Saturday, August 9, 2008

2008 Beijing: Results Day 1

In beach volleyball, Misty Mae Treanor and Kerri Walsh beat Japan for their 102st straight win. On the men's side, in an upset, Latvia beat American favorites Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers.

The U.S. women domintated in fencing in the individual Sabre. Mariel Zagunis (who won the gold in 2004 and was the first American woman to do so in a century) won the first gold medal at these Games for the American team. Her teammates Sada Jacobson and Becca Ward took the silver and bronze with President Bush in the front row wathcing. The three ladies look to win the team sabre, and hope that with their performance they encourage girls to take up fencing.

Michael Phelps won gold medal number seven, and his first at this Olympics in the 400m Individual Medley. Laszlo Cseh who won the bronze in Athens won a silver here. Check out the results:

Men's 400m IM
1. Michael Phelps U.S.A. 4:03:84 World Record
2. Laszlo Cseh Hungary 4:06:16
3. Ryan Lochte U.S.A. 4:08:09

In the men's 400m freestyle, Australia did not dominate as they have in so many other years. A South Korean swimmer, Tae Hwan Park, who was disqualified four years ago for accidentally falling into the pool before the start won gold, and not just any gold, but the first gold in swimming for his country.

Men's 400m free
1. Tea Hwan Park South Korea 3:41:66
2. Zhang Lin China 3:42:44
3. Larsen Jensen U.S.A. 3:42:76

Grant Hackett of Australia who was favored to win the gold did not medal and finished sixth.

Katie Hoff was denied a gold in the 400m Individual Medley, and twenty year old Stephanie Rice who is Australia's glamour gal, shattered Hoff's old world record winning the gold. Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe snuck in and won the silver.

Women's 400m IM
1. Stephanie Rice Australia 4:29:45 World Record
2. Kirsty Coventry Zimbabwe 4:29:69
3. Katie Hoff U.S.A. 4:31:71

The Americans kept their silver standing from '04 in the women's 4x100m free relay, but the Netherlands and Australia switched places.

Women's 4x100m free relay
1. Netherlands 3:33:76 Olympic Record Inje Dekker, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Femke Heemskerk, Marleen Veldhuis
2. U.S.A. 3:34:33 Natalie Coughlin, Lacey Nymeyer, Kara Lynn Joyce, Dara Torres
3. Australia 3:35:05 Cate Campbell, Alice Mills, Melanie Schlanger, Libby Trickett

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