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Daniel Narcisse has trouble finding his words after the victory of France against the Iceland (28-23), Sunday in the finals of the Olympic Games. The Reunion, world champion in 2001, has praised the qualities of the group to explain the success of the Tricolores, reward individual (best left rear of the tournament), from very far behind. "Daniel Narcisse, you're Olympic champion. How do you feel? I do not know ... (smiles) Frankly, one is moved by a lot of emotions during these Olympics. It is a very difficult competition to collect psychologically. It's exhausting. It was already happy to have arrived at the semi-finals, have exceeded quarterfinal. They remained well concentrated east, and today we are rewarded for it all. Much has been given, it is passed through adventures that have ended badly, and other very well. All this has served us hanging and finally realize our dream. Do you feel that the team of France has also never played well? It was rotten today? (laughs) In this kind of competition, individual performances are an additional asset to help the team win at the end. My reward individual does not matter (Narcisse was voted best left rear), I just tried to give the best of myself on the ground. And then ... everybody was important in the group. Even Jerome (Fernandez), injured, played a role. Ditto for Cédric Paty. I think guys who have not played and never let go, who have always managed to find the right words when one was not good, psychologically when we began to crack a little. They were there for us back in the right state of mind. Today everyone is benefiting from all this, while the job we did is a huge reward. " How did you feel about this final? Apart from a voltage logic in the first few minutes, one is quickly returned to the game. From there, we knew that nothing could happen to us. It has gone through so many emotions that there is a kind of relief, release ... That's why we also explodes a bit at the end of the match. It was this medal, this title belongs to us. Nobody can we remove it. It's really great! There was a giant screen in Reunion, which retransmettait the match ... Really? This is cool! Here we are in our bubble, it is not clear how it happens outside. I am proud that the Reunion sharing this moment with us, proud that they support us in this way. It gives me a lot of heat at heart. So a big thank you to them for supporting me throughout this competition. A few minutes after having received your medal, what are the images that come? A lot of people are behind us. In particular, I think our coaches to Chambery, Reunion, my family, all these people who support me every day. My wife too, which is the anniversary today is "Happy Birthday". I hope it will be satisfied with his gift "

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JO: les handballeurs français en or, l'argent de la boxe pour Daouda Sow
Il y a 21 heures
PEKIN (AFP) — Les handballeurs français ont remporté la médaille d'or des jeux Olympiques de Pékin dimanche en battant en finale l'Islande 28 à 23.
En boxe, Daouda Sow s'est incliné (11-9) en finale du tournoi de boxe catégorie 60 kg face au Russe Alexey Tishchenko, champion olympique des 57 kg en 2004 à Athènes, devant ainsi se contenter de la médaille d'argent, dimanche aux jeux Olympiques de Pékin.
La France avait déjà été championne du monde (1995, 2001) et d'Europe (2006) de handball, mais c'est la première fois qu'elle décroche le titre olympique. Les handballeurs ont offert à la France sa 40e médaille des JO de Pékin, la 7e en or.
C'est aussi la première fois dans l'après-guerre qu'une équipe de France gagne la médaille d'or d'un sport collectif en salle.
Cette victoire couronne une génération exceptionnelle de joueurs, dont huit, Bertrand Gille, Guillaume Gille, Didier Dinart, Joël Abati, Olivier Girault, Thierry Omeyer, Daniel Narcisse et Jérôme Fernandez, ont désormais réussi le "Grand Chelem" Europe/Monde/JO.
Elle consacre aussi l'équipe qui a fait la plus forte impression de la première à la dernière rencontre. Les Tricolores terminent en effet invaincus avec 7 victoires, dont une en demi-finale sur le champion en titre, la Croatie, et un nul (contre la Pologne).
En finale, les Islandais, invités-surprise à ce niveau, n'ont tenu qu'une grosse dizaine de minutes. Les Bleus ont fait la différence sur une série de cinq buts et quelques arrêts décisifs d'Omeyer qui les a fait passer de 4-4 à 9-4 au milieu de la première mi-temps (17e). Les Nordiques ne les ont plus jamais revus (15-10 à la pause).
