2008 Summer Olympics (Aug. 8-24) - 38 Athletic Events

Art Vandeleigh · 07-29-08, 02:27 PM

Some event heavy favorites / co-favorites, (from over 300 gold medal awarded events)

Men's Triathlon - Javier Gomez (Spain)
Women's Triathlon - Vanessa Fernandes (Portugal)
Men's 400 meter - Jeremy Wariner (U.S.A.)
Women's Beach Volleyball - Kerri Walsh/ Misty May-Treanor (U.S.A)
Men's Cycling 4000m Pursuit - Bradley Wiggins (Great Britain)

Women's 10,000 meters - Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia)
Women's Handball - Russia/Norway
Men's Rowing Quadruple Sculls (Team) - Poland
Women's Softball - U.S.A.
Women's Archery (Team) - South Korea

Men's 100 meter - Usain Bolt (Jamaica), Tyson Gay (U.S.A.), Asafa Powell (Jamaica)
Men's Triple Jump - Phillips Idowu (Great Britain)
Men's Volleyball - Brazil
Women's High Jump - Blanca Vlasic (Croatia)
Women's Tennis - Ana, Maria, Serena, Venus

Women's Rowing Double Sculls (Team) - China
Men's 110 meter Hurdles - Dayron Robles (Cuba) / Xiang Liu (China)
Women's Pole Vault - Yelena Isonbayeva (Russia) <----------------------------- LOCK
Baseball - Cuba
Michael Phelps, Men's Swimming - Will he beat Mark Spitz's record of 7 gold medals?

NapoleonEli · 07-29-08, 08:53 PM

I looking forward to Soccer,Boxing,Weightlifting,Wrestling,Ba sketball,and the Track and Field events. . . .I don't really get into the events as much. . .Im starting to clear my DVR so I can record some of the Olympics. . .

Art Vandeleigh · 07-30-08, 04:24 AM

Too many events, it's overkill. Trying to break things up into general categories and organize this mess.

I. The Big 3 - Athletics, Swimming, Gymnastics (95 golds awarded for these competitions)

II. Team Sports - Baseball, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Soccer, Handball, Field Hockey, Softball, Volleyball, Water Polo

III. Combative - Boxing, Fencing, Judo, Taekwondo, Wrestling

IV. In a boat - The 2 Canoe/Kayak competitions, Rowing, Sailing (41 total golds awarded for these 4 competitions - way too many!)

V. Holding a racket - Tennis, Table Tennis, Badminton

VI. Riding on something - The 4 cycling events, Equestrian

VII. Hands pointing up or down while competing - Trampoline, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Synchronized Swimming, Diving, Weightlifting

VIII. Shooting at something - Archery, Shooting

IX. Ends in "lon" - Modern Pentathlon, Triathlon

Art Vandeleigh · 07-30-08, 05:12 AM

Category I, The big three - Athletics, Swimming, Gymnastics

Athletics:

Track Events (Men and Women)

100m - Men: Bolt/Gay/Powell going for fastest man in the world title ; Women's race is wide open
200m - Men: Usain Bolt (Jamaica) prohibitive favorite; Women's race Allyson Felix (USA) and Veronica Campbell Brown (Jamaica) to fight this one out.
400m - Men: Jeremy Wariner (USA) strong favorite, only LaShawn Merritt (USA) given any shot; Women: Sanya Richards (USA) is the heavy favorite
800m - Men: Fairly wide open, Abubaker Kaki (Sudan) mild favorite
1500m
5000m - Women: Meseret Dufar (Ethiopia) Strong favorite
10000m - Men: Kenenisa Bikele (Ethiopia) strong favorite Women: Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia) is a LOCK
100m hurdles (Women) - Wide open
110m hurdles (Men) - Robles (Cuba) vs. Liu (China) very strong co-favorites
400m hurdles - Men: Kerron Clement (USA), Bershawn Jackson (USA) solid co-favorites
3000m steeplechase
4 x 100m relay - Men: USA mild favorites; Women: USA solid favoites
4 x 400m relay - Men: USA prohibitive favorites ; Women: USA very strong favorites
Marathon - Men: Strong field ; Women: World record holder Paula Radcliffe among favorites
20km walk
50km walk (Men only)

Field Events (Men and Women)

Long Jump - Men: Irving Saladino (Panama) solid favorite
Triple Jump - Men: Philips Idowu (Great Britain)
High Jump - Men: Andrei Silnov (Russia), Stefan Holm (Sweden) favorites ; Women: Blanca Vlasic (Croatia) is a LOCK
Pole Vault - Men: 3 way battle expected betwen Brad Walker (USA), Evgeny Lukyanenko (Russia), Steven Hooker (Australia) Women: Yelena Isonbayeva (Russia) is a LOCK
Shot put - Men: Wide open
Discus throw - Men: Gerd Kanter (Estonia), Virgilijus Alekna (Lithuania) solid co-favorites
Javelin throw - Men: Tero Pitkamaki (Finland), Andreas Thorkildsen (Norway) strong co-favorites
Hammer throw - Ivan Tikhon (Belarus) solid favorite
Heptathlon (Women)
Decathlon (Men) - Wide open, defending champion Roman Sebrle (Czech Republic) competing

Athletics preview

The United States has dominated the track & field events through the majority of Olympic history, but will that supremacy translate to a another big summer at the Beijing Games?

The U.S. has garnered a total of 713 medals in track & field or more hardware than the next five biggest winners combined. Yet, the rest of the world has made strides in many events recently, especially in the field portion where international competitors have begun to dominate in the jumping events after years of controlling the throwing competitions.

There will be medals awarded in 47 track & field events during the Summer Games, including 26 in running, 16 in field events, three in walking and one medal each in the decathlon (men) and heptathlon (women).

In 2004, a group of young, relatively unknown Americans competed in track & field at the Olympic Games and although medal-count expectations were low, the group brought home 25 medals, the greatest medal tally in a decade.

As the reigning world champion in both the 100 and 200 meters, Tyson Gay was supposed to be competing for two individual medals in Beijing, but an injury at the U.S. Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon will force him to focus on the 100 in China. Gay suffered a mild hamstring strain in qualifying for the 200m and was not able to finish the race.

Fortunately, Gay had already made the grade in the 100 meters, as he won the event earlier at the trials with a wind-aided time of 9.68 seconds. Gay also set an American record in the 100 by clocking in at 9.77 seconds in the semifinal round at the trials.

Gay's main competition in the 100 will come from Jamaica, as both Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell try to grab gold. Bolt defeated Gay in a meet in New York on May 31, running the 100 meters in 9.72 seconds to break the world record held by Powell for nearly three years.

Even with Gay limited to just the 100 meters, the United States has an abundance of sprinters ready to compete and hopefully medal in Beijing.

Walter Dix, last year's NCAA Outdoor champion in both the 100 and 200 meters for Florida State, qualified for the Olympics in both of those events at the trials by finishing second to Gay in the 100 and edging out Shawn Crawford to win the 200.

The U.S. also has a healthy rivalry developing in the 400 meters between Jeremy Wariner and LaShawn Merritt, two of the top runners in the world at the distance. The runners finished 1-2 in last year's world championships in Osaka and are hoping to repeat that success in Beijing.

Wariner is the defending gold medalist and two-time world champion in the 400, but Merritt surprised some with a win over Wariner at the track trials.

"I think I'm still the favorite (at the Olympics). I've been there before and I know what it takes to win," claimed Wariner.

Allyson Felix won a silver medal for the U.S. in the women's 200 meters four years ago in Athens and is also the defending world champ at the distance.

"I think that, you know, you kind of feel the added pressure, but I think we can be proud of where we came from, the people who have come before us," said Felix. "We dont want to let anyone down. I think that will motivate us more, because we know our reputation is on the line."

Muna Lee is running in both the 100 and 200 meters for the United States, while Sanya Richards is America's leading candidate for gold in the 400.

The Americans can almost always be counted on to medal in the relay events as the rest of the world has a difficult time challenging the level of depth found on the U.S. squad.

The U.S. is also expected to have a good shot at medals in the men's distance category now that Bernard Lagat is competing for the Stars and Stripes. The Kenyan-born Lagat, who became an American citizen in 2005, won the 1,500 and 5,000 meter races at the 2007 world championships and will compete in both events in Beijing.

David Oliver is the best hope for the U.S. in the 110-meter hurdles, but he will have to defeat defending world champion Liu Xiang on his home turf.

"It wasn't my time to do big things last year. I believe I have gotten stronger and will really be able to make some improvements in Beijing," stated Oliver.

Also in the field will be Dayron Robles of Cuba, who is the current world record holder in the event after having bested Xiang's former all-time mark in June.

Reese Hoffa is the biggest star for the United States in the throwing events, having won the world championships in the shot put in 2007. Adam Nelson will be back for a third straight Summer Games after taking the silver in the shot put in Sydney and Athens.

""It's all about who's going to be ready for that competition and who's going to be able to deal with all the forces that put pressure on you while you're there," said Nelson.

The U.S. women didn't fare well at the 2007 world championship field events, as not a single American was able to medal off the track.

Jennifer Stuczynski hopes to change that at the Olympics as she has an excellent chance to medal in the pole vault. However, winning gold could be another matter with world-record holder Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia standing in the way.

Track & field events will take place at Beijing National Stadium or "The Bird's Nest" as it's come to be known.

Swimming

Freestyle (Men and Women)
50m - Men: Eamonn Sullivan (Australia), Alain Bernard (France); Women: Lisbeth Trickett (Australia) and Marleen Veldhuis (Netherlands) are solid co-favorites
100m - Men: Eamonn Sullivan (Australia) Alain Bernard (France) solid co-favorites ; Women: Lisbeth Trickett (Australia) solid favorite in strong field
200m - Men: Michael Phelps (USA) is a LOCK ; Women: wide open, Katie Hoff (USA) and Federica Pellegrini (Italy) mild co-favorites
400m - Men: Wide open; Women: Wide open
800m (women) - Katie Hoff (USA) solid favorite in strong field
1500m (men) - Grant Hackett (Australia, defending Olympic champ) strong favorite

Backstroke (M,W)
100m - Aaron Peirsol (USA) is a prohibitive favorite ; Women: Natalie Coughlin (USA) strong favorite
200m - Men: Aaron Peirsol (USA), Ryan Lochte (USA) very stong co-favorites ; Women: Margaret Hoelzer (USA) and Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwae) solid co-favorites

Breaststroke (M,W)
100m - Men: Brandon Hansen (USA), Kosuke Kitajima (Japan) very strong co-favorites ; Women: Leisel Jones (Australia) is a prohibitive favorite
200m - Men: Kosuke Kitajima (Japan) is a prohibitive favorite ; Leisel Jones (Australia) is a prohibitive favorite

Butterfly (M,W)
100m - Men: Michael Phelps (USA) is a prohibitive favorite, Ian Crocker (USA) has a shot; Women: Lisbeth Trickett (Australia) strong favorite, Jessicah Schipper (Australia) given a shot
200m - Michael Phelps (USA) is a LOCK ; Women: Jessicah Schipper (Australia) and Otylia Jedrzejczak (Poland) are very strong co-favorites

Individual Medley (M,W)
200m - Men: Michael Phelps (USA) is a very strong favorite
400m - Men: Michael Phelps (USA) is a LOCK

Freestyle Relay (M,W)
4 x 100 - Men: USA strong favorites; Women: Australia solid favoites
4 x 200 - Men: USA prohibitive favorites ; Women: USA very strong favorites

Medley Relay (M,W)
4 x 100 - Men: USA prohibtive favorites ; Women: Australia strong favorites

Marathon (M,W)
10km

Swimming preview:

The United States has dominated swimming at the Olympics nearly every time it has participated, and 2008 should be no different. There are plenty of storylines surrounding the American team in Beijing, including Michael Phelps' quest for glory at a single-Olympic record of gold medals, and the inspiration of 41-year-old Dara Torres participating in her fifth Summer Games, this time as a mother.

Four years ago the U.S. won 28 medals, including 12 gold. Six of them came from Phelps, who barely failed in his attempt to tie Mark Spitz's record of seven golds at one Olympics. Phelps also had two bronze in Athens. Spitz had seven at the 1972 Munich Games, and believes Phelps can not only smash world marks in China, but can do it in dominating fashion.

"This is going to be history," Spitz said at July's Olympic swimming trials. "He's going to do it with what we say is a little schooling to the rest of the world. It's going to be exciting for those who are going to see it in person and for those who will watch it on TV."

The 23-year-old Phelps, who broke his wrist last fall, won five titles at the U.S. trials in July and will compete in the 200 and 400-meter individual medleys, the 200-meter freestyle, the 100 and 200-meter butterfly, and the 800-meter relay. Four years ago he captured the 200m butterfly, 200m and 400m individual medleys, and a pair of relay golds.

"I think I'm more relaxed than I was four years ago," Phelps said. "That's good for me. The more relaxed I am I think the better I am. It's going to be a fun event for me to go out and have another chance to step up on the Olympic level."

Also on the men's side for the U.S., Ryan Lochte, who won two medals in Athens, will race in three events. as will Jason Lezak. Peter Vanderkaay will be in four races.

Garrett Weber-Gale, winner of the 50 and 100 meter freestyle at the trials, will be up against stiff international competition in Beijing.

It's been an incredible Olympic run for Torres, winner of nine medals, starting with a relay gold in 1984 in her current home city of Los Angeles, and most recently capturing four medals in 2000 -- this after coming out of a seven-year retirement.

Not only that, but last November Torres had surgery to remove a bone spur responsible for a partial rotator cuff tear in her right shoulder. She also had surgery on her knee in January.

Torres will race in the 50-meter freestyle, choosing to drop the 100 from her Olympic program. She'll also be up probably for a relay.

"It's sort of bittersweet for me because I made my fifth Olympic team, but I'm going to be away from my daughter for a month and that's going to be real hard emotionally," Torres said. "I'm happy I'm going to Beijing."

Also on the women's side, American Katie Hoff has qualified for six events and will try for a record of her own in Beijing. The record for most medals won by a U.S. woman's swimmer at a single Olympics is five - by Shirley Babashoff in 1976, Torres in 2000 and Natalie Coughlin in 2004.

Amanda Beard is headed to her fourth Olympics and will be in the 200-meter breaststroke. The gold medalist at this event at the 2004 Summer Games, the 26-year-old Beard has already won three medals in the 200 breaststroke, also donning a silver in 1996 and bronze in 2000.

Coughlin will try to follow her amazing success from four years ago as she'll be in the pool for the 100-meter backstroke, 200 IM, 100 free and 400m relay.

The U.S. has dominated swimming, winning 458 total medals from the sport, including 202 gold. That is nearly three times the amount of the second-place country - Australia with 157.

The interesting part of the swimming program is the finals have been moved to the morning in Beijing to accommodate NBC's broadcast so they can be televised live during primetime in the U.S. That means the heats will take place at night, something swimmers will have to adjust to instead of the normal schedule of heats in the morning and finals at night.

Internationally, the men's field is highlighted by Australian Eamon Sullivan, who is the current world record-holder and has the distinction of the fastest swimmer in the world, clocking the 50 in 21.28 seconds. Frenchmen Alain Bernard and Amaury Leveaux are also expected to make a push for a medal in the 50.

Bernard, who looks more like a bodybuilder than a swimmer, broke three world records at the 2008 European Championships and will race in the 50, 100 and also in the 400-meter relay. Also contending in the 50 and 100 will be Sweden's Stefan Nystrand, who

Americans will also have to deal the "The Machine" as in Aussie Grant Hackett, a five-time medal winner at the Olympics. The 28-year-old is known as one of the greatest distance swimmers in history and will race in the 200m free, 400m free and 1500m free. He is the defending 1500m free champion at the Summer Games.

Kosuke Kitajima is a breaststroke specialist, having won the 100m and 200m versions in Athens. Australia's top breaststroker is Brenton Rickard.

Australian Andrew Lauterstein could be a strong contender for Phelps in the 100m fly, while Italian Filippo Magnini tries for glory in the 50 and 100m free events.

