Olympics round-up

Colombian runner expelled: Colombian 400-metre runner Diego Palomeque is out of the Olympics after an anti-doping violation. The sprinter has been provisionally suspended, IOC spokesman Mark Adams confirmed, amid reports in Bogota he had tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone on July 26.

Boxing appeal upheld: Boxing’s world governing body AIBA has upheld a second appeal in the Olympic boxing tournament and reinstated American welterweight Errol Spence at the expense of India’s Krishan Vikas. To widespread disbelief, Vikas was awarded a 13-11 verdict on Friday despite being dominated by Spence in the closing rounds. The result appeared to end US interest in the men’s boxing tournament, with all nine of their fighters out.

[attach id="205365" size="medium"]South Africa’s Oscar Pisrorius made history yesterday by becoming the first amputee sprinter to compete at the Olympic Games.[/attach]

Pistorius tribute to mum: South African Oscar Pistorius paid tribute to his late mother yesterday saying that without her instilling solid values in him he would never have achieved his dream of competing at the Olympics. The 25-year-old was speaking after he made history by becoming the first double amputee to compete in an athletics event at the Olympics. “I thought about my mother a lot today,” said Pistorius. “She was a bit of a hardcore person. She didn’t take no for an answer. She always said the loser isn’t the person that gets involved and comes last but it’s the person that doesn’t get involved in the first place.”

Cagnotto threat for Chinese: Italy’s Tania Cagnotto threatens to disrupt China’s domination of the Olympic diving medals so far after she qualified in second place for today’s final of the women’s 3m springboard. The 27-year-old has a chance of claiming an Olympic medal at her fourth games after finishing Saturday’s semi-final just behind Wu Minxia of China who won the 18-strong final qualifier with a score of 394.40 points. Cagnotto finished second with 362.10 ahead of third-placed He Zi of China who earned 354.50pts.

Canada take trampoline gold: MacLennan bounced to her country’s first gold of the 2012 Games yesterday in the women’s individual trampoline event of the gymnastics with an overall score of 57.305. She leapt past China’s Huang Shanshan, who took silver with a 56.730 while China’s He Wenna claimed bronze. The 23-year-old MacLennan, who came seventh in Beijing, started fifth in the finals round, but a less-than-stellar performance from Belarus’ Tatsiana Piatrenia put her into the medals. China’s Huang could not put together a strong enough performance to beat MacLennan and then fellow Chinese He slipped at the end of a spectacular performance, tumbling to third.

Li nets badminton title: Chinese third seed Li Xuerui stunned top-seeded compatriot Wang Yihan 21-15, 21-23, 21-17 yesterday to win the Olympic Games women’s badminton singles gold. Wang was in tears on the podium in the same Wembley Arena where she had clinched the world title last year. “Of course winning the gold medal is an exciting moment, but the glory should not be owned by myself alone but by the team,” said Li. “Together with my team-mate, we performed quite brilliantly and gave the crowd an exciting match.”