C'est la deuxième médaille française en handball aux Jeux après la troisième place obtenue à Barcelone (1992).
Le dernier champion olympique français de boxe reste Brahim Asloum qui s'était imposé à Sydney en 2000 (48 kg).
Daouda Sow, le boxeur de Hem, commune de la banlieue lilloise, a apporté sa 19e médaille, la 7e en argent, à la boxe française, qui termine les Jeux 2008 avec un bilan de deux en argent et une en bronze.
Khedafi Djelkhir avait remporté samedi l'argent en 57 kg samedi et Alexis Vastine le bronze en 64 kg vendredi.
Dominé dans la première partie du combat (7-4), Sow, 25 ans a bien réagi dans la deuxième mais il n'a jamais pu refaire son retard (10-8, fin du 3e round). Et au contraire à douze secondes du terme, c'est le Russe qui a inscrit un point décisif.
"Il faut un gagnant et un perdant. On l'accepte. J'ai fait le maximum. Cela m'a rapporté l'argent. J'aurais voulu l'or. La vie continue", a commenté Sow, estimant qu'il aurait peut-être dû entrer plus fort dans le combat pour s'imposer.
Cette défaite, et notamment le dernier point accordé au Russe, a en revanche mis en colère le Directeur technique national Dominique Nato qui s'en est pris violemment aux arbitres.
"C'est n'importe quoi au niveau des juges", a-t-il lancé, affirmant que certains juges sont "incompétents et d'autres malhonnêtes".
Pour le DTN le problème d'arbitrage gâche le bilan français qui aurait mérité de ramener une ou deux médailles d'or, allusion à la défaite contestée de Vastine en demi-finales vendredi.
Interrogé sur les critiques de l'encadrement, Sow a estimé qu'il ne fallait pas commencer à polémiquer. "Il a gagné. C'est le sport. Cela ne va rien changer", a assuré le Nordiste.
Avant d'arriver en finale, Sow, éducateur sportif, avait dominé successivement le vice-champion olympique Nord-Coréen Kil Song Guk (13-3), le Portoricain José Pedraza (13-9), le Chinois Hu Qing (9-6) et le champion du monde 2005 Yordenis Ugas (15-8).
Champion du monde 2005 et médaille de bronze aux Mondiaux-2007, Tishchenko, 24 ans, avait lui écarté le Tunisien Saifeddine Nejmaoui (10-2), l'Australien Anthony Little (11-3), le Colombien Darleys Perez (13-5) et l'Arménien Hrachik Javakhyan (10-5).
Sow a donné à la France sa 39e médaille, la 16e en argent, aux JO-2008.

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OJ-2008: Sarkozy salutes "a great success" for France and Europe 24.08.2008 16:21 The President Nicolas Sarkozy Sunday hailed the "tremendous success" have been the Olympic Games in Beijing for France, which has "brilliantly won 40 medals, and for Europe, with 280 medals," takes the lead classification. " "The president warmly congratulate the whole team of France who won brilliantly with 40 medals, including 7 gold, 16 silver and 17 bronze," said the Elysee in a statement Closing the Beijing Olympics. Athletes french exceed "the number of medals won at the last Olympics in Sydney, welcomes the Head of State. The "blue" have completed the Beijing Olympics at the 10th place ranking of nations. In 2004 in Athens they had won 33 medals (7th), including 11 gold, and 2000 in Sydney, 38 medals (6th) including 13 gold. Emphasizing a "tremendous success," Mr. Sarkozy believes that "these victories are those men and women passionate, determined, who put all their energy to achieve the Olympic marches." "They made us vibrate and we have obtained a lot of happiness during these Games. A whole nation has encouraged and supported during these weeks. Our athletes are the pride of french people," he adds. As President of the Council of the European Union, Mr. Sarkozy also welcomed the "tremendous success of the summer Olympics in Beijing for Europe". "With 280 medals including 87 gold, 101 silver and 92 bronze, the European Union takes the top of the ranking. This is the victory of the sport and its core values and the common people 's Union, "he says.

