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olympic
 Posted:
Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:36 pm |
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Sports Headlines from the Summer Olympics
SWIMMING
Michael Phelps easily won his sixth gold medal of the Beijing Olympics by beating Hungary's Laszlo Cseh and U.S. teammate Ryan Lochte in the 200-meter individual medley on Friday morning. Then, he got back in the pool and qualified for a chance at No. 7. Phelps pulled within two wins of breaking Mark Spitz's 36-year-old record for gold medals in one Olympics -- a feat he will try to accomplish this weekend -- with another world record swim. Already the winningest Olympian ever, Phelps secured his record 12th career gold medal by lowering his world record mark in the 200 IM by .57 seconds, touching with a time of 1 minute, 54.23 seconds. Phelps, who went on to qualify for the 100-meter butterfly final about a half-hour later, now has six world records in his six gold medal swims at the National Aquatics Center.
Phelps has now equaled his gold take from the 2004 Athens Olympics, when he finished two away from breaking Spitz's record from the 1972 Munich Games. Those six wins included the 200 IM. Now the "Baltimore Bullet" has just one individual race remaining in Beijing: the 100 fly on Saturday against world record holder and teammate Ian Crocker, who specializes in the event. Phelps -- who will also be a part of the favored U.S. team in the 400-meter medley relay on Sunday -- beat Crocker for the 100 fly gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics and also beat him at the U.S. Olympic trials.
Phelps' U.S. teammates had a big day, too. Lochte beat fellow American Aaron Peirsol to win the 200-meter backstroke event just 15 minutes before swimming against Phelps, while Rebecca Soni picked up a third American gold in four Friday finals by winning the women's 200-meter breaststroke. Natalie Coughlin also took bronze in the 100-meter freestyle, bringing the medal haul for U.S. swimmers to six for the day and 26 for these Olympics. Germany's Britta Steffen beat world record holder Lisbeth Trickett to win the women's 100 free, while Coughlin claimed her fifth medal of the Beijing Olympics.
GYMNASTICS
Nastia Liukin has won the gold medal in the women's all-around gymnastics competition at the Olympics, while U.S. teammate Shawn Johnson rose above China's Yang Yilin to capture the silver. Liukin, who comes from a family of medal-winning gymnasts, finished with a score of 63.325 to win the gold. Johnson, who won the 2007 World Championships, ended at 62.725. Yang took the bronze with a total of 62.65. The 1-2 finish comes on the heels of the USA winning silver in the team competition on Wednesday, coming behind China. It also came between two close friends on the gymnastics circuit. Johnson beat Liukin in the U.S. championships and Olympic trials earlier this year.
BASKETBALL
The U.S. women's basketball team will face Spain in the fifth contest on Friday's six-game schedule. USA owns a perfect 3-0 record in 2008 Olympic play. On Wednesday, Lisa Leslie scored 16 points to pace another dominating performance for the U.S. women's basketball team in a 97-41 win over Mali. Leslie made all seven of her shots, setting the U.S. Olympic record for highest field goal percentage in a game. With the victory, the U.S. ran its winning streak to 28 at the Summer Games.
SHOOTING
American Matt Emmons barely missed out on his second straight gold medal in the men's 50m prone rifle competition at the Beijing Shooting Range Hall Friday morning. Emmons entered the 10-shot final round trailing Artur Ayvazian of the Ukraine by two points. Emmons was able to cut the gap in half, but Ayvazian consistently scored between 10.0 and 10.8 to hold off the American's challenge. Ayvazian won the gold by scoring 702.7 to Emmons' 701.7. The bronze medal was won by Warren Potent of Australia, whose 105.5 was the high score of the final round, giving him a 700.5 that boosted him over Norway's Vebjoern Berg. The 27-year-old Emmons is the husband of Czech shooter Katerina Emmons, who has won two medals at these Games, a gold in the 10m air rifle and a silver in the 50-meter 3-positions event.
