CHINA DAILY FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2012 olympics 5 off track ... CHINA APPEALS AGAIN The Chinese cycling team sent a second appeal letter to the Interna- tional Cycling Union (ICU) on Wednesday (London time) after the fi rst appeal was rejected last Friday. The cycling team appealed to the ICU and the International Olympic Committee after China was stripped of the gold in the women’s team sprint track cycling for making an early relay. However, ICU president Pat McQuaid said in an interview that the ref- eree’s decision will be the fi nal judgment, and the organization will not interfere. China was also fi ned 200 Swiss francs ($205) for intruding into the referees’ area. Pan Zhichen, manager of the Chinese cycling team, said in the sec- ond letter that quoting the game’s rules did not violate the regulation. He also questioned the referees’ double standards in the qualifi cation criteria and the fi nal. The Chinese team used the same riding techniques in three match- es, the letter explained. It also said that if China violated the rules, the judgment should have been made in the early rounds instead of after it won the title. The judging panel still didn’t give a believable explanation, which has hurt the riders and coaches, the letter said. The subjective judgment also exerted a negative infl uence over the sport’s development in China, it added. RELATIONSHIP DENIED DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME BEN STANSALL Chinese swimmer Sun Yang on Thursday denied having a relation- PHOTO BY / AFP ship with a young model, despite a magazine report that claimed the Russia’s Evgeniya Kanaeva performs during the individual all-around qualifi cations of the rhythmic gymnastics Olympic champion has had a one-year aff air with the woman. The report said Sun, who scooped the gold in the men’s 1,500m and on Th ursday at Wembley Arena. Kanaeva ranked second aft er the qualifi cations, following compatriot Daria 400m freestyle in London, was introduced to a Chinese model born in Dmitrieva. the 1990s last summer. Sun’s sister said the report made the family very angry. “We know that all support him,” she said. “But I want to say the rela- tionship mentioned in the report doesn’t exist. Some people are seek- ing popularity by making up rumors. Don’t believe it!” Sun tweeted: “Rumors fi nd no credence with a wise man.” Volleyball can’t save day GOLD FOR GULFPORT Three years after Hurricane Katrina devas- Flummoxing struggles in ball-based world tour the past two years, and more youngsters can emerge quickly tated her hometown, Brittney Reese hoped came to London as the No 2 seed in and we won’t be the only ones again to give Gulfport, Mississippi, a medal in the sports complete with loss by Zhang, Xue the world. at the 2016 Rio Games.” Beijing Games. Xue and Zhang became a focal To prepare for the Games, Xue and She came up short, and was crushed. By SUN XIAOCHEN defeat in the teams 32 encounters. point for the Chinese media, followed Zhang spent six grueling months in “When I placed fi fth, I was devastated and in London “It was so regretful that we couldn’t by a fairly large group of reporters at Hainan province to hone their serves, cried the whole way back to the (athletes) [email protected] deliver a medal this time — we could the venue. passes, sets and spikes for at least fi ve village,’’ she said. “I had the whole Gulf Coast have done better when we led in the They shrugged off the attention, hours every day. behind me ... I wanted to come out there and do that for them.” China looks good in the medal tally second set,” Zhang said in the mixed saying the sport needs as much as it Zhang, for one, is ready for a break. She delivered four years later with a long- at the London Olympics, with one zone. can get in China. “I think I will probably throw up if awaited gold medal in the long jump. She glaring omission. “In terms of the fi nal outcome, yes, “I don’t think so,” Xue said when I hit the ball again back home,” Zhang repeatedly recalled the struggles her family With the exception of table tennis, we are pretty upset as we came here asked if the attention was aff ecting joked aft er the match. had been through after Katrina, which pro- China has struggled mightily in ball- for at least a podium fi nish,” Xue said. them negatively. “Actually, we were “My next plan is to travel across the duced