World champion diver Guo Jingjing snatched China's fifth straight women's Olympic three meters springboard title on August 26, finishing ahead of teammate Wu Minxia and Russian Yulia Pakhalina.

Chinese gold and silver medallists Guo Jingjing (L) and Wu Minxia after the reward ceremony for the women's 3m springboard diving event at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games August 26, 2004.

The 22-year-old kept the title that Gao Min won in 1988 and 1992, a feat emulated by Fu Mingxia in 1996 and 2000. It is the second Olympic gold for Guo, 2000 runner-up who with Wu grabbed the synchronized springboard gold on Aug. 13.

Guo totaled 633.15 points, 21.15 ahead of the 18-year-old Wu and a further 1.38 of the Russian bronze medalist.

It was China's fifth diving gold in Athens after triumphs by Peng Bo (men's springboard), Lao Lishi/Li Ting (women's synchronized platform), Tian Liang/Yang Jinghui (men's synchronized platform) and Guo/Wu (women's synchronized springboard).

"This is the gold medal I wanted most," said Guo. "I gave the best and now I don't have regret any more."

The Chinese women's volleyball team is one game away from its first Olympic crown in 20 years.

With four sets split 2-2, the Chinese women held their nerves to take the fifth and deciding set for a 22-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25- 23, 15-10 victory.

The Chinese volleyballers, whose only previous gold came from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, will vie for the gold medal with the Russians, who rallied from two sets down and saved seven match points to beat Brazil 18-25, 21-25, 25-22, 28-26, 16-14 in the other semifinal.

Guo Jingjing of China is in action at the semifinal of the women's 3m springboard diving event at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games August 26, 2004. Guo entered the final with a total of 243.06 points.

China remains second on the medal table with 25 golds, after the United States on 28. Australia places third on 16, followed by Russia and Japan with 15 apiece.

The United States pocketed three gold medals on Thursday including a much hoped-for women's soccer gold.

The Americans made up for the silver-lined disappointment in Sydney four years ago by beating Brazil 2-1 after the grand finale finished 1-1 at the end of normal time.

Amid boos and shouts by Greek spectators, Shawn Crawford led a 1-2-3 finish by Americans in the men's 200m sprint.

As a packed crowd booed and chanted "Kenteris, Kenteris!" at the Olympic Stadium, Crawford clocked 19.79 seconds for the gold, beating Bernard Williams (20.01) and Justin Gatlin (20.03).

Costas Kenteris, Greece's 2000 champion in the event, was pulled out of the Games after missing a drugs test before the opening ceremony.

American Dwight Phillips flew 8.59m in his first attempt to win the long jump ahead of another American, John Moffitt (8.47), with the bronze going to Joan Lino Martinez of Spain (8.32).

Felix Sanchez brought the Dominican Republic its first ever athletics Olympic gold when he won the 400m hurdles in a season's best of 47.63 seconds to add the Olympic title to his world and Pan American crowns, extending his winning record to 43 races.

Danny McFarlane of Jamaica (48.11) claimed the silver and Naman Keita of France (48.26) took the bronze.

Chinese Taipei swept two taekwondo events to end its Olympic gold drought.

Chen Shih-Hsin outpointed world silver medalist Yanelis Labrada of Cuba in the women's under-49 final to win Chinese Taipei's first ever Olympic gold.

"My toughest opponent is myself. If I can beat myself, I can beat anyone," she said after the final.

World champion Chu Mu-Yen triumphed 5-1 in the men's under 58kg final as his dazzling kicks were too much for Mexican Oscar Salazar in a one-sided duel.

Egypt's Tamer Bayoumi took the bronze over Spain's Juan Ramos.

In wrestling, South Korean Jung Ji Hyun fought his way to the men's Greco-Roman 60kg title, defeating Cuban Roberto Monzon 3-0.

Karam Ibrahim won Egypt's first Olympic gold since 1948 when he subdued Ramaz Nozadze of Georgia in the 96kg class.

Alexander Dokturishivili of Uzbekistan claimed the gold in the men's 74kg with a 4-1 win over Finland's Marko Yli-Hannuksela.

Italy won the women's water polo final, beating host Greece 10- 9 in extra time.

Driver Melanie Grego scored her third goal of the game with 2: 04 remaining in overtime to break a 9-9 tie and give Italy its first Olympic title in the sport.

Long-shot Germany stunned favorites the Netherlands 2-1 to win the women's hockey title after the world champion Argentina took the bronze with a 1-0 win over China.

Andrey Moiseev of Russia won the men's modern pentathlon, finishing so far ahead of his rivals that he was able to stop and collect a flag from a spectator before crossing the finish line.

New Zealand's Hamish Carter won the men's triathlon, edging out teammate and reigning world number one Bevan Docherty by 7.87 seconds.

Spain's Iker Martinez and Xavier Fernandez emerged as victors in the men's sailing 49er event by tallying a winning score of 67 points.

Doping ghosts continued to haunt the Olympics as the Ukrainian four-woman rowing team was stripped of its bronze medal Thursday after one member failed a drug test.

Olena Olefirenko, part of Ukraine's four-woman crew that finished third in lightweight sculls on Sunday, tested positive for a banned drug which she said she took unwittingly.

A dozen athletes have been expelled for drugs, including four losing medals in this games.