Olympics Highlights: Day 10
— -- Top News of the Day
Latvian rower Andris Reinholds has been kicked out of the Olympics after testing positive for the banned steroid nandrolone. He’s the fifth athlete sent home after a positive drug test.
Gymnastics’ governing body has reprimanded officials who didn’t notice the vault was almost two inches shorter than it should have been during the women’s all-around competition.
The shortened vault resulted in a series of falls and crashes.
“It is very unfortunate that this situation occurred during theOlympic Games and FIG regrets the duress that the situation placedon some gymnasts,” the International Gymnastics Federation said ina statement.
The federation didn't release details of the officials’punishment.
Baseball
Showing the type of offense missing all tournament, the UnitedStates completed its Olympic preliminaries with a 12-1victory over host Australia. The game ended after seven innings to due the 10- run mercy rule.
A day after taking its only loss against Cuba, the United States(6-1) headed into the medal round on an upbeat note. BrentAbernathy had four hits as the Americans played their most completegame of the tournament.
It was a bitter finish for Australia (2-4), which had hopes ofcontending for a medal with former major league All-Star DaveNilsson behind the plate. Rather than play in the majors this year,Nilsson passed up millions of dollars and played in Japan so hewould be eligible for the Olympics.
In other baseball action, Orestes Kindelan hit a three-runhomer as Cuba clinched the top seed for medal-round play by beatingJapan 6-2.
Basketball
The United States and Australia closed out the preliminary round of the women’s Olympic basketball tournament with wins to stay on course fora gold medal clash.
The Americans cruised past Poland 76-57 to run theirGroup B record to 5-0 and extend their Olympic winning streakto 14 consecutive games in a bid for a fourth gold in the lastfive Olympics. The advance to the quarterfinals.
Australia, which also finished the preliminary round at 5-0after teenage sensation Lauren Jackson lifted her squad to a69-62 victory over France, is looking to blur that goldenimage.
The 19-year-old Jackson had 17 points and 12 rebounds toinflict the first loss of the tournament on France (4-1).
Slovakia kept alive its hopes of reaching the quarterfinals witha 68-32 smashing of Senegal. Russia, already guaranteed aquarterfinal berth, crushed New Zealand 92-54. And South Korea topped Cuba 69-to-56.
Beach Volleyball
Americans Dain Blanton and Eric Fonoimoana, penalized a pointfor wasting time late in their semifinal against Portugal’s LuisMaia and Joao Brenha, went on a five-point run that gave the U.S.team a 15-12 victory and a place in the gold medal match.
Blanton and Fonoimoana will play for the gold against Brazil’sZe Marco de Melo and Ricardo Santos.
Boxing
With his father and older brother cheering him on, Jose Navarroscored half of his 12 points in the fourth round for a 12-9decision over Hicham Mesbahi of Morocco at 112 pounds.
