Medal rows spark call for change
Gymnastics: Competitors have called for a change in how their performances are judged after a spate of disputed medals, for which human error has been blamed by a top official. “Just like gymnasts are human and can make mistakes, judges are also human and can make mistakes,” Adrian Stoica, the head of the men’s technical committee of the FIG, the ruling body, said.
Stoica intervened in the judging during Monday’s horizontal bar final after the crowd halted proceedings for ten minutes when Alexei Nemov, of Russia, received a low score for a fine routine.
Holland and Germany reach final
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Hockey: Holland and Germany will meet in the Olympic women’s final tomorrow after both required extra time and penalty strokes to win in their semi-finals. The Dutch exacted revenge for defeat in the 2002 World Cup final, winning 4-2 on strokes after Argentina had equalised at 2-2 with a disputed goal two minutes from the end of normal time. Germany, who have never won the Olympic title, emerged 4-3 winners on penalties after a goalless encounter with China. Holland won their only gold in 1984 and took bronze in Seoul, Atlanta and Sydney.
Wynne through
Canoeing: Ian Wynne continued Great Britain’s extraordinary sequence at the Games when he won his heat of the K1 500 metres to qualify for Saturday’s final. The Tonbridge man’s success means that all three Britain sprint boats have qualified for the finals. Furthermore, with the four slalom boats all reaching their finals last week, every Britain kayak or canoe in Athens has qualified for a final.
Divers flop
Diving: Tony Ally and Mark Shipman, of Great Britain, went out at the semi-final stage of the three-metre springboard event yesterday. Ally finished in fifteenth place on 617.13 points, 155.19 points behind Alexandre Despatie, of Canada, the favourite to take the title. Shipman was eighteenth and last, on 599.88 points.
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Sweetenham bid
Swimming: Bill Sweetenham, the national performance director, has changed his selection policy and urged former medal-winners who criticised his methods, such as Mark Foster, to prove their worth at the World Short-Course Championships in Indianapolis in October.
Making waves
Water polo: There was a double upset in the semi-finals as Italy and Greece advanced to the final at the expense of the United States, the world champions, and Australia, the Olympic champions in 2000. Italy beat the US 6-5 and Greece ousted Australia 6-2.
Australia prevail
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Baseball: Australia’s 1-0 victory over Japan in their semi-final assured them of a first medal in the sport. Australia scored thanks to a two-out single from Brendan Kingman that drove in a run in the sixth inning. Australia will now face either Canada or Cuba.
American dream
Beach volleyball: Misty May and Kerri Walsh, of the United States, finished their campaign with a perfect record of not dropping a set, beating Brazil in straight sets to take the gold medal. The Americans defeated Shelda Bede and Adriana Behar 21-17, 21-11.