Badminton - Lin through as China guarantees medals » Olympic News

 Lin Dan of China returns a shot against Sho Sasaki of Japan in their men's singles Badminton quarter-final

Badminton - Lin through as China guarantees medals » Olympic News - Lin faced the prospect of a shock exit as he was taken to three games and hauled back to 15-13 in the third after conceding five successive points, but he held on.

The second seed's eventual 75-minute 21-12 16-21 21-16 win kept the man widely regarded as the best player of all time on course for a repeat of the Beijing 2008 final against Lee Chong Wei.

Top-seeded Malaysian Lee, looking increasingly assured in his recovery from an ankle injury, was troubled only in the first game before seeing off India's Kashyap Parupalli 21-19 21-11.

The semi-final line-up was completed by China's third seed Chen Long and seventh seed Lee Hyun-il, of Republic of Korea.

Chen saw off Peter Gade, the Danish veteran playing his fourth and last Olympics, 21-16 21-13 while Lee stunned fourth seed Chen Jin of China 21-15 21-16.

Three Chinese women will feature in the last four of the women's Singles along with Saina Nehwal of India.

Nehwal, the fourth seed, came through against Europe's top player, Denmark's Tine Baun.

Top seed Wang Yihan brushed off Cheng Shiao Chieh of Chinese Taipei 21-14 21-11, Wang Xin avoided an upset to beat Thailand's Intanon Ratchanok 17-21 21-18 21-14 and Li Xuerui overcame Hong Kong's Yip Pui Yin 21-12 22-20.

China are guaranteed at least one gold as top seeds and world champions Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei set up a final with number two pair Xu Chen and Ma Jin in the Mixed Doubles.

Both came through three-game battles against Denmark's Joachim Fischer and Christinna Pedersen and Indonesia's Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir respectively. For the first time in Olympic history, Indonesia now cannot win a Badminton gold medal.

In the women's Doubles, Tian Qing/Zhao Yunlei and Mizuki Fujii/Reika Kakiiwa will face each other after respective victories against Valeria Sorokina/Nina Vislova and Alex Bruce/Michele Li.

Bruce and Li put up the strongest fight, going down 21-13 to the Japanese in the third game.

The men's Doubles competition is heading for the semi-final stage.

Top seeds Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng won their all-Chinese clash with Chai Biao and Guo Zhendong to set up a meeting with Malaysia's Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong.

The other semi-final will be between second seeds Chung Jae-sung and Lee Yong-dae and Denmark's third seeds Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen.

Water Polo - Croatia, Spain record wins » Olympic News

 Spain take on Australia in the men's Water Polo

Water Polo - Croatia, Spain record wins » Olympic News - Croatia were too strong for Italy, wrapping up an 11-6 win to take up a commanding position in their group.

With three wins out of three, they stand top with just the bottom two teams - Kazakhstan and Australia - left to play.

Paulo Obradovic helped himself to two goals, while Damir Buric, Niksa Dobud and Maro Jokovic netted one each in the contest.

Pietro Figlioli and Valentino Gallo scored two each for Italy, while Niccolo Gitto and Alex Giorgetti netted one apiece.

Spain showed their strength in depth as they overcame Australia 13-9.

David Martin, Albert Espanol and Felipe Perrone each netted a brace for Spain, while Billy Miller was on target five times for the Australians.

Greece made light work of Kazakhstan, wrapping up an 11-4 success.

The Kazakhs slipped to their third successive defeat of the Games, while the Greek side claimed their second win out of three Group A matches.

Montenegro, meanwhile, clawed back a hard-fought 11-11 draw against Group B rivals Serbia in an enthralling clash - setting up an intriguing second week in the competition.

Serbia looked to be in control as they led for the majority of the match, but Montenegro kept pegging them back, and crucially clinched an equaliser in the very last minute of the game.

Reigning Olympic champions Hungary claimed their first points in the tournament following a 17-15 win over Romania.

Norbert Madaras fired home five for the eventual winners, while Norbert Hosnyanszky and captain Peter Biros netted hat-tricks.