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EVENT. Twenty-seven Essonniens at the Olympic Fire After the Olympics, World Games! 5 000 firefighters find themselves today in Liverpool. The Essonne is the second contingent français.Florian Loisy 25.08.2008, 07:00 Share delicio.us Facebook Digg.com Wikio.fr scoopeo.com blogmarks.net THE OLYMPIC GAMES was completed yesterday in Beijing. But for firefighters worldwide, the largest gathering of world sports begins today at Liverpool (England). Every two years since 1990, the World Games provide an opportunity to nearly 5 000 soldiers fire clash on nearly 60 sports. But here, unlike the Olympics, the Chinese do not trustent titles. "The USA, Canada and Australia are the major nations with France," said Warrant Chauvet, one of the organizers of this selection essonnienne which had to meet almost 45 000 € budget to s 'Fly to Liverpool. In 2006, Hong Kong (China), fire department had reported 21 medals. And the goal this time for Essonniens is mainly to capture the title in one of the major races of the competition: the dragon boat. Car with 27 embarked on the 400 Bleus to represent France and strengths of the second contingent lights (behind the firefighters Paris), the team of the department hopes to compete with his colleagues in England, specialists in this race boat with 14 rowers. Car disciplines rely more than others. And it remains important to shine in Olympic events, results in specific sports firefighters are of course the most popular. Driving timed a tanker The soldiers fire are expected especially in the conduct timed a tanker, swimming in deep water or the course. There he is to build a pipe, then wear a dummy and finally climb the stairs of a tower. But this year, the firefighters of Essonne have added a human dimension to their sporting challenge. And, in partnership with the association Louis Carlesimo, sponsored by the singer Pierre Perret, a child of 14 years will join the 27 soldiers of the fire. "He dreamed of becoming a firefighter, but that child is suffering from a cardiac malformation, says Warrant Chauvet. With a parent and a nurse to accompany him, he will live for these games with us, within the French selection. "It remains to bring a few titles for the feast is complete. Le Parisien

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Controversy in London around a promotional film of the Olympics 2012 The passage of the Olympic relay Sunday in Beijing 2008 to London 2012 was marked by a controversy surrounding a video promoting the British capital. It contains a portrait of a infanticide painted by the artist Marcus Harvey. The portrait of Myra Hindley appears in a three-minute video which shows the artistic strengths and tourist city of London. This woman was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing four children between 1963 and 1964 with the complicity of her lover. The video, presented in Beijing at the House of London, has aroused the irritation of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who was present at the screening. He informed by one of its spokesmen that the use of this table was "very bad taste" and that the painting would not have appeared in a promotional video. Visit London, the company responsible for the promotion of London 2012 Olympic city, said in a statement that the painting by Marcus Harvey is very stealthily in this video. In addition, it has already been presented several times without ever generating reactions. The company adds, however, that if this video is deemed offensive, she would withdraw. The table Marcus Hindley, who died in 2002, was vandalized with ink and eggs at an exhibition in 1997 at the Royal Academy in London.

