Olympics: Team GB seek return to winning ways

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19190412#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Version 0 of 25.

Team GB will aim to add to their haul of 22 golds, 13 silvers and 13 bronzes later after a rare medal-free day.

Keri-Anne Payne - a Beijing silver medallist in open water swimming - and boxer Nicola Adams will go for gold.

On the track, Jamica's Usain Bolt will try to achieve the Olympic sprint double for a second time in the 200m.

Meanwhile, London Underground cleaners will launch a 48-hour strike and picket stations including Stratford because they are not getting an Olympics bonus.

Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union employed by private contractors were due to walk out at 05:30 BST.

General secretary Bob Crow said London transport cleaners were "on minimum pay rates doing some of the dirtiest jobs in often appalling conditions with no Olympics recognition and reward whatsoever".

But London Underground's Phil Hufton said the dispute was between private contractor Initial and its staff.

He said contingencies were in place and that London Underground anticipated "no impact" on services as a result of the strike.

On a day that was devoid of British medals, Wednesday was dominated by a row over sport provision in schools.

Prime Minister David Cameron called for a more "competitive ethos" if Britain was to capitalise on Team GB's Olympic wins while teachers said he was "shifting blame" for problems caused by cuts.

Sporting developments on Wednesday included:

<ul> <li> <a href="/sport/0/olympics/18907358" title="Farah progresses to 5,000m final" >Great Britain's Mo Farah finished third in his 5,000m heat</a> to qualify for Saturday night's final where he will try to emulate his gold-winning performance in the 10,000m</li> <li> British women's 470 crew Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark <a href="/sport/0/olympics/18907452" title="Mills & Clark guarantee GB medal" >guaranteed themselves a sailing Olympic medal</a> and will battle New Zealand for gold on Friday</li> <li> Britain's <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19187322" >women's hockey team will play New Zealand for bronze</a> on Friday afternoon, after losing their semi-final 2-1 to Argentina</li> <li> Liverpool boxer Tom Stalker <a href="/sport/0/olympics/18907725" title="GB's Stalker has appeal rejected" >failed to secure a bronze</a> when he lost his light-welterweight quarter-final on points to Mongolia's Munkh-Erdene Uranchimeg</li> <li> 100m gold medallist Jamaica's Usain Bolt and fellow countryman Yohan Blake <a href="/sport/0/olympics/18907716" title="Bolt secures place in 200m final" >cruised into Thursday night's 200m final</a></li> <li> In a strong night for the USA, <a href="/sport/0/olympics/18907742" title="Felix races to elusive 200m gold" >Allyson Felix in the 200m</a>, <a href="/sport/0/olympics/18907751" title="Merritt claims 110m hurdles gold" >Aries Merritt in the 110m hurdles</a>, and <a href="/sport/0/olympics/18907697" title="Reese takes long jump gold for US" >Brittney Reese in the long jump</a> all won golds in the Olympic Stadium</li> <li> But Russia's Natalya Antyukh held off a late surge from USA world champion Lashinda Demus <a href="/sport/0/olympics/18907733" title="Antyukh wins women's 400m hurdles" >to win Olympic gold in the women's 400m hurdles</a></li> </ul>

On Thursday, British open water swimmer Keri-Anne Payne starts the women's 10km marathon as the favourite.

In the first ever Olympic women's boxing final, flyweight Nicola Adams takes on China's Ren Cancan after defeating India's five-time world champion Mary Kom on Wednesday.

Sailors Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell, meanwhile, are guaranteed at least silver in the 470 class medal race.

And in the individual dressage, Charlotte Dujardin is expected to be in the mix for a medal as she competes against her colleagues from Tuesday's gold-winning team performance, Laura Bechtolsheimer and Carl Hester.

Meanwhile, about 700 New Zealanders and their guests were evacuated from an Olympics party at Kiwi House, near King's Cross in central London, on Wednesday night after a gas canister being used for a barbecue exploded.

Two fire engines and 10 firefighters put out the flames while one person suffered minor injuries.