Gebrselassie pips Tergat at the post

The women’s 5000m produced another stirring finish, as Romania’s Gabriela Szabo fended off a challenge from Ireland’s Sonia O’Sullivan for the victory. World record-holder Stacy Dragila of the United States won the first Olympic women’s pole vault gold ever awarded ahead of Australian Tatiana Grigorieva, with Iceland’s Vala Flosadottir taking bronze.

But Cuba’s Anier Garcia grabbed the 110m hurdles goldahead of Americans Terrence Trammell and Mark Crear, while 1996 gold medallist Allen Johnson of the States finished fourth and world record-holder Colin Jackson of Britain could only manage fifth.

Virgilijus Alekna won the second Olympic athletics gold medal for Lithuania since the split with the Soviet Union, taking the discus title with a throw of 69.30 metres. Lars Riedel, Germany’s defending Olympic champion, had to settle for silver, ahead of South African Frantz Kruger.

Jonathan Edwards of Britain, who almost left Sydney when his mother-in-law died shortly before the Games began, won the men’s triple jump gold ahead of Cuba’s Yoel Garcia and Denis Kapustin of Russia.

China’s Kong Linghui won the gold medal in men’s singles table tennis. The 1995 World champion Kong needs five sets to defeat Sweden’s Jan-ove Waldner, 21-16, 21-19, 17-21, 14-21, 21-13. Waldner, the 1992 gold medalist in Barcelona, took the silver.

China’s Liu Guoliang defeated Sweden’s Jorgen Persson in four games, 21-18, 19-21, 21-14, 21-13, to win the bronze.

Gervasio Deferr, 19, earned Spain’s first ever gymnastics medal, winning the vault to break up the Russian-Chinese stranglehold on gymnastics gold.

Kerri Pottharst and Natalie Cook gave hosts Australia another gold as they up-ended Brazilian second seeds Adriana Behar and Shelda Bede in straight sets to win the women’s beach volleyball gold medal.

Alan Tsagaev won his battle to represent Bulgaria in the Olympic weightlifting competition, after positive drug tests results on three Bulgarian lifters prompted Games officials to throw out the entire 6-men team. Tsagaev couldn’t win his battle against Iranian Hossein Tavakoli, who snatched the 105kg title with a lift of 235kg.