Category: Special features

 

So we have come to the final day and they have made an early start in the women’s modern pentathlon. The first discipline is the fencing and Toth of Hungary leads with Rublevska of Latvia and Asadauskaite of Lithuania close behind. Team GBs Mhairi Spence is in 11^th. The volleyball bronze medal match is close. Bulgaria beat Italy 3.0 in the preliminary rounds but Italy took the first set. Bulgaria have won a tight second set and it is game on!

Midday on the last day and Italy have won the Volleyball bronze 3.1. The marathon is under way. It is hard to see beyond Kenya and Ethiopia for the medals. The basketball bronze medal match is close. Russia lead Argentina 40.38 at the end of the second quarter.

It is half time in the handball bronze medal match with Croatia leading Hungary 19.14. In the Wrestling India are hoping for their first gold of the games in the men’s 66k freestyle. Sushil Kumar faces a Japanese fighter in the final.

We are 15 miles into the marathon. Wilson Kiprotich of Kenya is clear but there is a long way to go. Kirui the other Kenyan is in a 3 man chasing group with Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda and the Ethiopian Abshero. Are the medals between these 4 or will someone come from the back when the front runners tire?

Six minutes left and it’s 27.22 to Croatia in the Handball. Inside the last 10 minutes and Russia have a 4 point advantage in the basketball.

There are going past Big Ben in the Marathon and the 2 Kenyans and the Ugandan are a leading group of 3.

Well, it’s all over and there was plenty of excitement on the last day. Here goes with a round up.

The marathon – It seemed a foregone conclusion that the Kenyans, or possibly the Ethiopians, would take gold. Stephen Kiprotich though had not read the script and he won going away to take the first athletics gold for Uganda in 40 years.

The ball games – The USA took the basketball gold as usual but they met with fierce resistance from Spain who only trailed by 1 point going into the final quarter. The final score was 107.100 with Russia getting a last gasp win over Argentina in the bronze medal match. The volleyball gold seemed destined for Brazil as they took a 2 set lead over Russia but the Russians fought back to win 3.2 and gain a gold medal that looked pretty unlikely for much of the game. France retained the handball gold in a real thriller 22.21 over Sweden – Hungary beat Croatia for the bronze. Italy won water polo gold when the Olympics last came to London in 1948 but this time they were beaten in the final by Croatia 8.6. Serbia pipped Montenegro for the bronze.

Boxing – The 5 finals were won by 5 different nations. Team GB’s Anthony Joshua won the Super Heavy class beating Cammarelle of Italy on count back. The other 4 golds went to boxers from Cuba, Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. For my money the best boxer at the games was Lomachenko of Ukraine who won the lightweight gold.

The best of the rest – There was an exciting finish to the men’s mountain bike race with a sprint for the line. Kulhavy of the Czech Republic beat Scherter of Switzerland by a bike’s length with the Italian Fontana 3^rd.

The very last event of the games was the modern pentathlon an all day event involving Fencing, Swimming, Show jumping, Shooting and Running. It was fitting that team GB should end with a medal and Samantha Murray kept up a proud British tradition in the event to take silver. Lithuania’s Laura Asadauskaite was a worthy winner while the Brazilian Yane Marquez.

 

The penultimate day of the games sees the start of the boxing finals where 13 nations are represented. Team GB have 3 boxers through to the finals as do Ukraine with Cuba, Italy and Kazakhstan all supplying 3 fighters. Other highlights are the men’s 5000m final, the women’s Elliott 6m gold medal match and the men’s football final. Ed Mckeever has medal chances in the K1 200. Canoeing final while the men’s modern pentathlon celebrates 100 years at the Olympics. There are women’s finals in Basketball, Handball and Volleyball and in the Diving Tom Daley is a medal hope in the men’s 10m platform final.

The first gold medal of the day may well be won in the 50k race walk with women’s 20k event starting at 5.00. Athletic relays including Usain Bolt and the Jamaican team. , women’s high jump and the women’s mountain bike race are other highlights in the proverbial packed programme.

We are underway with the 50K walk which will take about 3.5 hours. The Russians are in the lead group early doors.

Ed McKeever looking supremely confident wins gold for GB. More action at Eton Dorney and Ukraine win the C200m men’s event.

