Olympics

Fireworks, drummers and hundreds of dancers wearing silver bells brought an end to Beijing's 'exceptional' Games. [Getty]

China farewells Beijing Olympics

13:16:22, 25 August 2008, Radio Australia News

The Olympic Flame has been extinguished in Beijing, bringing the 2008 Games to a close.

Australia aiming to beat British medal tally in 2012

08:54:03, 25 August 2008, Radio Australia News

The Australian Olympic Committee has set a goal of finishing ahead of arch-rival Britain at the London Olympic Games in 2012.

Kenyan wins marathon in record time

00:40:33, 25 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

In what turned out to be a better-than-expected final morning of competition in Beijing in terms of weather conditions, Kenya's Samuel Kamau Wanjiru won the Olympic Men's Marathon.

China says farewell to the Olympics

00:37:46, 25 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Beijing has said farewell to the Olympic Games with fireworks, theatrics and celebrations at the Bird's Nest Stadium.

China on the rise in boxing

00:37:40, 25 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The balance of power in amateur boxing seems to be shifting, if results at the Beijing Olympic Games are anything to go by.

Beijing Games 2008 come to a close

00:37:33, 25 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

On Sunday night, the Beijing Olympic Games will officially end.

Japan satisfied with Olympic performance

00:37:33, 25 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Although Japan has not reached its target of double-digit gold medals at the Beijing Games, its athletes are satisfied with what they have achieved.

United States sweeps basketball court

20:22:34, 24 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The United States has topped off its undefeated performance in the 2008 Olympic Men's Basketball tournament with a gold medal win over Spain on Sunday.

Australia feels financial realities of Olympic competition

20:22:33, 24 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Australia has been forced to realise the financial realities of competition at the Beijing Olympics where they slipped to sixth on the medals tally from their heady highs at the Sydney and Athens Games.

Olympic Boxing gold medals decided

20:22:33, 24 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Bakhyt Sarsekbayev of Kazakhstan has dominated over Cuba's Carlos Banteaux to win Olympic welterweight boxing gold in Beijing on Sunday.

IOC president says documents seem in order

20:22:33, 24 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Documents produced by China to prove that their gymnasts are sixteen years or older, appear to be legitimate at first sight according to the International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge on Sunday.

US volleyball star helps team win gold

20:22:33, 24 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The United States has won the Olympic Men's Volleyball gold on Sunday defeating the defending champions Brazil by three sets to one in the final.

Spains collects handball bronze

20:22:33, 24 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Spain has defeated Croatia 35-29 to win the Olympic bronze medal in the Men's Handball competition on Sunday.

Serbia defeats Montenegro in waterpolo showdown

20:22:33, 24 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Serbia has defeated their former compatriots from Montenegro to take the Men's Olympic Water Polo bronze medal at the Yingdong Natatoriumon Sunday.

US basketballers easily defeat the Australians

02:19:56, 24 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The United States Women's basketball team has had a solid victory over the Australian 'Opals' in their gold medal match on Saturday night.

Australian causes upset to China's diving hopes

02:19:56, 24 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Australia's Mathew Mitcham has caused a huge upset to win the Olympic gold medal in the Men's 10 metre Platform diving competition.

Cuban Taekwondo champion expelled from competition

02:19:55, 24 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Cuba's former Olympic Taekwondo champion Angel Valodia Matos has been expelled from international competition for kicking the referee in the head after being disqualified in a match in Beijing on Saturday.

South Korea dethrones Cuba in baseball final

02:19:52, 24 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

South Korea has won what could be the last Olympic baseball gold medal, defeating three-time champions Cuba in a dramatic final on Saturday.

Thai boxer erases Athens heartache

22:46:20, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Thailand's Somjit Jongjohor has held aloft a picture of his king after sealing the Olympic flyweight title on Saturday.

