Olympics: Tempers flare as US sweep past Argentina in hoops

 

 

LONDON – A nasty, bad-tempered joust with Argentina’s basketball team woke up the sleeping giants from the U.S. on Monday, spurring them to a 126-97 victory that earned a top-seeded berth in the quarterfinals.

Players from both sides were knocked down in a closely-fought first half and they often glowered at each other as the contest turned into a rout for the Americans who had narrowly beaten Lithuania in their previous game.

“Tonight’s game was so much fun,” U.S. point guard Chris Paul told reporters. “I give Argentina a lot of credit.

“Those guys pushed us, they made us compete. I loved it. When it gets a little chippy here and there, it gets you excited,” he said after the players frequently collided going for rebounds.

The muscular LeBron James threw an arm out at one point to sweep experienced Argentine Manu Ginobili off his feet.

After going to intermission locked in a 60-59 struggle, Argentina were buried under a flurry of three-pointers from Kevin Durant.

Durant, who made 8-of-10 three-pointers in the game, nailed four from beyond the arc in a third-quarter stretch that took the U.S. lead from 12 points to 24.

The quarter ended with more physical combat as Carmelo Anthony hit the floor doubled up in pain after making a three-pointer to send the Americans into the fourth session with a 102-76 advantage.

“He got hit in the groin. That’s why he buckled. He wasn’t celebrating his shot,” said coach Mike Krzyzewski.

It seemed a fight might break out at that point as several players from both teams approached each other near mid-court before being separated.

Gold in 2004

Argentina won the gold medal in 2004 and are the only nation apart from the U.S. to win the Olympic title since the triumphant American ‘Dream Team’ was launched at the Barcelona Games in 1992.

“It went very well for the first half and then it got physical in the second,” said Argentina coach Julio Lamas who was without starting point guard Pablo Prigioni.

“[To beat] the U.S. we really needed to play a very good game, a perfect game really.”

Early in the fourth quarter, Russell Westbrook was given a technical foul for taunting an Argentine player after slamming a dunk through a basket.

After that the game carried on to a peaceful finish.

Durant led the Americans with 28 points. James added 18 while Ginobili scored 16 points as Argentina’s high scorer.

“Chippiness is chippiness,” said Krzyzewski. “Guys want to win and they play hard.

“That’s part of competition. I didn’t think our guys or theirs did anything that would be below Olympic standards.

“In fact I thought it was a heck of a game.”

The win helped the Americans complete a 5-0 record in Group A and they now face Australia (3-2) in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Argentina (3-2) next meet arch-rivals Brazil (4-1) while Group B winners Russia (4-1) play Lithuania (2-3) and France (4-1) take on Spain (3-2).

 

source link: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/268619/sports/basketball/olympics-tempers-flare-as-us-sweep-past-argentina-in-hoops

 

Once upon a time, there was Facebook. Now, there’s Facebook Stories (www.facebookstories.com).

Facebook Stories is the newest feature of the social networking giant, seeking to showcase how members use the site in “compelling ways.”

An article on tech site PC World said there will be a different theme for each month, with August’s theme being “Remembering.”

August’s feature tells the story of Mayank Sharma, 27, from New Delhi in India, who lost his memory after contracting a rare form of meningitis.

“Sharma used Facebook to rebuild the memories he had lost due to contracting the disease. He credits Facebook with helping him ‘rebuild’ his life,” PC World said.

Other showcased features include residents in Guelph, Ontario using civic pride and the town’s collective memory to save an important local building; a selection of books to read; musical playlists from Spotify, and selected articles from the New Yorker Magazine.

The books, playlists and New Yorker features will be updated on a monthly basis, PC World quoted Facebook as saying.

“These first stories were handpicked by Facebook, but future editions will include submissions from users. Those who think they might have an interesting story to share with the world via Facebook Stories can submit theirs through an online form,” PC World said.

Another monthly feature is the Infographic, which is updated monthly to match the theme.

For this month, the Infographic looks at what users share most.

