Liu carries hopes of host nation

PARIS: The weight of a host nation's hopes will be firmly on the broad shoulders of Liu Xiang, China's defending Olympic 110m hurdles champion, come next month's Games in Beijing.

WADA chief: Beijing will be cleanest Games ever

SYDNEY: Drug cheat athletes are far more likely to be caught at next month's Beijing Olympics Games than at any previous Olympiad, world doping agency chief John Fahey said yesterday.

Zheng and Dong head national soccer squad

Charlton midfielder Zheng Zhi and Manchester United striker Dong Fangzhuo are the only two overseas-based players in China's 18-strong squad for next month's Beijing Olympics.

Volvo Ocean Race eyes China market

The Volvo Ocean Race, one of the world's top-tier regattas, is coming to China's coastal city of Qingdao next year with all eyes set on the potentially huge sailing market the Middle Kingdom offers.

Score board

Athletics

Bolt fails to lock out Powell in 100m

STOCKHOLM: Jamaica's 100m former world record holder Asafa Powell beat compatriot and present record-holder Usain Bolt here at the IAAF Grand Prix meeting on Tuesday.

Ancelotti delighted by summer signings

CARNAGO, Italy: AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday that he was delighted with the three additions he has made to his squad as the Club World Cup holder goes in search of a first Italian title since 2004.

Evans holds on, but CSC ready for yellow-jersey battle

JAUSIERS, France: The Tour de France yellow jersey is set to be decided on the final alpine stage on Wednesday after a dramatic 16th stage here in which CSC failed to shake off Australia's Cadel Evans.

Bush urged to ignore Jones' plea

LOS ANGELES: Douglas Logan, the new chief executive of USA Track and Field, on Tuesday urged US President George W. Bush to turn a deaf ear to Marion Jones' request that her perjury sentence be commuted.

IN BRIEF (Page 24)

Olympic flame shines on Qingdao

The arrival of the Olympic flame yesterday in Qingdao, host city of the summer Olympic sailing competition from August 9 to 23, elevated the coastal city's Olympic atmosphere to another high.

Not just bustling port, city offers history and scenery

Qingdao, a vibrant economic center and port, is also a historic city with rich culture set amid beautiful scenery.