Beijing ? Welcome to the rest of the Beijing Olympics – the Summer Games of 2008, A.P.

After Phelps.

The games continued Monday in search of a new headliner now that Michael Phelps has toweled off for the last time. The Bird’s Nest seemed the likeliest place for someone to emerge, and, indeed, the big news of the day came from the track.

However, it wasn’t good news. It was the sad sight of Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang limping to the starting blocks, trying to race through injuries and quickly finding out he couldn’t.

To understand how big a deal this is, you have to understand how big a deal he is.

Liu is China’s first-ever male gold medalist in track, having won the 110 meters in Athens. Folks have spent the last four years expecting him to do it again on home turf, and in this land of 1.3 billion people, he’s as much of a celebrity – not just sports star, full-fledged celebrity – as their main man, Yao Ming.

That’s why people inside the stadium cried. Why folks watching at subway stations gasped. Why his personal coach was too overcome with grief to speak at a news conference.

The Olympics, however, still went on Monday, without Liu or Phelps. At least there’s still Usain Bolt and his bid to become the first winner of the 100- and 200-meter races since Carl Lewis in 1984.

Bolt was second in his opening-round heat of the 200 in the morning, then easily won his quarterfinal heat at night.

The U.S. flag finally rose at the Bird’s Nest, and it came from an unexpected source when Stephanie Brown Trafton won the women’s discus. It went up again later when Angelo Taylor won the 400-meter hurdles, with Americans Kerron Clement and Bershawn Jackson taking silver and bronze.

Gymnastics

It’s a good thing Nastia Liukin already won the all-around, because the way she got silver in the uneven bars is enough to drive a gal nuts.

Liukin and China’s He Kexin got the same score, requiring a tiebreaker because dual medals are no longer awarded in gymnastics. The details are pretty crazy; all that matters is He won and Liukin didn’t. He, by the way, is among the girls who many believe is too young to be eligible for these games.

Baseball

The U.S. team beat China, 9-1, in a game that featured rough play, such as a home-plate collision that knocked out China’s top player, a retaliatory hit batsman and three ejections.

Diving

China’s He Chong is leading after prelims for the three-meter springboard, with two Americans chasing. Chris Colwill finished seventh, and Troy Dumais was 12th.

Women’s soccer

Get ready for a rematch. Just like 2004, the final will pit the United States and Brazil. The Americans advanced by beating Japan, 4-2. Brazil got there with a 4-1 victory over Germany.

Softball

It was a nine-run first inning against the hostesses on the way to a 9-0 victory over China, leaving the Americans two wins from another gold medal.

Beach volleyball

There won’t be an all-American men’s final.

Although top-ranked duo Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser rolled into the semifinals with a victory over a German team, Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal lost to the defending Olympic champions from Brazil.

Earlier today, Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor advanced to the women’s finals.

Cycling

The U.S. appears headed toward a second straight Olympics without any medals from the velodrome.

Boxing

Mauritius is a tiny island nation 560 miles off the eastern coast of Madagascar. That’s worth knowing because it has produced a bantamweight medalist, although Bruno Julie isn’t done fighting. Julie beat Venezuela’s Hector Manzanilla in the quarterfinals, securing no worse than bronze.

Weightlifting

Heavyweight Andrei Aramnau of Belarus broke three world records to win his country’s first Olympic gold in weightlifting.

Men’s volleyball

The U.S. squad wrapped up pool play a perfect 5-0, beating winless Japan in three sets.

Women’s triathlon

Australia took first and third, with Emma Snowsill pulling away early in the 10-kilometer run.

Sailing

After a decision to give Denmark the gold medal in the 49er skiff class – even though it used a boat borrowed from Croatia – the regatta continued with Australia taking the men’s and women’s double-handed 470 dinghies.

Men’s water polo

The U.S. beat Germany and won its preliminary group, earning an automatic berth in the semifinals.

Women’s field hockey

The U.S. women were eliminated after a scoreless draw with Britain.

Canoe-kayak

Rami Zur, the only American to compete in the men’s 1,000-meter kayak single, advanced to the semis.

Synchronized swimming

Russia’s tandem of Anastasia Davydova and Anastasia Ermakova led the duet technical routine.

Table tennis

China beat Germany, 3-0, to win the men’s team event.

Equestrian

The U.S. won team jumping.