London Olympics 2012: Day 15

Apologies for the lateness of this post; I've been stressed and under the weather this past week. Day 15 was the last full day of competition at the London Games.

These were the results in some of the team sports finals:

In women's basketball, the U.S. women defeated France to win their fifth consecutive gold.

Women's Basketball

1. U.S.A.
2. France
3. Australia

In men's soccer, the Mexican men proved too tough for Brazil, beating them in the gold medal final.

The U.S. women came close but lost to Brazil in the volleyball gold medal final.

Women's Volleyball

1. Brazil
2. U.S.A.
3. Japan

Diving

David Boudia wasn't expected to medal in these Olympics, let alone win a gold. Boudia became the first U.S male diver to medal in an individual event since Mark Lenzi's bronze in the '96 Games.  The last American male to earn 10m platform gold was Greg Louganis in 1988. “Ending this drought is the epitome of what hard work and planning does,” Boudia said. “Just taking the focus off wanting all these medals and putting the focus on how we compete. That’s just been the main goal.”

Men's 10m Platform

1. David Boudia U.S.A. 568.65
2. Qui Bo China 566.85
3. Tom Daley Great Britain 556.95

Track & Field

Following a fight three years ago about her gender Caster Semenya battled back to win silver in the 800m. World Champion Mariya Savinova from Russia won the gold.

Women's 800m

1. Mariya Savinova Russia 1:56.19 SB
2. Caster Semenya South Africa 1:57.23 SB
3. Ekaterina Poistogova Russia 1:57.53 PB

She took a couple of years off to have children and Anna Chicherova came back to the high jump without missing a beat. In a surprise finish, Brigetta Barrett of the U.S. who competes for the University of Arizona won the silver.

Women's High Jump

1. Anna Chicherova Russia 2.05m
2. Brigetta Barrett U.S.A. 2.03 PB
3. Svetlana Shkolina Russia 2.03 PB
      


Perhaps one of the most proud moments from the host nation was when Somali born Mo Farah won the gold medal in the men's 5000m.  He surged ahead late in the race to capture his second gold in this Games. Farah won the 10000m the previous week.

Men's 5000m

1. Mo Farah Great Britain 13:41.66
2. Dejen Gebromeskel Ethiopia 13:41.98
3. Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa Kenya 13:42.36
4. Bernard Lagat U.S.A. 13:42.99
7. Galen Rupp U.S.A. 13:45.04
10. Lopez Lomong U.S.A. 13:48.19

Capping off an amazing night at the track, a final men's relay and a final women's relay were run. They were an exclamation point for track & field in London. The Jamaican men proved that although from a small island country, they are a force to be reckoned with on the track. The U.S. men have come used to only being second best on the track, a habit they have tried hard to break. The U.S. women have come out like warriors in these Games displaying not only talent, but poise, beauty, and intelligence.

Usain Bolt left London three for three, and kept us believing that he will be back in four years in Rio. Will he be as electric? Only time will tell, but it will be entertaining to watch without question. And now, I leave you with a great Usain Bolt story from his time in London:

After crossing the finish line, Bolt pleaded with an official to let him keep the yellow baton he held during the race. The official said "No," and Bolt handed it over to the official while spectators booed. About 40 minutes later, that same official approached Bolt and returned the baton. Bolt bowed with thanks and kissed the baton.

Men's 4x100m Relay

1. Jamaica (Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Johan Blake, Usain Bolt) 36.84 WR
2. U.S.A. (Trell Kimmons, Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay, Ryan Bailey) 37.04 NR
3. Trinidad & Tobago 38.12
4. France 38.16
5. Japan 38.35
6. Netherlands 38.39
7. Australia 38.43
8. Canada DQ

Someone else besides Usain Bolt went three for three; Allyson Felix won her third gold in the Women's 4x400 meter. Sanya Richards Ross picked up her second gold.

Women's 4x400m Relay

1. U.S.A. (Dee Dee Trotter, Allyson Felix, Francesca McCorory, Sanya Richards Ross) 3:16.87 SB
2. Russia 3:20.23 SB
3. Jamaica 3:20.95 SB
4. Ukraine 3:23.57 SB
5. Great Britain 3:24.76 SB
6. France 3:25.92
7. Czech Republic 3:27.77
8. Nigeria DQ

London Olympics 2012: Day 13

U.S. Women's Soccer continues to make strides after the women won a third consecutive gold medal, this time over Japan.

