Goalball at the 2008 Summer Paralympics

Goalball at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held in the Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium from September 7 to September 14. The competition consisted of men's and women's team events, and what had been billed as one of the most open tournaments certainly lived up to expectations.

In front of crowds of up to 6,000 people, the sport of goalball used the opportunity to showcase to the world why it is one of the most exciting blind team sports in the world.

Both gold medal games were hard fought and dramatic encounters.

In the women's gold medal game, the lead changed hands five times, with the USA outlasting China by a score of 6-5, with never more than one goal in it. The winning goal came from Asya Miller with less than a minute to go.

The gold medal in the men's game was even more dramatic. Lithuania, the current world champions, took advantage of a clutch of penalties in the first half to jump ahead of China by 6 goals to 2 at the half, and looked to be holding on despite a steady comeback. With only 50 seconds on the clock, the Chinese were two goals behind (6-8) but managed to overturn the deficit with three goals in 30 seconds to take the gold 9-8, sending the packed BIT Gymnasium into rapture.

Medalists

Tournament bracket

8TeamBracket-with third
RD1=Quarterfinals
(2008-09-12)
RD2=Semifinals
(2008-09-13)
RD3=Gold medal game
(2008-09-14)
Consol=Bronze medal game
RD1-team1=LTU
RD1-score1=10
RD1-team2=CAN
RD1-score2=0
RD1-team3=SWE
RD1-score3=4
RD1-team4=DEN
RD1-score4=2
RD1-team5=SLO
RD1-score5=2
RD1-team6=USA
RD1-score6=4
RD1-team7=CHN
RD1-score7=7
RD1-team8=FIN
RD1-score8=6
RD2-team1=LTU
RD2-score1=10
RD2-team2=SWE
RD2-score2=3
RD2-team3=USA
RD2-score3=0
RD2-team4=CHN
RD2-score4=4
RD3-team1=LTU
RD3-score1=8
RD3-team2=CHN
RD3-score2=9
RD3-team3=SWE
RD3-score3=5
RD3-team4=USA
RD3-score4=2

11/12 Classification

2008-09-12

Tournament bracket

4TeamBracket-Consolation
RD1=Semifinals
RD2=Bronze medal game
RD3=Gold medal game
RD1-seed1=
RD1-team1=USA
RD1-score1=4
RD1-seed2=
RD1-team2=DEN
RD1-score2=3
RD1-seed3=
RD1-team3=CHN
RD1-score3=1 (3)
RD1-seed4=
RD1-team4=SWE
RD1-score4=1 (2)

RD2-seed1=
RD2-team1=DEN
RD2-score1=3
RD2-seed2=
RD2-team2=SWE
RD2-score2=2

RD3-seed1=
RD3-team1=USA
RD3-score1=6
RD3-seed2=
RD3-team2=CHN
RD3-score2=5China-Sweden PSC

References

* cite web
title = Schedules and Results - Goalball
publisher = The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad
url = http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRMP/ENG/Schedule/GB.shtml
accessdate = 2008-09-13

External links

* [http://en.paralympic.beijing2008.cn Offical Site of the 2008 Summer Paralympics]
* [http://sports.pressakey.net/menu.php?ID=8 The Audio Sports Network produced live audio broadcasts of every game of the tournament, and you can listen to the free mp3 audio archive by clicking on this link ]