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| Ukraine's Olena Yatsenko (L) battles China's Li
Weiwei during their women's preliminary round pool
A handball match at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, August 17, 2004.
(Reuters) |
The fifth day of
competition in Athens features 21 gold medals, including four in the swimming pool and
two shot put finals at Olympia.
Expected medal times (all estimates except swimming, times in
GMT)
0910 - Men's C1 canoe single
0945 - Women's K1 kayak single
1045 - Women's double trap,
shooting
1110 - Women's time
trial, cycling
1255 - Women's 25 metre pistol,
shooting
1330 - Women's 70 kg, weightlifting and Men's 90 kg,
weightlifting
1400 - Women's shot
put, athletics
1451 - Women's individual,
archery
1510 - Women's 63 kg, weightlifting
1530 - Men's time trial,
cycling and Team jumping, equestrian three-day event
1545 - Men's shot
put, athletics
1634 - Men's 200 metre breaststroke, swimming
1715 -
Women's 200 metre butterfly, swimming
1720 - Women's individual foil,
fencing and Men's 100 metre freestyle, swimming
1806 - Women's 4x200
freestyle relay, swimming
1840 - Men's 69 kg, weightlifting
1900 -
Individual jumping, equestrian three-day event
1938 - Men's individual
all-round, gymnastics
ATHLETICS - The men's and women's shot put competitions will be held at
Olympia where the ancient Olympics were held, two days before the
athletics competition starts in earnest. Shot put is not among the most
high-profile events in the modern Olympics, but the venue will guarantee a
large television audience.
American Christian Cantwell is favourite among the men and Irina
Korzhanenko of Russia among the women.
SWIMMING - Men's 200 metre breaststroke - A fascinating race looms with
Brendan Hansen, Kosuke Kitajima and Russia's Dmitry Komornikov likely to
battle for gold with all three taking turns holding the world record in
the past year. Kitajima won the world title but Hansen set his world
record at the US trials.
Women's 200 metre butterfly - Otylia Jedrzejczak smashed the world
record at the 2002 European championships but Petria Thomas is fastest in
the world this year after winning silver and bronze in this event at the
past two Olympics and the pair seem sure to battle it out for gold with
Hungary's Eva Risztovj among the leading contenders for bronze.
Men's 100 metre freestyle - Pieter van den Hoogenband is the reigning
Olympic champion and world record holder but faces a tough task defending
his title.
Jason Lezak's 48.17 at the US trials is the best this year but Roland
Schoeman (48.20) is a fingertip away with fellow South African Ryk
Neethling (48.76) and Australia's Ian Thorpe (48.83) also close. Russian
Alexander Popov won the world title last year and, like Van den
Hoogenband, remains an obvious danger along with American Ian Crocker and
Italian Filipo Magnini.
Women's 4x200m freestyle relay - The United States and Australia look
likely to battle this one out with Britain and China also in contention.
GYMNASTICS - World all-round champion Paul Hamm will be going for gold
against title favourite Yang Wei of China. European all-round champion
Marian Dragulescu will be hoping to upset the form book by upstaging the
two favourites.
JUDO - Brazil's Carlos Honorato, silver medallist in Sydney, is
probably the favourite in the men's 90 kg but world champions Hwang
Hee-tae of South Korea and Zurab Zviadauri of Georgia are strong
contenders. In the women's 70 kg world champion Masae Ueno is definitely
the fighter to beat and Kate Howey of Britain, silver medallist in Sydney,
is in her fourth Olympics before retiring.
ARCHERY - South Korea's all-conquering women archers seek a sixth
straight individual gold medal at the imposing Panathinaiko Stadium.
The Korean women have been the dominant archery force over the last two
decades, winning all nine individual and team gold medals up for grabs
since 1984 - a feat unmatched
in any other sport.
FENCING - After failing to achieve the clean sweep they hoped for in
the men's individual foil, the Italians believe their women can make
amends in the individual tournament on Wednesday.
Reigning Olympic champion Valentina Vezzali is marginal favourite to
retain her title but she will face stiff opposition from her close friend
Giovanna Trillini, gold medallist in 1996. Margherita Granbassi is the
third of the Italians who may find the main threat comes from Sylwia
Gruchala of Poland.
CYCLING - Jan Ullrich and Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorselwill seek to
forget their poor performances in Olympic road races and strike gold in
the time trials. Germany's Ullrich finished only 19th in Saturday's road
race and needs a gold medal from these Games to rescue what has been a
disappointing season.
Dutchwoman Zijlaard-van Moorsel fared even worse on the streets of
central Athens, tumbling badly and injuring her head, hip and elbow. Only
late on Monday did she confirm she would start the time trial.
CANOE/KAYAK - All the Sydney gold medallists are back to defend their
titles on the highly technical, artificial slalom course. Czech two-time Olympic and
world champion Stepanka Hilgertova is the favourite for the women's K1
event. France's Tony Estanguet, who beat his brother Patrice to qualify
for Athens, will be chasing his second gold in the C1.
EQUESTRIAN - The three-day event competition concludes with the final
leg of show jumping. Britain, silver medal winners in 2000, and Australia,
who won gold four years ago, are expected to battle for the title along
with Germany, France and United States.
SHOOTING - Women take centre stage with gold medals in double trap and
25-metre pistol. Sweden's Pia Hansen will be trying to defend her 2000
title but faces a challenge from Australia's Suzanne Balogh, who won the
single trap gold on Monday. Bulgaria's Maria Grozdeva aims to defend her
Sydney title in 25-metre pistol competition that also features Annette
Woodward, Australia's 57-year-old grandmother.
WEIGHTLIFTING - Following a day off, weightlifting returns to action
with the men's 69 kg and women's 63 kg weight classes. With Bulgarian
Olympic champion and world record holder Galabin Boevski serving an
eight-year ban for tampering with a urine sample, China's Zhang Guozheng
will step into the role as favourite. Ukraine's Nataliya Skaskun, world
record holder in the clean and jerk, and Hanna Batsiushka of Belarus
figure to be among the medallists in the women's event.
HOCKEY - With two wins already chalked up, China and the Netherlands
will hope to book the first semi-final spots as the women's tournament
heads into the third round. China meets Spain in the first match of the
day, followed by the Dutch against Germany.
Korea faces South Africa but will likely be without captain Mi Seong Lee who was hospitalized after
being hit in the head in Monday's
match.
(China Daily) | 
Updated: 2004-08-18 09:06