So far, the most common story shared on Facebook’s Timeline is on travel, which makes up 42 percent of such stories; followed by stories on moves, posted 18 percent of the time; and relationship change, which appeared 10 percent of the time.

source link: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/268707/scitech/socialmedia/facebook-unveils-new-user-generated-feature-facebook-stories

BPO industry giving agents 30% extra pay to work on rainy day

The business process outsourcing industry (BPO) is not suspending operations on Tuesday despite a Malacañang memo canceling work in the private sector because of inclement weather, an official of Business Processing Association of the Philippine said Tuesday.

“We have a commitment to our global clients to operate 24/7, and because of that we cannot suspend operations,” BPAP executive director for external affairs Genny Marcial told GMA News Online.

Call center agents and other BPO workers who will report for work will get premium compensation of 30 percent over their basic pay, said Marcial.

In a separate interview with GMA News Online, BPAP president and CEO Benedict Hernandez said some BPO centers could operate even with a high level of absenteeism while other agents work at home.

Employee safety is a “priority” for BPAP even if the outsourcing contract calls for a 24-hour operation, Hernandez noted.

 “Nobody can force (agents) to go to work just because we have a contract,” he added.

The BPAP president said he has not encountered a situation where BPO workers did not report for work due to bad weather.

BPAP’s member-companies will comply with the rule on premium pay and safety standards for their employees including office food and shuttle service, Hernandez said.

BPO agents who are already at work “should better stay put” in their respective offices, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told GMA News Online.

Confusion in BPAP

Marcial said there was confusion earlier Tuesday within the BPAP on the supposed exemption of the BPO industry from the no-work memo.

“Some were saying we’re exempted (from the Palace directive), some were saying we’re not,” said Marcial.

The association was “caught by surprise” when Malacañang issued the no-work order, she noted.

 Thus, BPAP tried to clarify with Malacañang what the Palace memo “meant for us,” said Hernandez.

“We were requesting for a clarification…” said Marcial. “Are we really included? This is the first time… We were caught in a dilemma,” she added.

source link: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/268695/economy/companies/bpo-industry-giving-agents-30-extra-pay-to-work-on-rainy-day

Sy bank raising $2B from IOU sale abroad

The country’s leading financial institution Banco de Oro Unibank is raising up to $2 billion from an overseas debt facility to boost funds for long-term relending, including funding for big-ticket infrastructure projects under the government’s public-private partnership (PPP) program.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday, the bank unveiled plans to set up a $2-billion Euro Medium Term Note (EMTN) program and retire P10 billion in tier 2 debt by November this year.

The EMTN program is a medium-term foreign currency funding facility that gives flexibility to issue foreign currency-denominated notes in the international capital markets. These are offered on a continuing basis rather than a one-time deal like a bond issue, thus making it easier for an issuer like BDO to tap offshore capital markets.

EMTNs, which are issued and traded outside of Canada and the United States, are sold directly to the market with maturities of less than five years. The issuer maintains a standardized document and usually sells through preselected buyers.

“Setting up the EMTN program is a preparatory move on the part of BDO as this will enhance the bank’s ability to access longer-term funding for relending to projects like infrastructure under the government’s PPP program,” the disclosure said.

BDO also plans to exercise the early redemption option on its series 1 Tier 2 notes by November 21.

“Part of the proceeds from BDO’s recent stock rights offer has already been earmarked for the redemption of these higher-cost notes, which carry a coupon rate of 7 percent. The retirement of these notes will reduce the bank’s cost of funding as well as improve its capital structure in favor or higher quality core or tier 1 capital,” the disclosure said.

source:

“These are part of the bank’s liability management initiatives to tap longer-term funding sources and lower funding costs,” the disclosure said.

source: http://business.inquirer.net/75405/sy-bank-raising-2b-from-iou-sale-abroad

9 killed as heavy rains paralyze Metro Manila

 

MANILA, Philippines – Nine people, including three children, were killed while four others were injured Tuesday as continuous  heavy rains spawned by the southwest monsoon triggered a landslide in Quezon City. Emergency crews scrambled to save tens of thousands of residents, some of whom were stranded on the roofs of their inundated homes.

 

Six of the fatalities were identified as Jayson Baylon, 16, Jayvee Baylon, 20, Jissele Baylon, 7, Jonathan Castulo, 3, Junica Castulo, 3, Jessie Baylon, 24, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

 

The injured were identified as Kidskin Simbulan, 40, and Leslyn Simbulan, 19, NDRRMC said.

