Croatia : Russia  26-25

Croatia's Denis Spoljaric and Drago Vukovic embrace team mates after defeating Russia during the pool A handball competition at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games (news - web sites) August 20, 2004. Croatia defeated Russia 26-25. REUTERS/Faleh Kheiber

Men : Olympic champion in trouble
ATHENS, 20 August - The 2003 World champion, Croatia, achieved its fourth victory from four matches at the Olympic tournament, beating reigning Olympic champion, Russia, 26-25 (halftime 10-14). Croatia will now play Spain on 22 August and is seeking its fifth victory which would give it first place in Group A. Russia meets Iceland the same day facing elimination from the tournament if it loses. Russia pressed hard for victory today, but was let down by lack of physical strength in the dying moments and paid for its mistakes. Having managed to control the pace from the 10th minute of the match, Russia led until the 10th minute of the second half. From that point on Croatia took control, gained the lead and managed to achieve its fourth straight victory. Star players from both teams had a bad day. Alexey RASTVORTSEV (RUS) scored six goals out of 16 attempts, while Eduard KOKCHAROV (RUS) scored four goals out of nine attempts. Ivano BALIC (CRO) did a good job organizing the game, but offensively things were different. BALIC scored three goals out of eight attempts. Dmitri TORGOVANOV (RUS) was excellent from the pivot place scoring six goals in six attempts, while Blazenko LACKOVIC (CRO) scored nine goals out of 13 attempts.
 

Duje Draganja Croatian Olympic Silver 2004

Missed gold by one-hundredth of a second.
Duje Draganja of Croatiacelebrates his second place in the 50 meter freestyle final at the Olympic Aquatics Center in Athens August 20, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Olympic Games (news - web sites) swimming competition. REUTERS/Yves Herman
 

Gold medallist Gary Hall (R) of the U.S. and silver medallist Duje Draganja of Croatia celebrate after the 50 metre freestyle final at the Olympic Aquatics Center in Athens August 20, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Olympic Games (news - web sites) swimming competition. REUTERS/Jeff J Mitchell

 

50-meter freestyle medalists from left; Bronze medalist Roland Mark Schoeman, of South Africa, gold-medalist Gary Hall, of the United States, and Silver-medalist Duje Draganja, of Croatia stand on the podium at the Olympic Aquatic Centre during the 2004 Olympic Games (news - web sites) in Athens, Friday, Aug. 20, 2004. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

It was an especially sweet victory for the irreverent Hall, who was upset about being left off a couple of U.S. relay teams. Swimming as though he had something to prove, he recovered from a slow start to touch in 21.93 - beating Croatia's Duje Draganja by one-hundredth of a second. Hall ripped off his cap, threw up his arms in a defiant pose and climbed out of the pool to take a bow. He plans to be back in 2008. "Why not?" he said, savoring the 10th medal of his career. "Defiance. It's fun."
 

Croatians win marathon 16-14 third set for doubles bronze
Aug. 20, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports

"Croatia is such a small country, so this is huge. Any medal is huge," Ljubicic said.

Croatia's Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic celebrate victory after their men's doubles finals bronze medal match against Indias Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games August 20, 2004. Croatia's Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic won 7-5 4-6 14-13. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Croatia's Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic celebrate victory after their men's doubles finals bronze medal match against Indias Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games August 20, 2004. Croatia's Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic won 7-5 4-6 14-13. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Mario Ancic (news) (R) and Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia celebrate with their country's flag after winning the bronze medal in the men's doubles tournament at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games August 20, 2004. Ancic and Ljubicic defeated Indian pair Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes 7-6, 4-6, 16-14. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
 

ATHENS, Greece -- Excited about winning a bronze medal, Mario Ancic tried flinging his racket into the stands. It fell a few feet short, rattling on the court.

Perfectly understandable: Croatia's Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic had just played four hours before finally pulling out a 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 16-14 victory over India's Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes in a match that started Friday night and ended the next day at 1:05 a.m. About 300 fans stuck it out on Court 1.

While Ancic was preparing to serve at 14-14, one spectator shouted out: "Time to go home!" The Indian duo went ahead love-40 in that game, but Ancic kept his team in it by winning five straight points with an ace, three volleys and a service winner.

