Day 11 and they are playing on the blue hockey pitch. It is the last day of the group stages in the men’s competition and Korea are playing Holland. Korea has to win to stand any chance of progressing further. Team GB play Spain tonight by which time we will know what we need to do to reach the semi finals.
The highlights today include the 1500 men’s final, the Triathlon, the men’s football semis and the team dressage.
The Dutch score from a penalty corner 1.0.Holland could win both hockey golds.
Verga makes it 2.0 with a fine individual goal. Really entertaining game now with the Koreans coming back from 0.3 to 3.2 only for the Dutch extend their lead to 4.2 which is the final score.
Australia are well on their way to the semi finals as they lead Pakistan 5.0 at the beginning of the second half. Final score 7.0 and some awesome finishing from Australia.
In the women’s handball champions Norway have come back from a half time deficit and beaten Brazil 21.19. The gold medallists from Beijing have found their form at last. In the women’s table tennis team bronze medal match Korea and playing Singapore.
Evening session now and there has been plenty of excitement today. Team GB continued to dominate the track cycling and Chris Hoy won the Keirin to claim his 5th gold medal while Laura Trott won gold in the Omnium. Victoria Pendleton was denied gold in the individual sprint and had to settle for silver behind Australian Anna Meares.
There was gold this morning for Alistair Brownlee who triumphed in the Triathlon with brother Jonny getting bronze despite having to overcome a 15 second penalty for mounting his bike too early. Spaniard Javier Gomez did well to split the Yorkshiremen and win silver. There was also gold for team GB in the team dressage to continue the good results for our equestrian team.
China’s dominance of the table tennis continued as they won gold in the women’s team event beating Japan. The Japanese got their revenge in the women’s volleyball winning a marathon 5 setter against China beating their arch rivals for the first time in 11 years. The final score was 28-26, 23-25, 25-23, 23-25, 18-16 in a tussle lasted two hours and 15 minutes. In the beach version of the game Americans Walsh and May-Treanor beat the Chinese pair in a titanic battle 22.20, 22.20.
With just 3 minutes left in the first half GB have gone 1.0 up against Spain thanks to Jackson from a penalty corner. A point will put us into the semi finals.
There have been some surprises in the women’s handball quarter finals. Norway beat the in form Brazil and Korea surprised Russia. Spain edged out Croatia 25.22. France play Montenegro later tonight.
This afternoon there was a high quality competition in the women’s floor exercise final. The gold went to Alexander Raisman, of the USA, Romania’s Catalina Ponor in silver and Russian Aliya Mustafina took bronze.
In the women’s water polo Spain lead Hungary 1.0 in the semi final with the USA to meet the winners in the final. Another goal for Spain, 2.0.
Mexico are through to the men’s football final beating Japan 3.1. The second semi is tonight with Brazil facing Korea.
The highlight on the track is the men’s 1500m final. Back to the hockey and Spain have equalised from a penalty corner – it is going to be a tense last 13 minutes.
In the football Brazil and Korea are 0.0 after 30 minutes. Spain lead Hungary 7.5 in the water polo. In the women’s basketball quarter final Russia are looking good against Turkey. It ends 1.1 in the hockey – the Spanish players are not happy. More good news for GB as Robbie Grabarz gets bronze in the high jump. Russia win gold with Ivan Ukhov.
Early days in the handball but France lead Montenegro 3.2. The big guys have been on stage in the weightlifting. Big guys with long names. Gold for Behdad Salimikordasiabi and silver for Sajjad Anoushiravani Hamlabad. They are both Iranians. More success for Iran with Hadadi getting silver in the discus – the first ever track and field medal for Iran. Harting won the gold for Germany.
Spain have edged out Hungary in the water polo and face the USA in the final. Brazil 1.0 up in the football with the keeper beaten as his near post.
Women’s 100m hurdles final coming up. Sally Pearson for Australia – new Olympic record.
Brazil are 2.0 up in the football and it’s Italy v Korea in the women’s volleyball. Michael Conlon is fighting Oubaali of France in the flyweight quarter final. All square after round 1. 1500m final coming up.
Basketball and Turkey have come back against Russia and lead 52.51. Boxing again and it’s 12.12 – come on Ireland. Conlon’s gets the decision.
Algerian Makhloufi absolutely blows them away in the 1500m – controversial as he had a doctor’s note yesterday!
There are some close games going on. The handball is 17.14 to France who are edging towards the semis. Turkey and Russia are 62 all with 28 seconds left. My money’s on Russia. Tense stuff. Russia it is 66.63.after a flurry of time outs in the last 13 seconds. In the volleyball Italy have won the first set against Korea.
ahorse 