ASUNCION (Reuters) – Chilean swimmer Kristel Kobrich is concentrating on just one race at the Olympic Games in London, to avoid a repeat of the psychological burnout that shattered her medal dreams in Beijing four years ago.

Kobrich, a veteran of two previous Games and one of Chile’s medal hopes in London, will take part in the 800 meters freestyle and give the 10km open water race a miss.

The 26-year-old was 20th in the 800 meters heats in Beijing, a psychological blow that badly affected her performance in open water five days later when she failed to stay the course.

“The psychological aspect is fundamental. In fact, at the time of competing it’s all down to psychology because you’ve done all the physical work,” her Argentine coach Daniel Garimaldi told Reuters.

“You have to prepare your body so it can respond to the demands of the mind,” he said in a joint interview on a visit to Kobrich’s home city of Santiago.

“We need her to be 100 percent physically so that she can respond to all the mental demands she makes of her body.”

Kobrich is in the final stages of preparation with a daily routine of six hours in the pool and three sessions a week with weights in the gym.

ASUNCION, May 9 (Reuters) – Chilean swimmer Kristel Kobrich is concentrating on just one race at the Olympic Games in London, to avoid a repeat of the psychological burnout that shattered her medal dreams in Beijing four years ago.

Kobrich, a veteran of two previous Games and one of Chile’s medal hopes in London, will take part in the 800 metres freestyle and give the 10km open water race a miss.

The 26-year-old was 20th in the 800 metres heats in Beijing, a psychological blow that badly affected her performance in open water five days later when she failed to stay the course.

“The psychological aspect is fundamental. In fact, at the time of competing it’s all down to psychology because you’ve done all the physical work,” her Argentine coach Daniel Garimaldi told Reuters.

“You have to prepare your body so it can respond to the demands of the mind,” he said in a joint interview on a visit to Kobrich’s home city of Santiago.

“We need her to be 100 percent physically so that she can respond to all the mental demands she makes of her body.”

Kobrich is in the final stages of preparation with a daily routine of six hours in the pool and three sessions a week with weights in the gym.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Uruguay’s captain and inspirational defender Diego Lugano may not be able to shake off a knee injury in time for the South Americans’ World Cup semi-final against Netherlands, he said on Sunday.

“It’s complicated because the time between one match and another is very short,” said Lugano, who limped off after damaging a right knee ligament during Uruguay’s quarter-final win over Ghana.

Lugano’s absence would be another blow to “La Celeste,” who will also miss striker Luis Suarez in Tuesday’s match in Cape Town. He is serving a one-match ban for handling the ball on the line against Ghana in the last moments of extra time.

Defender Jorge Fucile also misses the semi-final after picking up a second yellow card, and midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro is out after fracturing a bone in his fight foot.

Speaking at a chaotic session with several hundred journalists, Lugano said he had not given up hope and had been able to do some light practice on Sunday.

“I was lucky enough to train and run in a straight line without pain, which is good news because it’s only 48 hours since I was injured,” he said.

“Now we’ll have to wait until the last minute. The pain is not what matters, the point is to be 100 percent ready for a match of this level and be honest with my teammates and country. Tomorrow I will evaluate if I’m okay or not.”

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Mexican striker Guillermo Franco is itching to run on the pitch for the opening match of the World Cup on Friday against hosts South Africa.

“It’s a blessing from God, not everyone has the opportunity to kick off the World Cup and we’re aware that millions of people will be watching,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

Among those watching the Group A game pitchside at 1400GMT in Soccer City could be 91-year-old Nelson Mandela though the former South African president has made very few public appearances in recent months.

South African president Jacob Zuma and Mexican counterpart Felipe Calderon are expected to attend.

“People who have made history such as Mandela will be there, people who have brought so much to society and to humanity,” the Argentine-born naturalised Mexican said.

Franco added he was impressed by the effort made to hype up the June 11-July 11 tournament, where Mexico will also face France and Uruguay in the group stages.

“The whole world and all of Mexico is throwing itself into this event and for us this is so important. We know what a big deal it is to represent our country,” he added.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Reuben, like many Nigerians who live in South Africa, felt the impact on Sunday of being unable to afford a World Cup ticket when he was hurt trying to get into a game to watch his national team for free.

Thousands of Nigerians turned up at the Makhulong stadium outside Johannesburg looking to enjoy Nigeria’s friendly against North Korea, a warm-up for the tournament which starts on Friday.

But the 54-year-old, accompanied by his wife and daughter, was unable to see a single minute of Nigeria’s 3-1 win. Before reaching the stands he was trampled by the crowd trying to get in when they heard the match was free.

