Beijing Digest EQUESTRIAN: The Netherlands' Anky van Grunsven recorded her third win in a row in the individual dressage at Sha Tin yesterday on the 14-year-old gelding Salinero, her partner in Athens four years ago.
Last to compete in the Hong Kong arena, van Grunsven's Kur (freestyle to music) proved a winner with all five judges for both its technical and artistic content.
When yesterday's score of 82.400 per cent was combined with that of Saturday's Grand Prix Special, the Dutch champion achieved an average of 78.680 giving her a comfortable advantage over Germany's Isabell Werth (76.650) whose mount Satchmo once again stepped back when doing a piaffe.
Heike Kemmer, like Werth a member of the German gold-winning team, took the bronze.
SAILING: Three races have been scheduled for the Star class event in the Olympic Sailing Regatta following further disruption to the programme caused by light winds off Qingdao. Ireland's Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne lie 14th overall and are currently outside the medal race qualification of a top-10 place. The three races are regarded as essential for the Irish duo to regain form and salvage hopes of a finishing-place of a top eight or better.
Johnson undaunted by challenge
LONDON 2012:The global credit crunch and a threatened recession will not prevent London delivering a spectacular Olympics in 2012, but the Games will have to give value for taxpayers' money, mayor Boris Johnson said yesterday.
Johnson is undaunted by the challenge of matching the pageantry of the Beijing Olympics. "We have all seen what the Chinese have done. It has been fantastic. But I am not intimidated by that.
"We can have a show that is equally as fantastic without wasting money," he told BBC radio.
"I am not convinced that there aren't still some sensible savings we can make without remotely prejudicing our ability to deliver a fantastic Games," he added.
It will be the third time London has hosted the modern Olympics, previously held there in 1908 and 1948.
The projected cost has already nearly quadrupled, but British Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said yesterday no more money would be made available.
Johnson believes Olympic chiefs would understand the changed economic environment since London was awarded the Games. "This was a project, an Olympic Games, that was won, secured, commissioned at a time of economic plenty. We're being asked to deliver it in a credit crunch and with what people say is a recession looming," Johnson said.
The International Olympic Committee understands that. We are not going to produce an austerity games, we are not going to run the thing down, but we are going to deliver value for money."
Zou and Li keep up China onslaught
GYMNASTICS: China's men slammed the door on the rest of the gymnastics world yesterday when they obliterated their rivals to pick up two more gold medals at the Olympics. On the final day of competition, Zou Kai became the most successful gymnast in Beijing when he scooped his third title with a high-flying performance on the horizontal bar.
His triumph increased the host nation's gold medal haul in the sport to nine, easily eclipsing their stash of five won during the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
Zou's success came hot on the heels of Li Xiaopeng's triumphant showing on the parallel bars.
After wobbling his way to a bronze in Athens, Li wiped away four years of hurt with his free-flowing movement on the bars. South Korea's Yoo Won-chul took silver.
Li Shanshan had been tipped to keep up China's victory parade, but within seconds the crowd were hushed into silence when she slipped off the 10cm-wide wood while attempting a full twisting backward flip. Her misfortune allowed American Shawn Johnson to finally lay her hands on an Olympic gold. The 16-year-old outshone Nastia Liukin and Cheng Fei with her deft footwork to end a run of three silver medal-winning performances in Beijing.
Els backs Olympic bid
GOLF: Ernie Els has added his voice to the growing band of players supporting golf's bid to become part of the Olympics.
"Watching some of the opening ceremony it got me thinking how amazing it would be to represent your country at the Olympic Games," said the South African golfer on his website.
"How good must that feel? I mean, seeing the looks on the faces of guys like (tennis stars Rafael) Nadal and (Roger) Federer, you could see what it meant to them.
"I really hope I'm still around if and when golf is introduced.
"I know some critics say that the Olympic Games are for amateurs and that golf shouldn't be included, but that's a pretty thin argument."
Victory for Argentina sets up final date with Nigeria
SOCCER: Argentina beat Brazil 3-0 to set up an Olympic final against Nigeria in the men's competition.
Sergio Aguero put Argentina ahead on 53 minutes when he chested in a low cross before his glanced shot added a second.
Ronaldinho's free-kick hit the post for Brazil and Alexandre Pato was dubiously ruled offside when he touched in a Marcelo cross in the aftermath.
Juan Riquelme's penalty finished off a Brazil side who had Lucas Leiva and Thiago Neves sent off late on.
Lucas was sent off on 81 minutes for a foul on Liverpool team-mate Javier Mascherano, who was also the victim of a challenge which saw Neves see red minutes later.
Argentina had shaded a tight affair as both sides lacked a clinical edge in the final third. But Aguero changed that when he guided home a powerfully struck Angel di Maria cross off his chest from six yards.
Almost immediately, Rafael Sobis hit the post with a well-struck shot as Brazil finally threatened the Argentine goal. Brazil left themselves exposed searching for an equaliser and Lionel Messi's run across the box started an attack which saw Ezequiel Garay drive in a low cross and Aguero touch in for his side's second just before the hour mark.
Ronaldinho then saw his 25-yard set-piece curler come back off the post and, even though Pato seemed level when he sidefooted in Marcelo's cross, he was ruled offside. Brazil's misery was only compounded when Riquelme stroked in a penalty.
Nigeria beat surprise semi-finalists Belguim 4-1 in yesterday's other semi-final.
