Perfect final round
David Kostelecky of the Czech Republic won the gold medal in trap shooting yesterday, hitting all 25 targets in a rainy final round. Kostelecky finished with a final score of 146. Giovanni Pellielo of Italy won silver, and Alexey Alipov of Russia took bronze. Alipov defeated Michael Diamond of Australia in a shoot-off for the final medal. Kostelecky and Alipov were tied for first place after qualifying, but the Czech shooter turned in the only perfect final round. Nobody else hit more than 23 targets in the final. Karsten Bindrich of Germany, the world record holder, finished seventh after losing a three-way shoot-off to advance to the final.
US anthem cut short at Water Cube
Michael Phelps had his right hand on his heart, an Olympic gold medal around his neck and was listening to the closing notes of “The Star-Spangled Banner” when the music went dead yesterday. Phelps broke into a wide grin and the surprised crowd, at first unsure what to do, then began clapping. When the music didn’t resume, Phelps, teammate Ryan Lochte, the bronze medallist, and silver medalist Laszlo Cseh of Hungary gathered on the top spot of the medals podium for photographers. The glitch came with about 20 seconds go in the anthem and the crescendo approaching. US President George W. Bush was at the Water Cube at the time, joined by wife Laura, daughter Barbara and his father, former President George H.W. Bush. After the session ended and the stands cleared, officials played the anthem again over the loudspeakers, knowing they will likely need to use it numerous times during a nine-day meet that features Phelps and the powerful US swimming team. It went all the way through without a hitch.
Larsen takes over as US men’s volleyball coach
Assistant Ron Larsen has taken over as interim head coach of the US men’s volleyball team after coach Hugh McCutcheon’s in-laws were attacked at a popular Beijing tourist site. McCutcheon’s father-in-law, Todd Bachman, was fatally stabbed Saturday while at the 13th-century Drum Tower. His mother-in-law, Barbara Bachman, is in serious condition at a hospital. Larsen, formerly the head coach at UC San Diego, is in his fourth season with the US men’s national team. The US team was scheduled to open its Olympic competition later yesterday against Venezuela.
Golovin withdraws from Olympic tennis
Tatiana Golovin of France withdrew from singles and doubles yesterday shortly before the scheduled start of the Olympic tennis tournament. Golovin has been hampered by a back injury and has played only nine matches this year. She was to play doubles with Pauline Parmentier. Golovin was replaced in singles by Maret Ani of Estonia.
Russian sets qualifying mark in shooting event
Natalia Paderina of Russia set an Olympic qualifying record yesterday in the 10-metre air pistol. Paderina’s score of 391 was one point better than the previous mark, set by multiple shooters. Paderina leads by a point over China’s Guo Wenjun heading into Sunday’s final round. Mongolia’s Munkzul Tsogbadrah is third. Paderina finished fifth in 10-meter air pistol in Athens four years ago, then won the world championship in 2006.
Torres added to US roster for 400 free relay
Dara Torres has been added to the US 400-metre freestyle relay team for the final, giving the 41-year-old mother a chance to win a 10th career Olympic medal. Torres will join Natalie Coughlin, Lacey Nymeyer and Kara Lynn Joyce for yesterday morning’s final, in which the Americans qualified third quickest. The last time the American women won the 400 free relay was at the 2000 Sydney Games, where they were led by Torres. She is back in her record fifth Olympics for the first time since. Torres was the most decorated female athlete at those games with five medals. She is already the oldest American swimming gold medalist in history.
Small protest held in Tiananmen Square
Activists breached heavy security in Tiananmen Square for a protest at the Olympics but were confronted by angry Chinese onlookers as they wrapped themselves in Tibetan flags and spoke about freedom in the Himalayan region. The five members of Students for a Free Tibet clasped each others’ hands and walked around the square around noon Saturday, chanting “Freedom for Tibet,” and “One World, One Dream, Free Tibet” - a play off a Beijing Olympics motto, according to video footage shot by Canadian Broadcasting Corp. The protesters - three American, a Canadian and a German - “were calling for an end to the Chinese government’s occupation in Tibet,” said Lhadon Tethong, executive director of the New York-based group. While the demonstration was initially regarded with curiosity by onlookers, a group of young Chinese men suddenly started shouting “Get out! Get out!” and surrounded the foreigners, the CBC footage showed. Some wore red and yellow headbands, China’s national colors. They eventually were separated from the protesters by men who appeared to be plainclothes security agents and were led away, said John Hocevar, a member of activist group who videotaped the protest.