ATHLETICS
American sprinter Tyson Gay turned in a successful Olympic debut as he won his heat in the men's 100 meters Friday at the Beijing Games. Gay, the defending world champion at both the 100- and 200-meter distances, won the fifth out of 10 heats in the 100 on the first day of track and field competition at Beijing National Stadium. He finished with a comfortable time of 10.22 seconds, tying him for the seventh-fastest run of the day. The 26-year-old Gay said last week that he was "fully recovered" from a hamstring injury suffered last month at the U.S. Track and Field trials and that appeared to be the case on Friday. Gay had injured his left leg in the quarterfinals of the 200 at the trials, keeping him from qualifying for that event in Beijing. The American sprinter is expected to have some serious competition for gold in the 100 at the Summer Games from Jamaicans Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt. Tyrone Edgar of Great Britain had the fastest time in the 100m heats, winning the sixth heat in 10.13 seconds. Americans Darvis Patton and Walter Dix also qualified for the next round.
American thrower Adam Nelson advanced to Friday evening's finals of the men's shot put by finishing second in the morning session with a toss of 20.56 meters. Nelson won a silver medal in the shot put at both the Sydney and Athens Games. Poland's Tomasz Majewski finished first in the morning with a throw of 21.04 meters. Christian Cantwell and Reese Hoffa of the U.S. also moved on to the medal stage with the fourth and sixth best throws, respectively.
In addition to the final round of men's shot put, the women will also compete for a medal in the 10,000m. Shalane Flanagan of the U.S. is expected to challenge for gold in the distance event.
SOFTBALL
Jessica Mendoza had two of an Olympic softball-record four home runs hit by the United States in a 7-0 win Friday over Japan. Crystl Bustos and Natasha Watley also homered for the Americans, who had nine hits in just 25 at bats. Bustos' solo shot in the fourth inning gave the U.S. its 7-0 lead. The game was stopped after five innings by the mercy rule. Monica Abbott pitched a one- hit shutout following back-to-back U.S. no-hitters thrown by teammates Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman. Abbott had started a game against Canada that was postponed because of rain on Thursday and picked up following the Japan game on Friday. She didn't allow a hit through three innings of the game against Canada, though she was called for a couple of illegal pitches. Canada took a 1-0 lead before the postponement, helped by an error, but the U.S. bounced back for an 8-1 victory by scoring four runs apiece in the sixth and seventh innings after the game resumed on Friday. The U.S. women moved to 4-0 following their two wins Friday. Winners of their last 18 straight Olympic games dating back to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, outscored their opponents 29-1 in Beijing.
BASEBALL
Michel Enriquez lined the go-ahead two-run single in the 11th inning, and Cuba beat the United States, 5-4, in a hotly- contested baseball game at the Olympics. Jayson Nix belted a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to force extra innings, but was hit in the left eye by a fouled bunt attempt in the bottom of the 11th inning and was sent to a hospital with an eye injury. Terry Tiffee went 2-4 with a run and an RBI to lead the U.S. offense, but the Americans fell to 1-2 with a game upcoming against Canada on Saturday. Alfredo Despaigne hit a solo homer for Cuba, which has lost only three games in Olympic baseball history. The extra-inning rule also applied to China's 8-7 upset of Taiwan in 12 innings. The Chinese scored five times in their last at- bat to shot their opponent.
GENERAL NEWS
There were two more positive drug tests at the Olympics on Friday, as North Korean pistol shooter Kim Jong Su and Vietnamese gymnast Thi Ngan Thuong Do being the guilty parties. Kim tested positive for propanolol, a betablocker that limits trembling. His silver medal was taken away from the 50m pistol. Because of the doping test, China's Tan Zongliang was elevated to the silver and Russia's Vladimir Isakov moved up to grab the bronze. Kim's bronze in the 10-meter air pistol was also taken away and was given to the fourth place finisher, American Jason Turner. Do, who was in last place in the women's floor exercise qualifying, tested positive for the diuretic furosemide. Friday's announcement brings the total to three athletes who have tested positive at these Games.
