Unless Usain Bolt breaks the hearts of the world and registers a positive test for anabolic yams, the 19.30 is what people are going to remember. But for the small segment of fans who love sports for the disqualifications, the 200 meters will go down as one of the greatest races in history. After third-place finisher Wallace Spearmon of the U.S. was DQ'd for crossing the lane line, track officials noticed during the overnight appeals process that the Netherlands Antilles' Churandy Martina, the presumptive silver medalist, had also stepped out. Americans Walter Dix and Shawn Crawford moved up to the podium, marking the first time in Olympic history that anyone had ever had their results nullified in a men's 200m final.

TAEKWONDO: Afghanistan, under IOC sanctions for much of Olympic history, didn't send teams in 2000, 1992, 1984, and 1976. Yesterday, the beleaguered and war-torn country earned its first-ever Olympic medal, a taekwondo bronze, when Rohullah Nikpai overcame Spanish world champion Juan Antonio Ramos. "I hope this will send a message of peace to my country after 30 years of war," he said. The president of the country immediately gave him a house.

After a quiet couple of days on the drug front, a high-profile case hit the headlines this morning. Liudmyla Blonska of the Ukraine, who earned silver in the heptathlon, becomes the fifth athlete at these Olympics to fail a doping test under the IOC's control. Her "A" sample showed traces of the banned steroid stanozolol. We are still considerably behind the 11 positive cases from Athens 2004, which may or may not be good news, depending on the reliability and comprehensiveness of the tests.

When the Olympics shed the mantle of amateurism over the course of the 1970's and 80's, it was a positive development for a sports world that hadn't foreseen national state systems back in the early days of the Games. Now that money is on the top of the table, the very human practice of complaining about it has taken root. The U.S. Olympic Committee gives its athletes a daily $50 allowance while pulling Olympic duty, and Germany doesn't offer anything. Then there's Nigeria, which experienced camp disquiet over its $100 per day stipend this week. But they got it in advance!

"We're very surprised at their attitude because even before they left the country they knew they were entitled to $100 a day. We were even magnanimous enough to have paid them the money upfront and for three weeks. The usual practice is for the athletes to be paid daily so as soon as they complete their event the allowance is stop."

Seventy-nine of the 204 present countries have won medals at these Games, and none have gone to Nigeria yet... although their Super Eagles men's footballers are assured of a medal after reaching the Olympic championship versus Argentina.

A real surprise in Beijing has been the uncommonly strong performance of North Korea. With two golds (gymnast Un-Jong Hong in the women's vault and Hyon-Suk Pak's 63kg women's weightlifting win) and seven overall medals, it's their best performance since Barcelona 1992 (nine medals). But unlike many nations would, North Korea is downplaying the success, giving Pak three sentences in a state-run news report. Bloomberg called the Olympic committee and received an unexpected response.

"Of course we are proud of our athletes, that goes without saying,'' said a team spokesman, who wouldn't identify himself. He then hung up and didn't answer repeated calls.

Rhythmic gymnastics begins today. Get ready.