A round-up of today's other Beijing stories in brief...
Isinbayeva puts US rival in her place
POLE VAULT: Russia's Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva said the world record she set yesterday had put US rival Jennifer Stuczynski in her place over reported comments about going to "kick Russian butt".
"She has never beaten me. She is talking too much. So I didn't say anything. I just wanted to prove who is the best," Isinbayeva, who won the gold medal, while Stuczynski had to settle for silver, told reporters.
Isinbayeva set the record by soaring 5.05 metres, while Stuczynski's best effort was 4.80 metres. Russian Svetlana Feofanova took the bronze with a best jump of 4.75 metres.
Star men must improve
SAILING: Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne will have two races today before tomorrow's penultimate day of competition before the Star class medal race on Thursday, writes David Branigan.
Today was due to be a rest day, but poor weather has meant that races eight and nine must be sailed.
The pair have slipped from their opening form and yesterday scored a 12th and two 13th places in the 16-boat event. Just three races remain to reclaim the eight-point gap to the top-10 and a place in Thursday's medal race.
Sweden's Fredrik Loof with Anders Ekstrom lead the fleet with 23 points.
Semi-final looks pitch perfect
SOCCER: The tournament bursts into life with today's semi-final between rivals Brazil and Argentina (2pm Irish-time), in a contest enlivened by the genius of Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi on opposing sides.
Despite winning five World Cups, Brazil have never won Olympic gold and are desperate to set that right. Ronaldinho is one of three over-age players in a team who otherwise have to be under 23 at the start of the year. Nigeria play Belgium in the other semi-final (11am Irish-time).
Brazil's women booked a place in their final with a 4-1 win over Germany, before defending champions the US saw off Japan 4-2.
Lynch and Lantinus jump into final
EQUESTRIAN: Denis Lynch and Flaminia Straumann's 10-year-old gelding Lantinus have qualified for the individual show jumping final on Thursday when the 35 combinations will start with a zero score, writes Margie Mcloone.
The top 20 will then compete for the medals in a second round.
Yesterday at Sha Tin, Lynch's mount recorded his first jumping error of the competition when he hit the tape of the water fence. The partnership also picked up two time faults which, combined with their earlier scores, saw them finish joint-eighth, on a score of eight, after this third qualifier.
With just a single time fault in each of the three rounds, the individual leaderboard is headed by the Gerry Mullins-trained Tony Andre Hansen and Camiro, members of the Norwegian squad who landed the bronze medal in the team event.
This was won by the US who were recording back-to-back victories. However, they were pushed all the way by Canada, who joined them in a jump-off thanks in no small way to the brilliant clear of 61-year-old Ian Millar on In Style.
Over the shortened course, the Americans held a decided advantage as they had a full complement of four riders, while Canada had been reduced to three before the jumping even began. In the end, Millar and the USA's Beezie Madden didn't have to go again, as the first three American riders all posted clear rounds to win gold, while Canadian Jill Henselwood had a brick out of the wall with Special Ed.
He laughs last
GYMNASTICS: China's He Kexin pipped Nastia Liukin of the US under the tie-break rule to snatch the asymmetric bars title.
The pair earned identical 16.725 scores for their stunning, gravity-defying routines.
Following a complicated formula of averages relating to points for execution, a jubilant He was adjudged the winner, leaving the American camp bewildered.