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Rochus found the top 100JeuxOlympiques2008, Racquet Sports 21:34 Beijing Belgium has hoped for a very long time its first medal in the Beijing Games, but it was worth the wait. After the money for the women's relay of 4 times 100 meters, yesterday was marked by the consecration Supreme Tia Hellebaut the high jump. A gold medal was possible, but the gold medal, that's a real surprise ... Hello everyone. The night was short, the night was memorable; Tia Hellebaut made off Belgium. The return on earth is soon. This morning at the embassy, Tia had large eyes clamped. The night was complicated by adrenaline. It was sabré Champagne in the village where messages have déboulé everywhere, starting with the Palais, 44 years was expected gold in athletics since Gaston Roelands and steeplechase Tokyo: GR: I am, mainly, I'm happy for her and we must not forget is the 8 th gold medal for Belgium is great! We must not forget is quite different than in my time because in our time, it was amateur now are professionals and they now earn 2 medals, it is extraordinary for life that will follow ! EL: Behind the glory, there is unfortunately fear of emptiness, the success of Tia does not divert us from thinking. Philippe Rogge, the head of delegations, launched the appeal: PR: Let us unite and prepare us all, let us be ambitious, reject mediocrity, reject the compromise, reject the internal political competition, it is here, it is external and we must make plans now, we should be making strategies, we have a Olympic champion in athletics, it was 4 girls Olympic champion in athletics. It was a superb team, there are plenty of athletes in Belgium, now requires that all leaders are united, we put the means, that tightens the elbows and we have a great future ahead of us! EL: Back to the news this morning, the marathon has completed the athletics page of these Games. Kenyan wins and this paradox, an Olympic record despite the heat and pollution, Thierry Luthers: TL: Samuel Wanjiru, 21, resides in Japan where he studied. It is the world record of semi-marathon. He attacked at 6 km from the finish to prevail alone in front of the Moroccan Gharib, double world champion of the speciality. Despite the heat, the Kenyan sets new Olympic record and offers his country a 3 second gold medal in the space of a few hours. Venu the marathon last year alone, Wansiru seek the world record, next month in Berlin. A world record that still holds Haile Gebreselassie but who had renounced the test Beijing because of the heat and pollution. Beijing, Thierry Luthers, RTBF. And we loop with other results this morning, the gold medal team from Russia to contest general GRS and the bronze medal for Russia, always, but in volleyball. On the agenda today, we loop sports team with USA - Spain in basketball; USA still face in Brazil but in volleyball and France-Iceland in handball. Afterwards, Beijing will pass the baton to London. This is of course the closing ceremony, Manuel Jous. MJ: Steeped in the excitement associated with the announcement of three strokes, the opening ceremony is a pre-generic trépigne where the crowd before the lions are released. When it's time to extinguish the flame, impatience gives way to a form of nostalgia. The closing ceremony embodies the generic "end"; credit, thanks and noticeable difference with the theater, spectators who remain seated until the visa number of operations. Artistic director of the ceremony, the Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, without red sorghum or flying dagger, promises a new visual spectacle and magical interspersed with speeches, hymns, raising flags and parade of medals. The fear of rain was swept both literally and figuratively by a violent thunderstorm night sky pledge calm tonight. However, the sessions of athletics have prevented the holding of a dress rehearsal in situ, the Chinese do we had not accustomed to such nonchalance. Finally, just before extinguishing of the flame, scheduled for 15:15 hours Belgian, the other highlight of the ceremony will witness the passage in London which will have 8 minutes of teasing; Leona Lewis, Jimmy Page and David Beckham will be the guest stars. Beijing, Manuel Jous, RTBF.

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The tops and flops of the Beijing Games COULISSES DE PéKIN Sunday, August 24 Organization almost perfect, rainfall records, legendary exploits: the first Olympics in China have been a grand cru, which has enabled the Asian giant to spread its power but emphasized the limits of its tolerance. History will remember that sport is in Beijing in August 2008, the American swimmer Michael Phelps has dethroned her compatriot Mark Spitz and his seven gold medals gathered in Munich in 1972. > All Games results > The final medals table: China leads > Give your opinion. What are your tops and flops Beijing Olympics? See our story: the greatest moments of the Olympic video 8 THE TOPS: Phelps: Man Games. American swimmer Michael Phelps is the first athlete to win eight gold medals at the same Olympics. It now ahead of his compatriot Mark Spitz, seven times in swimming titles at the Olympic Games of Munich in 1972. It is also the most titled athlete of the Summer Olympics, with 14 gold medals