Brave Miley misses out as Chinese teenager Ye sets new world record in 400m medley

Hannah Miley fell short in her mission to win Great Britain's first medal of the 2012 Olympics when she was fifth in a 400 metres individual medley race that saw the first long-course world record set by a woman since the ban on performance-enhancing suits.
Ye Shiwen, just 16, secured China's second gold of the session after Sun Yang's commanding 400m freestyle victory.
Ye, who won the 200m individual medley aged 15 at the World Championships in Shanghai last year, produced a superb freestyle to stretch away and touch in four minutes 28.43 seconds.

Not this time: Hannah Miley finished off the pace in the 400m individual medley

World champion Elizabeth Beisel was second with Ye's compatriot Xuanxu Li third.
For Miley, it was a disappointment although she was never really in the hunt for a medal. The 22-year-old had been strongly fancied to challenge after her breakthrough on the global stage last year when she was second in the World Championships in Shanghai.
Despite the Garioch swimmer's best efforts, she touched two places outside the medals in 4mins 34.17secs.
Miley, who is coached by her father Patrick in a 25-metre pool in Inverurie, was disappointed but knew she could not have given any more.
She said: 'I'm feeling all right. Most of the media are expecting me to be depressed and down and in tears.
'I know it wasn't the result that the public wanted, which was a medal, but that was something that they decided to put on themselves, to that expectation of me.

Record breaker: Ye Shiwen celebrates her success in the 400m individual medley

'For me, my target was to try to give the best performance that I could, and I can honestly say that I gave that absolutely 100 per cent.
'This morning was the fastest heat swim I'd ever done, and it was the same for a lot of the other girls.
'It was just a matter of who could recover the quickest and it was the young ones that won.'
Ye covered the final 100m in an astonishing 58.68 and Miley admitted she had been taken by surprise.
She said: 'That was very, very fast, and it'll be intriguing to look at the analysis and stuff because there are a lot of things that they've obviously taken from us senior ones and learnt from. And, for us, it's an opportunity to learn from them.
'It's just something that it's an absolute a privilege to be part of that race. It's not very often you get to swim in the same water as a world-record holder.
'It would've been lovely to have been up there and challenge that but, at the end of the day, that performance was what I could give and I do apologise to everybody that it wasn't what everyone expected. But, for me, I gave it my all and I can't ask for more than that.'

In at the deep end: Miley was up against it in the final of the 400m individual medley

Of the crowd at the Aquatics Centre, Miley said: 'Absolutely amazing. I admit I felt quite nervous going into the call room. But then hearing the crowd cheer for Fran (Halsall) and Elly (Gandy), it just took my nerves away. It felt really inspiring to have the crowd lift you up to some place that you feel these guys are here supporting me.
'It's a very rare opportunity that us GB swimmers get to have. So, I'm really, really happy and it's just an experience that'll live with me forever.'
Sun continued to leave an indelible mark on the global stage just before Ye's triumph.
The 20-year-old was second over eight lengths at the World Championships in Shanghai last year before producing a sublime 1,500m freestyle in which he lowered Grant Hackett's long-standing world record.
While talk of the Chinese swimmer has focused on how far into uncharted territory he can take the longer event, Sun came to London heading the 400m world rankings.
He qualified fastest from a dramatic morning session which had seen defending champion Park Tae-Hwan disqualified and then reinstated.

Well done: Miley congratulate Ye after the race

South Korean Park was second tonight, with Peter Vanderkaay of the United States third.
Sun's time of three minutes and 40.14 seconds was an Olympic record and the 20-year-old was under world record pace until the final metres when he slipped outside.
It surely cannot be so long before he, or another swimmer, breaks it but it demonstrates the advantage of performance-enhancing suits at the back end of a race.

Big winner: Sun Yang celebrates on the podium after winning the 400m freestyle

Paul Biedermann broke the world record in the turbo suit chaos of 2009 but today he failed to make it through to the final.
Sun and Park were in a shoot-out with 100m to go but the former took control on the penultimate length, his languid stroke lengthening.
Carry touched in seventh in 3:48.62, his qualification for the final 'a dream come true' for the Scot who at 30 is the oldest on the team.
Great Britain's Fran Halsall, Amy Smith, Jess Lloyd and Caitlin McClatchey came home in fifth as Australia won the gold medal in the women's 4x100 metres freestyle relay.
The Netherlands took silver with the United States in third.

Free agent Hargreaves heads to QPR in bid to prove his fitness

Owen Hargreaves has started training with Queens Park Rangers in another desperate bid to try to salvage his career.