"If we had broken there," Paes said, "that's all she wrote."

In the next game, the Croatians converted their fourth match point -- an hour after their first two arrived while leading 8-7. They had another match point when Paes served in the 26th game of the third set.

The marathon match ended when Ancic smacked a forehand that Paes volleyed into the net, allowing the Croatians to break Paes' serve.

The match was this tight: Each team won 164 points.

Ancic leaped into Ljubicic's arms for a hug, then they took off their shirts and threw them to a group of Croatian fans who stayed right to the end, chanting, clapping and banging their feet on the metal bleachers.

The cheering was a bit overzealous for Paes' taste. Serving at 13-12, he hit a backhand near the line and a voice from that section of the stands yelled, "Out!"

Play continued, and Paes dumped a volley into the net. He pointed in the direction of the Croatian group and yelled, "Shut up!" Bhupathi went over to complain to chair umpire Javier Moreno, who intoned: "Please, for both teams, be quiet."

It's the third Olympic tennis medal in Croatia's history, all bronzes, and second medal of these games.

"Croatia is such a small country, so this is huge. Any medal is huge," Ljubicic said.

He and Ancic, a singles semifinalist at Wimbledon last month, were playing just their fourth tournament together.

Bhupathi and Paes have been on-and-off doubles partners for years, winning three Grand Slam titles: the French Open in 1999 and 2000, and Wimbledon in 1999. They split for good, it appeared, in May 2002, but recently teamed up again in hopes of winning an Olympic medal.

"With all the work we've done in the past month, going back empty-handed - it's mind-boggling," Paes said. "I don't think we've had this much disappointment in a long time."

Shortly after the match ended, Ljubicic received a text message on his cell phone from 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic.

"He said he lost 100 years of his life watching this," Ljubicic said.

It wasn't the longest final set in an Olympic men's doubles match, though. Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde of Australia beat Jacco Eltingh and Paul Haarhuis of the Netherlands 18-16 in the third set of a semifinal at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

In Saturday's gold medal match, Fernando Gonzalez and Nicolas Massu of Chile will play Nicolas Kiefer and Rainer Schuettler of Germany.

http://www.sportsline.com/olympics/story/7598399/1
 

Trivia

This is an excerpt from the travel section of the Orange County Register
of Aug. 8. by reporter John Flinn, (San Francisco Chronicle) giving
advise to American travelers how to best endear themselves to the locals:

"Learning about history and political situation of the places you visit
can endear you to the locals.

Here is a bit of trivia I bet you did not know: When the United States of
America declared its independence from Great Britain - 228 years ago
today - the very first foreign entity to formally recognize us as a
nation was Dubrovnik, at the time an independent city-state.

Here is another one: the White House was built of stone from the very
same quarry (on the Croatian island of Brac) as the stone used in
Dubrovnik.

I thought I'd have a little fun revealing these obscure factoids to
Croatians during my recent visit there. But I was able to surprise no
one. Every single Croat I met knew these things by heart, and several of
them seemed stunned - and a little hurt - that every American did not
know them as well. I could not bear to tell them most Americans would be
stumped if asked to guess which country Dubrovnik is in, much less locate
Croatia on the map.

It was a reminder of something Americans need to keep constantly in mind
as we venture out into the wider world: People in other countries obsess
about us, every day, even as we ignore them. ....Your new friends will go
home impressed that Americans - one, anyway, pay at least a little
attention to their country. ( I was looking for just such a
conversation-starter when I ferreted out what I thought were obscure
facts about Dubrovnik).....

Zanimljivosti iz Atene

HRVATSKI OLIMPIJCI NA OI 2004.: PEPE PUCH U KONKURENCIJI 73 KONJANIKA
U konjickoj disciplini eventing na Olimpijskim igrama u Ateni nastupit ce 73 jahacka para iz 23 zemlje, a cak 14 reprezentacija ima ekipe sastavljene od tri, cetiri ili pet jahaca, koji ce nastupiti u ekipnome dijelu. Hrvatska ce imati predstavnika u pojedinacnoj konkurenciji, a boje Hrvatske branit ce Austrijanac Josef Pepo Puch.
Opširnije...


