Sharapova sinks Clijsters to book all-Russian semi

(Yonhap News)LONDON - Maria Sharapova powered to a 6-2, 7-5 win over Belgium's Kim Clijsters as the Russian world number three booked an Olympic semi-final clash with compatriot Maria Kirilenko.Sharapova will play 14th seed Kirilenko for a place in the final at Wimbledon after ending Clijsters' hopes of a medal in her penultimate tournament before retiring for the second and final time after the U

Aug. 3, 2012

Federer reaches semi after downing Isner

(Yonhap News)LONDON - Roger Federer moved into the Olympic semi-finals on Thursday as the Wimbledon champion cut giant American John Isner down to size with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) victory on Centre Court.Federer had to be at his most patient in the face of a barrage of big serves from the 6ft 9in Isner, but the world number one was finally able to produce just enough magic to move into the last four of

Aug. 3, 2012

Park in pool for third time in London; male archers seek to end draught

(London Olympic Joint Press Corps)LONDON -- There will be no rest for the weary swimmer Park Tae-hwan. He's scheduled to race in the heat for the men's 1,500-meter freestyle, his third event of the London Games.He won silver medals in 200ｍ and 400ｍ freestyle races.In men's archery, Im Dong-hyun, Oh Jin-hyek and Kim Bub-min will try to end South Korean Olympic draught in the men's individual event.

Aug. 3, 2012

S. Korean women grab bronze in foil fencing team event

(London Olympic Joint Press Corps)LONDON -- South Korean women grabbed bronze in the foil team event Thursday at the London Olympics.At ExCeL Arena, the trio, Nam Hyun-hee, Jeon Hee-sook and Jung Gil-ok, beat the French side 45-32.This was the first team fencing Olympic medal for South Korea.The country has won four medals in fencing at this year's Olympics, more than any other sport so far.(Yonha

Aug. 3, 2012

Ki Bo-bae wins gold in women’s archery

Ki Bo-bae won the gold in women's individual archery Thursday at the London Olympics. Ki beat Aida Roman of Mexico in the final. South Korea has now won seven of the past eight Olympic gold medals in the women's individual archery.After the two ended the regulation all tied at the set score of 5-5, both archers shot an 8 in the one-arrow shoot-off. But Ki was declared the champion because her shot

Aug. 2, 2012

[Photo] Joy, pain and fun at Olympics

The South Korean volleyball team celebrates after beating Brazil in the group stage. (Yonhap News)Kim Hyun-sung launches a scissor kick against Gabon during a group match. (London Olympic Joint Press Corps)Park Ji-sung (left) and Lee Chung-yong watch the Korean football team face Gabon. (London Olympic Joint Press Corps)Korean judoka Song Dae-nam bows to his coach after winning gold. (London Olymp

Aug. 2, 2012

Uchimura earns all-around gold

LONDON (AP) ― Like pretty much everybody, Danell Leyva thinks Kohei Uchimura is the greatest male gymnast who’s ever lived.For now.While the three-time world champion was solidifying his exalted status with the Olympic title Wednesday, all but wrapping up the gold midway through the meet, Leyva gave a glimpse of what the young American hopes could be the sport’s next great rivalry. Closing with perhaps the two most spectacular routines of the night, the 20-year-old rallied to land in third place

Aug. 2, 2012

Kim rises from underdog to champ

Kim Ji-yeon not only stunned her opponents but herself after knocking out top-tier fencers to take home the gold in the women’s individual sabre at the 2012 London Olympics on Thursday.Largely regarded as the underdog by both competitors and her teammates, 24-year-old Kim came back from a 12-5 deficit against U.S. favorite Mariel Zagunis to advance into the finals. Kim, using the momentum she gained in beating Zagunis, easily knocked out Russia’s Sofya Velikaya who was the defending world champi

Aug. 2, 2012

Soni sets world record in 200m breaststroke semis

Rebbeca Soni (AP)LONDON - American Rebecca Soni broke the women's 200m breaststroke world record with a time of 2min 20.00sec in the semi-finals at the London Olympics on Wednesday.Olympic champion Soni reached the final in emphatic style as she bettered the previous world record of 2:20.12, set by Canadian Annamay Pierse in July 2009 in Rome.Soni, who earned silver in the 100m breaststroke here,

Aug. 2, 2012

S. Korea clinches 3 more golds overnight

South Korea doubled its gold medal total Wednesday, picking up three Olympic titles to shoot up to six gold medals at the start of the new month in London.The country is now halfway past its stated goal of winning at least 10 gold medals for its third straight top-10 finish in the medal table. (From left) South Korean gold medalists Judoka Song Dae-nam, fencer Kim Ji-yeon and shooter Kim Jang-mi.

Aug. 2, 2012

Serena's path to gold clears as Venus bows out

Serena Williams (Yonhap News)LONDON - Serena Williams' path to Olympic tennis gold will look less daunting to the American after her sister Venus suffered a shock third-round exit on Wednesday.When Serena kicked off the last 16 action at Wimbledon with a 6-1, 6-0demolition of Vera Zvonareva on Centre Court, the Williams sisters were still on course to meet in the semi-finals.Venus had been just as

Aug. 2, 2012

North Korean Rim wins women's -69kg weightlifting

Rim Jong Sim (Yonhap News)LONDON - North Korea's Rim Jong Sim relied on her superior clean and jerk to win the women's -69kg class on Wednesday, the reclusive nation's third Olympic gold of the weighlifting competition.Rim, 19, recorded a combined total of 261kg after snatching 115kg and registering a best in the clean and jerk of 146kg.Romanian Roxana Cocos took silver with a total of 256kg (113,

Aug. 2, 2012