The midfielder, 31, was released by Manchester City at the end of last season after failing to make an impact.

Crock: Owen Hargreaves has struggled with problems in recent years

 

Rivals Manchester United had let him go a year earlier, too, as the injury problems which have plagued his career looked to have ended it prematurely.

Hargreaves, for whom Sir Alex Ferguson agreed to pay Bayern Munich £17million in 2007, has suffered serious knee problems but refused to give up on playing at the top level again.
He played 27 games in his four seasons at Old Trafford, but one of these was the 2008 Champions League win. QPR manager Mark Hughes said: 'Owen is training with the group. There is no obligation for either party.

Chance: Mark Hughes (right) has allowed Owen Hargreaves to train

'He is keen to retain his fitness and we are more than happy to help him by allowing him to train with us and use our facility at Harlington.'
Hargreaves, who has been living in Cheshire, made just four appearances for City last season, with the last of them in January.
He said last month: 'I don't want to chase something. If I get the right fit, I will go for it.'

Wenger to deliver Santi as Arsenal bag £15m Spanish midfielder

Arsene Wenger expects to complete the club record £15million transfer of Santi Cazorla by Tuesday.

Though Malaga are holding out for £20m, Arsenal hope a debt deadline imposed on the financially-stricken Spanish club will seal the deal.

On his way: Spain's Santi Cazorla

With Robin van Persie poised to leave, the capture of Carzola, 27, is the major signing of the summer that Wenger has been promising.
Wenger was beaten to the signature of the Spain midfielder last year by Malaga, who had been seemingly enriched by their purchase by Qatari Sheik Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani.

 

But the club now have to clear huge debts by the end of the month or face relegation to Spain's second tier, the loss of their UEFA licence and Champions League expulsion.

Arsenal have been hampered by the lack of an authoritative figure to deal with at Malaga, but with the player now set on a move and Qatari negotiators flying in this weekend, there is hope the deal can be concluded swiftly.
Adding Carzola to the signings of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud represents the most significant summer strengthening since Arsenal imposed financial constraints on transfers in 2004.

Thrills, spills and broken dreams: Dramatic road race gets the Games off to a flier (but Team GB will have to wait for its first gold)

• Men's Road Race started on The Mall in London at 10am and finished at 3.45pm
• Briton Mark Cavendish had been hot favourite, but finished well down the field
• Kazakhstan rider Alexander Vinokourov, 38, powered to victory in final sprint down the Mall
• World champion Cavendish eventually finished in 29th, 40 seconds off the winner
• Cavendish reveals he had 'been nervous this week' and tweets: 'I am nervous'
• Elsewhere, China claim first gold meal of the Games in the women's 10m air rifle
• Team GB also suffer disappointing defeat in judo, archery and badminton
• Drugs scandal as Albanian weightlifter Hysen Pulaku is kicked out of Games for failing anti-doping test

After the stunning Opening Ceremony last night, all eyes have turned to the real Olympic action to see if the sport could provide the same kind of spectacle.
And if today's men's road race is anything to go by, Olympic fans are in for a memorable fortnight of twists, turns, and amazing surroundings.
The nail-biting race took in picturesque countryside and iconic London landmarks as cyclists ended the 156-mile course at breakneck pace.
Although the race ended in disappointment for Britain and favourite Mark Cavendish, the estimated one million fans who lined the route still created an electric atmosphere.

Fight to the finish: Kazakhstan's Alexander Vinokourov dashed Britain's hopes of an early gold medal by powering to victory over favourite Mark Cavendish

Dejected: Cavendish cannot hide his disappointment after finishing 29th in the race, as his girlfriend Peta Todd and their young daughter Delilah looked on

Crossing the line: Cavendish (second from right) despite support from British teammates including Bradley Wiggins, could not match the pace of the leading pack and finished 29th

Perfect setting: The Mall was the iconic final stretch of the thrilling race, where thousands lined the streets in central London

Home straight: The eventual gold and silver placed riders, Alexandr Vinokurov and Rigoberto Uran, ride alongside Buckingham Palace during a tense finale

Over 130 riders had set off at 10am this morning from just outside Buckingham Palace, before heading west out of London towards the idyllic Surrey countryside.
Having negotiated the steep inclines of Box Hill in Surrey, they then returned back to the capital via the stunning surroundings of Richmond Park, Hampton Court Palace and Putney Bridge.

 

As the leading pack tore through west London, the sprint finish saw Kazakhstan rider Alexander Vinokourov claim gold ahead of Colombian Rigoberto Uran.

