JUDGEMENTS

Winners and losers of the last seven days

WINNERS

Renata Mauer

The Polish air-rifle shooter who had her moment in the sun as the first gold medallist of the centennial Olympics.

Shaquille O'Neal

The American basketball player who has just signed an pounds 80m deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, and is a virtual certainty for an Olympic gold medal with the Dream Team in Atlanta.

Simon Brown

Called up for the England cricket team at the age of 27, the left-arm swing bowler's achievement in being the country's leading wicket-taker is all the more remarkable as his county side, Durham, are struggling so badly.

LOSERS

Wang Yifu

A Chinese competitor who had the men's Olympic air pistol gold medal at his mercy when he stepped up to take his last shot, but was so overcome by nerves that he almost missed the target completely with the worst shot of the entire competition and so finished only second.

David Khakhaleichvili

The Barcelona men's Olympic heavyweight judo champion from Georgia who was prevented from defending his title in Atlanta because he turned up at the wrong place for the weigh-in, raced across town to the right venue, arrived just too late and was promptly disqualified.