OI 2004.: OTVORENA HRVATSKA KUCA U ATENI
Prigodnom ceremonijom danas je u Ateni i službeno otvorena Hrvatska kuca, mjesto na kojem ce se za vrijeme Olimpijskih igara susretati sportaši, novinari, sponzori i brojni gosti. Kompleks u atenskome predgradu Maroussi HOO-u je na korištenje ustupio hrvatski gospodarstvenik Slavko Šimunovic. On je na simbolican nacin ustupio kljuc Hrvatske kuce ministru obrazovanja, znanosti i sporta Draganu Primorcu, koji je zatim kljuc urucio predsjedniku HOO-a Zlatku Mateši.
Opširnije...


HRVATSKI BOKSACI NA OI 2004.: ŠIVOLIJA SUTRA PROTIV VENEZUELANCA MUNOZA MATE
Naš boksac u kategoriji do 81 kilograma Mario Šivolija sutra ce u prvom kolu snage odmjeriti s predstavnikom Venezuele Edgarom Ramonom Munozom Matom u 21.15 h. U slucaju pobjede dalje bi boksao protiv boljega iz meca Bjelorusa Magomeda Aripgadžijeva i Meksikanca Ramira Gobena Reducinda Radille. Optimist sam i vjerujem kako bi Mario mogao cak do medalje, izjavio je izbornik boksacke reprezentacije Pero Tadic.
Opširnije...


OI 2004., UOCI SVECANOG OTVORENJA: DUBRAVKO ŠIMENC VECERAS NOSI ZASTAVU
U svecanom mimohodu na otvorenju XXVIII. olimpijskih igara modernog doba medu 10.500 sportaša iz 202 zemlje bit ce i vecina od 81. hrvatskog olimpijaca, koje ce predvoditi stjegonoša vaterpolista Dubravko Šimenc. Svecana ceremonija otvorenja Igara jedan je od najvecih medijskih dogadaja u svijetu jer ce ga, uz 75 000 gledatelja na olimpijskom stadionu, preko TV ekrana pratiti više milijuna gledatelja diljem svijeta.
Opširnije...


OI 2004.: OZLIJEÐENI KENTERIS I THANOU U PONEDJELJAK NA SASLUŠANJU
Nakon što se jucer olimpijski pobjednik iz Sydneya na 200 m Grk Costas Kenteris i njegova sunarodnjakinja Katerina Thanou nisu pojavili na dogovorenoj dopinškoj kontroli, dvoje atleticara doživjelo je sinoc prometnu nesrecu. Buduci da su trenutacno u bolnici, pred nadležnom Komisijom za doping MOO-a pojavit ce se u ponedjeljak. Americka sprinterica Marion Jones ipak ce biti u sastavu štafete 4x100.
Opširnije...


12.08.2004, cetvrtak
OI 2004. - STOLNOTENISKI TURNIR: VAIDA S AUSTRALKOM LAY
Stolnotenisacica Cornelia Vaida igrat ce u prvome kolu Olimpijskog turnira s Australkom Jiang Feng Lay, dok su Tamara Boroš i Zoran Primorac slobodni u prvim kolima. Boroš je kao nositeljica slobodna u prva dva kola, a u trecem ce 17. kolovoza igrati ili s Rumunjkom Otiliom Badescu ili s Izraelkom Kravcenko. Primorac je kao nositelj slobodan u prvome kolu, a u drugome ide na pobjednika dvoboja Milicevica iz BiH i Australca Lavalea.
Opširnije...


OI 2004. - NOGOMETNI TURNIR: REMI ITALIJE I GANE, PORTUGAL IZGUBIO OD IRAKA
Nogometaši Iraka priredili su veliko iznenadenje drugog dana olimpijskog nogometnog turnira. U dvoboju prvoga kola skupine D pobijedili su europske viceprvake, Portugal, s 4:2. Dodajmo tomu da je Portugal od 51. minute igrao bez iskljucenog Luisa Boa Morte. Još jedna europska momcad loše je otvorila nogometni turnir. Talijani su remizirali s Ganom s 2:2 u dvoboju skupine B. U istoj je skupini Paragvaj s 4:3 svladao Japan.
Opširnije...