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Posted:
Fri Aug 15, 2008 9:52 pm |
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Day seven ---United States Medal Count
15.............gold
14..............silver
19...............bronze
48................total
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| olympic
Posted:
Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:47 pm |
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Golden Girl!
Yeee haw!
It's a storybook American tale.
The world's best immigrate to the good ole' U.S of A and call her home!
Russian-born, Texas-raised Nastia Liukin won the women’s gymnastics all-around gold medal on Friday in Beijing.
Nastia came from behind on the final two rotations to clinch the top prize!
The elegant Liukin joins Carly Patterson and the iconic 1984 gold medalist Mary Lou Retton in the pantheon of American all-around gold medalists.
Nastia has Olympic greatness in her blood. Her dad is an Olympic gold medalist!
Liukin's teammate and Olympics roommate, Shawn Johnson of Iowa, won the silver.
Woo hoo! USA in the top two spots!
China's Yang Yilin won the bronze. She's probably 11 years old!
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Posted:
Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:27 pm |
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Phelps swims into history, winning 7th gold medal
Michael Phelps celebrates after winning the 100-meter butterfly. Phelps rallied down the stretch to
beat Serbia's Milorad Cavic by one hundredth of a second, claiming his seventh gold medal of the Beijing Olympic Games.
With the win, Phelps tied Mark Spitz's record for most gold medals at a single Olympics.
By PAUL NEWBERRY
With history hanging in the balance, Michael Phelps decided to take one more stroke. His long arms soared above the water, windmilled past his ears and slammed into the wall.
In the next lane, Milorad Cavic was gliding to the finish, just inches from the gold, his arms no longer driving but just reaching for the end.
That's all Phelps needed. He didn't have to be the fastest. Just first.
Phelps swam into history with a magnificent finish Saturday, tying Mark Spitz with his seventh gold medal by the narrowest of margins in the 100-meter butterfly.
He got his hands on the wall a hundredth of a second ahead of Cavic - a finish so close the Serbians filed a protest and swimming's governing body had to review the tape down to the 10-thousandth of a second.
"I had no idea," Phelps said. "I was starting to hurt a little bit with probably the last 10 meters. That was my last individual race, so I was just trying to finish as strong as I could."
Phelps' time was 50.58 seconds, the only time in these Olympics that he won an event without breaking the world record.
Not to worry. The 23-year-old from Baltimore has now pulled even with the greatest of Olympic records, matching Spitz's performance in the 1972 Munich Games.
Call this one the Great Haul of China - and it's not done yet.
Phelps will return on Sunday to swim in his final event of these games, taking the butterfly leg of the 400 medley relay. The Americans will be heavily favored to give him his eighth gold, leaving Spitz behind.
Phelps pounded his fist in the water and let out a scream after the astonishing finish. The crowd at the Water Cube gasped - it looked as though Cavic had won - then roared when the "1" popped up beside the American's name.
Cavic's time was 50.59.
The Serbian delegation filed a protest, but conceded that Phelps won after reviewing the tape provided by FINA, swimming's governing body. USA Swimming spokesman Jamie Olson said the tape was slowed to one frame every 10-thousandth of a second to make sure Phelps actually touched first.
It was impossible to tell on regular-speed replays.
"We filed the protest but it is already over," said Branislav Jevtic, Serbia's chief of mission for all sports. "They examined the video and I think the case is closed. The video says (Phelps) finished first.
"In my opinion, it's not right, but we must follow the rules. Everybody saw what happened."
Cavic wasn't sure he actually lost, but said he would accept the result.
"I'm stoked with what happened," Cavic said. "I don't want to fight this. People will be bringing this up for years and saying you won that race. If we got to do this again, I would win it."
A notoriously slow starter - Phelps was seventh out of eight at the turn - he really turned it on with the return lap, his long arms windmilling through the water as he closed the gap on Cavic and fellow American Ian Crocker, the world record-holder.
