Global News Post: Olympic

USA Wins Most Olympic Overall Medals and Golds

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13.333333969116211px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.44444465637207px;">Photo © <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/geetarchurchy/7758170016/sizes/z/in/photostream/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">flickr.com/geetarchurchy</span></a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The last day of the 2012 Olympic games ended with America on top of the medal standings, winning 104 overall, including 46 gold.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">China's finished second with 87 medals that included 38 gold. Britain finished third in the gold medal count, winning five more than Russia. Russia finished third in overall medals, while Britain landed in fourth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">85 countries won at least one medal.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">British pop stars rocked out the Olympics closing ceremony, titled “A Symphony of British Music.” Artists Adele, George Michael, Annie Lennox, and the Pet Shop Boys performed during the three-hour celebration in front of 80,000 spectators.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Brazil, the host of the 2016 Games, created a Rio-style carnival featuring drummers, dancers and elaborate carnival costumes, for the games' close.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The biggest surprise during the day's competition came as Uganda's Stephen Kiprotich won gold in the men's marathon, Uganda's first gold medal in 40 years.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiprotich surged ahead in the race through the streets of London with less than 5 kilometers to go to take a lead he never relinquished.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">His winning time of two hours, eight minutes, and one second was 26 seconds ahead of silver medalist Abel Kirui of Kenya. Another Kenyan, Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich, won the bronze.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In men's basketball, the United States' so-called Dream Team clinched a gold medal by defeating Spain 107-100. Russia beat Argentina to win the bronze.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Women's modern pentathlon was the last competition at the 17-day extravaganza of sport. Lithuania's Laura Asadauskaite won the gold medal and Britain's Samantha Murray took silver.---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
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USA Wins Most Olympic Overall Medals and Golds

Photo © flickr.com/geetarchurchy The last day of the 2012 Olympic games ended with America on top of the medal standings, winning 104 ...