Up to forty six cities and municipalities in Regions 1, 3, 4-A and NCR have been affected by flooding, according to the latest report of NDRRMC.

As much as 541,498 people have been affected by the rains so far, it said.

Relentless rains submerged half of the sprawling Metro Manila, triggered a landslide that killed eight people and sent emergency crews scrambling Tuesday to rescue and evacuate tens of thousands of residents.

 

The deluge, the worst since 2009 when hundreds died in rampaging flash floods, was set off by the seasonal monsoon that overflowed major dams and rivers in Manila and surrounding provinces.

 

Executive Director Benito Ramos of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in a televised press briefing that the landslide, which occurred in Barangay (village) Commonwealth, was due to saturated soil.

 

“It’s like a water world,” said Ramos, adding that the rains flooded 50 percent of metropolitan Manila on Monday evening, and about 30 percent remained under waist- or neck-deep waters Tuesday.

 

He urged residents in areas prone to landslides and floods to stay in evacuation centers. Because the soil is saturated, even a little rain could be dangerous, he added.

“Now that it’s getting dark, I would like to repeat, if the rains are heavy you should be at the evacuation centers,” he said, warning that rescue operations are more difficult at night and could put responders at risk.

 

State weather bureau said a separate tropical storm off eastern China had intensified monsoon rains in the Philippines, which were forecast to last until Thursday.

The Philippine National Police has ordered the evacuation of residents near the landslide area to avoid further casualties from possible landslides.

 

The capital and other parts of the Philippines already were saturated from last week’s Typhoon Gener, which battered Manila and the north for several days before blowing away Friday. That storm was responsible for at least 53 deaths.

 

But Manila’s weather bureau said a separate tropical storm off eastern China had intensified monsoon rains in the Philippines and was responsible for the latest deluge, which began Monday night and did not let up until Tuesday morning.

 

In Manila’s suburban Quezon City, a landslide hit a row of shanties along a road, burying eight people, according to witnesses.

 

Army troops and police dug frantically to save those buried, who included four children, as surviving relatives and neighbors wept. All the victims were later dug up, including a man whose body was found near an entombed shanty’s door.

 

National police chief Nicanor Bartolome went to the scene and ordered all other slum dwellers to be evacuated from the dangerous area.

 

TV footage showed rescuers dangling on ropes to bring children and other residents to safety from flooded houses. Many residents trapped in their homes as floodwaters rose called radio and TV stations desperately asking for help.

“We need to be rescued,” Josephine Cruz told a radio station as water rose around her house near a river and creek in Quezon City, saying she was trapped in her two-story house with 11 other people, including her 83-year-old mother. “We can’t get out because the floodwaters are now higher than people.”

 

Vehicles and even heavy trucks struggled to navigate water-clogged roads, where hundreds of thousands of commuters were stranded overnight. Many cars were stuck in the muddy waters.

 

The La Mesa dam, which supplies water to the capital of 12 million people, spilled excess water early Tuesday into the rivers flowing into Quezon City, as well as the neighborhoods of Malabon, Valenzuela and Caloocan, where several villages were submerged.

 

Along the swollen Marikina River, police were deployed to move more than 5,000 residents away from the riverbanks in what Vice Mayor Jose Cadiz said was an enforced evacuation.

 

President Benigno Aquino III called an emergency meeting of Cabinet officials and disaster-response agencies to deal with the widespread flooding. He ordered officials to make sure all residents were accounted for in flooded villages and discussed how flooded hospitals can be helped in case they were hit by power outages.

 

The Philippine Stock Exchange in the financial district of Makati, which also was flooded, was closed. Also closed was the US Embassy along Manila Bay in the historic old city, which was flooded last week when a storm surge pushed the water over the seawall.

 

The military, which was involved in the rescue work, canceled several events due to the flooding, including an awarding of bounties to tipsters who helped troops capture al-Qaida-linked militants.

 

In 2009, massive flooding spawned by a typhoon devastated Manila and the surrounding areas and killed hundreds of residents in rampaging flash floods. The state weather bureau said that the current flooding was not as severe and that the weather may start to improve later this week.