They have started fencing in the modern pentathlon and our guy is 5^th mid way through the fencing but there is a long way to go. We are 90 minutes into the 50K walk and there are 3 Russians in the lead group. There are also two from Guatemala so I will be supporting them. It is always good to see the medals spread around – like the Tunisian who won gold in the open water swim yesterday. Erick Barrondo won silver in the 20K walk so he has to be in with a squeak here.

Lisa Carrington of New Zealand times her race to perfection to win gold in the women’s K1.

The race walk has been going nearly 3 hours and the Russians are 1-2-3. Finland and Russia are lining up for the women’s Elliott bronze match.

Evening now and a good deal has happened – where do we start?

The sailing has been a pleasure to watch and today provided two close races. Finland came from behind to pip Russia for the bronze and the surprise package Spain beat the hot favourites Australian 3.2.

The modern pentathlon is a gruelling event but the winner David Svoboda put in a confident run at the finish to get the better of Cao of China with the Hungarian Adam Marosi taking bronze.

After the success of our women’s hockey team yesterday there was no such success for the GB men’s team who were always second best in the bronze medal match going down 3.1. Germany retained their gold medal beating Holland 2.1.

This afternoon’s football final produced a major upset with the compact, organised Mexico beating the odds on favourites Brazil 2.1. Brazil gained some consolation in the women’s volleyball final. Despite being well beaten 25.11 in the first set they came back to win gold.

In the women’s basketball Australia beat Russia 83.74 but it was a good day for Russia in the athletics. They won both the 50k men’s walk and the 20k women’s walk. They also won the women’s 800m with Savinova coming home untroubled. The women’s high jump also went to Russia thanks to a commanding performance from Anna Chicherova.

Performance of the day though came from GBs Mo Farrer who completed the double by adding the 5,000m gold to the 10,000m he won last week. This was a really wonderful performance from Mo getting the tactics absolutely spot on. Two sports that proved watchable today were the Rhythmic gymnastics and the mountain bike race. Once again it was Russian gold in the gymnastics thanks to Evgeniya Kanaeva while the mountain bike gold went to Julie Bressett of France who made most of the running.

The final athletics track event were the remaining relays where the USA “dream team” stormed to victory in the women’s 400m x 4 while in the men’s 4 x 100m there was no stopping Usain Bolt and Jamaica.

As I am typing this there is a cracking woman’s handball final taking place. There are 7 minutes left Norway lead Montenegro 21.20 and the Montenegrin goalkeeper has just made a triple save.

We have had some boxing finals tonight. First up was the light flyweight division where Zou Shimming of China defended his title beating hi Thai opponent, a result that did not go down well with the crown after the Thai boxer had received a controversial public warning.

The bantam weight final made history as the first ever final between boxers from GB and Ireland. The straight punching Luke Campbell took gold against the busy, aggressive Irishman John Hoe Nevin.

Cuba, so dominant in Olympic boxing until recently failed to win a single gold in the 2008 games but Iglesias scored a well earned first gold for them in 2012 with some skilled boxing against a Ukrainian opponent who never stopped coming forward.

Norway retain Handball gold but what a commendable performance from Montenegro. The Norwegian royal family were in the crown. Spain won bronze.

Tom Daley has the bronze – good effort in a high quality final with USA winning gold thanks to David Boudia.

In the middleweight final it’s Brazil v Japan. Japan have it by one point – it’s been an up and down sort of day for the Brazilians. Once again a public warning for the Brazilian was crucial.

One for more to go in the heavyweight division and it’s Russo of Italy v Usyk of the Ukraine. In the basketball USA are running away with it 63.37. No big surprise there. Russo gives it everything in a close bruising contest but the Ukrainian gets it by 14.11.

 

Day 14 of the Olympics and Team GB won 2 silver medals in the men’s and women’s 470 class sailing. There was also a bronze for the women’s hockey team who beat New Zealand 3.1 with all the goals coming as a result of penalty corners.

Sweden were the first to qualify for the men’s handball when they edged out Hungary in a thrilling encounter 27.26. France are playing Croatia in the other semi.

Russia are through to the men’s volleyball final beating Bulgaria 3.1. Brazil are already two sets up in the other semi against Italy.

