, there were 16 in swimming, 15 in cycling and 18 in track and field. Spain won three golds in swimming to lead all countries.

Britain dominated cycling with four gold medals and six overall. The United States won seven medals in cycling, including three gold. Spain also managed three gold medals in cycling and six overall.

In track, sprinter Oscar Pistorius is expected to win the 200 on Saturday, adding to the gold he won earlier in the week in the 100.

In the medal standings, China leads with 37 gold and 109 overall. Britain has 33 gold and 69 overall, followed by the United States with 23 and 56 overall.

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from: ap.google.com

The Track cycling events of Beijing Paralympic Games ended in Laoshan Velodrome here on Wednesday when Britain took three more golds to prove its domination with a total of 12 titles.
Sarah Storey stormed back in the women’s individual pursuit of LC1-2/CP4 category to take the gold medal in a new LC1 world record of three minutes and 36.637 seconds. She ripped four seconds off the record she set in the qualifications to snatch the title from Jennifer Schuble of United States by centimeters.

Schuble needed to match the CP4 world record she made in the qualifying rounds to beat Storey but crossed the line just 0.2 second off the pace and had to settle for the silver. She had been crowned in women’s 500 metres time trial of LC1-2/CP4 class.

“This Paralympics is really a tough game,” said Storey. “So it was difficult for me to take gold or to break the records. I’m satisfied with myself as I did both.”

“I’m satisfied with this result, too,” said Schuble. “I got two medals at this Paralympics, and got two best times I never had. I rode as fast as I could.”

“I felt much pressure. Storey and the British team never failed. And I also felt pressure from cheering spectators, teammates and my coach. I felt pressure from everywhere,” said Schuble. “But I achieved my goal and did my best.”
China was guaranteed a bronze with the third place being fought out between Dong Jingping and Ye Yaping, both in LC2 class, and Dong duly edged out her compatriot racing as full five seconds faster.

In men’s sprint of B&VI class, British Anthony Kappes won gold with pilot Barney Storey, edging Aussie Ben Demery and pilot Shaun Hopkins after two straight wins in the best of three race final. It was Kappes’ second after he took title in men’s 1km time trial on Monday, in which he also beat Demery.

“We have had a good battle with them for three years,” said silver medallist Demery. “They have come on the top every time. They are great bike riders, and the British team got a great programme. They ride very well, so I think the best thing is to catch them up one day.”

Team Britain also seized the title of men’s team sprint of LC1-4/CP3-4 category with three gold-medallists Mark Bristow, Jody Cundy and Darren Kenny. They defeated host Chinese team of Zhang Kuidong, Zhang Lu and Zheng Yuanchao in a three-lap final with an advantage of only one second.

Bristow was gold medallist in men’s LC1 1km time trial and Cundy won LC2 time trial while Kenny was winner in CP3 individual pursuit and 1km time trial. They all set world records in their respective events.

“We really enjoy the matches,” said Cundy. “The entire Britain team are happy with what we did. It is out of our expectation.”

American Barbara Buchan was the only non-British gold winner on Wednesday. She came home first by a margin of 2.316 seconds to spoil the day for Natalie Simanowski of Germany in women’s individual pursuit of LC3-4/CP3 class.

Simanowski was racing to go one better than the silver she took in 500m time trial but had to make do with another silver. She was fastest on the track but with the times adjusted with respect their disability levels, Buchan had the edge.

“It’s my honour to win gold and I’m so pleased,” said Buchan. “Though Simanowski is much younger than me, I think I am a good athlete.”

Britain topped the medal standings with 13 medals, 12 of which are golds. Australia also clinched three gold, four silver and six bronze medals. China ranked third with 0-3-3 in the track cycling events.

British rowers dominated the Beijing Paralympics by claiming two golds at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park on Thursday while China and Italy shared the remaining two golds.

Britain pulled off a gold double in the women’s and men’s single sculls.