 

Gener was the seventh of 20 typhoons and storms expected to batter the Philippines this year.

source: Inquirer

Travel: Sagada, Philippines

Arriving in Sagada

The thing that struck me on my very first entry into Sagada in 1999 was how pretty it is – the abundance of flowers, pleasant architecture, lots of trees, dramatic limestone outcrops and beautiful views down the valley. It stands at 1500 meters above sea level, so enjoys a climate influenced by altitude and freshness. The pines that blanket the surrounding mountains provide a dramatic backdrop for this unique community.

Sagada is a prosperous town comprised of mostly farming families and others associated with agriculture. There are no tricycles here, which is a silent blessing. The quality of education that has been available here has been high, especially with the older generation. Intelligence displays itself as a community trait and the peacefulness and stability of the community is obvious at once. Very good English is widely spoken as the second language, rather than Tagalog. The Episcopal Church (Church of England) was the first to arrive here in 1901and be accepted, which has resulted in a unique spiritual partnership between the traditional ritual observances and the Christian. The community today is predominantly Episcopalian which adds an interesting slant in a country which is about 85% Roman Catholic.

There are many things to do in and around Sagada. If you’re like me, you’ll love the peace and quiet of the place, its beauty and freshness, the friendliness of the people and the ease with which one can move around. I know that one thing you can do here is rest, read and sleep. You can also walk, trek, go caving, camping, eating etc. One thing you will not find here is a jumping nightlife, unless you bring it with you. If you have your mind set on adventure and packing as much into as short a time as possible, by all means go to the caves and waterfalls, all within a couple of days, but if you have plenty of time, Sagada is one of those exceptional places in the Philippines where you should consider spending some extra time. The accommodation and food can be cheap and there are many beautiful walks to go on.

Until very recently, most of the tourists were adventurous foreign backpackers; today they are predominantly Filipinos coming up from Manila. The Halsema Road, the once tortuous track that links Baguio and Sagada, is almost completely concreted now, making it possible for “city” vehicles to make the journey. As a consequence of increasing Filipino tourist numbers, there has been an upsurge of new accommodation and souvenir shops. Sagada though is a resilient and strong community and it has been able to maintain most of its character in spite of its increased visitor numbers.

I have noticed a few negative effects on Sagada from the increased local tourism. The once good range of t-shirts have been replaced with kitsch “I Survived Sagada” t-shirts. Litter around the area has increased, especially around the caves and in echo valley.

Unfortunately, the center of Sagada is becoming rather ugly. This is because of the recently built local government buildings and the new commercial center. Fortunately, the three or four eyesores only affect a very small area in the town center. I hope these buildings will get a makeover soon and also that future town planners consider aesthetics, lest this beautiful place ends up looking like Baguio.

Sagada Attractions

Two Guides’ Associations – There used to be one only but due to differences in opinion, they have split into two. The original guides’ association is at the municipal hall in the center of town and the newer one is just down the road past the Yogurt House. Their prices are about the same and all have only certified and registered guides. Part of their training involves rescue and first aid training. The original association is made up of the more experienced and older guides, where the new association has younger guides. If customer satisfaction is the measure of which is the better association, I have heard that there is no difference. I have been camping with some of the older guides though, and being older, they have many more interesting stories to tell. So take your pick. The guides work on a rotation system that assures all of them equal work.
It is easy to lose your way, so if your schedule is tight, best take a guide. They are not expensive.

Limestone caves – Many people come to Sagada to visit the caves. You cannot go to the limestone caves without a guide. All the guides are equipped with hurricane lamps, so that the cave is well lit while you are underground. The prices are fixed, as are the number of tourists per guide.

The Burial Cave – is accessible to most people and can be visited without a guide during off-peak times. The climb down is steep towards the end and probably difficult for the elderly or very young children. This is a fascinating place, eerie and dramatic. Please keep in mind that this place is sacred to the locals, so leave no garbage, cigarette butts etc and do not touch the coffins or try to open them. The cave is marked on the local tourist map (available in guest houses and souvenir shops in town). The walk down the hill is gorgeous. Don’t hesitate to ask directions from the locals if you are unsure of the way.

Small Falls – Not far from town, this attraction is a disappointment to many as it is small. Leaping from the top of the falls is a favorite pastime for many of the local children. Not difficult to find, just ask for directions.

