AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa De Olza
Liu Xiang is out of the London Games — and he had to leave on one foot.
The 2004 Olympic champion crashed on the first hurdle of his 100-meter heat. He grabbed his lower right leg and hopped toward the closest exit. Officials, however, directed him to the other end of Olympic Stadium. Liu then hopped the entire stretch of the track on his left foot, even pausing near the end for a break.
- Associated Press
Canada is one of a handful of countries to line up a trio of racers at the start of the men’s triathlon, and all are legitimate shots at the podium (6:30 a.m.). Two-time medallist and flag bearer Simon Whitfield, who delighted the country with his surprise gold in Sydney and silver in Beijing, will be joined by friends and frequent Victoria running mates Kyle Jones and Brent McMahon.
Canada faces the U.S. in women’s basketball (9 a.m.) after qualifying for the quarter-finals for the first time. The Americans have won 38 straight Olympic games and the last four gold medals.
Cyclist Tara Whitten sits fourth heading into the final day of women’s omnium (three events, 6 a.m. start).
Diver Alex Despatie of Laval, Que., is in the men's three-metre springboard semifinal (5 a.m., final at 2 p.m.). Despatie qualified ninth, Francois Imbeau-Dulac of St-Lazare, Que., 12th.
Canadian synchronized swimmers Marie-Pier Boudreau-Gagnon and Elise Marcotte are fourth heading into the duet final (10 a.m.).
Canadians Derek Drouin and Michael Mason are in the men's high jump final (2 p.m.).
Canada’s Jessica Zelinka, Phylicia George and Nikkita Holder are in the women’s 100-metre hurdles semis (10:05 a.m.).
Custio Clayton of Dartmouth, N.S., is up against home-country favourite Freddie Evans in a welterweight boxing quarter-final (4:45 p.m.).
The women's basketball team takes on defending Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, the world-record holder and defending champion in the men’s 200 metres, begins his quest for a repeat (6:50 a.m.).
CTV Morning: Men’s springboard diving semis (4 a.m.), men’s triathlon (7:45 a.m.*), gymnastics (9 a.m.*). Afternoon: Beach volleyball (12:05 p.m.), athletics (1:45 p.m.*), women’s volleyball (4:30 p.m.).
TSN Morning: Men’s triathlon (6:30 a.m.*), women’s basketball (9 a.m.), track cycling and men’s soccer (11 a.m.). Afternoon: Diving (2 p.m.).
SN Morning: Track cycling (6 a.m.), canoe/kayak sprint (7 a.m.), women’s volleyball (8 a.m.), synchronized swimming (10 a.m.*). Afternoon: Men’s soccer, men’s diving (12 p.m.).
OLN Morning: Equestrian (5 a.m.*), women’s volleyball (11 a.m.). Afternoon: women’s volleyball (2 p.m.).
Key:
*denotes medal events
SN: Sportsnet
All times are EDT
TV times subject to change
-Star staff
Simon Whitfield, Reuters photo
The Star's Cathal Kelly will live blog today's semi-final match at Old Trafford.
THOMAS COEXTHOMAS COEX/AFP/GettyImages
What do you do when the Duchess of Cambridge sits down next to you at an Olympic event? If you're British gymnast Kristian Thomas, you sit up straight and try to remember all those manners your mother taught you.
Thomas was sitting in the second row of the O2 Arena on Sunday ready to watch teammates Louis Smith and Max Whitlock compete in the pommel horse finals when a security guard told him Kate Middleton wanted to hang out.
"It was fantastic," Thomas said. "She was really easy to talk to. We talked about the pommel final and some of the elements and what's good and what's bad. She was quite enthusiastic about it."
Thomas added the Duchess was "nervous" while Smith competed but was thrilled when he won silver and Whitlock earned bronze. When asked if he asked Kate for sister Pippa Middleton's phone number, Thomas just laughed and said, "I think my girlfriend would mind."
- Associated Press
(Franck Fife/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)
From a bad night’s sleep to a fan tossing a bottle, there are many things that can throw an Olympic athlete off their game
For Brazilian pole vaulter Fabiana Murer — the defending world champ — it was the wind.
