The women’s water polo team won the gold medal in Beijing after a surprise and tight 9-8 victory over the United States.

Star player Daniëlle de Bruijn (30) played an important role in beating the American title favourites by scoring an unprecedented total of seven goals.
The Olympic victory is unique in Dutch water polo history. Coach Robin van Galen, who took over in 2006, told news agency ANP that he had ‘always believed’ his team would win.
The water polo women secured the sixth gold medal for the Netherlands, taking the country into the top 10 of the medals table.
The first gold medal of the day was won by Maarten van der Weijden in the 10km open water swimming event. Van der Weijden (27) was diagnosed acute leukaemia in 2001, but recovered after chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.
Van der Weijden completed the swim in 1 hour 51 minutes and 51.6 seconds – just 1.5 seconds ahead of Britain’s David Davies.
The hockey men were less successful on Thursday. After a 1-1 draw in the semi-final against Germany, the European champions were beaten on penalties.
Captain Jeroen Delmee (35), who will retire as an international, told NOS tv that his team will fight hard to win the bronze medal. ‘Nine teams go home with no medal at all, so bronze is a good achievement’, he said.
The women’s hockey team will take on China in the final on Friday.