London Olympic: Joy for Ugandans as Marathon Win Ends Gold Drought

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">LONDON/KAMPALA (NNN-NEW VISION) -- Crowded around television sets, cheering Ugandans celebrated as compatriot Stephen Kiprotich claimed an unexpected gold medal in the Olympic Games men's marathon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Outsider Kiprotich stunned a heavily fancied Kenyan team to grab victory, leaving two-time defending world champion Abel Kirui to claim silver and long-time leader Wilson Kipsang taking bronze.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiprotich's gold was only Uganda's second, the last coming 40 years ago when 400m hurdler John Akii-Bua struck gold at the 1972 Munich Games, with the east African country's only other medal a bronze from 400m runner Davis Kamonga in 1996.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"I am very happy to win a medal for my country," beamed Kiprotich. "I love my people. Ugandans are very happy because we hadn't won a medal in marathon races.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"The pace was too fast and I knew I could not run away from them so I just had to keep up with them (Kipsang and kirui).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"I tried to settle and then I had to break away because I wanted to win this medal."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"I thought before the race that either Kenya or Ethiopia would win," said Kiprotich, adding: "I really didn't think I could win it, but when it came to three miles to go, I decided to go for it. I'd stayed in touch and made my move.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"It was only when I crossed the line that I really believed I had done it. I've moved on from being an unknown. I'm happy now that I'm a known athlete."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiprotich said he was delighted to have snared Uganda's second ever gold.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"It's for my family, my people, my coaches. I'm very, very happy," he said. "I haven't seen John Akii-Bua personally but the memories are there. I dreamt that I could be like him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John Akii-Bua stunned the world at the 1972 Munich games to win gold in the 400m Hurdles<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"I told myself to relax and be patient, and today I have joined the champions and I'm very happy with that."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiprotich, however, took aim at sporting authorities in Uganda for not providing athletes there with the back-up needed to succeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"I'll take this opportunity to send a message to the Ugandan athletics federation and minister of sports," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"The problem is that we have no facilities. That's what pushed me to Kenya. They've been promising facilities but there are none.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"When I go home, it's just to visit family."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Silver medallist Kiprui, who said he would now target next year's London marathon before competing in the world championships in Moscow, said he and Kipsang had been taken aback by Kiprotich's performance, having thought their rival out of the running.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As the leading trio went through the gilded, covered Leadenhall Market for the final time with 7km to go, the Kenyans upped the pace to shake off Kiprotich.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But the Kenyan duo were caught napping as Kiprotich showed a dramatic change of pace to surge to the front in an audacious ambush at 36km.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"When I was with Kipsang, we saw Kiprotich fading away," Kirui said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"But then he surprised us by coming back. He went and it's very hard to control that type of move.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"He's our brother. I appreciate Kiprotich because he's a very determined runner."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kipsang rued the early slow pace, but also praised the gold medallist.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"In every competition, the best athlete always wins. Kiprotich was the best today. I don't feel bad he won. Everybody came here for gold, and the best always wins," said Kipsang.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"The Olympics are very competitive. Today you win, tomorrow you don't, life continues."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The marathon was billed as a battle between Kenya and Ethiopia. But the Ethiopian team's tactics were dealt an early blow with Dino Sefir falling well off the pace.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kipsang, the 2012 London Marathon winner then built up a lead on the peloton, going through the halfway mark in 1:03.15, 16sec ahead of the chasing pack.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Kenyan built that lead up to 30sec on the stunning course, designed to take in as many of the British capital's main sights as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By the 23km mark in sweltering conditions, a second Ethiopian, Getu Feleke, was beginning to flag and had fallen off the chasing pack's pace.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In front of thousands of spectators packed 10-deep in some places, Kiprotich set off in pursuit of Kipsang, splintering the pack in the hunt for a podium place.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kirui and Ethiopia's Dubai marathon winner Ayele Abshero followed, and the trio cut Kipsang's lead to just 11sec, and then pulled level at 25km.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Abshero struggled to stay level and dropped 36sec by the 30km stage, Brazilian Marilson Dos Santos overtaking him into fourth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As the leading trio went through the gilded, covered Leadenhall Market for the final time with 7km to go, the Kenyans upped the pace to shake off Kiprotich.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Japan's Kentaro Nakamoto and the sole American left in the field, Eritrean-born Meb Keflezighi, were in position to challenge for a podium should anyone hit the wall in the final few miles.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But up front, the two Kenyans were caught napping as Kiprotich showed a dramatic change of pace to surge to the front in an audacious ambush at 32km, and was quickly 200m ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiprotich, who has moved to the famed Eldoret region of the Kenya's Rift Valley to train with former world 5000m champion Eliud Kipchoge, accelerated away, a brief look back over his shoulder confirming his position at the head of the field.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Going into the final 2km, the 23-year-old Ugandan was 20sec ahead of Kirui, and he had enough time to grab a Ugandan flag on his last time entering the Mall, in the shadow of Buckingham Palace, draping it around his shoulders as he crossed the line for a convincing victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As the race reached its climax and it became increasingly clear that Kiprotich would win, disbelief turned to jubilation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hampered by poor facilities and lack of funding, Ugandan runners have typically faced an uphill struggle as they try to compete with athletes from regional powerhouses Kenya and Ethiopia.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiprotich himself has had to move to the famed Eldoret region of the Kenya's Rift Valley to train and spends much of his time outside Uganda.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The next time he returns, however, he should be in for a rapturous welcome from his proud homeland. -- NNN-NEW VISION<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

London Olympic: Joy for Ugandans as Marathon Win Ends Gold Drought

LONDON/KAMPALA (NNN-NEW VISION) -- Crowded around television sets, cheering Ugandans celebrated as compatriot Stephen Kiprotich claimed...

London Olympics to Go Down as 'The Athletes' Games'

