The Olympics: Day 9 Rio

On Day 9, there were lots of Gymnastics apparatus finals and Usain Bolt in the 100m Dash, lots of excitement on this day.

On the Men's Floor Exercise, there was pure joy when two Brazilian gymnasts medaled. Max Whitlock of Great Britain won the first gold for a British gymnast. Whitlock won the bronze medal in the All Around. He went on to later win the Pommel Horse Final as well where he is the defending champion. Once again, disappointment for the US Men's Team, Sam Mikulak and Jake Dalton were the top two qualifiers and neither one of them medaled.

Men's Floor Exercise

1. Max Whitlock, Great Britain, 15.633
2. Diego Hipolito, Brazil, 15.533
3. Arthur Mariano, Brazil, 15.433

In the Women's Vault Finals, it was all about Simone Biles. She won her third gold of this Games! She is a young woman certainly destined to make history. Her first vault was a 15.9 and her second was a 16.033. She won this by a significant margin.

Women's Vault Final

1. Simone Biles, USA, 15.966
2. Maria Paseka, Russian Federation, 15.253
3. Giulia Steingruber, Switzerland, 15.216

I already mentioned that Max Whitlock also secured a gold in Pommel Horse. Alex Naddour of the US picked up the bronze. This may very well be the only medal the US Men's gymnasts walk away with.

Men's Pommel Horse Final

1. Max Whitlock, Great Britain, 15.966
2. Louis Smith, Great Britain, 15.833
3. Alex Naddour, USA, 15.700

Russia's Aliya Mustafina repeated as the uneven bars champion. She is only the second female gymnast to do this, the first was Svetlana Khorkina, also from Russia in 1996 and 2000. Maddison Kocian of the US Team took the silver while Gabby Douglas struggled to stay on the apparatus and as a result, her score wasn't high enough to make the podium.

Women's Uneven Bars Final

1. Aliya Mustafina, Russian Federation, 15.900
2. Maddison Kocian, USA, 15.833
3. Sophie Scheder, Germany, 15.566

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In the Men's 100m Dash, Usain Bolt proved why he is a force. He didn't get out of the blocks the best, but he just accelerated, and started passing each opponent. In the last 10 meters he slowed down, looked at this opponents and passed them. Bolt picked up his third consecutive Olympic Gold in the 100m, a feat that has never been done before. Bolt seals his legacy as perhaps the greatest sprinter ever. Justin Gatlin came back from redemption, and I feel he earned that running the best race he could and capturing the Silver.

Men's 100m Final

1. Usain Bolt, Jamaica, 9.81
2. Justin Gatlin, USA, 9.89
3. Andre De Grasse, Canada, 9.94

I bet that Wayde Van Niekirk is one of the most beloved athletes in South Africa. He is trained by his grandmother. He finished fifth in qualifying and had to start the final for the 400m in Lane 8, a place no one wants to be. Van Niekirk proved why he is the real deal, he finished in first out of Lane 8 and shattered the World Record and the Olympic Record. His grandmother was in the audience watching, what a moment. Of note, LaShawn Merritt of the US Team picked up a bronze.

Men's 400m Final

1. Wayde Van Niekirk, South Africa, 43.03 World Record, Olympic Record
2. Kirani Jone, Grenada, 43.76
3. LaShawn Merritt, USA, 43.85

The Oympics: Day 6 Rio

Destiny fulfilled. Simone Biles won the Women's All Around today. Biles has been undefeated in three consecutive World Championships and tonight completed what has been a long journey. She was unstoppable and untouchable finishing two points ahead of her teammate Aly Raisman.  And it was redemption indeed for Aly Raisman who won the silver. I would argue that she is better today than she was four years ago. This marks the first time US Gymnasts have gone 1, 2 in the All Around since 2008 when Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson did it in Beijing. Mustafina who won the Bronze 4 years ago repeated as Bronze medalist today.

