Monday’s Olympics News Roundup

China lost hope of winning a gold in track when Liu Xiang, an Olympic champion in 110 meters hurdles and hugely celebrated athlete in the country, pulled out of the Games with an injury Monday. After a false start in his first-round heat, he clutched his leg and walked off the track. Many fans started weeping.

All-around gymnastics champion Nastia Liukin finished with the same score as He Kexin of China, but lost a tiebreaker and had to settle for silver in uneven bars.

A tiebreaker was also needed in the men’s vault, where Leszek Blanik of Poland was awarded the gold over Thomas Bouhail of France. Blanik became the first non-Chinese gymnast to win a men’s gymnastics gold this year. Earlier in the day, China’s Chen Yibing won gold in the men’s rings ahead of countryman Yang Wei and Ukrainian Oleksandr Vorobio.

U.S. baseball beat China 9-1 in a game that saw three players ejected and two leave with injuries. Matt LaPorta and Nate Schierholtz both ran over Chines catchers at home plate, and Chinese pitcher Zheng Xu retaliated by hitting LaPorta in the head. The U.S. is now 3-2 in group play and needs a win in one of its next two games to advance to the semifinals.

The U.S. softball team brought their winning streak to 21 games with a 9-0 win over China Monday. The powerhouse team has outscored its opponents 44-1 and is now within two wins of a gold medal.

Australia’s Emma Snowsill won gold in the triathlon Monday, completing the event in just over one hour. Portugal’s Vanessa Fernandes won silver and Australian Emma Moffatt took the bronze. “To come from a nation that’s so strong in terms of triathlon, it’s a fantastic feeling to finally bring home a gold medal,” Snowsill said.

In sailing, Australians Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page took gold in the men’s 470. The Australian reports that “a second gold is all but certain in the women's 470 after Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson established a commanding lead in their two final preliminary races yesterday.”

In Olympic track cycling, world champion Marianne Vos of the Netherlands captured a gold medal in the women's points race on Monday. "Vos dominated the fourth day of Olympic track cycling as she was the only cyclist to complete a lap," the CBC reports.

The U.S. men’s water polo team beat Germany 8-7 to clinch a spot in the semifinals for the first time since 1992.

U.S. men’s basketball destroyed Germany 106-57 in their final group game. They will play Australia in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

The American beach volleyball team, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, the reigning world champions, have made their way to the final four after beating Germany 21-13, 25-23. They will play Georgian team "Geor" and "Gia" Wednesday.

In front of an intimidating home crowd,  Chinese table tennis team of Ma Lin, Wang Hao and Wang Liqin defeated Germany on straight sets to win the gold.

The U.S. women’s field hockey team was eliminated from medal contention after drawing 0-0 with Great Britain. They will play Spain Wednesday for seventh place.