The Big waterfall – Bomod-ok – Unfortunately you need to pay for a guide to go down to the waterfall and that will cost an exorbitant P500. This idea was introduced late in 2011. For a single tourist this is just too much. You certainly don’t need a guide to find the waterfall. I think it’s poorly thought out opportunism on the part of the community. I have received some angry correspondence from people about this and it’s their sentiment that I am expressing here. What if every place in the Philippines that had a waterfall did this?

To get there, take the morning jeepney to Banga-an (pronounced Bunga –un) and ask to be let off at the big falls. The jeep leaves from the center of Sagada and the guides association can tell you the times. Find out about the times for return trips too as you will not want to be walking back to Sagada. The walk down the endless stairs is fabulous, the scenery divine. The falls themselves, once you reach them (1 – 1 ½ hours) are predictably thunderous and dramatic. Swim in the freezing waters if you like that sort of thing, but get advice about the conditions from a guide first. Note that a 17 year old girl from Manila drowned there in 2008. Although there were family and other people around, some who jumped in to rescue her, they were not able to save her in time. We have been given two accounts of the story, one that she got her foot wedged between rocks, and the other was that she was caught in a whirlpool.
The climb back to the road is strenuous. The steps seem to never end. Allow a couple of hours – if unfit, add another hour.

Getting to Sagada

There are no airports anywhere near Sagada so bus and private vehicle are the only transport options. There are two routes from Manila, one through Baguio and another through Banaue. Most foreign tourists will take one route to Sagada and the other route back. The traveling time from Manila to Sagada is roughly 12 hours, whichever way you go. For the Baguio route, The first 6 hours will get you to Baguio, and there are luxury coaches that also ply this route – Victory Liner is the best choice. The second part of the journey will take you along the Halsema Highway with stunning vistas almost all of the way to Sagada as the road winds over a mountain range reaching a maximum of 7,000ft. For the Banaue route, the traveling time to Banaue is about 9 hours and it is another 3 hours on to Sagada.

Hire Van – Unquestionably, the best way to get to Sagada is by hire van, especially for those who would or could not go by public transport – e.g. a little frail, traveling with a baby, the public transport is out of your comfort zone, etc. There are so many beautiful places where you would want to stop and go “wow”, which you can’t do by bus. Going by van leaves two options, one is to get picked up at the airport and go all the way to Sagada by van. The other is to go by bus to Baguio or Banaue and take the van from there. If hereto get the costs and more details.

From Manila to Baguio and onto Sagada by Bus – When going to Sagada, I always catch a Victory Liner bus in Manila at about 11pm, which gets me into Baguio at about 4am. I prefer the deluxe coach which has onboard toilet and does not stop along the way. This way I get some sleep. They have buses going every half hour from a number of locations in Manila, but only several are deluxe. The closest Victory Liner bus terminal to the airport is at Pasay. Regular bus is P450, deluxe is P700.

From the Victory Liner terminal in Baguio catch a taxi to the GL Liner terminal – just tell the taxi driver you are going to Sagada, they all know which terminal to take you to. Taxi is about P50. You can get some coffee and breakfast at the GL liner terminal while you wait for the first bus to Sagada.

The first GL liner bus leaves at 6:15am and the last at 1pm. Here is a picture of the schedule, which includes  buses to Bontoc. The trip typically takes 6 hours and the best views are on the right hand side of the bus (left hand side going back to Baguio). There are two toilet stops on the way and the stop closest to Baguio is also an eating stop. Going back to Baguio, the first bus leaves Sagada at 5am then 7am and several more usually, with the last being at 1pm. The Bus has neither aircon nor luxury. See picture view from the Halsema Highway.