China clean sweeps in Table Tennis

22:46:19, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

China's Wang Liqin has won bronze in the Men's Singles competition on Saturday ensuring a clean sweep of all Olympic Table Tennis medals for the host nation.

Ukrainian weightlifter fails drug test

21:44:48, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Ukrainian weightlifter Igor Razoronov has tested positive for nandrolone according to an announcement by the International Olympic Committee made on Saturday.

Decision reversal in Women's Taekwondo

21:44:48, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

British Taekwondo fighter Sarah Stevenson has been declared the winner on Saturday, of a controversial quarter-final tie which originally had been awarded to her Chinese opponent Chen Zhong.

France take gold and silver in mountain bikes

21:44:47, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

France's defending Olympic champion Julien Absalon has won the Men's Mountain Bike cross country gold on Saturday.

Argentinian footballer stars in Olympic final

21:44:47, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Argentina has defeated Nigeria 1-0 in stifling heat at the main 'Bird's Nest' Stadium to increase their winning run to an Olympic record twelve matches.

Australian athletics team surprisingly shines

19:34:55, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Athletics Australia says the track and field team has managed to have a successful Olympic meet without its world champions.

Australian pole vaulter applauded by AOC

19:34:55, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The Australian Olympic Committee has applauded last night's gold medal win by pole vaulter Steve Hooker.

Australia's olympic first-time kayaker takes gold

19:34:51, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Australia's Ken Wallace has won the gold medal in the K-one 500 metre kayak race.

Hooker vaults into gold and Australian history

01:41:09, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Australia's Steve Hooker has won the pole vault gold medal and set a new Olympic record.

Fumbles erase Jamaica sprint sweep

01:41:09, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Jamaica's hopes of adding the sprint relay medals to the 100m and 200m titles has been ended by a failed changover in the women's final.

Pacific athletes perform well in Beijing

01:41:09, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

With the closing days of the Olympics Games, Radio Australia's sports reporter in Beijing, Tanya O' Shea, looks back at the performance of Pacific islander athletes - with many performing well beyond their personal best.

China sweeps women table tennis medals

01:41:09, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

China's defending champion Zhang Yining has won gold in the women's singles table tennis, defeating teammate Wang Nan who took the silver.

Marshall Islands Anju Jason sets sights on 2012 taekwondo

01:41:05, 23 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Marshall Islands' Anju Jason says he'll be back for the 2012 Olympics, and able to step up to the level of Olympic competition.

Pacific athletes perform well in Beijing

22:18:17, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia News

With the closing days of the Olympics games, Radio Australia's sports reporter in Beijing, Tanya O' Shea, looks back at the performance of Pacific Islander athletes - with many performing well beyond their personal best.

Italy's Schwazer wins 50km walk

16:58:11, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Alex Schwazer of Italy has won the Olympic gold medal in the men's 50km walk ahead of Jared Tallent of Australia won the silver and Denis Nizhegorodov of Russia the bronze.

All China final in women's singles table tennis

16:58:11, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

World number one Zhang Yining will battle teammate Wang Nan for gold in an all-China women's singles table tennis showdown, after both won their semi-finals.

US win men's beach volleyball final

16:58:11, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The US men's team has matched the performance of its women, by taking Olympic Gold in the beach volleyball event in Beijing.

Latvia, France win BMX gold

16:58:11, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Reigning BMX world champion Maris Strombergs of Latvia stormed to victory to claim gold in the men's event, while French team-mates Anne-Caroline Chausson and Laetitia le Corguille crossing the line first and second in the women's competition.

Oceania weightlifting coach angry over medalless Games

11:49:58, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Oceania Weightlifting Institute coach Paul Coffa says it's time to get rid of dead wood.

Australia takes water polo bronze

11:49:58, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Australia's women's water polo team has taken the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics, beating Hungary in a penalty shoot-out.

Four suspended in equestrian doping scandal

11:49:58, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The Olympics Equestrian competition has ended in controversy after four horses were ruled out of the games for alleged doping violations.