As they approached the finish, Cavic took his final big stroke and reached for the gold. Phelps, his timing a bit off but fully aware of where he was, did another mini-stroke and actually slammed the wall with his hands on the follow-through.
"I actually thought when I did take that half-stroke, I thought I lost the race there, but I guess that was the difference in the race," Phelps said.
It was reminiscent of the 100 fly finish at Athens four years ago, where Crocker appeared to have the race won but Phelps got him at the wall by 0.04.
"My last two Olympics I've been able to nail my finishes, and it's been by four one-hundredths and one one-hundredths," he said. "I'm happy and kind of at a loss for words."
Andrew Lauterstein of Australia won the bronze medal in 51.12. Crocker was again denied the first individual gold of his career; he didn't even win a medal, finishing fourth by a hundredth of a second in 51.13.
"It was a tight one," Crocker said. "I saw my short differential between getting a medal or not, but then I realized Michael's was pretty close, too. I'm really glad that he came out on top.
"It was everything that an Olympic final should be. It doesn't matter who's in the heats, you just got to get out and race and it's anybody's game. It was one of the more intense races that I've been in, which makes it a great way to end the meet."
While the medley relay figures to be nothing more than a coronation, Phelps isn't ready to talk about No. 8.
"It's not over yet," he said. "I really think the Australian team looks great for the relay. It's going to be a race."
http://www.miamiherald.com/598/story/643660.html
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Posted:
Sat Aug 16, 2008 1:13 am |
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i just now started to breathe.. .... what an edge that was.. 
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Posted:
Sat Aug 16, 2008 10:21 am |
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Track Stunner: Gay Out of 100 Final
American Tyson Gay struggled to finish fifth in his 100-meter semifinal heat Saturday, failing to advance to the night's highly anticipated final.
Gay, the reigning world champion, could not muster the late speed he is known for, finishing in 10.05 seconds. Only the top four in each of the two heats qualified.
"I'm pretty upset," Gay said. "When I get back to the Village, it's probably really going to set in. My family is here, everyone at home is supporting me, and I feel I let them down a little bit."
Gay's collapse came moments after Usain Bolt, the world record holder, ran the fastest time ever in an Olympic semifinal, winning the first heat in 9.85 seconds even while slowing up at the end. Former world-record holder Asafa Powell won the second heat in 9.91 seconds.
The final had been expected to offer a classic and historic matchup between the three fastest runners in history. Bolt holds the world record of 9.72 seconds. Powell has run 9.74 seconds and Gay clocked 9.77 at the U.S. Olympic trials in July.
Gay had been trying to come back after sustaining a slightly strained left hamstring six weeks ago during the first round of the 200 meters at the Olympic trials. The injury had already deprived Gay of a chance to compete in the 200 here. He is also the world champion in that event.
"Three weeks, four weeks off because of the injury after running 9.7, 9.6," Gay said. "It was just a back and forth battle, reversing the negativity in my mind. It was very difficult. ."
Gay said after the race that he did not feel any pain or problems with the hamstring. He speculated that he simply was not in race shape. Prior to Friday's opening round, Gay had not competed since suffering his injury July 5, skipping several races in Europe.
"I may have needed more races, but I don't want to make any excuses," Gay said. "I wasn't too overwhelmed with the Olympics. It's just one of those things. Maybe I could have used more traininng or more races."
Gay, who ran out of Lane 9, said he did not realize he was behind until late in the race. He said he got out fast but tightened up late. After the race, he stared at the scoreboard awaiting his marks.
"I couldn't see nobody," he said. "Toward the end, I could see everybody, and I was like, 'Dang.'"
