China Beats Singapore for Women's Table Tennis Gold

China clinches the women's Olympic team table tennis title Sunday, after fighting off a strong challenge from Singapore to win the final 3-0, August 17, 2008. [Photo: Xinhua]

China clinched the women's Olympic team table tennis title Sunday, after fighting off a strong challenge from Singapore to win the final 3-0.

It was the 17th gold medal that China won at the Olympic table tennis competition since its national sport was introduced at the 1988 Seoul Games.

The star-studded Chinese women pushed, chopped and smashed, proving too powerful for Singapore before an enthusiastic crowd of more than 4,000, though both world number one Zhang Yining and veteran Wang Nan dropped a game.

Finishing second, Singapore won its first Olympic medal in 48 years since a silver by weightlifter Tan Howe Liang in 1960.

Wang, who is often slow in finding her rhythm, failed to take a lead but brushed aside Feng Tianwei 9-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-6. The team title was the fourth Olympic gold for Wang, the most decorated players in table tennis.

The battle between Zhang and Beijing-born Li Jia Wei of Singapore was full of long rallies across the table, with Zhang winning 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7. The singles and doubles gold medalist in Athens then paired with world champion Guo Yue, quickly finishing off Li and Wang Yue Gu 11-8, 11-5, 11-6.

Both China and Singapore had steamrolled over all before them with stunning victories since the start of the Olympic team table tennis tournament, which take the place of the doubles. They didn't meet each other until the final.

Chinese women, whose triumph seemed to have an air of inevitability, easily took down Hong Kong of China 3-0 in the semifinal, while Singapore slew a tenacious South Korea 3-2.

Zou Wins Olympic Men's Floor Exercise Gold

China's Zou Kai won gymnastics men's floor exercise gold medal at 16.050 points on Sunday, August 17, 2008. [Photo: Xinhua]

by sportswriter Chen Yu

Chinese gymnast Zou Kai won the men's floor exercise gold medal, the fourth gymnastics gold medal for host China, on Sunday at the Beijing Olympics.

The 20-year-old, who was making his Olympic debut, won the gold medal at 16.050 points, after reigning world champion Diego Hypolito of Brazil and Olympic silver medallist Marian Dragulescu failed their routines.

Gervasio Deferr from Spain took the silver in 15.775 points, and the bronze went to Russia's Anton Golotsutskov, in 15.725 points.

Zou, entering the final in sixth place and low on the list of hopefuls for the gold, brought a surprise when he took to the floor as the fifth player and staged a strong performance on the difficulty of 6.7 points, the highest among the eight finalists.

"I do not think I am the black horse," said Zou Kai, adding that he believed he is strong enough for a gold and he is in good form in the competition.

"I entered the floor exercise final in first place in last year's World Championships, and I came home empty-handed only because I did not play my normal level in the final," he said.

"The team medal is very important to all of us and this medal is very important to me," he added.

Before Zou, Dragulescu, a three-time Olympian and the floor exercise silver medalist in Athens, sat on the mat after a tumbling combination.

Hypolito, known for having one of the most difficult floor exercise routines, also suffered a last-minute defeat when he fell back and sat on the floor at the end of his complicated routines.

"I pushed my legs underneath and there was a mistake," said Hypolito. "It was a technical mistake. There's nothing I can do with it." "I'm sorry, I'm sorry to all the Brazilians."

Silver medalist Deferr said he was really happy to win the medal because "it's not easy to be in the last position (in the starting order). It is amazing to go to three Olympics and get three medals."

On the mistakes of Dragulescu and Hypolito, he believed the two were just too nervous "because it's not easy in the Olympic Games - after four years of work, then competing."

Bronze medalist Golotsutskov was also satisfied, but said he had expected more.

"I felt very good out there. I really like this (the bronze medal). I felt it was a very good combination on the Floor. I think my medal should be silver, not bronze, as the judges gave me a lower score (than I expected)," he said.

