In the women’s 5000m event, Ethiopa’s Tirunesh Dibaba Kenene took the Gold Medal, her second of the Beijing Olympic Games. She was followed to the finish line by Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey for the Silver Medal and Meseret Defar Tola of Ethiopia for the Bronze Medal.

Dibaba also won the Gold Medal in the women’s 10,000 event. She is the first woman to win both long distance events in a single Olympics. American Kara Goucher finished ninth.

In the womens long jump competition, Brazil’s Maurren Higa Maggi took the Gold Medal. The Silver Medal went to defending Olympic champion, Tatiana Debedeva of Russia and the Bronze Medal was awarded to Blessing Okhagbare of Nigeria.

In the women’s 4×100m relay, the drama continued as the Jamaican women botched the hand-off in the final race, causing them the favorites to be disqualified and ruining the Jamaica’s hopes of a perfect eight for eight Gold Medals in the sprinting events. The Russian women prevailed to win the Gold Medal, followed by the Belgians for the Silver and the Nigerian team for the Bronze Medal.

It was all business to the Jamaican men in the 4×100m relay. The team, including Usain Bolt, easily bested the field and set a new world record time of 37.10. It was the third Olympic Gold Medal in Beijing for Bolt.

The men from Trinidad and Tobago took the Silver Medal and the Japanese team took the Bronze Medal.

Australian, Steve Hooker set a new Olympic record of 5.96m/16-6.5 with his Gold Medal performance in the pole vault. Evgeny LUkyanenko of Russia took the Silver Medal and Denys Yurchenko of Ukraine took the Bronze Medal.

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Scenes from the Bird’s Nest – August 22

Defending Gold Medalist, Elena Isinbaeva of Russia easily won the Gold Medal in the women’s pole vault, setting a new world record of 5.05. Jennifer Stuczynski of the United States, who just began pole vaulting four years ago, finished second for the Silver Medal. Svetlana Feofanova of Russia took the Bronze Medal.

In the women’s 800m event, Kenya’s Pamela Jelimo and Janeth Japkosgei Busienei took the Gold and Silver Medals, respectively. Hasna Benhassi or Morocco took the Bronze Medal.

Janeth Japkosgei Busienei is the current world champion in the 800m.

The Americans swept the medals in the men’s 400m hurdles, led by Sydney Gold Medalist, Angelo Taylor. Following Taylor for the Silver and Bronze were Kerron Clement and Bershawn Jackson.

Panama’s Irving Jahir Saladino Aranda won the men’s long jump competition. Khotso Mokoena of South Africa took the Silver Medal and Ibrahim Camejo of Cuba was awarded the Bronze Medal. This was the first Olympic Gold Medal for Panama.

It was a Kenyan leading the field again in the men’s 3000m steeplechase event, with that country’s Brimin Kipruto siezing the Gold Medal. France’s Mahiedine Mekhissi-B won the Silver Medal and Kenya’s Richard Kipkimboi Mateelong earned the Bronze. A Kenyan has won the Olympic Gold Medal in the steeplechase in every event since 1984.

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Scenes from the Bird’s Nest – August 18

Image details: U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials – Day Three served by picapp.com

Derek Miles, an assistant track & field coach at the University of South Dakota, cleared 19′ 0.25″ in the pole vault Olympic Qualifying competition yesterday in Eugene Oregon, assuring him a spot on the US Olympic team. Joining him are Jeff Hartwig, 40, and Brad Walker.

Both Miles and Hartwig are former Olympians. Walker is the 2007 world champion.

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South Dakota Coach Leads US Pole Vault Qualifiers