Pentagons: 6 Aug 2012

Monday 6 August 2012

London Olympics 2012 -Serena and Venus Williams win gold medal in women's doubles

Serena and Venus Williams after winning gold in the women's doubles on Centre Court. (Julian Finney / Getty Images / August 5, 2012)

LONDON -- Put sisters Venus and Serena Williams on the same side of the court and they simply do not lose when it comes to the Olympics.

They won gold in Sydney, and in Beijing. They made it a tidy three-peat Sunday at the All England Club, beating Czech Republic's Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova, 6-4, 6-4, in the women’s gold-medal match.

That's two gold medals in two days for Serena Williams, who won Wimbledon last month. She dropped one game to Maria Sharapova of Russia in the singles final on a windswept Saturday afternoon.

This was more competitive, obviously, and played under the roof because of inclement conditions. But the outcome never seriously seemed in doubt and the sisters did not lose a set in the doubles event.

"For me, it was amazing to watch Serena from the stands and see her complete the golden slam. So it's been amazing for us," Venus said. "We've been winning this title since 2000, but it's easier said than done. We come in as the favorites. But it's not a given. We fought hard. Our opponents played well. They're very talented.

"We're glad to keep the medal for us. It was great."

She said forging ahead to the Olympics in 2016 was a realistic possibility.

"With the doubles partner I have, absolutely," Venus said. "But that's what we want. I think nowadays tennis players are seeing that you can play great tennis into your 30s. I think a lot of people were brainwashed early that you had to quit. It's really not the way it is.

"By the time you get to this age, you really understand the game, the nuances, you're just getting better. As long as you can stay healthy enough to play, we stay healthy enough to play, it would be great."

The only Olympic doubles match Venus has ever lost was at the 2004 Olympics in Athens when she played with Chanda Rubin because Serena was injured and did not compete in Greece.

The sisters have each won four Olympic gold medals. Venus won the singles gold at the Olympics in Sydney in 2000, and her best Olympics singles finish since then was the quarterfinals four years ago in Beijing.

U.S. women's soccer team annoys some foes with goal celebrations

The U.S. team prepares to somersault after scoring against New Zealand on Friday. (Scott Heppell / Associated Press)

LONDON — The U.S. women's soccer team has unveiled a number of pre-planned goal-scoring celebrations in these London Games.

After scoring against Colombia, for example, midfielderMegan Rapinoe sent a shout-out to former teammate Ali Krieger, pulling a piece of paper with birthday greetings out of her shoe and holding it up for the TV cameras.

In the final match of group play against North Korea, the whole team did "the worm" after a goal. And when Abby Wambach scored in the first half of Friday's quarterfinal win over New Zealand, the players did somersaults in what Wambach said was a tribute to America's medal-winning gymnasts.

With the U.S. set to meet Canada in the semifinals Monday in Manchester's legendary Old Trafford stadium, the whole thing is starting to get on the nerves of some opponents.

"I wouldn't like it if our team did that," New Zealand Coach Tony Readings said. "When teams concede [goals] they're disappointed and they want to get on with the game. But it's obviously something the Americans do.

"It's something I guess they work on in training. We try to work on scoring goals. We haven't got time to work on celebrations. If it makes them happy and they win games, then good for them."

U.S. Coach Pia Sundhage0 said that's exactly what's inspired the dancing. And she has no problem with it.

“We score goals, and you’re happy," she said. "What the players want to do, whatever they do, it has to be fun. If they come up with ideas, that’s perfectly fine.”

But the best celebration the unbeaten Americans came up with was completely spontaneous and it followed the first Olympic goal scored by former UCLA standout Sydney Leroux in the closing minutes against New Zealand.

Leroux, who came on in the 81st minute, broke free up the left wing and banged the ball through the legs of Kiwi keeper Jenny Bindon. She then ran back up the field with a look somewhere between joy and astonishment.

"Best celebration I've seen yet," said Wambach, who has scored in all four U.S. wins. "I don’t care if you talk about cartwheels or worms, she had the most sincere celebration. And it’s because I don’t know if she could believe that she just scored a goal in the Olympic Games.

"For me, it made me emotional because that what’s special about being part of the Olympics. Seeing a kid come in, perform and do something that they didn’t even think was possible."

Afterward, Leroux admitted that the celebration had her on the verge of tears.

"I was pretty excited. To score a goal for the USA is definitely a dream come true," said Leroux, was who born in Canada. "[My teammates] had all come around me and Kelley [O'Hara] was yelling to me 'I'm so proud of you,’ and I almost started crying. And the game wasn’t even over."

Murray sinks Djokovic to earn Federer rematch

Britain's Andy Murray celebrates victory in his men's singles semifinal round match against Serbian's Novak Djokovic at the 2012 London Olympic Games. (AFP Photo)

LONDON: Britain's Andy Murray set up an Olympic revenge mission againstRoger Federer as the world number four booked his place in the final with a 7-5, 7-5 semifinal victory over Novak Djokovic on Friday.