Chinese Xiao Qin Wins Men's Pommel Horse Gold

Chinese Xiao Qin wins the men's pommel horse gold medal with 15.875 points at the Beijing Olympic Games on Sunday, August 17, 2008. [Photo: Xinhua]

Chinese gymnast Xiao Qin won the men's pommel horse crown at the Beijing Olympics on Sunday.

Xiao, reigning world champion who entered the final in first place, took the gold medal in 15.875 points.

Pilip Ude of Croatia took the silver in 15.725 points and Louis Smith of Britain won the bronze with the same score of 15.725 points under a tie-break rule.

With Xiao's victory, host China had reaped five gymanstic gold medals so far at the Beijing Olympics, the most golds its gymnasts had won at an Olympic Games.

The previous record was set at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984, when China claimed four gymnastics golds.

Xiao, a three-time world champion on pommel horse, performed powerful swings, circles and undercuts on a difficulty of 6.4 points to claim his first Olympic individual title.

"I intended to do this (winning the gold) in the Athens Olympics but I didn't have the chance. Today I was able to do it," said 23-year-old Xiao.

Asked why he cried out that "I get to take a vacation" after winning the gold, Xiao said the longest holiday he had had in the last few years was three days due to training. "Now I can finally take a rest," he said.

But he said he was not as excited as he was when he won the team gold medal, because after winning the team title, he and his teammates "finally released the pressure that had built up for so many years."

The victory was somewhat like a revenge for Xiao, as he fell during qualifications and failed to make the final in the 2004 Athens Olympics. His flaw on his speciality also pulled the Chinese men's team down in the team title contest.

Ude was also happy with a silver medal as it's a frog-leap in his gymnastics career. He only finished 29th on pommel horse at the 2007 world championships.

"I was the last performer and when I finished my routine I know I should have a medal because I had stronger performance today," he said.

"For me, it's a dream come true. I dedicate this (the medal) to my mum, my family, my sisters, my coaches and everyone who has cheered for me, " he said.

Smith's bronze medal is his country's first individual apparatus medal. The 19-year-old described the win as something "crazy, amazing, emotional, scary, nervous everything". He said he yearned for a gold medal.

After five days of competition, there are six gymnastics golds left for grab at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Ainslie claims third Olympic gold

Cannot play media. Sorry, this media is not available in your territory. Ainslie wins third Olympic gold Ben Ainslie kept US rival Zach Railey at bay to claim the third Olympic gold medal of his sailing career. Ainslie, 31, sailed sublimely in rough weather to win the Finn medal race and add to golds from Athens and Sydney. "I've really enjoyed every minute of my Olympic sailing career, I'm very lucky," he told BBC Sport. Ainslie is now Britain's most decorated Olympic sailor of all time, his three gold medals complemented by silver in the Laser class at Atlanta 1996. Ainslie finished on 23 points uin Qingdao, while Railey finished sixth in the medal race to make sure of silver with 45 points, and Frenchman Guillaume Florent won bronze with 58 points. 2012 is a long way away but if I've got a chance to be there and do well, I'd love to do it Ben Ainslie The race was scheduled for Saturday, but it was postponed for 24 hours because of light, unsettled wind conditions. And the start was delayed for nearly two hours on Sunday when strong winds and heavy rain made conditions in the waters off Qingdao too treacherous for racing. When racing did get going, Ainslie took a different approach from the one he used in Saturday's abandoned race. Ainslie had opted to cover Railey in the light conditions, but the Briton threw out his match racing approach in the 16-knot winds to assert his dominance. "It was a bit different today," said Ainslie. "Yesterday the breeze was very light and I couldn't give the US guy any chance to get away from me. "Today I was more confident with my speed against his, and my fitness." Cannot play media. Sorry, this media is not available in your territory. Ainslie elated by third gold Having started well, Ainslie rounded the first mark with a 12-second lead over France's Guillaume Florent. He maintained his lead at the halfway point and was 20 seconds clear by the final mark, with Railey well out of the running in sixth place. The run to the finish became a mere procession for Ainslie as he crossed 13 seconds ahead of Denmark's Jonas Hoegh-Christensen. Afterwards, Ainslie told BBC Sport he is keen to sail at London 2012. "The draw of 2012 and racing on your home waters is huge," he said. "It's a long way away but if I've got a chance to be there and do well, I'd love to do it."

