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beijing gameslatest news & developments

Go, Wayde, mom’s right behind you

The mother of South Africa’s athletics star, who was also once a champion, believes he has a big chance of winning gold at this year’s Olympics

Khotso Mokoena makes an attempt during the mens long jump qualification at the athletics competition in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Olympics: Khotso Mokoena gunning for gold

South Africa’s only medallist at the 2008 Beijing Games is desperate to improve on his performance from four years ago.

Bittersweet return for Olympic star

The most celebrated woman in Kenya is not a politician, nor a pop star. She is a humble 18-year-old with a devastating sprint.

Hockey takes positive steps after Games disappointment

SA hockey is set to take some positive steps towards strengthening the game in the wake of the poor results achieved at the Beijing Olympics.

Beijing shutdown hits SA medicines supply

The Beijing Olympics has had an unexpected side effect, which is being felt locally in the form of serious shortages of generic medicines.

Govt points to ‘shortcomings’ in Games preparations

There were ”shortcomings” in the way SA prepared its athletes for the 2008 Olympic Games, government spokesperson Themba Maseko said on Thursday.

Usain Bolt: Sit back and enjoy the phenomenon

As Beijing empties, those of us left behind have time to dwell on some of the great moments in sporting history that we have witnessed.

Mokoena: I was disciplined, dedicated and focused

There are two Khotso Mokoenas — psyched up and looking meaner than a pit bull on the track, and the man who likes to hang out alone in his room.

SA’s dismal Olympic display raises funding issues

South Africa’s dismal performance at the Olympic Games highlighted the need for more funding, the country’s Olympic committee said on Tuesday.

Curtain down on ‘exceptional’ Games

The Beijing Olympics, played out against a background of political intrigue and featuring 16 days of compelling and controversial action.

Triple for Bolt as Jamaicans win relay

Jamaica won the men’s 4x100m Olympic title on Friday in a new world record time of 37,10 seconds.

Will the doper’s dream be the end of elite sport?

The road to Beijing was rocky but, once the Games kicked off, attention swung from protester to athlete.

Can Ramaala up the pace?

SA marathon champions Hendrick Ramaala and Norman Dlomo hit the road on Sunday, hoping to emulate compatriot Josiah Thugwane, the 1996 gold medallist.

Usain Bolt: A runaway success

This time he remembered to do his shoelaces up. This time he ran hard all the way to the finish, looking neither right nor left.

Water Cube brings architect Olympic glory

Zhao Xiaojun may not have won a gold medal, but the Shanghai architect who helped create the iconic Water Cube is already reaping the rewards.

Olympics: Elderly evicted women given labour sentence

Chinese authorities have sentenced two women in their 70s to a year’s ”re-education through labour” following their application to hold a protest.

Games rocked by doping scandal

Ukraine’s Olympic heptathlon silver medallist Liudmyla Blonska has failed a drugs test, the IOC confirmed on Wednesday.

Does sex sell at the Olympics?

Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva has taken the art of flirting with the crowd to new heights. Others have simply taken their clothes off.

China under microscope as cheating rows flare

Claims of questionable officiating and even cheating flared on Wednesday with the Olympic shooting and boxing competitions coming under fire.

Ceremony director: Games child singing star a fake

The girl who starred at the Olympic opening ceremony was only on stage because the real singer was not considered attractive enough, it was revealed.