Pieter van den Hoogenband, known by some as "The Flying Dutchman", won the 100m and 200m events in Sydney eight years ago and now he has his sights set on Beijing. This will be his fourth Olympics.

China has never won a swimming medal at the Olympics, but ** Peng will try to change that when he races against Phelps in the 100 and 200m fly. China's top male freestyler is Zhang Lin, who is entered in the 200 and 400 free, along with the 1500 free.

Missing from these Games will be Australian Ian Thorpe, who announced his retirement nearly two years ago. Thorpe won four medals in Athens and would've been a top contender for Phelps.

Australians are also strong among the women. Look out for Libby Trickett, who is entered in five events, including the 100 and 200 free, and the 100 fly. Trickett has won four individual gold medals from World Championships and currently holds five world records. Also, Aussie Bronte Barratt is a darkhorse in the 200 and 400 free. Stephanie Rice should put a charge into the 200 and 400 IMs, while Leisel Jones is head of the class in the breastroke as a world record holder. Jessicah Schipper will be one to watch in the 100 and 200 fly.

Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry won three medals in Athens and will head to Beijing for the 100 and 200 backstrokes, along with the 200 and 400 IMs and is a threat to medal in all events.

Poland's Otylia Jedrzejczak is a top contender in the 100 and 200 fly events. She won the 200 fly in Athens.

France's Laure Manaudou, who won a gold, silver and bronze medal in Athens, will compete in five races, including the 100 and 200m backstrokes.

Gymnastics

Team all-around (M,W)- Men: China prohibitive favorite
Individual all-around (M,W)
Vault (M,W)
Floor (M,W)
Pomel Horse (M)
Rings (M)
Parallel Bars (M)
Horizontal Bar (M)
Uneven Bars (W)
Balance Beam (W)

Gymnastics preview:

The U.S. women's gymnastics team is shaping up to be the favorites to not only win the team gold medal in Beijing, but also take plenty of individual honors at the Olympics.

Four years ago, Carly Patterson became the darling of the gymnastics world by winning the all-around gold medal. Now the torch could be passed to 16-year- old Shawn Johnson, the 2007 world all-around champion, or 18-year-old Nastia Liukin, as the duo finished 1-2 at the U.S. Olympic trials in June.

Born in Moscow, Russia, Liukin is the second Olympian in her family. Liukin's father and coach, Valeri, won four gymnastics medals at the 1988 Olympics, including two gold, and her mother was a 1987 rhythmic gymnastics world champion.

Twelve men's teams and 12 women's teams, with a maximum of six athletes per squad, will compete at Beijing's National Indoor Stadium.

Chellsie Memmel, Samantha Peszek, Alicia Sacramone and Bridget Sloan make up the remainder of the women's team. Sacramone won her fourth straight U.S. vaulting title at nationals earlier this year.

There are a total of 14 events in artistic gymnastics, and that includes team events for both the men and women. Individually, each gender has the all- around, vault and floor exercise, but then there are differences. The men compete on the pommel horse, rings, parallel bars and high bar, while the women have two less individual disciplines with the uneven bars and balance beam.

The U.S. men's team dealt with serious changes just before leaving for Beijing. Reigning Olympic all-around champion Paul Hamm withdrew from the team because his broken right hand was not sufficiently healthy enough for him to compete. Hamm also injured his rotator cuff while rehabbing the hand.

"I have put my heart and soul into my comeback and done everything I could to get ready in time to compete in Beijing," said Hamm. "After returning home from the preparation camp, I had a few physical setbacks, and it became clear to me that my physical preparations would not be sufficient to properly represent the United States and contribute to the team's efforts to win a medal."

Because of Hamm's injury, Raj Bhavsar, who was an alternate on the 2004 Olympic team, was elevated from alternate to the main roster for the Olympics.

Hamm's twin brother, Morgan, will be making his third trip to the Olympics despite some controversy. He tested positive for a prescribed substance without first getting the proper clearance, although despite a warning from USADA, he's allowed to compete on the team.

Jonathan Horton is also on the roster, as is rings specialist Kevin Tan, along with Joseph Hagerty and Justin Spring. For Spring, a native of Burke, Va., being named to the team is remarkable in the sense that he had reconstructive surgery on his knee after tearing his ACL at the 2007 **** Championships.

Internationally, the Chinese are strong contenders to win plenty of hardware amongst the men. Yang Wei earned a silver in the 2000 Olympics individual all- around, as well as a gold medal in the team. Now at 28 and on the heels of 2006 and 2007 world all-around titles, he's ready to bring China to the top again.

Xiao Qin has won three world titles on pommel horse, while Chen Yibing is a two-time champion on rings. Additionally, Huang Xu captured the silver medal in 2003 on parallel bars.

South Korean Yang Tae-Young remembers the supposed injustice from 2004 when he was credited with an incorrect start value on parallel bars during the men's all-around final. He finished with the bronze medal, barely behind gold medalist Paul Hamm. The South Korean delegation protested, but gymnastics' international governing body upheld the scores despite admitting a mistake had been made. Now 28, Yang won a bronze medal at the team event in the 2006 Asian Games, although his main threat to medal would be on parallel bars in Beijing and not in the all-around.

Kyle Shewfelt garnered Canada's first artistic gymnastics Olympic medal by winning the gold in the floor competition four years ago, and he's back again for 2008.

Another intriguing story for the men will be the participation of Jordan Jovtchev, as the Bulgarian takes part in his fifth Olympics. The 35-year-old has three bronzes and a silver, but has yet to win gold. He won a bronze on floor in 2004.

As far as the women go internationally, China, Italy and Romania are expected to be solid contenders in the team competition. Specifically, Romania's Steliana Nistor finished second in the all-around at last year's World Championships. That included a second-place finish on beam.

Jade Barbosa, who was third at worlds, will try to become the first Brazilian gymnast to win an Olympic medal. That also goes for Italian Vanessa Ferrari.

Yang Yilin was sixth in the all-around at the 2007 Worlds and will be one to watch for the home country.

Commonwealth Games gold medalist Beth Tweddle will lead Great Britain's medal hopes.

Art Vandeleigh · 07-30-08, 05:24 AM

Category II, Team Sports - Baseball, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Soccer, Handball, Field Hockey, Softball, Volleyball, Water Polo

Baseball (M) - Cuba, U.S.A the teams to beat

Baseball preview:

It has been eight years since the United States captured the Gold Medal at the Sydney Olympics. If it does not do so here in Beijing, it may be awhile before it gets a chance again.

Baseball, along with softball, has been voted out of the 2012 Summer Games in London, England, making them the first sports voted out of the Olympics since Polo was eliminated from the 1936 Olympics.

However, the two slots left available by the International Olympic Committee's elimination were not filled by new sports, so both baseball and softball can reemerge as events in the 2016 Olympics, provided no new sports are adopted into the games and both receive enough votes to be included.

Former major league manager Davey Johnson has been tabbed as the man to bring Team USA back to glory following its disappointment in 2004 when the team failed to qualify in Athens, denying them the chance to defend the Gold Medal they won in 2000 in Australia with Tommy Lasorda at the helm.

Early indications have shown that USA Baseball is back on track following a Gold Medal win over powerhouse Cuba at Americas Olympic Qualifier in Panama in 2006, as well as a 2007 World Cup win.

Team USA will be led by power-hitting outfielder Matt LaPorta, who was recently traded to the Cleveland Indians as part of the CC Sabathia deal. LaPorta, the seventh overall pick in the 2007 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, was also a member of the 2005 collegiate USA Baseball National Team.

"We had heard a lot of good things and we have a number of scouts that join conference calls and talk about players and we look at numbers. The main thing I liked once I saw him is that he is an aggressive hitter," said Johnson.

On the hill, the team will count on San Diego State right-hander Stephen Strasburg, who recently gained notoriety with a 23-strikeout performance.

"We got our reports (on Strasburg) from (USA Baseball Director of National Teams) Eric Campbell on what he has done and he was on our radar before he pitched for the (U.S. National Team) over in Europe." said Johnson. "He did a great job against the teams he pitched against. Hes a power pitcher. He is in the high 90s and he throws strikes. That is kind of a rarity for even Triple-A type guys. Heres a guy who pounds the strike zone awfully good and he was lights out in the tournament. He is one of my starters."

The roster is comprised of 14 players currently at the Triple-A level, seven at Double-A and one each at Single-A and at the collegiate level. Any athlete not on a 25-man roster at the time of selection was eligible to compete.

Johnson's bunch will have the unenviable task of wrestling the Gold away from Cuba, which has won this event three times since it was granted sport medal status at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Cuba, which has lost twice to the United States over the past three years, enters this eight-team tournament as the prohibitive favorites, thanks in part to its three Gold Medals and one Silver in four Olympic Games and 25 World Cup Medals.

Of course, Cuba won the Silver in 2000 when Team USA took home the Gold, backed by current Milwaukee Brewer right-hander Ben Sheets' three-hit shutout.

The player to watch for Cuba is third baseman Yulieski Gourriel, widely regarded as the best player in the country. He can play just about every position in the infield and played second for Cuba at the World Baseball Calssic, hitting .273 in the tournament, with a .342 on base percentage and a .515 slugging percentage.

If there is one sleeper out there it is Canada, despite the fact that it was the last team to qualify for the Games. Canada's roster is littered with former major leaguers and current minor leaguers, including recent No. 1 pick of the Milwaukee Brewers, infielder Brett Lawrie.

Lawrie, selected 16th overall in this past June's Major League Baseball draft, is perhaps the best Canadian-born player since Larry Walker and has been compared to Craig Biggio.

Also participating in the event, which gets underway on August 13, will be China, Chinese-Taipei, Japan, South Korea and the Netherlands. As the host country, China did not have to go through the qualification process like the seven other countires.

The Gold Medal game will take place on August 23.

Basketball (M) - USA
Basketball (W) - USA

Basketball preview:

The U.S. men's basketball team is on a mission to capture the gold medal for the first time since 2000, as it faces the best competition in the world at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

The U.S. team finished 8-0 and captured the gold medal in Sydney, Australia. However, the 2004 games were a different story, as Argentina took the gold, Italy the silver and the U.S. left Athens with the Bronze.

NBA MVP Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James highlighted an impressive group of 12 NBA players which will represent the United States during the competition.

Thirty-five-year-old point guard Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks is the veteran leader of the U.S. squad. Kidd, who was a member of the last gold medal winning team for the United States, is a perfect 44-0 at senior level competition.

Denver's Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer of the Utah, Miami's Dwyane Wade and James will all compete in their second Olympic games for the United States. Along with Kidd, they will all attempt to add their names to a U.S. group of multiple-time Olympians which currently consists of 13 men (David Robinson-1988, 1992 and 1996; Charles Barkley-1992, 1996; Patrick Ewing-1984, 1992; Burdette Haldorson-1956, 1960; William Hougland-1952, 1956; Michael Jordan-1984, 1992; Robert Kurland-1948, 1952; Karl Malone-1996, 1992; Chris Mullin-1984, 1992; Gary Payton-1996, 2000; Scottie Pippen-1992, 1996; Mitch Richmond-1988, 1996; and John Stockton-1992, 1996.

New Orleans' Chris Paul, Utah's Deron Williams. and Milwaukee's Michael Redd join Bryant, Wade and Kidd in the backcourt, while Anthony, Boozer, Toronto's Chris Bosh, Tayshaun Prince of the Pistons and Orlando's Dwight Howard make up an impressive frontcourt for the U.S. squad, which will be coached by Duke's Mike Krzyzewski.

"For me, it has been the ultimate honor to coach our countrys team," said Krzyzewski. Before you select a team and ask players to be committed to be a part of the team, we have asked them to play for their country, not just to play. Each of the guys have done that. We have seen our program develop to where LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and whoever our guys are on the team, they feel like they are part of a team. We feel like they are part of a movement."

Syracuse University and Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, Mike D'Antoni of the Knicks and Portland's Nate McMillan will serve as assistant coaches.

"Mike (DAntoni) having the experience of international basketball is very important for us," added Krzyzewski. "To the extent of calling them co-head coaches, each will have a scouting report. I will add to it. Not to adjusting to the head coach, we are all adapting to one another. There will be a time out, put in a side out of bounds. They feel free to exchange things because it is not all mine. They are team oriented."

The United States has a well-balanced team and is the favorite to take home the gold. Kidd, Paul and Williams are three of the elite point guards, while Bryant can do it all and Redd is one of the top outside shooters in the NBA.

Howard is the team's only true center, but he will get a lot of help on the boards and in the low post from Boozer and Bosh. Anthony and James are slashing small forwards and will provide plenty of scoring from the wing and moving towards the hoop. Prince, who is the unsung hero of the Pistons, is a shut-down defender and will draw difficult defensive assignments throughout the games.

There are 12 teams, including the United States that will compete in the men's competition. The squads are divided into two groups, with the first four teams of each group qualifying for the quarterfinals.

Group A will consist of Argentina, Australia, Iran, Lithuania, Russia, while Group B has the United States, Angola, China and Spain. As of July 16, three teams (1-A, 2-B) were still attempting to qualify for the final three spots.

There are many NBA stars competing for the international clubs. San Antonio's Manu Ginobili will try and lead Argentina to its second straight gold medal, while Yao Ming of the Rockets and New Jersey's Yia Jianlian will play for China. Milwaukee's Andrew Bogut is on Australia's roster and Andrei Kirilenko of the Jazz will suit up for Russia.

Prior to the 2004 games, Argentina's best finish ever at the Olympics was in 1952 when they came in fourth.

Preliminary round play for the men takes place from August 10-18. The men's Olympic quarterfinals action is scheduled for August 20, semifinals play is slated for August 22, and the gold and bronze medal games will be played on August 24.

WOMEN

The United States is the favorite to capture the gold in the women's competition. The Americans have captured the gold in the last three Olympics. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker and Diana Taurasi headline a talented team for the U.S.

Tamika Catchings, Delisha Milton-Jones, Tina Thompson and Sylvia Fowles join Leslie and Parker in the frontcourt, while Taurasi, Kara Lawson, Sue Bird, Katie Smith, Seimone Augustus and Cappie Pondexter give the United States a dominant backcourt.

Bird, Catchings, Leslie, Smith, Taurasi and Thompson all won the gold in 2004. The U.S. women have won five golds (1984, '88, '96, 2000, 2004), a silver (1976) and a bronze (1992) since entering Olympic play. The U.S. opens its Olympic play on August 9 against the Czech Republic.

The groups are set for the women. Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Latvia, Russia, and South Korea form Group A. The United States, China, Czech Republic, Mali, New Zealand and Spain make up Group B.

Beach Volleyball (M) - Todd Rogers/Phil Dalhausser (USA) slight favorites in wide open competition
Beach Volleyball (W) - Kerri Walsh/ Misty May-Treanor (U.S.A) strong favorites

Beach Volleyball preview:

Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Walsh and Elaine Youngs were among the eight athletes chosen to represent the United States at the Olympics in beach volleyball in Beijing.

This will mark a third Olympic Games for May-Treanor, Walsh and Youngs.

May-Treanor and Walsh are the defending Olympic gold medalists and three-time world champions.

Youngs played with the women's indoor volleyball team in 1996, and then won a bronze medal in beach volleyball with then partner Holly McPeak in Athens four years ago.

The other women's player is Nicole Branagh, who paired with Youngs, are ranked fifth among all qualified teams for Beijing.

Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, the 2007 world champions, are on one men's team. The other consists of Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal.

None of the U.S. men's players has prior Olympic experience.

Soccer (M) - Argentina, Brazil solid co-favorites
Soccer (W) - USA, Germany, Brazil top contenders

Soccer preview:

The United States Women's National Team enters the 2008 Summer Olympics with hopes of defending its gold medal from 2004, but that task will be much tougher this time around without star striker Abby Wambach.

Wambach, who scored the game-winning goal in the 2004 Olympic final against Brazil, will miss the tournament after breaking her leg in the team's last match prior to the Olympics on July 16 against Brazil.

