Pistorius gets more time, Jongewaard is out

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

--South Africa’s Pretoria News reports that double-amputee Oscar Pistorius (pictured) has been granted additional time in which to qualify for the Beijing Olympics. Athletics South Africa extended its deadline from July 11 to July 17, giving the runner time to compete in four European races as he tries to hit the qualifying time of 45.55 for the 400-meter race.

--Australia’s best mountain biker has failed to make the country’s 28-person Beijing Games cycling squad because of criminal charges resulting from a 2007 biking incident. Cycling Australia’s High Performance Management Committee ruled that it could not ‘in good faith’ nominate Chris Jongewaard because of his legal problems. Jongewaard faces charges over a hit-and-run driving incident last year in which fellow cyclist and training partner Matthew Rex sustained head injuries.

--Reuters reported that the Chinese Swimming Assn. has confirmed that top Chinese backstroke swimmer Ouyang Kunpeng has been banned for life after testing positive for an illegal substance.
Ouyang, 25, won three individual silver medals at the 2006 Asian Games and three golds at the 2003 world university games.

--The Bulgarian Olympic Committee said that 11 weightlifters who had qualified for the Beijing Games had tested positive for an illegal substance. Reuters quoted federation leader Anton Kodzhabashev as saying: ‘If the second, B-test turns [out] positive as well, we will have to say goodbye to the Olympics.’ The 11 athletes, he added, ‘tested positive for a substance that has not been in use for 25 years. I suspect someone has dropped it there deliberately.’

--Greg Johnson