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">LONDON (RIA Novosti, David Nowak) - The London Olympics have been proclaimed as the best Games ever by IOC president Jacques Rogge.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That may sound impressive, but in reality it's a hollow accolade; bestowed upon any Olympics that manage to avoid the organizational calamity of Athens 2004 or Atlanta 1996.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This year, however, Rogge went a step further, saying London reminded fans why they love sport in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"London promised athletes' Games, and that's exactly what we got," said Rogge, presiding over his last of six Olympics as IOC chief.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"I am a very grateful and happy man. We are very happy with the Games."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was indeed the performances of the athletes that dominated attention during the Games, and amid the sea of record-setters it was two men who stole the limelight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps hung up his cap after becoming history's most decorated Olympian.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Baltimore Bullet won four gold and two silver to take his career tally to a record 22 medals, four more than legendary Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, helping the U.S. to a huge gold tally of 16 in the pool.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On the track, Jamaica's Usain Bolt put to bed any debate about his status as history's greatest sprinter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Bolt became the first person to retain all three sprint titles with his breathtaking victories in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100 meter relay.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The only individual sprint gold his country failed to take was the women's 200 meters, won by Allyson Felix of the United States.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In cycling, Chris Hoy won his fifth and sixth Olympic golds to overtake rower Steve Redgrave as Britain's most decorated Olympian. Bradley Wiggins added a time trial gold to the team pursuit and individual pursuit gold he took in Beijing and Athens.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The home nation, which enjoyed its best Olympic performance in 104 years, also enjoyed an outstanding first night of track and field.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jessica Ennis won the heptathlon, Greg Rutherford the long jump, and Mo Farah the 10,000 meters in the space of two hours. Farah would go on to win the 5,000 meters for a famous long-distance double.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Andy Murray's tennis gold medal after thrashing Roger Federer in the final further spread the feel-good factor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Chinese ramped up their incredible dominance in the table tennis and the scandal-hit badminton, sweeping the golds in both sports.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Eight badminton players including China's No. 1 seeds were removed from the women's doubles event for trying to lose their final group stage matches in order to get a more favorable draw in the knockout phase.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">China's 16-year-old swimmer Ye Shiwen was arguably the brightest Olympic breakthrough, taking nearly a second off the 400 meters individual medley world record in her second major competition.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The time was so fast she was forced to deny accusations of foul play made by U.S. swimming officials.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another outstanding find was fifteen-year-old Lithuanian swimmer Ruta Meilutyte, who took a surprise Olympic gold medal in the 100 meters breaststroke, her first competitive final.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In athletics, 19-year-old Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago shot out of obscurity to win men's javelin gold with the biggest competitive throw of his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Games had their share of other stick-in-the-mind moments, chief among them the teary protest of South Korean fencer Shin A-Lam.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Shin lost her individual epee semifinal to Britta Heidemann of Germany in controversial circumstances after timing error and sat dejected on the strip for over an hour before her coaches' protests were rebuffed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There was the longest match ever seen in Olympic tennis when Roger Federer toiled past Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina 3-6, 7-6(5), 19-17.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And few at the Eton Dorney rowing venue will forget the exploits of Niger's Hamadou Djibo, who got in boat for the first time just four months before the competition.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Djibo finished last in his single sculls heat, a minute and a half down on the winner.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The now-perennial U.S.-versus-China medal table narrative took a twist with the Chinese disappointing slightly and the Americans reversing the result of Beijing in 2008.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The U.S. took home 46 gold, 106 total medals, with China eight short in gold and 17 adrift in all.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Russia came strong toward the end to net 24 golds, but fourth place in the medal table is its lowest finish in post-Soviet history.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That is a point of concern in a country looking to be world beaters on home soil at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Saudi Arabia sent female athletes to the Games for the first time, with Sarah Attar running the 800 meters and Wojdan Shaherkani competing in judo.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These Games, meanwhile, were inevitably hit by a handful of doping expulsions ranging from drug cheats to pot smokers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Among them were American race walker Alex Schwazer; Moroccan 1,500 meters runner Amine Laalou; Russian cyclist Victoria Baranova; Uzbek gymnast Luiza Galiulina; and Albanian weightlifter Hysen Pulaku.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">St. Kitts and Nevis sent home sprinter Tameka Williams for taking a substance that they feared "would fall outside the accepted medical code."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">American judoka Nicholas Delpopolo was disqualified after testing positive for cannabis.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There were minor issues with filling seats, too, as organizers were forced to give away tickets to high-demand events such as the 100 meters final; that despite ticketing websites claiming sellouts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But for many the most enduring impression of the Games will be the spirit in which they were conducted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Bolt was the highest-profile gentleman, refusing to disturb an American medal ceremony for a television interview.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At the velodrome, cyclist Victoria Pendleton embraced the fierce rival who had just beaten her to the gold, Australia's Anna Meares.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The good will that trickled down through the athletes, staff and especially the 70,000 volunteers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Everywhere I go, no matter what optic I see these Games through and who I speak to, they are the people who are being spoken about," said chief organizer Sebastian Coe.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"It has been an extraordinary fortnight; just amazing, amazing scenes."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The closing ceremony is set for later Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

London Olympics to Go Down as 'The Athletes' Games'

LONDON (RIA Novosti, David Nowak) - The London Olympics have been proclaimed as the best Games ever by IOC president Jacques Rogge. That m...