Golds fire Britain up medal table

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Video - GB Double win first lightweight gold

Britain's sailors, rowers and cyclists won four more gold medals on Sunday to match the team's Saturday surge and reach third in the Olympic medal table.

There were sailing golds for Yngling trio Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson, and Ben Ainslie in the Finn.

Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter took GB's first lightweight rowing gold, and Rebecca Romero won cycling's pursuit.

Fellow cyclist Wendy Houvenaghel and two rowing crews claimed silver medals, while gymnast Louis Smith won bronze.

After four golds on both Saturday and Sunday, Team GB's total of 11 golds for the Games moved them above Australia and Germany in the medal table.

British Olympians have won 25 medals in all, including six silver and eight bronze.

With seven days of action still remaining, Team GB have already matched their gold medal tally from Sydney in 2000, where they won 28 medals overall, and exceeded the nine golds from the last Games in Athens, where they finished with an overall haul of 30.

Britain have not claimed more than 11 golds in an Olympics since 1920. If they earn 16 golds or more by the end of the Games, it will mark their best performance in a century.

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GB's Yngling crew storms to success

Prime Minister Gordon Brown hailed the "unprecedented" success of Britain's athletes in a statement released by Downing Street.

"Eight gold medals and 17 medals in total in one weekend is a superb and unprecedented achievement," said Brown in the statement.

"The whole country has been watching and has been thrilled by Team GB. We are immensely proud of what they have achieved so far, and inspired by their performance."

Lord Moynihan, chairman of the British Olympic Association, paid tribute to "the greatest weekend in British Olympic history", highlighting results in key sports.

"We haven't delivered at this level of consistency across some of the sports which I would call the formula one sports for many, many generations," he told BBC World News.

Queen Elizabeth II has invited Britain's Olympians to a drinks reception at Buckingham Palace after the Games.

A royal spokeswoman said the monarch had been taking "a keen interest" in the games, and will host a reception for members of the squad on 16 October.

Ayton, Webb and Wilson, in sailing's Yngling class, earned Britain's opening gold medal on Sunday.

The crew battled home in first place in their medal race, well ahead of their Dutch rivals, to seal gold.

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Video - Ainslie wins third Olympic gold

"Winning an Olympic gold medal, you're the best at what you do in the world," said skipper Ayton.

"You just can't describe what Sarah and I have been through for the last four years and with Pippa for the last two."

Lightweight double sculls duo Purchase and Hunter added gold number two at the rowing, earning Britain's first ever lightweight gold medal by a comfortable distance over Greece.

"It's unbelievable," a breathless Purchase told BBC Sport. "We sat down back in October and said we wanted to come here and win this.

"We knew Greece would come back, we had to have a solid middle 1000m to make sure we crossed the line first, and then it was a case of holding on and keeping going."

Ainslie claimed Britain's third gold of the day back in Qingdao, keeping US rival Zach Railey at bay to claim the third Olympic gold of his sailing career.

"Yesterday the breeze was very light and I couldn't give the American guy any chance to get away from me," said Ainslie afterwards.

"Today I was more confident with my speed against his, and my fitness," he added, having crossed the line first in his medal race.

Romero picked up gold number four in an all-British women's individual pursuit final at the Laoshan Velodrome, which guaranteed Britain both gold and silver.

The former Olympic rowing silver medallist, who swapped sports following Athens 2004, eased past Houvenaghel, who took silver.