in total (6 in Athens in 2004). Bolt and Jamaica: The Jamaican Usain Bolt is triple Olympic champion in 100, 200 m and 4x100 m relay and triple world record holder over the same distances. His ease, his relaxed, his talent and his 96 metre are symbols of the explosion of Jamaican sprint, which also offers a threefold in the women's 100 m Beijing Olympics. SUMMARY Asafa Powell: "Jamaica is the world capital of the sprint." Bekele: The Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele, 26 years, won the gold medal in the 10,000 m, 5000 m and then, realizing it doubled in a week. It is the fifth athlete in history to accomplish it. It finally becomes the successor to his compatriot Haile Gebreselassie, who dominated the track in the 90 years before getting on the marathon. Isinbayeva: The pole Russian Yelena Isinbayeva celebrated his second Olympic title with the 24th world record (outdoors and room together) of his career, 5.05 m in the 3rd test. "Tsarina" says she is 5.20 m. Hellebaut and relayeuses: winning gold in the women's high jump with a record of Belgium in the key (2m05), Tia Hellebaut became the first Olympic champion of women's athletics Belgium. The Antwerp offered to Belgium its 139th Olympic medal, the 37th gold, and second medal of the Games of Beijing, after the 2nd place Olivia Borlée, Hanna Marien, Elodie Ouedraogo and Kim Gevaert on the 4x100 relay m. China: The country was ready on the organization - perfect - Games and sports. It is now as the first Olympic power on the planet, very far ahead of the USA, with 51 gold medals against 36 for the Americans. The Dream Team: The "Dream Team" of American basketball, beaten at the last two world time in the Games of Athens 2004 and the World-2006 in Japan, has returned. The giants of the NBA played with a rage and a thirst for revenge that they knew not. They successively swept China, Greece, Spain, Germany, Australia, Argentina, and finally to the new world champion Spain. Great Britain: London hosts the next Games in 2012 and British athletes have shown their ambition to Beijing where they took a surprising fourth place behind China, USA and Russia in the medals table (19 gold). They smashed the track cycling and largely dominated sailing. 8 THE FLOPS Liu Xiang: The injury and the package of Liu Xiang of 110 m hurdles, the idol of all of China, was much more than just a sporting disappointment: a good part of the communication Games was based on the image this young man and talented worker. Some sponsors have used his image to infinity in Chinese and global campaigns, investing vast sums. He was the idol of hundreds of millions of supporters who were waiting in the fever to see him win gold. The judo in Japan: The Japanese Satoshi Ishii has become Olympic judo champion in the category of over 100 kg. But four years after flying over the world thanks to its technical qualities, the Japanese judo through difficult times. From Greece in 2004, Nippons were left with ten medals including eight gold. In Beijing, they could not keep that five crowns. Manaudou: After failures in scathing final 400 m nage libre (8th) and 100 m backstroke (7th), Laure Manaudou has missed its qualification for the final 200 m backstroke in achieving the 15th time semi-finals. The Frenchwoman has missed its Games. She decided to agree "a long break" to "take time and take pleasure in swimming." The U.S. sprint: Totally dominated by Jamaicans in the individual events, the American sprinters - Tyson Gay, Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards - are ridiculed in 4x100 m relay loser, boys and girls, their sticks and leaving again victory the men in yellow among gentlemen. Kluft: The Swede titled in the heptathlon in Athens, announced with great ambitions in long jump and triple jump. She pointed out qualification triple jump (20th). At length, she finished in 9th place. The queen of the heptathlon, double champion of Europe (2002 and 2006) and triple world champion (2003, 2005 and 2007), had announced earlier this year that she was tired of arguing the combined events. The Brazil in football: They had come to repair an error of history which, in their illustrissime winners, had forgotten an Olympic title and they still missed their coup. The Brazilians had to settle for a bronze medal by beating Belgium 3-0. But they have mostly seen the great triumph rival Argentina, gold medalist. And the girls have given victory to the USA. The problems of Arbitration: As with every Games, disputes have arisen in sports sanctioned by judges such as boxing, taekwondo or fight, but rather less than in previous editions. Big scandal in taekwondo where the Cuban Angel Valodia Matos (+ 80 kg) has attacked the referee of his fight for the bronze medal, giving it a kick to the face. In boxing, the international federation (AIBA) has suspended a technical delegate Romanian, Rudel Obreja, suspected of having influenced the selection of judges before the fighting. Federer: The Games should be the beginning of redemption, they were only continuing the nightmare for Roger Federer, former World N.1 eliminated from the quarter-finals simply by James Blake. The Switzerland still left China with a gold medal around the coup thanks to his victory in the doubles with his friend Stanislas Wawrinka.

