Nigeria coach Samson Siasia says he is disappointed at failing to win the gold medal but proud of his players for the way they played against Argentina and throughout the tournament.

Argentina coach Sergio Batista has hailed the discipline and good football of Nigeria's Dream Team IV after his wards claimed the gold medal at the expense of the Africans.

Wilfred Bungei shed a tear as the Kenyan national anthem was played for the fourth time at Beijing's National Olympic stadium on Saturday night.

As Martin Lel, Samuel Wanjiru and Luke Kibet took a final evening jog around the Olympic Village on Saturday evening, the biggest thought that came across their mind was that, finally, Kenya will win its first Olympic marathon gold medal.

Nigerian players have told KickOffNigeria.com that they were disappointed to lose the gold medal match against Argentina on Saturday in Beijing.

After 24 days of high adrenalin action, the curtain finally comes down on the Games of the 29th Olympiad with the closing ceremony on Sunday night at the "Bird's Nest", Beijing's National Olympic Stadium.

Argentina retained her Olympics soccer title by beating Nigeria 1-0 with a stunning Angel Di Maria's goal in a final adversely affected by scorching conditions.

Nancy Jebet Langat won the gold medal in the women's 1500 metres at the Bird's Nest stadium on Saturday in a time of four minute 00.23 seconds.

As the Beijing Olympics reached their climax ahead of the closing ceremony on Sunday, African athletes overpowered others to take the top five places in the men's marathon, traditionally the final athletics event.

EVEN as the political parties are locked in talks to hammer out a settlement that will usher in a new dispensation, there is no let up, it seems, in the government's hostility towards the private media and the climate of

PERVASIVE fear, suspicion and general mistrust still hound villagers who suffered political violence by Zanu PF youth militias after President Robert Mugabe's defeat in the March election.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Paul Dike has been promoted to the rank of Air Chief Marshal. He is the first in the 34-year history of the service to rise to the rank. The new rank is to

The strategic port city of Kismayo, in Somalia's deep south, was reportedly calm on Saturday after heavy battles in the preceding days killed upwards of 50 people and wounded more than 164 others.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has appeared in private before the judicial commission of inquiry investigating post-election violence, sources told the Sunday Nation.

The Constitutional Court has ruled that the temporary shelters housing thousands of displaced foreign nationals will stay open until the end of September.

PRESIDENT Umaru Musa Yar'Adua yesterday explained that last week's shake up in the nation's military high command was a normal course of affairs and not because of any threat to government as being insinuated in some quarters.