Spain beat Russia in the first men’s basketball semi final and will meet either USA or Argentina while Croatia beat Montenegro 7.5 in the first of the men’s water polo semis. Italy currently leads Serbia 6.5 in the other semi.

In the men’s football bronze medal match Park has put Korea one up after 38 minutes.

It was a messy old 1500m women’s final with the race turning into a bit of a sprint over the last 600. Alptekin of Turkey was not an altogether popular winner as she has served a drugs ban but she became her country’s first ever track and field gold medallist. Gamze Bulut made it a Turkish 1-2.

In the women’s relays the USA women broke the world record in winning the sprint relay. The men’s 400m relay went to the Bahamas who beat the USA.

Korea have bronze in the men’s football 2.0.

France have beaten Croatia in the handball semi in a superb match with 20 saves by their ‘keeper. Italy have beaten Serbia 9.7 in the water polo semi.

Holland won the women’s hockey gold beating Argentina 2.0.

The BMX cycling finals proved entertaining TV viewing. Mariana Pajon won Columbia’s second gold medal ever while Strombergs of Latvia took the men’s gold.

We have done well in the boxing. Luke Campbell, our bantamweight outpointed his Japanese opponent and will meet John Joe Nevin of Ireland in the final. The GB welterweight is also through to the final having accounted for the number 1 seed Taras Shelestyuk of the Ukraine. Our middleweight Anthony Ogogo has to settle for bronze after losing his semi final to a Brazilian.

 

The canoeing sprints were the pick of the morning’s action. The Kayak 4 comes across well on the TV and the men’s K4 1000m was no exception. Although Australia were the only non European crew they proved too strong for their rivals with Hungary taking silver and the Czech Republic bronze. Hungary gained compensation for that defeat thanks to Danuta Kozak in the Women’s K1. Josefa Idem was 5^th for Italy in her 8^th Olympic Games.

The Women’s 10K open water swim was a gruelling event. Hopes were high for Team GBs Keri-anne Payne but she just missed out on a medal, finishing fourth by only a matter of inches. Eva Riszstov of Hungary won Gold making almost all the running and although getting tired she just held off the challenge of American Haley Anderson, who finished second to claim silver, with Italy’s Martina Grimaldi taking bronze.

The desperately close finishes continue with Canada scoring the only goal of the women’s football bronze medal match in the last minute and that after France had twice hit the woodwork. USA took gold beating Japan 2.1.

The track finals followed the form book. Usain Bolt ran a fantastic bend to successfully defend the 200m crown in a clean sweep for Jamaica with Blake second and Weir third. David Rudisha broke the Olympic record to win the 800m for Kenya in majestic fashion and Ashton Eaton as expected took the decathlon for the USA.

There were two more golds for team GB in sports as diverse as boxing and dressage. Nicola Adams made history by becoming the first woman to win Olympic gold with a stunning display against her Chinese opponent in the flyweight division. We won gold and bronze in the individual dressage thanks to Charlotte DeJardin and Laura Bechtolsheimer.

Our only competitor in the wrestling, Olga Butkevych was beaten by her opponent from Ecuador despite taking an early lead.

Ireland won their first medal of the games in the women’s boxing when Katie Taylor outpointed Russian Sofya Ochigava amid an extraordinary atmosphere at ExCeL.

The women’s team events have reached their final stages. In the water polo USA won gold beating Spain 8.5 while Australia edged out Hungary 13.11.

Norway will meet Montenegro in the handball final after they had beaten Korea and Spain. Brazil and the USA won their volleyball semis against Japan and Korea.

Team GB were thrashed 9.2 in the men’s hockey semi final by Holland who will meet Germany in the final after Germany had beaten Australia 4.2.

The women’s javelin crown went to Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic.

 

Day 12 began with 4 canoe finals at Eton Dorney.

Tim Brabant won gold in Beijing in the K1 1000m but after having suffered injury problems he was last of the 8 finalists’ today. European champion Hoff was fancied but could only finosh 3^rd with Larsen of Norway getting the gold medal.

The men’s C1 1000m gold went to German Brendel. Spain grabbed the silver with the fast finishing David Cal Figueroa becoming most successful Spanish Olympian of all time. Oldershaw won bronze for Canada. His grandfather competed in the London 1948 games.