Women's All Around Finals Gymnastics

1. Simone Biles, USA, 62.198
2. Aly Raisman, USA, 60.098
3. Aliya Mustafina, Russian Federation, 58.665

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No Americans made it to the finals in the Women's 200m Breaststroke, a rarity during these games. Rie Kaneto of Japan won the gold. It was the first time in 3 Games that an American did not win. In 2004, Amanda Beard won Gold and in 2008 and 2012 Rebecca Soni took the Gold. Controversial swimmer from the Russian Team, Yulia Efimova improved to Silver from Bronze 4 years ago in this same event.

Women's 200m Breaststroke

1. Rie Kaneto, Japan, 2.20.30
2. Yulia Efimova, Russian Federation, 2.21.97
3, Shi Jinglin, China, 2.22.28

There is a new king in the Backstroke, and it's Ryan Murphy. At 21 years of age and making his Olympic debut, Murphy swept the Backstroke events winning Gold in both and keeping the US streak alive at 6 in a row in Olympic Games. He beat out Mitch Larkin who is the 2015 World Champion in this event.

Men's 200m Backstroke

1. Ryan Murphy, USA, 1.53.62
2, Mitch Larkin, Australia, 1.53.96
3. Evgeny Rylov, Russian Federation, 1.53.97

This was one of the events I was looking forward to during this entire Olympics. After all, it may be the last time that Phelps and Lochte go head to head in an Olympic event. I honestly expected them to go 1, 2 in this event. It's always been Michael and Ryan, but tonight for some reason, it just was not to be. It's like only half the story ended as it should have. Ryan was even leading at one point. Michael pulled ahead, like so many times before, and never looked back, the only difference is that this time Ryan was not right behind him.

Men's 200m Individual Medley

1. Michael Phelps, USA, 1.54.66
2. Kosuke Hagino, Japan, 1.56.61
3. Wang Shun, China, 1.57.05

5. Ryan Lochte, USA, 1.57.47

Wow Simone Manuel! You are a firecracker! Simone became the first African American woman to win an individual swimming medal, and go figure, it was Gold! And she died for an Olympic record with Penny Oleksiak of Canada. This is the first Olympics for Manuel and Oleksiak who beat out sisters and favorites in this race from Cate and Bronte Campbell from Australia. Sarah Sjostrom who won a couple of Golds earlier in the week took a silver.

Women's 100m Freestyle

1. Simone Manuel, USA, 52.70 Olympic Record
1. Penny Oleksiak, Canada, 52.70 Olympic Record
3. Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden, 52.99  

London Olympics 2012: Day 11

* The Beach Volleyball Finals on Day 12 will feature both American teams: Misty May Treanor & Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross & Jen Kessy. *

Gymnastics

Today was the last day of event finals in gymnastics. Aly Raisman added two individual medals to her team medal. She leaves London as the most decorated U.S. gymnast in these Games. The men's team continued to struggle in event finals with none of them adding any medals to their total. The only medal earned by the men in these Games was Danell Leyva's bronze in the all around.

Men's Parallel Bars

1. Zhe Feng China 15.966
2. Marcel Nguyen Germany 15.800
3. Hamilton Sabot France 15.566

Men's Horizontal Bar

1. Epke Zonderland Netherlands 16.533
2. Fabian Hambuechen Germany 16.400
3. Kai Zou China 16.366

In balance bean, Aly Raisman and Romania's Catalina Ponor actually tied for third place after Raisman's coach contested her score.Raisman had a higher execution score and won the bronze medal over Ponor. In floor, it was all about Aly; she was really just at a higher level than everyone else, and it was so beautiful to see her do so well after she lost bronze in the women's all around. Catalina Ponor, who may be in her last Olympics, made it onto the medal stand this time taking the silver, after she was knocked down to fourth place and out of the bronze medal position in balance beam. Aliya Mustafina of Russia continued to prove why she is one of the best in the world, winning a bronze in floor to keep her gold in the uneven bars company.