Murer bailed on the jump that could have sent her into the final, saying she thought it was too windy to be safe.
She started running for her last jump, after failing to clear the 4.55 metre mark in her first two attempts, but stopped a few seconds later.
“I gave up because with that wind I wasn't going to be able to jump,” Murer said. “It would be dangerous if I had jumped. I came back to try again, but the wind was still too strong. I could get hurt if I had jumped.”
Officials had stopped an earlier jump attempt due to the strong winds at the Olympic Stadium, but had cleared the final attempt.
Brazilian fans, media and fellow athletes have since criticized her for not attempting the last jump, arguing the wind was likely the same for all the athletes.
Murer finished 14th overall.
Murer also faced difficulties in Beijing, where organizers misplaced her pole. Using the pole for her next mark disrupted her entire routine, she said. Murer received a letter of apology from organizers, but officials said that it was ultimately Murer’s responsibility to check her equipment before competition.
With files from the Associated Press
(Gregory Bull, The Associated Press)
Gabby Douglas sees nothing wrong with her hair - she's been styling it that way for years. But critics watching the double-gold winner weren't going to give her any medals for hairstyling. Social media lit up with comments about her messy ponytail.
"I don't know where this is coming from. What's wrong with my hair?" said the 16-year-old, according to the Associated Press.
Douglas, who is the first U.S. gymnast to win gold in team and all-around competition, added, "I'm like, 'I just made history and people are focused on my hair?' It can be bald or short, it doesn't matter about (my) hair."
Critics argue the gymnast should be sporting a tight bun, similar to the style worn by ballerinas.
Douglas uses gel, clips and a ponytail holder to prep her hair for competition - and, despite the critique on social media, she has no plans to change her performance look.
NBC's time-delayed viewers, who were forced to count down until prime time to watch Usain Bolt win the 100-metres race, should always remember there is another way to catch the action — Lego.
Watch this brick-by-brick reenactment of how the now two time Olympic gold medallist sprinted to victory, leaving is competitors in the plastic-like dust:
The 2012 Games aren’t over yet. Canadian fans still have a few key moments, memories and events to look forward to:
Van Koeverden’s 1,000: Kayaker Adam van Koeverden is set to prove himself Monday in the men’s K1 1,000 metres. After a disappointing showing in Beijing, he’s got a lot to prove. Win, lose or draw, this race will likely be remembered in the annals of Canadian amateur sports.
Spencer’s wild card: Boxer Mary Spencer, a three-time world champion who got into the Olympics on a wild card, has her first bout Monday in the women’s middleweight (75 kg) quarter-finals. Thursday is the final, when Spencer, if she makes it, can show the world the force behind that wild card.
First Timers: A few first-time Olympians are set to race for medals over the coming days including cyclist Tara Whitten, who sets off in the women’s omnium at the London Velodrome on Monday.
LONDON - London police say they have arrested a man for throwing a bottle on to the Olympic track at the start of the men's 100-metre final.
Scotland Yard says a man was heard shouting abuse and was then seen throwing a bottle immediately before the race.
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who won the race, told reporters he had been unaware of the incident. He said Sunday: "No, I keep hearing that. I don't know who would have done that."
Police said no one was injured and the event was not disrupted.
The suspect is being held at a police station in east London on suspicion of causing a public nuisance.
Associated Press
The Canadian Olympic Moose, a large red statue that stands outside Canada’s building in the athletes’ village, seems to have fallen victim to vandalism. On Sunday afternoon, the mascot’s twitter account, @CDNOlympicMoose shared: “Help! My ears were stolen! It's hard out here for a moose.#StandingOnGuardForThee”
Later, the woebegotten beast tweeted, “I know everyone in the Village wants a piece of me but taking my ears is going too far. #CantHear #GiveYourEverything.”
The patriotic moose is popular with photo-takers and on Twitter, where some 970 followers check out tweets written in both official languages. The moose, which belongs to the Canadian Olympic Team, is in fact the same animal that presided over the Vancouver Games two years ago, when it sported a white paint job.
The 300-pound statue already has a cable lock its right legs to thwart any would-be pranksters from carting him away.
The Star's Olympics team will bring you the stories, photos and colour from behind the scenes of the London Games.
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