Gay said he still hopes to be selected to compete in the 4x100 relay. Richard Thompson of Trinidad (9.93); Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles (9.94); American Walter Dix (9.95); Trinidad's Mark Burns (9.97); Michael Frater of Jamaica (10.01) and American Darvis Patton (10.03) advanced to the final.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/olympics/2008/08/track_stunner_gay_out_of_100_f.html 
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Posted:
Sat Aug 16, 2008 2:05 pm |
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How To Watch Michael Phelps Win His (hopefully) 8th Gold LIVE At The Beijing Olympics
Michael Learmonth | August 16, 2008 8:21 AM
Michael Phelps will try to make history today by winning a record 8th gold medal. Thanks to NBC's clout with the International Olympic Committee, the 4x100 meter medley relay will be held at 10:59 am Sunday in Beijing so it can be shown live, as it happens at 10:59 pm tonight on the East Coast.
But on the West Coast, NBC will show the Phelps race on tape, three hours later. We know NBC's Olympic TV ratings have been great, and we know that most people on the West Coast don't seem to mind watching canned sports. But we assume that some of you would like to see this historic event as it happens. And for those people, we have some options.
We've previously highlighted feeds that have worked for us on both PCs and Macs. But by far the most consistent option we've found is Alriyadiah saudi Sport TV (click here). Video quality isn't great, and you can't choose your event. And as of Saturday morning, we've found that it was running on slight delay -- its coverage of Roger Federer in the doubles final seemed to have a 10-minute lag. But it's still likely to be your best bet.
If you're more ambitious, and want to watch live coverage from the likes of the BBC or Canada's CBC, you'll need to configure your computer using a proxy server. We've got detailed instructions here; one of our readers has found this site's directions helpful as well.
links at the site >>>
http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/8/how-to-watch-michael-phelps-win-his-8th-gold-live-at-the-beijing-olympics
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Posted:
Sat Aug 16, 2008 10:51 pm |
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Phelps completes historic quest
 
Rodgers Forge native breaks Spitz's 36-year-old record, wins eighth gold of Beijing Games in 4 x 100 medley relay
By Kevin Van Valkenburg
Sun reporter
11:42 PM EDT, August 16, 2008
Someday, years from now, when they tell the tale of the man from Baltimore and his eight gold medals, it will difficult -- if not impossible -- to know exactly where to begin.
The epic story of Michael Phelps' transcendent Olympics has produced so many iconic moments, such a diverse selection of Did-I-really-just-see-that? mental snapshots, it would be fair to say there will be no wrong approach.
These Olympics have always been about possibility for Phelps, a 23-year-old from Rodgers Forge with a long torso, longer arms, and the competitive instincts of a hungry shark. In eight races -- including today's medley relay victory, which earned him his eighth gold medal, a record for a single Olympic Games -- he has provided us with the kind of memories that do not fade.
He has left fellow swimmers to fight through his wake, and he has nipped them at the wall by margins so thin, the naked eye could not be trusted to record them. He has bear-hugged his teammates, and he has roared with appreciation -- arms extended, muscles rippling -- at their amazing swims.
Most of all, he has reminded us that it's OK to dream up ridiculous feats as long as you truly believe you can make them reality.
"Every day it seems like I'm in sort of a dream world," Phelps said. "Sometimes you sort of have to pinch yourself to see if it's really real. I'm just happy I'm in the real world, I guess."
Today's medley relay was no coronation. The United States' all-star lineup of Aaron Piersol, Brendan Hansen, Phelps and Jason Lezak needed one final world record to secure Phelps' place in history. The Americans were in third when Phelps dove into the pool, but he gave them a lead they would not surrender. Lezak held off Australia's Eamon Sullivan over the final 50 meters, touching in 3 minutes, 29.34 seconds. Australia finished with silver (3:30.04) and Japan with bronze (3:31.1.
Phelps was somewhat reserved in his celebration, pumping his fist once and then embracing his teammates. He looked elated but exhausted, happy that all of it had finally become real.
"I couldn't have done it without you guys!" he yelled, a roar that was picked up by NBC's cameras.
