Story highlights
- Team GB win their first gold medals on day five of the Olympics
- Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins becomes the most decorated British Olympian
- Rowers Heather Stanning and Helen Glover triumph in the women's pair
- Gold medal success pushed Great Britain up to 10th in the medal table
Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins doubled Britain's gold medal tally, just hours after the host nation won its first event at the London Olympics on Wednesday.
With his seventh Olympic medal, four of them gold, Wiggins is now the most decorated British Olympian, while the morning's medal ensured Heather Stanning and Helen Glover became the first British female rowers to win an Olympic title.
Wiggins had been the favorite for gold after winning both time trial stages en route to becoming Britain's first Tour de France Champion last month this year, and his dominance was clear to see as he finished eight seconds ahead of the Germany's 2011 world champion Tony Martin.
Wiggins' teammate Chris Froome claimed the bronze, as former Olympic champion Fabian Cancellara ended a disappointing seventh. The Swiss rider injured his shoulder in Saturday's road race and was clearly in pain when he crossed finish line. American Taylor Phinney finished fourth, nine seconds off a podium place.
Earlier, 27-year-old Stanning and Glover, 26, established an imperious lead from the start in the coxless pair's. -- stretching it to as much as two lengths at one point -- as they opened Britain's gold medal account.
Ye Shiwen strikes gold again 02:38
Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Yana Dementieva, foreground, Anastasiia Kozhenkova, Nataliya Dovgodko, and Kateryna Tarasenko of Ukraine celebrate their win after the women's rowing quadruple sculls final in Windsor, England, on Wednesday, August 1. Check out Day 4 of competition from Tuesday. The Games ran through August 12.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – New Zealand's Linda Melanie Villumsen in action during the women's individual time trial road cycling in London.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – France's Tony Yoka departs the ring after his narrow loss to Canada's Simon Kean in their round of 16 super-heavyweight boxing match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Diana Taurasi of the United States defends the inbound pass in the women's basketball preliminary round against Turkey.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – United States supporters attend the women's preliminary round group A basketball match between the United States and Turkey.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Ibrahima Balde of Senegal heads the ball during the men's football first round group D match against United Arab Emirates in Coventry, England.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Brazil's Fabiana Claudino, left, spikes as South Korea's Yang Hyo-Jin, right, attempts to block during the women's preliminary group B volleyball match.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Germany's Moritz Fuerste, left, challenges South Korea's Jong Bok Cha, right, for the ball during the men's preliminary hockey match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Australia's James Magnussen dives in the water at the start of the men's 100-meter freestyle.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Germany's Benjamin Wess attempts to maintain control of the ball during the men's hockey match against South Korea.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Pakistan fans show their support during the men's preliminary hockey match between Argentina and Pakistan in London.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Germany's goalkeeper Max Weinhold clears the ball during the men's preliminary hockey match against South Korea.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – American Kerri Walsh reacts after a point during women's beach volleyball.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh of the United States celebrate their win against Austria's Doris Schwaiger and Stefanie Schwaiger in the women's beach volleyball preliminary phase group C match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – China's Zhang Fenglin competes in the men's 200-meter backstroke semi-finals.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Players from the Czech Republic go into a huddle before starting the second half against Croatia during the women's basketball preliminary round match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Left to right: Shannon Vreeland, Dana Vollmer and Missy Franklin of the United States encourage teammate Allison Schmitt (not pictured) as they compete in the final of the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Great Britain's goalkeeper Jack Butland celebrates winning the men's football match against Uruguay in Cardiff, Wales.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Russia's left back Victoria Zhilinskayte, left, vies with Croatia's pivot Vesna Milanovic-Litre during the women's preliminaries group B handball match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Aaron Ramsey of Great Britain reacts during the men's football first round group A match against Uruguay in Cardiff.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Center for the United States Tina Charles, left, vies with Turkey's Kuanitra Hollingsvorth during the women's preliminary round basketball match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Tyler Clary of the United States pushes off of the block at the start of the second semifinal heat of the men's 200-meter backstroke.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – A general view of the pool during the night session of swimming at the Aquatics Centre in London.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – United States men's basketball player LeBron James watches the women's basketball preliminary round match between the United States and Turkey.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Kristyna Kolocova, right, and Marketa Slukova of the Czech Republic celebrate after winning their match against Australia during women's beach volleyball.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Spain's rightback Marta Mangue Gonzalez jumps to shoot during the women's preliminaries Group A handball match against Denmark.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Bradley Wiggins of Britain competes in men's individual time trial road cycling.