London Olympics 2012: Day 9

* Misty May Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings beat a tough young Italian team in the quarterfinals to advance. *

Diving 
Chinese diver Wu Minxia announced that she will retire following the London Games, but the story doesn't end there. The six time medalist, including four golds, one silver, and one bronze was informed following her first gold medal win at these Games, the synchronized three meter springboard that her mother has been battling cancer and her grandparents passed away. The debate continues, should her parents have told her right away, regardless of her training or did they do the right thing allowing her to continue focusing on her Olympic dream? Whatever the case, Minxia continues to impress winning the individual 3m springboard as well.


Women's 3m Springboard Final

1. Wu Minxia China 414.00
2. He Zi China 379.20
3. Laura Sanchez Soto Mexico 362.40

Gymnastics
The sole U.S. hope in the men's floor exercise, Jake Dalton failed to medal, coming in fifth out of eight.

Men's Floor Exercises

1. Zou Kai China 15.933
2. Kohei Uchimura Japan 15.800
3. Denis Ablyazin Russia 15.800

For the first time ever, Great Britain won two individual gymnastics medals in the same event. The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate, watched intently as her fellow countrymen made history, her look was one of contentment and amazement. Louis Smith of Great Britain who won the silver actually had the same score as Krisztian Berki of Hungary who won gold, but Berki got the gold because his execution score of 9.166 was .10 points better.

Smith was optimistic though about his silver medal and Max Whitlock's bronze, "You have to take it with a pinch of salt," Smith said. "If you watch it back on slow motion, you'll usually see the best athlete won. To be beat by Krisztian, he's one of the best pommel performers in the world and to come in second to him at an Olympic games, that's a good feeling."

Men's Pommel Horse

1. Krisztian Berki Hungary 16.066
2. Louis Smith Great Britain 16.066
3. Max Whitlock Great Britain 15.600

There's no easy way to put this, McKayla Maroney fell on her butt on her second vault in the vaulting finals. She was the favorite to win gold, if anything was in lock in gymnastics, if anyone was consistent on an apparatus, it was Maroney on vault. The fall was shocking, the crowd gasped, the gymnasts were as shocked as the crowd, and Maroney; she stood there puzzled as flashbulbs went off in her face. Only one gymnast would follow her, Sandra Izbasa from Romania, and she would land both her vaults and win an unexpected gold.

Women's Vault

1. Sandra Izbasa Romania 15.191
2. McKayla Maroney U.S.A. 15.083
3. Maria Paseka Russia 15.050

Track & Field

Four years ago in Beijing, Sanya Richards Ross took home a medal in the 400 meter, but it wasn't the color she wanted; it was bronze and she left disappointed. Richards Ross went home, regrouped, realized that you don't truly win unless you cross the finish line first. Maybe it was fitting that she won the first gold in track & field for the U.S. team this time around. Following her body length win, Richards Ross embraced her husband saying his Super Bowl rings were motivation for her to get out there and win. He encouraged his wife and now gold medalist to enjoy the moment.

 Women's 400m

1. Sanya Richards Ross U.S.A. 49.55
2. Christina Ohuruogu Great Britain 49.70 SB
3. Dee Dee Trotter U.S.A. 49.72 SB
4. Amantel Montsho Botswana 49.75
5. Novlene Williams Mills Jamaica 50.11
6. Antonina Krivoshapka Russia 50.17
7. Francena McCorory U.S.A. 50.33
8. Rosemarie Whyte Jamaica 50.79

I didn't want to believe it when he first blasted onto the scene, but over the years, Usain Bolt has proven that he is the real deal. He and Carl Lewis are the only men to retain their 100 meter titles in back to back Games. 

He is officially, "the first man to cross the line first in successive Olympic finals".

Bolt said he now will focus on defending his title in the 200 meter to add to the legend that he already is.

Men's 100m

1. Usain Bolt Jamaica 9.63 OR
2. Yohan Blake Jamaica 9.75 =PB
3. Justin Gatlin U.S.A. 9.79 =PB
4. Tyson Gay U.S.A. 9.80 SB
5. Ryan Bailey U.S.A. 9.88 =PB
6. Churandy Martina Netherlands 9.94
7. Richard Thompson Trinidad & Tobago 9.98
8. Asafa Powell Jamaica 11.99

London Olympics 2012: Day 4

The history books will no longer just talk about "The Magnificent 7" (a.k.a Amanda Borden, Amy Chow, Dominique Dawes, Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Jaycie Phelps, Kerri Strug) from the 1996 Atlanta Games; now they will also talk about "The Fab 5" from the 2012 London Games. Team U.S.A. Women's Gymnastics, made up of Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross, and Jordyn Weiber are only the second U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team to win a team gold medal.They did so in confident fashion beating out the Russian team by more than five points. Only three of their 12 scores during the event scored less than a 15, no other team even came close.

Of winning Olympic gold, Jordyn Wieber said, "The feeling was incredible, to have this gold medal around your neck, it's really an indescribable feeling. It just shows how much of a team we are."