It was, in so many respects, fitting that Lezak's hand was one on the wall securing the gold and wrapping up Phelps' quest with a team victory. Although Phelps' accomplishments managed to dwarf all other stories this week -- Natalie Coughlin probably won the quietest six medals in the history of the Games -- Lezak's remarkable anchor leg of the 400-meter freestyle relay, and the celebration it ignited, will likely be the memory that trumps all others.
The relays have always been, arguably, Phelps' favorite events. For those few moments, he is not viewed as the greatest swimmer in all the world. He is just an American, working together with three other men, the sturdy leg of a chair or fourth wheel of a fast car.
"I think he likes the aspect of having it not be about him, because so much of it is," said Phelps coach, Bob Bowman. "I think he loves getting with those guys because he loves team sports like basketball and football, and it's the one time he really gets to feel a part of something."
He could not have won eight golds without some measure of luck. His decision to take one final stroke in the 100-meter butterfly Saturday -- especially when Serbia's Milorad Cavic chose to glide into the wall .01 seconds slower -- was both clutch and fortuitous. Even he thought it was, in the moment, the wrong choice.
"I really thought that cost me the race, but it happened to be the direct opposite," Phelps said.
Luck, though, played such a small role when compared to preparation. Phelps' week was mapped out virtually down to the minute by Bowman, the man who is equal parts orchestra conductor and mad scientist when it comes to swimming. Even when China chose not to wait for Phelps -- a bus pulled away midweek as he and his coach were running to catch it -- solutions were devised.
"The buses do this little turnaround, and I told him, go stand out in the middle of the road," Bowman said. "He did, and they stopped."
It's an appropriate metaphor for the Games: Phelps standing in front of us all, forcing us to stop, just for moment, and join him for the ride. Even the president grabbed a seat early in the week, waving a small American flag and shooting Phelps the thumbs-up after each world record fell.
Phelps smiled with each trip to the medal stand, having done it so often, he began offering advice to the Americans who joined him on the podium.
"I can't tell you how special it is to hold your hand over your heart and hearing the music," Phelps said. "No matter how many times I'm up there, I always tell people to remember to put your hand over your heart. That's just something we do in our country."
Thousands of miles and oceans away, his country was watching. Word trickled back to him that his races were leading the news, and that his results were even popping up on the Jumbotrons of baseball stadiums. That may have been the greatest reward of all.
"My big goal is to change the sport of swimming," Phelps said. "For the kids coming up in the sport, and also for of the sport in America. So my goal is starting to happen, but there is still a long way to go with that. I'm sure Bob and I can think of something in the next four years."
www.baltimoresun.com/sports/olympics/bal-phelps816,0,1383235.story
A photo composite shows Michael Phelps showing each of his eight gold medals of the Beijing Olympics: the 400 individual medley, 400 freestyle relay, 200 freestyle, 200 butterfly, 800 freestyle relay, 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly and the 400 medley relay.
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Last edited by resigned on Sun Aug 17, 2008 5:58 am; edited 2 times in total
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Posted:
Sat Aug 16, 2008 11:16 pm |
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From left, Brendan Hansen, Aaron Peirsol and Michael Phelps celebrate after winning the gold medal in the men's 4 x 100-meter medley relay. The win gave Phelps his eighth gold medal of the Beijing Olympic Games, breaking Mark Spitz's 36-year-old record for golds in a single Olympics.(AP photo / August 17, 2008)
Michael Phelps celebrates after winning his eighth gold medal of the Beijing Olympic Games, breaking Mark Spitz's 36-year-old record for golds in a single Olympics. The Rodgers Forge native capped his historic run by helping the U.S. 4 x 100-meter medley relay team win the gold medal in a world-record time of 3 minutes, 29.34 seconds.(AP photo / August 17, 2008)
Michael Phelps reacts to winning his eighth gold medal of the Beijing Olympic Games. (AP photo / August 17, 2008)
| Quote: |
"I couldn't have done it without you guys!" Michael Phelps to teammates after winning his 8th gold medal |
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Posted:
Sun Aug 17, 2008 12:22 am |
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Day eight ---United States Medal Count
17...................gold
18...................silver
22...................bronze
57................... total
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Posted:
Sun Aug 17, 2008 1:53 am |
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Torres settles for silvers – barely
BEIJING — Dara Torres lost an improbable gold medal Sunday morning by one-hundredth of a second — the same margin that kept Michael Phelps on course to break Mark Spitz’s record.