Prior to Wambach's injury, the Americans appeared to have recovered from their disastrous exit at the hands of Brazil in the 2007 Women's World Cup, posting a 21-0-1 record under new head coach Pia Sundhage that includes tournament wins in both the Algarve Cup and Peace Queen Cup.

However, without Wambach, who has tallied 99 goals in her career, the team is left with a huge void to fill in attack. Lauren Cheney will take Wambach's spot in the roster, and she will join Natasha Kai and Amy Rodriguez to form a talented but inexperienced strike force.

Kai is the senior member of the group with over 50 caps but she is most effective when teamed with Wambach, who generally draws all of the attention from opposing defenses.

With Wambach sidelined, Kai, who has 11 goals this year, will be the one who must shoulder a large portion of the scoring load, but she will have help from the promising Rodriguez, who will have a chance to emerge as a true star at the age of 21.

A strong midfield led by Shannon Boxx and Carli Lloyd figures to help the young strikers, while Heather O'Reilly and Lindsay Tarpley will provide good service from the wings.

The Americans are one of the top teams in the world defensively and have yielded just 11 goals in their 22 matches so far this year. Kate Markgraf and Christie Rampone anchor the strong back line, and they have the benefit of playing in front of one of the top goalkeepers in the world in Hope Solo, who will be counted on to have a great tournament.

Even without Wambach on the field, the Americans still have a great chance to win their group, which includes Norway, Japan and New Zealand.

Their toughest match in Group G will be the opener with Norway on Aug. 6, but the United States has had plenty of success against the Scandinavian side in recent matches, winning 4-0 in the Algarve Cup in March and securing a 4-1 win in the third-place match at the 2007 World Cup.

The group is not overly challenging, but things could get difficult in the knockout round without Wambach. Potential opponents include Brazil, Germany, Sweden and Korea DPR, each of whom will like its chances against the Americans without Wambach to contend with.

Despite her injury, Wambach has remained upbeat and still believes that her teammates have enough class to bring home the gold.

"Obviously, it's devastating, but above everything else, I'm only one player, and you can never win a championship with just one player," Wambach said. "I have the utmost confidence in this team bringing home the gold."

GROUP F

This is by far the toughest group in the competition with three of the top six teams in the world. Brazil and Germany, the 2007 World Cup finalists, are both in this group along with highly-rated Korea DPR, while Nigeria rounds out the group and is expected to struggle greatly. This will be the first time that the women's soccer competition will feature 12 teams, making it likely that all three powerhouse teams from this group will advance. While third place is likely to still be enough, it also will probably ensure a quarterfinal match with the United States or Sweden, so a top-two finish would be much better. Brazil and Germany will be favored to battle for the top spot, but Germany has not looked very impressive since winning the World Cup, which could open the door for Korea to slip into the top two.

GROUP E

Host nation China inhabits this group, but they will have a tough time with both Sweden and Canada, while Argentina looks to be the weakest of the four teams. Sweden will be hoping to rebound from a disappointing World Cup that saw them fail to advance past the group stage. The Swedes are traditionally a threat a to win any major competition, and they look to be the class of this group. Canada also failed to live up to expectations at the World Cup and they too will be aiming for improvement. China could challenge for one of the top two spots, but they are more likely to finish third and hope to grab a last- eight position that way.

On the men's side, South American teams Brazil and Argentina are both loaded.

Brazil added Ronaldinho and Robinho as two of its overage stars, and the pair could easily lead the country to its first Olympic gold.

The Brazilians, who have won five World Cups, captured the silver medal in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and followed that with another silver in 1988. The country also won bronze in the 1996 Games in Atlanta, Ga.

Ronaldinho, 28, has scored 32 goals in 82 appearances for Brazil's senior team. He is a two-time FIFA World Player of the Year, and has also garnered European Footballer of the Year and FIFPro World Player of the Year awards.

The only concern is Ronaldinho's health after a long season with Barcelona in Spain's La Liga last season. He was limited due to injuries and could also be hindered by the distraction of his recent transfer to Italy's AC Milan.

But if Ronaldinho returns to top form, he's capable of leading Brazil to the gold.

Robinho, 24, isn't as well-known as Ronaldinho, but the diminutive striker has 15 goals in 50 games for Brazil's senior team. He had 11 goals for Real Madrid in Spain's La Liga last season.

Defender Thiago Silva is the third overage player added by coach Dunga, who was hoping to add 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year Kaka but he wasn't released by AC Milan.Players over the age of 23 can be blocked from playing by their club team.

"The experience factor can be decisive in the Olympics," Dunga said on Brazil's football confederation website.

In addition to the three overage players, AC Milan 18-year-old phenom Alexandre Pato, Manchester United's Anderson, Liverpool's Lucas and Werder Bremen's Diego are just a few of Brazil's young stars.

Brazil is easily the favorite to win Group C, which includes 1920 gold medalist Belgium, China and New Zealand.

GROUP A

Argentina, which just captured its first Olympic gold in 2004, matches Brazil in talent. Boca Juniors midfielder Juan Riquelme, Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano and Inter Milan defender Nicolas Burdisso are the overage players.

But Argentina's most dynamic player is 21-year-old Lionel Messi.

Messi already has 29 appearances for Argentina's senior team - and nine goals - and is arguably the most feared striker in the world. Barcelona is fighting to keep Messi for upcoming Champions League qualifying matches, but it's unlikely he'll be prevented from playing in the Olympics.

Sergio Aguero, 20, has made seven appearances for the senior team and should be alongside Messi at forward. Aguero led Atletico Madrid with 19 goals in Spain's La Liga last season.

Argentina is the favorite in Group A, which includes Australia, Ivory Coast and Serbia. Australia, which won the bronze in 1992, is the only other team in the group that has ever medaled.

GROUP B

The United States, which last medaled in 1904, is in a tough Group B with the Netherlands, 1996 gold medalist Nigeria and Japan.

The Americans tried to improve their chances of medaling by selecting Brian McBride, Brad Guzan and Michael Parkhurst as their overage players.

McBride, 36, is 12 years older than any U.S. player. He made 95 appearances for the U.S. senior team and has played in three World Cups. He last played in the English Premier League from 2004-2008 with Fulham, and is likely to join Major League Soccer after the Olympics.

Guzan, who recently agreed on a transfer to England's Aston Villa, is the back- up to Everton goalie Tim Howard on the U.S. senior team. He is just 23, but was born in September of 1984, which missed the cutoff by a few months.

Parkhurst is just 24 and another rising star for the U.S. senior national team.

Michael Bradley, who is just 20, is another young star who emerged in Europe in 2007-08. He scored 17 goals for Dutch club Heerenveen in all events to break McBride's single-season European record for a U.S. player. The son of senior team coach Bob Bradley, Michael already has 20 appearances for the senior club.

U.S. teen stars Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu, who have both moved to Europe to play club soccer in the last year, highlight the rest of the roster. Altidore just transferred from Red Bull New York to Spain's Villarreal in June. Adu left Real Salt Lake in MLS to sign with Benfica last season.

Benny Feilhaber, a Brazilian-born midfielder, has made 16 appearances for the senior national team and returns from an injury to solidify the Olympic team.

Every team in Group B has earned a medal at the Olympic Games. Although Nigeria has only won in 1996, it remains a good team. Japan won bronze in 1968 and the Netherlands won three straight bronze medals in 1908, 1912 and 1920.

GROUP D

Italy highlights Group D, but the four-time World Cup winners don't feature as much talent as Brazil and Argentina and haven't won the gold medal since 1936. American-born striker Giuseppe Rossi is among the players to watch after scoring 11 goals for Villarreal last season.

Cameroon, which is trying to get Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o for the Games, is hoping to repeat its gold medal success from 2000. Eto'o was part of that team, which defeated Brazil in overtime in the quarterfinals, Chile in the semifinals and Spain in the final.

Honduras, the other representative from CONCACAF along with the United States, is the other team in Group D.

The top two teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals. The men's event starts Aug. 7 and concludes with the final on Aug. 23.

Handball (M) - Wide open, France, Denmark, Croatia top contenders
Handball (W) - Russia, Norway solid co-favorites

Handball preview:

Croatia returns to the Olympic Games as the defending team handball champions. They will be joined in the field of 12 by silver medalists Germany and bronze medalists Russia. Team USA failed in its bid to qualify for Beijing after losing in the Pan American Games last year.

Joining Croatia will be Spain, France, Iceland, Poland, Russia, Germany, Brazil, China, Denmark Egypt, Korea

For Croatia, it has won two of the last three gold medals at the Summer Olympics (1996, Atlanta). In the gold medal game, they rallied to beat a stubborn German squad, 26-24, despite trailing by 10 goals at halftime. Mirza Dzomba was the hero with eight goals. Croatia also won the World Men's Handball Championship in 2003.

Dzomba will be the man to watch in the tournament. He has made over 170 international appearances and has been called the World's best player and been named Player of the Year. Joining Dzomba on the powerful Croatian squad are playmaker Ivano Balic and two-way star Petar Metlicic, who serves as team captain. Baltic is relatively new on the international scene, while Metlicic is a solid defensive stalworth for the Croats. Metlicic, who is capable of adding to the offense, has tallied over 400 goals in his career.

Following its poor performance in the gold medal game, Germany finished ninth in the 2005 World Championship. However, Coach Heiner Brand guided his club to a World Championship title in 2007. Pascal Hens, a 28-year-old left back with a funky hairstyle, is Germany's young gun. The flashy 6-foot-8 Hens recently tallied 31 goals in eight matches in the European Championships.

On the women's side, it was a stunning setback for Denmark, as the three-time defending gold medalists failed to make the 12-women field in Beijing. Korea, with two career gold medals and three second-place finishes, will be heavily favored in the tournament.

Joining the Koreans will be China, Germany, Angola, Brazil, Korea, France, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Norway, Romania, Russia and Sweden

The Men's tournament is slated to begin on Sunday, August 10th, while the women start one day earlier on the eighth. The preliminary competitions will be held at Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium and the finals will be held at the National Indoor Stadium.

Field Hockey (M) - Wide open, Germany, Australi, Netherlands top contenders
Field Hockey (W) - Wide open, Netherlands, Argentina, Germany top contenders

Field Hocky preview:

Since the inception of Field Hockey into the Olympic Games in 1908, the United States has won exactly two medals - a bronze each by the men (1932) and women (1984). That figure will not change in 2008 for the men, while the women have a good chance to reach the podium.

The American men have not participated in an Olympic Games not hosted by the United States since 1948 (Melbourne) and have an all-time Olympic record of 0-28-1. On the other hand, the women last appeared in the Olympics in 1996.

Defending gold medalists Australia heads the 12-team field in this year's men's tournament. The Aussies will be joined in Group B by perennial power and silver medalists the Netherlands, along with Pakistan, South Africa, Canada and Great Britain. However, Australia will be without the services of leading scorer Nathan Eglington, who is out with a torn leg muscle. Replacing Eglington will be tough, but Jamie Dwyer has the potential. Dwyer, who is best known for his match-winning goal in extra time four years ago in Athens, is a two-time winner of the FIH Player of the Year awards (2004 & 2007).

On the other side of the tournament will be host China, Belgium, Germany, Korea, New Zealand and Spain. The Germans won the bronze medal in 2004, defeating the Spaniards.

On the women's side, it should come down to the Netherlands and Germany in the final, as both are back looking for repeat medals. Germany scored twice in the opening 20 minutes and held on to beat the Dutch, 2-1, for the gold medal in Athens.

Australia has won three gold medals in women's play (1988, 1996, 2000), while the Netherlands has won just once (1984). Both will play in Group A, along with host China, Korea, South Africa and Spain.

The Dutch have a strong team, led by the solid play of defender Minke Booij, who was a member of the 2004 team. Booij is also a four-time Champions Trophy winner and was named the 2006 FIH "Player of the Year."

Group B will have the reigning Player of the Year winner in Argentina's Luciana Aymar, who has won the award four times. Aymar helped Argentina qualify for the games with a gold medal victory in the Pan Am Games over the United States. She scored seven goals in the tournament and has a bronze medal (2004) and a silver (2000) in past Olympic Games.

Joining Argentina will be Germany, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand and for the first time in 20 years, the United States qualified for the games they were not hosting. Back in 1996, Team USA finished fifth in the eight-team tournament.

Leading the way for Team USA will be captain Kate Barber, an 11-year national team veteran. Barber plays forward and leads all team members in international caps with 156. She played collegiately at North Carolina, where she was a three-time first-team All-American.

One of the keys to the U.S. revival was the hiring of head coach Lee Bodimeade. He took over the squad in May 2005 and was put in charge of restoring the USA to its place in the Olympic Games. The coach quickly led the team to a fifth-place finish at the 2005 Champions Challenge and recorded wins over traditional powers Spain and New Zealand. Bodimeade earned a silver medal as a member of the Australian men's Olympic team at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

Softball (W) - U.S.A. huge favorite

Softball preview:

The 2008 Olympic games will be the end of a short and exciting era for softball, but U.S. head coach Mike Candrea is still steaming about the International Olympic Committee's decision to eliminate the sport.

Since the Europeans rarely field a team that's able to qualify for the Olympics (only one of this year's eight clubs is from Europe), Candrea feels they are the ones to blame for the abrupt exit. With the 2012 games being played in London, it was also a perfect time to remove the American-based sport from world competition.

In Candrea's eyes, Europe wields the power in the IOC and the only way the delegates' minds can be altered is by allowing them to see how Olympic softball can change the way the world views the sport. Unfortunately, that won't be happening anytime soon.

Rewind back to the summer of 2005 when a secret ballot was held in Singapore. The IOC ruled against maintaining baseball and softball, the first time an Olympic event had been removed since 1936.

Many onlookers felt the reason for softball's dismissal was due to the tremendous bashing the Americans gave the rest of the world as they easily won gold in 1996, 2000 and 2004, but Candrea belittle's that logic, "I really don't think the competition (or lack of) had anything to do with the IOC's decision to drop softball from the Olympics. If it did, then we are trying to fight a battle we could never win."

Many folks in the U.S. have wondered if the rest of the world's IOC delegates were unable to distinguish softball from baseball, in a sense, lumping the two together. Since baseball is not internationally popular, it was the first to be removed, with softball ending up as the sacrificial lamb.

Candrea has been extremely adamant the main reason the IOC dropped softball is its tie-in with baseball. Even Jennie Finch once remarked, "softball is the sister sport of baseball."

Regardless of the decision, there are still games to be played in Beijing prior to the next IOC vote in October of 2009 when softball and/or baseball can be reinstated.

The Americans, who blitzed through their competition back in 2004 with a 9-0 mark outscoring the opposition 51-1, bring back 10 of the 15 members from that record-setting club.

Among them, Crystl Bustos, who banged out five home runs and 10 RBI in '04 - both Olympic records - and Natasha Watley, who batted .400 in Athens, tying the team mark with 12 base hits.

Lisa Fernandez, perhaps the finest softball player to have ever graced the diamond, failed to make the final cut, as she was unable to return to form after a three year hiatus starting a family. She was however, named as a replacement player in case of injury. Bustos had this to say about Fernandez, "She will always be a leader on the team and to us. She may not be in the dugout but her leadership will always be with us. We will carry that leadership into the arena in Beijing."

Without Fernandez, who won four games in the previous Olympics, one might expect the U.S. to be vulnerable, but that notion will quickly fade once the rest of the world gets its fill of Monica Abbott, who will join Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman in the rotation. Abbott was last year's USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year after breaking Osterman's NCAA record for most career strikeouts while at the University of Tennessee.

Still, it will be up to Finch and Osterman to shut down the opposition, which if 2004 is any indication (a combined 4-0 record), should garner a fourth consecutive gold medal for the Americans.

