Tag Archives: Olympic News
Missy Franklin Sets World Record, Wins Gold Medal
American teenager Missy Franklin set a world record in the 200 backstroke Friday for her third gold and fourth medal overall at the London Olympics.
Franklin clocked 2 minutes, 4.06 seconds, 0.75 quicker than the mark set by Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe at the 2009 world championships in Rome in a now-banned bodysuit.
It was the seventh world record of the games.
Anastasia Zueva of Russia touched in 2:05.92 to take the silver medal and Elizabeth Beisel of the United States finished in 2:06.55 to take bronze.
USA Basketball Defeats Nigeria, 156-73
Thursday night, an epic blowout that answered the Americans’ detractors and sent a clear message to let them be.
After two opening routs that provoked criticism of their slow starts and outside shooting, the Americans rewrote the record books.
They led by 26 in the first quarter, had an Olympic-record 78 points in the first half and Carmelo Anthony scored 37 points, including 10 of 12 3-pointers, to break the U.S. single-game scoring record in less than three quarters.
“Our guys just couldn’t miss,” said coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Incredibly, they eclipsed the 100-point mark with 5 minutes still left in the third.
“When we get hot, it’s a big problem,” Kobe Bryant said. “So you have all these guys on one team and then all get hot on the same night, it’s tough.”
They broke the Olympic record for most points in a game with 4:37 still to play, and set U.S. records for 3-pointers (26), field goals (59) and field-goal percentage (71).
When Andre Iguodala hit a 3-pointer with 4:37 left, the Americans had surpassed the previous Olympic record of 138 points set by Brazil against Egypt in 1988. When the record was announced to the mesmerized crowd, all the players seated on the U.S. bench got up and walked single file past Krzyzewski, slapping hands with him and his staff.
The Americans even one-upped the 1992 Dream Team. The 83-point margin of victory was the largest in U.S. national team history, eclipsing the 79-point spread when Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Co. beat Cuba 136-57 in their first game.
The U.S. seemed intent on breaking Nigeria’s spirit, and when that was accomplished with ease, the Americans made a profound statement with their marksmanship.
Nigeria was the first to get the message.
“When they shoot like this, I don’t know if there is any team that can beat them,” said Ike Diogu, one of the Nigerians who promised not to be intimidated by the Americans.
Bryant scored 16 points – 14 in the first quarter – for the Americans, who scored 49 points in the first, left the floor leading 78-45 at half and then doubled their total in the second half.
Russell Westbrook finished with 21 points, Kevin Love 15 and Kevin Durant 14 for the U.S., which will play Lithuania on Saturday. The Americans have won their first three games with ease, but now things are expected to get a lot tougher as they approach next week’s medal round.
Diogu scored 27 to lead Nigeria (1-2), which was as good as done after Durant hit a 3-pointer 11 seconds in, snapping an 0-for-14 slump by the U.S. in the first quarter in the tourney.
Phelps vs. Lochte coming up in the Olympic pool as stars face off in 200 IM
London Olympics went to Lochte in a runaway on the opening night of the swimming competition. This one figures to be a lot closer.
The American stars compete against each other for the last time in the 200-meter individual medley on Thursday night. Lochte qualified fastest in 1 minute, 56.13 seconds. Phelps was 98-hundredths of a second back in third.
“We love racing against each other,” said Phelps, who plans to retire after the games. “Neither one of us likes to lose. I like to say we bring out the best in one another.”
In between them again is Laszlo Cseh of Hungary. He’s been the perennial also-ran in the last two Olympics, taking bronze behind Phelps at the 2004 Athens Games and silver four years ago in Beijing when Phelps won and Lochte was third.
Phelps could accomplish one more bit of history on Day 6 at the pool. A victory would make him the first male swimmer to win an individual event in three consecutive Olympics. Japanese star Kosuke Kitajima failed to defend either of his titles in the 100 or 200 breaststrokes, leaving Phelps a chance to accomplish the feat.
He missed on his first two tries at a threepeat, finishing fourth in the 400 IM (Lochte won) and second in the 200 butterfly.
Lochte has a busy schedule on what could be a big night for the U.S. He’ll try to defend his title in the 200 backstroke final, with teammate Tyler Clary pressuring him as the fastest qualifier. Then a short time later, Lochte returns for the 200 IM final.
The night wraps up with a new champion being crowned in the women’s 100 freestyle final, an all-out sprint to the wall featuring Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands and American teenager Missy Franklin.
Kromowidjojo set an Olympic record of 53.05 seconds in the semifinals. Melanie Schlanger of Australia was second-quickest at 53.38 and Franklin was third in 53.59. Defending champion Britta Steffen of Germany failed to make the final.
The U.S. team continued its strong showing with victories by Nathan Adrian in the 100 free and the team of Franklin, Dana Vollmer, Shannon Vreeland and Allison Schmitt in the 4×200 free relay on Wednesday.
Adrian won a thrilling race that came down to the end. He got to the wall one-hundredth of a second ahead of James “The Missile” Magnussen of Australia, becoming the first American to win the 100 free since Matt Biondi at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Adrian hit the wall in 47.52 to Magnussen’s 47.53. Brent Hayden of Canada took the bronze in 47.80, his country’s first-ever medal in the event.
“This guy is an incredible closer. I knew that,” Adrian said of Magnussen. “I knew it was going to take a lot more than what I’d ever done before to be able to hang with him those last 5 meters.”
London Olympics 2012 U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Wins Team Gold Medal
The U.S. women captured the gold medal with an overall score of 183.596. Russia scored a 178.530 to take the silver and Romania won the bronze with a score of 176.414.
The 2012 U.S. women’s gymnastics team is composed of Jordyn Wieber, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Kyla Ross and McKayla Maroney. According to the Olympic format, each team selects three gymnasts for each of the four apparatuses in the final — balance beam, uneven bars, vault and floor.
The 16-year-old Douglas performed in each of the rotations while Wieber was called on for the floor, vault and uneven bars. Raisman worked the floor and the beam, with Ross performing on the beam and the uneven bars. Maroney was the only U.S. gymnast with just one event but no one on the team registered a score higher than her 16.233 on vault. That score was the highest of all competitors in the team final.
Russia was the primary challenger for the U.S. team in middle stages of the competition but completely fell apart during the floor routine, with two gymnasts falling during their routines. After Russia’s mistakes, the U.S. team headed to the floor knowing three solid performances would likely win them the gold. Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber and Aly Raisman delivered impressive floor routines to clinch the first team gold for the U.S. since the “Magnificent Seven” won in 1996.
LIVE Updates From The Start Of London Olympics Opening Ceremony 2012 HD Photos & Videos
The 2012 London Olympics officially begin on Friday with the highly-anticipated Opening Ceremony helmed by Oscar-winner Danny Boyle. That some of the events have already taken place (including a thrilling comeback by the U.S. women’s soccer team) won’t detract from the “Isles Of Wonder”spectacle unfolding at the Olympic Stadium in London.
With its elaborate — and somewhat still secret — production, the 2012 Opening Ceremony will aim to produce moments as memorable as Muhammad Ali’s inspiring torch lighting in Atlanta and the breathtaking long-range, pyrotechnic archery of Barcelona.
