Monday's highlights from the Athens Olympics

Monday, Aug. 16

STARS

-- Australian Ian Thorpe won a much-hyped duel at the pool, taking gold in the 200-meter freestyle over 19-year-old American Michael Phelps, who won bronze. The finish means Phelps can't match Mark Spitz's record seven golds.

-- Paul and Morgan Hamm led U.S. gymnasts past Romania for the silver medal, the first placing in men's gymnastics for the United States since the boycotted 1984 Los Angeles Games.

-- Cat Osterman allowed just one hit and struck out 11 as the United States softball team remained unbeaten in three Olympics won its 73rd straight, 3-0 over Japan.

-- American Natalie Coughlin won gold in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:00.37.

-- Aaron Peirsol of the United States won gold in the men's 100-meter backstroke with a time of 54.06 seconds.

-- Brenda Villa scored four goals and Kelly Rulon added a pair as the world champion U.S. women's water polo team opened with a 7-6 win over Hungary.

-- Gold medalist Shi Zhiyong of China broke the Olympic snatch record in the 62 kg weightlifting class, raising 172.5 kgs and tying tied world and Olympic records for total lift.

-- Leonidas Sampanis got the weightlifting bronze 62 kg to win Greece's first medal of its homeland Olympics.

-- Nikolaos Siranidis and Thomas Bimis won Greece's first gold medal, taking first in synchronized 3-meter springboard diving.

GREEK SPRINTERS

Prosecutors opened an investigation into the motorcycle accident that left Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou hospitalized shortly after they missed drug tests. The IOC granted them another extension, this time to Wednesday, on a disciplinary hearing.

EDWARDS APPEAL

U.S. sprinter Torri Edwards appeared for a hearing on her doping case that will determine whether the reigning 100-meter world champion competes in Athens. No ruling was expected before Tuesday evening.

DOUBLED OUT

Venus Williams and Chanda Rubin lost 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 to eighth-seeded Li Ting and Sun Tian Tian of China in their doubles opener. Williams won the doubles gold in Sydney with her sister Serena, who pulled out of the Athens Olympics last week, citing a knee injury.

FATAL CRASH

A member of Denmark's sailing team was charged with manslaughter after he struck and killed a British pedestrian while driving to see his country's handball team play Sunday. Danish officials will allow Niklas Holm to compete.

UP NEXT

The U.S. basketball team, stunned in the opener by Puerto Rico, tries to rebound against Greece. ... Phelps continues his medal quest at the pool, racing in the 200-meter butterfly, where he's the world record holder, and on the American 800-meter freestyle relay. ... The U.S. women's gymnasts go for their first team gold since Atlanta in 1996.

WEATHER

Mostly sunny with a high of 84 degrees and north winds blowing at 61 kph (38 mph) at the Olympic complex. The notorious Meltemi winds postponed rowing events until Tuesday and claimed the opening three races of sailing's 49er class.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"It takes a lot more out of you racing in the finals. I think it's definitely a lot different from the trials, a whole lot more emotionally draining." -- Phelps, after his bronze finish behind Thorpe.