Team U.S.A. will begin that quest on day four of the Olympics when Mike Candrea's squad battles Venezuela. The other six countries competing for gold are Japan (runner-up in the World Championships), Australia (third place in the Worlds), Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, and the Netherlands. The eight teams will play each other one time with the top four clubs advancing to the medal round and the two winners will meet in the Gold Medal game on day 13.

Volleyball (M) - Brazil strong favorite, Russia and Bulgaria given a shot
Volleyball (W) - Brazil, Russia, China, Cuba, Italy up for grabs

Volleyball preview:

Olympic Volleyball features two tournaments, one for the women and one for the men. Both of those tournaments features 12 teams (or nations), and each team consists of 12 players. Six players are on the court at any given time, and it has become common in the sport for each club to feature a setter, two middle blockers, two receiver- outside hitters and a universal spiker.

Prior to the 2000 Sydney Games, the FIVB created a new player role called the libero, an individual designed as a defensive specialist by his or her team. This player can be substituted in and out of a match without the referee's approval. The libero wears a different color shirt than the rest of the players on the team.

In the women's tournament, China is joined in the field by the likes of Italy, Russia, Brazil and the USA, just to name a few nations. There are nine nations that will be represented in both the men's and women's tournaments. The Capital Indoor Stadium, with a seating capacity of 18,000, will be the main venue for volleyball at the Beijing Games.

For both the men and the women, the 12-team fields are divided into two groups. The competition opens with a preliminary round in which each team plays the other five teams in the group, and while two points are awarded for a victory, a team also receives one point for a loss. The top four teams from each group advance to the quarterfinal round, and the teams are then ranked according to the points they received in the preliminary round. At this point, the groups face each other. For instance, the No. 1 team from Pool B would face the No. 4 team from Pool A.

On the men's side, Brazil won the Gold Medal in 2004, and Italy has medaled in the last three Olympics. For the women, Cuba captured three consecutive Gold Medals in 1994, 1998 and 2004 before finishing with the Bronze in 2004. China won the Gold in 2004 and will obviously have plenty of support from the crowd in Beijing.

Water Polo (M) - Hungary and Serbia moderate favorites
Water Polo (W) - Wide open, USA slight favorites

Water Polo preview:

Water Polo originated back in the late 1870's in England. It was introduced as an Olympic sport for men in 1900 and 100 years later, a women's division was created. The first gold medal in the women's division was won by Australia in the 2000 Sydney Games.

The matches are played in quarters. Each quarter is seven minutes long and features seven players on a team, including one goaltender. The goalie guards an area about 3x10 ft and is the only player able to touch the ball with both hands. All this happens while players are treading or swimming in water, about two meters deep.

Twelve teams will compete in the men's Water Polo tournament, and they have been divided into two groups. On the women's side, eight teams have qualified, and they have been split into groups of four.

Of the 12 men's teams, eight are from Europe. China, the host team, rounds out the field along with Canada, Australia and the USA. As for the women's tournament, the field is also dominated by European clubs, while China, Australia and the USA will also be represented. There are no South American or African nations represents in either tournament.

Hungary has been the dominant nation in men's Water Polo, as it has captured eight Gold Medals, twice as many as the next closest nation, Great Britain. With 14 all-time medals in the sport, Hungary leads the USA men by four total medals. As for the women, Italy won the Gold Medal in 2004. The United States is the only nation to medal in both Olympic Games since Water Polo became an official women's sport.

Aleksandar Sapic of Serbia is definitely a player to watch on the men's side. In 2006, he signed a contract valued at one million dollars over three years, the richest contract in water polo history, to play professionally in Russia. At 6-3 and 232 pounds, Sapic is extremely powerful at the attacker position. USA goalkeeper Brandon Brooks, a four-time All-American selection at UCLA, is the only player on the team's roster to call a state other than California home. He hopes to lead a talented American squad to the Gold Medal.

As for women's standouts, Russia's Sofia Konukh has the experience and talent to be a force. In the Sydney Games back in 2000, the then 20-year-old Konukh scored 11 goals, tied for the most in the tournament. She was recently named MVP of the 2008 FINA World League Super Final held in Spain. USA goalkeeper Betsy Armstrong will be competing in her first Olympics. She was named the outstanding goalkeeper of the 2007 FINA World Championships.

Art Vandeleigh · 07-30-08, 05:45 AM

Category III, Combative Events - Boxing, Fencing, Judo, Taekwondo, Wrestling

Boxing

Divisions (Men only)-

Light Flyweight (< 48 kg) - Zou Shiming (China) strong favorite
Flyweight (48-51 kg) - Raushee Warren (USA) very strong favorite
Bantamweight (51-54 kg) - Sergei Vodopyanov (Russia), Badar-Uugan (Mongolia) top contenders
Featherweight (54-57 kg) - Albert Selimov (Russia), Vasyl Lomachenko (Ukraine) top contenders
Lightweight (57-60 kg) - Yordenis Ugas (Cuba), Alexey Tishchenko (Russia), Frankie Gavin (Great Britain) top contenders
Light Welterweight (60-64 kg) - Serik Sapiyev (Kazakhstan) strong favorite
Welterweight (64-69 kg) - Demitrius Andrade (USA) prohibitive favorite
Middlewight (69-75 kg) - Matvey Korobov (Russia) strong favorite
Light Heavyweight (75-81 kg) - Artur Beterbiev (Russia), Abbos Atoev (Uzbekisten) strong co-favorites.
Heavyweight (81-91 kg) - Osmay Acosta (Cuba) top contender
Super Heavyweight (91 + kg) - Roberto Cammarelle (Italy), Islam Timurziev (Russia) top contenders

Boxing preview

Olympic boxing is notable for several reasons. For one, there are actually two bronze medals in Olympic boxing. Each loser in the two semifinal bouts receives a bronze medal. Also, the boxing tournament is a single elimination one, so there is very little margin for error- actually, there is none.

Some of the rules and guidelines of Olympic boxing are different from the professional boxing ones that many fans are more familiar with. Olympic boxing separates competitors into twelve weight classes, ranging from light flyweight (approximately 106 pounds) to super heavyweight (over 200 pounds). Also, all competitors are made to wear headgear, similar to amateur boxing in the United States.

Some of the rules of Olympic boxing, particularly the scoring and judging system, have been controversial over the years. In Olympic boxing, points are scored by hitting the opponent in the head or torso, as long as it is a legal blow. Judges don’t score the bouts by round, giving ten points to the winner. Instead, they use an electronic scoring system to register how many punches land.

When a punch lands, the judge presses a button, and if three of the five judges do so, a point is registered. Judges must also hit the button within one second of the others. However, if a flurry is exchanged, judges are told to wait until it is over, than give a point to whomever they feel got the better of the exchange. As you can see, the judging is quirky, to say the least.

At the end of the fight, if the time is up and neither fighter has been defeated, points are added up to decide the winner. If the fight is a draw, the judges vote based upon who they felt fought the better fight. However, there are no points awarded for a knockdown, so a punch that results in a downed opponent is no more valuable than a jab that lands, if a knockout doesn’t result. Similarly to in most boxing bouts, three knockdowns in a single round result in a technical knockout, although in the Olympic Games, four knockdowns in a total fight also give the same result.

The combination of these somewhat strange rules and judging guidelines have led to some controversial decisions and frustration from fans and competitors alike. However, Olympic boxing has remained as one of the purest outlets for boxers to ply their trades, and also remains one of the greatest tests possible for the world’s top amateur pugilists.

Who'll do well?

The communist regime in Cuba demand that professional boxing remains illegal and thus the amateur status of Olympic boxing gives Cuba the edge over other nations with a strong boxing tradition. Cuba has topped the medal table in all but one of the Olympics they have attended. They had eight medallists at Athens in 2004 - five gold, two silver, one bronze - and have secured heavyweight gold in seven of the last nine Olympics. Osmay Acosta will look to continue Cuba's fine heavyweight tradition in Beijing. The 23-year-old won gold at the Pan American games.

Cuba will face stern opposition from Russia in Beijing. Russia is the only nation to have a boxer competing in every weight and will look to improve on their three golds and three bronzes in Athens.

Fencing

Epee (M,W)
Team Epee (M)
Foil (M,W)
Team Foil (W)
Sabre (M,W)
Team Sabre (M,W)

Fencing preview

Fencing has the prized distinction of being an original event at the first modern Olympics in Athens back in 1896, and the sport has been a staple at the Summer Games ever since.

Fencing was a competition for men only until 1924, when women's fencing events were added for the Paris Games.

Individual and team events are contested in one-day, single-elimination tournaments in three separate fencing disciplines: foil, epee and sabre. In Beijing, all of the team events besides men's foil and women's epee will be held.

The object of a fencing bout is to outscore your opponent with your weapon. Matches are usually to 15 points (in elimination play) or five points (preliminary).

The foil is about 35 inches in length and weighs less than one pound. To score a point in foil competition, one must land his/her blade within the torso of the body - from the shoulders to the groin, front and back.

The epee is similar to the foil in length, but the sword is much heavier and has a guard to protect the hand. To score a point in epee competition, one has to touch his/her blade anywhere on the opponent's body.

The sabre is similar to the foil in length and weight. However, one of the differences is it's used as a thrusting weapon along with a cutting one. The scoring area is from the bend of the hips to the top of the head.

France is the all-time leader in Olympic fencing medals with 111, but Italy leads the list with 43 golds and is second with 106 medals overall. Hungary is third with 84 total medals, while the United States is seventh on the list with 20.

Four years ago in Athens, Italy led with seven medals, followed by France with six and Russia with four. China also did well in fencing at the Athens Games, picking up three silver medals.

The U.S. won two medals in 2004, as Mariel Zagunis won gold in the women's sabre and Sada Jacobson took bronze in the same event. Zagunis was the first American fencer to win Olympic gold in 100 years and she was also the first- ever woman fencer from the U.S. to take the gold.

Zagunis and Jacobson will be in Beijing and 18-year-old Becca Ward will make her Olympic debut. Ward won the 2006 world championship in women's sabre, defeating Zagunis en route to the title. Ward has also won six World Cup events, three Grand Prix events and two Pan American Championships in her brief career.

Keeth Smart will make an appearance in the sabre competition at his third straight Olympic Games for the U.S., but will be trying for his first medal. Smart was the first-ever American to be named the top-ranked male sabre fencer internationally when he held that distinction in 2003. Smart's younger sister, Erinn, will compete for the U.S in the foil competition.

A pair of Italian women fencers will try to accomplish impressive feats in Beijing. Giovanna Trillini, a seven-time Olympic medalist, can become the most decorated women fencer of all-time if she manages to add one more medal to heir haul this Summer.

Countrywoman Valentina Vezzali, who won gold in foil at the Athens Games, is aiming for her an individual gold medal at her third straight Olympics. Overall, Vezzali has five Olympic medals (four gold, one silver) and 10 gold medals at the World Fencing championships.

China's Wang Lee won a silver medal in men's epee in Athens and is one of the favorites to take gold in Beijing. Compatriot Xue Tan won silver in the women's sabre in 2004 and was the runner-up at the event at last yera's world championships.

Fencing competition will be held at the Fencing Hall in the National Convention Center from August 9-17.

Judo

Men:
60 kg
66 kg
73 kg
81 kg
90 kg
100 kg
110 + kg

Women:
48 kg
52 kg
57 kg
63 kg
70 kg
78 kg
78+ kg

Judo preview

The Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium in the Haidian District will be the site for Olympic Judo competition.

Modern Judo was developed in the late 1800s, but its history in the Olympic Games is a bit more recent, with the sport being introduced in the 1964 Games in Tokyo. Women's Judo was added to the docket in 1992 in Barcelona. There are seven weight classes each for men and women, with the men competing at 60kg, 66kg, 73kg, 81kg, 90kg, 100kg and heavyweight unlimited (over 100kg) and the women competing at 48kg, 52kg, 57kg, 63kg, 70kg, 78kg and heavyweight unlimited (over 78kg)

All judo matches are now five minutes long, a change from Sydney when women's matches were just four minutes in duration. A match can end sooner than five minutes if a contestant scores a "ippon" or two "waza-aris." In addition, matches can come to an abrupt end for a penalty known as a "hansuko--make." There is also a combination win because one scores a "waza-ari" in conjunction with "shido" penalties called on the opponent.

An "ippon" is one full point and is a throw that lands an opponent on his or her back, with considerable force and speed. A "waza-ari" is equal to a half point and is a throw that demonstrates power, but may lack overall speed and where the opponent does not land solely on his or her back. Other scoring maneuvers include a "yuko", equal to 1/4 point and a "koka" which is equal to 1/8 of a point. In the case of a tie at the end of regulation, the match will go into overtime and the winner is determined by "golden score," or sudden death.

Typically, the American team has struggled to get to the podium in judo and this year may be more of the same. Looking to buck that trend is Rhonda Rousey at 70kg. Rousey won a silver medal at the World Championships in 2007 and is regarded as the best American competitor in the last 10 years.

Other Americans of note include now four-time Olympian Brian Olson. The 35- year old is a former World bronze medalist, but has yet to medal in his three previous Olympic games. Joining him on the men's side of the things is first- time Olympian Ryan Reser (73kg). The 28-year old has been an olympic alternate twice and is a four-time national champion, as well as the 2007 Pan American Games gold medal winner.

The international scene is chock-full of talent, especially on the women's side of the sport, starting with Japan's 48kg icon Ryoko Tani. The 32-year old made her first Olympic appearance in 1992 when she was just 16 years old. Tani is a four-time Olympic medalist, taking silver in 1992 and 1996 and then earning gold in 2000 and 2004. She has also won seven world championships.

Also making her fifth Olympic Games is Cuba's Driulis Gonzalez (63kg). The 34-year old has also won four olympic medals, with one gold (1996), one silver (2000) and two bronze (1992 and 2004).

North Korea's Sun Hui Kye also made her olympic debut at the age of 16 and made the most of it, upsetting Tani (then Tamura) for the gold medal in 1996.

In terms of total Olympic medals earned, Japan has graced the podium more than any other country, amassing 58 total medals, including 31 gold. France and South Korea are tied for second with 33 medals, with France claiming gold 10 times and South Korea with eight. The United States has yet to win a gold medal in Judo and has just nine medals total (three silver and six bronze).

Taekwando

Men:
58 kg
68 kg
80 kg
80+ kg

Women:
49 kg
57 kg
67 kg
67+ kg

Taekwondo preview

Taekwondo is a martial art that integrates mental discipline with physical ability and quickness. The sport, which promotes self-defense, dates back more than 2,000 years to Korea and it has evolved over the years.

While Taekwondo has been around for many centuries, it has only been an Olympic sports since 1980. The sport, actually, didn't even reach the competitive stage of the Summer Games schedule until the 2000 Sydney Games.

The rules of Taekwondo are similar to those of boxing, but not identical. Punching and kicking techniques are used to score points in the competition and an athlete can win a match by scoring a knockout, by winning on points or when at least eight penalties are called on an opponent.

There are eight weight classes in the competition, four for the men and four for the women. The men will compete in the under 58kg (128 lbs), under 68kg (150 lbs), under 80 kg (176 lbs) and over 80kg classes, while the women will take part in the 49kg (108 lbs), under 57kg (126 lbs), under 67kg (148 lbs) and over 67kg divisions.

The competition only runs four days, from August 20-23 and will be held at the University of Science & Technology Beijing Gymnasium. The format follows an elimination tournament, where random drawing is used to determine the main bracket. Following each match in the main bracket, the loser is eliminated from gold-medal contention, while the winner moves on. The remaining two undefeated athletes will meet, with the winner earning the gold and the loser the silver. Starting in 2008, two bronzes will be awarded in each weight class as well.

A total of 128 athletes are set to participate in this year's competition, with an even split between men and women. Rosters for each country can include up to four athletes (two men and two women), and for the Americans, three of the four members share the same last name, Lopez. Heading the charge is Steven Lopez, who has won the last four world titles and is the two-time defending Olympic welterweight champion. At the 2005 World Championships, Steve not only won his third crown, but he also saw his two younger siblings Mark and Diana capture their first world titles. All three family members are set partake in this year's games, making them the first trio of siblings to compete on the same Olympic team in the same sport since 1904. If that wasn't enough, their older brother Jean coaches the U.S. National Team.