Murray produced a masterful display to beat world number two Djokovic in two hours on Centre Court and the Scot is now guaranteed at least a silver medal as he heads into his first Olympic final on Sunday.

It promises to be an emotional occasion for the 25-year-old, who won the British public's hearts after crying on court following his loss to Federer in the Wimbledon final less than a month ago.

Murray was tearful again following his win over Djokovic, but this time the waterworks were prompted by joy rather than sorrow as he celebrated the latest fine result of an impressive week at the All England Club.

For Murray, defeat in a Grand Slam final has often been the trigger for a calamitous run of results in the past, but the Scot has shown new-found maturity in coping with the heartbreak of losing his maiden Wimbledon final.

Rather than bemoaning his misfortune, Murray has been on a mission since Wimbledon and he arrived in the last four in peak form after dropping just one set in his four matches.

He had lost eight of his 13 meetings with Djokovic, including a five-set classic in the Australian Open semi-finals in January, but there was no sign of any inferiority complex as the British number one earned two break points early in the first set.

Even though Djokovic snuffed out the danger on that occasion with a pair of powerful winners, there was no sign of Murray losing faith.

He kept probing away and the pressure finally paid off as former Wimbledon champion Djokovic tried to take the set to a tie-break.

On set point, Murray produced the shot of the match as he unfurled a scintillating forehand winner that triggered a huge roar and a burst of Union Jack flag waving from the vociferous British crowd.

It had taken 55 minutes to win that set, but there was no time for Murray to catch his breath at the start of the second as he battled to save a break point in the opening game.

When Djokovic earned another break point in the third game, Murray's response was majestic. He produced a perfect drop-shot to level at deuce and then slammed down two unreturnable serves to complete the escape.

Djokovic was mounting a strong fightback and Murray had to save break points at 4-4 and 5-5.

But the Scot was playing with such composure that the result seemed somehow inevitable as Djokovic faltered on his own serve at 5-6.

Murray scented blood and on match point he produced a blistering return that prove too much for Djokovic to handle before the Scot let the tears flow again

Rejuvenated Andy Murray dispatches Federer to win gold

London: It was revenge time for Britain No. 1 Andy Murray. He clinched an Olympic gold medal at 2012 London Olympics outclassing the World No. 1 Roger Federer 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in the men’s singles final on Sunday.

Murray spoiled Federer’s birthday party (August 08) as he defeated him in three straight sets.

It was the same Centre Court where Murray had lost the Wimbledon final against the Swiss a month back. But on Sunday, Murray gave Federer no chance whatsoever and defeated him convincingly.

Both the players were in sublime form ahead of the final. Roger Federer had defeated Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 19-17, in a semifinal that went on for 4 hours, 26 minutes.

Murray on the other hand moved to the final with a 7-5, 7-5 victory over second-seeded Novak Djokovic in the second semi-final.

Not to forget, Andy Murray was the runner up at Wimbledon men’s final earlier this year where he was defeated by Federer, who ended his Grand Slam drought.

Girl power a winner as women's boxing makes Olympics debut

Karlha Magiliocco of Venezuela, right, in action with Erica Matos of Brazil during the debut of women's boxing at the Olympics on Sunday. (Scott Heavey / Getty Images)

LONDON — Here's a bit of trivia worth hanging on to since it might win you some big bucks on "Jeopardy" one day.

When women's boxing made its Olympic debut in these Games on Sunday, the first bout, a flyweight fight, was won by Russia's Elena Savelyeva0, who beat North Korea's Hye Song Kim0, 12-9. And for those doubters who said women's boxing wouldn't be competitive or compelling, Savelyeva won three of the four rounds by just a point while the final round was scored even.

Then her coach celebrated the win in a way he probably never tried in a men's fight — he reached over and kissed his fighter.

"I feel proud to make history in boxing," Savelyeva said. "It was amazing."

The Excel Arena's boxing venue was jam-packed for the women, whose fights were far more interesting and action-packed than the majority of the men's bouts in these Games. But Ching-Kuo Wu, president of amateur boxing's international governing body, was sold on the sport even before the program began, saying "If women's boxing is successful in London, I think there is the real possibility that we will ask for more women's boxing by 2016."

Currently the women's Olympic program features just three weight classes — flyweight, lightweight and middleweight — to 10 for the men. The women also fight four two-minute rounds — which is what the men fought in Beijing four years ago — while the men are boxing three rounds of three minutes each in London.

No one has come forward to explain why there's a difference.

The first U.S. fighter to compete in women's Olympic boxing, Seattle lightweight Queen Underwood, opened the division by losing her fight with Great Britain's Natasha Jones, 21-13, on Sunday.

Flyweight Marlen Esparza of Houston — you may have seen her in commercials for CoverGirl and McDonald's during the Games' telecasts or on Telemundo hawking Coca-Cola in Spanish — and middleweight Claressa Shields of Flint, Mich., make their debuts Monday after receiving first-round byes.

Each man for himself when 'Beast' races Bolt ( Olympics 100m Review )

All anyone's talking about ahead of the men's 100meters is the showdown between Olympic champion Usain Bolt and world champion Yohan Blake, a pair of Jamaicans who train together.

