The Olympics: Day 14 Rio

Jenn Suhr, London gold medalist, wasn't even able to clear 4.70m. Surh was battling a virus almost the entire time she was in Rio, and was anxious to get home and deal with her health and getting better. It was Stefanidi of Greece who won with fewer misses than Sandi Morris of the US. When both couldn't clear 4.90m, Stefanidi secured the gold.

Women's Pole Vault Final 

1. Ekaterini Stefanidi, Greece, 4.85m

2. Sandi Morris, USA, 4.85m

3. Eliza McCartney, New Zealand, 4.80m

Team USA had a problem qualifying in the Women's 100m Relay, but it didn't keep them from the final. Allyson Felix had dropped the baton in qualifying, a move that is uncharacteristic for the most decorated female track star, but then it was determined that the reason she dropped is because she was bumped. The US were given a chance to run again and were reinstated. And their run in the finals would not be an easy one, the US Women won on the inside lane defending their title with the second fastest run in history. 

Women's 4x100m Relay Finals

1. USA, 41.01 (Team USA: Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, English Gardner, Tori Bowie)

2. Jamaica, 41.36

3. Great  Britain, 41.77

 The Men's relay team has been haunted for a little while; and they are fully aware of it. For this Olympics, the US men said that they felt like they were very prepared going into it. And when they made it to the finals, they seemed poised to break a curse that had been in effect since they last won a medal in this event which was a silver in 2004. Why were they disqualified? Apparently the baton was passed outside of the designated passing zone. The curse continues and the men look to change their destiny next time around on one of the biggest stages in the world. For Usain Bolt, he completed what would be his final face at the Games. 

Men's 4x100m Relay Finals 

1. Jamaica, 37.27

2. Japan, 37.60

3. Canada, 37.64

**USA, disqualified (Team USA: Mike Rodgers, Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay, and Trayvon Bromell) 

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

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

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