Olympics Highlights: Day 8
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The United States got its first weightlifting gold medal since 1960 after two more Bulgarian lifters tested positive for banneddrugs. Women’s gold medalist Izabela Dragneva — the first women’s weightlifting champion in Olympic history — and men’s bronze medalist Sevdalin Minchev were the second and third Bulgarianlifters to test positive for banned diuretics.
The action gave Tara Nott of Stilwell, Kan., the gold medal in the women’s 105-pound class. Bulgaria’s entire lifting team was kicked out of the games. (See below.)
Archery
South Korea won the Olympic gold medal Friday in men’s teamarchery by defeating Italy, 255-247.
The United States, led by silver medal winner Vic Wunderle, gotthe bronze medal, beating Russia in a shoot-off.
Badminton
Gong Zhichao of China won the women’ssingles badminton gold medal. Gong defeated Camilla Martin of Denmark, who took the silver. The bronze went to Ye Zhaoying of China.
Baseball
A reliever’s throwing error in the eighth inning gave the UnitedStates two runs and a 4-2 victory over Italy, keeping theAmericans unbeaten heading into their showdown with Cuba.
That break meant that for the first time in Olympic baseballhistory, the United States (5-0) will have a better record thanCuba (4-1) when they play their round-robin game Saturday.
In other games, Japan beat South Africa 8-0, Cuba blanked Australia 1-0, and South Korea defeated the Netherlands 2-0.
Basketball
The U.S. women’s team scored four seconds into its game with NewZealand and rolled to a 93-42 victory, clinching at least a tie forfirst place in its preliminary group.
The 42 points were the fewest allowed by a U.S. women’sbasketball team in the Olympics. The fewest previously had been 47on three occasions, most recently in a 107-47 victory over Zaire in1996.
Every U.S. player scored, led by Katie Smith’s 14 points. OK,Chamique Holdsclaw didn’t score, but she’s out with a stressfracture.
Beach Volleyball
Americans Rob Heidger and Kevin Wong won on a forfeit to moveinto the quarterfinals when their Mexican opponentsdropped out due to injury.
They next face fellow Americans Dain Blanton and EricFonoimoana, who defeated Jorre Kjemperud and Vegard Hoidalen ofNorway.
Swiss brothers Martin and Paul Laciga overpowered the top-seededAustralian team of Julien Prosser and Lee Zahner 15-8 to reach thequarterfinals.
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