Only 42 seconds isn't the point: Friba Razayee went out in the first round of the women's judo 70kg division yesterday, losing to Spain's Cecilia Blanco in 42 seconds.
Perhaps the 17-year-old should have entered for the hurdles. After all, as the first Afghan woman in history to take part in an Olympic event, she has had plenty of practice surmounting them.
"I am proud I was in the Olympic Games, although the world knows we are not as strong as other athletes. I tried my best but I couldn't do anything," she said afterwards, through floods of tears. "Next time I'll win the competition."
Razayee is one of three Afghan women to travel to Athens.
The others are Robina Muqimyar, who will run in tomorrow's heats of the 100 metres, and Neema Suratger, a member of the country's Olympic association who carried the Afghan flag during the opening ceremony.
An expensive dip in the pool
A Canadian man, who jumped into the Olympic diving pool, has been given a five-month prison term for trespassing and disturbing public order. "He has appealed the decision and was released without bail," a court official said yesterday.
The man, who disrupted the men's three-metre synchronised diving on Monday when he climbed up on a springboard and jumped into the indoor pool to the delight of hundreds of cheering fans, was also fined €300.
Wearing a tutu and with a website address written on his chest, he raced up the ladder, dodging tight Games security.
Holm won't be going home
Danish Olympic sailor Niklas Holm - whose car knocked down and killed a pedestrian in Athens - has said he was "shocked and saddened" by the accident, but would still compete at the Games.
"I feel great sorrow that the Olympics should have developed in this way for me," Holm said. "It should have been a great experience, but they changed dramatically in just a second. But I am 100 per cent clear in my mind that I should sail."
The 23-year-old was questioned by Greek police on Sunday when a man died after being struck by the car the Dane was driving to an Olympic venue, using a special fast "Olympic lane".
No pain, but gain
A bee on the starting block gave American swimmer Kara Lynn Joyce a boost at the start of the qualifying round of the Olympic women's 100 metre freestyle yesterday.
"There was a bee at my feet on the blocks," Joyce said, after qualfiying for the semi-finals. "It was my best reaction time because I thought I was going to be stung."
Judge to be judged
Interfax news agency reported yesterday that a Russian boxing referee is missing the Athens Olympics because he has been arrested on suspicion of committing a double murder 14 years ago.
Russian police were quoted as saying the 38-year-old went into hiding after killing two people in a 1990 conflict between gangs in the Siberian city of Omsk, and was charged in absentia.
During his years on the run, Kovalenko changed his appearance and worked as a sports instructor in the Siberian region of Altai.