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Video - Romero wins pursuit gold

"It's magical," an elated Romero told BBC Sport. "It's been so hard, I can't explain what I've had to go through.

"I totally believe myself now. I did before, but that was the ultimate. I was facing the demons, I was up against tough opposition, and a week ago it wasn't in me at all."

Britain have now won a total of 10 cycling medals, two on the road and eight on the track, with Bradley Wiggins and Chris Hoy both striking gold on Saturday.

The women's quad and men's eight added two silver medals to the rowing tally on Sunday, meaning Britain finished the Olympic regatta with two golds, two silvers and two bronze, bettering their conservative target of four medals of any colour.

Gymnast Smith rounded off the weekend with a superb performance in the pommel horse to claim bronze for Britain.

It was Britain's first gymnastics medal at the Olympics for 80 years.

Nadal golden treble is fitting climax

Rafael Nadal clinched a golden treble to wrap up the Olympic tennis tournament on Sunday, overcoming Chilean Fernando Gonzalez to add the Games men's singles title to his French Open and Wimbledon crowns.

The unstoppable Spaniard won 6-3 7-6 6-3 to mark his impending rise to the top of the world rankings with his country's first ever Olympic gold medal in tennis.

"It's very difficult to win this because you only have one chance every four years," Nadal, who replaces Roger Federer as world number one on Monday, told reporters. "I played almost a perfect match."

Before Nadal's fireworks, Russia's Elena Dementieva enjoyed the biggest moment of her career when she won the women's singles gold medal against compatriot Dinara Safina.

Dementieva, who's silver medal in Sydney eight years ago prefaced a career of near-misses, battled back to win 3-6 7-5 6-3. Vera Zvonareva made it an all-Russian singles podium by beating China's Li Na 7-5 6-0.

American Venus Williams claimed the third Olympic gold medal of her career when she and sister Serena thrashed Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-2 6-0 in a one-sided women's doubles final.

While Dementieva and Safina served up a compelling battle of wills, it was Nadal who everyone had come to see -- apart, that is, for the flag-waving Chilean fans who cooked up a Davis Cup-type atmosphere on Centre Court.

POUNDING FOREHANDS

From the start Gonzalez, a doubles gold medallist four years ago, did what he does best, pounding forehands across the net. Nadal munched them all up and fizzed them back from all angles.

Nadal, dressed in the red and yellow of his country and sporting an orange bandana, sealed the first set after a 37-minute masterclass of blurring movement and power.

Gonzalez traded blows with Nadal in the second set, standing toe-to-toe with the raging bull over the net, and his big chance came at 6-5 when he had the Spaniard in trouble at 15-40.

On his first set point he played a perfect point but with the court gaping, put a simple backhand volley wide. He then offered up a forehand gift and his moment had passed.

Nadal stormed the tiebreak and muscled 5-2 ahead in the third set. Gonzalez saved three match points but the insatiable Nadal sealed it on his fourth.

"It looked easy, but when you're tired you get a little dizzy," Gonzalez said of the volley, neatly summing up the effect Nadal has on his opponents.

Dementieva, unlike Nadal, has never won a grand slam title, but she now has an Olympic gold medal in her racket bag after a gutsy triumph against Safina.

"This is the best thing that's ever happened to me in my life and in my career," the 27-year-old, runner-up at the French and U.S. Opens in 2004, told reporters. "I've been dreaming about this moment since I was eight years old."

China did not go home empty-handed from a tournament that has disproved the theory that tennis players do not care about the Olympic Games. Zheng Jie and Yan Zi beat Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine 6-2 6-2 to claim doubles bronze.

(Editing by Alex Richardson)

Fraser leads Jamaican 100m sweep

Shelly-Ann Fraser surged to Jamaica's first Olympic women's 100 meters gold medal on Sunday and led compatriots Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart to the event's first national podium sweep.

