Taoufik Makhloufi sits on the track in the Men's 1500m Semi Final (Getty Images)LONDON – Algerian middle distance runner Taoufik Makhloufi has been reinstated after being tossed from the Olympics early Monday for a lack of effort in his 800-meter race.

In a bizarre incident at Olympic Stadium on Monday morning, Makhloufi slowed to a jog after crossing the 200-meter mark of his 800-meter heat, eventually stopped, then walked across the infield and quit his event. That prompted officials in the games to toss Makhloufi for a lack of effort because they thought he was saving his energy for a 1,500 final on Tuesday night. The Algerians responded by having a medical officer from the Games sign off on Makhloufi having a legitimate injury issue that forced him out of the race.

"After reviewing evidence provided by a LOCOG [London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games] medical officer, the disqualification of [Makhloufi] from further participation has been revoked," the International Association of Athletics Federations said in a statement.

Read More »from Algerian runner reinstated to Olympics after being booted for not trying hard enough

Algeria's Taoufik Makhloufi reacts after competing in a men's 800-meter heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Monday, Aug. 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)LONDON – Algerian middle distance runner Taoufik Makhloufi has become the ninth Olympian tossed from the London Games for failing to try hard enough.

In a bizarre incident at Olympic Stadium on Monday morning, Makhloufi slowed to a jog after crossing the 200-meter mark of his 800-meter heat, eventually stopped, then walked across the infield and quit his event. Makhloufi had already won a semifinal heat in his primary event Sunday night – the 1,500 meters – and was considered a potential gold medalist in the finals of that event Tuesday night. He's now been dismissed from the Games for giving up in the 800.

What at first looked like a simple disqualification became a far larger issue after it appeared Makhloufi hadn't suffered any kind of injury. The International Association of Athletics Federations later said a referee determined Makhloufi purposely refused to give effort.

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"The referee considered that he had not

Read More »from Algerian runner dismissed from Olympics for not trying hard enough in 800-meter race

LONDON – Oscar Pistorius' Olympics have come to a close in the individual events.

The first double-amputee in Games history ran a 46.54 in the semifinals of the 400 meters, but failed to advance to the medal round Sunday night. He finished last in his heat and 23rd among the 24 semifinalists. The top eight overall times advance to the finals. Trinidad's Lalonde Gordon clocked the semifinals' fastest time with a 44.58.

While that finish eliminates him from his specialty event, Pistorius's Games aren't over. The 26-year-old is on South Africa's 4x400 relay team that is slated to run its first heats Thursday. Pistorius won a silver medal with the South African 4x400 relay in the 2011 world championships in Daegu, South Korea.

"The whole experience is mind-blowing," Pistorius said. "My aim was to make the semifinals. It's a dream come true. Thanks to everyone for their support."

Running on carbon fiber blades, Pistorius's journey at these Games managed to capture resounding

Read More »from 'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius fails to qualify for Olympic 400-meter final

LONDON – Sanya Richards-Ross can stop waiting for her grand Olympic moment. It has arrived.

The 400-meter specialist finally seized her gold medal on the Olympic stage, roaring to a convincing win over Britain's Christine Ohuruogu and U.S. teammate DeeDee Trotter. Richards-Ross won with a time of 49.55 seconds as Ohuruogu came in at 49.70 and Trotter 49.72.

"To come here and be successful is my ultimate dream come true," Richards-Ross said. "It is a huge weight off my shoulders."

The win brings a measure of redemption for the oft-injured three-time Olympian, who self-destructed in the 400 meters in Beijing and finished third after soaring expectations of gold. The victory also gives

Richards-Ross her fourth career Olympic medal, including golds in 4x400 relays in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008 and her 400-meter individual bronze in Beijing.

After winning gold as part of the 4x400 in Athens in 2004, Richards-Ross blazed through the 400-meter heats in Beijing in 2008 and

Read More »from Sanya Richards-Ross wins gold in 400 meters

LONDON – Usain Bolt is the fastest man in the world again. Now he wants to be a legend.