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The president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge, has closed Sunday evening the Beijing Olympics-2008, by the traditional formula: "And now, according to tradition, I announce the closure Games the XXIX Olympiad and I invite the youth of the world to assemble four years from London to celebrate with us the Games of the XXX Olympiad. " That inflated the pride of their legitimate 100 medals that China and Beijing have said goodbye to the world after a monumental and festive closing ceremony, where David Beckham almost stole the spotlight at Yao Ming. According to tradition, the marathon and finals of team sports hall to put an end to Olympic competition Sunday, before the closing ceremony. The image of the day will remain the match anthology delivered by the USA and Spain in the finals of the basketball tournament, eventually won by the Americans. -- The highlight of the day Sunday: DREAM MATCH - The American basketball players have recovered part of their long usurped label of "Dream Team" ( "dream team) in winning the Olympic gold after a final extraordinary face of Spain (118-107). It was at the end of one of the best matches in the history of the game that the USA have ended eight years of disillusionment s'adjuger for their first global title since the Sydney Games in 2000. CHILDREN OF THE ART - Samuel Wanjiru is now only 21 years, the first Kenyan to win the Olympic gold medal in the marathon, improving further the Olympic record despite the heat and humidity. SURDOUES - The generation of gifted handball french has made his biggest dream in winning the Olympic gold in a controlled final end against the Iceland (28-23). PAPYS GOLDEN - final volley, USA, with a team of thirtysomethings regularly absent from the podium in recent years have surprised the big favorite Brazil (3-1) for bagging the Olympic gold. Organization almost perfect, rainfall records, legendary exploits: the first Olympics in China have been a grand cru, which has enabled the Asian giant to spread its power but emphasized the limits of its tolerance. The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge, has closed Sunday evening the Beijing Olympics, described as "truly exceptional", after a new sumptuous ceremony in the "Bird Nest" during which the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, received the Olympic flag from the hands of his counterpart in Beijing, Guo Jinlong. History will remember that sport is in Beijing in August 2008, the American swimmer Michael Phelps has dethroned her compatriot Mark Spitz and his seven gold medals gathered in Munich in 1972. A more for this phenomenon become the most successful athlete of the OJ saga: 14 gold medals in two editions. His broad smile eight times on the highest step of the podium has not eclipsed the media Usain Bolt, another star of the XXIX Olympiad. The Jamaican was the first sprinter to achieve the double Olympic 100/200 m beating two world records, illustrating the insolent domination of its small Caribbean island on the track "Bird Nest". A magnificent stadium which has not smiled champion revered by a nation of 1.3 billion Chinese people, deprived of the gold Liu Xiang at 110 m hurdles. Drama national hero wounded, as the pride of a people that has largely something to console: the final 51 gold medals for China, 36 in the USA. For the first time since his return to the Games in Los Angeles in 1984, the People's Republic of China surpasses the USA. It was written, China was the modest but no less thought. Asked by patriotic pride and politics, even if their leaders will defend. China first Olympic power, it became official since Sunday, August 24. "What we have done during these Games is a great dynamic for the future," said Liu Peng, Chinese Minister of Sports, falling even when the weaknesses of his country queens in the disciplines of the Games, athletics and swimming. Meanwhile, the Head of State french Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the EU, said that with 280 medals, the European Union took "the head of the rankings." Respected as much as feared, because of its economic weight and its international ambitions, the most populous country on the planet has not spared to impress the world. Not only in sporting terms. In memory of athletes and journalists, no one had seen a level of organisation and services of this bill. And such energy at a government against adversity, to the point of putting KO pollution through draconian measures, just launched the Games on August 8. From this viewpoint, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will surely regret not having chosen Beijing in 2001. "It is clear that China has set the bar very high", welcomed Sunday its president, Jacques Rogge, in his press conference for bankruptcy. Some analysts as Tang Wenfang, a professor of international relations at the University of Pittsburgh (USA), ensure that these Games "will help the world to perceive China to a more realistic, more positive." However, it is not certain