Serena Williams Captures Olympics Tennis Gold

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TgzS5MWjJ5c" width="640"></iframe><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Parke Brewer<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">LONDON — American tennis star Serena Williams captured the women’s singles gold medal Saturday at the London Olympics about one month after capturing the Wimbledon title on the same court.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On a sunny, windy day, Serena Williams came out with power and a vengeance, opening her match against Russian Maria Sharapova with a love game in which three of the four points came on blistering service aces.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She won the first nine games and coasted to a 6-0, 6-1 victory in barely over one hour to win her first individual Olympics gold medal.  It gives her the so-called “Golden Slam” for having won all four of the Grand Slam tennis tournaments (the Australian, French and U.S. Opens and Wimbledon), plus the Olympics.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">German Steffi Graf is the only other player to achieve the feat, doing it in 1988.  Williams is the only one to do it in both singles and doubles.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Williams had previously won Olympic doubles gold medals with older sister Venus in Sydney in 2000 and four years ago in Beijing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Serena said this win was special. “I’ve always wanted to win a gold medal secretly, and I’ve always said, it doesn’t matter because I already have a gold medal and I really believe that, and I really felt that. But deep, deep, deep, deep down I wanted it in singles as well and I got it.  It’s an amazing feeling.  I can’t compare it.  I have them all, so it’s a great feeling," she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sharapova said it is clear Serena has been playing with a lot of confidence. “After winning Wimbledon you’ve seen her level progress so much here over this tournament.  With every match she’s played she’s playing better, hitting harder, and so much power on the ball, even against the wind today, her shots were very powerful.  She’s done an incredible job of keeping that up," she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Williams was so happy after her victory that she jumped in the air, and then performed a little jig at the side of the court. “I love to dance and I didn’t know what else to do I was so happy, and the next thing I know I started bouncing and moving and I didn’t plan it.  It just happened," she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As the American flag was being raised during the playing of the national anthem at the medal ceremony, the wind blew it down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When asked if she knew what happened, she said, “I just saw all these gusts of wind, and you see the flag flying and you’re like, ohhh.  It was probably flying to come hug me because the flag was so happy and it didn’t quite make it, but almost.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Winning the women’s tennis bronze medal was Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.  She beat Russian Maria Kirilenko (6-3, 6-4).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The United States also won the gold medal in men’s doubles Saturday, with twin brothers Mike and Bob Bryan defeating Frenchmen Michael Llodra and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (6-4, 7-6).  The bronze went to Frenchmen Richard Gasquet and Julien Benneteau.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Serena and Venus Williams will play for the women’s doubles gold medal Sunday and home favorite Andy Murray, who upset Serbian star Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, will play world No. 1 Roger Federer of Switzerland for the men’s gold.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Federer will aim to do what Serena did by winning the Wimbledon title last month and the Olympic title this month at the All England Club. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Serena Williams Captures Olympics Tennis Gold

By Parke Brewer LONDON — American tennis star Serena Williams captured the women’s singles gold medal Saturday at the London Olympics abo...

Women Make History on Day 7 of London Games

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fans at the 2012 London games witnessed history Friday, watching as several countries fielded female athletes for the very first time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Spectators met Saudi Arabia's Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani with a round of applause when she took to the mat in the women's judo competition, becoming the first Saudi woman ever to compete in the games. Shahrkhani wore a tight-fitting black cap instead of a traditional headscarf.  But her match did not last long.  She was defeated by Puerto Rico's Melissa Mojica in just 82 seconds.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Noor Hussain al-Malki made history as the first woman to represent Qatar in athletics, competing in the women's 100 meter sprint.  She appeared to injure her leg and did not finish.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Afghanistan's only female athlete - Tahmina Kohistani - also ran in the 100 meters, finishing last but running a personal best (14.42 seconds).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Iraq's Dana Abdul Razak placed second in her women's 100 meters heat, advancing to the next round.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps has another chance Friday to add to his Olympic legacy.  He goes for gold in the men's 100 meter butterfly.  Phelps is already the only Olympian ever with 20 medals.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The United States leads the way so far with a total of 37 medals, tied with China for the most gold medals with 18.  China is second with 35 total medals, followed by Japan (19 ), Britain (18), Germany (18),  France and Russia (17 each).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">London's Olympic organizers expected Friday to be the busiest day for fans, with events at almost all of the games' venues and transportation could be difficult.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"[It is] not only that it's the busiest day that we've had so far at the Olympic Games, it's the day that we've got most of the venues open," noted London Transportation official Leon Daniels. "After today, some of the other venues like Wimbledon and Lords start to close. So we've got more people traveling to more destinations all the way across London and it's the biggest number, nearly 200,000 or so in the Olympic park and Stratford."<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Women Make History on Day 7 of London Games

By VOA News Fans at the 2012 London games witnessed history Friday, watching as several countries fielded female athletes for the very fi...

