African quartet eyes medals

Egypt, Gabon, Morocco and Senegal can draw strength from African football achievements at recent Olympics when they set off this month in search of medals.
Nigeria won gold and silver, Cameroon gold and Ghana bronze since the football tournament was revamped ahead of the 1992 Barcelona Games with three over-age players allowed in under-23 squads.
The make-up of the African quartet is a surprise with no Nigeria, Cameroon or Ghana, who were eliminated during a lengthy elimination process that included three knockout rounds and an inaugural eight-nation CAF championship.
Gabon emerged shock winners of the first African under-23 tournament and runners-up Morocco and third-place Egypt also gained automatic entry to the Olympics.
Senegal came fourth and had to overcome Oman 2-0 in a Coventry play-off to seal their place with substitute Abdoulaye Sane scoring a late second goal after Ibrahima Balde had given the West Africans the lead after just 90 seconds.
With foreign-based footballers who were unavailable for qualifiers now eligible as only over-age stars need permission from clubs to compete, some of the African squads have been overhauled.
France-based Sane only made the list of four stand-by players and did not win promotion when Danish club FC Copenhagen refused to release over-age striker Dame Ndoye.
Senegal appear long shots to reach the quarter-finals having been drawn in Group A with Ryan Giggs-captained hosts Great Britain, a Uruguay squad including star strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani and the United Arab Emirates.
After hopes of including Newcastle United goal poachers Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba were dashed, coach Karim Diouf opted for new West Ham United midfield signing Mohamed Diame as one of his over-age trio.
Egypt are back at the Olympics after a 20-year absence and tackle tournament co-favourites Brazil, Belarus and New Zealand in Group C with a squad led by 33-year-old national team midfield star Mohamed Aboutrika.