From Addis2008:
After two days of disappointment, Kenya finally made a bumper harvest as they scooped two gold medals, two silvers and two bronze as the Africa Athletics Championships entered its third day at the Addis Ababa Stadium on Friday.

Kenyans ensured a clean sweep in the men’s 3000m steeplechase and picked gold and bronze in the 800m. The world bronze medallist, Richard Mateelong took gold in the men’s steeplechase in 8:31.68 with compatriots Michael Kipyego (8:32.94) and Willly Komen (8:41.98) picking silver and bronze respectively to keep the country’s tradition in the event alive.

Mateelong said the victory was a perfect start ahead of the August Olympic Games. “I am inspired with victory and I want to keep shape ahead of the Beijing Games,” he said. Coach Julius Kirwa was equally elated, saying the move was a good sign ahead of the games. “What did you expect? This is a Kenyan preserve. Other countries have a long way to go in as far as the event is concerned,” the coach said.

Rudisha rules over two laps
Prior to the event, Kenya’s world junior 800m champion, David Rudisha had set the mood of the day for Kenyans after winning gold in his specialty timed at 1:44.20. Sudanese Ismail Ahmed Ismail spoiled Kenya’s party sneaking between Kenyans to run away with silver after posting 1:45.41. Asbel Kiprop took bronze in 1:46.02.

Rudisha said this was part of his preparations for the Beijing Games. He said he was almost 99 percent sure that he would take gold. “I studied the competition right from the preliminaries and knew what to do at the final. I am happy my plans worked perfectly.”

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Re-live Indonesian Taufik Hidayat’s gold medal win over South Korea’s Shon Seung Mo in this video of the 2004 Olympics badminton finals. Taufik is going to defend his title in Beijing as Indonesia is fielding him again. Fellow countryman Sony Dwo Kuncoro will join him in the singles competition.

According to the Badminton World Federation, the following men’s doubles and mixed doubles teams have earned tickets to Beijing: Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan, Luluk Hadiyanto/Alvent Yulianto, Nova Widianto/Lilyana Natsir and Flandy Limpele/Vita Marissa.

Meanwhile, Maria Kristin Yulianti will carry Indonesia’s banner in the women’s singles. Vita Marissa/Lilyana Natsir will do the same in women’s doubles.

Eunice Barber’s quote of the day:

I am against the boycott, I am against the badge. Boycott is not for the athletes. What we have to boycott are the people signing million of euros in business contracts. France has no lesson to give to China. There are so many Blacks and Arabs who get burnt up in France and the so-called humanitarians don’t stand up (for them).

Do you understand these people who call themselves humanitarians and who are violent with those carrying the torch?

Eunice Barber is a two-time heptathlon and long jump world champion. She was born in Sierra Leone and acquired French citizenship in 1999. According to a Reuters report Barber once complained she had been a victim of police brutality and racist abuse when arrested for driving on a closed road outside Paris.

Here’s something we should all support: yoga in the Olympics. Yes, there’s a group in India which is starting a campaign to have yoga admitted as an Olympic sport. We here at The Olympian Blog doesn’t see any reason why it should not be admitted. Seriously.

After all, isn’t the criteria for the inclusion of an Olympic sport only goes like this:

[F]or the Summer Games, only sports/disciplines widely practiced by men in at least 75 countries and on four continents, and by women in at least 40 countries and on three continents may be included.

Surely yoga is widely practiced in more than 75 countries as well as in three continents. In fact, we’d like to think that it is more practiced and more popular than trampoline and all those rowing events. And it’s a very Olympian sport too. Look at the photos below (courtesy of photopostcards.com). Can you name an Olympic sport that is as challenging as this? Seriously. Can you?

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Our belated tribute to John Marzano, American baseball player turned baseball analyst who was part of the U.S. baseball team which won the silver medal during the 1984 Olympic Games.

Here’s the AP report on Manzano’s death: Former major leaguer John Marzano died Saturday after falling down a flight of stairs at his home. He was 45. The cause of his death was not immediately clear, police said.

Marzano was from Philadelphia and had been working for Major League Baseball’s Web site, where he co-hosted a show on weekday mornings.

“John was a beloved member of our team, a personable, terrific friend to all with whom he worked,” said Bob Bowman, chief executive officer of MLB Advanced Media. “He was an engaging, informed interviewer. His energy, knowledge of the game and comedic touch produced admirable results. We miss him dearly already.”

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