Olympics highlights

By Compiled by Times staff writer

Double gold

Valrico's Brooke Bennett followed her 400-meter freestyle title with a win in the 800 to become the only U.S. woman with two individual swimming golds in Sydney. With her 800 title in 1996, she has three golds overall, one shy of Janet Evans' total. "I don't think there has to be only one legend in the distances," said American Kaitlin Sandeno, who finished third in the 800. "I don't think we need to have one queen. We can have two."

Double gold II

Double No. 1s flashed on the board for the first time since the 1984 Games as Americans Gary Hall Jr. and Anthony Ervin tied for the 50 free title. The training partners posted identical times of 21.98 seconds. Ervin, 19, recalled one other tie in his swimming career: "One time at junior nationals I tied for 24th place."

Prime times

Maurice Greene has been gallivanting around town in a yellow Ferrari, "Pheno-MO-nal" T-shirt proudly stretched over his chest, motor mouth running non-stop. Marion Jones is sporting a sleek, silver-sleeved bodysuit with a sheer back. Both seemed primed for today's 100-meter semifinals. And Jones just might unveil her revolutionary clear, 3.5-ounce shoes.

5 for 5

British rower Steven Redgrave, 38, led his team to gold in the men's coxless fours rowing competition, giving him titles in five consecutive Games. Hungarian fencers Aladar Gerevich and Pal Kovacs are the only other athletes to accomplish that, with Gerevich winning six. Don't count Redgrave out of an attempt to match. After winning in Atlanta, he looked into a television camera and said: "Anyone who sees me go anywhere near a boat again, ever, you've got my permission to shoot me."

Heavy burden

With the spate of weightlifting drug problems, including the expulsion of the Bulgarian team, Olympic officials say the sport is in danger of being dropped from future Games. "They have brought the sport of weightlifting into worthless repute," Sam Coffa, the federation vice president, told reporters.

What time is it?

Sydney is 15 hours ahead of Tampa Bay, so as most people read their morning paper, today's events are wrapping up in Australia. We have converted schedules and other references to Tampa Bay time. For the latest results, check the Times Web site at http://www.sptimes.com/olympics.

While you were sleeping

Some of the events completed after deadline for today's paper: The men's and women's 100-meter finals; U.S.-Cuba baseball; swimming finals, including Amy van Dyken in the 50 freestyle; and men's soccer quarterfinals.