Day 7 of the Athens Olympics

Friday, Aug. 20

STARS

Kenenisa Bekele ended the reign of fellow Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie with an Olympic-record time of 27:05.10 in the 10,000 meters. Gebrselassie, winner of the race in the last two Olympics, was fifth - probably the final track appearance of his glorious career.

Natalia Zabolotnaia of Russia set a women's 165-pound weightlifting world record in the snatch of 275 ½ pounds. She got the silver medal, though, after Thailand's Pawina Thongsuk won gold with a total lift of 601 pounds.

Yukiko Ueno pitched the first perfect game in Olympic softball history, leading Japan to a 2-0 win over China.

The state drug agency searched an office and a warehouse belonging to the coach of disgraced Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou as an investigation into the pair's missed drug test intensified. Two inspectors were accompanied by a prosecutor.

Two women - a weightlifter from India and a shot putter from Uzbekistan - were expelled from the games after positive drug tests. India's Sanamacha Chanu and Uzbekistan's Olga Shchukina were disqualified by the IOC executive board.

Former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch said Athens was within three months of losing the games when he issued a public warning to organizers four years ago. At the time, he warned organizers about their massive delays.

France, Britain and the United States lodged a joint appeal against a decision that awarded Germany the gold medal in the three-day team equestrian event. A flurry of judging decisions and reversals briefly made for a U.S. bronze. A verdict is expected Saturday.

"He's a great champion. Definitely, he is going to be one of the icons of the games."- IOC president Jacques Rogge, after watching Michael Phelps swim.