The 41-year-old Torres, a five-time Olympian and the oldest American swimmer ever, settled for two more silver medals on the final day of swimming at the Water Cube.
She had three runner-up finishes in all, but was oh-so-close to a gold in the 50-meter freestyle.
Germany’s Britta Steffen nipped Torres at the wall to complete a sweep of the women’s sprint events in Beijing. The middle-aged American smiled, her head dropping back, when she saw a time of 24.07 seconds — just behind Steffen’s winning effort of 24.06. The German added to her gold in the 100 free.
Torres received her silver, then hustled back to the locker room to grab her cap and goggles. She anchored the U.S. to a second-place finish in the 400 medley relay, unable to catch Libby Trickett on a frantic sprint to the wall.
Still, not bad considering she had retired a second time after the 2000 Sydney Games, then got the urge to compete again after having her first child two years ago. Not content swimming in the old-timers’ division, she set out to prove that age is only a number.
Consider that point made.
Torres got off to a good start in the 50 and appeared to be leading midway through the race, a frenetic sprint from one end of the pool to the other.
As they came to the wall, Torres and Steffen were stroke for stroke. The German reached out with her left hand and Torres stretched with her right. Steffen’s fingertip got there first.
Completing a race for all ages, 16-year-old Australian Cate Campbell claimed the bronze in 24.17.
In the relay, Torres claimed the 12th — and surely last — medal of her career.
Then again, never count this woman out. She’ll only be 45 for the London Games.
Australia’s women — Emily Seebohm, Leisel Jones, Jess Schipper and Libby Trickett — took the gold with a world record of 3:52.69. The Americans claimed silver with the second-fastest time in history, 3:53.30, while China took the bronze.
Torres was joined on the U.S. team by Natalie Coughlin, Rebecca Soni and Christine Magnuson. Coughlin received her sixth medal of the games, giving her 11 in her career
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Posted:
Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:04 am |
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Surrounded by photographers, Michael Phelps gets a kiss from his mother, Debbie, after winning his eighth gold of the Beijing Games.
From left, Brendan Hansen, Aaron Piersol and Michael Phelps celebrate with Jason Lezak (in the pool) after their 4 x 100-meter medley relay team won the gold medal in a world-record time of 3 minutes, 29.34 seconds. The win gave Phelps his eighth gold medal of the Beijing Olympic Games, breaking Mark Spitz's 36-year-old record for golds in a single Olympics.
Michael Phelps celebrates after winning his eighth gold medal of the Beijing Olympic Games, breaking Mark Spitz's 36-year-old record for golds in a single Olympics. The Rodgers Forge native capped his historic run by helping the U.S. 4 x 100-meter medley relay team win the gold medal in a world-record time of 3 minutes, 29.34 seconds.
(AP photos / August 17, 2008)
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Click your heels together...
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 27706
Location: "Onboard" pathenry's desk
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| olympic
Posted:
Mon Aug 18, 2008 3:00 am |
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Day nine --- United States Medal Count
19........................gold
21........................silver
25.........................bronze
65..........................total
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Joined: 18 Dec 2006
Posts: 1683
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Posted:
Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:54 am |
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(BEIJING, August 17) – United States wrestler Randi Miller beat Martine Dugrenier of Canada to clinch
bronze in the Women's Freestyle Wrestling 63 kilogram weight class on Sunday, August 17.
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Click your heels together...
