 London:Russia`s Yelena Isinbayeva failed in her quest for a third Olympic pole vaulting gold but seized on her bronze medal as a sign that more victories could still lie ahead.
Isinbayeva was last night looking to become the first woman to win three gold medals in the same individual event at three successive Olympics. She left with sighs of relief, blowing kisses to the 80,000 crowd as if a weight finally fell of her shoulders.
"It is like a gold medal for me," Isinbayeva said. "This bronze tells me `Elena, don`t quit,` as I planned to quit after London."
The gold went to American Jenn Suhr and Cuba`s Yarisley Silva took the silver.
What Russia missed in the pole vault, it made up for when Yuliya Zaripova won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the fourth-fastest time in history.
About 300 kilometers (200 miles) northwest of the main Olympic venue, the US women`s football team beat Canada 4-3 in extra time in a stadium in the city of Manchester.
The two-time defending Olympic champions, who have played in the gold medal match in every Summer Games since women`s football was introduced in Atlanta in 1996, will play Japan on Thursday for the title.
The final at Wembley Stadium will be a rematch of last year`s World Cup final, won by Japan on penalty kicks.
Back in London, 19-year-old Kirani James of Grenada became the first non-US runner to run the 400-meter race in less than 44 seconds, and added the Olympic title to his world championship gold. He also was the first non-US winner of the race since 1980.
In a moment of intense emotion, Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic sobbed uncontrollably on the victory podium as he was awarded a second Olympic gold for the 400-meter hurdles. His first one was in Athens in 2004.
The day was not without its scandals. Defending Olympic 50-kilometer race walk champion Alex Schwazer has been caught doping and will miss the race in London.
AGENCIES
First Published: Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 21:10
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