The men’s K2 1000m went to a photo finish with Hungary just holding off the fast finishing Portuguese. In the Women’s K4 500m Hungary claimed gold in a very close finish with Germany and Belarus in the minor places.

Team GB are guaranteed at least silver in the women’s boxing flyweight division with another accomplished display from Nicola Adams who outpointed her Indian opponent. Later we saw the very talented American teenager Claressa Shields move into the final of the middleweight class defeating Volnova of Kazakhstan.

There have been some close finishes in a lot of sports but the Hungary v Iceland clash in the men’s handball quarter final was quite something. Missed penalties, goalkeepers subbed for outfield players and all manner of shenanigans. It was 27 all after normal time and the teams were still level after extra time. A further 5 minutes each way followed and Hungary finally sealed a famous victory 33.31. The other quarterfinals were also tense close affairs. Sweden beat European champions Denmark 24.22 while France accounted for Spain 23.22. France met Spain in the men’s basketball quarter finals but this time Spain came out on top.

We have also reached the quarter finals of the men’s volleyball. Brazil are through beating Argentina 3.0. They will meet Italy in the semis after the Italians beat the USA.

Italy had a good day in the men’s water polo beating Hungary and will meet Serbia in the semis.

There were six clear round in the first phase of the show jumping and as 2 of those were from Team GB things looked promising for a medal or two. In the end though we finished out of the medals with gold going to Steve Guerdat of Switzerland. In a jump off for the silver Cian O’Connor of Ireland had the last fence down which cost him and he had to settle for bronze behind Gerco Schroder of Netherlands.

There was yet another close encounter in the first women’s hockey semi final with Holland edging past New Zealand in a penalty shoot out after a 2.2 draw extra time. In the second semi GB trail Argentina 2.0 at half time. Argentina are also leading in the men’s basketball against South American rivals Brazil 46.40.

The beach volleyball women’s final is about to get started. An all American match between Ross/Kessy and May’Traenor/Walsh.

Argentina have beaten GB in the hockey 2.1 and meet Holland in the final.

Russia’s Natalya Antyukh claimed the first gold medal of the evening at the Olympic Stadium in the 400m Hurdles.

Mens 110m hurdles final – Aries Merritt looks the one to beat – it’s gold for Merritt of the USA. Another gold for USA as Alison Felix beats the Jamaicans in the 200m.

Usain Bolt is on course for Gold as he qualifies easily for the 200m final.

May- Traenor and Walsh have won gold for the third time in straight sets against their less experienced opponents.

Boxing next and Italy are having a good day across different sports. Their light welterweight Mangiacapre has outpointed his Kazakhstani opponent to progress into the semis. Next up is Thomas Stalker for team GB against a Mongolian. The prize a place in the semis and a guaranteed a bronze at least.

We have a chance of a sailing medal tomorrow. It is the medal race in the men’s 470 and Patience and Bithell are lying second.

Back to the boxing – all square after round 1.

Our only wrestler is in action tomorrow in the women’s 55kg class. She meets a wrestler from Ecuador.

Stalker is 7.8 down after round 2. Hard last round. Has Stalker done enough? The Mongolian has won it 23.22.

What have we got tomorrow? Men’s 200m and 800m and the women’s javelin. Semi finals in the women’s Basketball, the women’s football medal matches, and the semis in the women’s handball and volleyball. USA meet Spain in the women’s water polo final, there are 4 canoeing finals and it’s the men’s hockey semis, and of course there is more boxing including Nicola Adams going for gold. It will be a long day!

 

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 5^th 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.

Another nail biter. IN the handball France and Montenegro are 21 all. Three minutes left. Amazing stuff with Montenegro winning 23.22 with a penalty in the last second.

 

Day 10 of the Olympics and as usual it is early morning hockey. Germany take on New Zealand in an important game for both teams. Midway through the first half and there is no score. A win for New Zealand will ensure them a semi final place but the Germans must win by 3 clear goals to have a chance of staying in the tournament. The all blacks are playing in all white! The game ended goalless which was enough to put New Zealand into the last four.

Plenty to come later including the medal race of the Laser class in the sailing where Tom Slingsby of Australia is on course for gold.