Bontoc to Sagada – Regular jeepneys to Sagada leave from a side street just off the main road in Bontoc. Anyone you asked could tell you where. The first jeep leaves at 8.30 am, then on a regular basis after that until 5.00 pm. It leaves when it is full. The trip takes 45 minutes. If you are very lucky you may find the front seat unoccupied (indicated by no bag or jacket on the seat). Leave a bag of some kind if you want to wait elsewhere, as this will reserve the two best seats for enjoying the fabulous views between Bontoc and Sagada. In the back section, of course, you have lots of company and sleeping children, but the views are obscured by small windows and fellow passengers. The other alternative is the roof. This is a popular and sometimes necessary mode of travel and I would guess the best way to get the full impact of the terrain and its beauty. Beware the hot dry weather! You will most definitely eat a lot of dust on the way up the hill if you sit on the roof in summer. Parts of the road are still a very rough ride.
Jeepneys leave regularly for Bontoc, where you can take other transport on to Banaue or Manila. Last jeep leaves at 1.00 PM. If you have the time, spend a few days in Tinglayan (via Bontoc).

source: Travel Philippines

 

Fil-am gymnast, nanalo ng gold medal sa London Olympics

Nanalo ng gintong medalya sa London Olympics ang isang 15-anyos na Filipino-American na kabilang sa United States (US) women’s gymnastics team.

Si Kyla Ross na pinakabatang miyembro ng Fab Five ay isinilang sa Hawaii ng kaniyang inang Filipino-Puerto Rican at amang African American-Japanese bago lumipat at nanirahan sa Aliso Viejo, California.

Natalo ng team nina Ross ang Russia para maiuwi ang gintong medalya habang Romania ang naka-bronze.

Ayon sa mga gymnast sa Gym Max sa Costa Mesa, California kung saan nagti-training si Ross, karapat-dapat lang na manalo ang Fab Five lalo na ang Fil-Am dahil sa dedikasyon at hirap nito sa pagsasanay.

2007 pa nagti-training sa nasabing gym si Kyla Ross at taong 2008 pa nito pinupuntirya ang Olympics.

“She’s a kid with a lot of heart and a lot of conviction. She’s the kind that does something, hangs on and keeps doing it until she gets it right. That’s something we try to teach to all our athletes and aspiring Olympians,” sabi ni Lenny Liang, ang assistant coach ni Ross. Report from Steve Angeles, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

Philippine team, wagi sa ASEAN quiz na isinagawa sa Cambodia

Isa na namang karangalan ang nasungkit ng mga Pinoy sa isinagawang 5th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Quiz Regional Competition kahapon lamang sa Phnom Pehn, Cambodia.

Sa report ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), champion ang Philippine Team na binubuo ng tatlong highschool students.

Ito’y sina Franchesca Anne Inacay ng Saint Albert the Great School of Dagupan City, Kristiyanne Paul de Pedro ng Corona del National Comprehensive High School ng South Cotabato at Maria Angela Krizelle Rubin ng San Joaquin National High School ng Calbayog.

Ang 27 pang kalahok sa nasabing kumpetisyon ay nagmula sa mga bansa ng Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand at Vietnam.

Nakakuha ng 71 puntos ang Phil. Team sa tatlong round kung saan isang puntos lamang ang lamang nila sa second place winner na Cambodia na may 70 puntos habang third placer naman ang Thailand na may 68 points.

Sinimulan itong ASEAN Quiz noong 2002 kung saan naging consistent winner na ang Pilipinas at ginaganap ito tuwing dalawang taon.

Ang ASEAN Quiz ay proyekto ng ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information na layuning isulong tagisan ng kaalaman ng mga kabataan kaugnay ng ASEAN history, social, cultural, political at economic development sa rehiyon. Report from Dexter Ganibe, Radyo Patrol (photo courtesy of president.gov.ph)

Curiosity rover ng NASA, tagumpay na lumapag sa Mars

Tagumpay na nakalapag sa Mars ang National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) rover na ‘Curiosity.’

Sinlaki ng kotse ang robotic explorer na ‘Curiosity rover’ na lumapag sa gale crater ng red planet.

Ipinadala ng NASA ang $2.6 bilyong halagang rover sa Mars upang pag-aralan ang mga bato at mineral doon, at upang maghanap ng mga clue kung kaya bang mabuhay doon ng small life forms na microbes.

Ito na ang ika-pitong pag-landing sa Mars ng NASA matapos ang ilang beses nang pagtatangka.

source: DZMM

Disappointment on the podium: silver medalists

McKayla Maroney showed true grit after her fall and relegation to silver status in the vault final. But here her disappointment is unmistakable as she stands on the podium during the medal ceremony on Day 9 of the London Games.

source: Yahoo!