Great Britain slipped to a third successive defeat, going down 13-7 against the USA.

Preview: Track and Field set to highlight golden day » Olympic News

Jessica Ennis talks to the media

Preview: Track and Field set to highlight golden day » Olympic News - As always in the Olympic Games, the Athletics events are eagerly awaited and there is plenty of exciting action to look forward to in track and field.

Great Britain poster-girl Jessica Ennis starts her bid to win gold in the Heptathlon when she competes in two of her favoured events in the morning - the 100m hurdles and the high jump.

The Sheffield athlete, who will be making her Games debut after being ruled out of Beijing 2008 due to injury, will then compete in the shot put and the 200m in the evening.

The women’s 100m and 400m will also begin on Day 7, with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Carmelita Jeter two of the favourites to land gold in the shorter of the sprints.

Sanya-Richards Ross of the USA has high hopes of claiming gold in the 400m, while Great Britain will look to Christine Ohuruogu to challenge for a medal.

Javier Culson of Puerto Rico and Great Britain’s world champion Dai Greene are two of the leading contenders in the 400m hurdles, which also gets under way on a day when gold medals will be won in the women's 10,000m and the men’s shot put in the Olympic Stadium.

In the Track Cycling at the Velodrome, Great Britain and Australia are the leading contenders for gold in the men’s Team Pursuit.

Australian Anna Meares is favourite for gold in the women’s Keirin, but Victoria Pendleton will be determined to triumph for the Host Nation.

Michael Phelps and Chad le Clos are set to go head-to-head once again in the 100m Butterfly at the Aquatics Centre.

Phelps, now the most decorated Olympian in history, was forced to settle for silver when South African Le Clos narrowly beat him in the 200m Butterfly earlier in the week, and the USA swimmer will be out to set the record straight.

Great Britain’s Rebecca Adlington will defend her 800m Freestyle title after winning a bronze in the women’s 400m Freestyle.

There will also be finals in the men’s 50m Freestyle and the women’s 200m Backstroke.

It promises to be another exciting day in the Rowing at Eton Dorney, with finals of the men’s Pair, the men’s Single Sculls, the men’s Quadruple Sculls and the women’s Double Sculls to look forward to.

The men’s Trampoline final will take place at the North Greenwich Arena, while the men’s Individual Archery final will be held at Lord’s.

The final of the men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol and men’s 50m Rifle Prone will take place at The Royal Artillery Barracks and Wembley Arena will be the venue for the medal decider in the Mixed Doubles Badminton competition.

Judo, Weightlifting and Fencing medals will also be decided.

Gibbons hoping silver will inspire youngsters » Olympic News

 Gemma Gibbons poses with her Silver medal

Gibbons hoping silver will inspire youngsters » Olympic News - Gibbons, who battled back to make the London 2012 squad following six months out after shoulder surgery, battled through to the semi-finals and then defeated world champion Audrey Tcheumeo with an ippon throw in golden score.

However, the gold proved just out of reach for the 25-year-old, who was watched by Prime Minister David Cameron and Russian president Vladimir Putin, a judo black belt.

Fourth-seeded American Kayla Harrison claimed a narrow victory by two Yukos, which was the United States' first ever women's judo Olympic title.

Gibbons was coached by Kate Howey, the last British judo fighter to win Olympic silver at the Sydney Games.

"As a kid growing up, Kate was my hero. She has been a big part of my preparation for this and I hope I can inspire young children how she inspired me," said Gibbons, raised just a few miles away in Greenwich.

"Hopefully lots of people have had the chance to view judo over this Olympic period and that they want to get involved and their kids want to get involved.

"It is great I was able to do this because our team have all been capable of it, but have had a pretty bad time over the past few Olympics and hopefully this proves we can do it at this level."

Today will see the final heavyweight judoka in action, with veteran Karina Bryant leading Team GB's hopes while French colossus Teddy Riner goes for gold in the men's over-100kgs.