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – South Korea's Jiyeon Kim celebrates her victory over Sofya Velikaya of Russia in the individual saber finals of women's fencing.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – U.S. middle blocker Christa Harmotto, right, spikes during the women's preliminary volleyball match against China.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – U.S. gymnast Danell Leyva performs on the rings during the nen's individual all-around gymnastics competition.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Croatia centerback Miranda Tatari, center, vies with Russian players during the preliminaries in women's handball.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Left to right: Haojie Lu of China (silver), Xiaojun Lu of China (gold) and Ivan Cambar Rodriguez of Cuba (bronze) stand on the podium during the medal ceremony for men's 77-kilogram weightlifting event.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Danell Leyva of the United States competes on the parallel bars in the men's individual all-around gymastics final.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Germany's Marcel Nguyen reaches for the high bar during his silver medal performance in men's individual all-around gymnastics.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Spain's leftback Beatriz Fernandez Ibanez reacts after a goal during the women's preliminary Group A handball match against Denmark.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Pakistan's Fareed Ahmed, left, plays a shot against Argentina's Matias Damian Vila during a men's field hockey preliminary.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – North Korea's Rim Jong Sim falls while competing in women's 69-kilogram weightlifting.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – American swimmers Michael Phelps, left, and Ryan Lochte compete in the first semifinal heat of the men's 200-meter individual medley.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Craig Bellamy of Britain battles with Ramon Arias of Uruguay during the a men's Group A football match in Cardiff, Wales.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Left to right: Brenda Villa of the United States is challenged by Spain's Anni Espar Llaquet and Roser Tarrago Aymerich in a women's Group A water polo preliminary.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – China's Wei Quiyue, left, makes a set shot during a Pool B women's volleyball preliminary match against the United States.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Venezuelan fencer Ruben Limardo celebrates winning the gold for men's epee.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Left to right: Shannon Vreeland, Dana Vollmer and Missy Franklin celebrate after the U.S. team won gold in the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Venezuelan fencer Ruben Limardo celebrates his victory over Norway's Bartosz Piasecki at the end of their gold medal match in men's epee.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Jinsun Jung of South Korea celebrates his victory in the men's epee individual fencing bronze medal match against Seth Kelsey of the United States.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Peter Burling and Blair Tuke of New Zealand take part in the men's 49er sailing competition.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Jinsun Jung collapses after winning the men's epee individual fencing bronze medal match against Seth Kelsey of the United States.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Japan's Kohei Uchimura performs on the horizontal bar during the men's individual all-around competition.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – A supporter of Egypt waves a flag from the stands during the men's soccer match with Belarus.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Lidiia Sichenikova of Ukraine competes in the women's individual archery 1/32 eliminations match against Ekaterina Timofeyeva of Belarus.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
day five 28 cm – Kristian Thomas of Great Britain performs his floor exercise in the men's individual all-around gymnastics final.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Russia's David Belyavskiy performs on the rings during the men's individual all-around competition of the gymnastics event.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – The London Eye peers down on the men's beach volleyball preliminary match between Great Britain and Norway.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Gael Prevost of France competes in the men's individual archery 1/16 eliminations match against countryman Thomas Faucheron.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – The crowds cheer for German silver medalist Tony Martin as he exits the gate of Hampton Palace to start the men's individual time trial road cycling event.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Kate Macgregor, left, Annie Lush and Lucy Macgregor of Great Britain compete in the Women's Elliott 6-meter WMR sailing event.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Gotoku Sakai of Japan is tackled by Wilmer Crisanto of Honduras during their first-round soccer match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Russia's Ilya Zakharov and Evgeny Kuznetsov compete in the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard diving event.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Norway's Bartosz Piasecki celebrates with his coach after beating South Korea's Jung Jinsun in the men's epee semifinal fencing bout.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Britain's Andy Murray celebrates after defeating Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus in their third-round men's singles tennis match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Claudio Capelli of Switzerland competes on the horizontal bar in the men's individual all-around gymnastics final.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Aleksandrs Samoilovs of Latvia dives for the ball during a men's beach volleyball preliminary match against the United States.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Captain Barry Middleton, in red, celebrates an equalizing goal in front of Lloyd Norris Jones of South Africa during their men's preliminary hockey match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Kohei Uchimura of Japan competes on the parallel bars in the men's individual all-around gymnastics final.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain cycles past a pub in Esher during a road cycling event.