The fourth and final member of the American team is 17-year-old Charlotte Craig, who won the bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships. The 5-5, 97- pound Craig also placed a solid fourth at the Beijing Test Event last March.

On the international front, Chen Zhong of China will gun for a three-peat at the 2008 games, as she won the prior two Olympic gold medals in the heavyweight division. One of the most decorated athletes in the sport, Zhong recently won the 2007 World Championships and is certainly a favorite at the 2008 games. The small nation of Chinese Taipei will once again be represented by the duo of Chen Shih Hsin and Chu Mu Yen, who swept the women's and men's flyweight titles in Athens. The titles represented the first ever gold medals for Chinese Taipei. Iran's Yossef Karami won the bronze medal (80kg) in Athens, narrowly losing to eventual winner Steven Lopez is the semifinals, and he figures to be a major player once again in 2008.

Wrestling

Greco Roman (Men only):
55 kg
60 kg
66 kg
74 kg
84 kg
96 kg
120+ kg

Freestyle (Men):
55 kg
60 kg
66 kg
74 kg
84 kg
96 kg
120+ kg

Freestyle (Women)
48 kg
55 kg
63 kg
72+ kg

Wrestling preview

Dating all the way back to ancient Greece, it is no wonder that the sport of wrestling has been a part of the Olympics since the first modern games in Athens in 1896.

The 2008 games will feature wrestler's competing in freestyle as well as Greco-Roman disciplines. There will be seven weight classes in both men's freestyle and Greco-Roman; 55kg, 60kg, 66kg, 74kg, 84kg, 96kg and 120kg and four weight classes in women's freestyle; 48kg, 55kg, 63kg and 72kg. The competition will be held at the China Agriculture University Gymnasium in northern Beijing.

The main difference between the two wrestling disciplines is that in Greco- Roman, a wrestler may not attack below his opponent's waist and in addition, may not use his or her own legs to execute any moves.

The sport of wrestling itself has boasted some great storylines since its inception, from Sweden's Ivar Johansson becoming the first wrestler to win gold in both freestyle and Greco-Roman in Los Angeles in 1932, to Germany's Wilfried Dietrich amassing an Olympic record five medals during his reign in the sport including his last, a bronze medal in Mexico City in 1968. More recently, American Rulon Gardner's improbable upset of Russian superstar Aleksandr Karelin in the 2000 Games in Sydney is certainly noteworthy, while the addition of women to the sport in Athens in 2004 has expanded the fan base even further.

The 2008 U.S. Team is a mix of youthful energy and veteran leadership, as the Americans look to dominate the action in Beijing. The team boasts of a pair of 21-year olds in Henry Cejudo and Spenser Mango, competing in 55kg freestyle and Greco-Roman, respectively. Cejudo is regarded as the future of the sport and put off his collegiate desires after high school to pursue his Olympic dreams. Still, the two talented grapplers are not the youngest on the team, as that title is bestowed on 18-year old Jake Deitchler, who defied the odds in the Olympic Trials to earn the 66kg Greco-Roman spot and in the process, become just the third high-schooler to compete on an Olympic team.

There is plenty of veterans on the squad as well, including returning Olympians Daniel Cormier (96kg freestyle) and Brad Veering (84kg Greco-Roman), as well as 37-year old T.C. Dantzler (74kg Greco-Roman), who will be making his Olympic debut.

The women's squad consists of Clarissa Chun, who upset 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Patricia Miranda to earn the 48kg spot, two-time national champion Marcie Van Dusen at 55kg, Randi Miller, who knocked off 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann at 63 kg and finally, Ali Bernard at 72kg.

On the international scene, reigning freestyle heavyweight Artur Taymazov certainly has a realistic shot of matching his 2004 gold medal. The big man from Uzbekistan will be competing in his third Olympic games, after taking a silver medal in Sydney in 2000.

Of course, one of the most celebrated international wrestlers is two-time Olympic Gold medalist Buvaisa Saitiyev (74kg freestyle), as the Russian took home gold in both 1996 and 2004. Saitiyev dominated the wrestling scene for more than a decade and will try to cap off a brilliant career with another gold medal in Beijing.

Japan put on a shown in the women's competition as a team in 2004 highlighted by the performance of 55kg Olympic champion Saori Yoshida, who is regarded by some as the world's best wrestler. She has won the last five senior World titles and is a huge favorite heading into these games.

The Ukraine's Irina Melnik-Merleni will be making her second straight appearance in the Olympics. The 48kg grappler is a five-time World medalist and defending Olympic gold medalist.

The Soviet Union/Unified Team URS/EUN has won the most medals in Olympic wrestling history with 132 total medals, including 68 gold. The United States is a close second with 122 total medals, with 49 gold, while Finland ranks a distant third with 83 total medals (26 gold).

Art Vandeleigh · 07-30-08, 06:03 AM

Category IV, in a boat - The 2 Canoe/Kayak competitions, Rowing, Sailing

Canoe/Kayak Flatwater

Men:
K-1 500m
K-1 1000m
K-2 500m
K-2 1000m
K-4 1000m
C-1 500m
C-1 1000m
C-2 500m
C-2 1000m

Women:
K-1 500m
K-2 500m
K-4 500m

Canoe/Kayak Slalom

Men:
K-1
C-1
C-2

Women:
K-1

Canoe/Kayak preview

Four years ago the United States captured a medal at canoe/kayaking when Rebecca Giddens won a silver in the women's kayak K1 slalom in Athens.

The feat was rare as the U.S. only has 16 total medals in canoe/kayak at the Olympics.

The canoe/kayak competition is broken down into two disciplines - flatwater sprint and whitewater slalom. In flatwater there are a total of 12 events, while in whitewater only four races take place combined among the men and women. The competitions take place at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park on the Chaobai River in Beijing. This is the first venue in the world to host both flatwater and slalom events.

For the U.S., it seems the best chances for another medal would come from Carrie Johnson and Rami Zur on the flatwater side. Zur is a two-time Olympic sprint-kayaker, having competed for both Israel and the U.S. He competed in Athens four years ago, but then suffered a major spinal injury after hitting his head in a swimming pool. After a long rehabilitation process, the 31-year- old is back for his third Olympics and will compete in the K1 500m and 1000m events.

Johnson, who will race in the K1 500m, can attain the first medal in a sprint race since Greg Barton in 1992. In Athens, she had the highest U.S. finish - 10th place.

In whitewater, Scott Parsons returns for his second Olympics. The Bethesda, Md. native was recently ranked ninth in the world. He'll try to improve on a six-place finish in Athens.

Hungary and Germany dominated at the world cup in July. There were 12 races in the world cup, with each country winning 12 medals, including five golds from Hungary.

Norway's Eirik Veraas-Larsen returns for his third Olympics, having won gold in the K-1 1000m and a bronze in the K-2 1000m in Athens. Canadian Adam van Koeverden won gold in the K-1 500m and a bronze in the K-1 1000m four years ago.

Others to watch will be Great Britain's Tim Brabants, Germany's Jennifer Bongardt, along with the twin Slovakian brothers of Pavel and Peter Hochschorner.

Rowing

Men:
Single Sculls - New Zealand solid favorites
Pairs - Australia and New Zealand top contenders
Double Sculls - New Zealand, Slovenia, Great Britain top contenders
Fours - Great Britain, New Zealand top contenders
Quadruple Sculls - Poland strong favorites
Eights - Canada, Great Britain main contenders
Double Sculls Lightweight - Denmark and Great Britain solid favorites
Fours Lightweight - Great Britain, China, France main contenders

Women:
Single Sculls - Yekaterina Carsten (Belarus) prohibitive favorite
Pairs - China slight favorite, Belarus and Germany contenders
Double Sculls - China heavy favorite
Quadruple Sculls - Great Britain, Germany or China most likely to win
Eights - Wide open
Double Sculls Lightweight - Australia and China co-favorites

Rowing preview:

There are 14 Olympic rowing events, eight sculls and six sweeps. Sculling refers to the use of two oars, one in each hand. Sweep refers to the use of just one oar. The sport of rowing is one of the most physically demanding of all the Olympic events. All of the races are 2,000 meters in length, and competitors strive to generate as many powerful strokes as possible while keeping the team in unison.

Of the 550 athletes that will compete in rowing events in these Beijing Olympic Games, 350 are men. Qualification began with the 2007 World Championships in Munich. There were also three continental qualification events and a final qualification regatta in June of 2008.

With rowing events such as Coxless Pairs and Quadruple Sculls, just to name two, casual Olympic followers may very well be thrown off by the terminology. However, the objective of the sport is consistent across the board, to cross the finish line faster than the competition.

The United State has clearly been the dominant nation in men's rowing, capturing 68 all-time medals, including 29 gold. Great Britain is a rather distant second with 44 medals, followed by Italy with 44. Keep in mind that the United State has nearly twice as many all-time medals in overall Olympic competition than any other nation, with Russia and Great Britain placing second and third.

As for women's rowing, Romania has been the powerhouse in the past, as 27 total medals are 10 more than second place East Germany. However, as a unified nation, Germany has 14 medals, so combined with the East Germany total and the two posted by West Germany, that nation actually has more medals than Romania.

Jason Read of the USA has been a member of the national team since 1995. He was a member of the eight that won the gold in Athens, the first time that the USA captured the gold in that event since 1964. He will be joined by the likes of Chris Liwski and Marcus McElhenney, talented American teammates.

As for the women, Germany's Kathrin Boron has finished worse than second only once in 16 appearances at World Championships and Olympics. At 38 years of age, Boron is still considered one of the elite female rowers in the world. The same can be said of Yekaterina Karsten-Khodotovitch of Belarus, who won three consecutive wold titles from 2005-2007. At the 1996 Olympics, Karsten won the first goal medal in any sport for Belarus, which participated in Atlanta for the first time as an independent republic.

At the 2004 Olympic Games, U.S. rowers came away with medals in both the mens and womens eights. The mens eight set a world record in the heat and then ended a 40-year, gold-medal drought by winning the final from wire-to-wire. The womens eight ended a 20-year medal drought in the event by bringing home the silver medal.

As USRowing looks towards the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, the focus has turned towards winning medals in the small boats, while maintaining the success in the two eights. The 2008 squad should be deeper, with a strong mix of returning Olympians and talented newcomers.

In the womens sweep program, womens head coach Tom Terhaar continues to build depth for the pair and eight. Talented newcomers like Caroline Lind and Megan Cooke have joined a strong group of Olympic veterans including Anna Mickelson and Caryn Davies.

Mickelson and Cooke recently teamed up to win the womens pair at the final stop of the 2006 FISA World Cup circuit, while the womens eight won the 2006 Henley Royal Regatta, defeating the Netherlands in the final.

On the womens sculling side, Michelle Guerette, a member of the womens quadruple sculls in Athens, has moved to the single and shown early success. Guerette won a bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships and is continuing to establish herself as one of the top single scullers in the world. Likewise, the lightweight womens double sculls tandem of Julie Nichols and Renee Hykel reached the medal stand at last years world championships, winning a silver medal in its first international competition. Terhaar continues to build the depth of the sculling program as well. The womens quad recently finished fourth at the world cup stop in Lucerne, Switzerland.

On the mens sweep side, several members of the Olympic gold medal eight, including Beau Hoopman, Matt Deakin, and Dan Beery, anchor a talented athlete pool for mens head coach Mike Teti. While the focus has shifted to the mens four, the eight still won gold at the 2005 World Championships. With newcomers such as Josh Inman, Sam Burns, Chris Liwski, and Brett Newlin adding exceptional depth to the program, the U.S. should be in medal contention in all three sweep events in 2008. On the lightweight sweep side, the focus has been on developing the talent pool, something that should start paying dividends as Beijing approaches.

On the mens sculling side, head coach Kris Korzeniowskis focus also has been on developing the talent pool, which has already started to pay dividends. Led by Olympic mens eight gold medalist Wyatt Allen, who switched to sculling in the fall of 2004, the mens quadruple sculls crew of Matt Hughes, Allen, J. Sloan DuRoss and Sam Stitt recently reached the podium at the world cup stop in Lucerne, winning a bronze medal.

Sailing

Men:
Windsurfer
One person Dinghy
Two person Dinghy
Keelboat

Women:
Windsurfer
One person Dinghy
Two person Dinghy
Keelboat

Open:
Heavyweight dinghy
Skiff
Multihull

Sailing preview

The United States Olympic Sailing Program is in the midst of an exciting resurgence, fueled by unprecedented talent and a strong spirit. Under the new leadership of Olympic Sailing Committee Chairman Dean Brenner, Olympic Director Katie Kelly and High Performance Director Gary Bodie and a new generation of sailing talent, the sport is building a new program of strength on and off the water. The U.S. sailing team is highly competitive with the best in the world in many Olympic Classes. The team has had an unprecedented number of athletes who have produced exceptional results, including podium finishes at the top-three international regattas: U.S. Sailing's Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta (OCR) in Miami, FL, Kiel Week in Kiel, Germany and the Holland Regatta.

The sport of sailing makes its 24th appearance in the Summer Olympics and will be held at Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center. Qingdao is a Chinese coastal city that faces the Yellow Sea to the east and south. Some weather forecasters are calling for light wind during the races, so expect some very slow moving races and extended racing days.

There are 11 different classes of boats competing in the Olympics and the United States has qualified in all of them. The U.S. team will consist of 18 athletes, 11 men and seven women. Of the 18, four are Olympic veterans.

In the 49er class, Tim Wadlow and Chris Rast bring veteran leadership to the U.S. class. Wadlow is the skipper and will make his second Olympic appearance, while Rast makes his fourth, including a coaching stint at the 2000 games in Australia. The two competed against each other in the 2004 games, but combined forces this year and were almost unbeatable in the Olympic Trials in San Diego.

Andrew Campbell is the skipper in the Laser division. Campbell, who recently graduated from Georgetown University (2006), comes with solid credentials and good DNA in the Summer Games. His father, Bill Campbell, was a three-time All- American and a member of a winning America's Cup team. Campbell needed a strong finish to beat Brad Funk at the Olympic Trials to earn the place on the team.

Ben Barger and Nancy Rios will make up the RS:X (Windsurfing) Team. Barger needed four straight wins in the Trials to upset former medalist Michael Gebhardt and gain the Olympic berth. As for Rios, this will be her first Olympics and at age 20, she hopes to follow in the footsteps of such international stars as Barbara Kendall of New Zealand and current world champion Alessandra Sensini of Italy.

Zach Railey is the skipper in the Finn class. The multi-talented Railey was nationally ranked in two different classes: Laser (2001-2004) and Finn (2005-2008). However, Railey makes his Olympic debut in 2008 fresh off winning the Team Trials in California. In 2007, Railey was the No.1-ranked U.S. Finn sailor, according to the ISAF World Rankings.

The last two years have been a wild ride for Laser Radial sailor Anna Tunnicliffe. Since graduating from Old Dominion in 2005, the English-born Tunnicliffe has vaulted her way to No.1 ranking in the world in her class. She was named the United States Olympic Committee's SportsWoman of the Year, finished first at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in the Netherlands earlier this year, and posted three wins in 2007, including the Olympic Team Trials in Rhode Island.

It's all about family in the Star class, as John Dane III and his son-in-law, Austin Sperry make up a strong U.S. team that is ranked No.1. Dane finally gets his shot at the Olympics after missing out twice before. The 58-year-old Dane knows this might be his last shot at Olympic gold. "Winning the Star Trials and beating a multiple medalist like Mark Reynolds and competitors like Mark Mendelblatt, George Szabo and Andy Horton at the young age of 57 (2007), is by far my most significant sailing achievement."

The 470 Men's Class will be represented by Stu McNay (skipper) and Graham Biehl (crew). Both sailors tried out for past Olympic games, but were denied. They teamed up and formed one of top-ranked 470 class teams in the country. They have big shoes to fill, as in the 2004 games in Athens, Americans Kevin Burnham and Paul Foerster took home the gold medal.

