China looks set to lead gold tally

Just hours after waking up with a Michael Phelps hangover yesterday, the country was dealt the Liu Xiang blow. And though the pain of losing Liu will stay forever, the end of the day brought some smile back to China because it now looks unassailable in the gold tally.

Even the US, the leading gold winner in many a Games, has just 22 to China's 39. The athletics and some other of the US' favorite events are still being contested, but the hosts' top position seems secure.

China won four golds yesterday, two in gymnastics, one in men's table tennis team and the fourth in women's trampoline. And the almost unbeatable pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva added one more gold to Russia's tally.