INDIA: PM Congratulates Vijay Kumar on his Olympic Medal

NEW DELHI (PIB) --- Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh has congratulated Indian shooter Vijay Kumar on his winning the Olympic silver meda...

INDIA: PM Congratulates Gagan Narang on his Olympic medal

NEW DELHI (PIB) --- The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh has congratulated Gagan Narang on his winning the Olympic bronze medal in Londo...

Olympic Flame Lights in London

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">By </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"> Zohir Tashkhodjayev,</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">UzA special reporter</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">  </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoLFVOyUcsCzebZ3n8kVdmOz1g1XOKdWSoXdb-B7AaLKhALFq6ZvRqw36keh_m7IWHhODOlR6KUKJ7ZgmQaYIRB9EjxlSrOZH3EQHamM9YHfzZnylu-rVq2NF6B6ezy-ttFCbp2k0Zt4/s1600/6320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoLFVOyUcsCzebZ3n8kVdmOz1g1XOKdWSoXdb-B7AaLKhALFq6ZvRqw36keh_m7IWHhODOlR6KUKJ7ZgmQaYIRB9EjxlSrOZH3EQHamM9YHfzZnylu-rVq2NF6B6ezy-ttFCbp2k0Zt4/s320/6320.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Photo © UzA <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">by Muhammad Amin</span></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">LONDON (UZA)--- </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">On 27 July, formal opening ceremony of the 30th summer Olympic Games held in the stadium of Olympia titled “Isles of Wonder” in London city, Great Britain.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The first modern Olympic Games were organized in the Greek capital of Athens. In these competitions held from 6 to 15 April in 1896, athletes from more than ten countries competed in nine different kinds of sports.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Today, the Olympic Games have become the most prestigious and popular competitions that attract athletes from all continents of the globe. The Olympic symbol developed in 1913 by Pierre de Coubertin, composed of five interlocking rings in blue, black, red, yellow and green represent Europe, Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The white background of the Olympic flag that unites the five rings is the symbol of peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmfLHezz0dhyphenhyphenWJl8HDoT9hLVy9Q8NwDVcfluaT8lExmo1v7pp1uWKrbicezK_XA6ndb4BPpmtADnT8g2gevSLVY5sAZ0lJMoyJ4vYlT-_GbdBFuY5Po6eGvA9tht41HvuJxDQGfcLAZg/s1600/6323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmfLHezz0dhyphenhyphenWJl8HDoT9hLVy9Q8NwDVcfluaT8lExmo1v7pp1uWKrbicezK_XA6ndb4BPpmtADnT8g2gevSLVY5sAZ0lJMoyJ4vYlT-_GbdBFuY5Po6eGvA9tht41HvuJxDQGfcLAZg/s320/6323.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Opening Ceremony of the 30th summer <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Olympic Games took place in the Olympic stadium<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> newly built in the city of London.Photo © UzA <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">by Muhammad Amin</span></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The history of the peoples of the United Kingdom, their national customs, dramatized performances, demonstrations by artists and sportsmen have been presented in this festive decorated stage of the stadium.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The most exciting and the most interesting moment of the ceremony was the parade of the delegations of participating countries. According to tradition, athletes of Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, came out on stage first.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The spectators have welcomed the athletes with applause. The Uzbek delegation entered the stadium following Elshod Rasulov world boxing champion, winner of world and continental championships, several international tournaments, who hold high the flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan in his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The sports delegation of Uzbekistan consisting of nearly 60 athletes who have succeeded in the qualifying competitions in 16 kinds of sports like gymnastics, artistic gymnastics, trampoline, cycling, swimming, athletics, weightlifting, rowing and canoeing, boxing, judo, taekwondo, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, shooting, fencing and tennis will defend the honor of our Motherland in the Olympic Games.