Amanda Clark and Sarah Mergenthaler make up the top-ranked U.S. Women's 470 team. After missing out on the 2004 games, they trained hard overseas and came into the Trials more determined than ever. For Mergenthaler, she is a well decorated athlete outside of sailing. She was the first high school athlete in her district to earn varsity letters in five different sports, the first high school female in New Jersey to convert a field goal in a varsity football game as a place-kicker, a record-breaker in the javelin throw in college, a varsity soccer player all four years of college who also played semi-pro, and recipient of numerous athlete-of-the-year awards.

Skipper Sally Barkow and crew members Carrie Howe and Debbie Capozzi make up the Yngling class for Team USA. They have been ranked No.1 in the Yngling class since 2005. Barkow's credentials include being a two-time U.S. Sailing Yachtswoman of the Year (2005, 2007) and a three-time winning skipper at the U.S. Sailing Women's Keelboat Championships.

The Tornado class features Skipper John Lovell and his crew member Charlie Ogletree. To make the Olympic team, the duo had to win the final four races at the trials - earning their fourth Olympic appearance. They were eighth in 1996, seventh in 2000 and four years ago, walked away with a silver medal. Born on the same day and only an hour apart, Lovell and Ogletree bring solid leadership to Team USA and good chance at another medal.

Since Sailing was introduced in the Olympics in 1896, the United States sits atop the medal standings with 18 gold, 22 silver and 17 bronze (57 total). Great Britain is second with 45 medals, followed by Sweden and Norway. China, the host city of the Summer Olympics, has won just two medals overall.

The top competitors outside of the United States include Brazilian Robert Scheidt (Star Class). Along with teammate Bruno Prada, they teamed to win back-to-back golds at the World Championships and won the Olympic Test event last year. Scheidt has won two gold medals (1996, 2004) and a silver in 2000.

England's Ben Ainslie will compete in his fourth straight Olympics and seeks his third gold medal. Ainslie is a two-time World Sailor of the Year and switched to the Finn class in 2002, where he won the gold medal in Athens.

Sailing begins competition on Saturday, August 9th and runs through the 21st.

Art Vandeleigh · 07-30-08, 06:10 AM

Category V, Holding a racket - Tennis, Table Tennis, Badminton

Tennis

Men's singles
Men's doubles
Women's singles
Women's doubles

Tennis preview:

World No. 1s Roger Federer of Switzerland and Ana Ivanovic of Serbia will be among those heading to Beijing next month to play for gold at the 2008 Summer Games. Wimbledon and French Open champion Rafael Nadal of Spain will also be among those hunting for some hardware in China.

At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Chilean Nicolas Massu and Belgian Justine Henin captured the singles golds, but don't expect either one to repeat the feat in Beijing. Massu has been a non-factor of late, while Henin, who beat France's Amelie Mauresmo in the gold medal match in Greece, retired from the sport back in May. The 2004 doubles golds went to Massu and his compatriot Fernando Gonzalez and Chinese women Ting Li and Tiantian Sun. Massu and Gonzalez will be together again in China, while Sun will be paired with fellow countrywoman Shuai Peng this time around.

The top singles contenders among the men will be the U.S. Open champion Federer, Nadal and Australian Open titlist and U.S. Open runner-up Novak Djokovic of Serbia. Federer, Nadal and Djokovic will also play doubles in Beijing, as Federer will pair with Stanislas Wawrinka, Nadal will compete with Tommy Robredo and Djokovic will go into battle with doubles specialist Nenad Zimonjic.

Earlier this month, Federer and Nadal played in one of the greatest tennis matches of all-time, as the Spaniard prevailed in five sets in an electric Wimbledon final. And less than a month earlier, the five-time major champion Nadal whipped the 12-time Grand Slam titlist Federer in straight sets in a disappointing French Open finale.

Nine of the world's Top-10 men (at the time of this preview) are expected to be on hand in Beijing, as Russian Nikolay Davydenko, Spaniard David Ferrer, American James Blake, Argentine David Nalbandian, Brit Andy Murray and the Swiss Wawrinka will also be part of the Games' strongest-ever field.

Top-10 star Andy Roddick decided against making the trip.

Some of the other Top-20 men will be Robredo, Gonzalez and Russian Mikhail Youzhny, while former world No. 1 and two-time major champion Lleyton Hewitt will also be on hand, representing Australia.

The only other American men penciled in for singles are Sam Querrey and Robby Ginepri. And Querrey will also play some doubles, alongside Blake.

In the men's doubles in Beijing, the twin American Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, will certainly be among the favorites.

Nine of the world's Top-10 women expect to be in Beijing, as the French Open champion and Australian Open runner-up Ivanovic will be joined by Aussie Open titlist Maria Sharapova of Russia, Serbian Jelena Jankovic, U.S. Open runner- up Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, two-time major runner-up Elena Dementieva of Russia, Americans Serena Williams and Venus Williams, French Open runner-up Dinara Safina of Russia and Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska. The seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus is the reigning Wimbledon champ, having beaten her eight- time-major-titlist-winning younger sister in a marquee final earlier this month. Venus captured Olympic singles gold in Sydney eight years ago by besting Dementieva in the gold medal bout.

The powerful Williams sisters will also team up to play doubles in China. The sisters recently paired to capture the championship at the All England Club, and secured doubles gold in Sydney back in 2000.

Some of the other Top-20 ladies set to compete are Russian Vera Zvonareva, Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova, Swiss Patty Schnyder and Hungarian Agnes Szavay. American Lindsay Davenport, the 1996 gold medal winner in Atlanta, will also make the trip to the Far East, as will France's two-time Grand Slam singles champ Mary Pierce, who has been sidelined since October of 2006 after suffering a severe left knee injury. The three-time major singles champion Davenport will also play doubles, alongside doubles stalwart Liezel Huber.

The tennis portion of the '08 Games will be staged from August 10-17 on hardcourts at Beijing's spanking new Olympic Tennis Center.

All matches will be played to the best of three sets, except for the men's singles and doubles finals, which are played to the best of five. In all four draws, the semifinal winners will play to decide the gold and silver medals and the semifinal losers will compete for the bronze.

The United States has won nine of the 20 gold medals awarded in tennis since the 1988 Seoul Games, but the 2004 Games marked the only time since tennis returned as a full medal sport that the U.S. failed to win at least one gold. Mardy Fish collected the only American medal in '04, a silver in men's singles, marking the first time that the U.S. earned less than three medals in a single Olympic competition.

Table Tennis

Men's singles
Men's teams
Women's singles
Women's teams

Table Tennis preview

Table Tennis will be another high-profile sport for the home country of China in the Summer Olympics. The Chinese have dominated the sport since its inception into the games in 1988, when the games where held in Seoul, Korea. The men have won seven golds, including all five years in doubles, while the women have taken home nine of a possible 10 golds in Olympic competition.

China enters the Olympic competition off a successful World Championship where they were victorious, sweeping all five finals. Not to be overlooked will be the squad from Korea. Two-time Olympian Ryu Seung Min is the reigning gold medalist from Korea. His stunning victory in the 2004 games prevented China from sweeping all the medal events. ITTF Editor Ian Marshall recently told NBCOlympics.com, that Ryu is the "most dynamic, most athletic player on the tour...The Koreans in general are the most athletic. They have a very strong emphasis on their training."

For China, it's all about one-two punch of Ma Lin, the former number one player in the world, and Wang Hao, the current top player. In 2004, it was Hao, who prevented the Chinese from a medals sweep after his upset to his Korean nemesis, Seung Min.

One player who could stand in the way is Germany's Timo Boll, who is recognized as the top player in Europe. Boll, who is recovering from a knee injury, is expected to be fully ready for the singles competition. The flashy lefthander has won all there is, with the exception of Olympic Gold and a World Championship.

The best chance the United States has for a medal stands with the women's squad. They will send two players ranked in the top-30, along with a newcomer to the team, Crystal Huang, who was actually born in China.

Chen Wang, ranked #25, was a member of Team China in the 1990s, but never competed in the Olympics for them. She left her homeland in 1999 and headed to the United States. She qualified for the '08 games with a perfect 8-0 record in the U.S. Trials.

Gao, who is ranked #27, has been a roll for the United States, having won her last 21 matches, including a 9-0 mark at the Pan Am Trials last March. Since the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials, the veteran Gao has been practically unbeatable in National Competitions. She has appeared in seven tournaments since the '04 Trials and was 42-1. Gao is an Olympic veteran who was a silver medalist for China in 1992 in doubles. She left China for the United States two years later and won a silver medal for USA four years ago in Athens. Some of her awards include, gold medalist at the '07 Pan Am Games.

However, the woman's competition will be dominated by the Chinese Team, which has the top five players in the world, including top-ranked Zhang Yining. Zhang is the defending gold medalist in both singles and doubles. She was 20-2 in her five matches in Athens.

Highest ranking USA Men - Ilija Pululesku, ranked #157, Yinghua Cheng #240, David Zhuang #264, Eric Owens #376. Only Zhuang made the Olympic Team.

Badminton

Men's singles
Men's doubles
Women's singles
Women's doubles
Mixed doubles

Badminton preview:

The Chinese have traditionally dominated badminton at the Olympics, and with all-time medal lead in the sport and playing in their home country, they are expected to reign supreme in Beijing.

China has been head and shoulders above the rest in Badminton with 22 Olympic medals, followed by Indonesia (15) and South Korea (14).

Badminton will be played at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium and it consists of five events - men's singles and doubles, women's singles and doubles, and mixed doubles.

Four years ago, Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat won the Olympic gold medal and this will mark his third appearance at the Summer Games. In 2000, he was upset in the quarterfinals by the eventual gold-medal winner Jin Xinpeng of China.

The big story going into these Olympics is the fiery play of a Chinese player known as "Super Dan", that of Lin Dan, the world's top-ranked player. Lin has incredible appeal in his home country, not only that but his Chinese girlfriend, Xie Xingfang, is the world's No. 1 ranked player.

Lin was beaten in the round of 32 in 2004, but has reportedly been prepping himself for the Olympics in unconventional ways. He reportedly punched his coach, Ji Xinpeng, the 2000 gold medallist in Sydney. The disagreement was reportedly due to their practice regimen.

Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei is ranked second in the world and seems like the biggest threat to Lin.

While the Chinese were swept out of medal contention in the men's tournament last time out, the women won a gold (Zhang Ning) and bronze (Gong Ruina) in Athens.

Leading the U.S. contingent will be 2004 Olympian and 2005 world champion Howard Bach. Eva Lee will compete in women's singles and women's doubles. The U.S. has never won a medal in badminton.

Great Britain's Donna Kellogg, a doubles specialist, qualified for her third Olympics. She has still yet to medal.

Art Vandeleigh · 07-30-08, 06:16 AM

Category VI, Riding on something - The 4 cycling events, Equestrian

Cycling, BMX

BMX Race Men
BMX Race Women

Cycling, Mountain Bike

Mountain Bike Men
Mountain Bike Women

Cycling, Road

Men:
Road Race -- 239km
Road Time Trial -- 46.8km

Women:
Road Race -- 120km
Road Time Trial -- 31.2km

Cycling, Track

Men:
Team Sprint
Sprint
Keirin
4000m Team Pursuit
4000m Individual Pursuit
Madison 50km
Points Race 40km

Women:
Sprint
3000m Individual Pursuit
Points Race 25km

Cycling preview (all cycling)

In an effort to take a bite out of the government's expenditures and perhaps keep the air quality from getting any worse this summer as the world focuses in on Beijing, Chinese authorities are aiming to reduce gas consumption by departments directly under the state council. The most obvious manner by which to achieve that goal is to put even more bicycles out on the roads.

First developed in 1817, bicycles have become a way of life for inhabitants of the most populous country in the world, even as private car ownership continues to rise with improved transportation and the second-largest expressway system behind only the United States. Considering how important the self-propelled convayance has become in China, it only makes sense that the Beijing Olympics bring out the best that the world has to offer in cycling competition.

Cycling was one of the nine sports included in the first modern Olympic games in Athens in 1896, but back then organizers kept things simple with a mere 54- mile road race from Athens to Marathon and back. Eight years later in St. Louis the program made the jump to a total of seven events. When Montreal hosted the 1976 Olympics track cycling events were held inside for the very first time.

Now, cyclists heading to China in 2008 will be competing in a total of 18 events, ranging from track and road races to mountain and BMX styles to throw a bit more excitement into the mix. BMX (new this year), mountain (introduced in 1996) and track events will be contested in the Shijingshan District of Beijing, the latter heading inside to the Loashan Velodrome.

The men's side will have four more events than the women in the track category, including Keirin, Madison, team sprint and team pursuit, while both sexes will contend in a sprint, individual pursuit, and points race. The road portion of events includes mass start event and time trial event for both men and women, with a cross country mountain bike event and an individual BMX exhibition also providing opportunity to earn a medal this summer.

With BMX being a relatively new discipline to international competition, the field will be limited to a total of 48 athletes (32 men and 16 women), with countries having a maximum of three men and two women on their squads. When it comes to the more traditional styles of racing, each National Olympic Committee may bring as many as 28 competitors, 19 in the men's divisions and nine women making up the balance.

With so many roster spots up for grabs, the United States will not have a final list of cyclists until the first week of July, yet there are already several qualified stars who have earned the right to represent the red, white and blue this summer.

Although he first began riding as training for downhill ski racing in 1987, 34-year old Levi Leipheimer has now made road cycling his top endeavor. Leipheimer placed third overall in the 2007 Tour de France and followed up a pair of top-10 finishes in the annual event in 2002 and 2004 with his Olympic debut in Athens when Lance Armstong opted not to compete.

Despite his youth, 18-year old Taylor Phinney brings very strong bloodlines to his track racing. In October of last year Taylor, then 17 years of age, entered his first ever track cycling event and brought home the trophy from the U.S. National Championships to share with his father Davis (an Olympic bronze medalist) and mother Connie (the gold medalist in the first-ever women's Olympic road race nearly a quarter century ago in Los Angeles.

Coming out of retirement at the ripe old age of 24 to compete in her first Olympic games in track cycling on the women's side is Sarah Hammer who, before leaving the sport four years ago, was a two-time world champion in the 3000 meter and a seven-time world cup gold medalist. Hammer is considered by most as the top performer in the velodrome for the United States this summer.

A native of Idaho who competed at the 2004 Olympics, Kristin Armstrong has given up on the idea of being a triathlete and focusing her efforts on road cycling. On her way to the last games in Greece, Armstrong won the National Road Race Championships, eventually finishing as the top U.S. female (8th) in the road race.

In 1996 Susan DeMattei took home the bronze in the mountain biking department for the US, but she's the only one from the states to have placed in the top three in the discipline since it was added to the games. This time around the nation is putting its faith in Mary McConneloug, even though she was just three years into her new career when she dropped in on Athens four years ago, marking her third trip to the Olympics. McConneloug came in ninth in Greece but is only now being recognized as one of the top performers in her category.

The more wild side of cycling falls to the BMX racers who might be seen as a bit more reckless and adventurous at times. Leading the charge for the United States will be Mike Day and Donny Robinson, a couple of California kids who can crank it up with the best of them. Day, who has a style of handlebar named after him due to his unusual height for the sport, nearly ran the table on a BMX track that is a replica of the one being used in Beijing. Day took the first of the five heats and came in second in the fourth event, making him the title holder even before the final round took place.

Robinson, who stands nearly a full foot shorter than Day, has been competing in the sport since the age of six and was named the Overall UCI BMX Supercross Series champion in 2006. Robinson also took home top honors at the USA Cycling BMX National Championship in both 2006 and 2007.

The USA currently stands fourth in all-time medals in cycling with a total of 45, a little more than half that of the French (81 medals, 38 gold).