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 27706
Location: "Onboard" pathenry's desk
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| olympic
Posted:
Tue Aug 19, 2008 12:24 am |
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Beijing 2008 Games -- Day 11
United States Medal count
22..........................gold
24..........................silver
26..........................bronze
72...........................total
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Joined: 18 Dec 2006
Posts: 1683
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Posted:
Tue Aug 19, 2008 12:34 am |
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Re: Beijing 2008 Games -- Day 11
| olympic wrote: | United States Medal count
22..........................gold
24..........................silver
26..........................bronze
72...........................total |
_____________
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Click your heels together...
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 27706
Location: "Onboard" pathenry's desk
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| olympic
Posted:
Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:44 am |
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Beijing 2008 Games -- Day 12
United States Medal count
26..........................gold
26..........................silver
27..........................bronze
79...........................total
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Joined: 18 Dec 2006
Posts: 1683
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| olympic
Posted:
Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:46 am |
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Michael Phelps is arguable the best olympian of all time
Last edited by olympic on Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:14 am; edited 1 time in total
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Joined: 18 Dec 2006
Posts: 1683
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| olympic
Posted:
Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:47 pm |
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Beijing 2008 Games -- Day 13
United States Medal count
26..........................gold
28..........................silver
28..........................bronze
82...........................total
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Joined: 18 Dec 2006
Posts: 1683
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| olympic
Posted:
Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:49 pm |
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Michael Phelps' special commemorative Corn Flakes cover.
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Joined: 18 Dec 2006
Posts: 1683
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| olympic
Posted:
Wed Aug 20, 2008 11:54 pm |
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Knickers in a twist over Olympic dress code
BEIJING (AFP) – The Olympic dress code applies to places never seen, it seems, with the New Zealand hockey manager banished from the field at a crucial men’s match because officials objected to his players’ underwear.
Kevin Marr was ordered to watch the must-win match against Germany from the grandstand as punishment for three players wearing black undies beneath white shorts in an earlier match.
Initially, the officials wanted to suspend the players involved - Bradley Shaw, Simon Child and Blair Hopping - but Marr successfully argued that was unfair because he was in charge of what they wore.
Under the Olympic field hockey rules, shorts and undies must match, but New Zealand were in their alternate white strip in their earlier match against China and the players did not own alternate white undies.
“They’re pretty pedantic rulings,” Marr told NZPA.
“They are trying to ensure teams present themselves in the best possible light. I understand where the rule comes from but to suspend players is wrong.”
When the players wore the same undies against Germany it was not an issue for New Zealand, who wore their regulation black uniform, but the colour switch is going to be an issue for the Germans who won 3-1 to make the semi-finals.
The Germans had to switch from their usual black shorts to their alternate red, but with red undies apparently hard to come by they stuck with black underneath.
Marr said he had been contacted by German manager Jochen Heimpel who said the indiscretion had been noticed and his players were initially threatened with suspension from their semi-final.
Germany were likely cop it worse than New Zealand, as a warning was issued to all sides after the Kiwis were caught, and Marr expected Heimpel to face a two-match suspension.
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Joined: 18 Dec 2006
Posts: 1683
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| olympic
Posted:
Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:00 am |
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Beijing 2008 Games -- Day 14
United States Medal count
30..........................gold
35..........................silver
34..........................bronze
99..........................total
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Joined: 18 Dec 2006
Posts: 1683
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Posted:
Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:40 am |
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_________________
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Click your heels together...
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
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Location: "Onboard" pathenry's desk
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Posted:
Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:48 pm |
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Satire....
Michael Phelps Returns To His Tank At Sea World
ORLANDO—Fourteen-time Olympic gold medalist and SeaWorld main attraction Michael Phelps returned to his
seven-million-gallon water tank Wednesday to resume his normal schedule of performing in six shows a day
for marine park crowds every day of the week.
(snipped)
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/michael_phelps_returns_to_his_tank
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Click your heels together...
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
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Location: "Onboard" pathenry's desk
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| pax
Posted:
Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:17 pm |
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Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 16089
Location: Wish You Were Here
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