A day after Usain Bolt claimed a first men's 100m crown for the Caribbean island, 21-year-old Fraser clocked 10.78 seconds to claim the title ahead of her compatriots, who were both awarded silver after a photo finish failed to separate them.

"I can't believe I actually won. Nobody expected me to win, so there was no pressure," Fraser told reporters.

"I'm so excited, I really am, I can't wait to get home."

Simpson and Stewart were given the same time of 10.98 ahead of former world champion Lauryn Williams, the first of a trio of Americans in the race that had been billed as U.S. v Jamaica.

"It's wonderful, the first three for Jamaica. History," Simpson said. "To be silver medalist, I'm really happy, it was a challenging time coming to these Olympics."

EQUALLY DELIGHTED

Stewart, who like her fellow silver medalist is 24, was equally delighted.

"It's about time, we've been waiting for this, so many great athletes have come so close and we were able to pull it off tonight," she said.

American Muna Lee, who won the U.S. trial last month, was fifth and said she thought one of her rivals had got away early.

"It'll be alright, it was just one of those days," she said. "I felt like someone had false started."

The start did look a bit ragged and Simpson made the early running in the inside lane before Fraser came charging down lane four.

Simpson could have clinched the silver on her own if she had dipped for the line and Stewart's lean forward made the pair inseparable after a several minutes of examination by officials.

For Fraser, the youngest member of the trio who kept world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown out of the event in Beijing, it was a first major title.

Former world champion Torri Edwards of the United States, the fastest woman in the world this year, finished last with Jeanette Kwakye sixth for Britain.

Defending champion Yuliya Nestsiarenka of Belarus failed to reach the final after finishing fifth in her semi-final earlier on Sunday evening.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)

Romania's Izbasa wins floor gold

Romanian gymnast Sandra Izbasa impressed judges with her flawless tumbling and elegant leaps to win Olympic gold in the floor exercise on Sunday.

The last competitor, she took to the floor with confidence to score 15.650, eclipsing American world champion Shawn Johnson by 0.150. All-around champion Nastia Liukin grabbed the bronze.

China's Cheng Fei, one of the favorites, burst into tears after slipping up for the second time in a day. Having landed on her knees in the vault final where she won bronze, she skidded backwards after her penultimate tumble to finish seventh.

Brazilian former world champion Daiane dos Santos put herself out of the running by landing her last two tumbling combinations outside the marked area.

Izbasa had already won a bronze in the team competition.

Jubilant Jamaicans celebrate

Bob Marley's son, Julian Marley, gave a concert for the jubilant crowd in a swanky Beijing bar.

Bolt set a new world record in the 100 metre race and is now setting his eyes on winning the men's 200 metre.

"Insane Usain" dazzles world with speed and style

Usain Bolt's extraordinary Olympics 100 meters run sparked a flood of superlatives in newspapers across the world on Sunday, ranging from the new messiah of speed to the chilled-out flying machine.

Bolt was crowned the fastest man in the world at the Beijing Olympics after a record 9.69-second run, celebrating before even reaching the finishing line.

"Oh, what a show. Oh, what a showoff too," said an editorial in the Chicago Tribune.

"How fast can a guy go? This is not the question to ask the U-Bolt. The question is this: How fast could U have gone if U hadn't hit the brakes? If U hadn't slowed down? If U hadn't clowned around?"

His rivals were calling the gangling 6 ft 5 ins runner a freak of nature and bloggers nicknamed him "Insane Usain."

Some sporting commentators welcomed Bolt's natural showmanship as he hammed it up for the cameras, saying he was just what was needed to put the glamour back into athletics.

The men's 100 meters, the Olympics showcase event, has been plagued by doping scandals since Ben Johnson's fall from grace 20 years ago.

Bolt was taking it in his usual relaxed stride. He said he prepared for the race by sleeping in, not eating breakfast, watching TV, eating chicken nuggets for lunch, napping, eating more chicken nuggets for dinner, and resting.

