China Wins Two Gold Medals to Open Olympics; U.S. Fencers Sweep

China Wins Two Gold Medals to Open Olympics; U.S. Fencers Sweep

Aug. 10 - China won two gold medals on the first full day of Olympic competition in Beijing, while the U.S. moved atop the medals table with a sweep by its fencers in the women's individual sabre competition.

Seven gold medals were awarded yesterday, with Katerina Emmons of the Czech Republic claiming the first of the Games in the women's 10-meter air rifle after the home pressure got to defending champion Du Li of China.

Away from competition, the father-in-law of the U.S. men's indoor volleyball coach was stabbed to death by a suicide attacker, the U.S. Olympic Committee said in a statement.

Chen Xiexia captured the host nation's first gold in the women's 48-kilogram weightlifting competition, while Pang Wei won the men's 10-meter air pistol.

``The competition has finally come around, why should I be afraid?'' Pang said at a news conference. ``Competition is a festival for me. I actually don't have much pressure.''

China's lead atop the overall medal standings lasted until American fencers Mariel Zagunis, Sada Jacobson and Becca Ward swept the top three sabre spots. China, which spent a record $70 million to prepare for the Games, is seeking to overtake the U.S. as the leading medal winner at the Olympics after the Americans topped the standings at the three previous Summer Games. China was second in Athens in 2004.

Other gold medals awarded yesterday went to Spain's Samuel Sanchez in the men's cycling road race and to South Korea's Choi Min Ho and Romania's Alina Alexandra Dumitru in judo events.

U.S. Tourist Killed

Todd Bachman, his wife, daughter and their Chinese guide were attacked shortly after noon at the Drum Tower in central Beijing by a man wielding a knife, the USOC said. Bachman's wife Barbara suffered ``life-threatening'' injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

Bachman was the father-in-law of U.S. coach Hugh McCutcheon and the father of 2004 U.S. Olympic women's volleyball player Elisabeth Bachman. She was not injured during the attack.

The attacker, identified as Tang Yongming, than jumped to his death from the second floor of the tower, said Zhi Shaodong, a spokesman of the Chineses capital's police. The USOC said police believe Tang acted on his own.

Also yesterday, the International Olympic Committee said it had been informed of a failed drug test by a Greek athlete, the first doping case of the Beijing Games, where a record 4,500 drug tests are scheduled. While the IOC didn't identify the athlete, Greek state television said it was 200-meter runner Anastaios Gousis.

Michael Phelps

IOC President Jacques Rogge has said he expects up to 40 positive tests, 14 more than the record in Athens four years ago.

A total of 14 gold medals will be decided today, including one in the men's 400-meter individual medley, where swimmer Michael Phelps of the U.S. begins his quest for a record eight titles at a single Games. Phelps set an Olympic record yesterday in qualifying fastest for today's final.

Emmons, a bronze medalist at the Athens Games in 2004, had earlier claimed the first gold in Beijing by scoring an Olympic- record 503.5 points in the women's 10m air rifle.

Supporters packed into the Beijing Shooting Range Hall to watch Du, who finished fifth after a poor start. She had complained about expectations from home fans in the buildup to China's first Olympics as host and left the arena in tears.

``I wasn't fully prepared for the pressure of competing at home,'' Du told reporters.

Chen, already a world champion, secured China's first gold medal with a total lift of 212 kilograms (467 pounds), setting Olympic records in both the snatch and clean-and-jerk portions of the women's weightlifting competition.

Spring Finish

In the first event of the Beijing Games to be decided outdoors, Sanchez finished at the head of a pack of six riders in a sprint finish after 152 miles (245 kilometers) that took in Tiananmen Square and ended at the Great Wall.

Riders complained about the hot conditions afterwards, as temperatures touched 30 degrees Celsius (88 Fahrenheit) and much of the race was run in at least 73 percent humidity. Argentine cyclist Juan Jose Haedo said after dropping out that he couldn't breathe at ``full-gas'' and George Hincapie of the U.S. said it was the hardest of his five Olympic appearances.

``It was a race of attrition,'' said Hincapie after finishing 40th. ``I can count on one hand the number of races I've started to sweat before the race starts.''

The women's cycling road race is scheduled for today.