Olympics-Athletics-Jinxed Devers trips up again

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Gail Devers, the finest women's sprinter-hurdler since Fannie Blankers-Koen, lost probably her final chance to win the Olympic 100 metres hurdles title on Wednesday when she failed to finish her semifinal.

Devers, who won consecutive Olympic 100 metres titles at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Games, has been troubled by a right hamstring tear which has become progressively worse in training....

Olympics-Athletics-Jinxed Devers joins champions cull

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Jinxed Gail Devers and Nourredine Morceli joined the champions' casualty list on Wednesday as both failed to reach their respective finals.

The American, a double Olympic champion over 100 metres flat but who has never won her favoured event, crashed out of the women's 100 metres hurdles semifinal after clipping a barrier....

Olympics-Athletics-Jones, Freeman head towards semis

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Newly-crowned champions Marion Jones and Cathy Freeman both advanced to the semifinals of the women's Olympic 200 metres on Wednesday.

American Jones, seeking to become the first woman to win five athletics gold medals at one Olympics, eased down when leading her second round heat to allow Australian Melinda Gainsford-Taylor to beat her to the line....

Olympics-Taekwondo-Games heartbreak for Kay Poe

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The taekwondo story that melted hearts at the Olympics has ended in tears.

Kay Poe, in Sydney only because her best friend Esther Kim sacrificed her own place on the U.S. team, crashed out after just one bout on Wednesday and left the arena sobbing....

Olympics-Baseball-South Korea, Japan fight for more than bronze

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - National pride, a bitter history and a wild passion for baseball were bundled into the Olympic baseball bronze medal battle between South Korea and Japan on Wednesday.

South Korea emerged victorious by 3-1 in the latest emotion-packed clash between the countries, and their manager said later that more was on the line than a bronze medal....

Olympics-Tennis-Canadians send Woodies out as losers

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - It began as a joyous celebration of a brilliant career but ended as a wake.

Canadian pair Daniel Nestor and Sebastien Lareau stunned Australian combination Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde on Wednesday to win the men's doubles gold medal at the Olympic Games....

Olympics-Athletics-Shishigina wins 100m hurdles gold

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Olga Shishigina of Kazakhstan won the women's Olympic 100 metres hurdles gold on Wednesday as pre-Games favourite Gail Devers was left on the sidelines.

Shishigina timed 12.65 seconds to beat Glory Alozie of Nigeria (12.68) and Melissa Morrison of the United States (12.76).

Shishigina, the 1995 world silver medallist but who was hit by a two-year drugs ban in 1996, had to fight back after a poor start to overhaul Alozie just before the final hurdle....

Olympics-Athletics-Schumann wins men's 800m gold

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Nils Schumann of Germany upstaged three-times world champion Wilson Kipketer to win the men's Olympic 800 metres gold on Wednesday.

He timed one minute 45.08 seconds to beat Kipketer, the favourite, and Aissa Djabir Said-Guerni of Algeria....

Olympics-Athletics-Taylor wins men's 400m hurdles gold

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - American Angelo Taylor won the men's 400 metres hurdles Olympics gold on Wednesday.

He timed 47.50 seconds to beat Saudi Arabian Hadi Souan Somayli and Llewellyn Herbert of South Africa....

Olympics-Athletics-Schumann in men's 800m gold surprise

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Nils Schumann of Germany upstaged three-times world champion Wilson Kipketer to win the men's Olympic 800 metres gold on Wednesday.

Schumann, the 1998 indoor and outdoor European champion, timed one minute 45.08 seconds to beat Kipketer, the favourite, and Aissa Djabir Said-Guerni of Algeria....

Olympics-Athletics-Taylor extends U.S. 400H reign

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Angelo Taylor won gold on Wednesday in the Olympic men's 400 metres hurdles to erase his 1999 world championships disappointment and extend the U.S. dominance of the event.

He timed 47.50 seconds to beat Hadi Souan Somayli (47.53), winner of Saudi Arabia's first ever Olympic medal, with Llewellyn Herbert of South Africa third in 47.81....

Olympics-Athletics-Factbox on men's 800m champion Schumann

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Factbox on Nils Schumann of Germany, who won the Olympic men's 800 metres title on Wednesday.

Born: May 20, 1978 in Bad Frankenhausen, Germany

Appearing at his first Olympics....
Olympics-Athletics-Marion Jones comes through ``toughest day''

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) -  Marion Jones survived what she called the toughest day of her hectic Olympic schedule on Wednesday by qualifying for the semifinals of the 200 metres and the final of the long jump.

The tall American, seeking to become the first woman to collect five athletics gold medals at one Olympics, won her first-round heat of the 200 metres comfortably, then eased down to take second place behind Australia's Melinda Gainsford-Taylor in her second-round race....

Olympics-Athletics-Irina Privalova factbox

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Factbox on Irina Privalova of Russia who won the Olympic women's 400 metres hurdles title on Wednesday.

Born: November 22, 1968, Malakhova, Russia....

Olympics-Volleyball-Russia outduel Cuba to reach final four

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Russia advanced to the final four of the Olympic men's volleyball tournament on Wednesday after a five-set nailbiter with Cuba that had Russian coach Genadi Chipolin jumping out of his shoes.

What was perhaps the most hotly contested match of the volleyball competition ended on a subdued note when Angel Dennis floated his serve into the net to give Russia a 21-25 25-23 25-19 19-25 15-13 win....

Olympics-Gymnastics-Raducan appeal ruling on Thursday

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Romanian gymnast Andreea Raducan will learn on Thursday whether she will get back the Olympic gold medal taken away from her after she failed a drugs test.

The sanction unleashed a wave of sympathy for the tiny teenager after the International Olympic Committee acknowledged she innocently took an over-the-counter cold remedy containing the drug which was prescribed by her team doctor....

Olympics-Athletics-Novice Privalova makes golden switch

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Irena Privalova's decision to switch from sprinting to the 400 metres hurdles paid off gloriously on Wednesday when she won Olympic gold in her new event.

The Russian former European 100 and 200 metres sprint champion only took up the hurdles this year but produced an almost faultless run to win in 53.02 seconds....

Olympics-Boxing-Cubans suffer night of defeats

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Cuba suffered their worst night in the Olympic boxing ring on Wednesday as four medal hopes, including awesome super-heavyweight Alexis Rubalcaba, were beaten in the quarter-finals.

Somluck Kamsing, who gave Thailand their first gold in 1996 and was trying to become only the second boxer from a non- communist country to retain an Olympic title, also lost....

Olympics-Baseball-U.S. upset Cuba to win gold

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The United States dethroned Cuba as Olympic baseball champions on Wednesday, toppling their arch-rivals 4-0 in a stunning upset victory to claim the gold medal.

Overpowering pitching by U.S. starter Ben Sheets, who shut the Cubans down on three hits, and a questionable pitching strategy by Cuban manager Servio Borges tipped the balance in favour of the underdog Americans....

Olympics-Diving-Fu and Guo set to battle for gold on springboard

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Fu Mingxia faced a dramatic duel with Chinese team mate Guo Jingjing in her bid for a record-equalling fourth Olympic diving gold medal after the two led the way on Wednesday to the final of the women's three-metre springboard.

Fu, world highboard champion in 1991 at the age of 12, led the 12 qualifiers for Thursday evening's final with an aggregate score of 585.57 points from the combination of her five preliminary round and five semifinal dives....