Speaking of the French, Julien Absalon is considered the best in the world in the mountain biking division. Absalon took home the gold in the 2004 games and is the four-time defending world champion in cross-country mountain biking. As far as hitting the hills is concerned, the men's division seemingly begins and ends with Absalon. On the women's side of mountain biking, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesja was the gold-medal winner in Athens four years ago, but illness had her sidelined for much of 2007, which means she'll have to work her way back into the spotlight, despite this being her third time to the Olympic games. Born in California, the one in Italy that is, Paolo Bettini is the reigning title holder in the road race both from the 2004 Olympics and the most recent world championships. Few can challenge his recent dominance in the category and the Cricket, as he is known because of his ability to leap in front of opponents, is certainly one to watch yet again this time around.

Hoping to put a second-place showing in the sprint event in Athens behind him this time around, Theo Bos puts the Netherlands on the map when it comes to track racing. Bos also claimed the silver medal in the kilometer race four years ago, making him the first Dutch rider to earn in medal in either event in almost 70 years.

Pulling double duty for the women is Shanaze Reade of Great Britain who has mastered both BMX and track cycling. Still shy of her 20th birthday, Reade has the stamina and drive to take on any comers in either discipline, as shown by her win in the women's final at the BMX World Championships in Canada in 2007 and her equally impressive showing with teammate Victoria Pendelton at the inaugural 500-meter team sprint world title event in March as the pairing took first place.

Equestrian

Individual Dressage
Team Dressage
Individual Jumping
Team Jumping
Individual Eventing
Team Eventing

Equestrian preview

The United States equestrian team had an outstanding 2004 Olympic Games in Athens with every athlete on the team, in all three disciplines, coming home with a medal.

Equestrian is comprised of three different disciplines: dressage, jumping and eventing. There is an individual and team competition in each discipline. Also, it will be one of the few events not to be held in Beijing. Instead, Hong Kong will be the site of equestrian at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. The jumping and dressage competitions will take place at the Shatin Olympic Equestrian Venue.

A total of 196 horse/rider combinations, across all three disciplines will compete in Hong Kong.

This year's Olympics is sure to be interesting, especially with Phillip Dutton due to compete for the U.S. The 44-year-old won gold for Australia in both 1996 and 2000 at the Summer Games in the three-day event team competition. In 2006, Dutton announced that he would be changing his citizenship, allowing him to ride for the U.S.

Anky van Grunsven of the Netherlands will compete at her sixth Olympics in dressage. The 40-year-old has captured six total medals, including three gold. She was tops again in Athens in 2004.

Another top international rider is New Zealand's Mark Todd, a 52-year-old who will also head to his sixth Olympics. He won the gold medal in the individual three-day event in 1984 and '88, and captured bronze in 2000. He also won a bronze in the team three-day event in 1988. Todd retired after 2000, but has since made an incredible comeback.

Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa, who won an individual gold in Athens Pessoa actually finished with a silver medal in the jumping competition to Irish rider Cian O'Connor, but after a doping violation, Pessoa was awarded the gold medal.

Following the competition in Aachen, Germany, the U.S. showjumping team was named. Beezie Madden will be riding Authentic, McLain Ward will be aboard Sapphire, Will Simpson will ride El Campeon's Carlsson vom Dach, and Laura Kraut will saddle Cedric. Kraut was an alternate for the 1992 team and made her official Olympic debut in 2000.

Art Vandeleigh · 07-30-08, 06:25 AM

Category VII, Hands pointing up or down while competing - Trampoline, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Synchronized Swimming, Diving, Weightlifting

Diving

3m Springboard Synchronized (M,W) - China heavy favorites for both men and women's teams
10m Platform Synchronized (M,W) - China heavy favorites for both men's and women's teams
3m Springboard (M,W)
10m Platform (M,W)

Diving preview

The U.S. Olympic Diving Team heads to Beijing hoping to avoid a repeat of four years ago.

Despite their historical dominance in the sport, American divers walked away without a single medal at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens.

It marked the first time the U.S. failed to win a diving medal since the Stockholm Games in 1912 (although the men's team was shutout of the 2000 Games in Sydney, Laura Wilkinson won gold in the women's 10-meter platform).

The primary benefactors of the Americans' dubious accomplishment in Greece were the Chinese, who collected nine total medals in diving, including six golds.

Now Olympic hosts, the Chinese have posed the most serious threat to American dominance in diving for the past 20 years.

U.S. head coach John Wingfield's team will battle that threat with a roster of 12 divers in Beijing, marking the first time since 1996 the Americans will have the maximum number of athletes.

Wilkinson will join men's standout Troy Dumais in leading the U.S. Diving team in Beijing after both won their events at Olympic Trials to secure their third trip to the Summer Games.

A three-time USA Diving athlete of the year, Wilkinson was unable to build on her 2000 gold medal in platform -- a first for an American woman since 1964 -- when she finished fifth at the Athens Games in 2004.

But she rebounded with a gold medal at the World Championships in 2005, and this year the 30-year-old Texan claimed first place in platform at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Also making his third Olympic team after winning the men's three-meter springboard at Trials, Dumais will look to build on his sixth-place finish in Athens four years ago.

The 28-year-old Dumais will be joined in the men's three-meter discipline by Chris Colwill, who is one of four American divers competing in two separate events in Beijing.

Colwill will compete alongside Jevon Tarantino in the men's synchronized three-meter springboard, while two more American men -- David Boudia and Thomas Finchum -- are entered in both the 10-meter platform and synchronized 10-meter platform.

On the women's side, Wilkinson will be joined in the 10-meter platform by teammate Haley Ishimatsu, who will also compete in the synchronized 10-meter platform event with fellow 15-year-old Mary Beth Dunnichay.

Christina Loukas and Nancilea Underwood Foster will compete in three-meter springboard, while Ariel Rittenhouse and Kelci Bryant will represent the Americans in the synchronized three-meter event.

China will be the favorite to claim the most medals again after it walked away with six golds, two silvers and a bronze in Athens. No other country won more than a single gold four years ago.

Second to the Chinese at the Athens Games were the Australians with six total medals (one gold, one silver and four bronze). Russia claimed four medals (two silver and two bronze) and Canada was the only other multiple-medal winner with two overall (one silver and one bronze).

The host Greeks joined Germany and Great Britain with one medal apiece.

The Olympic diving program in Beijing will begin two days after the Opening Ceremony with the women's synchronized three-meter finals on August 10. It runs through the men's 10-meter platform finals on August 23.

Weightlifting

Men:
56kg - Halil Mutlu (Turkey) trying to become first man to win 4 Olympic weightlifting gold medals
62kg
69kg
77kg
85kg
94kg
105kg
105+kg - Hossein Rezazadeh (Iran) 2-time defending champ trying to make it 3 in a row

Women:
48kg
53kg
58kg
63kg
69kg
75kg
75+kg - Wang Mingjuan (South Korea), gold medalist in Sydney and silver medalist in Athens

Weightlifting preview

Weightlifting has been around since the start of recorded history, but it first appeared as an official Olympic sport in 1896 as a part of track and field. The sport was left out of the 1900 Games only to return to the Olympic stage in 1904. In 1920, Weightlifting became a regular event at the Olympics and during the 2000 games in Sydney women were allowed to compete for the first time.

Both the men and women's events will be held from August 9th through the 19th and competition will be conducted at the Beihang University Gymnasium. Olympic weightlifting consists of two lifts, the "snatch" and the "clean and jerk" and both men and women must complete each lift in this event. The maximum weights the competitor is able to successfully lift in both events are added together to determine the winner in a weight class. There are also judges to ensure a proper lift.

Definitions of the lifts; The snatch lift is when the barbell is pulled from the platform to above the head in one quick motion. The second event is the clean and jerk, where a lift is done in two steps. First, the bar is pulled up to the shoulders as the lifter goes into a squat and follows that with a burst into an upright position, with the weight resting on the chest. From there, the athlete extends his or her arms and raises the bar above the head until hearing the referee signal it is a good lift.

Keeping track at home is no problem, as the plates are color coded. Red is 25 kg (55 lbs); Blue is 20 kg (44 lbs); Yellow is 15 kg (33 lbs); Green is 10 kg (22 lbs); White is 5 kg (7 lbs); Black is 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs); Chrome is 1.25 kg (2.75 lbs) and Record Disks are 0.50 kg (1.1 lbs) and 0.25 (.55 lbs). The bar in the men's side of the competition weighs 20 kg (about 44 pounds) and the women's bar weighs 15 kg (about 33 pounds). Men compete in eight weight classes, and the women seven. The maximum weights for each of those classes were new in 2000, therefore, each gold medalist automatically established a new Olympic record in their weight class.

Men's weight classes are as follows: Up to 56 kg; 56-62 kg; 62-69 kg; 69-77 kg; 77-85 kg; 85-94 kg; 94-105 kg and over 105 kg.

Women's weight classes are up to 48 kg; 48-53 kg; 53-58 kg; 58-63 kg; 63-69 kg; 69-75 kg and over 75 kg.

Carissa Gump and Natalie Woolfolk are set to make history, as they will become the first women American lifters to participate in the 63 kg division at the Olympics. Gump won the 2005 and 2007 Collegiate National Championships, while Woolfolk won the U.S. National Championships three consecutive years (2005-07) and earned USA Weightlifting's Lifter of the Year award in 2006 and 2007. Woolfolk holds all the American records in the 63 kg weight class.

The comeback story of Melanie Roach will surely be mentioned at this year's Olympics, as she is set to participate in the 53 kg division. Roach was one of the premier women lifters in the mid to late 90's and in 1998 she exceeded the world standard in the clean and jerk at the US National Championships. She was the top ranked American weightlifter after that performance and she was on her way to a 2000 Olympic debut. Unfortunately, Roach suffered a serious back injury weeks before the Olympic Trials and did not participate in the Sydney games. After putting her career on hold to start a family, Roach decided in 2005 to make a comeback in the sport she had once dominated. Following a year of training, she reclaimed her spot on the U.S. national team and amazingly won the bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Championships in Brazil. She appears primed for a big showing in Beijing.

Last, but certainly not least for the women's team is Cheryl Haworth, who is widely considered the strongest women in the United States. At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Haworth set five American records and captured the bronze medal in the super-heavyweight (75 + kg) division. While still recovering from an elbow injury, she finished a disappointing sixth at the Athens Games in 2004, but she is poised for a rebound in now her third Olympics.

The men's team is highlighted by Chad Vaughn, who earned the third and final spot on the U.S. Olympic weightlifting team in 2004. He placed 19th at the 77 kg division in Athens, but now more experienced, look for Vaughn to finish much higher this time around. Joining Vaughn will be Casey Burgener and Kendrick Farris. Burgener will compete at the over 105 kg division, while Farris will participate in the 85 kg group. Farris was the top-rated qualifier for the men, while Burgener earned the final spot with a clean and jerk of 493 pounds on his next-to-last attempt.

China is expected to make some noise in this competition, as the host nation dominated the World Championships in 2006, winning 11 medals in 15 events. Zhang Guozheng is one of the most decorated lifters for the Chinese, having placed fourth at the Sydney games and first at Athens in the 69 kg division.

Hossein Rezazadeh of Iran is the two-time reigning champ in the Olympic weightlifting super heavyweight division (105+ kg/231+ lbs.) and he is trying to become just the fourth competitor in the sport's history to win three career Olympic gold medals.

Halil Mutlu of Turkey takes things a step further, as the "Little Dynamo" has a chance to become the first weightlifter to win four Olympic gold medals. The 4-foot-11 Mutlu will try to duplicate his results from the Atlanta, Sydney and Athens Games in the 56kg/123lbs division.

The women's field includes the likes of Wang Mingjuan, who came away with the silver medal for South Korea in the over 75 kg division in Athens. Mingjuan also won the gold medal in Sydney, becoming the first woman to lift 300 kg (snatch and clean and jerk total) in a competition. The Chinese also figure to play a big part in the women's field, as do the Americans.

Gymnastics, Trampoline

Individual Men
Individual Women

Trampoline preview

Chris Estrada and Erin Blanchard will represent the U.S. in the trampoline competition. Prior to this year, the lone American to compete at the Olympics in trampoline was Jennifer Parilla.

Anna Dogonadze, a 35-year-old from Germany, is the defending women's champion. Henrik Stehlik, also from Germany, won the bronze for the men four years ago and now hopes to take home the gold

Gymnastics, Rhythmic

Individual Women - Russia strong favorites, Ukraine given a shot
Group Women - Russia strong favorites, Italy given a shot

Rhythmic Gymnastics preview

This competition, which consists of individual and group events for women, is highlighted by competitors using elements of ballet, gymnastics, theatrical dance, and apparatus manipulation. Gymnasts use a rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon during the event.

Russia has dominated rhythmic gymnastics in the past. Four years ago, Alina Kabaeva and Irina Tchachina finished 1-2 at the Olympics, but this time around the Ukraine's Anna Bessonova, who won the bronze, is could unseat the Russians to capture the gold. Bessonova won a world all-around title last year in Greece, but both Olga Kapranova and Vera Sessina of Russia are also hoping for gold in Beijing.

Synchronized Swimming

Team Women - Russia solid favorites
Duet Women - Russia solid favorites

Synchronized Swimming preview

Synchronized Swimming, the event originally known as water ballet, will make its sixth appearance as a medal sport this year at the Summer Olympics.

Since making its debut as a medal sport at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, 33 medals have been awarded in synchronized swimming. Japan has the most medals with 11, but has never won gold in the sport. The United States has garnered the most gold medals with five and Russia is close behind with four.

All told, just five countries have earned medals in synchronized swimming. In addition to the nations mentioned above, France and Canada have also taken home hardware in this event.

There are two medal events within synchronized swimming, as countries compete in both team and duet segments. Both formats include a technical and free routine. Judges score routines on a 100-point scale with points being awarded for artistic impression (60-percent) and technical merit (40-percent).

Synchronized Swimming features two panels with five judges on each side, one to tally technical scores and the other to concentrate on artistic impression. Technical merit is judged based on criteria such as execution of strokes, difficulty for strokes and synchronization.

Choreography, music interpretation and manner of presentation combine to add up to a total artistic score.

Eight nations will compete in the team event at the 2008 Games and Russia once again appears to be the favorite heading into Beijing. The Russians have won gold in the team segment in each of the last two Olympics and have also taken the last five world championships.

The Japanese have been second to Russia in synchronized swimming for some time now and are one of the favorites heading into this summer's competition.

However, China is also on the rise in the sport and finished fourth at the 2007 world championships and hope to medal in the event for the first time ever at the Beijing Games. The Chinese are coached by Masayo Imura, the legendary Japanese synchronized swimming instructor.

The world's best duet pairing of Anastasia Davydova and Anastasia Ermakovain are, not surprisingly, from Russia. The Muscovites are the defending Olympic gold medalists and also took first at last year's world championships.

The Japanese won silver in the duets at the last two Olympics, but the winning tandem from those Games, Miya Tachibana and Miho Takeda, have since retired. Saho Harada and Emiko Suzuki have become the top duo from Japan, but they finished third at the last two world championships, finishing behind Gemma Mengual and Paola Tirados of Spain.

The top team for the U.S. at the Beijing Games will be the pairing of Andrea Nott and Christina Jones. The California duo won the duet competition at the Pan American Games, but the squad finished a disappointing fifth at the 2007 world championships.

Jones is just 20 years old, but has been competing in synchronized swimming since the age of six and is one of the bright spots on an inexperienced American squad. In fact, Nott is the only U.S. synchronized swimmer returning from the squad in Athens that won bronze in the team competition.

Synchronized swimming competition will take place at the National Aquatic Center, which has been affectionately nicknamed the "Water Cube".

Art Vandeleigh · 07-30-08, 06:32 AM

Category VIII, Shooting at something - Archery, Shooting

Archery

Individual Men
Team Men - South Korea heavy favorites
Individual Women
Team Women - South Korea heavy favorites

Archery preview

The U.S. Archery Team will look for success at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing with the recent hiring of world renowned archery coach Kisik Lee. Coach Lee will try to help the U.S. men bring home a medal in 2008 after falling just short (fourth) at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

However, in both the men's and women's events, U.S. Archery along with its counterparts around the world will be underdogs to Coach Lee's native Korean team.

