India bagged its first ever individual Olympic gold medal in 108 years when Abhinav Bindra won the 10-metre air rifle event in one of the most exciting shooting finals in the history of the world's biggest sporting spectacle. Abhinav's first individual gold for India is hailed as a historic breakthrough that augurs well for the country's future.
Phelps, Bolt shine; China charges to the top (ibnlive)
BRAVE HEART: Natalie du Toit of South Africa, prepares for the start of the women's 10km marathon swimming event.
Defining moments of Beijing Olympic Games
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/defining-moments-of-beijing-olympic-games/72001-29.html
Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia
Vijender
Going for gold: Vijender will show up in Friday's semifinal with nothing to lose and only newer heights to gain
Paraguayan javelin thrower Leryn Franco
Sushil Kumar
Du Toit
Amputee Du Toit inspires all
South Africa's disabled swimmer Natalie du Toit, may not have finished in the top three in this morning's 10km
open water swim at the Beijing Olympic Games, but the mere fact that she participated was worth a medal.
Du Toit, who lost her lower leg in a scooter accident eight years ago, never let go of her dream to participate
in the Olympic Games. This morning she finished 16th out of 25 participants-- completing the distance in two
hours, 49.9 seconds.
That was just one minute and 22 seconds behind the winner, Larisa Ilchenko of Russia, who won in one hour, 59
minutes and 27.7 seconds.
Amputee Du Toit inspires all
Hoping to contend for a medal, the 24-year-old South African amputee fell off the pace toward the end of the
grueling 10 kilometer race, more than a minute behind gold medalist Larisa Ilchenko of Russia.
The South African admitted she shed a tear before her race, but was far from happy with her performance.
"I was a bit diappointed with my first Olympic race, placing sixteenth is not that bad, but I wanted to come in
the top five," she said.
Du Toit hung with the lead pack much of the race, but she had a problem with her cap and couldn't keep up when
the pace quickened toward the end of the two-hour ordeal.
Then again, du Toit's time of 2 hours, 49.9 seconds put her ahead of nine others, including 16-year-old
American Chloe Sutton, who broke down in tears after finishing.
"I was swimming next to her and she beat me-- and she has one leg," Sutton said. "It's incredible she was able
to do that."
Amputee Du Toit inspires all
Winner Ilchenko praised du Toit for not letting her disability hold her back. She was right in there battling
with everyone else in a race that's often called wrestling in the water for its rough tactics.
"I'd even go so far as to award her a separate medal," the winner said through a translator. "I have enormous
respect for her. It is exceedingly hard. Just looking at these people inspires you."
Du Toit did receive a special gift from officials at the rowing basin: a traditional Chinese drawing encased in
a wooden box. She doesn't want to be treated any different, however.
"I worked hard to get here," she said. "I want to do everything on merit. This is not just a free ride."
Amputee Du Toit inspires all
The Cape Town-bred du Toit was identified as a potential Olympian in her early teens.
But her career appeared to have been cut short in February 2001 when a car hit her as she rode past. Her left
leg was amputated at the knee after it began to turn gangrenous and a titanium rod was inserted into her femur.
Three months later, she was back in the water.
"I knew I had no muscle, I had no fitness. I had nothing basically. That is why I had to build up all my
fitness again," she says.
She missed out on qualification for the 2004 Athens Olympics but competed in the Paralympics that year, winning
five gold medals and a silver. She also won gold against able-bodied swimmers in the 1,500m freestyle at last
year's All Africa Games.
Amputee Du Toit inspires all
The 10 km open water race, a new Olympic event and one of the most punishing of the Games.
There are no flip turns to negotiate in marathon swimming, which is usually held in lakes and oceans, and the
upper body is more important than the legs.
Du Toit, who wears a prosthetic leg out of the water, had previously been a medley swimmer but decided to
concentrate on long distances because they require less kicking.
"When I take my leg off and I'm completely free in the water," du Toit said, "that's who I am."
She had found her new calling. Du Toit qualified for the Olympics with a fourth-place finish at the world
championships in Spain this year.
Amputee Du Toit inspires all
Du Toit, who carried South Africa's flag at the Beijing Games' opening ceremony, was one of only two athletes
to enter both the Olympics and the Paralympics and could become the first amputee to win a medal at a Summer
Games for 56 years.