OI 2004.: PAPINA PORUKA ZA OLIMPIJSKE IGRE
Papa Ivan Pavao II. u poruci koju je danas uputio grckom predsjedniku republike, Costantinosu Stephanopuolosu, poželio je da Olimpijske igre koje pocinju 13. kolovoza budu oznacene bratstvom medu narodima. Olimpijada u Ateni neka bude prilika za bratstvo medu narodima i kulturama, porucio je Papa u poruci šefu grcke države, a time i cijeloj olimpijskoj zajednici.
Opširnije...


HRVATSKI JEDRILICARI NA OI 2004.: PRVI TRENING U ISTOCNOSARONSKOM ZALJEVU
Hrvatska jedrilicarska reprezentacija uspješno je obavila prve treninge na regatnom polju Istocnosaronskog zaljeva, gdje ce 14. kolovoza, prvoga dana Igara prvi nastupiti Karlo Kuret u klasi Finn i posada u klasi 470 Tomislav Bašic-Petar Cupac, a dan kasnije svoj nastup zapocinje i Mate Arapov u Laseru.
Opširnije...


HRVATSKI OLIMPIJCI NA OI 2004.: RUKOMETAŠI NERVOZNI, 86 HRVATA NA SVECANOM OTVARANJU
U Hrvatskoj kuci u Maroussiu održana je prva konferencija za novinare na kojoj su nazocili hrvatski sportaši. Gosti izvanrednog zdanja kojeg je vlasnik Slavko Šimunovic ustupio Hrvatskom olimpijskom odboru bili su rukometni izbornik Lino Cervar, vaterpolist Dubravko Šimenc, te plivaci Sanja Jovanovic i Gordan Kožulj.
Opširnije...


OI 2004.: KOREJKE NA TRENINGU POSTAVILE DVA SVJETSKA REKORDA U STRELICARSTVU
Južnokorejske strelicarke danas su na treningu pred olimpijska natjecanja u Ateni postavile dva nova svjetska rekorda. Park Sung Hyun je sa 682 boda iz 72 strelice postavila novi svjetski rekord u pojedinacnoj konkurenciji, popravivši stari rekord Talijanke Natalije Valeeve za tri boda, a zajedno s reprezentativnim kolegicama Lee Sung Jin i Yun Mi Jin postavila je i novi svjetski ekipni rekord, s 2030 bodova iz 216 strelica.
Opširnije...


OI 2004. - TENISKI TURNIR: ANCIC NA HAASA, PA NA RODDICKA
Hrvatski tenisaci i tenisacice danas su saznali imena svojih protivnika u prvome kolu olimpijskog turnira, koji zapocinje u nedjelju. Mario Ancic igrat ce protiv Nijemca Tommyja Haasa, Ivan Ljubicic za protivnika je dobio Armenca Sargisa Sargsiana, a Ivo Karlovic odmjerit ce snage s 13. nositeljem, Rumunjem Andrejem Pavelom. U ženskoj konkurenciji Hrvatsku ce predstavljati Karolina Šprem, koja ce u prvome kolu igrati protiv Argentinke Gisele Dulko, te Jelena Kostanic, koja je za protivnicu u prvome kolu dobila Portorikanku Kristinu Brandi.
Opširnije...


OI 2004.: SVI HRVATSKI SPORTAŠI ZDRAVI I SPREMNI ZA NASTUP
Prvi dani hrvatskih olimpijaca u Olimpijskom selu Parnitha proticu iznimno mirno, a osim manjih tehnickih problema izuzetno smo zadovoljni smještajem, izjavio je šef Misije HOO-a u Ateni Damir Šegota. Cijela hrvatska repezentacija nalazi se u paviljonu GA 12, u samome središtu sela. Dva dana prije pocetka Igara u Selu je trenutacno 98 Hrvata, a nedostaju visašica Blanka Vlašic, te tekvandoašice Sandra Šaric i Nataša Vezmar, koje u Atenu stižu 24. kolovoza.
Opširnije...


11.08.2004, srijeda
OI 2004. - NOGOMETNI TURNIR: UVJERLJIVE NJEMICE I ARGENTINCI
Iako ce tek u petak Olimpijske igre biti službeno otvorene prigodnom ceremonijom, danas su pocela prva natjecanja. Na nogometnom turniru najuvjerljivije su kod žena bile Njemice, koje su u skupini F s 8:0 razbile Kinu. Junakinja utakmice bila je Birgit Prinz, koja je postigla cetiri pogotka (13, 21, 73, 88). U susretu prvog kola skupine G reprezentacija SAD-a pobijedila je domacina Grcku 3:0 (2:0). Na muškom turniru Argentina je sa 6:0 deklasirala Srbiju i Crnu Goru.
Opširnije...