Women's Soccer

1. U.S.A.
2. Japan
3. Canada

Diving

Chen Roulin accomplished several notables by winning gold in the ten meter platform:

China completed a sweep in golds for platform events in the second straight Games. Chen joined the exclusive club of  Americans Dorothy Poynton-Hill and Patty McCormick, and countrywoman Fu Mingxia as the only women to win individual 10-meter titles at successive games. And she helped China extend a streak of earning at least one medal in women's platform at the last eight Olympics, the longest run for any country in any diving event.

Sixteen year old silver medalist from Australia Brittany Broben said of Roulin, "She's unbelievable, she deserves it. She works so hard. She dives the best of anyone."

Women's 10m Platform

1. Chen Roulin China 422.30
2. Brittany Broben Australia 366.50
3. Pandelela Rinang Pamg Malaysia 359.20

Track & Field

Christian Taylor had two fouls against him and was about to be eliminated if he couldn't make a safe jump. Taylor went on the attack and after a safe third jump, his fourth was the longest jump this year, 17.81m/58-5 1/4, and he took gold. His teammate both in the Olympics and at Florida State, Will Claye took silver.

A little but of history

This was the first triple jump medals for the U.S. in 16 years, Kenny Harrison won gold in Atlanta in 1996. It's 20 years since the Americans went 1-2 in Barcelona -- Michael Conley and Charlie Simpkins.

Claye is the first man in 76 years to win medals in both horizontal jumps at the same Games. Naoto Tajima of Japan won gold in the triple jump and bronze in the long jump in Berlin in 1936.

"I wish I had one more event!" Claye said with a big smile.

Men's Triple Jump

1. Christian Taylor U.S.A. 17.81m SB
2. Will Claye U.S.A. 17.62m
3. Fabrizio Donato Italy 17.48m

Twenty three year old David Rudisha from Kenya has been the dominant 800-meter runner for the last three years, setting the world record three times. This time around though, he did something even more special, he broke the world record at the Olympics.

Men's 800m

1. David Rudisha Kenya 1:40.91 WR
2. Nijel Amos Botswana 1:41.73 NR
3. Timothy Kitum Kenya 1:42.53 PB
4. Duane Solomon U.S.A. 1:42.82 PB
5. Nick Symmonds U.S.A. 1:42.95 PB

Fast as lightning, Usain Bolt did something that no other man in the history of the Games has done, he won gold in both the 100 meter and 200 meter in back to back Games. He said after his race in which the Jamaicans swept the event, "I'm now a legend. I'm also the greatest athlete to live."

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, speaking to a small group of reporters, said, according to Associated Press, "Let [Bolt] participate in three, four Games, and he can be a legend. Already he's an icon."  Legend status may be a bit of a stretch, I'm with Rogue on this one. Can he be compared yet to someone like Michael Phelps who participated in four Olympics, won 22 medals, 18 of them gold? I don't think so. Is he an icon? Does Bolt mean a lot to the sport of track & field? Without question, yes! At only 25, Bolt could easily make another Olympics if he keeps up his training and then maybe we could talk about that "legend" title that he so desires.

Men's 200m

1. Usain Bolt Jamaica 19.32 SB
2. Johan Blake Jamaica 19.44 SB
3. Warren Weir Jamaica 19.84 PB
4. Wallace Spearmon U.S.A. 19.90 SB
5. Churandy Martina Netherlands 20.00
6. Christophe Lemaitre France 20.19
7. Alex Quinonez Ecuador 20.57
8. Anaso Jobodwana South Africa 20.69

Ashton Eaton of the U.S. brought the Decathlon title back home on the 100th anniversary of the event. Even Usain Bolt was impressed saying, "I'm a great athlete, but to do 10 events, especially the 1,500 — I've got to give it to him."

More details here: Eaton wins Olympic Decathlon

Men's Decathlon

1. Ashton Eaton U.S.A. 8869 points
2. Trey Hardee U.S.A. 8671 points SB
3. Leonel Suarez Cuba 8523 points