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">During the years of independence, Uzbekistan has become known in the world as a country where the sport is growing with an intense rhythm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Uzbekistan, the three-tier sports games – Umid Nihollari (Offspring of Hope), Barkamol Avlod (Comprehensively Advanced Generation) and Universiade formed on the initiative of the President, along with helping to foster a physically robust and spiritually mature younger generation, serve as a peculiar school of nurturing gifted athletes capable of worthily defend the honor of our Motherland in the international arenas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Queen of England Elizabeth II announces the opening of the 30th summer Olympic Games.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I declare open the Games of London celebrating the 30th Olympiad of the modern era,” said Queen Elizabeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The anthem of the 30th Olympic Games was played and its flag was raised.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Olympic torch was driven in a speedboat up the River Thames by former England soccer captain. He then passed it on to seven youngsters who performed a lap of honor before approaching the centre of the stage.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Surrounded by thousands of athletes, they lit some of copper petals which rose on stalks to form a single burning “flower”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The 30th summer Olympic Games started. Over ten thousand athletes will compete in more than thirty types of sports for 302 medals.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to the resolution of the President of state “On preparation of athletes of Uzbekistan to participate in the 30th summer Olympic and XIV Paralympic Games 2012 in London (Great Britain)” from 5 January 2009 have become an important factor for careful preparation of our athletes to the Olympic Games. They have passed courses and training practices in Uzbekistan and abroad, have improved their skills and experiences in international competitions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The constant attention given to the development of sports and the efficient organization of activities aimed at preparing athletes for the London Olympics have found their confirmation in the sixteenth Asian Games held in the Chinese city of Guangzhou in 2010. The competitions conducted under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee and Council of Asian Olympic competitions, have shown good preparation of Asian athletes to the Olympics in London, their possibilities and potential.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Asian Games held in 2010, the representatives of Uzbekistan have won 56 medals in total, including 11 gold, 22 silver and 23 bronze and put themselves in the ranks of the top eight teams. In 2011 sports season, Uzbekistan has collected 789 medals in total – 235 gold, 229 silver and 325 bronze medals after participating in 253 international competitions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Champions of previous Olympics, world and continental championships in judo Rishod Sobirov, Navruz Jurakobilov, Dilshod Choriyev, in boxing Abbos Atoyev, Elshod Rasulov, Akmal Ergashev in taekwondo and canoeist Vadim Menkov, freestyle wrestlers Dilshod Mansurov, Artur Taymazov, Zaurbek Sokhiyev, heavy athlete Ruslan Nuriddinov, Svetlana Radzivil in track and field athletics as well as Yekaterina Khilko in jumping on trampoline are among the athletes of Uzbekistan’s sports delegation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Among rhythmic gymnasts, Ulyana Trofimova was the first to get the right to participate in the Olympics. The representative of Uzbekistan Mariya Sysoyeva also will try her athletic skills in heavy athletics for the first time. And Ruslan Kudayev will be the first Uzbek athlete who will compete in men’s fencing competitions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to experts, the two previous Olympics held in 2004 in Greece and in 2008 in China were successful for the Olympians of Uzbekistan who have shown considerable growth in the results.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the Olympiad held in Greece, the Uzbeks have picked up two gold, one silver and two bronze medals and occupied the 34th place among more than two hundred participating countries. With this result, the team exceeded athletes from some countries participating in the Olympic Games since 1896 such as Denmark occupied 37th place and Switzerland – 46th place.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And this time also, we are confident that athletes of Uzbekistan will worthily defend the honor of our country and return from London with great gifts for the 21st anniversary of independence.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Olympic Flame Lights in London

