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Kerri Walsh (L) and Misty May-Treanor
of the U.S. celebrate after they won the women's gold medal
match of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games beach volleyball event in Beijing,
China, Aug. 21, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)
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BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Americans May-Treanor
and Kerri Walsh completed an unbeaten run through the women's Olympic beach
volleyball tournament with a straight-set win in the gold medal match on
Thursday.
May-Treanor and Walsh won their second straight gold
medal after defeating China's Wang Jie and Tian Jia 21-18, 21-18 in a driving
rain at the Chaoyang Park venue.
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Tian Jia (front) of China hugs her pair
Wang Jie during women's gold medal match of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
beach volleyball event in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Wang Jie and Tian
Jia of China lost to Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor of US and got the
silver medal in the event. (Xinhua/Sadat)
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"We've already created history in Chinese beach
volleyball. The most important thing is to continue narrowing the gap between us
and stronger teams," said Wang Jie.
Earlier, Xue Chen and Zhang Xi clinched China's first
ever medal in beach volleyball when they downed Renata Ribeiro and Talita Rocha
of Brazil 21-19, 21-17 in the bronze medal clash.
In heavy rains, Olga Kaniskina of Russia demolished
the Olympic record to grab the women's 20km walk title in one hour 26 minutes 31
seconds.
It was Russia's fifth gold in athletics of the
Games.
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Russia's Olga Kaniskina celebrates after
women's 20km walk final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's
Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008.
Russia's Olga Kaniskina claimed the title of the event with 1:26:31 and
set a new Olympic record. (Xinhua/Chen Jianli)
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Dutch swimmer Maarten van Weijden won the men's
10-kilometer open water swimming race, which, alongside BMX biking, was making a
debut at the Olympic Games.
In women's volleyball, the United States reached
their first final in 24 years with a stylish victory over three-time Olympic
champion Cuba.
The Americans, coached by Chinese legendary player
Lang Ping needed just 67 minutes to beat Cuba 25-20, 25-16, 25-17. They will
face the winner of the other semifinal between China and Brazil.
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Lang Ping (C), head coach of the U.S.
team, explains tactics to her players during women's volleyball semifinal
match between the U.S. and Cuba at Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing,
China, Aug. 20, 2008. The U.S. beat Cuba 3-0. (Xinhua/Zhao
Zhongzhi)
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"I thought the game would be more difficult.
Previously, we've never played less than three sets," said Lang Ping, who helped
China defeat the U.S. in the final at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
"I think the players did a fantastic job; sitting on
the bench I didn't have any worries."
Britain grabbed its fourth sailing gold medal and a
record-breaking sixth in total when Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson conquered
rough conditions to win the star class, while the title in the tornado class
went to Spanish duo Fernando Echavarri and Anton Paz.
The spotlight will be back to athletics competitions
in the evening, with another showdown between Jamaican and U.S. sprinters
looming at the Bird's Nest stadium.
After Usain Bolt stunned a field of American
sprinters to make a rare golden double in men's 100m and 200m, the Jamaican trio
of Veronica Campbell-Brown, Kerron Stewart, Sherone Simpson are hoping to match
the feat by winning the 200m to add to the 100m title. The United States also
has three representatives in the 200m dash - Allyson Felix, Marshevet Hooker,
Muna Lee.
As China's defending champion Liu Xiang has pulled
out of the 110m hurdles race, Cuban world record-holder Dayron Robles is heavily
favored to win the title Thursday night.
There are 16 other medal events scheduled for
Thursday, with golds being awarded in athletics, diving, taekwondo, wrestling,
water polo, softball.
The semifinals and finals of the omen's and men's BMX
biking events were postponed until Friday.