Evening now and plenty to report on today. Gold for GB in the Show Jumping team event and for Jason Kenny in the cycling sprint. There was also a bronze for Beth Tweddle in the Gymnastics. Saudi Arabia took bronze in the team Show Jumping which was their first medal of the games while in the Gymnastics Brazil’s Arthur Nabarrete Zanetti won the rings, claiming the first ever gymnastics gold for his country.

It is the women’s football semi finals today and Japan beat France 2.1 with France missing a penalty (put it wide) and squandering numerous chances to equalise in the last 20 minutes.

In Group A of the women’s hockey Japan did GB a huge favour earlier today beating China 1.0 which means we qualify for the semi finals. We are into the second half in the women’s hockey and it is 1.1 between GB and Holland. Both teams have already qualified but GB need to win to top the group.

There is plenty going on at the various venues. In the football semi final there is no score after 12 minutes between USA and Canada.

In the women’s boxing Nicola Adams earned at least a bronze medal with a stylish points win against Petrova of Bulgaria in the flyweight division. She meets an Indian boxer in the semi final.

Our flyweight boxer Andrew Selby is in action tomorrow and meets a boxer from Cuba in the quarters. The Cubans are always tough opponents. In the welterweight quarter finals GBs Freddie Evans meets Custio Clayton.

Some sloppy defending and it’s Holland 2 GB 1 meanwhile up at Old Trafford Christine Sinclair has put Canada 1 up with the very cool finish. Game on!

Ostapchuk has won the women’s shot for Belarus beating the defending champ Valerie Adams of New Zealand.

Our pole vaulter Holly Bleasdale has had a bad day and is in tears. You have to feel for her.

We are getting to the quarter final stages in the team sports.

Women’s Basketball – Australia v China; USA v Canada; Turkeyv Russia; France v Czech Republic.

Women’s handball – Brazil v Norway; Russia v Korea; Spain v Croatia; France v Montenegro.

Women’s Volleyball – Russia v Brazil; Japan v China; Italy v Korea; USA v Dominixcan Republic.

In the Water Polo the women are down to the semi finals tomorrow with USA playing Australia and Hungary playing Spain.

Holland win the hockey 2.1 but GB are in the semi finals.

Men’s 400m hurdles final coming up. Dai Green looks up against it after scraping into the final. Fingers crossed though. Green is 5^th. Sanchez of the Dominican Republic takes gold and he seems rather pleased!

USA v Canada is now 1.1.

Alternating between the Women’s steeplechase and the women’s pole vault. Zaripova makes all to win gold for Russia in the steeplechase in the 3^rd fastest time ver.

3 all at Old Trafford in what is becoming an epic and Womack misses a sitter for the USA. Sinclair has a hat trick for the Canadians.

It’s all happening now. Kirani James of Granada wins the men’s 400m in style to beat fellow teenager Santos of the Dominican Republic. No runner from the USA in the final for the first time in donkey’s years and we had twin brothers from Belgium. Off to the boxing Anthony Ogogo fights Stefan Hartel from Germany. It’s extra time at Old Trafford. There is a vital hockey match in the women’s competition where Australia play Argentina with the winners going through to the semi finals.

Ogogo 5.2 up at the end of round 1. I wonder how the pole vault is going on. Ogogo leads 10.6 at the end of round 2. Ogogo in the semi finals winning 15.10 but the German was no pushover.

Jennifer Suhr has won the pole vault for the USA and the hockey is 0.0 at half time.

Fantastic header by Morgan wins it for USA in the third minute of stoppage time in extra time. They were only ahead in the game for 30 seconds. The hockey ends 0.0 and Argentina go though.It is still 0.0 in the hockey and a draw will do for Argentina.

 

Day 9 of the games started with the women’s marathon. The lead group consisted of 3 Ethiopians and 3 Kenyans at half way but Russian Petrova Arkhipova came through to join the leaders and managed to prevent an African clean sweep by taking bronze. Ethiopian Tiki Gelana proved too strong for her rivals and took gold with Kenya’s Jeptoo taking silver.

The sailing medal races were tense affairs where a maths degree would have been handy to keep up with the scoring. The remarkable Ben Ainslie bagged gold for the 4th consecutive games after battling his Danish rival Hogh-Christenson all week but in the Star class the Swedes just got the better of GBs Percy and Simpson.