Helene Raynsford made history by winning the first Paralympic Games gold medal ever awarded in the sport of rowing with a runaway 12-second edge over Luidmila Vauchok from Belarus and Laura Schwanger of the United States.

Reigning world champion Tom Aggar followed Raynsford’s victory moments later by taking the men’s single sculls.

“I was listening out at the start line, but I didn’t hear the result of (Raynsford) as I was focusing more on my own race. It’s a bit of a shame, maybe they could have swapped the order and put me on first,” joked Aggar after claiming his gold.

In attempting to claim the gold medal, Aggar found himself in the unfamiliar position of having a determined rival on his stern for the entire journey, Ukraine’s Oleksandr Petrenko.

Petrenko had a great regatta through the preliminary races and pushed Aggar all the way to claim the silver with a mere 3.94 seconds in arrears. Israel’s Eli Nawi took the bronze.

“It was a great race, I was happy to be pushed all the way,” said Aggar, who has compiled the Grand Slam, having won the world championships and the World Cup. “It’s been an amazing experience to be here competing. I started rowing one year and a half ago, to make it here is indescribable.”

“It’s a long way off (from the London 2012), but I’ll be sticking with rowing. I love rowing, I’m really passionate about it and I’ll be looking forward to competing on home soil.”

China’s Tan Yeteng finished fourth, with American Ron Harvey and Australia’s Dominic Moneypenny in fifth and sixth.

Home excitement then bubbled over when China held off a fast-finishing Australia to take the gold medal in the mixed double sculls.

Shan Zilong and Zhou Yangjing scored a hard-fought victory with only 0.89 seconds over Australia’s Kathryn Ross and John Maclean, early leaders and eventual bronze medallists Josiane Lima and Elton Santana from Brazil 7.67 seconds further behind.

“Indeed, our rivals are very strong, especially the Brazilian and Australian teams,” said Zhou. “They finished first and second in the world championships in 2007 and we were in the seventh place. And today’s result has proved that we have the potential and the ability to compete with them.”

Brazil started strongly, leading China and the rest of the field through the halfway mark by over two seconds, but that early pace seemed to take its toll as China noticeably lifted their stroke and work rates, an effort Brazil couldn’t match.

As the tempo of the race increased, the Chinese pair maintained their rhythm and by the 750 meters mark had enough fuel in the tank to hold off a fast-charging and increasingly-threatening Australian combination over the closing stage.

Italy then took its turn to step onto the top of the podium after their quartet scoring a hugely impressive all-the-way win in the mixed coxed fours.

Pontypridd swimming star David Roberts is celebrating a golden hat-trick. Triumphing in the 400m freestyle (S7) in a new world record, won his third gold medal at the Beijing Paralympic Games.

Roberts’s time of 4:52.35 broke the record held by New Zealander Dean Booth’s since 2000 by 1.40 seconds. Not that he was satisfied.

“I expected better from myself this evening. I was really nervous when I was coming out and that doesn’t normally happen to me.

“I wanted to perform better but this is amazing to have my tenth Paralympic gold medal.

“I don’t know why I was nervous. That will be something I will be discussing with my coach before Sunday.”

He has amassed his ten gold medals from Games in Sydney, Athens and Beijing. And his 2008 campaign is not over yet he returns to the starting blocks on Sunday for the 50m freestyle before he competes in the medley relay on Monday.

Philip Carling, Chair of the Sports Council for Wales, was quick said: “David is always striving to excel and to better his performances. Ten gold medals in a career is absolutely superb. His success is particularly impressive considering how the Paralympic movement has moved on since Athens. We have seen other countries catching up yet, David has still maintained dominance in his events.”

Roberts is coached at the Wales National Pool in Swansea which was built with more than 8m pounds of National Lottery funding by the Sports Council for Wales. He is coached by former miner Billy Pye:

“In Billy Pye, we have a world-class coach and he has cultivated the careers of many swimmers including David. We can be very proud of the fact that the pool in Swansea supports many of the Paralympic swimmers competing in Beijing.”