But his cocky bravado was not a hit with everyone.

"In the 100, a show of flash after a burst of speed," said a headline on the New York Times' Web site.

"In the interests of doing justice to the achievement, we are going to go easy on the end-zone mimicry; leave that to another time, to the greater discussion of pointless showboating in sports," wrote sports columnist Harvey Araton.

It was impossible to see someone hit a speed that no human has reached before without technological assistance and not mention the D-word -- doping.

"If, as he protests, Bolt is clean, then he is the best advertisement for his sport in a decade," wrote The Times.

"Bolt is a character, a performer, blessed with so much natural talent he might just be real."

Back in Jamaica, Bolt's fellow countrymen were celebrating the Caribbean island's first Olympic title in the blue riband event.

Bolt was already a star in Jamaica, having set a new world record of 9.72 seconds in May which prompted reggae singer Derrick Harriott to record a tribute song "Lightning Bolt 9.72".

"They're going to have to change the lyrics," quipped The Washington Post.

Dementieva wins women's tennis in Beijing

Elena Dementieva has won a combustible final against Dinara Safina to head a Russian one-two-three in the Olympic women's tennis singles.

The world number seven recovered from an error-strewn first set to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, making up for her disappointment in losing the 2000 final to Venus Williams.

Dementieva clenched her fists in celebration and then wiped away tears of joy after stopping the in-form Safina for the first time in four attempts this year.

"It's very difficult to explain the way I feel right now. It will take a few days before I realise I'm Olympic champion," Dementieva said.

"But this is for sure the biggest moment in my career, in my life. I will never forget this moment."

Russia had already been guaranteed the first tennis podium sweep in 100 years when Vera Zvonareva, a late call-up for the injured Maria Sharapova, clinched the bronze medal play-off against China's Li Na 6-0, 7-5.

"Having three Russian girls left standing in the Olympics is a huge moment for Russia," Dementieva said.

"I know we were expecting and planning for some medals but I don't think anyone could expect three medals from the girls. So this is really big moment for Russia."

It was the first one-two-three in any tennis event since 1908, when Great Britain also collected all three women's singles medals.

Swimmer Phelps ties Spitz record

Michael Phelps tied the 36-year-old single Olympic Games record for success by winning his seventh gold medal.

Already capturing six golds in individual and team events, all in world record time, Phelps is now poised for an unprecedented eighth gold Sunday.

Dan Sloan reports.

Fastest man on the planet

Jamaica's Usain Bolt sprints to victory in the Beijing Olympics 100 metre race and sets a new world record.

Bolt ran the race in just 9.69 seconds.

Tara Joseph-Hui reports.

Phelps amazes world with Beijing eight

Michael Phelps went on Sunday where no man has been before to win a record eighth gold at one Olympics and better Mark Spitz's landmark 1972 feat.

Phelps held his arms aloft and hugged team mates after a relatively easy men's 4x100 meters medley relay win unlike the finger-tip finishes in two of his earlier Beijing golds.

The all-time most successful Olympian, who has over nine days in China proved himself to be one of the greatest sportsmen the world has seen, showed he was still human, though.

"I just want to see my mom," he said after a series of swims which will net him $1 million in sponsors' bonuses alone.

Phelps's 14th career gold, after six in Athens, took him past fellow American Spitz's record seven at one Games in Munich. He has five more now than any other Olympian in the 112-year history of the Games.

"It's been nothing but an upwards rollercoaster but it's been nothing but fun," he added at his moment of triumph, embracing his tearful mother and sister. "With so many people saying it couldn't be done, all it takes is an imagination."

Phelps achievement has dazzled the Chinese hosts, for whom eight is a lucky number, and brought welcome cheer to Americans during hard times.

"The economy and gas prices are always on your mind but Michael's success helps you forget depressing things," Los Angeles resident Samantha Higgins said among tens of millions glued to Phelps's every race on TV in the United States.