China have bagged all 5 gold medals in the Badminton and generally had a pretty good day with Zhou Lulu winning the +75kg class in the weightlifting and China taking gold and silver in the women’s 3m Springboard diving. There was heartbreak for the Italian diver Tania Cagnotto who lost the bronze by 0.2 of a point to the Mexican Laura Sanchez.

The women’s beach volleyball has come down to the semi finals with the 4 qualifiers from Brazil, USA, Germany and the Czech Republic.

History was made with the first ever bout in women’s boxing. The Russian Savelyeva outpointed Kim of DPR Korea.

On the cycle track GB won silver in the men’s Omnium, a sort of cycling decathlon only with 6 events. Denmark’s Lasse Hansen won gold.

Italy are doing well in the fencing and today they won gold in the Men’s team foil.

There have been some very close finishes in this Olympics and GB missed out on another gold by a very narrow margin in the gymnastics where Hungary’s world champion Berti pipped GB’s Louis Smith in the pommel horse. GB also took bronze with Max Whitlock.

What a performance from Andy Muray who just blew away Federer in the singles final. Murray also grabbed a silver with his partner Laura Robson in the mixed doubles who lost in the tie break to Azarenka and Mirnyi. The Williams sisters won gold in the doubles yet again against the Czech pair in a repeat of the Wimbledon final. There was a minor upset in the men’s singles bronze medal match with Del Potro beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets.

The wrestling got under way today. There were no Greeks in the final of the Greco-roman 74kg class but a roman did win gold, Russian Roman Vlasov. The other gold medal, in the 55kg category went to Iran.

Performance of the day in the men’s hockey saw an amazing fight back by team GB. 3.0 down to Australia they came back to share the points 3.3. Wonderful comeback with the equaliser coming in the last 5 minutes.

Luke Campbell takes on a Bulgarian in the boxing quarter finals. If he wins this he is guaranteed a medal. I am watching this bout while waiting for the women’s 400m final where defending champion Christine Ohuruogu ha a bit of a chance of a medal. Great run from Christine to grab silver behind worthy champion Richards-Ross. Back to the boxing and Campbell is 1 point in arrears going into the last round. That’s it, it’s going to be close I don’t think he’s done enough. He’s done it 16.15 – phew!

Olga Rypakova of Kazakhstan has just won the women’s triple jump. Next up is the 3,000m steeplechase– 1-2-3 for Kenya I suppose. Kemboi keeps up the Kenyan record with fellow countryman Mutoi gets bronze but Frenchman Mekhissi-Benabbad splits the Kenyan’s and takes silver.

There have been big games in the team sports. In the men’s hockey Holland beat Germany 3.1 in the clash between the top 2 in Group B. In the women’s handball Norway were beaten 25.20 by Spain.

The big moment of the evening coming up – the men’ 100m final. Is Usain going to bolt up. Bolt looked very good in the semis – I think he will win. Bolt – no problem!

More boxing tomorrow. Vasyl Lomachenko is number 1 seed in the lightweight division and meets a boxer from Puerto Rico. GB middleweight Anthony Ogogo will face a German opponent while Magomedrasul Medzhidov of Azerbaijan is looking good in the super heavies.

It is goal less at half time in the men’s hockey between Spain and Argentina. Time for bed.

 

Once again there has been some wonderful sport today starting with the women’s triathlon this morning. Heather Jenkins was the great GB hope and coming into the third phase, the run, she was in the leading group. That group was whittled down to just 5 athletes as they neared the finish but Jenkins just could stay with the pace. The finish though was quite something with the Swiss Spirig beating Norden of Sweden by a whisker – in fact it needed a photo to split them. Switzerland becomes the first nation to win the triathlon event twice at the Games following the victory of Brigitte McMahon in the women’s triathlon at Sydney 2000, where the sport made its Olympic debut.

The tennis tournament has produced some classic matches and today was no exception. Andy Murray and Laura Robson brilliantly won a Mixed Doubles semi-final for Great Britain against Germans Christopher Kas and Sabine Lisicki. They will meet Mirniy and Azarenka from Belrus in the final. Elsewhere at Wimbledon Serena Williams demolished Sharapova 6.0, 6.1 and the Bryan brothers took the men’s doubles for USA.

In the rowing Team GB celebrated double gold medal glory on an historic Olympic Saturday with the men’s Four and the women’s Lightweight Double Sculls winning titles in exciting style. It was very nearly three gold in the men’s lightweight double sculls but we were just pipped by the Danes.

