Track and Field

Kate O'Neill (Yale '03) was one of two athletes representing the United States in the women's 10,000-meter final Friday in Athens. O'Neill ran a 32:22.04, good for a 21st-place finish. China's Huina Xing won the gold medal with a time of 30:24.36, just ahead of Ethiopia's Ejegayehu at 30:24.98.

O'Neill was the first Yale distance runner in the Olympic Games since Frank Shorter won silver in the marathon in 1976. O'Neill's twin sister, Laura, finished seventh in the 10,000-meter run at this year's Olympic Trials.

WOMEN'S 10,000-METER FINAL
1. Huina Xing (China) 30:24.36; 2. Ejegayehu Dibaba (Ethiopia), 30:24.98; 3. Derartu Tulu (Ethiopia), 30:26.42; 4. Werknesh Kidane (Ethiopia), 30:28.30; 5. Lornah Kiplagat; (Netherlands), 30:31.92; 6. Yingjie Sun (China), 30:54.37; 7. Jelena Prokopcuka (Latvia), 31:04.10; 8. Lydiya Grigoryeva (Russia), 31:04.62; 9. Lucy Wangui (Kenya), 31:05.90; 10. Helena Javornik (Slovenia), 31:06.63; 11. Mihaela Botezan (Romania), 31:11.24; 12. Kathy Butler (Great Britain), 31:41.13; 13. Megumi Tanaka (Japan), 31:42.18; 14. Marie Davenport (Ireland), 31:50.49; 15. Sabrina Mockenhaupt (Germany), 32:00.85; 16. Alice Timbilil (Kenya) 32:12.57; 17. Sally Barsosio (Kenya), 32:14.00; 18. Harumi Hiroyama (Japan), 32:15.12; 19. Elva Dryer (United States), 32:18.16; 20. Anikó Kálovics (Hungary), 32:21.47; 21. Kate O'Neill (United States), 32:24.04.

Saturday, August 28 Preview

Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a defensive martial art that combines philosophy, mental discipline, physical exercise, and physical ability. The third day of competition at the Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex, Sports Pavilion offers the preliminary rounds of the men's under 80 kg. Chinedum Osuji (Cornell '96) will represent Trinidad and Tobago in this event, scheduled for 4:12 a.m. (EST). He will face Rashad Ahmadov of Azerbaijan. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals at 6:12 a.m. The competition will be completed today with semifinal and final rounds scheduled for 9:24 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. respectively.

Osuji made his first Trinidad & Tobago national team in 2001 and earned a bronze medal at the U.S. Taekwondo Open that same year. He has a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from MIT.


Men's Freestyle Wrestling

Nate Ackerman (Havard '00), who has been pursuing his Ph.D. in mathematical logic at MIT will be wrestling in the men’s under 74 kg qualification rounds at 10:30 a.m. Wrestling is one of several sports that was included in the first modern Olympic Games. There are two types of wrestling. Free-style wrestling allows holds on the entire body whereas in Greco-Roman, holds are only allowed from the waist up. The wrestling competition will take place in Ano Liossia Olympic Hall. If Ackerman advances he will compete again in the semifinal. He is the only wrestler representing Great Britain.