London 2012 Olympics: Day 8

The latest news and views from the London 2012 Olympics

Jessica Ennis winning her 100m hurdles heat in a heptathlon best time yesterday (Getty Images)

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 8:28:43 AM
Yamilé Aldama reaching beyond the 14.40 qualifying distance in the long jump yesterday (Getty Images)

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 8:29:11 AM
Britain's leftwing Holly Lam-Moores jumps to shoot during the women's preliminary Group A handball match against Angola yesterday (Getty Images)

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 8:29:30 AM
Fran Halsall prepares for her 50m freestyle heat at the Aquatics Centre yesterday (Getty Images)

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 8:30:14 AM
Jessica Ennis competes in the heptathlon high jump yesterday (Getty Images)

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 8:30:44 AM
Triathlon: Things are underway in the women's triathlon with the swimming portion of the race completed and the competitors now cycling down Old Park Lane for the second time in the race. Team GB's Helen Jenkins and Lucy Hall are keeping pace with the front runners at the moment.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 8:42:58 AM
Handball: Team GB are in action right now in everyone's new favourite sport, handball. They currently trial Tuniisa 6-2 in a bottom of the group clash.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 8:47:17 AM
Triathlon: Lap 3 of 7 seven completed and Lucy Hall of Great Britain is the current leader in a race that has had a large number of painful looking crashes.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 8:48:44 AM
Athletics: Not long to go now until Jessica Ennis gets back underway in the heptathlon, she is just going through her final warm ups for the long jump.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 8:59:18 AM
Cycling: The qualifying for the men's sprint are just about to start, Britain's Jason Kenny, who is a real medal hope is the penultimate rider to go.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:00:18 AM
Athletics: Back at the Olympic Stadium, the men's 100m heats are starting, although Usain Bolt and the other serious medal contenders won't be in action until around 12:30.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:02:14 AM
Artur Bojas clocks 10.62 secs to win first 100m prelim at Olympics. It would have won him gold in 1924 and they made a film about that.

by jtoneysbeat via twitter 8/4/2012 9:05:43 AM
Cycling: Drama for Spain's Hodei Mazquiaran Uria in his sprint qualification heat as a bolt falls out of his saddle and the whole thing disintegrates all over the track. Somehow he manages to carry on and finish his lap, although he is currently the slowest rider.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:09:42 AM
Cycling: Riding before Jason Kenny in the sprint, is Robert Forstermann whose gargantuan thighs have been seen all over the internet after a fellow cyclist's snap went viral. See the German's freakishly big leg muscles and some of the other more bizarre Olympic athletes here...
www.independent.co.uk

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:13:45 AM
Triathlon: Things going well for Team GB's Lucy Hall, the youngest of all the competitors, who leads after six of the seven cycling laps.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:19:55 AM
Cycling: Jason Kenny has just gone in the men's sprint qualification and he flies into first place, setting a new Olympic record in the process. France's Gregory Bauge is the only rider to come and he can't beat Kenny, qualifying second. Jason Kenny gets a bye through the next round.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:25:46 AM
Triathlon: Things going well for Helen Jenkins who is the current race leader as the women begin the running section of the race.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:30:34 AM
Handball: Over at the Handball Arena, things are not going so well for Team GB where the men's team trail Tunisia 22-11 with eight minutes played in the second half.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:31:31 AM
Athletics: First jump for Jessica Ennis in the long jump and she's not happy with it. She records a distance of 5.95m. Katarina Johnson-Thompson is up next, and she makes a solid start.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:35:07 AM
Athletics: History is being made now as Oscar Pistorius becomes the first amputee athlete to run in the Olympics. He is up in the 400m Heat 1 and it's a good run from the South African who moves into the next round after finishing second.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:35:56 AM
Terrific to see the triathlon running past so many great London landmarks #indyolympics

by MisterBus via twitter 8/4/2012 9:40:18 AM
Archie Bland:
triathlon! Jeeeeesus! You've had a swim and a bike ride. NOW GO FOR A REALLY FAST RUN