There was a gutsy win for Denmark in the badminton men’s doubles when Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen recorded a thrilling  semi-final victory over Republic of Korea’s Chung Jae-sung and Lee Yong 17-21 21-18 22-20. In an all Chinese final Xuerui Li beat Yihan Wang in the women’s singles. China also won the women’s doubles with Japan getting the silver.

GB can do no wrong in the track cycling. Great Britain’s women claimed Team Pursuit gold in a blistering world record time at the Olympic Velodrome.

We just can’t stop winning gold medals with the latest coming in the men’s long jump thanks to Greg Rutherford, Jessica Ennis in the heptathlon and a magnificent performance from Mo Farah in the 10,000m. Phew! What a night of athletics.

What a shame that the evening ended with GBs defeat in the football. It just had to be another penalty shoot out.

Loads more to look forward to tomorrow with Ben Ainslie going for gold in the sailing. The gold medal in the Finn class is between Ainslie, Hogh-Christensen the Dane and Postma of the Netherlands. In the Star class Percy and Simpson, winners in Beijing have the Brazilians and the Swedes as the main danger. We also have the men’s 100m and the tennis finals.

 

Friday and the athletic starts today. Plenty more to look forward to though, cycling, rowing and the men’s singles tennis semis. There are some crucial basketball games. Russia v Australia in the men’s and Angola v Croatia in the womens.

We have the women’s football quarter finals later on. The women’s badminton singles has reached the semi final stage and I will be supporting the Indian player Saina Nehwal.

Midday and I’m trying to keep tabs on the badminton, volleyball and rowing simultaneously! The Dane’s Fisher and Pederson are in charge in the mixed doubles bronze medal match with the Indonesian pair out of sorts. One set up and 18.11 in the second. Back to the volleyball and China have saved a match point against Brazil. The Danes have got the bronze 21.12, 21.12 great performance. 26 all in the volleyball – tense stuff. 30.28 to the Chinese and it’s 2 sets all.

A mini shock in the men’s hockey with Argentina coming back from 0.2 down to draw with the Aussies in a feisty game. A brave effort from the GB women’s handball team but Angola just too strong for them and they go down 25.31.

Time to catch up on the various events.

Women’s football – France rather surprisingly beat Sweden 2.1 and go through to the semis.

Rowing – Gold for Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins of Great Britain in the Women’s Double Sculls and a bronze for Alan Campbell in the single sculls with New Zealand taking gold.

Evening and we need a quick catch up.

Cycling – Fantastic evening for team GB with gold in the team Pursuit beating the Aussies in the final and gold for Victoria Pendleton in the Keirin.

Volleyball – GB have lost to the Dominican Republic in straight sets.

Tennis Federer through against Del Potro 19.17 in an epic semi and Andy Murray has won the first set against Djokovic. In one of the greatest doubles matches I have ever seen Tsonga and Llodra have edged past Lopez and Ferrer 18.16 in the third set and will meet the Bryan brothers in the final. Serena Williams will play Sharapova in the women’s singles final.

Boxing – In the welterweight division Freddie Evans has beaten a Lithuanian to reach the last 8 while at the same weight Taras Shelestyuk looked good in beating a boxer from Moldova.

Women’s football – France, Japan and USA are through to the semi but GB are 1.0 down to Canada. 0.2 now and the GB dream could be over.

Swimming – No gold this time for Becky Adlington who has to settle for her second bronze behind runaway winner Katie Ledecky from the USA.

Hockey – GB beat Pakistan 4.1 and our next game is against Australia where both teams put 100% records on the line.

Weightlifting – Svetlana Podobedova of Kazakhstan won the gold in the women’s 75kg Weightlifting final.

Murray has 3 match points! Great service return to the Serbian’s feet and Murray will get at least a silver.

Looking forward to the women’s 10,000m where the Ethiopians will be hard to beat.

An hour gone at Coventry and GB still trail 0.2. Not looking good. Final score 0.2.

Women’s basketball and we are 53.50 down against France with 5 minutes t go. We end up losing in extra time.

The evening ends with an awesome performance from Dibaba in the women’s 10,000.

Looking forward to the triathlon tomorrow morning.