As the blue ribbon athletics event of the London Games gets started with opening heats Saturday, it seems everyone has an opinion about who's going to win - and the answers tend to be Bolt or Blake.

There are, however, other contenders. There's the third Jamaican in the field, Asafa Powell. There's U.S.-record holder Tyson Gay, surgically repaired hip and all. And there even is another past Olympic champion,Justin Gatlin of the US, who walked off the stage in Athens eight years ago with the 100 gold.

But in 2006, Gatlin tested positive for excessive testosterone, leading to a four-year ban that prevented him from defending his title in Beijing.

Now 30, his prime years perhaps in the past, Gatlin has picked up his career. And he still believes he has a chance of reclaiming his crown, even if he readily admits it's a remote one.

"There are other guys out there who have the upper hand on me since I've been gone for four years," said Gatlin, who won the 100 at the US trials in June. "It's going to be an uphill fight for me to claw to the top."

Just as tough has been enduring all the negative talk, the gist of which is: Once a doper, always a doper.

He knows he can't change that perception.

He's stopped trying.

"Look, I've turned the page, but it's a part of my book," he said. "I can never close the door on the past four years and say never I'll never look at it, because that's where a lot of my strengths have come from and a lot of my bravery."

During his ban from the sport, Gatlin found himself relying on unemployment checks to make ends meet.

"Going through the struggle I went through not only humbled me in my lifestyle but strengthened me as a person," he said. "I was able to turn into a man and understand what it is to not know where your income comes from. Because everything just pretty much imploded."

Steadily, he's picking up the pieces.

He's also regaining the form that made him an Olympic champion. He's shed weight, dropping about nine kilograms (20 pounds) over the last year to get down to a little more than 81 kilograms (180 pounds), and changed coaches, switching to Dennis Mitchell.

"I remember reading a blog site, where one blogger said I looked like a professional wrestler on the track," Gatlin said. "I was that big."

The challenge now for Gatlin - and for everyone else in the race - is finding a way to get past Bolt, whose height helps him get to the finish line with fewer steps.

"He's going to cover more ground," Gatlin said. "So you're going to have to compensate somewhere else, being with strength or turnover. But Tyson beat him (in 2010), so that gives a lot of other runners, who are brave to go out there, confidence."

Much more recently, Blake beat Bolt, too, at the Jamaican trials.

"I don't really want to say he's vulnerable," Gay said. "He's the only guy who's been where we haven't been. I think he still has to be one of the favorites. He's the champion and knows what it takes to compete on this level."

He certainly does.

Bolt, after all, won the 100 and 200 at the Beijing Olympics, both in record time. He still owns both sprints' marks, including 9.58 he ran in the 100 at the 2009 world championships.

Not everyone likes his chances in London, though.

Maurice Greene, the 2000 Olympic champion in the 100, thinks Blake is simply too strong right now.

"Technically, he's better," Greene said. "You win and lose through your technique, and Usain has been having technical problems for the last two years. He hasn't fixed it since then. ... I don't see him fixing it now. You have to go with (Blake)."

Gatlin, meanwhile, could be in the mix for a medal.

At least that's how he pictures things.

"You always see these epic photos or short clips, where the whole stadium is dark and dim and then it goes really quiet," Gatlin said. "You see eight guys in the starting blocks, (the gun goes off), and the stadium lights up like a night's sky with photography. ... It's so special. I'm so glad I get to be a part of this now.

2012 Sri Lanka Premier League-Opening Ceremony

The 2012 Sri Lanka Premier League season will be the debut edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League, established by Sri Lanka Cricket in 2011. The season will run from 11 August to 31 August 2012.^[2] The tournament was originally scheduled to begin in 2011 but it was postponed to 2012, with the former Inter-Provincial Twenty20 taking its place.

Sri Lanka Premier League [SLPL] - Teams and Logos

Sri Lanka Premier League 2012 Wallappers - SLPL 2012 All Teams & Players Pics, Images, Photos

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SLPL 2012 Teams And Players Logo Images, Photo

Photo Shoots: Kunal Kapoor for The Man Magazine (March 2012)

Photo Shoots: Kunal Kapoor for The Man Magazine (March 2012)

Photo Shoots: Mallika Sherawat for Maxim Magazine (March 2012)

Photo Shoots: Mallika Sherawat for Maxim Magazine (March 2012)

Image via Nick Saglimbeni

Photo Shoots: Deepika Padukone for Filmfare Magazine (May 2012)

Photo Shoots: Deepika Padukone for Filmfare Magazine (May 2012)

Chernobyl Diaries - movie first look 2012

About Chernobyl Diaries

The film follows a group of six young tourists who, looking to go off the beaten path, hire an "extreme tour" guide. Ignoring warnings, he takes them into the city of Pripyat, the former home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, but a deserted town since the disaster more than 25 years ago. After a brief exploration of the abandoned city, however, the group soon finds themselves stranded, only to discover that they are not alone...