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – The Netherlands team competes in the men's eight final in Windsor, England.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Daniele Molmenti of Italy celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's kayak single final.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Yamil Peralta Jara of Argentina, right, defends against Chouaib Bouloudinats of Algeria during their heavyweight boxing match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Nathan Outteridge, right, and Iain Jensen of Australia compete in the men's 49er sailing event in Weymouth, England.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Danilo Luiz Da Silva of Brazil reacts after scoring against New Zealand during the first-round men's soccer match.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Ying Chen of China competes in the women's 25-meter pistol shooting final.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Amira Ben Chaabane of Tunisia celebrates a point against Xiaodong Chen of China in the women's saber individual round 32 match.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Brazilian center Clarissa Santos falls during the women's preliminary basketball match against Australia.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – China's Qin Kai and Luo Yutong compete in the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard diving event.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – The U.S. team stands wrapped in the American flag on the podium after winning the bronze medal in the women's quadruple sculls final of the rowing event.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – U.S. archer Brady Ellison competes against Mark Javier of the Philippines in the men's individual elimination match.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – U.S. archer Brady Ellison has a tattoo of the Olympics rings on the arm.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – China's Ding Ning, right, serves during her table tennis women's gold medal singles match against compatriot Li Xiaoxia.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Russia's Sofya Velikaya celebrates her victory over U.S. fencer Dagmara Wozniak during their women's saber quarterfinal bout.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Joachim Fischer and Christinna Pedersen of Denmark celebrate beating Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungthongkam of Thailand in their mixed doubles badminton match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Brazil's Erika Souza, center, vies with Australia's Lauren Jackson, right, and Elizabeth Cambage during a women's preliminary basketball match.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Italy's Federico Esposito leads the fleet in the RS:X sailing class in Weymouth.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after defeating Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in the third round men's singles tennis match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Taylor Worth of Australia competes in an elimination archery match against Brady Ellison of the United States.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Egypt's Hossam Hassan, right, competes with Belarus' Stanislav Dragun during the men's soccer match in Glasgow, Scotland.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Britain's Bradley Wiggins celebrates after winning the men's individual time trial road cycling event.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Jong Sim Rim of North Korea competes in the women's 69-kilogram weightlifting event.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – South Korea's Choi Hyeonju competes against Italy's Jessica Tomasi in a women's elimination match.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Germany's rowing team throws their cox, Martin Sauer, into the water after winning gold in the men's eight final.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Rowers Helen Glover, left, and Heather Stanning of Great Britain celebrate with their gold medals during the medal ceremony.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – British fans wave Union Jacks as they enjoy the atmosphere at Eton Dorney.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
day five 04 cm – Elizabeth Armitstead of Great Britain waves to the crowds after the women's individual time trial road cycling race.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Benjamin Boukpeti of Togo competes in the men's kayak semifinal.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Angola's Natalia Bernardo, center in red, vies with Montenegrin players during a women's preliminary handball match.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Great Britain's rowing team competes in the men's eight final.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – South Korea's Jung Jinsun celebrates his victory over Germany's Jorg Fiedler at the end of their men's epee fencing bout.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Roberto Meloni of Italy, in white, competes with Parviz Sobirov of Tajikistan during a men's under 90 kilogram Judo event.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Egypt's Mohamed Salah, left, vies with Belarus' Renan Bardini Bressan during a men's soccer match.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – U.S. fencer Mariel Zagunis gets ready to fence against Japan's Nakayama Seira for their women's saber bout.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Serena Williams of the United States serves to Vera Zvonareva of Russia during the third round of women's singles tennis.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Emma Pooley of Great Britain is in action during the time trial for women's individual road cycling.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Swimmers dive in for heat 5 of the men's 200-meter individual medley.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Great Britain's Helen Glover and Heather Stanning celebrate after winning gold in the women's pair final rowing event.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Team Japan bows to the fans after beating the Dominican Republic in women's volleyball Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Michael Phelps of the United States, top, competes Wednesday in the men's 200-meter individual medley.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Felix Ekpo of Nigeria competes in the men's 77-kilogram weightlifting event Wednesday.