Tia Hellebaut wins Belgium first gold medal

With only one day left, Belgium finally got on to the Beijing Olympic gold medals table when Tia Hellebaut won a women's high jump title in Beijing on Saturday.

Tia Hellebaut of Belgium celebrates with Blanka Vlasic of Croatia after the women's high jump final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008. Tia Hellebaut won the title with 2.05 metres. Blanka Vlasic took the silver.

The 30-year-old Hellebaut, the world indoor pentathlon champion, cleared 2.05 meters on her first attempt to claim the gold medal

Croatian Blanka Vlasic had to settle for the silver as she failed the first attempt on 2.05. The world champion, who had the eight best marks of the season and was a big favorite coming into the Olympics, didn't miss at any heights until her first go at 2.05 meters, which she cleared on her second attempt.

The bronze medal went to Russian Anna Chicherova with 2.03 meters.

Another Russian Elena Slesarenko, the 2004 Athens gold medalist and two-time world indoors champion, was fourth at 2.01.

Source: Xinhua

United States wins Olympic gold for women's basketball

Players of the U.S. women's volleyball team wave on the podium after winning the silver medal of women's volleyball event at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008.


Australian women's basketball team attend the awarding ceremony of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games basketball event at Olympic Basketball Gymnasium in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008.
Defending champions United States won their fourth consecutive Olympic women's basketball gold medal on Saturday, beating Australia 92-65 in the third final between two sides since the 2000 Olympics.

The U.S. led the first half 47-30.

Samuel Kamau Wansiru of Kenya winns marathon gold medal

Kenya's Samuel Kamau Wansiru crosses the finish line during men's marathon final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 24, 2008. Samuel Kamau Wansiru won the title.


Kenya's Samuel Kamau Wansiru crosses the finish line during men's marathon final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 24, 2008. Samuel Kamau Wansiru won the title.


Kenya's Samuel Kamau Wansiru competes during men's marathon final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 24, 2008. Samuel Kamau Wansiru won the title.
-- Samuel Kamau Wansiru won the men's marathon, the final event of the Beijing Games track and field sports, with a perfect performance at the long-distance running on Sunday.

After dominated the distance running in the Bird's Nest, the 21-year-old Kenyan won the race for African in a time of two hours six minutes and 32 seconds, breaking the Olympic record set by Carlos Lopes of Portugal at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles by two minutes 49 seconds.

Jaouad Gharib of Morocco finished second, also broke the previous Olympic record, in a time of two hours seven minutes and 16 seconds, while Tsegay Kebede of Ethiopia won the bronze in 2:10:00.

South Korea wins taekwondo men 80kg gold medal

Cha Dongmin of South Korea fights against Alexandros Nikolaidis of Greece during the Taekwondo men +80kg gold medal match at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008. Cha Dongmin defeaded Alexandros Nikolaidis and won the gold.


Cha Dongmin of South Korea fights against Alexandros Nikolaidis of Greece during the Taekwondo men +80kg gold medal match at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008. Cha Dongmin defeated Alexandros Nikolaidis and won the gold.

Brazil beats U.S. for women's volleyball gold

Players of Brazilian women's volleyball team celebrate after winning the gold medal of women's volleyball event at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008.


Players of Chinese women's volleyball team pose after winning the bronze of women's volleyball event at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008.


Players of the U.S. women's volleyball team wave on the podium after winning the silver medal of women's volleyball event at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008.


Players of Brazil celebrate after the women's volleyball gold medal match at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008. Brazil beat the United States 3-1 and won the gold.

Typhoon Nuri brings downpours to south China

Downpours brought by Typhoon Nuri swept south China's Guangdong and Guangxi from Friday to Saturday, but no casualties have been reported.


A float bridge is damaged by the gale at Dayawan sea area in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Aug. 22, 2008.
From 8 a.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Saturday, rainstorms accompanied by winds of up to 68 km per hour, hit the southeastern areas of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, with the biggest precipitation of 350 mm in Beiliu County, according to the regional meteorological station.

Heavy rain was forecast to continue in the region on Sunday and Monday.

Typhoon Nuri was downgraded to a strong tropical storm on Friday afternoon after it landed in the coastal areas along Sai Kung of Hong Kong. The storm made another landfall in southern Guangdong late on Friday, packing winds of up to 90 km per hour.


Heavy clouds are seen over the skyline in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, Aug. 22, 2008.
In a farming yard in Guangzhou, Guangdong's capital, 186 tourists, including 55 foreigners, were evacuated to safe areas by police after the wooden house where they stayed were damaged by strong winds with power cut off.

Source:Xinhua

South Korea wins Asia's first Olympic baseball gold medal

South Korean men's baseball team celebrate after winning the gold of baseball event at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008.
South Korea beat defending champion Cuba 3-2 here Saturday to win Asia's first Olympic baseball gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Lee Yong-kyu opened the winning team's lead with a two run homer in the first inning and teammate Park Jim-man added one point in the seventh inning.


Lee Yongkyu of South Korea competes during the Baseball gold medal game against Cuba at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008. South Korea beat Cuba and won the gold.
Cuba's Michel Enriquez and Alexei Bell homered respectively in the first and seventh innings.

The bronze medal went to the United States.

Asia's first Olympic baseball gold medal could be last one for this sport as baseball will not be included in the 2012 London Games. Whether it can enter the Games afterwards remains unclear.

Source: Xinhua