The Pye training stable also features gold medallists Eleanor Simmonds, Rob Welbourn and Graham Edmonds.

Newport’s Pippa Britton faced a difficult encounter in the archery when she came up against fellow Brit Mel Clarke in the quarter-final of the compound. She will return to action next week for the team competition.

On the track, Tracey Hinton of Cardiff and guide runner, Steffan Hughes, qualified for tomorrow’s 400m semi-final.

Wales’s London 2012 hopefuls also put in promising performances. Chepstow sprinter Jenny McLoughlin, who is just 16-years-old, finished seventh in the heats of the 100m.

Meanwhile, her training partner, Kate Arnold of Newport, who turned 20 last week, delivered a new personal best, finishing ninth in the 200m. Arnold, a former swimmer made the switch from pool to track relatively recently and was originally not expected to qualify for Beijing.

Brian Alldis, who is coached by Tanni Grey-Thompson, was unable to advance to the semi-final of the 800m. The Cardiff wheelchair racer finished seventh in his heat which was won by David Weir:

“I’m a bit disappointed. I couldn’t get on the back of the pack as they pulled away and I was about two seconds off my PB. It was good that Dave was in the heat but it probably made it harder for me.”

The shot putt saw two North Walians take season bests. Beverley Jones of Queensferry finished fifth while training partner Rebecca Chin, the youngest member of the Welsh contingent at 16-years-old, finished tenth. Chin will be using the experience from Beijing as she trains towards London 2012.

Rower James Roberts demonstrated his potential for London 2012. Together with Karen Cromie of Northern Ireland, the Prestatyn rower today finished in fifth place in the double sculls at Shun Yi, an event won by hosts, China.

Bridgend footballer Keryn Seal suffered a Spanish inquisition. Paralympic GB’s visually impaired five-a-side football team lost 3-1 to Spain in a dramatic game that saw Britain take an early lead before the European Champions dominated the second half.

Britain now lies fifth in the rankings after three matches with two to play. They take on Brazil on Saturday.

Fortune didn’t shine on the women’s wheelchair basketball team either. Losing 42-50 to Germany in the final group game, Clare Strange, from Newport, and Caroline Matthews of Cardiff will face Japan in tomorrow’s quarter-finals.

Racing has been delayed in Qingdao but sailor Steve Thomas and the Sonar crew lie seventh overall. Not yet halfway through the race schedule, there is still time for the Bridgend man to move into a medal spot.

ONES TO WATCH FRIDAY DAY 6

ATHLETICS Cardiff’s Tracey Hinton and guide runner Steffan Hughes of Aberaeron will be in the line-up for the 400m semi-final. Hinton won three medals at the Sydney Paralympics in 2000.

CYCLING After success on the track, hopes are now riding high for the ParalympicsGB road cyclists. Rachel Morris of Pembrokeshire is making her Paralympic debut in Beijing as she goes in the time trial. As a double world champion though, she will certainly not be fazed. Nor will Simon Richardson. He is also on time trial duty but confidence will be high after winning two gold medals in the Velodrome.

SWIMMING Gareth Duke produced an emotional performance four years ago in Athens but winning gold second time around will really be an achievement. Known as El Dulche to his team-mates, he was victorious over the 100m breaststroke in Athens and he is well remembered for his tearful medal presentation. Twelve months later, his went into the operating theatre to receive a new kidney donated by his father, Trevor. Newport’s Liz Johnson is also in the swim – she will be racing in the women’s 100m breaststroke.

SAILING Steve Thomas of Bridgend will be into races nine and ten in Qindao. They currently lie in seventh position overall.

WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL Clare Strange and Caroline Matthews are into the quarter finals and will face Japan.

WHEELCHAIR RUGBY The rugby tournament kicks off which will see Oswestry’s Jason Roberts and Abergavenny’s Josie Pearson. Pearson is the only female in the entire competition to be playing murderball, as it is fondly described by Paralympians.

from: newswales.co.uk

Paralympic cyclists carry on gold rush, setting world records

Five world records fell at the cycling track on the second day of the Beijing Paralympics here on Monday.

