DAILY REPORT : MODERN PENTATHLON : Zenovka Loses Hat and Lead; Poland Wins Two Gold Medals

World champion Edouard Zenovka of the Commonwealth of Independent States entered Wednesday’s riding competition with a comfortable lead, but when his horse took a tumble he lost his hat and the gold medal to Poland’s Arkadiusz Skrzypaszek. Zenovka was penalized when he did not retrieve his hat, and he had to settle for the bronze. But it could have been worse for Zenovka--officials could have disqualified him for the hat debacle, but they delayed in ringing the warning bell.

Poland also won the team gold medal, scoring 16,018 points to edge the CIS. Italy won the bronze.

For the U.S. team, it wasn’t a loose hat but a lazy horse that cost it a medal. The team was in position to win the bronze after the first two American riders, but three-time Olympian Rob Stull of Austin, Tex., said an uncooperative horse ruined the team’s chances.

“He was tired and lazy and didn’t want to be there,” said Stull, who finished 20th. “I had to fight him every step of the way.”

Still, the U.S. team had its highest finish in international competition since 1979, finishing fourth with 15,649 points.

The highest American finish was ninth by Mike Gostigian of Newtown Square, Pa.

“Now I can look back and say I did my best,” said Gostigian, who plans to retire.

Jimbo Haley of Lake City, Fla., had the best ride of the day but finished 25th in the overall competition.

BASKETBALL

Lithuania, CIS Again Will Meet for Right to Delay Playing U.S.

Lithuania and the CIS both remained undefeated in the men’s Olympic basketball tournament, setting up a showdown Friday when they will meet for the top spot in Pool B. Winning the group title has an added advantage--the winner will not have to play the top team from Pool A--almost assuredly the United States--until the final game.

“Our next game is the most important because Lithuania is the strongest team in the group and many of their players used to play for the Soviet Union,” CIS Coach Yuri Selihkov said. “Now we play against each other and it will be very important.”

Each team has four players from the gold medal-winning Soviet team of 1988. When the teams met at the European Olympic qualifying tournament after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Lithuania beat the CIS by 37 points.

Lithuania’s Arvidas Sabonis scored 31 points and had 13 rebounds in his team’s 104-91 victory over Puerto Rico. The CIS scored almost all of its points from inside in beating China, 100-84.

In other games, Australia defeated Venezuela, 78-71; Brazil defeated Angola, 76-66, and Croatia beat Spain, 88-79.

TEAM HANDBALL

Douichabaev Leads CIS Rally in 23-22 Victory Over France

Talant Douichabaev scored his team’s last three goals, the clincher with 31 seconds remaining, as the CIS scored a 23-22 victory over France. The CIS (2-0) includes several players from the Soviet Union’s 1988 Olympic gold-medal team.

France led, 21-18, with 11 1/2 minutes remaining. Mikhail Iakimovitch scored two goals in less than a minute to cut the lead to one and Douichabaev added two more to give the CIS the lead. France tied the match, 22-22, with two minutes to play before Douichabaev’s fast-break goal gave his team the victory.

In other games, Germany and Romania battled to a 20-20 tie, Sweden beat South Korea, 28-18, and Hungary defeated Brazil, 27-21.

SHOOTING

South Korean Wins Air Rifle; Americans Don’t Make Final

Lee Eun Chul of South Korea was the surprising gold medalist in the Olympic men’s free air rifle competition.

Lee, ranked eighth at the start of the final round, scored 105.5 points in his last 10 shots and finished with 702.5. Harald Stenvaag of Norway took the silver at 701.4.

“They’re the best results I’ve ever had in my life,” Lee said. “I didn’t think I was going to win. It really was a great surprise for me.”

Stevan Pletikosic of Yugoslavia won the bronze at 701.1.

William Meek of Riverside finished ninth with 596 out of 600 points after falling a point short of advancing to the final round.

“I am devastated to have shot a 596,” Meek said. “Given the conditions, it was poor. It was perfect out there. The wind wasn’t doing anything. I just had some ‘Where’d that come from?’ shots.”

Mike Anti of Winterville, N.C., a member of the Army marksmanship unit, scored 594 and finished in a tie for 18th.

“I had 40 minutes to basically show the shooting world what I had,” Anti said. “I’ve been shooting for 17 years, and it all came down to 40 minutes. It’s a little terrifying, really.”

MEDALISTS

MODERN PENTATHLON (Individual)

GOLD: Arkadiusz Skrzypaszek (Poland)

SILVER: Attila Mizser (Hungary)

BRONZE: Edouard Zenovka (CIS)

(Team)

GOLD: Poland

SILVER: Commonwealth of Independent States

BRONZE: Italy

SHOOTING (Men’s free rifle)

GOLD: Lee Eun Chul (South Korea)

SILVER: Harald Stenvaag (Norway)

BRONZE: Stevan Pletikosic (Yugoslavia)