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Cuba regain baseball crown
Athens - Two-time champions Cuba outgunned giant-killers Australia 6-2 on Wedneday to regain the Olympic baseball title in the absence of their arch-rivals United States.
Cuba, who lost to the US team of minor leaguers in the 2000 Sydney final, erupted with 13 hits to seven for Australia, who had never won a medal since the sport became a full Olympic discipline in 1992.
Japan's first all-professional Olympic team outclassed Canada 11-2 in the bronze-medal play-off earlier, restoring some of their pride following a stunning 1-0 semi-final loss to the Aussies.
Canada, who had earned their first-ever Olympic ticket after the United States faded in the continental qualifiers, could not make the most of their stock of players based in the US minor leagues.
"We are very happy that we have the won the gold medal. It is very important because baseball is a national sport for us," Cuban power-hitting leftfielder Frederich Cepeda said.
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