Fellow South African amputee, 400 metres runner Oscar Pistorius and who runs with carbon-fibre prosthetic
blades, failed to set an individual qualifying time for Beijing.
The talented athlete has proven that the mind can be as strong as you will it to, pushing herself to train
through her disability. On Wednesday, she realised her dream of being an Olympian.
"I have had this dream since I was six years old," said du Toit.
"I think for me to come to an Olympic Games is a dream come true, my message isn't just to disabled people, but
to everyone out there - you have to work hard to make your dreams reality."
No. 6: Phelps grabs yet another gold medal (ap)
Gymnast Liukin edges Johnson for all-around gold (ap)
An inspiration: Abhinav Bindra has dedicated his gold medal to all athletes, saying they can also dream big
Abhinav Bindra: Reticent champion
Ace shooter Abhinav Bindra, India's first individual Olympic gold medallist, says he has been "punching holes on black paper" for the last 10 years.
Saina Nehwal
Saina in pre-quarters at Olympics (Zee)
Darling diva: American Olympic swimmer Amanda Ray Beard is an amazing sportwomen who has captured the attention of the media atmost. No wonder, this model-turned-swimmer is one of the most photographed, sometimes clutching her teddy bear and on the medal stand.
Jumping jack: Candace Nicole Parker, an All American basketball player is a uniquely versatile player. Mainly a forward, this 6-feet-4 inches dark beauty is the female answer to LeBron James.
Beach beauty: American Olympian Misty May-Treanor is beach volleyball player with 102 career tournament wins. This bikini-clad winner player sets sand on fire with her quick shots.
Magical move: Daniela Hantuchova, a Slovak tennis player, is currently one of the biggest draws not only because of ranking 12th at the WTA ranking Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Singles Rankings, but also because of the sexiness and elegance in her moves. In this powerful shot too, one can get enchanted with her charm.
Those hot looks: Serbian tennis player Ana Ivanoviæ, the current World No. 1 on the WTA Tour, is also the topper on the looks front. She is 23rd on FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2008 list. The tennis ace has won the tennisreporters.net Sexiest Female Player award for the last three years. What else, she is also named the best-looking tennis player of all-time by The Age newspaper.
Saina Nehwal wins in first round of badminton.
Archery was not featured at the first summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.
A Sprint, (a short run that was called the "stade"). The race was run by men who competed in the nude.
The flag of the Olympic Games illustrates five interlocking rings (blue, yellow, black, green, and red) on a white background. The rings represent the five parts of the world that were originally joined together in the Olympic movement: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe.
What is the symbolism of the Olympic torch?
The tradition of the Olympic flame began during the ancient Olympic Games in Greece. A flame was lit for each Olympics, every four years, and it burned throughout the games. Historians suggest the flame was born in a temple erected by the ancient Greeks to honor Hera, powerful queen of the mythological gods. Her shrine stands in the home of the Olympic Games of antiquity, a cypress-shaded archaeological site in Olympia where the first recorded Games was held in 776 B.C.
The United States has won more medals (2,189) at the Summer Games than any other country.
World War I caused the cancellation of the Games in 1916, which would have been held in Berlin, Germany. World War II caused the cancellation of both Summer and Winter Olympics in 1940 and 1944.
CAROLINA KLUFT
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Did you know:
Former star engineers from this company unveiled Cuil, a new Web search service that aims to outdo Google in size:
This sportswear and shoe company pulled print ads, accompanied by the slogan, "That ain't right," that some bloggers had dubbed anti-gay:
Nike
Richard Branson unveiled a plane intended as the launch aircraft for a Virgin Galactic spaceship full of tourists. What is the plane called?
WhiteKnightTwo
Which country did travelers say they are most likely to visit next in the annual Lonely Planet Travelers' Pulse Survey?
United States
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Sania Mirza
Yelena Isinbayeva
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Amputee Sprinter’s Beijing Quest Is Over (nytimes)
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav (January 15, 1926 – August 14, 1984), or KD Jadhav, was independent India's first individual Olympic medalist when he won the wrestling bronze medal at the 1952 Helsinki Games
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Forecast: China to top medals table
Study Shows Problems With Olympic-Style Tests (nytimes)
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Dog meat off the menu during Beijing Olympics
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