In the 2004 men's team competition, the Korean team successfully defended the gold medal it won at Sydney, Australia in 2000. They recently won the 2008 Meteksan Archery World Cup defeating Malaysia 228-215.

In men's individual archery in Greece, the gold medal was won by Italian Marco Galizzo, silver went to Hiroshi Yamamoto of Japan and bronze to Tim Cuddihy of Australia.

The 2007 Men's World Outdoor Championship gold went to Korean Im Dong-Hyun edging Russian Baljinima Tsyrepilov 110-108 with a perfect 10 on his final arrow. Im will be one of the favorites in Beijing.

"We have a tradition of winning in Korea and I was watching archery when I was a kid," said Im. "I am very proud to carry on the torch."

On the individual women's side, a Korean has won for six consecutive Olympics going all the way back to the 1984 games in Los Angeles. In 2004 Park Sun-Hyun beat out teammate Lee Sung Jun as Korea took both gold and silver. Allison Williamson won the bronze medal.

In team competition, the Korean women's team is a five-time gold medalist dating back to 1988, the first year of women's team competition. In Athens they defeated China 241-240. Korea is coming off a win over No.1-ranked Italy at the Meteksan Archery World Cup 222-220.

In the 2007 World Championships, Park was beaten by current No.1 Natalia Valeeva of Italy. She was the first non-Korean to win a World Championship since 1995 when Valeeva also took first place.

The United States team had five archers qualify for Beijing. The men's team consists of Brady Ellison, Butch Johnson and Vic Wunderle. Two women qualified - Jennifer Nichols and Khatuna Lorig.

Seventeen-year-old Brady Ellison has used a compound bow his entire life, winning two Junior World Championships and only switched over to a recurve bow (the only bow used in the Olympic Games) last fall. In April he won five gold medals at the Mexican Grand Prix and won the 2006 Junior Olympic Archery Development National Championships.

Four-time Olympian Butch Johnson is currently ranked No.2 in the United States.

Vic Wundele won an individual silver and team bronze medal in the 2000 Sydney games and was also a member of the 2004 Olympic team.

Twenty-two year old Jennifer Nichols was a 2004 Olympian and is ranked No.1 in the U.S.

Khatuna Lorig is a three-time Olympian from the Republic of Georgia and is currently ranked No.2 in the U.S. after becoming a citizen last year.

The competition begins at the Olympic Green Archery Field on Saturday, August 9th and finishes on Friday, August 15th.

Shooting

Men:
50m Rifle Prone
50m Rifle 3 Positions
10m Air Rifle
50m Pistol
25m Rapid Fire Pistol
10m Air Pistol
Trap
Double Trap
Skeet

Women:
50m Rifle 3 Positions
10m Air Rifle
25m Pistol
10m Air Pistol
Trap
Skeet

Shooting preview

Unlike 1900 when actual live pigeons were executed for the thrill of sport and competition, clay pigeons are again on the menu when marksmen and markswomen compete in 15 events in shooting in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The events are split into three different areas (rifle, pistol and shotgun), with men having one additional event in each discipline. Both men and women will compete in 50m rifle 3-position and 10m air rifle events, with the men adding 50m rifle prone to their plate. In pistol shooting both sexes take aim in 10m air pistol, while women add 25m pistol to their slate. The men contend in 50m pistol and 25m rapid fire pistol as well.

Men and women try to remain steady in the shotgun which includes trap and skeet, with the males getting more adventurous with a double trap as well. The shotgun events are the ones that include the clay targets, which are sent flying at the shooter's command.

In both the rifle and pistol events 10-ring targets are utilized, with a number of the individual rounds having their own unique set of rules which shooters must follow in order to score points.

It should come as little surprise that the United States has had the most success in shooting over the years, the nation's 49 gold medals alone almost as many as the total number of medals (57) logged by the Soviet Union/USSR.

In Athens four years ago the Americans were poised to add to that impressive total, specifically Matt Emmons, but in what has to be considered one of the greatest blunders in recent Olympic history, Emmons went from leading in the 50m three position rifle final to an eighth-place finish when his final shot fired at the wrong target in a different lane. The agonizing faux pas allowed China's Jia Zhando to capture the gold.

U.S. Women have more gold medals (six) than any other nation, but are still second behind this year's host country in terms of overall medals, with China laying claim to 13.

Rarely does an Olympic competitor have trouble getting his/her equipment over to the host country, but it wasn't until the end of June that U.S. marksmen learned they'd be permitted to bring their own firearms with them to Beijing. President Bush cleared the way for shooters to bring their own guns over to the Olympics with barely a month remaining before departure, which is akin to having softball players bring their own gloves.

Nevertheless, the sharpshooters to keep an eye on from the United States include Vincent Hancock, the current world record holder in skeet shooting. Just 19-years old, Hancock made it look rather easy during the three-day U.S. Trials by posting a perfect 25 in the final round to earn his way to the 2008 Games.

A bit longer in the tooth is Emmons who now resides in Colorado Springs after finding true love at the 2004 Games and subsequently married Katerina Kurkova, an Athens silver medalist in air rifle for the Czech Republic. At least he came back from Greece with something positive to talk about after his problems finding the right target. Needless to say, Emmons has the added pressure of making up for his mistake from four years ago.

However, Emmons is not the only shooter who to have his issues on the target range in Athens. Michael Anti, who is heading to his fourth Olympic Games, could have pulled out the gold medal himself in the 3-position competition, but instead settled for the silver four years ago after squeezing off one too many shots while in the kneeling position of the event. If nothing else, his finish in Greece was still far beyond his previous success, with Anti finishing no higher than eighth place in 1992 or 2000.

A high-flying star in the world of women's double-trap shooting, Kimberly Rhode has now been forced to take up skeet shooting instead, since the IOC removed her chosen discipline from the 2008 Games. The gold medalist in both 1996 and 2004 in the double trap, Rhode now has her work cut out for her. But don't worry, she's already established herself as one of the top women skeet shooters in the world, tying Erdzhanik Avetisyan (RUS) and Erdzhanik Avetisyan (GER) for a share of the skeet finals world record (98) with her gold-medal performance at Santo Domingo World Cup.

The current owner of both the Olympic and world records in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions is Rajmond Debevec of Slovenia. Perhaps not immediately thought of as a military power, there are few nations in the world which can boast of a more dominant performer in all of shooting. Debevec is entering his seventh consecutive Olympic Games, dating back to 1984, yet refuses to take any of it for granted. A three-time gold medal winner in the men's rapid fire pistol competition at the Olympics, Germany's Ralf Schumann is the defending champion in the event. However Schumann, who has been ranked as high as fourth in the world as of late, wasn't even a lock to make the country's team this time around. It is an unusual circumstance for someone who has been to each of the Olympic Games since 1988 and is considered the discipline's all-time performer.

With the Beijing Olympics more than likely being her final major competition, Germany's Susanne Kiermayer wants nothing more than to go out with a bang. Now a four-time Olympian who, like Kimberly Rhode has been forced to change her approach since the double trap was eliminated, Kiermayer will again be lurking in the shadows of Rhode as they both take aim at the women's trap. Although she may not be one of the favorites to medal, Kiermayer is quick to point out that all three gold medals in shotgun events in Sydney went to wild cards, so there's certainly some hope looming.

The hometown (or at least host country) crowd will certainly be cheering a bit louder for Du Li as she competes in the air rifle, which will also represent the first event in which medals will be presented in the games overall. Four years ago Li won the gold medal in Athens, even though she wasn't ranked in the top 100 in the world in the event. With more than a billion of her countrymen watching her every move, the pressure is certainly on for Li to repeat her performance in August.

Art Vandeleigh · 07-30-08, 06:34 AM

Category IX, Ends in "lon" - Triathlon, Modern Pentathlon

Triathlon

Men's competition - Javier Gomez (Spain) strong favorite
Women's competition - Vanessa Ferandes (Portugal) solid favorite, Emma Snowsill (Australia) given a shot

Triathlon preview

The triathlon made its debut as an Olympic sport in the 2000 games in Sydney, Australia with Canada's Simon Whitfield taking the inaugural event in a time of 1:48:24.02, more than 13 seconds faster than Stephan Vuckovic of Germany. On the women's side, Brigitte McMahon of Switzerland bested Australian Michellie Jones by a scant 2.03 seconds.

Four years later in Athens, Greece, a pair of New Zealanders battled to the wire on the men's side as Hamish Carter held off countrymate Bevan Docherty by 7.87 seconds to grab the gold. Austria's Kate Allen sent Australia home with a second consecutive women's silver medal as she defeated Loretta Harrop by 6.72 seconds.

The American men have not fared too well in this event as Hunter Kemper's ninth-place mark in 2004 is by far the highest recorded finish. Andy Potts ended up 22nd, while Victor Plata crossed the wire in 27th place. Kemper however, did improve immensely from 2000 when he finished in the 17th position. The other two American males that year ran 25th and 40th.

The United States women have had much greater success as Susan Williams grabbed a bronze medal in 2004 despite crashing early in the cycling portion of the race. Barb Lindquist finished ninth, while Sheila Taormina, running in her second Olympic Triathlon, came in 23rd place. Four years earlier, Taormina finished in the sixth slot, two back of Joanne Ziger and seven ahead of Jennifer Gutierrez.

According to the official International Triathlon Union, the preliminary list of contestants will be 55 men and 55 women from 37 different countries. The women will apply their trade on day 10 of the Olympics, while the men get down to business on day 11. Only five countries have qualified the maximum amount of six representatives (three men and three women) - Canada, Switzerland, New Zealand, Germany and the United States.

The triathlon is made up of three parts: a 1,500 meter swim, followed by 40 kilometers of cycling, and ending with a 10 kilometer run.

One of the U.S. competitors on the male side, Jarrod Shoemaker when asked what his strengths and weaknesses are, he answered, "I'm mainly a runner, so that comes easier to me. If it comes down to a run, it's better for me. I've had to work harder at the other two legs."

Shoemaker became the first U.S. male to qualify when he defeated both Hunter Kemper and Andy Potts in the Beijing World Cup back in September. Matthew Reed was the next to be named when he won the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Tuscaloosa, Alabama back in April.

The final spot was determined in the Hy-Vee Triathlon in Des Moines, Iowa back on June 22. Kemper ran sixth besting Potts, who finished eighth, so Hunter Kemper becomes the first and only American to race in all three Olympic games.

On the women's side, Julie Swail Ertal, who already has an Olympic silver medal as a member of the 2000 Water Polo team, will be looking for medal number two as she is one of the three American females that qualified for the Beijing games. The 35-year-old won the Olympic Trials in Tuscaloosa and ran seventh in the recently completed Hy-Vee Triathlon.

Laura Bennett, who qualified for the Olympics with a third place finish at the 2007 ITU Beijing World Cup, ran fourth in Des Moines, besting the other nine U.S. women in the race. The Florida native was also the '06 and '07 USAT Female triathlete of the Year.

Sarah Haskins became the last member of the U.S. women's team after she finished sixth in the Hy-Vee Triathlon, three slots ahead of Sarah Groff, who failed to make the cut.

The U.S. women's team is ranked first in the standings after Sarah Haskins' second-place finish in the recently completed world championships in Vancouver. New Zealand is second with Germany third.

The American men pale in comparison to their female counterparts, as the United States is ranked fifth, with New Zealand number one followed by Germany and Great Britain.

Modern Pentathlon

Modern Pentathlon Men - Andrejus Zadneprovskis (Lithuania) mild favorite
Modern Pentathlon Women - Aya Medany (Egypt) , Lena Schoneborn (Germany) mild co-favorites in wide open event

Modern Pentathlon preview

Shooting, fencing, swimming, equestrian and running. Five disciplines that may appear to have very little in common, but those individual sports come together to form the Olympic event of Modern Pentathlon.

The 'modern' portion of the name helps distinguish the event from the Ancient Olympics' Pentathlon, which has no common events with the current version.

A total of 72 participants, 36 men and 36 women, will compete in the event in Beijing. No more than two men or women from the same country will be allowed to partake in the Modern Pentathlon. If a country qualifies more than two men or two women, the national governing body chooses which athletes will represent it at the Olympics.

Shooting kicks off the Pentathlon, as athletes take 20 shots with a 4.5- millimeter air pistols at 10 meters. A perfect shot earns 10 target points and points are also awarded for shots hitting one of nine outer rings of the target. One lost target point results in a three-second delay in the running segment.

Next up is the fencing portion of the competition where each contestant fences every other athlete in a duel. The first fencer to achieve a good touch is declared the winner and if the bout ends after the one-minute time limit without a hit, both athletes are given a loss. One lost fencing bout equates to a seven-second delay in the running discipline. Winning 25 of 35 bouts (70%) is considered 'par for the course,' earning 1000 Pentathlon points.

Next up is a a 200-meter swim which concentrates more on time than winning individual heats. A time of 2:05 is considered 'par for the course,' earning 1300 Pentathlon points. Every second slower than 2:05 equates to a three- second delay in the running event. Forty-point penalties are given for two false starts or failing to touch the wall at the end of a lap.

In the equestrian segment, athletes compete on 350-450-meter course with 12 hurdles and 15 total jumps. Deductions are given for knocking down a rail, stopping before a jump, falling off the horse, exceeding the designated time limit. A maximum score in show jumping is 1,200 Pentathlon points for an error-free finish under the standard time.

The Pentathlon concludes with a running event on a 3000-meter cross-country course. The leader after four events starts first and every other athlete starts behind the leader based on how many points behind they are. The first athlete to cross the finish line is the Olympic champion, while the second- place finisher will earn the silver medal and the third-place finisher will earn bronze.

Hungary and Sweden have been the best countries in the Modern Pentathlon, as the two nations are tied atop the all-time medal standings with nine golds and 21 medals apiece. Russia is third with five golds and 17 overall medals, while the U.S. is next with six silver and three bronze for a total of nine medals.

Andrey Moiseev of Russia won the gold medal for the men four years ago in Athens and Hungary's Zsuzsanna Voros took the top prize in the women's event. Both pentathletes will be back to defend their titles in Beijing.

The United States is not returning any athletes from the Athens Games in the Pentathlon, but three-time Olympian Sheila Taormina will compete in the event for the first time at the Summer Games.

Taormina won gold medal as part of the women's 4x200m freestyle relay team at the 1996 Atlanta Games and represented the U.S. in the triathlon at the last two Olympics. This summer the 39-year-old will become the first female athlete to complete at the Olympics in three different sports.

Eli Bremer, a captain in the U.S. Air Force, is the top-ranked American in the men's Pentathlon. Bremer like would've made the Athens Games, but a broken foot kept him out of the running. The 30-year-old rebounded after the injury and was the gold medalist at the Pan American Games in both 2006 and '07.

The Modern Pentathlon will be contested on a single day, one day for the men's and another for the women's event, in three separate venues which are all within close proximity of one another.

Cappy · 07-30-08, 05:34 PM

I'm looking forward to greco-roman and freestyle wrestling

Cappy · 07-30-08, 05:34 PM

Michael phelps is endorsing that swimsuit that reduces resistance

Cappy · 07-30-08, 05:35 PM

It's supposed to give an advantage

Cappy · 07-30-08, 05:36 PM

Not that he needs one

max_asdf · 07-31-08, 10:22 AM

where you get those info from?

Art Vandeleigh · 08-07-08, 02:39 AM

Bump before the games begin.

The previews are from The Sports Network.

Concensus of event from Betfair, Bet365, Pinnacle

Shark79 · 08-07-08, 02:44 PM

I'll give a gold medal to the first person that reads all of the info by AV.

bigboydan · 08-07-08, 10:30 PM

Who did everyone wager on the events above?

smitch124 · 08-07-08, 11:37 PM

I'm ready! Is there any lines on the opening ceremonies?