Women's Gymnastics Team Finals

1. U.S.A. 183.596
2. Russia 178.530
3. Romania 176.414

We all knew Michael Phelps was special, talented, gifted, etc., but now he will be remembered not only as a phenomenal swimmer but as the most decorated Olympian of all time. Phelps has won 19 medals, 15 gold, two silver, and two bronze, and he may not be done yet as he still has several more events to compete in.

Phelps tied the record, held by Larisa Latynina, winning a silver medal earlier Tuesday night in the 200m Butterfly, an event he has dominated in for the past decade. Chad le Clos of South Africa ended up out-touching Phelps at the wall; Phelps did the same thing years ago in Beijing to Hungarian swimmer Laszlo Cseh. Le Clos still can't believe he beat Michael Phelps, and says that Phelps is his hero.

Men's 200m Butterfly

rank lane
1     5      Chad le Clos South Africa 1:52.96
2     6      Michael Phelps U.S.A. 1:53.01
3     4      Takeshi Matsuda Japan 1:53.21
4     7      Dinko Jukic Austria 1:54.35
5     2      Tyler Clary U.S.A. 1:55.06
6     8      Velimir Stjepanovic Serbia 1:55.07
7     1      Pawel Korzeniowski Poland 1:55.08
8     3      Yin Chen China 1:55.18

Later that same night, Phelps swan the anchor leg of the 4x200m Relay, and that's where he broke Latynina's record walking away with his first gold from these Games. Lochte swam first followed by newcomer to the U.S. team, Conor Dwyer, and then Ricky Berens. Phelps had quite a lead over his closest competitor, France, and he closed the deal by swimming the fastest split of the relay. Phelps' teammates say that they didn't even know he had broke the medal record until he told them when the race was over. And should he not win anymore medals, Phelps said he would be okay with that.

Men's 4x200m Relay

rank lane
1     4     U.S.A. 6:59.70
2     5     France 7:02.77
3     7     China 7:06.30
4     3     Germany 7:06.59
5     6     Australia 7:07.00
6     2     Great Britain 7:09.33
7     1     South Africa 7:09.65
8     8     Hungary 7:13.66

I loved this article from the "Today Show": Phelps' Teammates Had No Idea He Set Olympic Record

19 year old Chen Ruolin defended her Olympic title in the Synchronized 10m Platform, but this time, with a different partner, 19 year old Wang Hao, and Chen is favored to repeat gold in the Individual event as well. Their dives were far more dynamic than other team; although, the Mexican team of veteran Paola Espinosa and 15 year old newcomer Alejandra Orozco Loza had a great night as well, and should not be overlooked.

Women's Synchronized 10m Platform

1. Chen Ruolin/ Wang Hao China 368.40
2. Paola Espinosa/ Alejandra Orozco Loza Mexico 343.32
3. Meaghan Benfeito/ Filion Roseline Canada 337.62

Allison Schmitt won her first gold medal last night, and set an Olympic record in the 200m free. The free spirit, training partner of Phelps, and self professed high fiver is proof that a positive attitude pays off.

Women's 200m Freestyle

rank lane
1      5     Allison Schmitt U.S.A. 1:53.61 OR
2      3     Camille Muffat France 1:55.58
3      4     Bronte Barratt Australia 1:55.81
4      8     Missy Franklin U.S.A. 1:55.82
5      6     Frederica Pellegrini Italy 1:56.73
6      2     Veronika Popova Russia 1:57.25
7      7     Caitlin McClatchey Great Britain 1:57.60
8      1     Kylie Palmer Australia 1:57.68

As allegations against Chinese swimmer Shiwen Ye continue to build, she continues to add gold medals to her arsenal. The 16 year old won the 200m individual medley in 2:07.57, an Olympic record. The performance follows her win women's 400 individual medley gold Saturday, in which she set a world record of 4:28.43. She dropped five seconds off her previous personal best, which she swam at 14 years of age. Why all the suspicion? Ye swam her final 50m in the 400m im faster than the male gold medalist in the same event, Ryan Lochte. In addition to that fact is that China has been there, done that before when it comes to doping allegations when many Chinese athletes tested positive for performance enhancing drugs including steroids and testosterone in the 90's. Overshadowed by all this is the fact that Coutts picked up another medal, and U.S. swimmer Caitlin Leverenz picked up a bronze medal.

Women's 200m Individual Medley

rank lane
1     4      Shiwen Ye China 2:07.57 OR
2     5      Alicia Coutts Australia 2:08.15
3     3      Caitlin Leverenz U.S.A. 2:08.95
4     7      Stephanie Rice Australia 2:09.55
5     6      Ariana Kukors U.S.A. 2:09.83
6     8      Kirsty Coventry Zimbabwae 2:11.13
7     1      Hannah Miley Great Britain 2:11.29
8     2      Katinka Hosszu Hungary 2:14.19