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Korea's Hwang Ye-Sul celebrates after defeating Slovenia's Rasa Sraka in women's 70-kilogram judo on Wednesday.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Team Russia competes in the men's quadruple sculls semifinal rowing event Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Michael Phelps competes in the men's 200-meter individual medley on Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Zhang Jike of China serves during the men's singles table tennis quarter-final match against Tianyi Jiang of Hong Kong on Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Carolina Morais of Angola throws over Milena Knezevic of Montenegro in a women's preliminary handball match Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Jamaica's Alia Atkinson swims in a women's 200-meter breaststroke heat Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Korean players huddle after tying with Norway in a women's preliminary handball match Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Alexandre de Saedeleer of Belgium hits past Billy Bakker of the Netherlands during their field hockey match at Riverbank Arena in London on Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Montenegro's center back Ana Radovic, left, vies with Angola's Natalia Bernardo during the women's preliminary handball match Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Angolan forward Felizarda Jorge looks to pass Wednesday during the preliminary round basketball game against China.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Paris A. Inostroza Budinich of Chile competes against Max Heinzer of Switzerland in the men's individual epee fencing round of 32 on Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Norway's Heidi Loke jumps as she shoots during the women's preliminaries handball match against South Korea on Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – China's Lin Dan plays against Indonesia's Hidayat Taufik in the men's singles badminton match Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – China's Tang Yi prepares for the women's 100-meter freestyle swimming event Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Vasiliki Arvaniti of Greece hits the ball over the net during the women's beach volleyball match between China and Greece on Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Great Britain fans watch and cheer during the men's single sculls semifinals Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Maria Laura Abalo, left, and Gabriela Best of Argentina look on after finishing the women's pair B rowing finals Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Sebastian Stoss of Austria competes in heat 1 of the men's 200-meter backstroke Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Isabelle Yacoubou of France, center, fights Tamara Tatham of Canada for the ball during a women's preliminary basketball match Wednesday.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – France's Yannick Borel, right, celebrates his victory over Ukraine's Dmitriy Karuchenko at the end of their men's epee fencing bout Wednesday.
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Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Saori Kimura of Japan spikes the volleyball Wednesday as Prisilla Altagracia Rivera Brens, left, and Candida Estefany Arias Perez of the Dominican Republic try to block.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Mareme Faye of Senegal competes in the women's 100-meter freestyle heat Wednesday.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Mathias Raymond of Monaco reacts during the men's single sculls competition on Wednesday.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Dancers run from the court Wednesday during the women's beach volleyball preliminary match between China and Greece.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Elkhan Mammadov, right, of Azerbaijan faces off with Christophe Lambert of Germany on Wednesday during the men's 90-kilogram Judo match.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Egypt's Hesham Mesbah, left, competes with Kazakhstan's Timur Bolat during their men's 90-kilogram Judo contest Wednesday.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Captain Edward Ockenden of Australia dives for the ball during the men's preliminary field hockey match against Spain on Wednesday.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Korea's Hwang Ye-Sul, in white, competes with Italy's Erica Barbieri, in blue, during the women's 70-kilogram Judo contest match Wednesday.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Henrik Stephansen of Denmark rows in the men's single sculls semi-final meet on Wednesday.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Hyobi Jo of Korea takes a shot at goal against Norway in the women's preliminaries group B handball match Wednesday. Check out photos of day six of the competition from Thursday, August 2.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Missy Franklin of the United States prepares for a women's 100-meter freestyle heat Wednesday.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace of the Bahamas waves to the crowd after the women's 100-meter freestyle heats Wednesday.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – A woman sits in empty stands Wednesday during a women's preliminary volleyball match between the Dominican Republic and Japan.
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Photos: Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics
Day 5: The best photos of the Olympics – Chen Yu-Cheng of Chinese Taipai competes Wednesday in the men's individual archery 1/16 eliminations match against Viktor Ruban of Ukraine. Check out photos from Day 6 of the competition.
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Australia's Kate Hornsey and Sarah Tait claimed silver, with Juliette Haigh and Rebecca Scown of New Zealand a mere 0.33 seconds behind in third.
Tens of thousands of British fans -- eager for a first victory for the Olympic hosts -- had lined the banks of Eton Dorney to witness the Britons finish in 7:27.13, three seconds ahead of Australia.
Moments later Britain were on the podium again, as the men's eights put in a battling performance in the to claim bronze, behind a resurgent Canada in second and a dominant German team in first.
Britain's cycling and rowing medal successes helped GB move up in the medal table from 21st to 10th, with hopes high that there could be more medals for the hosts at the Aquatics Center in Wednesday's evening session.