Women's Balance Beam

1. Deng Linlin China 15.600
2. Sui Lu China 15.500
3. Aly Raisman U.S.A. 15.066

Women's Floor Exercise

1. Aly Raisman U.S.A. 15.600
2. Catalina Ponor Romania 15.200
3. Aliya Mustafina Russia 14.900

Track & Field

I couldn't blog about Day 11 without telling everyone about Ivan Ukhov from Russia. First thing's first, he won the high jump, but he did it in shorts and a t shirt rather than his uniform. He apparently took it off between jumps and somehow misplaced it. The officials told him he only had a few minutes and to just jump in what he was wearing. Keep in mind that this is also a young man who earned a "strong warning" from the IAAF for being drunk during a competition in 2008. Eric Kynard of the U.S. took the silver, while three other men tied for the bronze.

Men's High Jump

1. Ivan Ukhov Russia 2.38m
2. Erik Kynard U.S.A. 2.33m
3. Mutaz Essa Barshim Qatar 2.29m
3. Derek Drouin Canada 2.29m
3. Robert Grabarz Great Britain 2.29m

Australia's Sally Pearson waited for what seemed like forever to find out whether or not she had done enough to edge out Dawn Harper of the U.S. in the 100 meter hurdles. Not only had she just crossed the finish line before her, but she set a new Olympic record. Dawn Harper seemed very content with silver. Kellie Wells who had been to hell and back with her person life, won bronze and had just beaten Pearson prior to the Games. Lolo Jones finished in fourth place, and sadly, out of the medals.

Women's 100m Hurdles

1. Sally Pearson Australia 12.35 OR
2. Dawn Harper U.S.A. 12.37 PB
3. Kellie Wells U.S.A. 12.48 PB
4. Lolo Jones U.S.A. 12.58 SB
5. Nevin Yanit Turkey 12.58
6. Phylicia George Canada 12.65 =PB
7. Jessica Zelinka Canada 12.69
8. Beate Schrott Austria 13.07

London Olympics 2012: Day 10

* The U.S. Women's Soccer team is moving on and will play against Japan for the gold medal *

Gymnastics

The U.S. team has struggled in these individual apparatus finals, only picking up one additional medal, McKayla Maroney's silver in vault. This continued on day ten with Gabby Douglas finishing in last place in the uneven bars, Sam Mikulak finishing fifth in men's vault, and no man from the American team even qualifying in still rings.

Men's Vault

1. Hak Sean Yang South Korea 16.533
2. Denis Ablyazin Russia 16.399
3. Igor Radivlov Ukraine 16.316

Aliya Mustafina won the gold that had alluded her in the all arounds and team event for Russia. She was dynamite on uneven bars gracefully flying up, down, and transitioning beautifully from high bar to low bar, and dismounting with a move named after herself. The "Mustafina" was named after her for a reason, because no one does it better. She smiled coyly as Gabby Douglas missed a handstand and had to improvise parts of her routine. Douglas finished in last place. After that, Mustafina knew the medal was hers, and rightfully so.

Women's Uneven Bars

1. Aliya Mustafina Russia 16.133
2. He Kexin China 15.933
3. Beth Tweddle Great Britain 15.916 (Great Britain continued to surprise at the Games winning their first ever medal in Women's Gymnastics.)

I feel like in every Olympic Games at least one athlete in gymnastics is robbed of one thing or another whether it be the chance to compete in an event or compete in a medal. Jordyn Wieber, for example was robbed of the chance to compete in the women's all around, even though she was 4th overall. It just seemed like such an injustice to her, the fans, this Games, and the sport of gymnastics as a whole. I have to wonder and hope that the audacity of her being left out will be enough to change the rules for the better and for good. Such a thing happened again when Chen Yibing of China received the silver medal instead of the gold on still rings. His performance was far better than his Brazilian competitor who won gold. No offense, but one must wonder whether or not this was all a way of readying the Brazilians for Rio 2016. Anyone else with me on this?

