click to related specials: Olympic Games Athens 2004>>>

A charismatic Russian Yelena Isinbayeva broke her own world record in the women's pole vault. After securing the gold, the she cleared 4.91 meters, one centimeter over the previous world mark she set in London on July 30 this year.

Her teammate Svetlana Feofanova finished a distant second in 4.75 meters and Poland's Anna Rogowska was third in 4.70.

Kenya kept the 3,000m steeplechase as its domain when Ezekiel Kemboi led home a clean sweep by the East African nation.

The country has won the steeplechase title at every Games it has competed since 1968, missing only the 1976 and 1980 golds due to boycotts.

Teenager Brimin Kipruto came second in 8:06.11 with pre-race favorite Paul Koech third in 8:06.64.

Tonique Williams-Darling took the Bahamas' second gold in Olympic history as she took the women's 400m title in 49.41 seconds. The Bahamas' only previous gold came in the women's 4x100m relay four years ago.

 World champion Ana Guevara of Mexico had to settle for the silver in 49.56, 0.33 ahead of bronze winner Natalya Antyukh of Russia.

Joanna Hayes of the United States clinched the 100m hurdles gold in 12.37 seconds, beating the 1988 Olympic mark of Bulgaria'sYordanka Donkova.

Olena Krasovska of Ukraine came in second in 12.45 with American Melissa Morrison repeating her bronze from Sydney in 12.56.

Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco claimed an overdue Olympic gold over 1,500m.

The four-time world champion and world record-holder who had never tasted Olympic victory stormed home in 3:34.18.

Kenyan Bernard Lagat lifted the silver in 3:34.30 with Portugal's Rui Silva grabbing the bronze in 3:34.68.

Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic won one of the most punishing events, nailing an emphatic win in the men's decathlon.

The world-record holder and only man to break the 9,000 points barrier scored a winning total of 8,893 points, beating Bryan Clayof the United States into second in 8,820.

Kazakhstan's Dmitriy Karpov finished third in 8.725.

Australia rode to its fourth cycling gold as Bayley defeated world champion Theo Boss of the Netherlands in the men's sprint final.

The women's sprint gold went to 38-year-old Lori-Ann Muenzer who defied odds to win Canada's first ever cycling gold.

Russian Mikhail Ignatyev, half of Muenzer's age, walked away with the men's points race gold.

Ignatyev's compatriot Dmitry Berestov lifted 425kg to win the men's 105kg division weightlifting.

Peng Bo brought China its third straight Olympic men's 3m springboard diving title with a convincing display in the final.

Peng, runner-up at the 2003 world championships, garnered 787.38 points to make it three in a row for China after Xiong Ni's triumphs in 1996 and 2000.

Americans Kerri Walsh and Misty May beat Brazilians Adriana Behar and Shelda Bede 21-17, 21-11 to win the women's beach volleyball, with the bronze going to another American team.

Germany won the equestrian show jumping team gold. The silver went to the United States and Sweden took the bronze.

In the saddest tragedy happening to this Games, Greek judoka Eleni Ioannou, who 17 days ago jumped off a balcony after a quarrel with her boyfriend, died in hospital on Aug.24th. She was 20.

Doping clouds over the Athens Games can hardly be dispersed as Hungarian men's discus gold medalist Robert Fazekas was stripped of his title on Agu. 24th for allegedly doctoring a doping test.

He is the second gold medalist snared in the doping net. Russian shot putter Irina Korzhanenko's gold was taken back on Aug. 23rd  after she was caught for using steroids.

In another case, high jumper Aleksey Lesnichyi from Belarus was expelled after testing positive for the steroid clenbuterol.

Editor: Lu Ziqing