The 38-year-old winner finished 40 second ahead of Cavendish, who crossed the line in a disappointing 29th position.
The leading pair dashed the hopes of a million fans who had lined the streets of the 156-mile route, hoping to see Britain's cyclists kickstart Team GB's medal haul.
Norway's Alexander Kristoff took bronze in the race, as hot favourite Cavendish eventually finished 40 seconds behind the winner in 29th position.
In the end, perhaps nerves and the weight of expectation of a nation got the better of Cavendish.
Following the success of teammate Bradley Wiggins in the Tour de France, in many people's eyes Cavendish had already been anointed champion. But earlier in the day he admitted on Twitter: 'I am nervous.'
Thousands of people waving Union Flags lined the route and the nation's hopes had rested on Cavendish to continue the feelgood factor after a UK TV audience of 26.9million people watched last night's stunning opening ceremony.
Cavendish, known as the Manx Missile, was also cheered on by his girlfriend, former Page 3 model Peta Todd, 25, the mother of his four-month-old daughter.

Keeping close: Cyclists climb Box Hill in the men's road race this afternoon

Scenic: Earlier on the 130 riders had cycled through Richmond Park in south west London on their way to the home straight

Round the bend: Competitors take a sharp bend while negotiating Box Hill in Surrey during the six-hour race

Admiring the view: At the midpoint in the race cyclists had tackled Box Hill in Surrey, overlooking some stunning English countryside

Great expectations: Fans line the race route in Twickenham in anticipation of the arrival of the peloton

 

Cavendish, the world champion and winner of 23 Tour de France stages, had been a favourite at the start of the 250-kilometre race but crowds experienced early nerves as a 12-man breakaway group led by more than five minutes early on.

He lagged behind the front group as the riders re-entered Richmond Park as the race neared its end.
But a key moment offered a ray of hope as half a dozen leaders misjudged a corner and crashed out of the race.
However in the end Kazakhstan's Alexandr Vinokourov triumphed in the dramatic race.
Colombia's Rigoberto Uran, a Team Sky colleague of Cavendish's, claimed silver, with Norway's Alexander Kristoff third.
He had described Britain's five-man squad as the 'dream team', featuring Tour winner Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, David Millar and Ian Stannard.
All four had ridden in support of Cavendish when he won the World Championships road race in Copenhagen last September, but this task was tougher, according to Millar and Wiggins.
And despite phenomenal support from his four British team-mates a late breakaway stayed clear and Vinokourov, who served a two-year ban until 2009 for blood doping, won the sprint for the line.
Cavendish was unhappy the likes of Australia and Germany, who had sprinters in their teams, were reluctant to pursue the breakaway.

On the charge: Cavendish (sixth from left) is supported by fellow Team GB riders Chris Froome (right), Tony Martin, Bradley Wiggins, David Millar and Ian Stannard

Tightly bunched: The peloton (main group of riders) complete one of the nine circuits of Box Hill in Surrey as the dramatic race heated up

The long and winding road: A group of cyclists who had formed a breakaway group turn a hairpin bend in Surrey during the men's road race

Taking the scenic route: The 134 riders had little time to admire the spectacular Surrey countryside as they did battle with Box Hill nine times during the race

He added: 'It's bitterly disappointing. There's 70 guys in our group at the finish, I don't understand why there's (only) three guys riding. It doesn't make sense.
'No-one wants to help us. The Australians sit there. They always just ride negatively...they're happy to see us lose.
'I'd like to say that's how it goes, but it's disappointing.
'But we did everything. We can't make excuses. We did everything we said we were going to do and more. To see the guys with the calibre they've got ride like that for me is incredible.'
On his team-mates, he continued: 'Incredible. I couldn't be more proud of them. They're still sat there in their kit in the tent. They're absolutely spent.
'They just rode 250k (kilometres) they've gone 60k an hour for the last hour. It's incredible, I'm so proud of them.'
Despite the result, Cavendish relished the experience of competing in front of vocal support at a home Games.
'All our ears are ringing,' he said. 'Obviously we don't pick up on individuals, you just hear noise. It was tremendous the whole way round.
'It's something I'll remember forever.
'I haven't got a medal but I can be completely proud of my team and completely proud of my country for their support.'
Cavendish had lagged behind the front group as the riders re-entered Richmond Park as the race neared its end.