After all the talk about Bolt falling off his elite pace and being outclassed by fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake, Bolt outraced the 22-year-old for gold, winning in an Olympic-record 9.63 seconds to Blake's 9.75. The United States grabbed bronze with 9.79 from Justin Gatlin.

"There was a lot of people saying that I wasn't going to win. There was a lot of talk," Bolt said. "For me, it was an even greater feeling to come out and show the world I'm still the No. 1. I'm still the best."

Now he's focused on defending his Beijing gold medals in the 200 meters and 4x100 relay. If he does that, he'll be the first runner in Olympic history to ever defend all three. Which would be, in a word that Bolt likes, legendary.

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"That’s my ultimate goal," Bolt said of being a legend. "That's it for me."

And he played the part Sunday. Running from Lane 7,

Read More »from Usain Bolt sets Olympic record, wins men's 100 gold medal in 9.63

LONDON – Carmelita Jeter slipped. Galen Rupp rose. And the United States' once again came up empty in its quest for that elusive first gold medal in track and field.

On a day when the U.S. suffered a major loss with the hamstring injury to 400-meter specialist LaShawn Merritt, Jeter and Rupp took silver medals in the 100-meter dash and 10,000-meter run, respectively – both going in opposite directions of expectations.

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USA's Carmelita Jeter (L) and Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown compete in the women's 100m final at the London 2012 Olympic Games. (AFP Photo/Olivier Morin)Jeter, the defending world champion in the 100m, went stride-for-stride with Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the 100 finals, getting edged at the line in a photo finish. Fraser-Pryce was defending her gold medal in the event from the Beijing Games in 2008 and came in at 10.75 seconds, just an eyelash ahead of Jeter's 10.78. While certainly not a disappointing silver, the Americans had gold medal hopes in the event after securing three finalists, with Allyson Felix and Tianna Madison also making the final.

Read More »from USA captures two medals on Day 2 at the track but comes up short on gold

LONDON – After six years of training, Oscar Pistorius crouched in the starting blocks poised to make history. It was a serious moment, punctuated by years of work and court battles and controversy. And in what should have been a time of focus and intensity, Pistorius was crouched in the blocks, doing the unexpected.

He was smiling. The first amputee ever to compete in track and field at the Olympics was overcome with joy.

"I've worked for six years to try and make the 400-meter semifinal," Pistorius said. "To come out here today is just an unbelievable experience. I found myself smiling in the starting blocks."

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"I've got goose bumps now and it's been an hour since I raced."

A double-amputee who was born without fibulae in each of his legs, Pistorius finished second in his heat of the 400 meters and qualified for the semifinals of the event, coming in at 45.44 seconds – his second-fastest time of the year –

Read More »from Oscar Pistorius steals spotlight with Olympic debut

LONDON – The U.S. track team suffered its first significant injury on Saturday morning when defending Olympic gold medal 400-meters champion LaShawn Merritt suffered a hamstring injury in his qualifying heat and pulled up in the event.

He is out of the 400 meters and likely the 4x400 relay.

[ Photos: LaShawn Merritt hurt during 400 ]

"Around the curve I started to feel it," Merritt said. "I started to move a bit more and I still felt it. I thought if I pushed it, I can really injure myself. … I need some rest."

The 26-year-old Merritt appeared to be pacing himself early in the race and developed a noticeable hitch in his stride before reaching the midway point of the race. He faded on the backstretch and pulled up in obvious pain. He didn't finish the race, grabbing his hamstring and limping to U.S. trainers with a crestfallen look on his face.

"It's very disappointing," Merritt said. "I'll regroup. It's not the end of the world. The Olympics will come around again.

Read More »from Hamstring injury ends American LaShawn Merritt's bid to defend Olympic title in men's 400 meters