China seven from seven in Olympic diving golds

11:49:58, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Australia's Melissa Wu finished sixth as fellow teenager Chen Ruolin won the Olympic women's 10m platform diving gold medal, giving China its seventh gold from seven diving events so far.

Olympic competition wrapping up for Pacific competitors

11:49:58, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Marshall Islands Anju Jason qualifed directly in Taekwondo for the Beijing Games at his nation's Olympic debut.

Campbell-Brown continues Jamaican sprint dominance

11:49:58, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Veronica Campbell-Brown has completed Jamaica's clean sweep of Olympic sprinting gold medals winning the women's 200 metres final.

Sprint relay favourites bomb out of finals

11:49:58, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

All of the 4x100m medallists from the Athens Olympics have failed to make the final in Beijing.

Australian women to meet US in basketball final

11:49:57, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Australia's women's basketball team will get its chance to topple the United States when the two sides play-off for Olympic gold in Beijing on Saturday.

Guam, Samoa competitors miss canoeing and kayaking finals

11:49:57, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Guam's Sean Pangalenin has come ninth in his semi final of Men's canoe 500m sprint in Beijing, in a time 5 secs slower than his preliminary round.

Australia misses hockey final

11:49:55, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Australia's men's hockey team has lost its chance to retain its Olympic title and will instead play for bronze.

Singaporeans stand in way of China dominance

02:17:34, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

China's three table tennis women's champions have battled into the semi-finals of the singles, with only Singapore's Li Jia Wei left to halt the host nation's charge for gold.

Ukraine heptathlete fails second drug test

02:17:34, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The B sample from Heptathlon silver medallist Lyudmila Blonska has tested positive for steroids.

Rain delays Olympic competition

02:17:34, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Heavy rain in Beijing has forced delays to some events, with just four days remaining in the competition program.

Pakistan hockey coach hopes young players will develop

02:17:34, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Disappointed Pakistan hockey coach Naveed Alam Tuesday said he won't be resigning as his job expires with the Olympics.

Tajik wrestler succumbs in grueling conditions

02:17:29, 22 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Tajikistan's 84kg men's freestyle wrestling silver medallist, Yusup Abdusalomov, collapsed and needed medical help after losing the gold medal bout to his Georgian opponent on Thursday.

Pacific canoeists and kayakers in semi-final competition

20:03:23, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Samoan kayaker Rudolf Berking-Williams is competing in the semi finals of the k-500 flatwater kayak sprint this afternoon in Beijing.

Georgia halts Russian wrestling juggernaut

17:12:40, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Georgian Revazi Mindorashvili has crushed Russian world champion Georgy Ketoev in a politically charged semi-final of the men's 84kg freestyle wrestling.

US women continue beach volleyball dominance with gold

14:34:06, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Americans Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor beat China's Wang Jie and Tian Jie to win the Olympic Games women's beach volleyball gold medal.

Russia's Kaniskina wins 20km walk gold

14:34:06, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

World champion Olga Kaniskina of Russia led from gun to tape to win the women's 20 kilometres walk gold medal at the Olympics on Thursday.

Typhoon threat to Hong Kong equestrian final

14:34:06, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Typhoon Nuri is expected to bring heavy wind and rain to Hong Kong Thursday afternoon, threatening to force organisers to postpone the Olympic individual showjumping final.

Netherlands swimmer wins open water marathon

14:34:04, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Maarten van der Weijden of the Netherlands won the gold medal for the Olympic Games men's 10 kilometres open water marathon swim in a time of 1 hour 51.51 minutes.

Bolt nails record, others can't stay on track

12:22:54, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles and Wallace Spearmon of the United States were disqualified after finishing second and third in the Olympic 200 metres final on Wednesday.

Push for more women in Oceania sport

12:22:54, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The group Women in Sports Oceania says the glass ceiling still exists - and it's stopping women in Oceania from leaping higher in sport.

