 








Adios! The
Games end. And the party begins. The full report....
Time to
let boogongs be boogongs From the fat-bottomed wombat who
dropped golden excreta on prime athletic moments on, the Sydney Games will
go down as a celebration of all that was irreverent.
India's
campaign lacks lustre Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes mourn
the lack of sports infrastructure. And warn that it is going to take quite
a while before India can even dream of producing champions.
The
almost-but-not-quite Games Much derring-do, but the 27th Games
failed to produce the one mind-blowing athlete.
US leads,
but only just The Sydney Games saw the US maintain its pole
position in the athletics world -- but the real story is the way the rest
of the world has been catching up.
Asia
makes its presence felt China reiterated its standing as Asia's
sporting superpower. Some of its neighbours made its presence felt, as
well.
Asian
women leave their mark The likes of Naoko Takahashi and Fu
Mingxia led a parade of Asian women triumphing in Sydney.
Best ever
Games bows out in style Chaos was expected as the world's
athletes, and their fans, prepared to leave Sydney. What the airport
witnessed, though, was surprising calm.
'Super
Games' ensures soccer success Favourites Italy and Brazil
lost. But soccer won, in outstanding fashion.
Altitude
training the key to Ethiopia's success A very simple
philosophy -- train high, compete low -- fuelled Ethiopia's eight-medal
drive.
Brief
respite for IOC from bribe scandal A brilliant Games gives the
global body a little bit of breathing space, from the controversies
swirling in the wake of Salt Lake.
Drugs
mar the face of sport One way of looking at it is that Sydney
will be remembered for the cheats. Another way is to say that in Sydney,
the cheaters did not prosper.
Africans
sweep marathon Ethiopia-Kenya-Ethiopia was the finish in the
men's marathon -- an interesting, tactical, close fought race that saw the
two Ethiopians run in tandem to ensure that at least one of them got the
gold.
Probe likely
into India's Olympics fiasco Union Sports Minister Sukhdev
Singh Dhindsa Saturday said he was awaiting the return of his deputy, Shah
Nawaz Hussain, who is leading the Indian contingent.
Armenian
lifter in drug bust This makes the fifth competitor in Sydney
to lose a medal after a positive test.
Cuba
'robbed' of boxing golds Cuban president Fidel Castro
denounces the "international conspiracy" against boxers from his country.
Fatso
the Wombat waddles into the money The official mascot had
organisational backing. The rebel mascot had the people on its side. Only
in Australia, folks.
33 US
athletes flunked doping tests last year Five of the cases
involved anabolic (steroid) agents, 26 were for stimulants and two were
for other substances.
US men,
women take golds in relays Traditionally, the 4x400 relays for
women, then men, end the Olympics track and field programme. True to
tradition, the US won both without raising a sweat. And oh yes, Marion
Jones ended with three golds, two bronzes. And a legend named Michael
Johnson ran his last Olympic race.
Marathon caps last
day of Games Standby for the
greatest party US men take 4x100
gold Gold for Bahamas,
bronze for Marion & company Australia win
men's hockey bronze Cameroon take
soccer gold Super Savon does
the 'trick' Roll of
dishonour Charlie's Angels
sign off on a high Romania may sue
over Raducan case Koreans claim
second gold in taekwondo The sport that
uncovered a famed cheat Malleshwari has
reasons for wanting to quit An out-standing
Olympics for India When the going
gets tough...
Yesterday's
issue
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