By Zohir Tashkhodjayev, UzA special reporter Photo © UzA by Muhammad Amin LONDON (UZA)--- On 27 July, formal opening ceremony of ...

London Ready for Olympics Opening Ceremony

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMT2GvLYjl0QM35Uv_kxAAFn80pG5OTBTk8lzqRBhFXuwp9pxrjCID5b_c_CumNuJ5Tk6I7AmkHVVzgMt3GaPbF-25DxEJcCV7-tXSAgII6IFVdH_GpH0MZYwq7DKwjimPwhPD9L6oys/s1600/2012072615053800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMT2GvLYjl0QM35Uv_kxAAFn80pG5OTBTk8lzqRBhFXuwp9pxrjCID5b_c_CumNuJ5Tk6I7AmkHVVzgMt3GaPbF-25DxEJcCV7-tXSAgII6IFVdH_GpH0MZYwq7DKwjimPwhPD9L6oys/s1600/2012072615053800.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Flags of 200 nations are displayed on Regent Street in London, the British capital where crowds are expected to flock to the streets to catch a glimpse of the Olympics decorations. The eyes of the world will be on London on 27 July 2012 for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, which is expected to have a global TV audience of more than a billion people. Photo courtesy Gary Etchell---NNN<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">London's famous Big Ben chimed 40 times over three minutes Friday, joined by church bells and car horns to welcome the start of the 2012 Olympic Games.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The giant bell, housed in a clock tower overlooking the Houses of Parliament, began its toll at 8:12 a.m. Entertainment preceding the opening ceremony is scheduled to begin at 8:12 p.m. -- symbolically, 20:12.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Olympic torch was rowed down the Thames River on the royal barge Gloriana on the final leg of its journey to London's Olympic Park.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The torch relay ends Friday evening with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron during the Games' opening ceremony.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">London is welcoming around 10,000 athletes, hundreds of thousands of visitors and a worldwide television audience for the extravagant ceremony. It will be directed by Danny Boyle, the director of the Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire, and will feature a performance by British music legend Paul McCartney.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Britain's Queen Elizabeth will officially open the Games.  The competition in 26 sports runs until August 12.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Organizers have dealt with a series of last-minute problems, including scrambling to deploy enough security personnel after a private contractor reported staffing problems.  <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On the eve of the opening, British Prime Minister David Cameron said his biggest concern is a "safe and secure" Olympics.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">About 36,000 troops, police and hired contractors will guard the Olympic venues and the streets of London and other British cities. After the private security firm G4S acknowledged earlier this month that it would not be able to hire all of the 10,000 contractors it had agreed to provide, British officials called up additional military personnel to fill the gap. ---VOA News</span></div></span></div>

London Ready for Olympics Opening Ceremony

Flags of 200 nations are displayed on Regent Street in London, the British capital where crowds are expected to flock to the streets to c...

China-Made US Olympic Uniforms Spark Controversy

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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">By Brian Padden</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" scrolling="no" src="http://www.voanews.com/flashembed.aspx?t=vid&id=1419310&w=640&h=360&skin=embeded" width="640"></iframe><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the U.S. Congress, more outrage over the U.S. Olympic team wearing uniforms manufactured in China.  Some lawmakers directed their anger this week at the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement that could lower tariffs on footwear imports</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Now that the U.S. Olympic team acknowledges wearing uniforms made in China, there's new pressure on President Obama to preserve tariffs on the import of footwear from low-wage countries</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Representative Michael Michaud of Maine supports the current import tariffs of 8 to 37 percent on shoes made in Indonesia, China and other countries to offset government subsidies in those places. But he is most concerned about Vietnam, because it is part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement currently being negotiated</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>"</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Anytime you negotiate a trade deal, for me is how do we make sure that whatever countries are part of that negotiation, what do they do currently, whether it's environment, labor or currency manipulation, and how do we make sure we have a level playing field," said Michaud</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Michaud's district in Maine, three New Balance footwear manufacturing facilities operate and employ close to 900 people.  New Balance President and CEO Rob DeMartini says all other things being equal, his company can still make a profit producing 25 percent of its products in the U.S., where workers earn close to $20 an hour, compared with the $5 a day workers in developing countries often make</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>"</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We don't need wages level," said DeMartini.  "We need the full playing field level, and, when we do that, even though our labor costs are as much as 20 times higher per hour, we still have found a way to make productive and profitable shoes here in the U.S</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>."</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But he says without the tariffs, New Balance and many other remaining American manufacturing companies will most likely have to outsource their operations, and chances are future U.S. Olympic gear will not be made in the United States.---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div></div>

China-Made US Olympic Uniforms Spark Controversy

By Brian Padden In the U.S. Congress, more outrage over the U.S. Olympic team wearing uniforms manufactured in China. Some lawmakers d...

Official Lighting Ceremony of London Olympics

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<h5 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1xto240zodfhXiUIhmzpTbL3WbMmRXHX7RvuNzRyHomoHpgL_Mp8n12LTGeiY2kGuVdCRv5ZtwZmfk96DsS_FVHyKp60_tnxQAUmc-UjBilT_bz-IvVC8KHHfdvErvu7J4eplzkiofQ/s1600/2012051014025022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1xto240zodfhXiUIhmzpTbL3WbMmRXHX7RvuNzRyHomoHpgL_Mp8n12LTGeiY2kGuVdCRv5ZtwZmfk96DsS_FVHyKp60_tnxQAUmc-UjBilT_bz-IvVC8KHHfdvErvu7J4eplzkiofQ/s1600/2012051014025022.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">NNN--- Greek actress Ino Menegaki (front), playing the role of High Priestess, holds up the Olympic flame at the lighting ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, at the site of ancient Olympia, Greece, May 10, 2012. With the bright sunshine, the flame was lit by the high priestess in seconds directly from the sun’s rays. Photo Courtesy Xinhua---NNN</span></span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">BEIJING (NNN-XINHUA) - The Olympic flame for this summer's London Games was lit </span> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">May 10, 2012</span> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;"> in Ancient Olympia, Greece. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">The Hellenic Olympic Committee said the flame was lit "with every solemnity, according to the traditional way". <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">High Priestess, Ino Menegaki,  lit the flame directly from the sun’s rays. It was handed over to the first torchbearer, Greek world champion swimmer, Spyros Gianniotis. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">An eight-day torch relay covering 2,900 kilometres around Greece will follow. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">Ceremonies will be held at the site where the first Olympics were held some 2,800 years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">The lighting ceremony was broadcast live over the Internet for the first time ever. --NNN-XINHUA</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></h5></div>