OI 2004.: JAVLJANJEM U SREDIŠNJI DNEVNIK POCEO OLIMPIJSKI PROGRAM HTV-a
Na Olimpijskim igrama u Ateni vec su pocela natjecanja na ženskom i muškom nogometnom turniru, koja vec tradicionalno pocinju prije službenog otvaranja Igara. Hrvatska televizija obilježila je neslužbeni pocetaka Igara prvim javljanjem iz improviziranog televizijskog centra u Ateni, koji je zapravo cjelovita mala televizija. Bit ce to dosad najkompletnije i najopširnije pracenje OI u povijesti Hrvatske televizije, a sva izvješca bit ce emitirana iz atenskog studija.
Opširnije...


ATLETIKA: TORRI EDWARDS SUSPENDIRANA
Svjetska atletska prvakinja na 100 metara Amerikanka Torri Edwards (27) suspendirana je na dvije godine zbog uzimanje nedozvoljenog stimulansa nikethamidea. Torri Edwards je najavila žalbu Arbitražnom sudu u Lausannei, braneci se kako je za njezin pozitivan dopinški nalaz kriv lijecnik.
Opširnije...


OI 2004.: OTKAZALA I SERENA, JENSENU MILIJUN ZA POBJEDU NAD HACKETTOM
Nakon što je jucer objavljeno da je americka tenisacica Jennifer Capriati odustala od nastupa u Ateni, nedolazak na Igre potvrdila je i njezina sunarodnjakinja Serena Williams, koja je prije cetiri godine na Olimpijskim igrama u Sydneyu sa sestrom Venus osvojila zlatnu medalju u paru. Americki plivacki savez (USAS) nagradit ce Larsena Jensena s milijun dolara ako u olimpijskoj utrci na 1.500 metara pobijedi Australca Granta Hacketta i pritom postavi novi svjetski rekord.
Opširnije...


OI 2004.: HRVATSKI SE SPORTAŠI SMJESTILI U REKORDNOM ROKU
Skupina od 110 hrvatskih sportaša, trenera i medicinskog osoblja koja je kasno sinoc posebnim carter-letom iz Zagreba doputovala u Atenu, smjestila se u iznimno kratkom roku u Olimpijsko selo Parnitha. Prema rijecima glavnog tajnika Hrvatskoga olimpijskog odbora Ivice Stošica Miocica, dvosatni let protekao je u najboljem redu, a akreditacijski proces u samoj zracnoj luci Elefteros Venizelos obavljen je u rekordnom roku.
Opširnije...

http://sport.hrt.hr/htvsport/olympics04/index.asp
 

Israel vs. Croatia in WC warm-up tonight

By Haarets Sports Staff
Israel takes on Croatia tonight (live broadcast on Channel 10 at 9.15 P.M.) in its final warm-up game ahead of its 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign which kicks off on September 4 against France.
Since the end of its failed Euro 2004 campaign, Israel has been unbeaten in four friendly matches, winning three and tying the other. Coach Avraham Grant has yet to announce who will captain Israeli in tonight's game.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/466021.html

Tamara Boros of Croatia, winning in Athens

Kravchenko run loses steam
By FRANKIE SACHS

In table tennis, Marina Kravchenko's brave run came to an end when she was defeated 11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7, by the world No. 6 Tamara Boros of Croatia, the top non-Asian player on the circuit.

Marina Kravchenko lost her third-round match against Tamara Boros of Croatia on Tuesday after shocking the European champion in the previous round.

After four days of competition during which half of Israel's 36 athletes have already taken part, only four have distinguished themselves so far.

Although weather conditions have cancelled several races in the men's Mistral windsailing, Gal Friedman is doing his part to remain in medal contention. In men's tennis doubles, Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich reached the quarterfinals, and table tennis player Marina Kravchenko, a virtual unknown last week, became Israel's sweetheart with two wins in the opening rounds of the competition before bowing out Tuesday.