Dream Team ends Australia's basketball run

12:22:54, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Australia has been comprehensively thrashed 116-85 by the United States in their Beijing Olympics quarter-final.

Australia claims softball bronze as Japan progresses to final

12:22:54, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The Australian softball team has won the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics, after losing to Japan in the semi-final.

Afghanistan scores first ever medal

04:35:47, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

President Hamid Karzai has called Afghanistan's first Olympic medallist, Rohullah Nikpai, after his bronze medal victory in taekwondo and praised him for bringing pride to his country.

PNG's Tona out of taekwondo challenge

04:35:47, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Tiny Theresea Tona troubled Vietnam's Thi Ngoc Truc Tran in the women's under 48 kilo taekwondo competition at the Beijing Games but ultimately left the floor without scoring a point.

Lessons learned by Pacific athletes from world's best

04:35:47, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

True grit from a Samoan who wanted the world to know that they don't just play rugby, a feisty performance from Papua New Guinea's final athlete at the Beijing Games and Guam's 800m runner found the pace too hot - that's day 12 for the Pacific.

China downs Thailand in taekwondo

04:35:47, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

World champion Wu Jingyu has won Olympic taekwondo gold for China, thrilling home fans with a defeat of Buttree Puedpong of Thailand in the final of the women's 49-kilo category.

China avenges Athens loss in hockey

04:35:47, 21 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Host China has entered its first ever Olympic women's hockey final with a thrilling 3-2 win over reigning champion Germany.

Media frustration builds during Olympic Games

22:31:06, 20 August 2008, Radio Australia News

Five days out from end of the Beijing Olympics, the international media are increasingly frustrated by answers they are getting from organisers about broken promises on human rights and press freedom.

United States ends Poland's volleyball hopes

22:38:09, 17 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The United States ended Poland's hopes of advancing to the quarter finals of the Olympic Women's Volleyball with a narrow five-set victory on Sunday.

Japanese wrestler wins gold to continue dominance

22:38:09, 17 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

In the women's freestyle wrestling competition, 63 kilogram defending champion Icho Kaori of Japan cried after her older sister, Icho Chiharu, lost in the 48kg final on Saturday.

38 year old Romanian wins Marathon

21:27:46, 17 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Romanian marathoner Constantina Tomescu has added a gold to her country's Olympic medal count at the Beijing Games on Sunday morning.

Seven finals being contested in big day of rowing

20:30:25, 17 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The final seven gold medals of the Olympic rowing regatta are being awarded in Shunyi on Sunday.

US swimmer achieves historic goal

20:30:22, 17 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

American swimming star Michael Phelps says he will keep swimming until the sport gains a higher profile in the United States.

Australian cyclist aiming for gold in Sprint

19:10:49, 17 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Athens gold medallist Anna Meares has begun her Olympic track cycling campaign in Beijing on Sunday.

Samoan weightlifter drops weights

01:44:09, 17 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Samoa's Ele Opelogue dropped the bronze medal lift in the women's 75 plus weightlifting division at the Beijing Games.

Australian rower thrilled for teammate

01:44:09, 17 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Men's Pair gold medallist Australian rower Drew Ginn says seeing teammate Duncan Free win his first olympic gold was something special.

IOC disqualiifies medal winning Swedish wrestler

01:44:09, 17 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The International Olympic Committee has disqualified a Swedish wrestler who won a bronze medal in Beijing.

New Zealand's Vili wins Women's Shotput gold

01:44:09, 17 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Reigning world champion Valerie Vili of New Zealand has won the Women's Shotput gold medal at the Olympics on Saturday.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt wins 100m in record time

01:44:09, 17 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Jamaica's Usain Bolt has won the Men's Olympic 100 metres final breaking the world record and running the race in a time of 9.69 seconds to claim victory in an exhilarating showdown with his compatriot Asafa Powell.

