Goldie Sayers throws the javelin during the women’s final, in which she finished fourth. Photograph: PA
Britain’s Goldie Sayers narrowly missed out on a medal in the women’s javelin final, the 26-year-old finishing fourth just 0.38m behind bronze medallist Christina Obergfoll of Germany.
Sayers threw a new personal best and British record of 65.75m in the first [...]

Head to head: Kobe Bryant and the Dream Team showed their domination, crushing Pau Gasol and his Spanish teammates 119-82. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images
The Dream Team returned yesterday as the US men’s Olympic basketball team crushed world champions Spain 119-82.
The Spanish players looked thoroughly dejected as they walked off the court, having hoped to at [...]

Fallon reacts to his defeat to Paischer. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
Predictions that Team GB might challenge the odds-on favourites Australia in the “battle for fourth” in Beijing seem that little bit less likely to be fulfilled after former world champion Craig Fallon was defeated by the Austrian Ludwig Paischer in the second round of the men’s [...]

Sir Alex Ferguson with one of the many trophies that he’s won with Manchester United. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
Lord Coe wants Sir Alex Ferguson to lead a British football team at the London Olympics in 2012. Although the idea of a British team is unpopular with the FAs of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Coe has [...]

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe addresses a speech, on April 18, 2008 during celebrations for the country’s independence. Photograph: Alexander Joe/AFP
The idea that sport and politics don’t mix is the first resort of the ignorant fan, born of a blithe denial of the truth. History provides any number of examples to the contrary, from Joe Louis [...]

Guus Hiddink will rue the loss of playmaker Andrei Arshavin for the first two games. Photograph: Epsilon/Getty Images
If there’s one country more burdened by under-achievement (from a football perspective) than England, it’s Russia. The Soviet Union won the inaugural European Championship in 1960, but after that one World Cup semi-final and one European Championship final [...]

How best to deploy Thierry Henry will be Raymond Domenech’s toughest decision. Photograph: Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA
France remains the greatest talent generator in Europe. The regular rearing of excellent players means there is no chasm between generations. And so, two years after reaching the World Cup final, Raymond Domenech will travel to the Euros with a squad [...]

Polish Man of the Year ‘07 Leo Beenhakker has seen his side struggle since qualifying for Euro 2008. Photograph: Thomas Kienzle/AP
Poland have qualified impressively for the last two World Cups, only to flop badly having got there and the fear is that, having reached the finals of the European Championship for the first time, the [...]