by archiebland via twitter 8/4/2012 9:41:34 AM
Triathlon: Out of the 55 women who started the triathlon, there are five now in contention for medals. The good news is that Team GB's Helen Jenkins is one of the five although she faces a real fight for a place on the podium.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:44:39 AM
Robin Scott-Elliot:
1st boos of the day in the Olympic Stadium - aimed at media for not joining in Mexican Wave

by RobinScottEllio via twitter edited by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:46:21 AM
Haifeng Fu of China competes in the men's doubles badminton semi-final (Getty Images)

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:53:02 AM
Cycling: More good news for Team GB in the velodrome where Ed Clancy is first after the first of six Omnium events, topping the standings after the 250m flying lap.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:54:21 AM
Triathlon: Things still going well for Helen Jenkins, she is still part of the five-woman group challenging for medals on the final lap.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:56:01 AM
The start of the women’s triathlon this morning (Getty Images)

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 9:58:39 AM
Triathlon: Oh no! I seem to have cursed Helen Jenkins, she has been left behind by the front four who are now locked in a frantic sprint to the finish. Nicola Spirig takes gold ahead of Lisa Norden. Helen Jenkins finishes in fifth.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 10:02:22 AM
Athletics: Meanwhile back in the Olympic Stadium, it's good news for Jessica Ennis who has just jumped 6.40m, the second furthest of an of the competitors.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 10:03:58 AM
Come on Jenkins final lap what a performance! #indyolympics

by rebeccahjohnson via twitter 8/4/2012 10:04:17 AM
I cheer all medal winners not just #TeamGB & #Netherlands; that's the real Olympic Spirit! #IndyOlympics

by jacqs70 via twitter 8/4/2012 10:05:01 AM
#IndyOlympics Utterly emotional, inspiring and addictive! I'm so proud to be British. I've never cheered so much and so hard before!

by mrseansmurf via twitter 8/4/2012 10:06:03 AM
Handball: I'm afraid Team GB's men have been thumped by Tunisia this morning, the game ending 34-17.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 10:09:57 AM
Oscar Pistorius competing in the men's 400m heats this morning (Getty Images)

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 10:12:57 AM
Athletics: Great Britain's Nigel Levine has qualified for the 400m semi-finals after finishing third in his heat.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 10:14:34 AM
Ian Herbert:
Triathlon mixed zone reveals incredible physical toll. Czech Czesnik cut to ribbons #indyolympics t.co

by ianherbs via twitter edited by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 10:16:10 AM
Rowing: The men's four are now underway with Great Britain battling to win for the fourth Olympics in a row.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 10:32:04 AM
Rowing: The race is starting to become the two-boat race that many people expected and at the half-way point, Great Britain are leading by a quarter of a boats length ahead of Australia in second.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 10:34:00 AM
Rowing: 1500m gone and Britain marginally ahead but its very close looks like being a thrilling finish.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 10:35:20 AM
Rowing: Great Britain wins! Another gold for Team GB as the men's four win their fourth consecutive gold. Equaling their own run from 1908-1932 and East Germany's from 1968-1980.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 10:37:50 AM
Team GB are really damn fabulous at rowing! #TeamGB #AnotherGold

by annabel_collyer via twitter 8/4/2012 10:46:11 AM
loving the rowing :)

by anniebishop via twitter 8/4/2012 10:46:14 AM
GOLD FOR GREAT BRITAIN!!!...The men's four continue the success for the #TeamGB rowing squad. #london2012

by NickRno77 via twitter 8/4/2012 10:46:26 AM
Athletics: Quick update on the start times for the men's 100m heats, Usain Bolt runs at 12:54, with GB's James Dasaolu in the next lane to him. Adam Gemili races at 13:02 in a heat that includes Asafa Powell. Dwain Chambers runs at 13:18.

by Charles Reynolds 8/4/2012 10:50:50 AM