On the other hand, shooter Alex Danilov has failed to meet expectations for the second Olympics in a row, while the other five sailors Lee Korsitz in women's Mistral and 470 class windsurfing pairs Udi Gal & Gidi Kliger and Vered Bouskila & Nike Kornecki are on their way to joining him in the disappointment category.

Kravchenko went out in straight sets to Croatia's Tamara Boros, but nevertheless will be remembered for an impressive and exciting Olympic run. The classic underdog, Kravchenko swept aside local favorite Archontoula Volakaki in the first round and eliminated reigning European champion Otilia Bodescu of Romania in the second before falling to the fifth seed 11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7.

"I m quite pleased with my result," Kravchenko told Channel 1 afterwards. "I got the most of my abilities here."

The 30-year-old kept it close in the opening set and even tied the score at 8-8, but Boros won the next three points to win the set and never looked back.


http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1092712291797&p=1006953079949

Croatia beat Korea 29-26

Croatia's Igor Vori (R) celebrates victory with his team mates after the men's preliminary round, pool A handball match against South Korea (news -
web sites) at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games (news - web sites), August 18, 2004. Croatia won the match 29-26. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor

In the preliminary round of men's handball on Wednesday, Croatia beat Korea 29-26.

Magic sign Mario Kasun

Orlando Magic News / Aug 16, 2004
The Orlando Magic have signed center Mario Kasun (pronounced "kah-SOON"), General Manager John Weisbrod announced. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.

Kasun (7’1”, 260, 4/5/80) was originally selected in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. His draft rights were traded to Orlando in exchange for future considerations on June 26, 2002. Kasun spent the 2003-04 season with the Opel Skyliners in Frankfurt, Germany. He averaged 9.3 ppg., 7.1 rpg. and 2.3 blkpg. in 27 games.

Kasun has been a member of the Magic’s summer league teams during the last three summers. He played in five games during the 2004 Pepsi Pro Summer League in Orlando, averaging 8.8 ppg., 5.4 rpg., 1.0 apg. and 1.00 blkpg. in 21.8 minpg., while shooting .556 from the field. During five games at the 2004 Reebok Vegas Summer League, Kasun averaged 10.6 ppg., 7.6 rpg., 2.8 apg. and 1.00 blkpg. in 27.8 minpg., while shooting .575 from the floor.

Kasun has spent the last two seasons in Frankfurt, Germany with the Opel Skyliners. In 2002-03, he averaged 10.3 ppg., 5.5 rpg. and 1.00 blkpg. He also played two seasons with KK Zagreb in Croatia. Kasun played for the Croatian Junior National Team in 1998-99 and was a member of the Croatian Under-21 National Team in 2000.

http://www.insidehoops.com/mario-kasun-081604.shtml

BOROS heads European hopes

Ken Muhr
Photo by: Kazuyuki Takahashi

Tamara BOROS, (Croatia), 26, Europe’s highest world ranked women player – she is currently no.7 and no.5 Olympic seed, made her first and successful women’s singles appearance today, comfortably beating Marina KRACHENKO of Israel, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7.

Playing in red, BOROS had too much topspin power on both forehands and backhands for the Israeli attacker. The Croatian is the European the Asians fear most, though her length of stroke can make her a fraction slow at the very highest level.
BOROS top European
In the same series of matches, world no.1 and top seed ZHANG Yining (China), aged 21, put out 42 year old New Zealander LI Chunli, 11-8, 12-10, 11-5, 11-7. It was a clash between the new generation of Chinese international represented by the two wing top-spinning ZHANG, and the fast short pimples, pen-hold hitting style of LI, who was a former member of the Chinese team in the 1980’s.

Ultimately, although she is fantastically fit and determined, LI Chunli is too old to win at the very highest level. About playing ZHANG she said, “It is very difficult to confront the No.1 in the world. If I had taken the 2nd game perhaps I could have played with more confidence. I am very pleased with my participation in the Athens Olympics.”

ZHANG was happy with her performance. “I played well, better than yesterday and I felt very calm. At the Olympic Games all the games are very difficult but I was very well prepared.”


http://www.ittf.com/Protour_new/Stories_detail.asp?ID=6136&PT_Title=&Year1=&