that China has managed to changes in the negative image it projects often in the West. The tricks of the opening ceremony, declared late, the burrs on foreign journalists, through censorship of the Chinese opinion and arrests of pro-Tibet activists and dissidents, the communist regime has stayed the course severe ' before the Games. "China is not mounted on the Olympic podium in the category freedom of the press," Judge Club of the foreign press in China, which denounced "the use of violence, intimidation and harassment" against journalists. Sophie Richardson, one of Asia responsible for the organization Human Rights Watch, slice into the heart: "These Games finally bury the idea that they would provide the best. The reality is that they have been a catalyst for abuse , Evictions, detentions, political repression and repeated violations of press freedoms. " A vision not shared by the business community. In terms of marketing, Chinese and foreign firms do not seem to regret the investment. The experts agree that China has sold its "brand" even if the impact of the Olympics on its economy - soon in third place globally - promises to be limited. Host the next Olympics, London is "blown, amazed, impressed" by Beijing 2008. Prudent, the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, hopes to "both in 2012." There are at least one area where English will necessarily better: the atmosphere. This was not the party in Beijing. The authorities clearly had other concerns in mind. Final medals table of the top ten countries (Gold Silver Bronze Total) China 51 21 28 100 USA 36 38 36 110 Russia 23 21 28 72 Great Britain 19 13 15 47 Germany 16 10 15 41 Australia 14 15 17 46 South Korea 13 10 8 31 Japan 9 6 10 25 Italy 8 10 10 28 France 7 16 17 40

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Binging 40 medals in Beijing, two more than in 2000 in Sydney, his record "outside" since the Olympics has become universal. "The record is generally positive, and it is promising for the future, because this team is young," said Henri Sérandour Sunday, the president of the National Olympic Committee and sports french (CNOSF). If swimming and cycling have played locomotives by winning six medals each, with a single athletics medal is the great disappointment of competitions in China. "We are not happy with the result of athleticism and behaviour of some people," said Henri Sérandour. "We will invest much on the record of athletics and make it a priority," said Fabien Canu, the Director of the Olympic preparation. "If one wants to play a role in the Games, one can not happen to be present in a sport that combines third Olympic medal." With its 40 medals including seven gold, France finishes at the 10th place of nations. But the official classification does not meet Henri Sérandour. "This classification is difficult to understand. With 40 medals, one can be behind a country that would have won only 10 but have a gold medal more than us," he said. In the ranking official, Italy credited with a total of 28 medals ahead of France for having obtained eight gold medals. If we do not take into account the color of metal but only the quantity of medals, France ranks in 7th position of nations, as in Athens in 2004. The USA won 110 medals (36 gold), China 100 (51), Russia 72 (23), Britain 47 (19), Australia 46 (14) and Germany 41 ( 16). Bernard Laporte, the Secretary of State for Sports welcomed the results french in Beijing. "We do not win 40 medals snap," he said. "You should know that 80% of the delegation will be selectable for London, it suggests the London 2012 Olympics interesting." "An athlete in four had a medal, 54% was a finalist," said Jacques Rey, the head of mission. "France is the 4th nation compared to the number of subjects who received medals," he says. There were 80 countries won medals in Beijing against only 74 in Athens four years earlier. "We have 16 federations who won medals, almost as much as China and the USA", details Canu. "With 40 medals, beating the record with 22 athletes, 23, 24 years. It is a performance because the level of the Games is exceptional because of the density of nations. Ago the arrival of all Asian countries such as Korea, China is not alone. " Henri Sérandour wants french sport enjoys more power and the elite is tightened. "We wanted to recreate the Club des entreprises, as had been done for the Paris bid for 2012 Games," he said. "The elite needs a coaching privileged." Bernard Laporte also calls for a tightening of the elite. "We need more resources in management. It wants more private companies come with ways concentrated on athletes likely to have a medal. We have lists (of athletes to be financed) too long", at he said. If France beat its record of medals in Beijing, it has instead seen a decline in terms of gold medals. It is even his worst result since Seoul in 1988 where she won six titles. Les Bleus had returned to Atlanta in 1996 15 gold medals, 13 of Sydney in 2000 and 11 in Athens in 2004. "We must bring young people who have medals to get gold medals," said Canu. AP