Men's Still Rings

1. Arthur Nabarrete Zanetti Brazil 15.900
2. Chen Yibing China 15.800
3. Matteo Morandi Italy 15.733

Pole Vault

Four years ago, Jenn Suhr won the silver in perfect conditions, and this year in London, around the most difficult of conditions, Suhr won gold. She must be one tough lady; even her competitor and Beijing gold medalist Isinbayeva agreed that she deserved to win.

Women's Pole Vault

1. Jenn Suhr U.S.A. 4.75m
2. Yarisley Silva Cuba 4.75m
3. Yelena Isinbayeva Russia 4.70m

Track & Field

It's a fact that the past four, 400 meter hurdle winners have been in this order:Angelo Taylor, Felix Sanchez, Taylor, Sanchez. At the age of 34, Felix Sanchez, New York born, but running for the Dominican Republic was an unlikely choice for gold; however, in some ways, he had unfinished business. In Beijing, Sanchez learned before running his heat that his grandmother had passed away; he never made it out of the heats, but promised and was determined to win another medal for his grandmother. Sanchez said following his victory, "It took me four years... I finally pulled it off". 

Men's 400m Hurdles

1. Felix Sanchez Dominican Republic 47.63 SB
2. Michael Tinsley U.S.A. 47.91 PB
3. Javier Culson Puerto Rico 48.10
4. David Greene Great Britain 48.24
5. Angelo Taylor U.S.A. 48.25
6. Jehue Gordon Trinidad & Tobago 48.86
7. Leford Green Jamaica 49.12
8. Kerron Clement U.S.A. 49.15

Kirani James was a part of one of the most sportsmanlike moments of these Games. Following his win in the 400 meter semifinal, he went up and traded bibs with double amputee, Oscar Pistorius who was eliminated in that round. The 19 year old would then go on to win Grenada's first ever Olympic medal, and it was a gold. The U.S. had won gold in the event for the past seven Olympics going back to 1984.

Men's 400m

1. Kirani James Grenada 43.94 NR
2. Luguelin Santos Dominican Republic 44.46
3. Lalonde Gordon Trinidad & Tobago 44.52 PB
4. Chris Brown Bahamas 44.79
5. Kevin Borlee Belgium 44.81
6. Jonathan Borlee Belgium 44.83
7. Demetrius Pinder Bahamas 44.98
8. Steven Solomon Australia 45.14

London Olympics 2012: Day 6

Gabrielle Douglas will go down as one of the greats in gymnastics. There have only been four American women who have won the all around: Douglas, Nastia Liukin in 2008, Carly Patterson in 2004, and Mary Lou Retton in 1984. Each one is so captivating, strong, graceful, original; they epitomize what it means to be a fighter. Gabby did something that none of the other three did though; she is the first woman to win gold in the team finals and gold in the all around.

Critics often compare Douglas to Dominique Dawes, but say her skills are a combination of Patterson's strength and athleticism, and Liukin's grace and maturity. Douglas' story is a sentimental one, she moved away from home two years ago to train with Coach Liang Chow who trained Shawn Johnson. At first her mom, Natalie Hawkins, was completely opposed to the idea, but she saw how much Gabby wanted it, and finally agreed. I am so glad her mom agreed, because we got to see a young determined woman who worked hard, and had that hard work pay off.

Women's Gymnastics All Around

1. Gabby Douglas U.S.A. 62.232
2. Viktoria Komova Russia 61.973
3. Aliya Mustafina Russia 59.566
4. Alexandra Raisman U.S.A. 59.566

As you can see above, Mustafina and Raisman have the same score. They both should have received a bronze medal, right? Wrong! According to archaic gymnastics rules that make no sense, when two gymnasts tie the lowest score of the four routines are dropped for each gymnast. Then, the remaining three scores are averaged, and whoever has the higher average receives the medal. Why couldn't two bronze medals be given out?

