Eclipsing Athens and Mexico City

Denmark’s ninth medal, a bronze in the sailing, secures its best medal haul since 1948, but there is disappointment in the handball

An untouchable Swedish handball goalkeeper, the Jamaicans dancing their way to the 200-metre final and a violent Frenchman in the basketball were just a few of the moments that continue to define a brilliant London Olympics.

Sailing

Allan Nørregaard and Peter Lang found winds of fortune in the men’s 49er class, holding on to their slender third place in the final medal round thanks to an inspired last two legs in which they jumped from seventh to third, relegating winner of the medal round, the Austrians, to fourth by four points.

The Danes couldn’t repeat the 49er gold-winning performance of Beijing 2008. The gap up between them and the Australian and New Zealand crews was simply too great, but the bronze sees Denmark’s current nine-medal haul surpass the total of eight that it achieved in 2004 in Athens and 1968 in Mexico City – its best performance at an Olympics since the 1948 edition, which was also in London, at which it won 20.

Meanwhile, Henriette Koch and Lene Sommer finished ninth and 15th in yesterday’s two rounds and are now 16th overall, which means they have failed to qualify for the deciding medal round of the women’s 470 class race.

Kayak

René Holten Poulsen was bitterly disappointed after finishing fourth in the final of the men’s 1,000-metre single kayak. Poulsen was set to medal, but was passed in the final moments of the race and relegated to fourth place.

Kim Wraae and Emil Stær had disappointingly failed to qualify for the final of the 1,000-metre two-man kayak event, but finished their Olympics with class, winning the B- final yesterday.

Handball

Denmark won’t win any handball medals in London after another poor performance against neighbours Sweden. Mikkel Hansen was anonymous throughout most of the game, and a brilliant performance by the Swedish keeper ensured that the upset became a reality, as the Danes lost 22-24. It is the second consecutive Olympic Games that the Danish men have lost in the quarter-finals.

Cycling

Morten Therkildsen finished 25th out of the 32 competitors in the BMX race and progresses to the quarter-finals – a formality as every other competitor will join him there. But Therkildsen must up his game in the quarters as only the top 16 make it to the semi-finals.

Tuning in today:

Five to watch today

18:00 – Australia look to upset the American favourites in the semi-finals of the women’s basketball. Russia duel France in the other semi at 22:00

20:45 – USA take on Japan in the final of the women’s football; Canada and France fight for bronze at 14:00.

21:00 – Back on the track, the final of the men’s 800 metres takes place tonight

21:55 – Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake will battle it out in the final of the men’s 200 metres

22:00 – Some strong ladies will be flexing it up in the women’s javelin final

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