Flying the flag: One young fan showed her support by painting her face in the colours of the Union Jack, while another carried the colours of the Isle of Man, from where Cavendish hails

The riders cross Putney Bridge in south west London near the start of the six-hour race

Royal setting: The riders set off along the Mall at the start of the race, which will see them back in central London for the final sprint at around 3.50pm

Distraction: A minor disaster was averted early on in the race when a black dog appeared to dash across the track in front of dozens of cyclists in Twickenham

But a key moment offered a ray of hope as half a dozen leaders misjudged a corner and crashed out of the race. But the Team GB riders were too far behind to take advantage.
Fans had gathered at the home of British cycling in Manchester in the hope of watching Mark Cavendish claim gold.
Supporters, some dressed in Team Sky tops, gathered around a big screen at the National Cycling Centre (NCC) to watch the British team.
Rose Joyce, acting duty manager at the velodrome, said: 'I'm disappointed for Cav mainly because he is one of our lads but he is still a champ in our eyes.'
Mrs Joyce, who has worked at the NCC for 14 years, said Cav was a 'down-to-earth' lad and would 'bounce back' from today's result.
Manchester's velodrome has played a big part in the career of Cavendish, Wiggins and many other British cyclists who began their track careers there.
Mrs Joyce said the British cycling team would carry on to inspire young athletes, adding: 'The velodrome will be packed now over the next few weeks because of the Olympics. They are brilliant. We can't knock them. In our eyes they will always be champs.'

Caught short: There were bizarre scenes earliy on in the race when a dozen riders stopped by the side of the road to urinate

On their way: The cyclists race up the Mall alongside Buckingham Palace as the 250km race got going at 10am

Testing: The 134 riders from 63 countries will head out west from central London out towards Surrey as part of the 250km road race

British riders including Cavendish are caught on camera in among the peloton in the early stages of the race

Royal approval: Before the race Mark Cavendish had briefly chatted with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall

CHINA CLAIM FIRST GOLD OF GAMES

The first gold medal of the London 2012 Olympic Games has gone to China.
Shooter Yi Siling won the women's 10-metre air rifle title this morning at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich.
The 23-year-old world number one and gold medal favourite lived up to her billing by beating Poland's Sylwia Bogacka into second.
Bogacka, 30, qualified in first place and was leading until the eighth shot, when a wayward effort condemned her to silver.
China's Yu Dan collected the bronze medal with Beijing gold medallist Katrina Emmons fourth.

He lagged behind the front group as the riders re-entered Richmond Park as the race neared its end.

But a key moment offered a ray of hope as half a dozen leaders misjudged a corner and crashed out of the race.

Cavendish had already been anointed champion in many people's eyes but earlier in the day he admitted on Twitter: 'I am nervous.'
In an event without race radio, 'the Manxman' Cavendish had been relying on the experience and ability of British road captain David Millar and Bradley Wiggins, the first British Tour winner, to ensure the leading group remained within reach.
Chris Froome, who finished second to Wiggins in the Tour, and British champion Ian Stannard completed the five-man line-up.
He said: 'Sorry to say but it's not as romantic as it sounds. It's a straight, then a right-left, then a slight downhill, bearing left, wide finish.
Isle of Man Cycling, the governing body of Manx Cycling, congratulated Mark Cavendish, who was born on the island, and his Great Britain team-mates on their effort.
Steve Shimmin, the body's director, said: 'We are incredibly proud of what Mark and all of our professional and emerging cyclists are achieving on the world stage.
'Mark's record is testimony to the incredible dedication he showed from an early age and he is a shining example to everyone on the Isle of Man of what can be achieved through hard work, but it just wasn't meant to be today.
'I'd also like to extend my best wishes to all of the Great Britain road racing team for what was a valiant effort to win the gold and to congratulate Alexander Vinokourov on his winning ride.'
Despite its population of only 85,000, the Isle of Man has produced a number of top cyclists.
Fellow Manxman Pete Kennaugh will represent Great Britain in the team pursuit on August 5.
Mr Shimmin added: 'Everyone on the island is now hoping that Pete Kennaugh can win a gold for the island and we wish him, and the Great Britain pursuit team, the best of luck.'
There is also a growing expectation that Britain’s Lizzie Armitstead, 23, will gain a medal in tomorrow’s 87-mile women’s cycling race, which has the same route but involves two – as opposed to nine – circuits of Box Hill.
The men’s and women’s road races are two of the most eagerly awaited events of the Games.
Viewing is largely free and the races come at a time of unprecedented interest in top-level cycling.

Celebrity appearance: Cavendish's colleague and Tour de France winner appeared in the Opening Ceremony last night, ringing a giant bell

Kiss for good luck: Cavendish will be able to count on the support of model girlfriend Peta Todd as he bids for Team GB gold today