Second Half for Decathlon

Here, in capsule form, are the events that will be highlighted today in Athens:

Track and Field

The label of “world’s best athlete” will be bestowed as the decathlon ends. World-record holder Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic is second after five events, behind Dmitriy Karpov of Kazakhstan. Bryan Clay of Azusa is third and Tom Pappas of Knoxville, Tenn., is fifth.

Also ending is the women’s pole vault, which will crown a new champion after the first-round elimination of Sydney winner Stacy Dragila.

Paul Kipsiele Koech of Kenya is the overwhelming favorite in the 3,000-meter steeplechase because he’s the only competitor whose personal best is under 8 minutes, at 7:57.42. The lone U.S. entrant, Daniel Lincoln of Fayetteville, Ark., set a personal best of 8:15.02 this season.

-- Helene Elliott

Men’s Soccer

No South American nation has won a gold medal in Olympic soccer since Uruguay at the Amsterdam Games in 1928, but if they win tonight’s semifinals in Athens and Thessaloniki, Argentina (which faces Italy) and Paraguay (which plays Iraq) could make it an all-South American final.

-- Grahame L. Jones

Beach Volleyball

The United States is assured of winning its first medal in women’s beach volleyball, and it might well win two tonight.

Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs will play the 2000 Olympic champion Natalie Cook of Australia and her new teammate, Nicole Sanderson, in the bronze-medal match.

In the final, the top-seeded American team of Kerri Walsh and Misty May will face the Brazilian team of Shelda Bede and Adriana Beha.

-- Dave Morgan

Water Polo

The U.S. women are in the medal round again, having clinched first place in Group B. They will play Italy in tonight’s semifinals, a repeat of the World Championships final in Barcelona, Spain, which the Americans won last summer.

-- Lisa Dillman