Beijing Olympic Games

USA first up for China at Olympics

Apr 27, 1:04 pm EDT

BEIJING (AFP) - Yao Ming’s China will take on the mighty United States in the opening round of the Beijing Olympic basketball tournament, organisers said.

China will face the USA’s NBA stars on August 10 in Group B, which also includes world champions Spain, African title-holders Angola and two qualifiers yet to be named, world governing body FIBA said on its website.

“The interest in China is just remarkable and now we will see China playing the USA on the opening day, so this is going to be something,” FIBA president Bob Elphinston said after Saturday’s draw.

“We are in an absolutely magnificent arena, possibly the best ever for Olympic basketball,” he said from the brand new 18,000 Olympic basketball venue.

European champions Russia, defending Olympic gold-medallists Argentina, Lithuania, Australia, Iran and a qualifier make up Group A.

Hosts China are expected to be led by Houston Rocket centre Yao, who is currently recovering from injury, while NBA stars will make up the core of the US and other teams such as Argentina, Russia and Spain.

In the women’s draw, China was bracketed with the US, New Zealand and Mali in Group B, while South Korea, Australia and Russia make up Group A. Five other qualifiers will be determined in a qualifying tournament in Spain in June.

The Olympic basketball tournament will run from August 9-24. The group matches are in a round robin format, with the top four teams advancing to the knock-out stage.

After Saturday’s draw, China’s women beat Team USA 84-81 in a warm-up match. It was the first time a Chinese men’s or women’s team had ever beaten the United States.

Schwab wins at 145.5, closes in on Olympic spot

Apr 26, 10:35 pm EDT

LAS VEGAS (AP)—Doug Schwab won the 145.5-pound freestyle title Saturday night at the U.S. national wrestling championships, beating Bill Zadick 1-0, 3-0 to move within two victories of a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.

With the victory, Schwab earned a spot in the championship round of the best-of-three Olympic Trials on June 13 to 15, also in Las Vegas.

“When you are a kid, that is all you dream about, winning Olympic gold,” Schwab said. “I don’t want to take this opportunity for granted.”

Schwab, who also won the 2007 World Team Trials, knows winning the Olympic-clinching matches won’t be easy. He was critical of his performance against Zadick and plans on using the five weeks between nationals and the trials to improve.

“I’m not happy with the performance, but this was one step in the process,” Schwab said. “I feel like I am the guy to beat and everyone is coming after me.”

Three others also advanced to the trial finals.

Mo Lawal topped Andy Hrovat 1-1, 1-0 for the 185-pound national title, Daniel Cormier followed at 211.5 pounds with a 7-0, 2-0 victory against Nik Fekete and Tommy Rowland qualified at 264.5 pounds with a 3-0, 0-2, 1-0 win over Steve Mocco.

“This is the final countdown,” Lawal said. “It’s an Olympic year. I might be on top now, but staying on top won’t be easy.”

Matt Azevedo pinned Henry Cejudo in the second round of the 121-pound final for his first national title. Azevedo, selected the event’s Most Outstanding Freestyler, lost to Cejudo in the 2006 final and finished fourth last year.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Azevedo said. “Obviously, this is a stepping stone to the Olympics, but right now, I’m just thrilled to win nationals. This is a big thing for me.”

Also, Shawn Bunch won the 132-pound title with a 1-0, 3-0 victory over Coleman Scott, and Ben Askren edged Tyrone Lewis 3-0, 3-2 for the 163-pound title.

Azevedo, Bunch and Askren each will compete in the trials, but didn’t meet the criteria required to be automatically placed in the finals. Only wrestlers who have placed in the top 10 at the world championships or competed on multiple world teams in the past three years are eligible for the bye.

Zagunis, Smart named to US Olympic fencing teams

Apr 26, 10:24 pm EDT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)—Former Olympians Mariel Zagunis and Keeth Smart were among the fencers selected to the U.S. squad that will compete in Beijing this summer.

The U.S. qualified three teams, in women’s and men’s saber and women’s foil. Three individual athletes also will compete. The selections were announced Saturday at the U.S. Fencing National Championships at the Oregon Convention Center.

Zagunis, who won a gold medal at the Athens Olympics, Sada Jacobson, who won the bronze in 2004, and Becca Ward were selected to the women’s saber team. Dagmara Wozniak was named an alternate.

Zagunis won a rare Olympic fencing gold medal for the U.S. when she shocked Tan Xue of China in the finals in 2004.

“It will be totally different this time around,” Zagunis said. “I have a title to defend so that is added pressure. You have everyone expecting you to win and there’s a big target on your back that everyone is gunning for.”

Smart, an Olympian in 2000 and 2004, Tim Morehouse and Jason Rogers were selected for the men’s saber team. James Williams will be the alternate.

The men’s saber team just missed out on a medal in Athens, placing fourth after losing to Russia in the bronze match.

“We are feel like there is unfinished business from Athens,” said Morehouse, an alternate in 2004. “We lost twice by one point. Our expectations have never been higher.”

Erinn Smart, Keeth Smart’s sister, Emily Cross and Hannah Thompson were named to the women’s foil team, with Doris Willette as the alternate.

Gerek Meinhart of San Francisco will make his Olympic debut in the men’s foil, while Kelley Hurley will compete in the women’s epee and two-time Olympian Seth Kelsey will represent the United State in the men’s epee.

Kelsey won the U.S. individual epee title Friday. He was a member of the U.S. men’s team that finished sixth in the epee in 2004. The U.S. did not qualify a team this time.

Kelsey was 19th individually in Athens. He likes his chances this summer.

“Some people like Mariel win the gold medal the first time,” he said. “I needed more time.”

FIBA moves back 3-point line, changes shape of 3-second area

Apr 26, 1:30 pm EDT

BEIJING (AP)—International basketball is going to look more like the NBA after two major rule changes take effect.

The 3-point line will move back and the three-second area will change shape starting in 2010, the sport’s world governing body announced Saturday.

After Oct. 1, 2010, FIBA will begin using the new rules for major events such as the Olympics and world and continental championships.

The 3-point line will move from 20 feet, 6.1 inches to 22 feet, 1.7 inches. The NBA line is 23-9.

FIBA general secretary Patrick Baumann said it was likely FIBA would move toward the NBA distance in the next 10 years.

FIBA also will reconfigure the three-second area to match the NBA shape, going from a trapezoid to a rectangle.