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beijing olympicslatest news & developments
Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong  clears a gate during the Men’s Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Slalom event at Whistler Creek side Alpine skiing venue.              (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Africa’s history at the Olympic Winter Games

Since 1984, at least one African nation has competed at each subsequent winter Olympics

Are role models going to pot?

A day after a photo emerged of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps appearing to smoke pot, questions are raised on what makes a true role model.

Beijing returns to congested normal after Olympics

Beijing was grinding back to its congested normal on Saturday after two months of traffic restrictions and factory closures.

Du Toit turns attention to London 2012

Natalie du Toit on Monday said she was eyeing London 2012 after winning five Paralympic golds and competing in the Beijing Olympics.

Olympic hangover dawns

Millions of people around the world watched a display that presented China as modern, powerful, energetic and rich.

The Olympics party is over. Now China has to clean up

Lavish parties tend to leave a hangover as the problems of daily life, put aside for the celebrations, come crowding back.

Fairy-tale princesses and Olympic fakes

What makes a woman attractive is how feminine her face looks — and that’s probably linked to fertility.

Post-Games China to refocus on economy, stability

China’s leaders will breathe a sigh of relief as the Beijing Olympics close, turning their attention back on the economy.

Olympics: It’s about losing too

The message to a distraught Chinese public, still reeling from withdrawal of the nation’s biggest sporting hero, could not have been clearer.

Many of China’s supporters were chosen and vetted by authorities. Photo: Ghetty Images

The fake and the glory

”I want to help the Olympics. It is just a small thing, but I want to make a contribution” says one of the cheerleaders bussed in to fill empty seats.

Mokoena wins South Africa’s first medal

Long jumper Khotso Mokoena grabbed SA’s first medal of the Beijing Olympics when he won silver in his event with a jump of 8,24m on Monday.

Tension flares in SA swimming camp

Tensions in South Africa’s swimming camp boiled over on Sunday as Roland Schoeman took a massive swipe at Gerhard Zandberg.

SA women struggle in Olympic triathlon

Australian Emma Snowsill has swept to a devastating victory in the Olympic triathlon, leaving two South African competitors behind.

Injured ‘Shanghai Express’ out of Games

Chinese superstar Liu Xiang sensationally pulled out of the Games injured on Monday, putting a dampener on China’s success thus far.

ID slams SA’s ‘wasted’ R11m Olympic publicity drive

The ID has slammed the ”completely unnecessary wastage” of R11-million on a failed publicity project to showcase South Africa at the Beijing Olympics.

SA men’s hockey team win Olympic points

The South African men’s hockey team did what the women’s team still have to achieve by scoring their first points of the Beijing Olympics on Sunday.

SA’s Van Deventer makes 1 500m final

Juan van Deventer cut it fine, but was helped to qualify for the 1 500m final by the speed of his A semifinal at the Bird’s Nest on Sunday night.

Nadal takes Olympic gold

Spain’s Rafael Nadal adds Olympic gold to his glittering season collection as he destroys Chilean Fernando Gonzalez in the men’s singles final.

Magnificent Phelps does it again

Michael Phelps completed his stunning display of swimming supremacy with an historic eighth gold medal at the Beijing Games on Sunday.

Usain Bolt, the fastest man on Earth

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt won the men’s Olympic 100m in stunning style on Saturday, obliterating his own world record in 9,69 seconds.