MANKINI FOR MARK

Australian Olympic shooting gold medallist Russell Mark, below left, is set to parade in a lime-green ‘‘mankini’’, made famous by the movie character Borat, at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics as the penalty for losing a bet. Mark, who won double trap gold at the 1996 Atlanta Games and silver in Sydney, pledged to wear the skimpy swimsuit worn by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen in the 2006 film if Melbourne-based Carlton lost to St Kilda in the AFL. Carlton suffered a shock fourgoal defeat in the match last week and Mark owned up to making the bet on local radio. ‘‘Oh, I must’ve been intoxicated. Carlton promise so much and just deliver so little. It kills me,’’ the burly 48-year-old said.

WW2-STYLE BLACKOUT

If the sun shines on the London Olympics athletes will not have to worry about being woken up early by its rays, thanks to blackout curtains in every apartment in the Games village. The London 2012 Athletes’ Committee, headed by triple jump world recordholder Jonathan Edwards gave its seal of approval to the village last week as rain beat down in the capital. ‘‘I believe the Olympic Village we have seen today ranks among the best at any previous Games,’’ Edwards, who won gold in Sydney in 2000 and silver in Atlanta in 1996, said.

HIGH HOPES

World champions Japan have called up a towering goalkeeper to help them in their bid to win the women’s football title at this year’s London Olympics. Erina Yamane, who at 187cm (6 feet, two inches) looks down on Japan’s senior men’s goalkeeper, Eiji Kawashima, has made the cut for London, local media reported last week. ‘‘I thought it was a joke,’’ Yamane, a product of the Japan Football Association’s ‘‘Supergirl Project’’ designed to unearth a future goalkeeper, said.