American Jennifer Schuble blitzed the Laoshan Velodrome to secure the first cycling gold for the United States, setting a new world record of the CP4 class in the women’s 500m time trial.
“It is the best time since I ever ride 500 (500 metres time trial). I feel super strong and very stable. It is a perfect track for me and very smooth…people were cheering for me,” said the 32-year-old.
“The Chinese did a good job today. I felt great pressure from them and I admire them a lot,” she said of silver and bronze medallists Ye Yaping and Dong Jingping, who added the first two medals for the host.
“I did my personal best in the competition today. The silver is satisfactory,” said Ye, who broke the world record of the LC2 class.
In the women’s 500m time trial (LC3-4/CP 3), New Zealand cyclist Paula Tesoriero tumbled heavily to the track after setting a new world record of LC3 class at 43.281 seconds. But she came back strong on the top podium to receive the first-ever Paralympic gold for her country.
“It really hurts, but happiness of success makes me feel much better, and even let me forget the pain,” said a smiling Tesoriero.
Her rival Aussie Jayme Paris, the bronze medallist, refreshed the world record of the CP3 class at 44.490 seconds.
British Anthony Kappes and his pilot Barney Storey scooped gold at men’s 1km time trial, breaking their previous world record.
“There are so much training to win the gold medal. Teamates, families and friends, all these people support you. You know it is for all of these people,” said the 35-year-old Kappes.
Michael Gallagher from Australia and Jiri Jezek from the Czech Republic snatched gold medals in men’s 4km individual pursuit of the LC1 and LC2 classes, respectively.
So far, Britain and Australia have collected four and three gold medals out of ten at the Paralympic cycling.

Swedish shooting great Jonas Jacobsson collected his 14th Paralympic gold medal Monday as host China climbed to the top spot in the gold medal standings.
Second-placed United States piled up eight gold medals, but has a total of 17 medals against 28 won by the Chinese. Britain was third on the ladder with seven gold.
China, which topped the medals table with 63 gold in Athens 2004, is widely expected to dominate the Games.
Jacobsson surpassed the eight-year-old world record by a huge margin in the morning in the men’s 10m air rifle standing position in his disability class, increasing his Paralympic medal tally to 14 gold, one silver and eight bronze medals.
He will compete in three other events – the men’s 50m free rifle 3×40 standing SH1, the mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1 and the mixed 50m free rifle prone SH1.
“Every competition is a new one. You have to focus,” he said.
South Africa’s Natalie du Toit was equally impressive.
The 24-year-old amputee grabbed her second gold of the Games, winning the women’s S9 100m freestyle final.
She had won the 100m butterfly in her category on Sunday in a world-record time of one min 6.74 sec.
Du Toit, who finished 16th among 25 competitors in 10km marathon swim at last month’s Olympics, and Polish table tennis player Natalia Partyka are the only athletes in Beijing appearing in both the Olympics and Paralympics.
Also in the Water Cube, Wang Xiaofu, who led the Chinese Paralympic team into the Bird’s Nest stadium on Saturday, bounced back from a shock defeat in the men’s S8 100m butterfly to win the 100m freestyle.
Elsewhere, China’s Yao Juan was back on the top of podium, eight years after she won her first Paralympic gold medal in Sydney. The 24-year-old won the women’s F42-46 javelin with a world record throw of 40.51m.
“I have always wanted to win back the gold medal, and I never gave up,” said Yao, who finished a distant fifth in Athens four years ago.
Yao’s compatriot Guo Wei followed suit, taking the men’s F35-26 javelin crown.
Lin Haiyan, 45, captured the first shooting gold for China by taking the women’s SH1 10m air pistol, while visually impaired compatriot Wang Lijing prevailed in the women’s 57kg judo competition.

from: chinadaily.com.cn