rain that collapsed the roof on her home and displaced the fam- based sports at the Games, the only “But as far as the process goes, we expecting increased focus on us and country with my friends. I have sev- ily for several months. dark patch as it closes in on topping feel satisfi ed that we improved our hoping that could get more people eral friends who all invited me to see “We had mold and we were living out of mobile homes and trailers,” the gold-medal count for chemistry a lot.” involved in the sport so the event them, and I am afraid my schedule she said. the second straight time. Th e combo became the top in the could develop sustainability with an will be packed.” The last hope fizzled nation aft er veteran pair Tian Jia and improving foundation.” Meanwhile, Zhang, 27, said she was on Wednesday night, Wang Jie, the silver medalists in Bei- Zhang agreed. jealous of US veteran Kerri Walsh, ROYAL WATCH when Xue Chen and jing, retired in 2010. “We didn’t feel uncomfortable who claimed her third straight Olym- Zhang Xi lost the bronze-medal They lived up to it with a series being the nation’s only big-ball hope pic title with partner Misty May-Tre- Prince William’s wife, the former Kate Middleton, was on hand for the match in beach volleyball to Brazil’s of impressive performances on the — we actually enjoyed it. Hopefully, anor. women’s fi eld hockey semifi nal between Argentina and Team GB on Juliana Silva and Larissa Franca. “She’s been able to play so long Wednesday. Xue and Zhang, who won bronze because she’s been able to have a life Kate — now known formally as the Duchess of Cambridge — at the Beijing Games, were the only apart from the sport,” Zhang said cheered on the home team despite its loss 2-1 to Argentina. ones to make it to the fi nal four as aft er losing to the US in the semifi - Sporting a white Team GB shirt under a navy blazer, Kate — who cap- the women’s volleyball, basketball nals. “For us, during my career as an tained the fi eld hockey team at her high school — joined the crowds in and water polo teams all bowed out athlete, I’ve only been able to have a round of applause for the losing team as it left the fi eld. in the quarterfi nals and men’s bas- training and competitions.” She had visited with the team prior to the Olympics, taking the fi eld ketball didn’t survive the pool stage. Walsh, 34, came back to the sport after with Team GB players in a morale-boosting mission ahead of the Lon- Neither the men’s nor the women’s having two children following her 2008 don Games. soccer team even made it to London Beijing Games victory, refreshed and AP - CHINA DAILY following lackluster performances in ready to play at a high level. the preliminaries. Walsh also plays diff erent roles on Under pressure to save face, Xue and TV and the radio. Zhang struggled to hang on Wednes- “When they get tired, they can quit REPORTER’S LOG | LI XIANG day night, tying the fi rst two sets 21-11, DAVE MARTIN / ASSOCIATED PRESS for a while,” Zhang said. “And when 19-21 against the world’s No 1 pair. China’s Zhang Xi (left) digs out a ball in front of teammate Xue Chen during they come back, they will be more Th ey couldn’t hang on in the decider, the women’s bronze medal beach volleyball match on Wednesday. Zhang passionate. In our system, it’s almost London police provide solid losing 12-15 to swallow their 23th and Xue lost to a Brazilian team, 11-21, 21-19, 15-12. impossible.” protection, and a few laughs hese days during the hats would be able to catch up to a A golden era ends quite appropriately Olympic Games, I’ve criminal if the situation arose. been fi nding the police I read a funny piece about the offi cers on London’s London police in the newspaper. By ASSOCIATED PRESS The match started with nearby ued their reign as champions of the out on top.” Tstreets to be surprisingly amusing. A 52-year-old man named Mark in London Big Ben pealing the hour and ended beach. Dominating the sport for three In their fl uorescent yellow jack- Worsfold was arrested by police with the “Star-Spangled Banner” “I’m just really proud to fi nish the Olympiads, Walsh Jennings and ets, they’re easily spotted in sub- for not smiling while watching the For 11 years, they have been Kerri rising from the iconic venue in the journey with Misty how we fi nished May-Treanor have won every match way stations, traffi c junctions and men’s cycling race.