Japan cyclist wins bronze on the track

01:44:05, 17 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

his country the first Olympic medal in the track event.

Australia has a golden day in rowing

23:08:20, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

David Crawshay and Scott Brennan have won Australia's seventh gold medal of the Beijing Olympics, taking out the men's double sculls in the rowing.

PNG sprinter still fastest Pacific woman

21:39:40, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Papua New Guinea's Mae Koime has missed out on a Women's 100m semi finals berth by just 0.2 of a second but remains the fastest woman in the Pacific.

PNG swimmer makes history

21:29:36, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Papua New Guinea's Ryan Pini has finished eighth in the 100m Men's Butterfly final at the Beijing Games.

Japanese olympic wrestler reaches finals

21:05:55, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Japanese female freestyle wrestlers got their olympic campaign off to an impressive start on Saturday with Saori Yoshida and Chiharu Icho booking final spots in their respective weight categories at the Beijing Games.

Dutch equestrian rider withdraws

21:05:55, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

One of the Netherlands' top dressage riders has been forced to withdraw from the Olympic Games individual competition on Saturday after her horse injured itself during an exuberant lap of honour for the team silver medal.

Japan continues to win in Olympic Softball

21:05:54, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Japanese softball player Rie Sato has hit a three-run homer in the third innings to back a solid pitching performance by Yukiko Ueno as Japan defeated China 3-0 in the preliminary round of the Beijing Olympic softball tournament on Saturday.

Australian basketball men post best performance

20:34:31, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The Australian Men's Basketball team has produced its best performance at the Olympic games so far, defeating Russia 95 points to 80 in their pool match in Beijing.

New Zealand rowers win gold

20:34:31, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

New Zealand's Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell have won an olympic gold medal in the Women's Double Sculls rowing.

Japanese trampoline gymnast into final

19:46:34, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Japan's Tetsuya Sotomura has advanced to the Men's Trampoline final with a fifth place finish in the qualification round at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing on Saturday.

Australian athletes take to the track and field

19:46:34, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Australian walker Jared Tallent has won Australia's first medal at the Athletics program in Beijing.

Fijian runner just misses semi final berth

19:46:34, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Fiji's Makelesi Bulikiobo Batimala ran a season best time in Saturday's 400 metre race, clocking 52.24 seconds, missing the semi finals by point two of a second.

Australian coach says Sullivan looking ahead

19:46:33, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Australian head swimming coach Alan Thompson says Eamon Sullivan is looking ahead to the relay after coming sixth in the 50 metre Men's Freestyle final.

Solomons runner pleased with her performance

18:28:10, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Solomon Islands Pauline Kwalea has run a personal best time in the heats of the100 metres sprint at the Beijing Olympic Games.

PNG's Pini, Pacific ready for winning day eight

01:25:44, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Papua New Guinea's Ryan Pini swims the final of the Olympic men's 100m butterfly Saturday at the Water Cube in Beijing.

US humiliates Japan in softball

01:25:43, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

The United States has humiliated Japan 7-nil in the preliminary round of the softball competition.

Thailand's boxing hopeful beats Italy's finest

01:25:43, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Thailand's boxing hopeful, Worapoj Petchkoom has defeated Italy's Vittorio Parrinello during their men's batamweight match at the Beijing Olympics.

Australian quad scullers qualify for final

01:25:39, 16 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

Australia's men's quad scullers have qualified for Sunday's Olympic final after finishing second in their semi-final.

All China final for women's badminton

23:27:23, 15 August 2008, Radio Australia Sport

China is guaranteed gold and silver in the Olympic women's badminton tournament after the last challenger, Indonesia's Maria Kristin Yulianti, was eliminated.

IOC accused of censoring itself at Beijing Games

19:28:21, 15 August 2008, Radio Australia News

The International Olympic Committee has been accused of censoring itself at the Beijing Games so as not to offend the Chinese hosts.