Official Lighting Ceremony of London Olympics

NNN--- Greek actress Ino Menegaki (front), playing the role of High Priestess, holds up the Olympic flame at the lighting ceremony of the...

India: Raise Dow's Olympic Sponsorship with IOC - Sports Ministry to IOA

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span>  </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NEW DELHI</span></span></st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-AGENCIES) -- With the Dow Chemicals sponsorship of next year's London Olympics causing outrage among <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bhopal</st1:place></st1:city> gas tragedy victims, the Sports Ministry on Monday asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to raise the issue with the International Olympic Committee. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In a letter addressed to IOA acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra, the Ministry expressed concern about the status of the contentious company as the official worldwide Olympic partner. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dow Chemicals, which last year in July signed an agreement with the IOC, is the company that took over Union Carbide, responsible for the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bhopal</st1:place></st1:city> gas tragedy that killed over 15,000 people and disabled thousands. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The matter of Dow's liability, in respect of the Bhopal Gas tragedy victims is sub-judice and that the government of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> has itself filed a suit against the company. Strong public sentiment exists in this matter and a number of eminent ex-Olympians have also raised concerns,” the letter stated. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“In the light of the above, and the fact that under the agreement between Dow and IOC, Dow will partner IOC and National Olympic Committees around the world, including <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. We would advise the Indian Olympic Association to raise this matter immediately with the IOC while keeping the government informed,” it added. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dow is an official worldwide Olympic partner and the official chemistry company for the Olympic movement upto 2020 Games and as part of their agreement with the IOC they will also partner the National Olympic Committees around the world, including <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In an immediate response, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Monday said it will convey the concerns of the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bhopal</st1:place></st1:city> gas disaster victims to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding the sponsorship deal struck by Dow Chemicals with the 2012 London Games organisers. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">IOA acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra said former Olympians, IOA, and the government are not happy that the Games should be associated with any 'tainted' sponsors. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">'We will discuss this issue in our executive board and general body meeting Dec 15,' Malhotra said in a statement here. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">'We understand the feelings of the players, government and the NGOs. We will discuss it seriously and see what we can do at our level. We will also keep the government in the loop.' <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">'We will try to make the games organisers aware of the feeling of the people who have suffered in that tragedy. It is not only the Indians who are protesting this sponsorship; there has been an outcry against this world over from various NGO's and other bodies. It is no longer a local issue,' he said. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">IOA has received representations from several former Olympians and NGOs protesting the London Games organisers' links with Dow Chemicals. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dow Chemicals will foot the bill of a temporary decorative wrap over <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city>'s Olympic stadium and this move has created 'dismay amongst the victims and others who see Olympic Games as celebration of best of human spirits'. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">'The IOA is bound by the Olympic charter and we will play our role within the framework of this charter,' Malhotra said. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bhopal</st1:place></st1:city> victims and the activists fighting their cases are unhappy over the woefully inadequate quantum of compensation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Union Carbide, the then owners of the pesticide plant, paid $470 million as settlement package for the victims in 1989 and 10 years later the unit was bought over by Dow Chemicals. Now the Indian government has demanded over $1 billion more as compensation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">There has been a wave of resentment in the country over Dow's sponsorship of the London Games. The state of Madhya Pradesh has demanded the Games boycott by <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> as in its capital <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bhopal</st1:place></st1:city> thousands died and thousands are still reeling under the after-effects of the disaster. -- NNN-AGENCIES<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div>

India: Raise Dow's Olympic Sponsorship with IOC - Sports Ministry to IOA

NEW DELHI (NNN-AGENCIES) -- With the Dow Chemicals sponsorship of next year's London Olympics causing outrage among Bhopal gas tra...