Reading Material--- loved this fun article on Gabby Douglas.

The Americans went three for four in the aquatic center on Day 6, how did they do it?

Rebecca Soni doesn't like attention, she'd prefer to just fly under the radar. You can imagine how much she disliked being the favorite coming into the 200m breast, an event she won four years ago in Beijing. On this day six though, Soni became the first female Olympic Champion from Beijing to defend and retain her title. Soni also set a new world record becoming the first to swim the event in under 2:20; she swam it in 2:19.59. Soni and boyfriend Ricky Berens have both won two medals at this Olympics.

Women's 200m Breaststroke

rank lane
1     4      Rebecca Soni U.S.A. 2:19.59 WR
2     3      Suzuki Satomi Japan 2:20.72
3     6      Iuliia Efimova Russia 2:20.92
4     5      Rikke Pedersen Denmark 2:21.65
5     1      Martha McCabe Canada 2:23.16
6     7      Micah Lawrence U.S.A. 2:23.27
7     2      Suzaan van Biljon South Africa 2:23.72
8     8      Sally Foster Australia 2:26.00

U.S. teammates Tyler Clary and Ryan Lochte both medaled in the 200m backstroke, but it wasn't in the order that you think. Lochte went into this event as the favorite and he came out of it with a bronze medal. Clary, who faced criticism earlier in these Games for saying he trained harder than Michael Phelps came out of the 200 with a gold. Although Lochte led on all the turns, Clary made his move in the last 50 meters closing it out at the wall.

Men's 200m Backstroke

rank lane
1     4      Tyler Clary U.S.A. 1:53.41 OR
2     6      Irie Ryosuke Japan 1:53.78
3     5      Ryan Lochte U.S.A. 1:53.94
4     2      Radoslaw Kawecki Poland 1:55.59
4     3      Fenglin Zhang China 1:55.59
6     7      Kazaki Watanabe Japan 1:57.03
7     8      Yakov Tamarkin Israel 1:57.62
8     1      Mitch Larkin Australia 1:58.02

He did it again, maybe it was the confidence he gained anchoring a relay the previous day, maybe it's the determination to go out on top, maybe it was because it was the last time he would ever swim against rival and friend Ryan Lochte, maybe it was just meant to be, but Michael Phelps added another gold to his collection winning the 200m individual medley. He became the first male swimmer to win the same event at three consecutive Summer Games. The question becomes, not what has Michael Phelps done, but rather, what has he not done? It's seems like he's done it all. "To be able to win the gold medal and repeat three times is something pretty special," Phelps said.

Men's 200m Individual Medley

rank lane
1     3      Michael Phelps U.S.A. 1:54.27
2     4      Ryan Lochte U.S.A. 1:54.90
3     5      Laszlo Cseh Hungary 1:56.22
4     6      Thiago Pereira Brazil 1:56.74
5     2      Kosuke Hagino Japan 1:57.35
6     7      Ken Takakuwa Japan 1:58.53
7     1      James Goddard Great Britain 1:59.05
8     8      Markus Deibler Germany 1:59.10

Phelp's 200m im

Finally, in the women's 100m free, it was a dutch sprinter who took gold in a race where the lone American finalist, Jessica Hardy, didn't even make it to the podium.

Women's 100m Freestyle

rank lane
1     4      Ranomi Kromowidjojo Netherlands 53.00 OR
2     1      Aliaksandra Herasimenia Belarus 53.38
3     6      Yi Tang China 53.44
4     5      Melanie Schlanger Australia 53.47
5     3      Missy Franklin U.S.A. 53.64
6     7      Francesca Halsall Great Britain 53.66
7     2      Jeanette Ottesen Gray Denmark 53.75
8     8      Jessica Hardy U.S.A. 54.02