Olympics: Usain Bolt preparing for 200m race
|
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19190412#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa Version 13 of 25. Usain Bolt is aiming to achieve the Olympic sprint double for a second time as he runs in the 200m. The Jamaican won the 100m and 200m races at the Beijing Games and is aiming for a repeat at London 2012. Team GB's Charlotte Dujardin has won gold in the individual dressage competition in Greenwich Park. And London Underground cleaners have launched a 48-hour strike and are picketing stations including Stratford after not getting an Olympics bonus. Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union employed by private contractors walked 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 its private contractors and their staff. He said contingencies were in place and that London Underground anticipated "no impact" on services as a result of the strike. Initial Facilities, one of the contractors, said it paid its employees the "London Living Wage" and that it was providing free Underground travel for staff during their shift throughout the Games period. Elsewhere, Team GB is aiming to add to its haul of 22 golds, 13 silvers and 13 bronzes. Dujardin won gold in front of a crowd of 23,000 people, Holland's Adelinde Cornelissen claimed silver and Britain's Laura Bechtolsheimer won bronze. One of their best hopes was Kerri-Anne Payne, a silver medallist in the open water swim in Beijing and hoping to go one better in London. But despite a noisy home support - her Team GB swimming team-mates and Prime Minister David Cameron were among the crowds who packed the banks of the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park - she narrowly missed out on a medal, coming fourth. Hungarian Eva Risztov edged a sprint finish to win the 10km event - six laps of a course around the lake - in a time of one hour, 57 minutes, 38.2 seconds. In other developments: <ul> <li> The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Locog) said the two millionth ticketed spectator passed through the Olympic Park since the beginning of the Games, with 6.9m spectators having seen Olympic sports overall</li> <li> The hospitality centre for African nations competing in the Olympics<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19190778" > has closed because of unpaid debts.</a> Africa Village, set up in Kensington Gardens, west London, owes suppliers hundreds of thousands of pounds, a spokesman said</li> <li> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18913334" >Britain's Rachel Cawthorn finished sixth </a>in the kayak single 500m final</li> <li> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/live-video/p00w32g9" >Team GB's Jade Jones and Martin Stamper</a> made it through to the taekwondo quarter-finals </li> <li> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18913382" >Team GB qualified for the men's 4x400m relay</a> after a season's best performance by Nigel Levine, Conrad Williams, Jack Green and Martyn Rooney </li> <li> In the same race, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19194104" >South African Oscar Pistorius has been granted a position</a> in the final following an appeal. He was unable to run the third leg after his team-mate Ofentse Mogawane failed to finish</li> <li> 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 <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19191284" >after a gas canister exploded</a></li> <li> London Mayor Boris Johnson has said <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19192153" >school children should be made to do two hours a day of PE</a> as part of the Olympic legacy, saying it would be "wonderful for kids across this country". And former Olympic minister Tessa Jowell has said all political parties should sign up to a 10-year plan for school sports to ensure a London 2012 legacy </li> <li> "I'm delighted we are sailing as high as we are," says Locog chairman Seb Coe of Britain's position in the medals table. But he says what drives young people into sport are the "extraordinary moments" in rowing, or athletics, say, and athletes have "filled their boots" with those. </li> </ul> Day 13 of the Games also sees the resumption of the battle at the top of the medals table between China and the US. China is in the lead with 36 gold medals, and 77 overall, while the US is in second place with 34 golds and 81 medals overall. Aside from Usain Bolt's attempt to make history when he runs in the 200m at 20:55 BST, Thursday's action also includes 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, although the start of that race has been delayed with no indication as yet when it might begin. Are you a London Underground cleaner? Are you striking today? What are your experiences of the London 2012 Games so far? Get in touch using the form below. <i>Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can</i> <a class="inlineText" href="http://bbcnewsupload.streamuk.com/">upload here</a><i>.</i> <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/2780295.stm#yourpics">Read the terms and conditions</a> |