With Games spectators still agog at Usain Bolt's audaciously brilliant 100m win in the blue riband athletics race on Saturday night, Romania took the first gold of Day Nine in one of the Beijing Olympics' toughest events.

Constantina Tomescu had time to relax and wave at the crowd before crossing the finish line in the Bird's Nest stadium after a women's marathon run that began in Tiananmen Square.

Catherine Ndereba of Kenya took silver and Zhou Chunxiu of China the bronze, with Britain's world record holder Paula Radcliffe struggling for fitness and well back.

In the highest-profile doping case yet of the August 8-24 Games, Greece's defending women's 400 meters hurdles champion Fani Halkia failed a drug test hours before she was to compete.

That recalled the doping sagas that darkened Athens 2004.

LIGHTNING BOLT

But it has been the scintillating sport, not scandals, in Beijing dominating attention and relegating the pre-Games focus on China's rights record and pollution problems.

Nobody doubted that Sunday was Phelps's day.

Blessed with an arm span bigger than his height, Phelps has pumped himself up with hip-hop before races and always looks for his mother in the stands at moments of triumph.

Phelps teamed up with backstroker Aaron Peirsol, breaststroker Brendan Hansen and freestyler Jason Lezak to help the United States smash the old men's medley relay mark of three minutes 30.68 seconds with a winning time of 3:29.34 on Sunday.

All but one of his eight golds have come in world record times -- and the other was an Olympic best.

Phelps, who comes from Baltimore and had to overcome attention deficit disorder in childhood, is now guaranteed a lifetime of multi-million dollar corporate deals.

"I wanted to put my mind to it and wanted to do something that no one ever did in sport," he added.

Jamaica's Bolt was the other name on everybody's lips.

He sprinted to victory in the 100 meters in world record time on Saturday night despite slowing at the end to check he was ahead and punch his chest in joy in front of 91,000 people.

"I was just having fun, that's me," said Bolt, 21.

While he danced around the Bird's Nest stadium in celebration, cars honked and crowds cheered in a victory party on his Caribbean island of 2.7 million people.

"This means a lot to my country. It means a lot to me," said the world's fastest man, whose favored 200 meters comes next.

China are way ahead in the medal table with 27 golds to the United States' 17 in a Games that Beijing hopes will showcase a more open face as well as its new global economic clout.

The Americans should come back strongly in remaining track events, but they face a tough challenge to overtake China, who had only a one-gold lead at the same stage in Athens.

Replacing Russia as the main rival to the United States, China were second in 2004 with 32 golds. The world's most populous nation would love to come first on home soil.

Behind the big two, Germany stand third in Beijing with nine golds and Australia fourth on eight.

South Korea, Japan and Britain have seven.

Greek Olympic Committee officials said their athlete Halkia lost her chance of another gold due to an August 10 test while she was preparing in Japan. "I can't believe it," Halkia told reporters, denying she had taken performance-enhancing drugs.

In a reminder of the political undercurrents around the Beijing Olympics, the Dalai Lama accused China of mistreating and torturing citizens in Tibet while the Games were on.

"Unfortunately the Olympic spirit is not being respected at all by Chinese officials in Tibet," he told a French TV station.

"Civilians are often arrested, violently tortured to the point where they die. It's really very, very sad."

Mellouli wins 1500m gold

Tunisia's Oussama Mellouli won the men's 1500 meters freestyle at the Beijing Games on Sunday to claim his country's first gold medal since the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.

Mellouli won the gold in 14 minutes, 40.84 seconds by a body length from Australia's Grant Hackett, who was bidding to become the first male swimmer to win the same individual event at three successive Olympics.

Hackett finished second in 14:41.53, more than seven seconds outside his world record and nearly three seconds outside the time he posted in Friday's heats.

Canada's Ryan Cochrane took the bronze medal in 14:42.69.