Although FIFA says no other World Cup has had ticket availability like the 2010 finals in South Africa, the incident highlights the fact that the cost of tickets is an obstacle for the people of Africa, the planet’s poorest continent.

“I was trying to get in and people started to crush me,” Reuben, who had a leg wound, told Reuters. “There were a lot of people trying to get in and that’s when it all got nasty.”

Sunday’s game was the only chance for many Nigerians fans to see their team since the so-called “accessible tickets” for the Group B matches against Argentina, South Korea and Greece have sold out.

“It was now or never. I can’t pay hundreds of dollars to see the national team. I travelled many kilometres to get here, it’s the most I can do,” said Chadi, a 35-year-old Nigerian who managed to get in before the trouble started.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – At least nine people, including one policeman, were taken to hospital after a stampede broke out during a pre-World Cup friendly match at the Makhulong Stadium between Nigeria and North Korea on Sunday, police said.

The match was briefly stopped early in the second half because of the injuries and safety of the fans in the overcrowded main stand where the fencing had been removed.

“Police have asked me to stop the match because of rioting and injuries,” South Africa soccer official Steve Goddard told Reuters. The match resumed some five minutes later.

The police officer sustained serious injuries when mostly Nigerian fans pushed the gate on to him in their effort to enter the 10,000-seater stadium to watch the match between the two World Cup participants.

“He was crushed by the gates as people stormed them, trying to get in,” a police official at the scene told Reuters.

Among those injured was at least one child, according to a Reuters witness.

Hundreds of fans, holding what police said were photocopies of tickets, tried to break down the gates after the match had started and police had closed them.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – FIFA president Sepp Blatter called Nelson Mandela “the most charismatic humanist alive” when Soccer City, venue for the World Cup’s opening match, was officially handed over to soccer’s ruling body on Wednesday.

Blatter, speaking to reporters, also described the 90,000 capacity stadium as a magnificent flagship for Africa.

The Swiss though reserved his most effusive praise for the 91-year-old Mandela, the former South Africa president and the man who guided the country out of the dark years of apartheid into multi-racial democracy in 1994.

“The right legacy for this event will be ‘let’s celebrate Africa’s humanity’,” Blatter said.

“Let’s celebrate the most charismatic humanist alive — Nelson Mandela. We do hope Nelson Mandela will be here at the beginning of the World Cup in this stadium. This will be the highlight.”

The stadium, which will host eight matches including the final on July 11, was handed over to FIFA for the duration of the tournament by Gauteng province Premier Nomvula Mokonyane and the executive mayor of Johannesburg Amos Masondo.

OPENING CEREMONY

SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Marcelo Bielsa has performed something close to a miracle by guiding Chile to the World Cup finals and Chilean fans have responded by holding candle-lit vigils in his honor.

Bielsa was just about the most despised man in Buenos Aires in 2002 when his Argentina side were dumped out of the World Cup in the first round. He quit two years later and disappeared from view, reportedly retiring to his farm to read books and watch his vast collection of soccer videos.

The 54-year-old, one of football’s great eccentrics, re-emerged in 2007 to take the reins of a Chile team badly in need of renewal.

Chile had not qualified for a World Cup since 1998 and had performed poorly at the Copa America where they were hammered 6-1 by Brazil in their final match.

Bielsa has turned this young, unruly bunch of players into one of the most refreshing sides on the continent.

Chile finished second in the South American qualifying campaign, a point behind Brazil and — to the delight of an entire nation — five points ahead of Argentina.

All of which has turned Bielsa, known as “El Loco” (The Madman), into an unlikely Chilean hero. As well as the vigils, politicians have urged the government to grant him citizenship.

SANTIAGO, May 21 (Reuters) – Marcelo Bielsa has performed something close to a miracle by guiding Chile to the World Cup finals and Chilean fans have responded by holding candle-lit vigils in his honour.

Bielsa was just about the most despised man in Buenos Aires in 2002 when his Argentina side were dumped out of the World Cup in the first round. He quit two years later and disappeared from view, reportedly retiring to his farm to read books and watch his vast collection of soccer videos.

The 54-year-old, one of football’s great eccentrics, re-emerged in 2007 to take the reins of a Chile team badly in need of renewal.

Chile had not qualified for a World Cup since 1998 and had performed poorly at the Copa America where they were hammered 6-1 by Brazil in their final match.

Bielsa has turned this young, unruly bunch of players into one of the most refreshing sides on the continent.

Chile finished second in the South American qualifying campaign, a point behind Brazil and — to the delight of an entire nation — five points ahead of Argentina.

All of which has turned Bielsa, known as “El Loco” (The Madman), into an unlikely Chilean hero. As well as the vigils, politicians have urged the government to grant him citizenship.