Olympics roundup

By Compiled from Times wires

Redgrave moves into elite group

PENRITH, Australia -- Steven Redgrave pulled his British crew to victory in rowing's men's fours Friday, making him the third person to win gold at five straight Olympics.

American Missy Ryan won a bronze medal in women's pairs with partner Karen Kraft, capping her comeback after donating a kidney to her brother weeks after winning a silver medal in 1996.

Redgrave, 38, is the first person from an endurance sport to win five straight golds. Hungarian fencer Aladar Gerevich won golds at the six Games from 1932-60, and teammate Pal Kovacs won five from '36-60. There were no Games in '40 and '44 because of World War II.

Ryan and Kraft led for three-quarters of their 2,000-meter race but were caught by Romania and Australia, which edged them by 0.3 seconds in Atlanta.

"I feel great about it," Ryan said. "I think this must be a first -- to donate a kidney, then win an Olympic medal."

U.S. pair Ted Murphy and Sebastian Bea were surprising silver medalists, making a late charge to force the Australians to bronze and knocking the British out of the medals. Gold went to France.

In women's double sculls, Americans Ruth Davidon and Carol Skricki finished fourth by inches. The world champion Germans were first, followed by the Dutch and Lithuanians.

ARCHERY: South Korea won gold in men's team competition by defeating Italy 255-247. The United States, led by silver medal winner Vic Wunderle, got the bronze, beating Russia in a shoot-off.

BADMINTON: Zhichao Gong of China won the women's singles gold medal, defeating Camilla Martin of Denmark.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Third-seeded Americans Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis lost to Yukiko Takahashi and Teru Saiki of Japan 15-9. The loss ended Jordan's chance to match her father, 1960 Olympic decathlon champion Rafer Johnson, as a medal winner.

Swiss brothers Martin and Paul Laciga overpowered top-seeded Australians Julien Prosser and Lee Zahner 15-8 to reach the quarterfinals.

BOXING: Brahim Aslouf of France outpointed world 106-pound champion Brian Viloria of the United States 6-4.

FENCING: Bloodied but not beaten, France won the men's team foil gold. Patrice Lhotellier, who sustained a cut on the head that caused blood to run down his neck, Jean-Noel Ferrari and Brice Guyart went 2-1 in their individual matches against China to win 45-44.

FIELD HOCKEY: Katrina Powell, Alison Peek and Nikki Hudson scored as Australia downed South Korea 3-0 to advance to the medals pool.

JUDO: David Douillet of France and Hua Yuan of China closed out the competition with gold medals. Douillet, a 1996 gold medalist, won the men's 220-plus-pounds class, defeating Shinichi Shinohara of Japan. Yuan won the women's 172-plus-pounds by beating Daima Mayelis Beltran of Cuba.

SAILING: J.J. Isler reclaimed first in the women's 470 fleet, and men's 470 skipper Paul Foerster guided the third U.S. boat to a fleet race victory in the regatta. With the breeze picking up, Jonathan and Charlie McKee led at all five turning marks to win the 11th fleet race in the 49er class. Coupled with two third-place finishes earlier, they held on to first place. Austrians Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher clinched the Tornado class gold with two races to go.

TABLE TENNIS: China's Ju Li and Nan Wang won gold in doubles over countrywomen Jin Sun and Ying Yang.

TENNIS: Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten became the first men's quarterfinalist, beating Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 in the third round. Venus Williams extended her winning streak to 29 matches and advanced to the quarterfinals, where she will face Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, the last player to beat her. Monica Seles also advanced, beating Nathalie Dechy of France 6-3, 6-2. The American men finished 1-5 after Jeff Tarango lost in singles to Argentine Mariano Zabaleta 6-2, 6-3.

The American men finished 1-5 after Jeff Tarango lost in singles to Argentine Mariano Zabaleta 6-2, 6-3.

VOLLEYBALL: The U.S. women held out two starters and still defeated Australia 25-11, 25-17, 25-10 to go to 4-0, tied for first in Group A with Brazil. The teams meet today to decide which gets the best seeding in the quarterfinals.

WATER POLO: Maureen O'Toole scored twice and tipped away the final Dutch chance to score as time ran out and the U.S. women won 6-5 to make the gold medal game with Australia.

Heather Moody scored the go-ahead goal with 6:09 remaining, and goalie Bernice Orwig made a spectacular save on Carla Quint's blast from a few feet away in the final minute.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: The United States rolled over New Zealand 93-42 to clinch at least a tie for first in its preliminary group. The 42 points were the fewest allowed by a U.S. women's team in the Games; 47 was the previous low.

MOUNTAIN BIKING: Italy's Paola Pezzo defended her women's gold medal by surviving a collision on the fourth lap. World No. 1 Barbara Blatter of Switzerland took the silver. Two-time world champion Margarita Fullana of Spain, leading until she collided with Pezzo, won the bronze.

SOFTBALL: Melanie Roche and Brooke Wilkins combined on a no-hitter to beat Cuba 8-1 and lead Australia into the medal round. Australia (6-1) is guaranteed at least a bronze medal.